One of the three alternate routes the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) has proposed for a truck bypass linking SR 15 with U.S. 441 south of Watkinsville would pass near the property line for Colham Ferry Elementary School, but it would not require any changes at the school.
If the Board of Education decides to expand the school or do updates or repairs, it will have to get state approval, and the state Department of Education could require construction of a berm and modifications of such things as windows to accommodate the dangers of truck traffic.
That was the message that Ryan White, Chief Operations Officer for Oconee County Schools, delivered to the Oconee County Board of Education at its meeting on Monday (May 4).
Oconee County Schools would be responsible for paying for any changes required, White told Board Member Adam Hammond.
The Board on Monday also received an update from Fred Ricketson, Director of Facilities for Oconee County Schools, on plans for construction of an auxiliary gym at North Oconee County High School and for an expansion of the practice field at Oconee County High School.
The Board also approved the personnel recommendation of Superintendent Melissa Butler to appoint Kim Griffith as Principal of Oconee County Elementary School and Brock Holley as Principal of Malcom Bridge Middle School.
Alternate 1 For Truck Bypass
GDOT released three alternate routes for a truck bypass for SR 15 to address traffic congestion in Watkinsville at a Public Information Open House on April 16.
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| Clip From GDOT Plan For Alternate 1 |
The first of those routes runs just outside the city limits of Watkinsville and cross Colham Ferry Road between Bell Lake and the school. A roundabout is proposed at that intersection.
The other two alternate routes are further south, beginning at Flat Rock Road and crossing mostly undeveloped farmland before reaching U.S. 441.
“While no decision on a route has been made,” White told the Board, “Operations is monitoring the proposals closely. Specifically, we're evaluating Option 1 due to its close proximity to Colham Ferry Elementary School.”
“Georgia law and state (Education) Board rules require proposed school sites as well as additions to existing school facilities to be reviewed under Georgia DOE facility standards,” White said. DOE is for Department of Education.
“If this process identifies a potential site hazard at Colham Elementary School, we would be required to implement risk reduction measures.”
“If the bypass were to be Route 1,” Board Member Hammond asked, “what could risk reduction measures look like?”
“If we add on to the footprint of that building,” White responded, “we'd have to collaborate with the DOE through a facilities process. If they identify hazards, they would give us recommendations on what those would be.”
“So, it could be ballistic glass,” he said. “It could be berms in the area. There's different strategies based on what those hazards would be.”
Any action take to mitigate the danger “would be locally funded,” White told Hammond.
Superintendent Butler said in an email message on Friday (May 8) that if the Board decides to expand, do updates or make renovations at Colham Ferry, the state would do a review and could ask for changes based on the presence of a highway that carries truck traffic.
Colham Ferry
Colham Ferry Elementary School is the only school building within the boundaries of Watkinsville and one of the oldest in the system.
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| Hammond 5/4/2026 |
The Board added 10 classrooms to Colham Ferry Elementary School in 2023 as part of the building program covered by the current Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST).
According to plans released leading up to voter approval in November of renewal of the ESPLOST, the original building was constructed in 1956.
Additions to that building were made in 1977, 1978, 1980, and again in 2023.
Funding for addressing water issues in between the two wings of the complex and resurfacing of the activity court are listed as the only projects to be funded by the new ESPLOST.
Other Action
Director of Facilities Ricketson told the Board, in his report on the auxiliary gym for North Oconee High School, that “we continue to receive drawings and feedback from the architect and the team members involved in reviewing the plans and continue to work towards a completion of design for later this year.”
“The engineer is working to design a full-size practice field to the left of the current stadium (at Oconee County High School) so that the team has an actual full-size regulation field to practice on,” he said.
White said in a conversation after the meeting that it may be possible to come to the Board with a request that it issue a request for proposals for the North Oconee High School auxiliary gym at the end of the year or early next year.
White said he has no time line for Board action on the sports fields at Oconee County High School.
The Board approved the personnel report from Superintendent Butler in executive session and then again when it returned to open session.
Included were the appointments of Griffith as Principal of Oconee County Elementary School and Holley as Principal of Malcom Bridge Middle School.
Holley currently serves as an Assistant Principal and as the Athletic Director at North Oconee High School and has served as a Principal, Assistant Principal, Athletic Director, and teacher during a decade with Calhoun City Schools.
The Board recognized Malcom Bridge Middle School students Ryan Higginbotham, Sam Price, Embry York, and Alison Zhong, who were named to the 2026 All-State Band, and Olivia Yoo who was named a 2026 All-State Chorus member.
Video
The video below is on the Oconee County Schools YouTube channel.
White made his report to the Board at 13:56 in the video.
Ricketson gave his report on the auxiliary gym and practice field at 17:21 in the video.
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