St. Mary’s County will need to begin the process of acquiring two new school sites in the foreseeable future. That was the message delivered Tuesday by school officials to the county commissioners. A 20-acre elementary school site will be needed by July 2015 and a 75-acre high school site, somewhere in the Hollywood area, will be needed by July 2017, according to Deputy School Superintendent Brad Clements.
School Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano says the school system has continued to grow despite the national turndown in the economy affecting other systems. That growth has been fueled by the Patuxent River Naval Air Station and is expected to continue. An example of growth is the new 335-home Clark’s rest subdivision in Leonardtown, approved last week by the town’s planning commission.
In a separate report to the commissioners Tuesday, representatives of the Department of Land Use and Growth Management (LUGM) said there is adequate capacity in the schools to allow for growth under the county’s Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance. But that conclusion, with respect to elementary schools, factors in the planned new school at the Hayden Farm property owned by the county in Leonardtown.
A public hearing on the proposed annexation of that property into the town of Leonardtown is scheduled for March 12. It is hoped the land can be transfere3d to the school board so that the project can begin this summer.
The commissioners Tuesday also received a revised land use plan for the Hayden Farm that includes an elementary school, middle school and park but removed a new library. The county is proceeding with renovating the existing library.
The revised plan includes two buildings for the elementary school by adding an Early Childhood Learning Center that increases the school’s capacity to 1,000, according to Clements. That would help alleviate some of the anticipated increase in elementary school students.
During that presentation Commissioner Daniel Morris (R: 2nd) expressed concern about using the road leading to the Leonard’s Grant subdivision for the entrance into the two schools and park. Director of Public Works and Transportation George Erichsen assured Morris the road could accommodate the traffic but Morris asked him to look at the possibility of an alternate entrance off Route 245.
The anticipated cost for acquiring sites for another elementary school and the high school is $3.15 million. Several additional elementary schools may be needed further in the future. One possible location is the county-owned property surrounding the pool next to Great Mills High School. Future costs are estimated at $4.95 million
Clements said the school system has identified 172 potential school sites. County Administrator John Savich said the next step would be for the county commissioners to meet with school officials in executive session to target properties and begin negotiations. Finding a suitable 75-acre site in the Hollywood Town Center may be particularly challenging.
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