Stafford County leaders may have two new school sites when they need them most.
The school system projects an increase of 6,000 students in the next 10 years and called for a minimum of six new buildings to meet the projected capacity requirements.
The plan recommends building three new elementary schools, one new middle school, two new high schools, and one public day school.
The program specifies the rebuilding of 4 elementary schools – Falmouth, Grafton Village, Ferry Farm, and Stafford Elementary Schools, as well as the Rising Star Early Childhood Education Center and Edward E. Drew Middle School.
Embrey Mill, a neighborhood in the middle of the county with a mix of condos and standalone homes, and the Jeff Rouse Swimming Center and athletic fields, is nearing completion. When the Stafford Board of Supervisors approved a rezoning for the sprawling development 10 years ago, the developer agreed to provide parcels of land on which the county could build schools.
Both sit on Mine Road, the street that bisects the Embrey Mill neighborhood, with the first 23-acre site at the corner of Coastal Avenue and the second 32-acre site at Embrey Mill Road. There’s also a two-acre site that could be used to build a new library.
On Tuesday, October 18, the Board of Supervisors will request the developer, NASH Stafford, LLC, transfer ownership of the sites to the county, as outlined in the agreement between the two organizations more than 10 years ago.
Officials at the county government center and the school division told Potomac Local News it’s too early to tell what types of schools would be built on the land.
“If approved, staff will begin the process of entering into an MOU with the developer and the dedication of the properties. The process is not yet near answering the questions you have requested…” said Stafford County Government spokesman Andrew Spence.
“We agree with Andrew; it is still far too early to make a determination as to how the sites could be used. However, we have begun to evaluate the sites to see if they can support an elementary or middle school. We have not made any determination on the school side as to how this property might be used,” added school division spokeswoman Sandra Osborn.
Today at 5 p.m., the School Board will present a $10 $1.6 billion Capital Improvement Plan to the Stafford County School Board Supervisors, which must come up with cash to fund the plan. Supervisors will approve their final spending plan on April 18, 2023.
