Proposed location for new elementary school in New Kent revealed

A plot of land across from Quinton's Community Center is the desired area for construction of a new elementary school in New Kent.

Google Maps photo

A location for the proposed new elementary school in New Kent County has been announced.

New Kent supervisors voted unanimously 5-0 to approve the purchasing of 15.1 acres of land from Oak Ridge Farm LLC located on New Kent Highway. The land will cost approximately $375,000, along with a $10,000 deposit within the first one hundred days.

Located across the road from Quinton Recreation Center, the proposed complex is listed at $28 million. County leaders approved that amount to be received through loans during last year’s budget cycle. The need for a new elementary school had been expressed for nearly two years as both population in New Kent and enrollment in local schools continue to grow. According to the recent study of Welden-Cooper’s population numbers, New Kent is the second-fastest growing community in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Talks about a new school first arose in November 2016. At that time, Hathaway said that research would be conducted for the possible need of a new elementary school. That research led to the county administrator’s recommendation in November 2017 for county leaders to take out a $28 million loan to assist with the school’s needs.

With the first steps completed with the approval to purchase the land, groundbreaking is expected to take place later this year.