SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) – The Dorchester School District Two Board of Trustees participated in a rezoning workshop on Tuesday at the district administrative offices in Summerville.

According to DD2’s website, the board and administration are required to set new attendance zones due to growth and housing developments in the Ashley River area. This is to relieve overcrowding at Beech Hill, Sand Hill and William Reeves Elementary Schools. Other schools are also nearing capacity, while some portions of the district are experiencing lower enrollment.

The board recently approved a rezoning timeline and a set of parameters to follow. DD2 administration will conduct public meetings to gather input on rezoning options. They were originally scheduled for next week, but officials said they have been pushed back. New dates have not been announced.

Superintendent Dr. Shane Robbins said the elementary schools are the primary focus.  

“The elementary schools is where we are seeing a majority of our growth. And the challenge with elementary schools, when you grow in a particular building, you can’t simply just add teachers and split classes if you don’t have classrooms. The difference with the high school, which again we are growing at the high school level too, but high schools you’ll see anywhere from 10-15% of your students aren’t on campus every day,” the superintendent explained.

The board is scheduled to take their final vote on the rezoning plan on January 8, 2024.