East Cooper Montessori parents, students and staff press CCSD for dedicated gym and multipurpose space

East Cooper Montessori Charter School families, students and staff asked the Charleston County School District board on Feb. 24 to include a dedicated gymnasium and multipurpose space in future capital funding rounds, telling trustees the school lacks indoor physical-education space and currently rents off‑campus facilities for practices and games.

The appeal came during the public‑comment period. “Our building was constructed in 1968, and it lacks a few essential modern facilities,” said Betty Swankham, founder and principal of East Cooper Montessori. “This gym would serve the entire community, and it would be a much needed space for local youth programs, sports teams, and community gatherings.”

That theme was repeated by staff and many students. “I wanted a school gym and basketball team,” said student Evelyn Saver. “I also know how hard it is to have gym class in the [weather].” PE teacher Lawton Gooding told the board students are often exposed to extreme weather or squeezed into a small trailer: “This is our daily reality.”

Parents and coaches detailed the costs the school currently bears. Alan Walton, a parent and volunteer coach, said East Cooper teams spent more than $6,000 on gym rental fees this season and that the school’s total season costs exceeded $15,000, with more than half of that used to rent practice space. Multiple speakers noted the school has invested in facility planning: “We have already invested $2,000,000 into CCSD‑owned property upgrades,” Swankham said, and she added that the school has paid $1,000,000 toward a gym design approved by district facilities.

Superintendent Huggins and facilities staff told the board that East Cooper Montessori will be evaluated alongside other requests as part of the upcoming sales‑tax master plan. “We have been out to visit East Cooper Montessori. We’ve received all of their information,” said associate superintendent (facilities) Will Burrowy. He noted the district has 13 schools without multipurpose rooms and said several of them already have funding plans; placement on a future referendum or phase of the sales‑tax program is not automatic. He told trustees that public comments and the QR‑code feedback will be included in the master plan process and reviewed by the district as it prioritizes phase 6 projects.

Board members and staff also discussed cost. When asked for a cost estimate, Burrowy said a “standard multipurpose room for 3,000 square feet has been running close to $4,000,000,” citing a recent example. (A different number — “$44,000,000” — also appears in the transcript immediately afterward and appears inconsistent with the prior estimate; the district did not provide a clarified final dollar figure at the Feb. 24 meeting.)

Why it matters: a dedicated gym would eliminate recurring rental costs, expand programming (sports, assemblies, theater) and provide a secure indoor space for students and community events. District staff said the school’s written materials and community advocacy will be considered as part of the master‑planning and referendum‑scoping process. Board members directed staff to include community feedback in the April master plan draft and noted the next public meetings on the phase 6 sales‑tax program will solicit additional comments.

What’s next: District staff said they will collect public input through April and include it in the master plan. The district noted the earliest a new phase could begin is January 2027 depending on the referendum schedule; the board will review proposed projects at upcoming public meetings.