Montgomery County Schools considering millions of dollars in future construction

CHRISTIANSBURG (WSLS 10) - The Montgomery County School System is looking at making some major changes and investing millions over the next few years to accommodate a growing student population.

Projects include the expansion of Falling Branch Elementary and building a new school to replace Belview Elementary.

Parents, teachers, and administrators in Christiansburg came out Tuesday night to discuss which construction projects need to be a priority moving forward to manage a projected influx of students in the future.

The school system has estimated that the expansion to Falling Branch would cost more than $9 million dollars.

Right now, students there are having to work out of nine trailers as classrooms because of the lack of space.

Parents also offered input on the new Belview Elementary, that could cost the school system anywhere from $29 to $38 million dollars.

Susan Bruintjes, who has a daughter at Christiansburg Elementary, says it's necessary.

"At one point I was looking to possibly transfer her to a different school to have a different environment and then they say the schools are full so I mean I think at that point then the County needs to look at what we can do to help our kids now," said Bruintjes.

"We have the money right now to finish, start and finish, the Falling Branch project and to potentially buy land for a new Bellview project. What we heard tonight is those were the priorities that the community wanted us to consider," said Montgomery County School Public Information Manager Brenda Drake.

The school board also revealed projects it's looking at possibly doing more than 10 years down the road, including building a new Christiansburg High School for more than $100 million dollars.

If the expansion of Falling Branch Elementary is approved by supervisors, it could be complete as early as 2018.