A new, stand-alone Keowee school

One community to receive a new school; a second section of rural Oconee gets to hold onto its school.  A change approved by the county trustees adopted  long-range building Plan A to include the construction of a new Keowee Elementary School.  “They did not approve the consolidation of Keowee and Tamassee-Salem Elementary schools”, according to the district’s official announcement.  At that, applause rang out from the audience for last night’s meeting, several of whom spoke their support of keeping open Tamassee-Salem, an elementary that enjoys a low teacher-studio classroom ratio.  The amendment, offered by District One trustee Amanda Holder, serves as a rare departure by the trustees who often sign-off on their administrators’ proposals. In this instance, administration gave as its reasons cost-savings and the modern-day inability to keep open small rural schools. Last night Dr. Thorsland, district superintendent, delivered an impassioned plea on the part of administration though he conceded if his children went to Tamassee-Salem, he too, likely would be among its supporters pleading to keep the school open.