School District accepting bids for first new school in ten years

Area map showing the future Birch Creek Elementary and surrounding area (OpenStreetMap map)
(OpenStreetMap map)

Henry County Schools is presently accepting construction bids for the district’s first all-new school in ten years. The new Birch Creek Elementary will be in the McDonough area. Specifically, the project site is off Willow Lane.

Construction bids are due by Thursday, July 28, at 3 pm. The school board will consider awarding a construction contract during their August meeting. Education SPLOST VI collections will pay for the project.

Birch Creek Elementary

The new Birch Creek Elementary will be the district’s first new school since Hampton High School opened in 2014. Construction began on that project in 2012 — ten years ago! Since then, Henry County Schools has renovated every school in the district. The district also constructed McDonough High & Middle Schools: replacement buildings for Henry County High and Middle.

Construction on BCE is estimated to last about 18 months. The new school is planned to open for the 2024–25 school year. The attendance zone for the school will draw from students at Oakland and Wesley Lakes Elementary.

E-SPLOST VI Capacity Projects

When the district compiled the education SPLOST project list in 2020, new classroom capacity was a major focus. Projects that will construct new classrooms represent nearly half of the $320 million dollar project list. The first project — to add new classrooms at Dutchtown High School — is already under construction.

Future capacity projects include the following:

  • a new elementary school in Locust Grove and a new STEM high school in Stockbridge,
  • classroom additions at Locust Grove and Ola High Schools, and
  • classroom additions at Dutchtown, Ola and Union Grove Middle Schools.

Projects above have construction start dates between 2023 and 2026. The education SPLOST VI project list spans years 2021–2027.

Featured image shows area map of Birch Creek Elementary and the surrounding area. OpenStreetMap map.

About Clayton 1738 Articles
Clayton Carte is the founder and owner of The Henry Reporter. He founded the site in 2017 to highlight transportation projects. Over time, he began covering other topics like new development so residents can best know what’s happening in our community.

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