Superintendent says a lot to consider regarding TSMH School

Tamassee-Salem Middle and High School is not closing and students will attend school there in the fall. Rumors have circulated in the Town of Salem that the school would be consolidated into the new Walhalla High School set to open in August off Highway 11, explains Oconee County Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Thorsland. “The School Board has not taken any action on closing Tamassee-Salem or consolidating the two schools. It has been discussed more over the last 6-8 months as we have prepared our budget because it would be savings to the District. If there were a consolidation, it would save the District about $750,000 each year. So, that is why it has been a topic because it would be such a cost savings. There are certainly arguments against closing it. That school, we acknowledge is central to that community and to the Town of Salem. Many people enjoy a smaller learning environment that is afforded up in Tamassee-Salem. On the other side of that, those students at Tamassee-Salem don’t have quit the same number of opportunities that are students do at the three large high schools, just because they are small they don’t offer the same number of sports, they don’t have an ROTC program and don’t have as many AP classes. So, an argument could be made that the students don’t get the same opportunities. It is something we will consider over the next year as we look at the budget process for next year.” The Board of Trustees for the School District of Oconee County would have to make the decision to close the school and Dr. Thorsland stressed that there are no current plans to close the school.