NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WFXG) - A new middle school could be coming to the North Augusta area.

There is growth happening all over Edgefield County, particularly in the Merriweather subdivision, right where the potential Fox Creek Middle School would be built. Parents on social media are saying this is exactly what the area needs.


"We moved to this location in 2009, and I don't think we had been here a year, and the conversation was already coming up. You know, when are we going to do something about middle school students who want to attend Fox Creek?" expressed Josh Trahan, principal at Fox Creek.


Fox Creek High School principal Josh Trahan says the school is requesting 22 million dollars through the USDA Office of Rural Development to fund the new middle school and many parents on social media are excited.
The plan is to have a new charter school that can take in the younger siblings of the students who already attend Fox Creek High School.

"So, parents you already have a high schooler here their middle school or  here so it just opens up opportunities for the community as a whole as well which is a great thing parents are excited about it," said Sara Ellis, director of guidance and Fox Creek parent.

Now, Trahan says they're in the home stretch of the application process.

"We just submitted the last two big components of that in the last week of the first of this week. And they'll review all of that, and they'll make sure that it's financially feasible and, you know, we're talking about $22 million, it's not chump change. So, you have to take some money and you, you have to be able to substantiate that you're gonna have the numbers to be able to facilitate that because that's really what it comes down to."

Talking about the numbers, Trahan says the charter school would cap at 800 students in order to teach everyone comfortably.
The new middle school would be built right next to the high school at the corner of Stephens and shortcut roads.
According to Hart Clark, assistant county administrator, the subdivision near Fox Creek has seen a 39.1 % growth since 2020.


"75% of our growth is in Merriwhether, so yes, the need for expanding infrastructure is mostly in the Merriwhether area."
as of now, there is only one middle school nearby- Merriweather Middle School. Clark says he believes another middle school is necessary said Hart Clark,  assistant county administrator


"It's a good school. And it doesn't hurt to have more options. So, I think it's a positive impact. I think they'll do well they've done very well where they're at. So, I'm all for it," expressed Hart Clark, Assistant County Administrator.

The goal is for the funding to be approved by mid-fall of 2024 and to have students in the new school by 2027.

Just like the high school, Trahan says Fox Creek Middle School will most likely be built in a couple of phases.

He says you can look for applications once the school has an official opening date.

Copyright 2024 WFXG. All rights reserved.