HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The Washington County Board of Education has unanimously approved the school district’s capital improvement program for fiscal year 2028. This supports a funding request of about $27.8 million from state and local governments, covering ongoing construction, major HVAC upgrades and future school replacement plans.
The six-year capital improvement program runs from fiscal year 2028 to 2033 and is based on the district’s 2026 Educational Facilities Master Plan, which the board approved in June.
The plan provides a roadmap for school construction and major facility improvements across Washington County. It includes finishing the new Downsville Pike Elementary School, adding to Jonathan Hager Elementary School, and making major renovations at existing schools.
District officials told the board that construction costs continue to affect long-term planning. WCPS is currently using an estimated construction cost of about $448 per square foot when preparing projects. The figures in the capital plan are in today’s dollars and do not account for future inflation.
Downsville Pike Elementary nearing final funding stage
A key part of the 2028 funding request is about $2.8 million in final funding for Downsville Pike Elementary School, which is now being built near the WCPS Center for Education Services. According to the board presentation, this is the last payment tied to the roughly $19 million provided through Maryland’s Built to Learn program.
The new elementary school is expected to open for the 2027-28 school year and will replace Fountain Rock and Hickory elementary schools. In 2023, the Board of Education voted to close those schools once the new one is finished and open. In May, the board approved changes to attendance zones related to the new school and other expected elementary enrollment needs.
At the September meeting where the capital board voted, the board unanimously chose Downsville Pike Elementary School as the school’s official name.
$17.2 million sought for Jonathan Hager project
The 2028 capital plan also includes about $17.2 million in ongoing state and local funding for a new building at Jonathan Hager Elementary School. The project aims to meet the school’s enrollment and space needs. Jonathan Hager is one of eight WCPS elementary schools currently receiving federal Title I funding.
WCPS had previously identified Jonathan Hager as a school facing capacity issues. The earlier Educational Facilities Master Plan noted that enrollment had exceeded both the school’s rated and state-rated capacities, with continued pressure expected. The Board of Education also approved the design development phase, moving the project forward.
The proposal presented to the board includes a 31,919-square-foot addition, with 18,081 square feet on the ground floor and 13,839 square feet on the first floor. The estimated construction cost is about $19.46 million, which officials said is still within the project’s budget.
WCPS officials have worked with staff from elementary education, early learning, special education, the arts, technology, security, maintenance, and school-based teams throughout the design process. Temporary classrooms will be set up on the paved play area north of the school’s gym before construction begins. A new paved play area will be built north of the parking lot and may later serve as extra space for vehicle drop-off and pickup. The new addition will extend from the southeast part of the current building.
Officials told the board that plans are in place for construction access, staging, and safety fencing to keep construction activities separate from regular school traffic and emergency exits.
Officials said the addition will eliminate the need for relocatable classrooms at Jonathan Hager, in response to a board member’s question.
HVAC improvements planned at North and South high schools
The capital improvement program also includes renovation projects at North Hagerstown and South Hagerstown High Schools, with HVAC upgrades among the planned investments. These projects come as the district continues to address aging mechanical systems in some of its older buildings.
The district also discussed facility conditions during public comments at the meeting. Representatives from the Washington County Teachers Association raised concerns about old HVAC systems, indoor air quality, and other maintenance issues, urging long-term investment in school facilities.
The district’s Facilities Planning and Development team oversees school construction and renovation. WCPS is also responsible for safety and environmental issues, including indoor air quality testing and other building programs.
Relocatable classrooms would be moved
WCPS also plans to use local capital funds to move four portable classrooms after Fountain Rock and Hickory elementary schools close. According to the capital presentation, the portable units are expected to go to E. Russell Hicks Middle School, Maugansville Elementary School and Pangborn Elementary School.
This change will let WCPS keep using the current classroom buildings at schools that need extra space, instead of removing them from service. Fountain Rock and Hickory are still listed as district schools but are scheduled to close when Downsville Pike Elementary opens
More systemic renovations identified
The six-year capital program includes projects proposed for immediate funding in fiscal year 2028. WCPS has identified several projects for future years, including four HVAC upgrades, three roof replacements, a boiler and chiller replacement, and an emergency generator project.
These renovations aim to maintain major building systems as they reach the end of their useful life, without replacing the entire school.
The district’s capital program is funded by both state and local sources. The money funds new construction, facility replacements, additions, modernization, and replacement of major building systems and equipment.
Future elementary school consolidations included in long-range planning
The capital program also looks at long-term plans, identifying possible projects to consolidate and replace elementary schools. According to the district’s current long-range plan, Fountaindale and Potomac Heights Elementary Schools may eventually be replaced by a new consolidated elementary school. Another possible plan would merge Old Forge and Greenbrier Elementary Schools into a new building.
These projects are still part of long-range planning and are not immediate steps to close schools.
Officials said the new schools are currently planned as four-round elementary schools with core areas for extra capacity. However, the final size may change as WCPS receives new enrollment forecasts. Officials noted the schools might eventually have three or five rounds instead of four, depending on future enrollment. This flexibility helps the district avoid committing to a specific building size years before construction begins.
Rising construction costs factor into planning
The $448 per square foot estimate is important because WCPS will use it to calculate the expected cost of future school projects. Because the capital plan uses today’s dollars, the actual cost of projects scheduled for future years may change by the time construction begins.
According to the latest district figures, WCPS operates 49 facilities and serves more than 22,700 students. The capital program is separate from the school system’s general operating budget. The 2028 operating budget covers July 1, 2027, to June 30, 2028, while the capital program focuses on construction, renovation, and other major facility investments.
Board unanimously advances capital plan
After the presentation and discussion, the Board of Education unanimously approved the capital improvement program for fiscal years 2028-2033, and the student member also agreed.
This approval allows WCPS to submit its capital request to the state by the Oct. 1 deadline. The district will then send the plan to the Washington County government as part of the local capital funding process.
Approval does not mean all projects in the six-year plan will be funded right away or follow the proposed schedule. Instead, the CIP outlines the district’s capital priorities and provides a framework for getting state and local funding as projects move forward.
In fiscal 2028, the main priorities will be finalizing funding for Downsville Pike Elementary, moving forward with the Jonathan Hager Elementary addition, and maintaining major building systems at existing schools.
