New Academy of Environmental Sciences campus is part of the district’s 2024 bond referendum.
IRMO – Lexington-Richland School District Five officially broke ground Oct. 30 on the new Dutch Fork Elementary School Academy of Environmental Sciences, marking the beginning of a project years in the making.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held at Hope Lutheran Church, located at 1400 Kennerly Road, next to the school’s future location. School board members, community members, district leaders, Principal Rebecca Dilley and Superintendent Dr. Akil E. Ross Sr. gathered to celebrate the project.
“We are breaking ground on a new home for Dutch Fork Elementary students and faculty – celebrating years of hard work, thoughtful planning, and a community committed to investing in children,” Dilley said.
She noted that while the new building will provide opportunities for discovery, collaboration, creativity and connection, the school’s commitment to students and its strong sense of community will remain unchanged.
“We are a Fox family, and together, every Fox cub can discover their strengths, embrace curiosity, and reach their full potential,” Dilley said. “While the building will be new, the heart of Dutch Fork Elementary will remain the same. Our people, relationships, and our commitment to children will never change.”
Dilley also expressed appreciation to district leadership, the school board, voters and taxpayers, as well as the planning committees, architects and construction teams involved in bringing the project to fruition.
The new school will be constructed at 1709 Hollingshed Road and is part of the district’s 2024 bond referendum. The project addresses the needs of students and staff currently learning and working in the district’s oldest continually used school building. It also takes into consideration the impacts of the expansion of Broad River Road.
“This groundbreaking represents an important investment in the future of our students, staff and community,” Ross said. “This is truly a community school, and we look forward to welcoming our students into a new building that reflects the pride, partnership and commitment our community has always shown for Dutch Fork Elementary.”
Once the new campus opens, the school’s current location at 7900 Broad River Road will become the Richlex Education Center. The facility will bring together several district programs and services, including Adult Education, the Academy for Success and the Flexible Innovative Virtual Education (FIVE) program.
