New school in Snow Hill on the drawing board

SNOW HILL — A new elementary school is scheduled to be built and opened for the 2012-2013 school year in Greene County.

Greene County Schools Superintendent Patrick Miller said Monday the school district has hired Raleigh-based Moseley Architects to design a new elementary school. Miller and Moseley representatives met this week with county leaders to discuss financing for the project partially through the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Several school officials will visit Moseley-designed schools in Guilford and Rockingham counties today to get a better understanding of how environmentally green schools are built and run, Miller said.

“I will have a team go out and take a look at these schools and decide what we like about them,” Miller said.

Miller said the school district plans to complete a USDA application for new school construction financing in February. The application could be approved as early as April. Miller said because the new school hasn’t been designed, officials aren’t sure how much the construction costs would total.

Sixty-two acres at Middle School Road were purchased for nearly $400,000 for a new school site during February. Greene County Schools Finance Officer Nancy Harris said N.C. Education Lottery proceeds will be used to pay for the new school’s design.

Miller said the construction schedule could move up in time to have the new school possibly open for the 2011-2012 school year.

Chris Lavender can be reached at 252-559-1078 or clavender@freedomenc.com.