SALISBURY – After five years of planning and construction, officials say a school replacement project is nearing completion.
This week, Wicomico County Public Schools (WCPS) Public Information Officer Tracy Sahler announced demolition of the old Beaver Run Elementary School is complete. A new school building, which was constructed behind the former site, is expected to welcome students in September.
“Site work is ongoing, and the new building will be ready for the start of the school year on Tuesday, Sept. 6 (the date most of our students return),” she said. “With the opening of the new Beaver Run Elementary building, the pre-kindergarten classes formerly located at the WELC (Wicomico Early Learning Center) campus will now all be under the same Beaver Run roof, which is great for the school and community.”
After identifying more than $5.5 million of systematic projects at Beaver Run – which didn’t include funds to overhaul the existing HVAC systems – the school system began planning for the replacement of the aging school, first constructed in 1958. Despite several renovations and additions throughout the decades, school planners identified a lack of instructional space and secure classrooms, outdated mechanicals and plumbing, and an insufficient drop-off and parking design, among other things.
“It is important to note that even if the systemic projects had been carried out, they would not have addressed any of the architectural and or instructional space needs that have been identified …,” a statement from WCPS reads. “The site, as used by both students and staff, was addressed in the design of the new school.”
Would really love to know why we have to have brand new schools for these kids to tear up, what is wrong with fixing the old ones. In Bennett’s case they had to move the whole damn school off the property to Fruitland no less. Sorry it is like this you could have waited and used Bennett Senior High and rebuilt the Junior High on the same lot. But nope somebody got a nice payoff for the land in Fruitland. And since Bennett Sr was moved back somebody got a huge payoff there also. Sorry, that is the way I see it, you are really wasting taxpayer dollars on these schools.
As for the school system if you Parents are smart you will get them out of the Public School system, they could care less about what they make your kids learn. I am just glad that I don’t have any kids or grandkids in school I don’t think I could stand this crap they are pushing on these kids now.