New Belair Middle School Move-In Date Set
The new Belair Middle School is finally nearing completion in Richmond County, months later than expected.
Construction on the new building began in December of 2022, and it was hoped students would begin this school year in August in the new facility, but a series of construction delays and then the effects of Hurricane Helene kept pushing the opening date back.
The Richmond County School System announced today that Belair Middle is now scheduled to open Monday, January 6, 2025.
“After much anticipation, we are thrilled to open the doors of this new facility to Belair Middle School faculty, staff, and students,” said Dr. Kenneth Bradshaw, Superintendent of Schools.
The new school will be able to accommodate up to 1,000 students.
Students will have the same class schedules, teachers, and bus routes at the new location, 150 Potential Way in Augusta, to minimize disruption.
New Belair Middle Opening is Prompting Changes to the Calendar
- December 19 and 20: Belair Middle School students will observe a Learn from Home day while staff move into the new building.
- Winter Break (December 23-January 2): All Richmond County School System schools and offices will be closed
- January 3: Belair Middle School will host an Open House from 4 to 6 p.m., allowing families and community members to explore the new facility, locate classrooms, and review updated pick-up and dropoff procedures
- January 6: All RCSS schools return from winter break, and the new Belair Middle School will open at the new facility.
Hurricane Helene Contributed to the Delay in Opening
“While Hurricane Helene set our schedule back, we were pleased to find there was no damage to the new school building. Now that we are back on track, we can focus on transitioning our community to the new building as smoothly as possible,” said Bradshaw.
Student Body Makeup at the New Belair Middle
The student body at the new Belair Middle School will be made up of students who had attended Belair K-8, Copeland Elementary, Langford Middle and rising 6th graders from Sue Reynolds Elementary.
The Richmond County School System’s rightsizing plan included closing some schools, building new ones and moving some students within the school system. The plan called for:
- Belair K-8 to become Belair Elementary
- Richmond Hill K-8 to become Richmond Hill Elementary
- Spirit Creek Middle and A. Brian Merry Elementary were closed at the end of the last school year. Those students now attend Lake Forest Hills and Warren Road
- A new Langford Middle is under construction. For now, those students attend Tutt Middle
