Newly unveiled school is largest project from November 2019 bond referendum
From staff reports
School and government officials, students, Beaufort County Board of Education members, and community supporters gathered at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the unveiling of the district’s largest project funded through the bond referendum approved by county voters in November 2019.
The $63 million construction project for Robert Smalls Leadership Academy (RSLA) includes:
- Two floors and four wings;
- An outdoor learning pavilions and spaces;
- A two-story lobby that pays tribute to the life and journey of Robert Smalls;
- A corridor with a historical timeline depicting the school’s history as well as significant local, state, and national events;
- New athletic fields to be completed January 2024;
- Increased parking and additional space for car riders; and …
- Exterior detailing resembling the C.S.S. Planter, the ship commandeered by Robert Smalls.
Speakers at the ribbon-cutting ceremony included Board of Education Chair Christina Gwozdz, Beaufort County School District (BCSD) Superintendent Frank Rodriguez, school principal Bradley Tarrance, and the great-great-grandson of Robert Smalls, Michael Boulware Moore.
“The Board of Education sincerely thanks everyone who played a part in seeing this project to fruition,” said Board Chair Christina Gwozdz, who also noted that in addition to being a war hero and holding state and national office, Smalls “served on the Beaufort County School Board early in his career.”
Rodriguez thanked the voters of Beaufort County for overwhelmingly supporting the 2019 Bond Referendum.
“Your commitment is so important because it allows us to provide our students and teacher with a state-of-the-art learning environment.”
In the legacy of Robert Smalls, Rodriguez said the new facility will be “a place where students can be leaders, share their genius, own their learning, and develop their full potential.”
More than 400 people were in attendance.
“As we cut this ribbon, let it serve as a constant reminder of the power of education to transform lives,” Tarrance said. “Let it remind us of our duty to ensure that every student who walks through these doors is given the opportunity to thrive and succeed.”
