Winchester Leaders Taking Steps to Rebuild Local Elementary School
By: Hayley Mason
Updated: March 22, 2013
WINCHESTER, VA- Leaders in the Winchester school system are making progress in the plans to rebuild John Kerr Elementary School.
The district's executive director says they have set a deadline for the end of June to decide how much funding they will need and where the location will be.
School board officials are considering a plot of land behind the Sacred Hearts Catholic Church off of Amherst Street.
Officials say budgeting has been a hurdle. They will need more than $25 million to fund the project, although city council is offering only $20 million.
If the school moves from its current location officials say zoning could change across the district.
"The school boundary lines for the schools will really hinge on a couple of things, the size of the school that's built. It is going to be a larger school than the existing John Kerr. Then we are going to draw from the other zones that surround John Kerr. So the size of the school is important, but the location is as well," says Kevin McKew, executive director, WCPS.
The next meeting for the buildings and grounds committee will be held on April 19 at 7:30 a.m. in the Winchester School Board Office.
The district's executive director says they have set a deadline for the end of June to decide how much funding they will need and where the location will be.
School board officials are considering a plot of land behind the Sacred Hearts Catholic Church off of Amherst Street.
Officials say budgeting has been a hurdle. They will need more than $25 million to fund the project, although city council is offering only $20 million.
If the school moves from its current location officials say zoning could change across the district.
"The school boundary lines for the schools will really hinge on a couple of things, the size of the school that's built. It is going to be a larger school than the existing John Kerr. Then we are going to draw from the other zones that surround John Kerr. So the size of the school is important, but the location is as well," says Kevin McKew, executive director, WCPS.
The next meeting for the buildings and grounds committee will be held on April 19 at 7:30 a.m. in the Winchester School Board Office.
