Leaders from Chesterfield County Public Schools and Chesterfield County government cut a blue ribbon July 30 to officially open the new Davis Elementary School. After the brief ceremony, families explored the new building.
Completed on time next to the old Davis Elementary on Providence Road, the building is the first to be built using a new elementary school prototype for Chesterfield County Public Schools. The two-story building will accommodate up to 1,000 students in prekindergarten through fifth grade; 780 was the capacity of the old building, which was built in 1964.
Dr. Kenya Batts, principal of Davis Elementary, said that she and her team are looking forward to the start of the 2025-26 school year on Aug. 18. “We cannot wait to open this incredible new learning environment for the Dragons of Davis Elementary,” she said. “From open and flexible classroom spaces to thoughtful design details that celebrate learning, this building is not just new, it’s transformational.”
The new Davis Elementary School was built as part of a community facilities bond plan approved by Chesterfield County voters in 2022. Virginia Public School Authority bonds covered most of the building’s $52 million cost, supplemented by federal funds from the American Rescue Plan. The school is located in the county's Midlothian District.
Lisa Hudgins, the Chesterfield County School Board member representing the Midlothian District, spoke at the event. She said, “As someone who spent years in the classroom, I know how important the learning environment is. This new building gives students and teachers the space and the tools they need to thrive. ... The best part? Students and the staff had a front-row seat to this transformation, watching the new school rise beside the old one. ... And today, it’s finally time to cut the ribbon and open the doors to opportunity.”
The first floor of the 111,500-square-foot school holds prekindergarten, kindergarten, first grade and special education classrooms, and the second floor houses grades 2-5. Both floors include conference rooms, teacher workrooms and offices. A gymnatorium, cafeteria, media center, art room, music room and STEAM maker space are located on the first floor. At the main entrance, the security vestibule is flanked by administrative offices.
Dr. John Murray, superintendent of Chesterfield County Public Schools, thanked the School Board and Board of Supervisors for their joint leadership providing top-quality teaching and learning environments and thanked Chesterfield County residents for supporting schools, saying, “Your investment in public education will have an impact that reaches far beyond these walls for years to come.”