Though plans for a new elementary school in Rockville are starting to emerge, the new school isn’t expected to open until the 2017 school year.

The elementary school will be located at the Montgomery Country Children’s Resource Center at 332 W. Edmonston Drive.

“The school is being built because enrollment in the Richard Montgomery Cluster has grown significantly and some of the elementary schools are overcapacity at this point,” Public Information Officer Dana Tofig said.

Although there is no name for the school yet, it is expected to be a feeder school to Richard Montgomery, joining the cluster of other elementary schools such as College Gardens, Ritchie Park, Beall and Twinbrook.  However, boundary lines are still being made to accommodate the incoming 600-740 students.

According to a November 2014 Gazette article, the school will have a total of 27 classrooms, two of which will be pre-kindergarten, five of which will be kindergarten, and 20 of which will fill first through fifth grade.

With an estimated budget cost of $35.4 million, schools officials are hoping to get state and county funding to start building.  If the City of Rockville provides funds, some of the money will be used to accommodate a larger gym, as is seen in other new Rockville elementary schools.

Community members and parents gathered with architects and staff officials at Richard Montgomery Nov. 5, Nov. 13, Nov. 20, and Dec. 9 to discuss the two options for the school’s building projects.

Safety is a concern those who live close to the expected entrance of the school.  For now, the cars in the drop-off lane are expected to line up along a row of parking spaces, which will be reserved for staff.

Also discussed in the meetings were designs for the school in order to meet the required LEED silver certification.

According to notes from the Nov. 12 memorandum from the MCPS, which can be located on the MCPS, Division of Construction, “green” roofs, geothermal system ground source heat pumps, recycling during construction, low-water use plumbing devices, and noise control will be encouraged.

Construction is expected to start in the beginning of 2016.