With more growth on the horizon, Chesterfield opts to level capacity between old and new schools
Future development was front and center in the Chesterfield County School Board’s Tuesday decision on redistricting.
With the new West Ridge High welcoming students in 2027, that school, plus neighboring Midlothian and Cosby high schools, will have roughly the same capacity: 73%.
Now, the county turns its focus to redistricting four Bermuda District elementary schools — Curtis, Bellwood, Bensley and Wells — to prevent excessive overcrowding in advance.
West Ridge will open at 73% capacity
The adopted West Ridge redistricting was the first of three options CCPS’s Chief Operations Officer Reid Wodicka reviewed during last month’s school board meeting. West Ridge, Midlothian and Cosby high schools’ capacity will increase to an estimated 82% within five years.
The other two options would’ve either immediately set West Ridge’s capacity at 80.3% or put it in the middle, at 78.3%.
Eleanor Shaw
Last month, board members Steve Paranto and Lisa Hudgins said they saw the most support straight out of the gate for the now-adopted option. As it was presented in September, this will place students from these neighborhoods in the new school:
- 449 students from Magnolia Green
- 293 from Westerleigh/Summer Lake
- 293 from Westerleigh/Summer Lake
- 343 from Watermill/RounTrey peninsula
- and 173 from Wynwood at FoxCreek/Foxfield.
Since the initial presentation, the proposal was revised so rezoning won’t impact the RounTrey complex’s NewMarket Village. Rising high school seniors won’t be affected during the 2027-28 academic year.
“I’d like to echo what Mr. Paranto said about what we’ve been hearing from the community as soon as this went live, and I don’t disagree with what they’re saying,” Hudgins said Sept. 8.
Next time: Elementary schools
The school board will vote on another redistricting proposal Nov. 10 — this time, it’ll impact elementary schools in the Bermuda District. As with the West Ridge High School rezoning, these elementary capacity adjustments reflect local development patterns.
Last academic year, Curtis Elementary was at roughly 96% capacity, according to the county’s website, and the school district says it has breached 100%.
With new housing building up nearby, Chesterfield is eager to adapt.
Nearby Curtis are Bellwood, Bensley and Wells elementary schools — at 79.4%, 71.4% and 75.8% capacity, respectively. Bensley is the newest, having cut its ribbon in August.
During his October presentation to the school board, Wodicka again reviewed the proposed student distribution. Based on current enrollment, this would move:
- 60 Curtis students to Bellwood Elementary
- 67 Bellwood students to Bensley Elementary
- 53 Curtis students to Wells Elementary
If all goes to plan, capacity would settle to:
- 86.9% at Curtis
- 78.4% at Bellwood
- 78.5% at Bensley
- and 83.4% at Wells
During his presentation, Wodicka said the county’s sweet spot is 80-to-90% program capacity. From Oct. 21 to 27, CCPS will host information sessions at Bellwood, Bensley and Wells.
Contact Eleanor Shaw at eshaw@richmonder.org. She is a Report for America corps member.
