NORFOLK, Va. — The Norfolk School Board unanimously voted to build a new Maury High School next to the existing school. This comes after the district received a $30 million grant from the state.
The board voted to approve a proposal from Chesapeake-based Heartland Construction, following years of complaints from parents and students about what they consider to be a deteriorating building.
"This is my sixth year as a Maury parent," said Julie Malcolm. "There have been days were there was a fourth floor bathroom leaking, and they had to vacate the classroom below because there was waste coming down the wall."
Norfolk
What's next for Maury High? Parents tell board school building is 'crumbling'
Malcolm sent News 3 pictures of the conditions inside of Maury High School.
"My children play volleyball and their volleyball games are constantly being rescheduled when it rains," Malcolm said. "Because it rains inside the gym. Its frustrating."
"My daughter has strong opinions because the building is falling apart," Sarah Fraunezimmer, a Maury High School parent, said.
"We are behind on our school maintenance,” Dr. Noëlle M. Gabriel, a school board member said. "Staff are well overdue for a new building. One that accesses WiFi."
School board member Carlos Clanton says the district's goal for the new construction of Maury High School is to open in 2029.
"There will be a new four-story high school, Maury High School, at the back of where the baseball field is," Clanton said. "We didn’t want to put students in mobile units so students will stay in the building while the new school is being built."
Watch previous coverage: What's next for Maury High? Parents tell board school building is 'crumbling'
Heartland's proposal also calls for the current Maury High School building to be turned into apartments, with space for 125-170 units. The school board chair, Dr. Adele Martin, said the district plans to maintain the historic portion of the existing school.
"The next phase will begin on the current structure for whatever they may be," Clanton said. "Whether that’s apartments, we don’t know yet because that’s still the city’s property."
The school board says that vote is still to come, as is the decision of whether or not the current building will be sold to a developer.
According to a release from Norfolk Public Schools, the district and Heartland Construction will begin negotiating terms of the agreement in January. If that goes according to plan, designing of the new school should begin later in 2024.
