Rockingham County Public Schools
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March 2009 Eastside Complex Construction Update
Construction on Schedule for New RCPS Schools
River Bend Elementary School and East Rockingham High School
The construction of River Bend Elementary School and East Rockingham High School is on schedule for the planned opening of each school. The two schools are the newest additions to the Rockingham County Public Schools.
“The construction is 70 percent complete at River Bend,” said Steven S. Reid, director of maintenance for RCPS. “We are on target to open the school this fall for our students. East Rockingham High School will open for students in the fall of 2010, and the construction is at 30 percent completion.”
River Bend and East Rockingham have several things in common. They share a 90-acre parcel of land in the Elkton area of the county. The parcel is located on Rockingham Pike south of Rt. 33. Moseley Architects of Harrisonburg and The Shockey Companies of Winchester have provided services as the architect and general contractor for the entire project. Both schools share one central mechanical plant and will display a red color motif throughout the complex.
River Bend Elementary School
River Bend Elementary is designed for 600 students and “we anticipate 350 – 400 students in attendance in the fall in grades K - 5,” said Reid. The school was planned to have room for the future growth on the east side of the county.
The construction contract for River Bend’s 82,199 square-feet of space is $11 million. The overall costs are $14 million which includes architectural fees, electrical work, furniture, library equipment, and case work for the building.
The current work at the school includes applying the finish coat of paint for the classrooms, installing quarry and ceramic tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms, and laying the terrazzo floors with stones in the main hallway. Red paint, which reflects the school colors of red and white, is being used on the outside of the building and will coordinate with the high school paint colors. However, inside each hallway there is a different color scheme including green, yellow, blue and red. These will delineate the different grade levels and areas of the building for the students and the visitors, said Reid.
River Bend’s front door will be framed by a red gabled overhang and there will be signage with the school name. There will also be 192 parking spaces for staff and visitors. A 400-meter cinder track, play areas, and a field inside the track are planned.
East Rockingham High School
East Rockingham High School is set to open for students in grades 9 through 12 in the fall of 2010. Anticipated completion for the complex is May of 2010. The school is designed for 1,200 students and is expected to open to 600 students from the eastern side of the county. The school will have 212,812 square feet of space under roof.
The construction contract, including necessary roadwork, is $41.2 million. The roadwork included making improvements to Rockingham Pike, installing a traffic signal, relocating utilities and installing utilities on site, said Reid.
The total cost for the high school facility, however, is $56.3 million. The difference includes the work that is done separately from the general contractor’s scope of work. This includes the athletic field work, lighting for the fields, gym equipment, bleachers, the scoreboard, casework, and equipment for the library and the science rooms. It also includes the computer cabling, telephones, hallway and locker room lockers, auditorium stage curtains, window treatments, cafeteria equipment, shop equipment and the greenhouse.
The two-story academic wing will house the science, art, computer, business, special education, and general classrooms and the library. The one-story areas will have space for the technical education shop, band and choral classrooms, main and auxiliary gymnasiums, commons area, cafeteria, and administrative areas. There will be a 650-seat auditorium.
On the outside of the building, there will be three full-sized practice fields, competitive baseball, football, softball and tennis areas, and an eight-lane track. There also is a practice field in the front of the school for recreational use. There are 768 parking places planned for students, staff and visitors.
Rockingham County Public Schools currently has 14 elementary schools, four middle schools and three high schools, a technical center and an alternative education center. There are 11,400 students enrolled in RCPS supported by over 1,850 full time employees. Dr. Carol Fenn is the division superintendent.
At a Glance |
River Bend |
East Rockingham |
Opening |
Fall 2009 |
Fall 2010 |
Location |
Rockingham Pike, south of Rt. 33 in Elkton |
|
Completion Rate (as of March '09) |
70% |
30% |
Grades |
K-5 |
9-12 |
Space |
82,199 sq. ft. |
212,812 sq. ft. |
Student Capacity |
600 students |
1200 students |
Anticipated Enrollment at Opening |
350 – 400 students |
600 students |
Construction Contract |
$11 million |
$41.2 million |
Total Costs |
$14 million |
$56.3 million |
Architect |
Moseley Architects of Harrisonburg |
|
General Contractor |
The Shockey Companies of Winchester |
|
Address |
14556 Rockingham Pike |
250 Eagle Rock Road |
For RCPS |
15th elementary school |
4th high school |
Principal |
Joe Taylor |
To be named |
Article written, information compiled by Janet Wendelken