Board approves purchase of land for new middle school; proposed middle ...

The Barrow County Board of Education recently approved the purchase of almost 30 acres of land in Statham, adjacent to Statham Elementary School, as the prospective site for a new middle school, which would replace the current Winder-Barrow Middle School.


According to Jake Grant, assistant superintendent of the Barrow County School System, if the land checks out and the building is approved, the new middle school could be ready as early as December 2012, or by the summer of 2013.


On April 11, the BOE voted unanimously to approve the purchase of the 29.44-acre parcel of property for $275,000 using SPLOST 2 funds.


The construction of the middle school would be funded using a blending of SPLOST 3 funds and state funds, said Grant.


The new middle school would be the last project for the school system from SPLOST 3. It would also be the first school built under the new charter system status, which was approved by the state on April 12.


Grant said that the total cost of the school construction is estimated at roughly $14-16 million, which includes the architect fees, contractor fees, investigations and due diligence.


For the full story, see the April 20 issue of the Barrow Journal.