District 5 breaks ground on new Dutch Fork Elementary

Lexington-Richland School District Five officially broke ground Friday, Oct. 30, on the new Dutch Fork Elementary School Academy of Environmental Sciences in Irmo, marking a milestone in the district’s ongoing investment in its schools.

The groundbreaking ceremony was held at 9 a.m. at Hope Lutheran Church, located at 1400 Kennerly Road, next door to the school’s new location. School board members, community members, school leaders, Dutch Fork Elementary Principal Rebecca Dilley and Superintendent Akil E. Ross Sr. were on hand to celebrate the beginning of the project.

“We are breaking ground on a new home for Dutch Fork Elementary students and faculty — celebrating years of hard work, thoughtful planning and a community committed to investing in children,” Dilley said. “Dutch Fork Elementary has a legacy beyond its walls carried on by teachers who believe in every child, families who partner with us and everyone who shows up for our students. At the heart of Dutch Fork is a simple belief: every child deserves to feel safe, valued and loved. And every child is capable of achieving great things.

“We are a Fox family, and together, every Fox cub can discover their strengths, embrace curiosity and reach their full potential,” Dilley continued. “This new building will foster discovery, collaboration, creativity and connection. While the building will be new, the heart of Dutch Fork Elementary will remain the same. Our people, relationships and our commitment to children will never change. We are deeply grateful to the district leadership and the school board for their guidance, voters and taxpayers for making this investment possible and the planning committees, architects and construction teams who are bringing this vision to life.”

The new school, which will be constructed at 1709 Hollingshed Road, is part of the district’s 2024 bond referendum. The construction project is designed to address the needs of students and staff members who currently learn and work in the district’s oldest continually used school building while also addressing the impacts of the expansion of Broad River Road.

“This groundbreaking represents an important investment in the future of our students, staff and community,” said Ross, the district superintendent. “This is truly a community school, and we look forward to welcoming our students into a new building that reflects the pride, partnership and commitment our community has always shown for Dutch Fork Elementary.”

Once the new campus opens, the school's current location at 7900 Broad River Road will transition into the Richlex Education Center. The center will bring together several district programs and services, including adult education, the Academy For Success and the Flexible Innovative Virtual Education, or FIVE, program.