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Schools in our area have long been overdue for an update. Many Suffolk parents are dropping their kids off at buildings that haven’t much changed since they were students themselves. Education has come a long way since the 1970s. That’s when some local schools, like Elephant’s Fork Elementary School and Kilby Shores Elementary, were built. They were designed for a distant era with different needs. Finally, in 2025, things seem to be moving in the right direction.

 

Earlier this year, city officials approved the $2 billion Community Improvement Plan, with $96 million allocated to improving public schools. Elephant’s Fork Elementary and Northern Shores Elementary are set to receive $61.1 million and $14.3 million for modernizations, respectively.

What Needs Fixing?

Talk to any student, parent, teacher, or other stakeholder, and you’ll hear a similar story: the buildings are tired and the systems outdated. From old lighting to worn flooring and cramped hallways, there’s a lot more than a few cosmetic issues to fix. Poor ventilation, broken fixtures, and cramped layouts affect how kids learn and how teachers do their jobs.

 

Storage is often part of the problem, as well. Some schools are still using decades-old lockers, but newer, better-designed school lockers are part of the solution. These days, everything from specialized music equipment lockers to electronic locks is on the cards. These are just some of the smaller upgrades that can make a big difference in students’ day-to-day lives.

What Changes Are Planned?

While Driver Elementary’s 55,100-square-foot main building is planned to be demolished in Fiscal Year 2026, work has already begun behind the scenes. Elsewhere, Elephant’s Fork Elementary is set to be replaced with a brand new school building. The new school will hold 800 students. Northern Shores Elementary is getting a major overhaul, too, including two-story wings, new restrooms, and an expanded cafeteria.

 

Without knowing the finer details of individual improvements, we can expect core systems to get a much-needed update. That means better HVAC, improved entrances, and reconfigured learning spaces that reflect how students actually use them. Across the country, school renovations are making facilities easier to maintain and more supportive for students. Things like quiet zones, lots of natural light, and flexible classrooms are becoming the norm in modern school layouts.

Why It Matters

Upgrades aren’t just about comfort or looking the part. Well-designed spaces reduce stress, help kids focus, and give teachers more control. It’s about creating environments most conducive to learning. For instance, in the warmer months, temperatures can soar in stuffy classrooms with poor ventilation. Now imagine how much easier it is to concentrate in a cool, calm room.

 

Ultimately, when buildings work better, students tend to as well. Research from the study, The Relationship Between School Building Conditions and Student Achievement at the Middle School Level in the Commonwealth of Virginia, showed exactly this. It found that students in old buildings performed poorly compared to students in recently renovated or new buildings. Our kids’ success could be directly influenced by the state of the school buildings.

Endnote

The local community has been calling for our district’s schools to be updated for a long time. With funding now allocated and early prep work underway, the city is finally starting to catch up, and it’s doing so in a way that reflects both present needs and projected future growth.