Chesterfield celebrates second ribbon-cutting in one week at Bensley Elementary School

Chesterfield celebrated its second elementary school ribbon-cutting of the season at the rebuilt Bensley Elementary School on Wednesday morning.

“The new Bensley Elementary School and the other schools that we have recently opened or are under construction currently are symbols of the vital role public education plays in our larger community,” Superintendent John Murray said during the event.

The $52 million project nearly doubles the original Bensley’s capacity, from 575 to 1,000 students.

During the 2023-24 school year, the 72-year-old school was at 101.4% capacity. It shares a similar two-story layout to Deep Creek Elementary, which cut its own ribbon last week.

Like Deep Creek, the 2022 bond referendum covered construction costs. As of July, $320 million has been allocated to constructing or rebuilding schools. This also included A.M. Davis Elementary School and Deep Creek Middle School, which both opened last year. Grange Hall is the final project covered by the referendum and is set to reopen in August 2029.

“Our entire community can take pride in knowing that Chesterfield County provides excellent schools designed to help our young people learn, and our outstanding educators teach without distractions or difficulties,” Murray said.