4 days ago
New elementary school maximum construction price set at $67M
The maximum price for the construction of a new elementary school near New Market has been set at $67 million.
Elementary School #41, which does not have a name yet, is scheduled to open for students in August 2026. Construction is set to begin next month.
The Frederick County Board of Education on May 21 voted to approve the maximum price.
School board member Jaime Brennan abstained from the vote while Rae Gallagher, Dean Rose, Karen Yoho, Nancy Allen, Colt Black and Janie Inglis Monier voted in favor of setting the price.
Brennan said at the meeting that she abstained from the vote because she 'has a relationship with one of the bidders.'
The new school is expected to have a state-rated capacity of 882 seats.
Elementary School #41 is intended to balance enrollment between five other elementary schools: Blue Heron, Spring Ridge, Oakdale, Deer Crossing and New Market.
A draft redistricting option would move 980 students, and included moving:
* 681 students from Oakdale to Elementary School #41
* 104 students from Spring Ridge to Oakdale Elementary School
* 86 students from Blue Heron to Oakdale Elementary School
* 2 students from Deer Crossing to Elementary School #41
* 107 students from Oakdale to Gov. Thomas Johnson Middle School
Whiting-Turner Contracting Company of Towson is the construction manager for the project, and Smolen Emr Ilkovitch Architects of Rockville is the leader of the architect engineering team.
Frederick County Public Schools recently accepted submissions for a name for the new elementary school.
Community members could vote for their favorite from a shortlist of names, which included:
* Bartonsville Elementary
* Diamondback Elementary
* Hawksbill Elementary
* Linganore Creek Elementary
* Old National Elementary
* Piedmont Elementary
* Plankstone Elementary
* Rolling Hills Elementary
FCPS organized a School Name Recommendation Committee, made up of elementary school administration and representatives from the community, county government, student government and other FCPS staff members.
The committee is charged with presenting three recommendations to the Frederick County Board of Education in August.
The school board will make the final decision on the school's name.
