By Hannah McClellan, Chatham News + Record Staff

Nearly four years after its land purchase and two years since construction began, the $33 million Chatham Grove Elementary School is set to open August 17 for Chatham County School’s first day of classes.

Faculty and staff only, of course.

Like all other schools in the county, Chatham Grove will start the first nine weeks of the semester remotely in response to the COVID-19 pandemic — meaning it will be at least nine weeks before students and parents walk the school’s newly completed halls.

“It’s been an interesting time to open a school,” Chatham Grove Principal Larry Savage said. “More than anything, it’s a hard time for parents.”

The school will serve about 640 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, though that number could change based on the number of families which choose to homeschool for safety reasons, Savage said. Located at 1301 Andrews Store Rd., across from Margaret B. Pollard Middle School on the corner of Andrews Store Road and Parker Herndon roads, the school will feature Chatham County’s first joint-use recreation facility to be used by the county’s recreation department. The school features a high-tech media center at the front entrance to the school and there are interactive touch-screen TVs installed in each classroom. The TVs are installed at student height, and allow classrooms to do work on them, open and close files and watch videos.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, setting up the finishing touches on the school has looked different this year. Still, everything will be ready to go on August 17, even if students will not be at the school physically until much later. Teachers have been able to come to set up their classrooms after signing in at the school’s front office and getting their temperatures checked.

Nearly four years after its land purchase and two years since construction began, the $33 million Chatham Grove Elementary School is set to open Aug. 17 for Chatham County School’s first day of classes.
Chatham Grove has many sustainable design features, including a geothermal HVAC system, LED lighting and use of locally manufactured and low-VOC materials.
Chatham Grove will feature Chatham County’s first joint-use recreation facility to be used by the county’s recreation department.
There are interactive touch-screen TV’s in each classroom — installed at student height — which will allow classrooms to do interactive work, open and close files and watch videos.
The school had acoustical panels — cut in the shape of clouds —installed to keep the noise down in the school’s hallways. The lobby is designed with a forest canopy theme.
Teachers have been able to come to set up their classrooms after signing in at the school’s front office and getting their temperatures checked.

Randy Drumheller, the district’s director of maintenance and construction, said the building’s construction was not delayed at all by the pandemic. Currently, the school is being staged as it would be normally, but Drumheller and Savage said the school has plans for each of the state’s outlined learning options.

“This school and every other school is prepared for either learning plan,” Drumheller said, referring to the state-mandated reopening Plans A, B and C. “So we plan for Plan B, which is the most restrictive, and if we get Plan A, then that’s great.”

Not knowing when students will be at Chatham Grove, Savage has been working to find creative ways to make students and families feel at home at their new school, event if they can’t physically tour it yet. At the end of May, Savage made a video walking through the halls of the school to virtually welcome families.

“I’m worried it’ll be a while before we see kids in here,” he said. “My heart goes out to the families — they’re having to make really hard choices for what’s best for them. It’s very stressful. But we’re just excited to get started. I’ve said once we get to the other side of this we’re going to have a big party, we’re still going do our open house and welcome everybody and we’re excited for that.”

 

Chapelboro.com has partnered with the Chatham News + Record in order to bring more Chatham-focused stories to our audience. 

The Chatham News + Record is Chatham County’s source for local news and journalism. The Chatham News, established in 1924, and the Chatham Record, founded in 1878, have come together to better serve the Chatham community as the Chatham News + Record. Covering news, business, sports and more, the News + Record is working to strengthen community ties through compelling coverage of life in Chatham County.

Related Stories
‹
Chatham County Schools Names 2026 Educators of the Year
Chatham County Schools recognized its 2026 Educators of the Year Thursday during its annual Educator Recognition Reception. Each honoree was nominated by colleagues and selected after a districtwide review. Walter Johnson of Chatham Early College in Siler City was named the district’s Teacher of the Year. Several Pittsboro educators were honored: at Pittsboro Elementary, Emily […]
Chatham County Schools Superintendent Anthony Jackson Announces Retirement
Chatham County Schools superintendent Anthony Jackson will retire July 1, the school district announced Wednesday. Jackson has served as superintendent since 2021. In a statement, Jackson called his tenure as superintendent “one of the greatest honors of my professional life.” “I am deeply grateful to the partnership of the Board of Education, the dedication of […]
Chatham County Schools Superintendent Details 'Elevate' Theme for 2025-26 School Year
Chatham County Schools students returned to classrooms on Tuesday and Superintendent Anthony Jackson joined 97.9 The Hill to discuss.
Chatham County Holds Simulated Active Shooter Drill Ahead of Back to School
As Chatham County’s schools are preparing for the start of classes, the local sheriff’s office is working to make schools safer. 
Chatham County Roundup: County Commissioner Karen Howard
Chatham County Commissioner Karen Howard joins 97.9 The Hill News Director Brighton McConnell on Tuesday, August 6.
Chatham County Commissioner Shares Latest on Bynum Contamination, Wolfspeed Development
Chair of the Chatham County Commissioners Karen Howard spoke with 97.9 The Hill about major stories happening in Siler City and Bynum.
George Moses Horton Middle School Students Rank 4th in Capitol Hill Challenge
George Moses Horton Middle School in Pittsboro ranked first among middle schools nationwide and fourth overall in the 2023 Capitol Hill Challenge, a national financial education program. Each of the top 10 schools will attend a reception in the U.S. Capitol on June 14 and have the opportunity to meet their members of Congress. As […]
5 Juveniles Charged With Making Threat of Violence at Chatham Middle School
Five juveniles have been charged after threatening messages against Chatham Middle School in Siler City circulated on social media earlier in May. Authorities investigating the threat — which said it would carry out violence against students and teachers on May 15 — now believe it was a prank the juveniles never intended to carry out. […]
Speaking of Schools: Cindy King and Carrie Little of Chatham County Schools
As pre-K programs are enrolling for Chatham County Schools, Pre-K Instructional Facilitator Cindy King and Executive Director of Federal Programs Carrie Little join 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell to talk about early childhood education.
Investigation: No Adults Involved in Mock Slave Auction
Written by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS An investigation found that students at a North Carolina school pretended to “sell” Black classmates at a mock “slave auction” recently, but no adults were involved, school system officials said. Chatham County Schools officials said in a statement Monday that the code of conduct is being revised to ensure incidents […]
›