With a capacity of 3700 students, but a student body of 4500, it’s obvious that Wando High School in Mt. Pleasant is overcrowded. The rapid population growth of Mt. Pleasant isn’t stopping any time soon, either–and some parents are worried about where their children will attend. Luckily, plans for a new charterhigh school have been proposed.

Oceanside Collegiate Academic will be built in Carolina Park, just two miles away from Wando. The school plans to open next August, and is accepting applications online now. The school will hold 600 students, making it a AA school.

Board chairman Marvin Arnsdorff believes that Oceanside is a great option for students because of its smaller class sizes–as opposed to going to Wando, where students can easily “fall through the cracks.”

Jermel President, former College of Charleston basketball player, is also on the board for Oceanside. President is hopeful that Oceanside can help student athletes become academically eligible and prepare for college, something that he would have found useful in his time at Burke High School.

Oceanside will use an unconventional split schedule, in which there is a morning session (8am to noon) and an afternoon session (12:30-4:30pm). Students can choose to take academic classes during one session and will use the other session for athletic training. Additionally, the students will take two elective courses online for two hours a day. Students will graduate from Oceanside with a high school diploma and up to 60 hours of college credit.

Not all students at Oceanside have to be athletes–but the school does offer great opportunities for athletes. “A lot of the kids that don’t get to play at a Summerville or Wando, they may be very good athletes and they may be able to play at a Division II school and we might be able to get them a scholarship there,” Arnsdorff said. “(At Oceanside) they get field time and they can showcase themselves where maybe they couldn’t with a lot of competition at a bigger school.” Oceanside’s goal, according to Arnsdorff, is to have 30% of their student athletes graduate with offers to play sports in college.

The Oceanside Collegiate Academy Landsharks are accepting applications for any students who will be in 9th-12th grade in the upcoming 2016-2017 school year. Applications are available online until February 28, 2016, or if the 600 student capacity goal is reached, a lottery will be held. For more information, check out OCA’s website: www.oceansidecollegiateacademy.org