Anderson District One announces new name for elementary school in Powdersville, what to know

Anderson School District One's school board chose a name for the new elementary school at 250 Oak Road in Piedmont.

The new school will be named Oak Hill Elementary.

Superintendent Robbie Binnicker says, "The district received input from parents and the community through a Google form sent to all parents in a newsletter and through social media."

All 93 names submitted by parents and the community were presented to the board for consideration, several of which included ‘Oak’ in the name.

Oak Hill has ties to community history. Documented photographs, believed to be from the 1930s, show students once attending an Oak Hill School in the area.

“We are very pleased that the school board has agreed to name our new school ‘Oak Hill Elementary,’” Binnicker said. "This is a very fitting name that honors the former school located not far from the new school site as well as the students who once attended."

Binnicker thanked the parents and community members who submitted suggestions and recommendations for naming the new school.

"These suggestions were invaluable to the Board in making a final decision,” he said.

Oak Hill: Money invested in school

The board passed a bond resolution in December 2023.

The project is expected to cost around $25 million, and construction will begin in June 2024 and be finished in June 2026, Binnicker said.

After the bid opening on Thursday, May 2, Binnicker said Triangle Construction Company's bid was $41,697,000,

"This project has not been awarded yet, and the board will consider approving it during its next board meeting on May 28," he said.

According to Binnicker, investing more in education leads to better outcomes for students. "You get out of something that you put into it, and education is no exception," he said. "While it's important to get value for your resources, having adequate resources is crucial."

Anderson District One: Addresses the overcrowding issue

Powdersville Elementary and Concrete Primary are both at capacity. To address overcrowding, Anderson School District One has installed temporary portable classrooms at both schools.

"With the completion of the new school, we will be able to eliminate the need for portable classrooms and have enough room to house all of our students in the district," Binnicker said.

Oak Hill Elementary School will be able to serve 1,000 students, Binnicker said. "Students who live in the Oak Hill area will attend the new school."

Powdersville Elementary currently serves 719 students in grades 3-5, while Concrete Primary serves 811 students Pre-K through 2nd grade.

He said all three schools will serve pre-k through fifth grade. At the beginning of the school year, it is projected that 500 students will be enrolled and 25 to 30 teachers will be on staff.

Oak Hill: Staffing

He said that most of the teachers will come from the current staff at Concrete Primary and Powdersville Elementary.

The school board has not yet announced who will be the principal and assistant principal at Oak Hill Elementary School.

"The principal will probably be hired during the 2025-2026 school year, and teachers will be hired soon after," Binnicker said.

The district will open the application process for all qualified applicants.

Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: Powdersville school to be named Oak Hill Elementary, ties to history