– Workers pouring concrete footers for new Menlo Elementary School

Construction is underway on a new school building in Menlo.  On Tuesday of this week, workers began pouring concrete for the foundation of the new school building which will replace the current school campus.  Some of the buildings at Menlo School date back over eighty years.

According to historical records, the first school on “schoolhouse hill” in Menlo was built in 1893.  Many parts of the current Menlo School didn’t meet modern building and accessibility codes.

Several years ago, the Chattooga County voters passed a SPLOST – or Special Local Option Sales Tax – that allowed for the building of new schools throughout the county.  LeRoy Massey Elementary School and Lyerly Elementary School were updated and a new high school was constructed.  In 2020, the Chattooga County Board of Education began making plans for a new school for Menlo students.   The board of education was presented with architectural plans for the new facility in 2020 and preparation for construction began in 2021.

– Architectural artist rendering of new Menlo Elementary School

In April of last year, the board of education voted to decommission the old building and move forward with plans for the new school building.  The vote was 4-1 to proceed with the plans.  Board members Eddie Elsberry, Lyn Hall, B.J. Montgomery and Brad Hayes voted in favor of the measure.  Dr. Julia Houston, who had previously vocalized her opposition to a new school for Menlo, voted against the motion.   Houston would resign from the board one month later.

Board of Education Chairman Eddie Elsberry told WZQZ News,  “The Menlo School property has plenty of room to build a new facility while allowing students to still use the old buildings during construction. Once the new building is complete the old building will be torn down and a new entrance, parking and dedicated bus driveway will be constructed.”

Elsberry added, “It is past time that the Menlo District gets a new school building and there is a lot of excitement in the community about it.”