Plan announced for Bennett Middle expansion

Wicomico County Public School officials announce plans to put an end to a growing controversy following reported injuries to students and faculty last school year.

The new Bennett Middle School opened its doors just two years ago, but is already working to expand the cafeteria.

"This school year were projecting 1,058 students here at Bennett Middle School.  And with the current configurations, it's just not enough for Bennett Middle School cafeteria," said Paul Butler, Director of Communications and Community Outreach.

Those numbers show the dilemma.  That's 78 students over the 980 expected to be at the school when it was built in 2014.  Without room to grow, or move, students and faculty were getting injured.

"We've had staff injured last year as they were trying to handle situations with students because they didn't have the room to maneuver," said Principal Cristel Savage.

School leaders say there was no way to predict they would have the influx of students that they did.  But now that the problem exists, they know they have to act fast.

"And some kids bump up against one another which in middle school can cause confrontation," said Savage.

That's where the schools proposed plan comes in.  A blueprint that calls for an expansion to the outside patio, a move that will create 144 more seats and alleviate congestion.

"The great thing is with the future projections is right now were sitting at 336 students, with the new projections we'll be able to have 480 students in the expanded Bennett cafeteria.  Which will definitely take us for current enrollment and any future increases in enrollment here at the school," said Butler.

The Wicomico County Board of Education plans to vote on the project next Tuesday, and Butler says he is hopeful that it will pass. 

The project has a price tag of $1.4 million, and cash is already on hand because the original building construction came in a couple million dollars under budget.