The first day of classes next week may bring more than 10,600 students to Liberty County classrooms.
As of July 25, there were 10,343 students enrolled in the school system, and another 273 were in the process of registering. The 2023–24 school year begins August 2.
The school system is bringing on board seven new air conditioned buses, with another bus expected to be delivered in the next couple of weeks, school system operations director Arnold Jackson said.
Several projects at the schools this summer are close to being finished, with schools’ starting in six days. The solar power project at Frank Long Elementary School wrapped up in May. Renovations at Joseph Martin and Liberty elementaries are 90% complete, with furniture being replaced in the classrooms and media center furnishings expected to be in by August 1.
Phase 1 of HVAC upgrades at Midway Middle School are 90% complete and all the classroom units are operational. The second phase, which will bring in new HVAC units for the administrative offices, media center, and cafeteria, will begin in August and work will be done on the weekends.
Upgrades and replacement of kitchen casework in special education classrooms in the middle and high schools is 90% complete and is expected to be done by July 31.
Intercom systems throughout the schools are being upgraded and replaced and that work is expected to be done by July 31, and life safety system upgrades, for fire alarms, at Button Gwinnett and Lyman
Hall are expected to be done by July 31.
Another security system upgrade is expected to be completed by August 11.
New digital signs are expected to be up at Button Gwinnett Elementary, the Liberty College and Career Academy and the Performing Arts Center on August 7.
In all, the work on the schools over the summer totals more than $12 million.
Open houses at the schools will be held August 1 from 2-6 p.m., and board Chair Verdell Jones said more back-to-school events from local organizations are planned for this weekend.
“Thank you to the entire community that helps our children get ready for back to school,” she said.