After 68.54% of Lexington County voters approved a $240 million bond referendum in 2024 for Lexington-Richland School District Five, board members received project updates, including plans for the new Dutch Fork Elementary School. 

As part of the bond referendum, rezoning will begin during the 2026-27 school year for certain areas.

The Academy for Success will relocate to the current Dutch Fork Elementary School, which will be renovated into the RichLex Education System. This will provide additional space for students at Spring Hill High School. 

Chapin Elementary, Piney Wood Elementary and Lake Murray Elementary will become kindergarten through fifth-grade schools, with new wings added.

Chapin Middle School will be redistricted as Spring Hill Middle, serving students in grades sixth through eighth. Chapin Intermediate will be renamed Chapin Middle and will serve students from Chapin Elementary and Piney Woods Elementary 

A new elementary school will be built to replace the current Dutch Fork Elementary, which will move to a different location. Students from H.E. Corley Elementary will attend CrossRoads Intermediate and, depending on their address, will attend either Irmo High or Dutch Fork High.

In October, during a board meeting, Superintendent Akil E. Ross told attendees the district had secured a new site for the new Dutch Fork Elementary, adding that the location is central to where most students live. 

The new school is located along Hollingshed Road in Irmo, close to the district office and Oak Pointe Elementary School. 

At the recent meeting, the design concept, known as the “X” plan, was presented, along with potential renderings of the school. Architects from JHS Architecture: Integrated Design mentioned it's a heavily wooded site and is around residential neighborhoods.

The total building is under 90,000 square feet, where the main entrance is about 400 feet away from the street. Architects at the meeting said it's a good size for about 550 students. 

Around the site, there will be routes for buses, cars and pedestrians, along with 160 parking spots for visitors. 

The architects said that, since Dutch Fork Elementary is an Academy for Environmental Sciences, the northern portion of the site has a preserved existing stream, which will be used for water shedding and to provide natural barriers. 

There will also be outdoor learning opportunities, they said. On the east side of the site, there will be playing fields, structured play areas and designated zones. 

All classrooms exceed 700 square feet and include eight-by-eight windows.  Students in 4k through second grade have restrooms in the classrooms, while upper grades will have group restrooms. 

In the event the school needs to expand,  the architects divided the building into two additional alternatives. The first would add 10 classrooms dispersed in certain wings of the school. Another option is a 12,000-square-foot auditorium with 539 seats. 

The next scheduled board meeting will be Jan. 13 at the Center for Advanced Technical Studies, located at 916 Mount Vernon Church Rd. in Chapin.