Iredell‑Statesville board hears Parkertown Elementary design, budget and schedule updates

District staff and outside design and construction teams gave the Iredell‑Statesville Schools Board of Education a detailed update on the Parkertown Elementary School project on July 14, saying the design is tracking to a roughly $52 million all‑in budget and that the district is planning to open the new school for the 2027–28 school year.

The project team said the school is being designed for about 700 students on day one and core spaces sized to support up to 900 in the future. “We will be able to provide high‑tech, state‑of‑the‑art educational environments for 720 elementary school students on day 1,” Rob Woodruff, managing principal for ADW Architects, told the board.

That revised capacity followed additional site and cost analysis, Woodruff said. The district originally had a $40 million allocation from the county; after further work the county increased that to $52 million, he said, and the design team reconciled third‑party cost estimates against that figure.

The design team described the floor plan as classroom wings flanking internal corridors with natural daylighting to each instructional space, a gym sized for community use, dining and media spaces and a primary public entry. ADW showed exterior materials and massing intended to minimize grading and fit the rural approach along Parkertown Road, while preserving a configuration that could accommodate a future middle school addition.

Construction manager at risk J.M. Cope said the team plans to start construction in March 2026 with a 16‑month build to meet the district—s target: “We know school's gonna open August '27,” Chad Webb, vice president at J.M. Cope, told the board.

Board members pressed the team on cost-category swings and site work. Board member Mister Kupnick asked why the cost estimates showed roughly $6 million differences between building and site categories; project staff said the variance was largely an accounting reallocation (utilities previously listed under building cost now shown under site) and that more detailed geotechnical work identified additional grading and roadway needs. Webb and Woodruff said some off‑site roadway upgrades and additional paving on Parkertown Road will be required and that the team is coordinating with traffic and NCDOT standards.

Board members also asked about roof dormers shown in one rendering. Stephanie Fowler, project manager, said those elements are primarily mechanical mezzanines that provide ventilation and equipment access; the team said they are evaluating consolidation to reduce penetrations and long‑term maintenance risks.

District staff said redistricting work is already underway with regional planning partners; a preliminary meeting to review four redistricting options for the new elementary and for Weathers Creek High School is expected in August. Mark Shincurek, district presenter on the project, said the district had 307 students in 2025 enrolled in schools that are over capacity and that Parkertown—s larger footprint is intended to address growth in the southern part of the county.

No formal board vote was requested; the presentation was an update and staff invited feedback and additional stakeholder engagement on school identity, mascot, color selection, staffing and logistics ahead of opening.

The project team told the board that the $52 million figure is an all‑in budget that includes construction, FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment), soft costs and allowances for utility and roadway work. Staff said the district will need to finalize staffing, identify a school leader before opening and coordinate communications, marketing and community engagement as redistricting work clarifies attendance zones.