Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) will break ground on a new elementary school in the Potomac Shores area this fall, aiming to alleviate severe overcrowding in the Dumfries area.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Potomac Shores Elementary School is scheduled for Monday, September 8 at 10 a.m., and will take place at 1720 Thoroughgood Drive. School Board members have been invited to attend.
The school, which is expected to open in the 2027–28 academic year, will be located in the Potomac Magisterial District and is designed to serve 1,050 students, according to planning documents.
The Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for FY 2025–2029 outlines a total project cost of $74.7 million. The bulk of the funding, $70.2 million, is earmarked for construction, with smaller amounts allocated for site acquisition and design planning. Funding is being provided primarily through bonds, with approximately $3.2 million covered by proffer contributions.
The site acquisition is already complete for $3.57 million, and planning and design costs total just over $4.5 million, spanning several fiscal years. Construction is projected to begin in FY 2026 and continue through FY 2028.
The new school is one of several significant infrastructure efforts currently underway in PWCS. It joins the Occoquan Elementary Preschool Facility, also slated for completion in 2027–28, which will add 15 new classrooms for early childhood education.
