WDBJ7 Roanoke News and Weather NRV Lynchburg Danville | Bedford superintendent lays out ideas for school construction
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Planning continues for possible school construction in Bedford County.
As News7 first told you last week, Bedford's school board has drafted a $48 million wish list for construction projects.
The unfinished plan calls for a new Bedford Middle School and additions to Bedford Elementary and Forest Middle schools.
Twelve mobile units sit behind Forest Middle School. It's a temporary answer to the longtime problem of overcrowding.
"We don't want, in the long term, to use temporary buildings for permanent capacity," said Bedford School Superintendent Doug Schuch.
Forest Middle is only 15 years old, but it wasn't built with enough classrooms. Schuch says a $14 million expansion will make room for 1,200 students.
"We could eliminate our need for temporary classrooms," said Schuch.
Bedford Elementary was built in 1989, but it only houses grades three through six. Kindergarten through second grade are at Bedford Primary School.
A $4 million expansion would transform Bedford Elementary into a school for Kindergarten through Grade five. Bedford Primary would then close, freeing up the building for other uses.
"It's been proposed in past studies that the primary school could become a central office complex and some other uses were also proposed," said Schuch.
Grades six through eight would be housed at a new, $30 million Bedford Middle School. The building would go in a new location, possibly in a field next to the current primary school. The new school would match what's currently available at Forest and Staunton River.
"It is our desire to serve our students in the Liberty zone and give them the same educational opportunities," said Schuch.
The question now, what can the county afford? The school board hopes to get some answers at a special meeting with county supervisors December 3rd.
