Semmes looking into becoming its own school system

MOBILE, Ala. ( WKRG ) — Over the last few years, the City of Semmes has seen an uptick in residents and lots of growth.

“If you look on every corner in Semmes, you’ll see something is being built,” Semmes Mayor Brandon Van Hook said. “With retail and with community development, obviously comes people, with more people comes children.”

Van Hook said local schools are overcrowded. That’s why the city has been looking into leaving the Mobile County Public School System and becoming its own for the past six months.

“We couldn’t create our own school system before because we didn’t have the population,” Van Hook explained. “The population had to be 5,000 or more.”

Now, Van Hook estimates around 5,500 people live in Semmes, so they’re moving ahead with a feasibility study.

“Once we do well, let’s say everything works out. Then, the city council will vote to move forward with creating a board of education,” Van Hook explained. “If the feasibility study comes back and says this is not feasible for you to do, then we won’t do it.”

Semmes hopes to annex Mary G. Montgomery, Semmes Middle and Semmes Elementary, which are not currently within city limits. If not, the city would look into building new schools within the community.

“We don’t have any schools within our city limits, so we have to work with the Mobile County Public School System,” Van Hook said. “It would just have to be a partnership hand in hand if we decide to go forward with this.”

Further details about the future of Semmes schools and surrounding areas will be unknown until the feasibility study is complete.

WKRG News 5 reached out to MCPSS for comments on the thought of a split. We have not yet heard back.

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