Dorchester District 2 holds community meeting for update on new elementary school

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) — Dorchester School District 2 leaders held a community meeting to update plans for a new elementary school at The Ponds on Monday night.

School officials said they are ready to start to construction but are waiting on developers to deed the land to the county.

Dorchester District 2 has seen significant population growth, creating a need for a new elementary school.

“The growth in Dorchester 2 the school district and the Summerville area it is crazy how many people we have moving in, love people moving in, but we have to be able to take care of the kids,” said John C. Baker, a resident of The Ponds.

At Monday’s community meeting, school district leaders said they had secured funding, permits, and renderings to begin construction on the ponds elementary school.

“If we were deeded the land tomorrow, we would be able to have shovels in the ground tomorrow,” said Justin Farnsworth, a DD2 school board member.

The developer, Kolter Homes, is in compliance with the development agreement but some community members are frustrated with the delays

“I think the school district has done everything they can to get this going. Kolter is the one that is hanging this up. I think Dorchester County Council needs to put their foot down harder,” said Baker.

News 2 reached out to the developers for comment and have not heard back.

School leaders urged community members to reach out to the developers themselves.

“I want folks to understand current status where we’re at as a school district the path forward and where the community could potentially help us move this forward,” said Farnsworth.

District leaders say their goal is still to have the school open in the fall of 2026.