One local elementary school will be safer thanks to a federal grant.
Late last month, 7th District Congressman Eugene Vindman presented Orange County Public Schools officials with $850,000 in Community Project Funding to improve student safety and quality of life at Gordon-Barbour Elementary School.
The funds, supplied through the Community Project Funding process, will allow officials to complete a long-planned project to enclose the walkways at the school that connect the campus’ two annex buildings to the main building. The project also includes adding 3,500 square feet of additional space off the existing cafeteria for either dining space or flex classroom space.
Superintendent Dr. Daniel Hornick said the project was designed by Stantec, an engineering and design firm that also designed the school’s addition that was completed in 2023, and went to bid in October 2024. At the time, the budget for the project was approximately $1 million, but Hornick said the lowest bid came back at $2.4 million leaving it unfunded. Now, the $850,000 will be added to the original $1 million budget, leaving a gap that Hornick said he hopes can be filled through either a budget amendment this fiscal year or as an addition in the fiscal year 2027 budget.
“It’s not a terribly large amount of money,” he said. “I’m hoping we can work with the county government and start the project earlier. We need to work around school and starting May or June is better than July 1.”
The project will essentially complete renovations and upgrades at the school for the foreseeable future. Along with the addition that was completed in 2023, the building underwent energy performance contracting in 2023-2024 which funded the replacement of the HVAC system in 2024. Also in 2024, renovations were done to the circa 1977 6,500 square foot annex, relocating fourth and fifth grade into the main building and moving the Connect programs, including music and art, into the annex. The circa 1973 4,000 square foot annex was also renovated, relocating Head Start into the space that was once occupied by kindergarten. The playground received an upgrade with new equipment and mulch and the main building’s roof was replaced.
“This is kind of the last component,” Hornick said.
Enclosing the walkways will increase safety, as well as improve air quality and take pressure off the HVAC system by eliminating the constant opening of the outside doors.
School board chair Darlene Dawson said the building, built in 1965, is a beloved hub of the Gordonsville community.
“It represents 60 years of tradition,” she said. “The generations of families and legacy is amazing to think about.”
Dawson said the federal funding is a huge deal for Orange County.
“This will create one big, safe, welcoming environment [for the students],” she said.
Bill Bradley of Stantec said the design assignment for the project was to increase safety and capacity. The design is bright and colorful with geometric elements matching the existing kindergarten and first grade addition.
“It matters where students learn, teachers teach and the community gathers,” he said.
Vindman said the project represents practical upgrades that will have a big impact.
“This is what it looks like when people work together to get real results for kids,” he said. “When we’re working in harmony, we can get results.”
Each year, local leaders submit their priorities and requests for funding, which are then whittled down and submitted. Approximately $15 million in projects across the 7th District are funded through the Community Project Funding process annually.
