Campbell County officials say initial steps are underway in long-held plans to build a new Rustburg Middle School. The county’s Board of Supervisors took action this week to begin the financing, design and construction process. The hope is to begin construction in spring of next year.
NEWS RELEASE: RUSTBURG, VA – The Campbell County Board of Supervisors and the Campbell County School Board are pleased to announce that initial steps to replace the Rustburg Middle School are now underway. Following months of collaborative planning, the two Boards have worked in tandem to secure the needed credit rating for financing the project and authorized staff to seek professional planning and development proposals to move the project forward.
Replacement of Rustburg Middle School, (as the original structure is 101 years old) was slated as a top priority in recent years by both Boards and addressed in joint capital improvement planning due to its age and many needed repairs.
At the May 5 Board of Supervisors meeting, members voted unanimously to apply the Public-Private Educational Facilities and Infrastructure Act (PPEA) to move more quickly and seamlessly into the multi-faceted process of procuring design, construction, and financing for the project. The School System will play the key role of ensuring design plans are conducive for academic achievement, while the County will take the lead in finance planning and project management. In the weeks ahead, the School/County Joint Committee and leadership staff will collectively review proposals for the overall project, with construction tentatively slated for Spring 2021.
“This is a tremendous step forward, and I am pleased with the vision and cooperation the School Board and Board of Supervisors have demonstrated to make this school improvement project a reality,” said Dr. Robert Johnson,
Campbell County Superintendent of Schools. “We are excited to see this progress and will keep everyone informed in the days ahead as more details become available.”
“We are proud to make this shared commitment to our local education system and our community. We look forward to continuing our work with the Schools as many crucial planning pieces will still be coming together in the months ahead,” said Frank Rogers, County Administrator. “I commend our Board of Supervisors, our School Board and staff for their spirit of collaboration in the best interest of our current students and future generations.”