Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Facilities Programs topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Henrico unveils design, programs and phased opening plan for renovated Virginia Randolph campus
Summary
Henrico staff presented an update on the renovated Virginia Randolph campus, describing a new 170,000-square-foot facility plan, expanded K–12 alternative and special-education programming, a community FACE hub with telehealth, and an ACE Center with new career pathways.
Henrico County Public Schools staff presented an update on the Campus of Virginia Randolph on March 27, describing the renovated facility footprint, phased move-in timeline and redesigned programming aimed at serving a K–12 continuum of alternative, special-education and career-technical students.
"The theme of the campus is Her Legacy, Our Future," said Doctor Hughes, introducing a multi-department presentation developed with the Virginia Randolph Foundation and the Henrico Recreation and Parks History Section. Susan Moore, the construction lead, said the original campus was made up of 14 buildings totaling about 126,000 square feet; the new plan will provide approximately 170,000 square feet across five buildings while retaining and renovating historically significant structures such as Building B (the oldest building aside from the Cottage).
Construction began in 2023; staff said the project is nearing substantial completion on the new building and that students currently being served on campus will move into updated spaces during the district's upcoming spring break. Building B will then be turned over for renovation; staff anticipate the full campus turnover during winter break with a large public celebration and ribbon-cutting targeted for January 2026.
The revamped campus will house four principal program areas: expanded alternative programs (including the Academy of Virginia Randolph and PACE), a Virginia Randolph Education Center that consolidates and expands special-education services with adapted equipment and two-way mirror classrooms, a Family and Community Engagement (FACE) full-service community hub that will include telehealth services and a satellite family resource center, and the Advanced Career & Education (ACE) Center, which already operates on site and has seen interest triple, staff said. The ACE Center will add programs including a first-in-the-nation high-school-level fire-sprinkler training program, welding, diesel and heavy-equipment pathways and other industry-aligned offerings.
Doctor Smith and Director Jen Rucker described programmatic redesign: the Virginia Randolph Education Center will offer preschool through grade 12 programs for students needing instruction on Virginia Essentialized Standards of Learning (VSOLs) and expanded autism supports, supplemented by board-funded positions (the board approved 52 new positions to support the redesign). Rucker said the division is partnering with Virginia Commonwealth University’s Region 1 autism educational consortium for professional learning and technical assistance. FACE programming leaders said the hub will use listening tours and partner networks to shape services and connect families to resources.
Board members applauded the design and programmatic focus and asked about hiring and celebration plans. Staff said recruitment for the 52 new positions is underway, that some student cohorts will move into completed spaces next week (spring break move), and that a full campus celebration and ribbon-cutting is targeted for January 2026 once Building B renovation and final finishes are complete.
The presentation materials and campus timeline will be posted in BoardDocs. Staff invited board members to tour in phases and said they will bring more detailed operational and staffing updates as the move-in progresses.
