Board views Mountain Ridge Primary design; architects plan February bid and mid‑2026 opening

BERKELEY COUNTY, W.Va. — Architects and district staff showed trustees schematic plans for Mountain Ridge Primary School, a bond‑funded project the district plans to advertise for bids in February and to open for students in August 2026 if the schedule and approvals hold.

District staff member Mr. Tyson introduced the project and said the school will go out to bid in February. "The next major bond project we have for bid will be in February, which is the Mountain Ridge Primary School," Tyson said, introducing McKinley Architecture staff who presented site plans, floor plans and renderings.

Site and traffic design

Architects described a campus approach that adds an access road off Jerrodstown/Sawmill Road to separate bus circulation and parent staging. Presenters said the scheme provides about 10 dedicated bus drop‑off positions with staging and roughly 63 parent staging spaces to reduce traffic pressure on neighboring sites. Staff said the plan also preserves space for future campus expansion and potential long‑term bus parking.

Building program and alternates

Schematic designs show a building just under 60,000 square feet for a baseline enrollment of 358 students, with a bid alternate to add six classrooms (two per wing) that would raise maximum enrollment to about 648 and increase building area to about 66,000 square feet. The design groups the building around a central administrative hub, cafeteria, gym and media/innovation learning space, with kindergarten and first/second grade wings laid out as mirrored classroom clusters and specialist spaces (music, art) and special‑education resource rooms adjacent to grade wings.

Materials, interior and site features

Renderings show a traditional red‑brick palette to visually align with neighboring campus buildings, white/trim accents, and interior zones that include a raised “learning stair” in the media center, acoustical clouds in the cafeteria and multiple entry points for service, parent drop‑off and buses. Architects said playground design and manufacturer selection are in progress and are included in the project budget.

Schedule and approvals

Staff outlined an anticipated schedule: advertise and bid in February, receive bids in mid‑March, approve a contract in late March or early April, and break ground within about 30 days. The target opening for students is August 2026, a construction window of roughly 13–14 months, depending on permitting and the bid process. Project staff said they are coordinating with the state department of education and other agencies for plan approvals and noted that final roadway improvements may require Department of Highways review.

Ending and next steps

District staff said they will finalize documents with the architect before advertising, finalize playground selections and coordinate procurement of furniture and fixtures. Trustees were invited to a cornerstone ceremony and staff said final bidding documents will be posted once approvals are complete.