PGCPS Celebrates Construction of New Elementary School During Groundbreaking Ceremony

May 21, 2021 - Prince George County Public Schools heralded the construction of the county’s newest elementary school during a ceremonial groundbreaking event at the new school’s site at the intersection of Middle Road and Romans Road on Friday, May 21.

 

Prince George County Public Schools administrators and staff joined the Prince George School Board, Prince George Board of Supervisors, dignitaries, and representatives from the school’s designers, Moseley Architects, and construction firm, Loughridge and Company, LLC for the groundbreaking ceremony. Friday’s celebration signaled the beginning of a new chapter in the history of Prince George County Public Schools and the community as the new elementary school will serve as the new home for some of the county’s elementary-aged students when classes begin at the school in September of 2022.

 

 

The new campus will replace William A. Walton Elementary School, which has served the community faithfully for over 50 years, but has reached the end of its useful service life as a school.

 

The new elementary school will have a student capacity of 850, which will support the educational needs of current students and those in the future as Prince George County continues to grow. The new campus will feature industry standard safety and security measures to protect students and staff, adequate separation of public and private spaces, and use natural light to illuminate parts of the school, helping to reduce energy consumption.

 

The new school is also being built with the learning principles of today in mind, where student collaboration and engagement are highlighted. Additionally, the campus will have built-in flexibility to allow for learning spaces to be adjusted to best support the needs of students.

 

 

In total, the new elementary school will cost $32.9 million once completed in the fall of 2022.

 

“As a school board member and parent who has had two former students educated at William A. Walton Elementary School, and one who is currently learning there, today is special as we celebrate this step toward our beautiful new school.” Prince George County School Board Chairman and Design Process Steering Committee member Robert E.L. Eley, III said. “The Prince George School Board thanks the Prince George Board of Supervisors, County Administration, and those who had a role in making this possible. It will not be long until our amazing Walton Elementary School staff will be in their new home, and our board thanks them for all they have done to thrive at their current home.”

“Looking out onto the site, I can see the moments that will happen within the walls of this new school once it opens,” Prince George County School Board Vice-Chair, Core Committee, and Design Process Steering Committee member Christopher A. Johnson said. “It takes a community to make something special like this happen, and we are grateful for the leadership that we have had from the school division and Prince George County and the efforts of our entire community to allow us to reach this milestone,”

“To reach this moment where we are breaking ground on our new elementary school marks a significant moment in the history of Prince George County and Prince George County Public Schools,” Prince George County Public Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Lisa Pennycuff said. “When this school’s students take their seats on the first day of school in this new building next September, they will do it in a state-of-the-art facility that will support their educational needs now and into the future. We are thankful to those who dedicated their time and talents to helping with the development of this school over the years, from our committee members, to the Prince George School Board, the Prince George Board of Supervisors, school division and county staff, and our community.”

“This is a significant milestone in Prince George County’s education history and it is an honor to be here as we celebrate this exciting time for our students, teachers, and community,” Prince George County Board of Supervisors Chairman Floyd M. Brown, Jr said. “As work begins at the site, we look to grow and nurture the knowledge of future generations who aren’t here yet. They are the impending seeds of hope yet to be planted. Their journey starts today with this groundbreaking ceremony. We thank the Prince George School Board, Dr. Lisa Pennycuff, and all the staff and teachers that will help make this new school a reality.”

“This groundbreaking will truly be a historic moment in the minds of every family and staff member who will come to this learning center at some point, knowing Prince George County puts the children and the education process first,” Prince George County Administrator Percy Ashcraft said. “I watched the partnership between Prince George County Public Schools, the Prince George School Board, and the Prince George Board of Supervisors during the project. The hours of dialogue, planning, cost analysis, and prioritization between everyone involved was truly amazing as these groups came together for a common good that will lead to a better education system in the future for our children.”

Coinciding with Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony, Prince George County Public Schools has launched a special webpage dedicated to the project. The page, which can be accessed by visiting www.pgs.k12.va.us/newschool/ features renderings provided by Moseley Architects, images from the construction site, and other information about the project. It will be updated regularly with new content, so it is encouraged that users bookmark the site to follow the construction of Prince George County’s new elementary school.

 

To view more photos from the May 21, 2021 groundbreaking, CLICK HERE. (Link opens in new window)