By unanimous vote on October 9, 2023, the Kent County Board of Education approved building a new Kent County Middle School on the current Chestertown campus. The new school will add fifth grade, opening space in the three elementary schools for additional programs and expected population growth in designated areas of the county.

Why the current building must go: Opened in 1950, the current middle school has $23.9 million in needed building system upgrades. The roof, HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems need replacement. The building is not ADA compliant, lacks true science labs, has a music room accessible only through an active gymnasium, lacks pull-out spaces for students with special needs, has a circulation pattern running through the media center, and was last renovated in 1976.

A state-level decision approved March 12, 2026 to revise how Maryland calculates school construction funding is expected to significantly reduce Kent County’s financial burden. For Kent County, the county’s share is projected to shift from a 50/50 split to 75% state / 25% local funding. We must now move decisively to capitalize on this funding shift and get the project formally into the state pipeline and put shovels in the ground. Our children deserve a modern school and it’s a requirement if we hope to attract new businesses and young families to Kent County. The other existing schools in the county need modernization as well and this should be a priority to make sure all of our students regardless of age get a first-class education. Lastly, I believe we should set up a new education task force that focuses on the needs of our teachers and administrators who educate our children. They are the stewards of our most precious asset, the youth of Kent County, and they deserve our respect and support.