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Schools ready mostly
New wing at ECHS to open on time, SEHS still behind
Erin Smith new wing
Erin Smith starts moving into her room in Effingham County High School's new wing. - photo by Photo by Sandi Van Orden

The new wing for the Freshman Academy at Effingham County High School will be open for classes on Monday.

Construction crews have been working before the 2006-07 school year ended in May to complete the 18-classroom wing at ECHS, and six of 18 planned classrooms at South Effingham High School.

The first six classrooms to open at SEHS are scheduled to be ready for students by next week, and the remaining classrooms are planned to be finished around Christmas.

Director of Administrative Services Slade Helmly said there had been plans to open the first six classrooms at SEHS, but the students were given alternative rooms at open house.

“They will start in alternative locations and ease into those locations at the end of next week or the beginning of the following week,” Helmly said.

He said he felt they wanted time for the teachers to prepare their rooms for students.

ECHS Principal Yancy Ford said the business labs will not be open on the first day, but the classes will be ready.

“The football players are going to do some team building,” Ford said, with the Rebels players moving desks into classrooms Friday.

Teachers began moving into classrooms while workers painted and worked on other details that needed to be completed.

Ford said the final cleanup would happen Sunday and the wing will be ready when students arrive Monday morning.

Helmly said there was a lot that happened over the last week.

“It’s been fun,” he said. “It’s been long days.”

He said he has seen “a lot of the pieces falling into place over the last week.”

“The job superintendent, Herbert Jacobs, has been super,” Helmly said. “He completed Blandford for us under a rush last year.”

“It’s exciting,” Helmly said. “I hear wonderful things from the teachers. It’s a much-needed addition.”