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SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - Dorchester School District Two is ready to start building a new elementary school, but it doesn’t yet own the land where it will be built.

The school will be located within The Ponds of Summerville. 40 acres of trees adjacent to the “Village Center” will eventually be clear cut to make room for the Pre-K through 5th grade school.

A nearly 20-year-old development agreement states Kolter Homes will donate the land to Dorchester County, which will then deem it to the school district.

Kolter doesn’t have to turn the land over to the county until a specific amount of development is complete, which they are approaching the final phases of.

“The sooner the better,” councilman Jay Byars said.

Byars says a school in this neighborhood is needed.

“That elementary school will relieve some overcrowding,” Byars said. “A lot of the kids in this neighborhood go to Sandhill Elementary which is over near East Edisto and it’s already overcrowded they are adding trailers. This school will be right here in the neighborhood where the kids can bike to school and it’ll be a lot easier for everybody.”

Byars is hopeful that the county can get this land to DD2 in the next few months so they can get to work on this new school.

“There are so many children in The Ponds in general and not a ton of elementary schools in DD2 so I think adding one will lower class sizes which makes it easier for teachers and I definitely think it’s a need,” parent Hannah Litchfield said.

From working in real estate, Hannah’s husband Josh says people moving to the Charleston area want their kids to be in this specific school district.

“They come here and the first thing they say is ‘Dorchester School District Two we’ve heard it’s great, I wanna be here tell me about the schools’ so that is brining people here plus the people we already have so we desperately need this,” Josh Litchfield said.

DD2 officials confirmed a a traffic impact study has already been completed and they are still modifying plans to fit the site location.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - A new resource connection center had its grand opening in Dorchester County.

Trident United Way opened a location in the Summerville area, hoping to get people back on their feet.

“From many of the families that we see, they’re working one sometimes multiple jobs. We want their children to be in a stable place so they can continue to remain in the same school, continue to learn and ultimately that our neighborhood can thrive by making sure every neighbor is financially secure knowing where their next meals are going to be and that they’re able to stay in their home,” Trident United Way President and CEO, DJ Hampton said.

Hampton says this resource center has taken time to open the doors for those in financial distress.

“So for those families who are working hard every day, struggling to make ends meet, it’s a place where they can come and get additional help and services,” Hampton said.

After looking at their database, Hampton said there’s about 40% of the community that are above the poverty line yet struggle significantly financially.

“There’s a large cross-section in our community that’s on the brink of financial disaster so all of those citizens have a resource center right here,” Summerville Mayor, Russ Touchberry said.

Touchberry explained that though he did not play as big of a role as others, he has referenced many to the organization and is hopeful for what this may bring.

“I’ve connected folks to the 211 program and connected them directly to them and they always get taken care of. It always makes folks feel special,” he said.

Trident United Way partnered with about a dozen non-profits to help provide opportunities for Summerville families.

While choosing which partners, Hampton says they had to consider their data to also cater to the needs of the community.

“We know health care can be a real challenge for people to access here, so we’ve partnered with mobile clinics from MUSC and roper to come and actually provide medical for those families while they’re already here,” Hampton said.

The center has office spaces for seminars or meetings, computers, school supplies and food.

“Then we help them get it in one stop. So instead of spending weeks going to multiple places, they’re able to get it one place. Which ultimately means they’re most likely to get services and they’re more likely to get the help they need to stay stable,” Hampton said.

Hampton also explained they can help with taxes.

He said every year, they complete about 1,200 to 1,300 tax returns for families, so any family that makes less than 73,000 dollars a year are eligible for the opportunity to have their taxes done for them.

“I hope when people get in there, they feel comfortable. They feel empowered and supported, and then from that they can be successful in our community,” Touchberry said.

The hours for the new location are Monday through Thursday 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

They will then accept appointments on Friday.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.