At their meeting on January 10, the Goochland County School Board voted 5-0 to approve a contract for $44,906,315 with Howard Shockey & Sons, Inc. for the construction of the new Goochland Elementary School. The Goochland County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to appropriate the necessary funding for the project at their January 3 meeting.
“We are excited to move this project forward and are very grateful for the support of the Board of Supervisors,” Division Superintendent Jeremy Raley, Ed.D., said. “Unexpected cost increases may have jeopardized this project, however, through collaboration, teamwork, and perseverance, we are now able to construct a school that will meet the needs of our students, teachers, and community for decades to come.”
The initial design for the project began in September 2021 as staff worked alongside the school division’s owner’s representative, MBP, and the project architect, Stantec. Several design adjustments were made throughout the process to account for factors associated with soaring inflation and supply chain disruptions, all in an effort to reduce the overall cost of the project. This project will be funded using the bond financing approved by the voters in November 2021 and additional local funding sources.
“Given the significant unanticipated economic changes that have taken place since we began design, we have worked diligently to adapt to those changes and ensure that we build a school that provides the learning environment our students and staff need to thrive, while also recognizing the many financial needs of our community,” Raley said. “The School Board, Board of Supervisors, school staff, and county staff all have worked to make this project a reality while upholding good stewardship of tax dollars. Our community’s children are the beneficiaries of this work, and I am extremely grateful for the unwavering support we have received for this project.”
The school division will give an official Notice to Proceed on January 12, with construction starting in a few weeks. The new Goochland Elementary School is slated to open for the 2024-2025 school year with substantial completion expected on May 31, 2024 and final completion on June 28, 2024.
Additional information about the process and links to documents are available on the division’s website at https://www.goochlandschools.org/page/new-ges-construction-project.