NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — A new private school held its groundbreaking ceremony Thursday morning, marking progress on a $37 million project aimed at serving under-resourced families.
Cristo Rey Charleston High School will move into the former Chicora Elementary School building on Success Street in North Charleston. The building has stood for more than 90 years and caught fire about six years ago during the early stages of a separate project after the elementary school moved locations in 2011.
The school is expected to open in August 2027 with 100 ninth graders from across the Lowcountry.
“For years, we’ve been trying to revitalize this community. I truly believe in this private school that’s for a dominant side of underserved people,” North Charleston Mayor Reggie Burgess said.
Cristo Rey Charleston High School will be a college prep Catholic school, but will be open to students of all faiths and to those with limited economic resources.
The school will offer a distinctive college prep program where every student will work a professional job one full day a week during school months for all four years.
Once opened, 50 percent of the funding for Cristo Rey will come from businesses that participate as corporate partners, with 40 percent coming from fundraising and 10 percent from family contributions. However, Cristo Rey says all families are welcome, even if you may not be able to contribute financially.
A local nonprofit, Metanoia, has worked on revamping the building for years after the elementary school moved. However, a fire in February 2020 caused unexpected setbacks to the project, both in construction plans and finances.
“Today is a testimony to what some of that faithfulness and staying working at it can bring if you don’t give up,” Bill Stanfield, CEO of Metanoia, said. “And you can see something kind of rise from the ashes as it’s happening here.”
He said the whole school costs $37 million worth of financing, with about $28 million for actual construction. The remaining being architectural fees and other kinds of fees that are involved in a project like this.
“All the money is here to build it, and we are building it,” Stanfield said.
Stanfield said he expects the school to have a broader impact on the region.
“We know that there are young people in this community that deserve this opportunity, that will be able to take advantage of it, that will take advantage of it, and it will result in transformative and great things for all of us as a broader Lowcountry,” he said.
Cristo Rey is part of a nationwide network as a not-for-profit organization.
“This is not just a school, is it just brick and mortar? It’s a promise. A promise to a community to offer opportunities for young people to grow themselves,” Stanfield said.
One pastor in the community, Rev. Clinton Brentley, said this is proof of God’s promise and a blessing.
“Our church is here. We do ministry here. So, I’m here all the time, and I hear folks excited about it because things are going to happen,” Brentley said.
Burgess says he attended classes in the same building decades ago and now sees the project representing an investment in education, opportunities and the community.
“I never thought I would see this. Never, never thought I would see this. It makes me emotional,” he said.
The mayor said he hopes increased access to opportunities will bring success to the Lowcountry.
Copyright 2026 WCSC. All rights reserved.