The delay in opening of the new Easley High School shouldn't cost the district more money and moving forward on time could add complications.

The School District of Pickens County Board of Trustees announced Monday night that due to outside factors like roadwork on S.C. 8 and construction of a pump house the transition from the old Easley High School to the new building would be delayed six months. 

Building Program Administrator Bob Folkman says that these are part of the decision but not the main reasons, and the delay shouldn't cost the district any extra.

"We don't see any cost impact because we'll be transitioning during the summer," Folkman said. "We may even see some cost savings."

The district opened two new schools and a career center this fall and Folkman said this experience played a larger role in the decision to delay the new school's opening.

"Based on lessons learned this summer, there's just not enough time," Folkman said. "To ask the teachers, students and staff to do that at Christmas-time just isn't fair or equitable."

The district had initially planned on spending two weeks during December to move furniture, technology systems, equipment, and supplies to the new school. Folkman said he's learned two weeks just wouldn't be enough time.

Folkman expects the project to widen the road in front of the new school to begin as soon as SCDOT gains a permit to relocate the utilities infrastructure.

Once the permit has been granted he expects the project to take between six and eight weeks to complete. He also expects the pump house project to be completed in the same time frame, but both could cause problems if delayed.

Neither the delay in the opening of the new school or the start of the renovation work to convert the old high school to the new middle school will add cost to the district's project budget, officials said.

"The only cost that would be involved would be utilities and we've already budgeted for that," Folkman said. "If anything it might cost less to transition in the summer."