Swain County has broken ground on a new middle school, marking a major step in a years-long effort to replace its aging school building.
School officials, students and community leaders gathered Thursday to celebrate the 54-point-six-million-dollar project. The new Swain Middle School is scheduled to open in August 2028, with this year’s sixth graders expected to enter the building as eighth graders.
The project is supported by 52 million dollars from North Carolina’s lottery-funded Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund, along with two-point-six million dollars in local funding from Swain County.
County Manager Tommy Dills said securing the state grant took four applications, following three unsuccessful attempts. He credited former Superintendent Mark Sale and others involved in the process with continuing to pursue the funding despite those setbacks.
Dills said financing the school entirely at the county’s expense would have required an estimated three-point-four million dollars in annual debt payments over 30 years.
An additional three-million-dollar congressional allocation secured by Congressman Chuck Edwards will help address water and sewer infrastructure needs. Speakers also recognized Bryson City and the Southwestern Commission for their work supporting those improvements.
Designed by architecture firm LS3P, with Vannoy Construction overseeing construction, the new school will include approximately 100-thousand square feet of academic and athletic space under one roof. Students will be able to move between classes without walking outside between buildings.
Plans include 18 core classrooms, dedicated space for exceptional children’s programs, and classrooms for art, band, science, technology and career exploration. Blue Ridge Health will also have clinic space in the building.
The gymnasium will accommodate 750 spectators, and the campus design preserves outdoor space for fields, recreation and learning.
Officials also highlighted the participation of Swain County High School graduates working as contractors and subcontractors on the project, helping keep some of that investment in the local economy.
Speakers emphasized that the new building will carry forward the school’s traditions and sense of community while providing updated facilities for future generations.
Swain County Schools has also announced a construction dashboard on its website, where families and taxpayers can follow the project through photographs, progress reports and milestone updates.
