Caroline school board makes new elementary school the short-term priority, authorizes further study of trailers, modular 'flex' units and temporary partitions

Caroline County School Board members voted Tuesday to make a new elementary school the district’s short-term priority and directed staff to continue investigating temporary classroom options — including leased “flex” modules, used trailers (learning cottages), and internal glass partitions — to address overcrowding for the 2025–26 school year.

The action followed extensive staff briefings on conversations with Ladysmith Village Homeowners Association, visits to Stafford and Louisa County modular sites, and cost and permitting constraints. “There is a belief that the school board is planning to sell the baseball stadium … This has never been the case,” Chair Calvin Taylor said in opening remarks, addressing local concerns. He asked the board and administration to proceed transparently as they seek short- and long-term facility solutions.

Why it matters: Two of the district’s three elementary schools are at or over capacity, staff said, and programmatic growth — from expanded preschool, Title I and Head Start services to remediation and English-learner supports — has created both enrollment and functional space shortfalls. The board approved a motion making a new elementary school the district’s short-term planning priority and separately approved continuing work on the bridge options so administrators can present implementation steps and cost estimates at a follow-up workshop.

Superintendent Doctor Calvert told the board staff had met with Ladysmith Village HOA and received a legal letter addressing placement of learning cottages and solar panels on school property. Mrs. Stevens, a staff member who led the HOA discussions, said the HOA’s legal review found no clear prohibition to placing learning cottages on the school parcel but flagged a separate South River proffer that forbids “manufactured homes as defined by section 36-85.3 of the Code of Virginia.” The HOA attorney suggested the board consider a proffer-condition amendment supported by the Board of Supervisors to remove risk of a legal challenge.

Board members reviewed three site visits: Stafford County, where officials expect any surplus trailers to be available for the 2026–27 school year and where units ranged in age (one cited at about 10 years) but were reported in good condition; Louisa County, where RRMM-designed modular learning cottages were toured; and King George County, which purchased 10 modular units (12-by-60) last year for $986,140, staff said.

Architect Mr. Probst of RRMM walked the board through aerial site maps showing potential placements at Bowling Green and Lewis & Clark elementaries and noted topography, proximity to restrooms and playgrounds, and the county’s existing perimeter fencing would affect final siting. “These bottom two along the asphalt pad probably are not permissible based on a drop off,” Probst said of one Bowling Green option.

Staff presented rough order-of-magnitude figures for leased flex modules (an 800-square-foot flex unit: $17,750 delivery/installation, $11,285 dismantle/removal; roughly $3,500 per month lease) and cautioned that soft costs — ramps, ADA work, fencing, electrical service and vendor availability — must be added. Mr. Caldwell described an alternative “flex” product that sits on ABS pads (no concrete footers) and can be leased with furniture; he said one demo unit might be viewable in Farmville. Staff also gave a ROM of about $120,000 to install glass partitions for intervention/remediation spaces inside Bowling Green.

Board discussion repeatedly drew a distinction between short-term, temporary measures and the longer-term capital decision. “If you want people to stay on board and we pride ourselves in taking care of our people, then you give them a vision so they know where they’re going,” said Dr. Hubbard, who moved that the board adopt a new elementary school as a priority. The motion passed unanimously (5–0). The board then approved continuation of investigations into trailers, flex classrooms, glass partitions and ‘cart’ options as part of a bridge plan for 2025–26; the board also approved a staff recommendation excluding the far-left side of the Lewis & Clark site from potential trailer placement due to topography.

What the board asked staff to do next: gather firm vendor quotes (including transport, footing, electrical service and IT connections), confirm permitting timelines with the county planning and building departments, check warranties and maintenance logs for used units, coordinate with the Board of Supervisors on any proffer amendments, and convene additional stakeholder input (principals, PTA, HOA liaisons). Staff said these items will be discussed further at a May 12 workshop and at the board’s regular meeting.

Context and constraints: Stafford trailers the board inspected would not be available for the 2025–26 year, staff said; vendors and electric utilities can introduce multi-week or multi-month lead times; and purchasing versus leasing yields different cost and lifecycle trade-offs (staff said leasing can include removal and furniture while purchasing may be cost-effective for long-term use and allows future relocation of modular units). Staff emphasized that any temporary solution would include safety measures — fencing, badge entry, fire strobes, PA system connection and cameras — and that preschool classrooms would likely remain on campus if trailers are used elsewhere.

Board members signaled a preference for keeping arts and specialist teachers in stable classrooms when possible and for using temporary spaces for grade-level classrooms or intervention clusters rather than moving resource teachers to trailers. The board also asked staff to provide a prioritized list of possible proffered or county-owned sites and clarified the need to align the district’s capital plan with county funding, bond capacity and the county’s CIP process.

The board did not authorize any sale of district property or finalize any purchase; decisions on acquisitions, proffer amendments or construction financing will require follow-up analysis and, where appropriate, involvement of the Board of Supervisors and formal procurement.

Ending: Staff will return to the board with more detailed cost estimates, permitting timelines and vendor availability; a May 12 site visit to Louisa County and a workshop before the May regular meeting were scheduled to help the board refine short-term choices and advance a long-term plan.