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To combat the rapidly growing town of Bluffton and address overcrowding in nearby schools, the Beaufort County School District is building a new elementary school.

The newest addition will be May River Elementary School and shovels went into the ground on Monday, Oct. 20 at 607 New Riverside Road, next door to the May River High School campus.

The school is set to open for the 2027-2028 academic year and will be built to welcome up to 800 students.

Built to combat overcrowding

BCSD states that the goal behind building May River Elementary is to bring each school’s capacity to 85% countywide, easing the strain on existing facilities, including Okatie and Pritchardville Elementary schools, all while accommodating the ongoing population growth.

Neighborhoods in the area are rapidly growing too, particularly with the newly-built developments in Buckwalter and New Riverside, putting those schools at or over the 85% capacity threshold.

For example, Pritchardville Elementary is currently sitting over its capacity rate of 800, with over 1,160 students currently enrolled with the use of mobile classrooms. In addition, Okatie Elementary is also nearing its capacity level.

A school is considered to have reached its capacity level when student enrollment reaches 90% of the building’s capacity. This ensures that there enough space for students to be reasonably accommodated by a school building and site.

BCSD states that with the opening of May River Elementary School, they anticipate being at 82% capacity, just below the 85% capacity target, allowing room for any future growth.

What the school will offer & how is it funded

The new May River Elementary will be 113,000 square feet and have space for 800 students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grades.

Though specific programming details are still in development, May River Elementary is expected to feature modern educational spaces.

The mascot will be the manatee and the school colors will be blue, black and silver.

May River Elementary will be funded by the 2023 BCSD Bond Referendum. Based on previous reporting, the district allotted about $56.6 million for the school’s construction from the $439 million referendum that passed in November 2023.

How zoning & student assignments will work

Opening a new school also means shifting student assignments. BCSD is currently holding public information sessions to gather community input on proposed changes to Bluffton-area school zones. These adjustments aim to:

The district’s timeline for student assignment planning includes public meetings from October to December 2025, with further sessions starting in March 2026 to present rezoning options.

Three public meetings have already passed, but more meetings are set for the remainder of 2025. Each meeting will start at 6 p.m.

BCSD anticipates that final decisions on zoning are expected by October 2026 and will be reviewed by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to ensure fairness and equity.

Keeping neighborhoods together

Priority for school assignments will be based on proximity, meaning that students living within one mile of a school will be given priority. The district also aims to minimize student transitions between schools, use natural boundaries like rivers and highways and keep neighborhoods together when possible.

The last major rezoning for Beaufort County schools occurred in 2014, tied to the opening of River Ridge Academy and May River High School.

What about teachers & staffing?

Candace Bruder, spokesperson for BCSD, told The Island Packet via email that since student assignment decisions have yet to be finalized, the final number of new staff at May River Elementary is currently unknown.

Since the new elementary school is primarily intended to help reduce current overcrowding at Bluffton schools, staffing needs will be adjusted accordingly.

With final zoning decisions expected by the fall of 2026 to open the school by 2027, there should be a more clear idea of how many teachers and staff this new school will take in by then.

BLUFFTON, S.C. — Novant Health announced the addition of eight new primary care providers across its Hilton Head, Bluffton and Okatie practices, a significant step in expanding access to primary care in the Lowcountry.

The announcement coincided with a ribbon-cutting celebration for the new Novant Health Westbury Park Primary Care clinic at 29 Plantation Park Drive in Bluffton, which officially opens its doors to patients next week. Novant Health is also opening additional primary care clinics on Hilton Head Island and in Bluffton, including New Riverside Primary Care clinic at 375 Hope Pond Way in New Riverside Village in December.

“These new providers represent a critical step toward fulfilling our commitment to expand access to primary care and improve the health and lives of the communities we serve,” said Joel Taylor, president of Novant Health’s Hilton Head area. “We’re proud to welcome them to our team and to open our newest clinics, where we can serve even more families close to home.”

Primary care plays a vital role in ensuring patients have a trusted first point of contact for their health needs. Novant Health has hired a dedicated primary care patient navigator who can help patients explore which provider is right for them – and set them up with immediate appointments.

“Families are moving to the Lowcountry at all stages of life, and primary care is essential so we can help patients detect problems early and offer them a reliable relationship with a provider who knows them and their health history,” said Carrie Alexander, MD, now practicing at Novant Health Westbury Park Primary Care. “That trusted connection is key to managing chronic conditions and supporting long-term wellness.”

In addition to the new clinics, Novant Health provides primary care at Arley Way Primary Care in Bluffton, Okatie Primary Care, Hilton Head Primary Care and Ochsner Novant Health 65+ — Okatie, alongside its hospitals, Novant Health Hilton Head Medical Center and Novant Health Coastal Carolina Medical Center.

The expansion comes as demand for primary care continues to grow across the Lowcountry, with Novant Health working to ensure timely access to care for families.

The following providers joined Novant Health primary care clinics in the region:

At least three additional providers are also scheduled to join area practices in the coming months, further strengthening Novant Health’s commitment to expand access to healthcare across the Lowcountry.

Appointments with our new providers are now available online or by calling Novant Health’s new primary care patient navigator at 843-471-1239.

About Novant Health

Novant Health is an integrated network of more than 900 locations, including 19 hospitals, more than 750 physician clinics and urgent care centers, outpatient facilities, and imaging and pharmacy services. This network supports a seamless and personalized healthcare experience for communities in North Carolina and South Carolina. Novant Health is nationally recognized for our unwavering commitment to safety and the highest quality care, and we serve as a catalyst for healthcare transformation through clinical trials, leading-edge research, innovative care delivery models and robust virtual care networks. The expertise and empathy of our more than 40,000 team members along with more than 8,500 independent and employed clinicians are at the heart of Our Cause as industry leaders caring for communities across the Carolinas. In 2023, Novant Health provided more than $1.6 billion in , including financial assistance and services.

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