School board decides attendance lines for new Charleston County high school

Updated: Jun. 12, 2019 at 11:16 PM EDT
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MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCSC) -The Charleston Constituent District 2 Board of Trustees made a decision will send almost 1500 students to a new high school.

The board voted on a proposal that decides who gets to attend the new Lucy Beckham High School.

The map chosen includes all neighborhoods zoned to attend Belle Hall Elementary, James B....
The map chosen includes all neighborhoods zoned to attend Belle Hall Elementary, James B. Edwards Elementary, Mount Pleasant Academy and neighborhoods zoned to attend Whitesides Election that are south of the IOP Connector and west of the Intracoastal Waterway.

The map chosen includes all neighborhoods zoned to attend Belle Hall Elementary, James B. Edwards Elementary, Mount Pleasant Academy and neighborhoods zoned to attend Whitesides Elementary that are south of the IOP Connector and west of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Many residents showed up to the meeting to advocate for that proposal.

“Some of the most important factors for the zoning are proximity, safety, and keeping the kids together with the kids they already go to school with," said Mount Pleasant resident Wes Knight. " Map B1 seem like the best option for all these factors,”

At 90 percent capacity, the new attendance line could bring in an estimated 1,429 students to Lucy Beckham. The map doesn’t include any students from Sullivan’s Island or Isle of Palms.

Some board members fought for Sullivan’s Island to be included in the mix, but that option was turned down.

“Not including 9 students per grade, that would not put the zoning numbers over capacity, is in my opinion an unreasonable decision to make," said Board member Trey Tezza.

This decision breaks up one of the largest schools in Charleston County. Wando High School currently has an enrollment of approximately 4,000 students.

Lucy Beckham High School is set to open in Mount Pleasant in the fall of 2020.

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