Stafford Breaks Ground on Elementary School #18
New elementary school in Hartwood district is scheduled to open August of 2026.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
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Construction of Stafford County’s 18th elementary school ceremonially got underway Tuesday, with a groundbreaking ceremony attended by School Board members, county supervisors, school division staff, county fire and rescue, representatives from the design and construction firms, state delegates Joshua Cole and Paul Milde, and a representative from Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s office.
The 130,000-square-foot school is scheduled to open in August of 2026 and will have capacity for 1,070 students. It’s located off Truslow Road in the Hartwood district in the southwest section of the county.
Elementary school #18 is the second of three planned school construction projects to get underway, following high school #6, with which it shares a campus.
High school #6 broke ground in October of 2023 and is also scheduled for completion in August of 2026, along with elementary school #19. The School Board awarded a construction contract for elementary school #19 at its most recent meeting.
“Our county’s rapid growth brings the responsibility to provide the best for our students. Today’s groundbreaking isn’t just about building a new school—it’s about creating spaces where our children can thrive and succeed,” said School Board Chair Maureen Siegmund, in a press release provided by the school division. “Thank you to the School Board, Board of Supervisors, and the community for making this possible. We look forward to seeing this project come to life and welcoming our students into their new learning environment.”
Prior to these new constructions, the last school built to accommodate growth was Shirley Heim Middle School in 2008, according to the press release.
Elementary school #18 will cost $46 million. Howard Shockey & Sons, Inc. has the construction contract and MBP Construction will provide project management. The prototype design for elementary schools 18 and 19 was completed by Samaha Associates.
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