$3.2M expansion planned for McBee schools

Jan. 27, 2021

$3.2M expansion planned for McBee schools

An addition of four classrooms each at McBee elementary and high schools is in the works, briefed Chesterfield County Superintendent Dr. Harrison Goodwin at Monday’s virtual work session of the Chesterfield County School Board.

The $3.2 million expansion of these schools was prompted by the fact that the McBee attendance zone is the only one of the four zones that has shown a stable, if not slight, attendance growth in the past decade. Furthermore, primarily due to federal and state mandates, schools require more instructional space than in the past. Examples include the addition of reading interventionists, classes for English language learners, special education, gifted education and computer labs.

Last March, the school board approved the relocation of sixth grade and the necessary employees from McBee Elementary to McBee High while also removing a partition wall from a subdivided classroom in the short middle school wing at McBee High.

“We recommend the addition of four special use (art, music, computer) classrooms which would extend into the playground at McBee Elementary,” said Goodwin. “The plan also includes the retrofit of four current special use classrooms for early childhood and the addition of 96 seats in the cafeteria.

“The addition of the four classrooms at the high school would extend the current middle school short wing north toward SC 151,” added Goodwin.