District presents four high'school capacity options; estimated cost range $275M'$327M

Moore County Schools' construction committee presented four principal options June 2 to reduce severe overcrowding in the district's high schools, including new construction, partial and full modernization and combinations of both.

The four courses of action (COAs) presented were: - COA 1: Expand and modernize the cores of Pinecrest and Union Pines to larger capacities (example cores described were 2,600 and 1,750 respectively) to reach about 4,350 total seats (estimated cost in staff presentation $300'$325 million plus site costs). Committee members cautioned that expanding the cores on existing campuses would amplify queuing and traffic constraints and would require significant swing space planning during construction. - COA 2: Build a new 1,700'seat high school, then modernize Pinecrest and Union Pines to smaller cores (estimated total $295'$305 million not including land acquisition). The model would allow the district to use the new school as swing space while renovating the others. - COA 3: Build a 1,400'seat high school initially, with later expansion to 1,700 seats once enrollment growth justified the addition; this staggers costs (initial build estimated $275'$285 million; later addition expected at roughly $20 million more). - COA 4: Build a fourth 1,400'seat high school and modernize the existing two schools with varying cores (estimated total $317'$327 million), which would rebalance capacity but could shift traffic pressures to other corridors.

Committee staff emphasized these figures do not include land acquisition costs and do not incorporate the additional cost of creating student swing space, food service staging, or other temporary operations required during phased renovation. Staff recommended a phased process of stakeholder briefings: improve the decision brief, present it to county commissioners for initial feedback over the summer, hold public hearings in the fall, then finalize a preferred COA and begin planning and funding talks before year end.

Board members asked for further analyses of feeder patterns, transportation and redistricting implications, and potential sources of capital funding. Construction staff advised that an independent siting and transportation study (coordinated with county planning and state traffic expertise) will be required before purchasing land or approving a final COA. The committee scheduled more detailed cost and scenario analysis for presentation to the board in the coming months.