The Beaufort County Board of Education voted Tuesday, June 18, to hold a county-wide bond referendum in November aimed at improving school safety, renovating inadequate facilities and adding classroom space to address enrollment growth.

The Nov. 5 referendum will ask county residents to vote on two separate questions:

The first question will seek voter approval for $290 million in safety and security upgrades at all district schools; technology infrastructure upgrades at schools district-wide; classroom additions at River Ridge Academy and May River High; a replacement building for Robert Smalls International Academy; and renovations at three schools (Beaufort Elementary, Hilton Head Island Middle and Battery Creek High).

The second question will ask voters to consider an additional $54 million in Career and Technology Education expansions at Battery Creek and May River high schools; design work for renovations at Hilton Head Island High; improvements to athletic facilities at district middle and high schools; and playground improvements at early childhood centers, elementary and PreK-8 schools.&nbsp; The second question will only go into effect only if the first question is approved.

All of the projects were included in a comprehensive list of $629 million in facilities needs identified earlier this year by an independent committee of county residents.&nbsp; Members of the Community Project Review Committee worked more than 900 hours – visiting 26 schools in Beaufort and other districts and receiving presentations from outside experts – before producing the district-wide projects list that was sent to Interim Superintendent Herb Berg. CPRC members also received presentations from a safety and security consulting firm, a demographer, four architectural consultants, the Town of Bluffton, a playground equipment vendor, a furniture vendor and district staff.

Berg went to the Board of Education on May 7 and recommended a November referendum that would fund a portion of the CPRC’s overall $629 million projects list.

Berg said growing school districts generally need to approve a bond referendum every four to five years to accommodate increasing enrollment and preserve existing facilities.&nbsp; Beaufort County’s last successful bond referendum was 11 years ago, and county voters rejected bond referendums in 2016 and 2018.

On Tuesday night, Board members made adjustments to Berg’s May 7 recommendations before voting to proceed with a referendum on Nov. 5.

Cost estimates for referendum projects were developed by a private-sector firm contracted by the school district.

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<h4>Question 1:&nbsp;</h4>
A total of $290,555,000 to:
<ul>
 	<li>Acquire, install and construct school safety and security improvements district-wide.</li>
 	<li>Acquire, install and construct technology infrastructure and related equipment district-wide.</li>
 	<li>Construct and equip a replacement school for Robert Smalls International Academy (includes demolishing the existing facility).</li>
 	<li>Construct and equip additions at May River High and River Ridge Academy.</li>
 	<li>Construct and equip renovations at Beaufort Elementary.</li>
 	<li>Construct and equip renovations and additions at Battery Creek High and Hilton Head Island Middle, including demolition where necessary.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
<h4>Question 2 (only if Question 1 is approved by voters):&nbsp;</h4>
A total of $54,055,000 to:
<ul>
 	<li>Construct, renovate, expand and equip space for Career and Technology Education programs at Battery Creek High and May River High.</li>
 	<li>Design renovations for Hilton Head High.</li>
 	<li>Construct and equip athletic improvements at Beaufort Middle, Whale Branch Middle, River Ridge Academy, Bluffton Middle and H. E. McCracken Middle.</li>
 	<li>Construct and equip athletic improvements at high schools district-wide.</li>
 	<li>Construct, equip and improve playgrounds at early childhood centers, elementary schools and PreK-8 schools district-wide.</li>
</ul>
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