Woodbridge area elementary school opening delayed until 2026-27 school year

The opening of the Woodbridge area elementary school has been delayed until the start of the 2026-27 school year due to several unforeseen circumstances, Prince William County Public Schools announced Dec. 18.

The division laid out several issues causing the delay:

• Civil Plan Approval: Prince William County’s thorough review and approval process, including flood plain considerations, took six months longer than expected.
• Sanitary Line Re-routing: An existing sanitary line discovered 20 feet underground required re-routing by the contractor.
• Additional work at Fred Lynn Middle School: Tasks such as re-working the shared main entrance, adding utilities and installing a new curb and gutter are scheduled for the summer of 2025 to ensure student safety.

“These factors have pushed the opening beyond the August start of the 2025-26 school year. To avoid mid-year disruptions, the new school will now open at the start of the 2026-27 school year,” the school division said.

The new elementary school, serving grades kindergarten through fifth, will be located adjacent to Fred Lynn Middle School, at 1550 Prince William Pkwy., just off of U.S. 1. It has yet to be named.

The school division held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new $60 million school in April.

The facility will be a three-story building with large open spaces and high ceilings. It is designed for a 775-student capacity, with the main building area taking up roughly 129,900 square feet. It will be designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-, or LEED-, certified silver rating and Energy Star Certification.