New Kent leaders, school board continue to expedite middle school addition project

Taking initiative sometimes has advantages, even when the intention isn’t there. One such decision to expedite an expansion at New Kent Middle School may prove to be one of the most effective investments by both the school system and county’s board of supervisors.

New Kent superintendent of schools Dave Myers met with county leaders during supervisors’ Jan. 25 work session and provided an update on the project to add five additional classrooms at the middle school. Myers had originally listed the expansion on the school’s capital improvement plan for FY2017-18, but after meeting with county administrator Rodney Hathaway and other leaders, an attempt to place the addition into this year’s budget cycle was chosen.

Originally, Myers commented that the addition would accommodate current fourth and fifth grade classes once they reach the middle school. Now, Myers expects those numbers to remain steady, with an expectation the middle school’s enrollment will increase by 150 students over the next six years.

“We do not anticipate the school’s enrollment to ever go back down,” the superintendent commented. “The county is growing so fast and the school system is as well.

“When you come back from winter break and there are nine new students in George Watkins Elementary School and seven in New Kent Middle School, you can see how fast the schools are growing and filling up the classrooms,” Myers added.

Myers indicated that as his current budget is in the works, the school system is projecting an average daily membership (ADM) of 3,100 students, 100 more than the expected ADM for this school year.

As for the expansion of the middle school, it would consist of 4,750 square feet built on an existing pod at the rear of the current school. If approved after a future public hearing, it would be constructed on top of that pod, elevating that portion of the school to two stories.

Local leaders said that the scenario of expansion of that school really didn’t cross their minds when it was originally constructed as a high school in 1989.

“That area was specifically built in case of a situation like this,” said District 5 and board chairman Ray Davis. “I look back now on it and can say whoever thought about having that area as a place where we can expand was thinking ahead of their time.

“So, when someone comes to inquire about if we ever used a plan that included expansion at one of our school buildings and then acted upon it, I can say yes,” the chairman concluded.

Supervisors unanimously approved to appropriate $100,000 from the schools’ set aside fund to initiate architecture and engineering plans. Expectation is to receive bids in February and to select a builder in March.

A public hearing must also take place as the proposed expansion may cost more than one percent of the current budget. If approved, structural construction will take place from June-August of this year, with other work being done during the evening hours when schools are back in session. The expansion is expected to be completed by August 2018.