New Bluffton elementary school breaks ground. Here’s what it’ll offer, including the mascot
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:
- House an adequate number of students at May River Elementary
- Reduce crowding at Okatie and Pritchardville Elementary Schools
- Make better use of space at other schools like Bluffton High, M.C. Riley Elementary and H.E. McCracken Middle
- Create more logical school boundaries and smoother transitions between grade levels
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.
- Thursday, Oct. 23 – Okatie Elementary School
- Monday, Nov. 17 – HE McCracken Middle School
- Thursday, Nov. 20 – MC Riley Elementary School
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.
