CLOVER, S.C. — Hundreds of new students funneling into a South Carolina school district each year has leaders turning to local voters for a remedy.
Clover schools is set to ask residents for a $156-million bond to build a new high school to accommodate the overcrowding.
[ ALSO READ: Chester County residents vote against $263 million bond referendum to fix schools ]
“We had to switch from a five-minute bell schedule to a 10-minute bell schedule, because it took that long just to get to class,” said Angel Featherson, a senior at Clover High School.
She says the congestion has become a safety issue in the classroom too.
“I think about that all the time, how would I get out if there was a fire? How would I get out if there was a safety issue? Because it is very crowded,” she said.
Shelia Quinn, superintendent of the Clover School District, said if approved, the bond would mean a monthly $8.66 tax increase for every $100,000 of assessed home value.
[ READ MORE: CMS begins community discussions on future plans for the district ]
Still, she says the time to act is now.
“The Clover District will be out of space for new students at the middle and high school levels within three years time,” Quinn said.
>>> In the video at the top of the page, Channel 9′s Tina Terry reports from inside a local school on the crowding issue and the referendum awaiting Clover voters on election day.
(WATCH BELOW: Proposed $134M bond package seeks to replace two schools in Union County)
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