LINCOLN COUNTY, NC (WBTV) – About 11,500 Schools in Lincoln County Students will return to school on Wednesday, and families in the eastern part of the county will likely notice some construction.
The district said classrooms and common areas will be expanded at St. James Elementary, Catawba Springs Elementary and Rock Springs Elementary.
Superintendent Dr. Aaron Allen said the additions will give each school about eight to 10 additional classrooms, and come at a time when the district is experiencing strong growth, especially in the east end near Lake Norman.
“You’re going to see dirt being moved and soil being pushed back and forth and all that stuff,” Allen said. “It’s going to be an inconvenience. Just think of an active construction site in the middle of the school year on a campus with kids. There’s going to be some inconvenience, but at the end of the year, people are definitely going to appreciate the extra space.”
The current expansion is phase one of a two-year project.
Dr. Allen said funding for the expansion will be provided through a combination of county and lottery funds and will not come from the district budget.
In addition, some much-needed improvements to sports lighting are being made throughout the county.
The superintendent said that thanks to a $4.1 million grant from the state, the district was able to upgrade lighting at all four high school football stadiums. Next up are tennis courts, softball fields, baseball fields and soccer fields.
Allen said schools did not have adequate lighting standards for the NC High School Athletic Associationwhich meant the district might not qualify to host regional competitions. Now they have not only improved the lighting but also added a few extras to it.
“It’s more of what I call fan experience lighting,” he said. “It’s not just the normal ambient lighting. We’re going to combine music with lighting and immerse people in what is already an exciting Friday and Thursday night experience and create a little bit more of a community culture and community feel.”
Allen said the district is grateful that the state grant made it possible to not only fix the problems but to complete a complete renovation without impacting the district budget.
It is estimated that all sports facilities will be modernized by late winter or spring.
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