Henry County Schools Holds Ribbon-Cutting for 26,000-Square-Foot Addition to Dutchtown High
HENRY COUNTY, GA – Henry County Schools hosted a ribbon-cutting on Thursday afternoon for a 26,493-square-foot addition to Dutchtown High School that will open to students for the 2023-2024 school year.
The recently completed Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (E-SPLOST) VI project adds 14 regular classrooms, two science classrooms, science prep and storage rooms, two teacher work rooms, two administrative offices, boys’ and girls’ bathrooms, and four bookrooms to the high school.
“Henry County was recently named the fastest growing county in Georgia,” said Board of Education Chair Annette Edwards (Dist. 2). “The Dutchtown High addition is one of nine growth projects approved by voters through E-SPLOST VI that will ensure our district is – and will continue to be – prepared to serve the increasing number of students moving into our county and schools.”
E-SPLOST VI was approved by Henry County voters in March 2021. Design on the Dutchtown High addition began in April 2021, followed by the bid date in September 2021, board approval in October 2021, and the start of construction in November 2021. The addition represents the first construction project to be started and completed as part of E-SPLOST VI.
E-SPLOST VI building projects will continue with another five additions to existing schools scheduled to start over the next three years at Dutchtown Middle, Locust Grove High, Ola Middle, Ola High, and Union Grove Middle. Projects will also include two new elementary schools – one on Willow Lane in McDonough and one on Wolf Creek in Locust Grove – as well as a STEM high school to be located in Stockbridge.
In total, the growth projects approved by voters in the E-SPLOST VI Referendum will prepare the county to serve more than 5,000 additional students in Henry County Schools.
“Our vision for this addition is to serve as a newly introduced ninth-grade academy of our high school, providing additional learning and administrative space for our nearly 500 freshmen and their teachers,” said Dutchtown High Principal Nicole Shaw. “We would like to thank the Board of Education, district officials, and contractors who made this vision a reality. We are proud to continue the tradition of academic excellence and high achievement as we grow.”
About Henry County Schools
Henry County Schools (HCS) is the eighth-largest school district in Georgia, consisting of 52 schools, including two academies, located about 20 minutes south of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Over the past 20 years, our community has grown in population from 113,000 residents to over 244,000 residents. Since 1999, student enrollment has grown from 21,000 students to 43,000 students, and our number of employees has grown from 3,000 to 6,000.
HCS is “In Pursuit of Exceptional,” taking action to advance opportunities, access, and outcomes so that every student in our school district has Exceptional Support, Exceptional Access, and an Exceptional Future. In 2020, our Board of Education adopted our 2021-2026 Community-Inspired Strategic Plan and laid out a clear vision and mission for Henry County Schools. Our vision is to ensure a high-quality, world-class education for every student, and our mission is to empower all students with exceptional opportunities and access that lead to success in a global society.
###
View the event photo album here.
