Board approves reduced modular campus to keep Mountain Ridge Primary together amid construction delays

The Berkeley County Board of Education voted to place Mountain Ridge Primary students and staff in a reduced temporary modular campus while the permanent building is completed, the board decided after hearing from teachers, the principal, architects and contractors.

District staff presented three options for temporary housing: distribute students across existing county schools; install a full modular campus (turnkey quote of $1,204,850); or install a reduced modular campus (turnkey quote $720,376.23). Superintendent (Speaker 1) said Option 3 “may offer the best balance among keeping the school community together, reducing disruption, and providing essential school operations on-site, as well as trying to control those temporary costs.” The board voted in favor of the reduced modular campus.

Why it mattered: Mountain Ridge’s permanent facility was delayed by extensive rock excavation, an extended 2,500-foot water-line installation that the county upgraded from 12" to 16", and new fire-suppression requirements that added a large water tank and pump. Those factors pushed substantial completion into the fall and left district leaders seeking ways to ensure students can start the school year together.

Teachers and the school principal urged the board to keep the school together rather than split students across multiple buildings. “As a staff, we believe the modular option is the best temporary solution because it keeps our students and employees together as one school community,” said Becky Keyes (Speaker 20), a kindergarten teacher who will teach at Mountain Ridge Primary. Principal Autumn Frey (Speaker 16) reported staff survey results from 31 respondents that “overwhelmingly believe that keeping our students and employees together in one location is best.”

The district outlined operational plans for the modular arrangement in place of distributing students to other schools: the temporary site on the Mountain Ridge Middle School soccer field would include classroom modules, an on-site cafeteria with three lunch periods, a fenced campus, dedicated parent drop-off and bus loading areas, and a dedicated safety officer on site during instructional hours. Food service staff said they would set up a temporary serving line and satellite meals from district kitchens to the modular cafeteria.

Cost and funding: The administration said the modular option would be paid from the district’s capital projects fund, not bond dollars. A district official explained there is roughly $13 million in that account to support capital needs, land purchases, and matching funds for School Building Authority projects. McKinley Architecture and Warner Construction pledged support to reduce implementation costs: McKinley offered a $50,000 good-faith support package for signage, wayfinding and transition staffing, and Warner Construction pledged up to $50,000 toward site work and access. The modular vendor (Modular Genius) confirmed availability to mobilize equipment and offered to help source additional units from other districts.

What’s next: The district will finalize contracts and site work schedules with vendors and provide families a detailed communication packet before school opens. The administration said it will identify a short transition window after substantial completion of the permanent facility to move students and staff into the new building.

The vote: The board moved and seconded approval of Option 3 and affirmed the decision by voice vote.