The scaffolding, “wet paint” signs and protective sheets will soon be removed, as the new Fluvanna County High School enters the final stages of construction. The work crew, which totaled nearly 250 employees at its peak, has now dwindled down to less than 50, and they are putting the finishing touches on the 330,000-square-foot facility.

Johnathan Hirst, the Clerk of the Works, said, “We have some areas that are just a final clean away from being done. It’s pretty close to complete.”

Officially, the project is scheduled to be done on May 23, but Hirst predicts it will be finished at least a month before then. After that, crews can begin moving furniture into the building. Site work will continue through the summer.

On the far side of the property are three practice fields for soccer, baseball and softball. Competition fields are closer to the parking lot and concession stand. There is also a field house with two locker rooms, public bathrooms and a ticket office. The outdoor bleachers hold a total of 3,500 spectators.

The school has its own water storage and treatment facility. 

“We weren’t able to find a suitable water source on the property. The county has a well over at Pleasant Grove that had a high volume of good quality water ... so we have constructed a pipeline to connect that well to the school,” Hirst said.

The treatment facility was needed to ensure that the water met quality standards set by the Virginia Department of Health. It was not a public health issue, but an issue dealing with the taste and hardness of the water. 

Hirst said, “If I was putting a house on that well, I probably wouldn’t do any treatment to the water at all. But with a public water system, they don’t give you that choice.”

Designed by BCWH Architects of Richmond, the school is a total of four stories, but the slope of the land makes it appear to be only three. Buses have their own parking area on the left-hand side of the school. It connects with a pedestrian underpass, allowing access through the courtyard entrance.

Classrooms are located on one side of the building, with athletics, public spaces and offices on the other end. This layout should keep students from having to cut across the school every time they change classes.

“Even though it’s a huge building, students won’t have to often go from one end to the other,” Hirst said.

Academic hallways are flared out wider at the beginning to allow more room for students to walk. Overcrowding in the hallways was one of the top concerns of both teachers and students. Rather than one large locker bay, there are seven smaller lockers bays placed throughout the school, another implement to cut down on congestion.

The auditorium has 995 seats, a full catwalk, theatrical lighting, sound systems and projection booth. There are two lecture halls and approximately six project laboratories. These laboratories will be very beneficial for group work and are equipped with the same technology as the classrooms.

Music and art classrooms are housed in the lower level of the building. These rooms have a very bright and open feeling due to the extra glass windows. 
“There is a lot of glass into these classrooms to allow students who may not be taking art or taking band to see what’s going on and perhaps strike up an interest in it,” Hirst said.

The culinary arts classroom is equipped with restaurant-quality equipment and has a separate dining room where students can sample what they cook. It can also be used to cater events or serve the public.

Band and chorus rooms have double-slab floors so high volume levels won’t disturb the neighboring classrooms. Additionally, there are several individual practice rooms where students can take their instruments.

The new high school is on track to earning a Silver LEED certification. The facility’s energy efficiency will allow it to operate at around the same cost at the current high school—a significantly smaller building. If it earns LEED certification, it will be the first building in Fluvanna County to do so.

“There’s carpet mostly in office areas. Nearly everywhere else is linoleum. It’s a natural product made out of linseed oil. It has a very long life. It is more expensive than vinyl, but because of the [durability] it actually ends up being less costly in the long run,” said Hirst. The wall colors are very earthy and organic, with lots of greens, oranges and a bit of blue.

Office and classroom lights work on a motion sensor. If there is no movement in the room for 10-15 minutes, the lights will switch off automatically. Teachers can override this feature if need be.

Safety was a main priority when it came to designing the building. During school hours, every door will lock except for the front door that connects to the office. The only way to gain entry through the other doors is with a key.

When the inaugural class walks through the doors in August, they will be entering into a state-of-the-art facility where they have the opportunity to enrich their minds and lives. This new school could likely give rise to some of tomorrow’s best and brightest individuals.