OCEAN PINES – School system officials hope to dedicate the new Showell Elementary School next month.
At a meeting of the Worcester County Board of Education Tuesday, Superintendent Lou Taylor shared plans to dedicate the new facility in October, depending on guidelines related to COVID-19.
“We’re looking at a mid- to late-October dedication for that school,” he said. “We’ll see what the guidelines are for social distancing … We will have a great opening where we’ll celebrate together.”
The new Showell Elementary School, located just behind where the old building once stood, is undergoing final touches this month. Crews are currently doing final grading and paving stabilization as well as completing punch list corrections and a final cleaning.
The new 98,000-square-foot facility is nearly double the size of the old school and is expected to allow for the return of fourth-grade, which has been housed at Berlin Intermediate School, to Showell. The facility also includes a wing for pre-kindergarten so the school can meet any mandates that come from the state in that regard.
After this month’s report on construction progress, Taylor praised Joe Price, the school system’s facilities planner, for guiding the project through to completion so smoothly. He said Price handled any minor issues associated with the project.
“I have nothing but great things to tell you all about this entire process,” Taylor said.
The project was completed on-time and is not expected to exceed its budget, Taylor said.
“Besides it being a beautiful school, it was a great project,” Taylor said.