Columbus Charter School hopes to expand

The only charter school in Columbus and Bladen counties is hoping to get bigger.

A developer who owns the land the school rents from has purchased 42 acres right next to the current elementary school campus.

The idea is to build a middle school on the new land, and raise the enrollment.

"I'm very confident that the school will continue to grow. The first year, we ended up with 130 kids out of 150 kids, and since then, every year there has been a waiting list," said Columbus Charter headmaster Steve Smith.

The charter school has been operating for three years. Smith hopes the new campus will also help alleviate some traffic issues that they face in the morning, and at dismissal.