Better late than never: Fairwoood school is a lesson in persistence

FOR THE RECORD

For the Record is an occasional look back at local history in the Bowie area. 

Now that the Fairwood Elementary School construction is set for 2025 and a groundbreaking ceremony took place last month, let’s look back at how the plan started, stalled and finally got funded. 

Summary: The history of the proposed Fairwood school dates back to the early 2000s when a community of new homes was first built on an old turf farm. Land was set aside for a school to be built in the new community. The homes went up but the school came 20 years later. Here's how it unfolded:

Early 2000s

• October 2001 - Real estate developer Rouse Co. announced an event celebrating the planned Fairwood project, “more than 1,000 acres” of homes, retail and recreation, including a proposed soccer complex.
• March 2002 - Over two decades ago, the Prince George’s County Planning Department recommended approval of a final development plan for Fairwood with a total of over 28 acres phased in for a school site. A previous final development plan for Fairwood was approved in May 1998.
• September 2002 - The Rouse Co. announced the grand opening of model homes at Fairwood, land that was previously known as the Fairwood Turf Farm.
• March 2003 - The first residents moved into the Fairwood development in early 2023, according to a company press release.
• May 2003 - A County Council bill (CB-31-2003) introduced in 2003 established a school facilities surcharge paid by developers when a building permit is issued for certain types of residential construction. This fee is paid to the Department of Permits, Inspections and Enforcement and helps to build new schools. The surcharge on each dwelling “may be used for the construction of additional or expanded school facilities and renovations to existing school buildings or other systemic changes,” the Prince George’s County Planning Department said in a staff report on a Fairwood preliminary plan.

More recent years

• September 2017 - Fairwood residents pleaded with officials to build the promised school during a school board hearing in 2017.
• May 2023 - The school design and construction schedule was presented at a community meeting last year.
• September 2023 - Prince George’s County Public Schools announced a “first-of-its-kind” public-private partnership to deliver new schools and provide “30 years of facility maintenance.”
• October 2023 - Millard House, the superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Public Schools, updated residents on the status of the Fairwood school and the future of Woodmore Elementary at a town hall organized by District 6 County Councilmember Wala Blegay.

Present

• July 2024 - Prince George’s County Council voted on a memorandum of understanding for the next phase of schools in the public-private partnership.
• October 2024 - A community meeting was held at Kingsford Elementary School in Mitchellville to update residents on the Fairwood Elementary School project. A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new Fairwood school Oct. 4.

For the Record is an occasional look back at local history. What’s your recollection of Bowie area history? Post an opinion or comment below.

Catherine Hollingsworth compiled this chronology.
Caitlyn Blake of the University of Maryland Local News Network contributed to this report.

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