DORCHESTER COUNTY, Md. — Dorchester County Public Schools is moving forward with plans to replace five aging elementary schools across the district.
Officials say schools including Hurlock, Maple, Sandy Hill, Vienna and Warwick are outdated and no longer meet modern educational standards.
The district is now using a prioritization system based on enrollment, building condition and cost to determine which school will be rebuilt first.
Some parents, like Leonora Jackson of Hurlock, say they support starting fresh with new facilities.
“I think it would be a good idea,” Jackson said. “Definitely a newer school, because the schools, they're so old, they need more schools.”
Colby Major of Cambridge says prioritizing education for students is important.
“The schools have been here for a while, and, in Dorchester County we’re growing and if we’re growing, we need to make sure we build our schools better for our children because they're our future,” Major told WBOC.
District leaders say the process is still underway, with a final decision expected from the Board of Education in June.
Once a school is selected, officials say it will serve as the basis for a state funding request as part of the district’s capital improvement plan.
Community meetings and public input sessions are also expected before that final decision is made.
