Two New Elementary Schools in Carolina Forest

Both new schools have been designed with significant parent loops to absorb vehicular traffic on-site.

There is insufficient space at Ocean Bay Elementary to accommodate the current residing student population of Hwy 90 between International Drive and Hwy 22. Since there are already several hundred elementary age children in that area, and future growth will likely add more, other options to alleviate overcrowding at Waccamaw Elementary School will need to be examined in the future.

When a new school is planned, school attendance boundaries are designed for students residing (living) inside that boundary. It is important that we plan for future growth as best we can within those boundaries. By allowing students to transfer back to schools they are currently attending, we cannot plan effectively nor be confident that the school will receive the benefit of the realignment plan which reduces its enrollment sufficiently. This is even more crucial when schools like CFES/OBES/ROES are significantly overcrowded.

According to State Department of Education rules and regulations, and state laws regarding public school bussing, we are prohibited from transporting students across attendance boundaries. For example, we cannot provide bus transportation from the CFES attendance area to a Childcare Center that is in another attendance area.

HCS is examining all related questions about the realignments and may adjust them if warranted. This plan is still in draft stage. Please keep in mind that when new schools open, due to capacity considerations at new and existing schools, it is inevitable that families will be reassigned to other schools. While we certainly would like to accommodate everyone’s needs as it relates to childcare, work, travel distance, younger siblings, and other personal requests, it is unavoidable in a growing district that boundaries will change.