Superintendent says Board of Supervisors returned Marshall Center; district eyes preschool, special‑education hub

Superintendent Dr. Mitchell told the school board during the January 2025 budget presentation that the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously at a recent supervisors meeting to return the Marshall Center to Spotsylvania County Public Schools. The superintendent said the division is studying options to use the facility for an expanded preschool program, for some separate‑day students, and to create a bridge program connecting alternative education options.

Dr. Mitchell said early, preliminary cost estimates for a full rehabilitation of the Marshall Center range from about $20,000,000 to $25,000,000. He described the proposal as a multi‑part plan intended both to bring some high‑need students closer to home and to create long‑term space capacity while the county pursues land for a new elementary school in the New Post area.

Why it matters: returning the Marshall Center and repurposing it for preschool and special‑education services could reduce long bus runs for separate‑day students, add local capacity for high‑need learners and shape capital planning decisions. Dr. Mitchell said the county’s commitment to return the building and to underwrite rehabilitation work is a significant addition to the division’s capital picture.

Details from the presentation - Dr. Mitchell said his team had four separate meetings with county staff and three closed‑session meetings with the Board of Supervisors specifically about the Marshall Center; those talks culminated in a unanimous supervisors vote to return the building to the school division. - The superintendent described possible uses including a robust preschool model and targeted placements for students now transported long distances to separate‑day programs. He estimated a full rehab cost between $20 million and $25 million. - Dr. Mitchell told the board the county has also started identifying land and a location for a new elementary school (he mentioned New Post as a likely area) and that any Marshall Center plan would be coordinated with that longer‑term facility planning.

Caveats and next steps Dr. Mitchell characterized the Marshall Center work as preliminary: the division will continue detailed cost estimates and coordinate with county officials on funding and timelines. He said staff would bring more detailed CIP revisions back to the board at a regular February meeting.

Ending The Marshall Center discussion was presented as part of the superintendent’s broader FY2026 budget and CIP update. Dr. Mitchell said staff would report back with more detailed cost and programming plans as talks with county staff and supervisors proceed.