‘It makes young people feel good about coming to school’: Ribbon cutting marks opening of new Falling Creek Middle School in Chesterfield

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Chesterfield County Public Schools is celebrating the opening of a brand-new middle school.

A ribbon cutting was held for the new Falling Creek Middle School building off Hopkins Road on Thursday, Aug. 8. At three stories and 238,963 square feet, officials say it is the largest middle school in Central Virginia.

Officials say the $103 million project was completed on time and under budget and the school will be ready to welcome around 1,400 students when class begins on Monday, Aug. 19.

“This building is outfitted for 1,800 [students], so it provides room for growth, whereas in the past, some schools have been built as new construction and the day that it opened, they were already at capacity,” said Quincy Waller, the principal of Falling Creek Middle School.

Chesterfield County School Board Chair Dot Heffron said the new building is a huge investment that’s been made to secure the future of Chesterfield as the county continues to grow.

“These larger facilities are going to be able to accommodate our growing population, our students who, you know, need the space or teachers who need the space to be able to learn effectively,” Heffron said.

Waller said teachers will start showing up next week to make their new classrooms home.

“When you walk into a place that is outfitted the way that this building is, it makes young people feel good about coming to school, they want to be here, that teachers that are here that support them,” said Waller. “So, for me, that’s the biggest thing really — having kids want to be a part of this and want to show up to school every day.”

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