New BHP Middle School Rendering
Anderson County School District Two voters will have the opportunity to decide if they want to fund construction of a new unified middle school in a special election bond referendum being held this Saturday, May 2. If approved the $65 million bond will allow construction, equipping and furnishing of the new middle school which will be located directly behind BHP High School.
School District 2 Bond Referendum to be held May 2
The Anderson County School District Two Board recently approved a bond referendum question to be placed on a special election ballot to fund the construction of a new unified middle school.
The referendum is seeking approval of voters for general obligation bonds not exceeding $65 million.
A middle school facility audit conducted in 2025 by McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture and Triangle Construction estimated total cost to remodel both Middle Schools at $43.1 million to $57.5 million. This includes facility operating costs and salary/fringe for Belton Middle School – $1.4 million and Honea Path Middle School – $1.2 million.
According to AD2, District-wide facility studies conducted in 2022 and 2025 indicated that the two middle schools, both built in 1954, have significant structural, flooring, and mechanical deficiencies that require extensive replacement and repairs.
District officials stated that coding restrictions prevent major construction projects and the list of maintenance needs continues to grow and that it is becoming more challenging to fund the extensive repairs at these buildings.
A combined Belton-Honea Path Middle School will serve about 1,000 students, provide new facilities for collaboration, support teacher recruitment, and provide long-term cost savings. It will also increase offerings for students that currently cannot be funded or sustained.
The land has already been acquired for the new Belton-Honea Path Middle School. The district purchased land for a new school in 2007 in anticipation of future needs. Additionally, both the towns of Belton and Honea Path have indicated they will use the current middle schools for recreation and city office usage
A combined middle school would reduce the student-teacher ratio, providing for small class sizes, which would allow for a more individualized experience for students. New electives and courses like foreign languages, robotics, upgraded computer classes, and more will provide additional learning experiences for students.
A combined middle school will include many modern and required safety features such as fire suppression systems, carbon monoxide and fire detectors, and exterior safety glass. The modern middle school model separates students by grade level, facilitating supervision and intentional support for each grade level.
A new track, practice field, and storage facilities will provide resources for the development of student athletes from a younger age.
The new middle school will also be located directly behind BHPHS, facilitating travel for more than 200 students who travel to the high school every semester for chorus, band, sports, and more. It is more accessible for students and parents alike, especially families with students in both middle and high school.
Referendum wording – Shall the Board of Trustees of School District No. 2 of Anderson County, South Carolina (the “School District”) be authorized to issue and sell, either as a single issue or as several separate issues, general obligation bonds of the School District in the aggregate principal amount of not exceeding $65,000,000, the proceeds of which shall be applied to defray the costs (including architectural, engineering, legal and related fees) of constructing, equipping and furnishing a new consolidated [Belton Honea Path] Middle School to replace the existing Belton Middle School and the existing Honea Path Middle School, on property owned by the School District adjacent to Belton Honea Path High School?
For more information on the project, visit the website at: https://www.buildingfor2morrow.com/
