The Anson County School Board approved 41 million in funds to build the new Middle School Anson County has long been in dire need of constructing.
WADESBORO — At the Anson County Board of Education’s Regular Meeting on Monday, October 30, 2023, the board unanimously approved to move forward with a $41 million new middle school project.
The new school will house 7th and 8th-grade students when it opens, with the option to build a 6th-grade wing at a later time.
Anson County Schools will be working with Pinnacle Architect and Leitner Construction Company. While North Carolina law states that local governments are responsible for school construction expenses, in 2018, retired Anson County Schools’ Superintendent, Michael Freeman and his team, applied for a Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund Grant.
The Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund was established to provide additional money to build school facilities in economically struggling counties. The state awarded Anson County Schools with a $15 million Needs-Based Public School Grant for the construction of a new middle school. The $15 million grant also required a $5 million match from the local government. The grant for Anson County Schools was one of many awarded to counties across North Carolina.
Due to continued issues with the local government’s audit history, which prevented borrowing authority to assist Anson County Schools with construction expenses, in 2021, Superintendent Howard McLean and his team applied for another Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund Grant and were awarded $15 million to go toward the new middle school project.
These grant funds did not require a match from the local government. Since being awarded the grant funds, Anson County Schools’ Chief Financial Officer, Joy Drake, has identified over $3 million that the state has authorized to be used for capital projects. In addition to the funds currently secured and identified, Anson County Schools plans to request over $2 million from the local government sales and use tax account that are specifically designated for capital projects for Anson County Schools.
“Groundbreaking for the new middle school construction project is expected to begin after the beginning of the new year. If the building process goes as planned, the school will be completed some time in late 2025. It is exciting to see this vision finally come to life and we are looking forward to the groundbreaking ceremony in early 2024,” stated Superintendent McLean.
The new school will be built behind Anson High School. Mr. McLean explained that part of the reason Anson County Schools decided to build a new middle school is because the current middle school has many ongoing issues that the district continues to “band-aid” due its age. “Our maintenance team, led by Mike Napier, does a fantastic job keeping the current middle school running as smooth as possible for student learning,” stated McLean.
There has not been a decision made yet on what will happen to the property once it is vacant.
More updates will be provided as they become available.
