Douglas MacArthur Elementary School set to reopen after $75 million renovation

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — After several years of planning and two years of construction, the new Douglas Macarthur Elementary School is set to open its doors for teachers and students Monday. 

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS) celebrated the new school with a ribbon cutting Friday. The $75 million project was funded through the adopted FY2021 and FY2022 Capital Improvement Program budgets. 

The new facility was built on the same site as the original building, which first opened in 1943. The original building only had eight classrooms and one common area. The new Douglas Macarthur Elementary School is 154,221 square feet and three stories, with capacity for 840 students grades PreK-5. 

Approximately 600 students will attend the new school this year, but the capacity allows for growth over the coming years. 

The new school will have about 30 classrooms, state of the art technology, music rooms and a new space for physical education. The modernization project also includes turf fields and play area for students. Construction on the turf project is expected to be completed by November. 

Leaders say the main attraction of the school is the open concept feel. 

"We have more of an open floor plan so teachers can work in classrooms, they can pull children out in small areas and groups to work with. It just lends itself to a lot of creativity," said Michelle Rief, the newly elected Alexandria School Board Chair.

Another key feature of the school includes an underground parking garage that is 30,000 square feet. It has about 80 parking spaces available for staff. 

During construction over the last two years, students were learning in a temporary swing space at the Former Patrick Henry Elementary School. 

School leaders say teachers are just as excited as the students to start this new chapter in an innovative building like this. 

"Macarthur Stars, get ready for an exciting school year," said Penny Hairston, Douglas Macarthur Elementary School Principal. "We're going to shine brightly and we have a beautiful place to shine."