County Considers Future School Construction

Staff Reports
Published: March 13, 2008

There are currently 5,098 students attending Orange County Public Schools.

Unfortunately, the county’s eight schools were built to house 4,914 students.

The schools range from 87 percent full (at Prospect Height Middle School) to 137 percent full (at Locust Grove Middle School).

Although plans are underway to relieve some pressure with a new middle school in the eastern part of the county, officials are making plans to figure out what school construction projects will come next.

At a joint work session of the Orange County School Board and the Orange County Board of Supervisors, District 5 Supervisor Lee Frame asked, “If we come to the public four years from now, how does this project fit into a plan that puts kids into classrooms - not trailers?”

Orange County School Superintendent Dr. William Crawford has since compiled a study, based on figures from the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia and actual enrollment numbers. The study only allows for natural growth and does not take into account the possible numbers of people who may move into the county from other areas.
Crawford said data indicated Gordon-Barbour, with an enrollment projection of 453 for 2011-20012, and the high school, with an enrollment projection 1,760 for 2011-2012 appear to be the next areas of concern.
Projections for 2011-2012 show total student enrollment at 5,747.

Crawford stressed that the numbers are only estimates and presented several scenarios for future accommodations. The new middle school will originally house grades six through eight and should accommodate growth until 2014-2015.

The attendance boundary for Locust Grove could be expanded to relieve crowding at Lightfoot and Unionville or the fifth grade at LGMS could be moved to the new middle school.

Scenarios for Gordon-Barbour include a 200-student addition, renovation, boundary adjustments, a new “mid-way” school between Gordonsville and Orange to replace GBES or build a new mid-way school as a companion to GBES and OES.

Growth scenarios for OCHS include a 500-student addition to the existing facility, a new high school at the eastern end of the county and the education of ninth-graders at the new middle school.

Crawford said, “Other scenarios will arise as the need for space becomes more pressing.”

A brief history of school construction illustrates the steady growth of Orange County’s school system.

Gordon-Barbour Elementary was built in 1965 at 29,908 sq. ft. A 4,900 square foot (sq. ft.) kindergarten building in 1975 and 5,000 sq. ft. of classrooms in 1978 brought Gordon-Barbour’s sq. ft. to 39,808. The building’s capacity is listed as 400. There are currently 399 students at Gordon-Barbour.

Lightfoot Elementary, at 27,750 sq. ft., was built in 1952. A 5,000 sq. ft. building in 1978, a 6,781 sq. ft. gym in 1995 and a 1,000 sq. ft. mobile unit for Head Start in 2006 brought Lightfoot’s total sq. ft. to 40,531. The student capacity is 310 and Lightfoot currently has 301 students.

Locust Grove Elementary was built in 1990 with 49,828 sq. ft. New 7,296 sq. ft. classrooms were added in 1993. Another 6,925 sq. ft. of classrooms was added in 1995. One 1,558 sq. ft. mobile unit was added in 1998, another 1,584 sq. ft. unit in 1999, five units totaling 4,875 sq. ft. in 2005 and four units totaling 4,000 sq. ft. in 2006 brought Locust Grove’s total sq. ft. to 76,066. With a building capacity of 600, Locust Grove’s current student count is 638.

Orange Elementary was built in 1967 at 60,806 sq. ft. and a 6,916 sq. ft. kindergarten building was added in 1975. 627 sq. ft. of classrooms added in 1988 brought Orange Elementary’s total sq. ft. to 68,349. The building capacity is 615. There are currently 548 students at Orange Elementary.
Unionville Elementary, at 40,329 sq. ft., was built in 1954. A new 5,000 sq. ft. building was added in 1978, a 912 sq. ft. mobile unit for Head Start was added in 1998 and another 1,000 sq. ft. unit in 2006 brought Unionville’s sq. ft. total to 47,241. With a building capacity of 300, Unionville Elementary’s current enrollment is 305.

Locust Grove Middle School was built in 2003, at 88,000 sq. ft. One mobile unit at 1,625 sq. ft. was added in 2005 and four mobile units with 6,336 sq. ft. were added in 2007, bringing Locust Grove Middle School’s sq. ft. to 95,961. With a listed capacity of 600, Locust Grove Middle school has an enrollment of 823.

The new Prospect Height Middle School, completed in 2004, encompasses 88,000 sq. ft. Prospect’s capacity is 600 and the school currently has 524 students enrolled.

Orange County High School was built in 1952 at 94,800 sq. ft. The 5,171 sq. ft. Agriculture Building was added in 1952. A new 31,116 sq. ft. section was added in 1967. New 1,348 sq. ft. classrooms were added in 1986. A 480 sq. ft. ROTC storage facility was added in 1989. The new 26,000 sq. ft. addition in 2003 brought the high school’s sq. ft. to 158,915. The 52,000 sq. ft. Field House and classrooms were finished in 1996.

The school’s capacity is listed at 1,489 and 1,560 students are enrolled at the high school.

Frame said he has not reviewed the information from Crawford’s study yet, and it will be discussed at Tuesday’s board meeting.