The Washington County (Md.) school board has voted to close two elementary schools and build a larger elementary in Hagerstown to replace them.
The Herald-Mail reports that the new school, referred to as Downsville Pike Elementary School, will be built on district-owned land in front of its headquarters. Construction is estimated to cost $45.3 million.
That school is scheduled to open in August 2027. Fountain Rock Elementary in Hagerstown and Hickory Elementary in Williamsport are set to close in June 2027.
The new school will be built to accommodate 628 students, with four classrooms per grade level.
Consolidating the two schools will save $580,000 in annual operating costs, the district says. Both have deteriorating facilities and were rated below average in a 2023 facility assessment.
Built in the 1970s, the two elementary schools have an open classroom format. The district has looked into ways to install walls up and enclose classrooms in but it was not feasible, officials say.
