Two New Elementary Schools Open in Chesterfield

TL;DR: Chesterfield County opened two new elementary schools - Deep Creek and Bensley - in early August 2026, both funded by the county's 2022 Bond Referendum.

The story

Chesterfield County celebrated the completion of two major school construction projects with ribbon-cutting ceremonies held in early August 2026. Deep Creek Elementary held its ceremony on July 30, becoming the county's 41st elementary school. Bensley Elementary followed with its own ceremony on August 5 at its location on Strathmore Road.

Both schools are two-story facilities built to accommodate approximately 1,000 students each. Deep Creek Elementary spans 111,500 square feet and is designed for pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Bensley Elementary's 115,000-square-foot building replaces the original 72-year-old Bensley Elementary, nearly doubling its capacity from 575 to 1,000 students. Both buildings share similar layouts with kindergarten, first grade, and special education classrooms on the first floor, and grades 2 through 5 on the second floor. Each building includes a gymnasium with stage, media center, art room, music room, STEAM makerspace, security vestibule with administrative offices at the main entrance, 75-inch interactive monitors in classrooms, and dedicated Wi-Fi and water bottle stations.

The two schools were funded through the 2022 Community Facilities Bond Plan, approved by county voters in November 2022, which allocated $540 million total and $375 million specifically for school construction. Deep Creek Elementary and Bensley Elementary were budgeted at $52 million each. Deep Creek was completed on time and under budget; groundbreaking occurred in November 2024. Both schools are scheduled to welcome their first students on August 24, 2026, ahead of the new school year.

School board vice president Steven Paranto noted at Deep Creek's ribbon-cutting that the new schools represent community commitment to education: "Over the past few years, we have gathered several times to open new schools because Chesterfield County voters -- you -- strongly support investments in public education with the knowledge that schools are the beating heart of a successful community." Superintendent John Murray remarked at Bensley's ceremony that "The new Bensley Elementary School and the other schools that we have recently opened or are under construction currently are symbols of the vital role public education plays in our larger community."

Deep Creek Elementary addresses overcrowding at neighboring schools, particularly Moseley Elementary, which was operating at 106.6% capacity, and Grange Hall, at 86.6%. Bensley Elementary was operating at 101.4% capacity during the 2023-24 school year. The new schools are part of a broader county construction initiative; Deep Creek Elementary sits adjacent to Deep Creek Middle School, which opened the previous year with approximately 1,400 students.

Key players

• Dr. Courtney Jones: Principal, Deep Creek Elementary School
• Patrice Wilson: Principal, Bensley Elementary School
• John Murray: Superintendent, Chesterfield County Public Schools
• Steven Paranto: School Board Vice President, Matoaca District
• Chesterfield County Public Schools: School system overseeing the construction and opening

Key dates

• 2022-11-08: Chesterfield County voters approved $540 million bond referendum
• 2024-11: Groundbreaking for Deep Creek Elementary
• 2026-07-30: Ribbon-cutting ceremony for Deep Creek Elementary
• 2026-08-05: Ribbon-cutting ceremony for Bensley Elementary
• 2026-08-24: Both schools welcome first students; new school year begins

Why it matters: The opening of Deep Creek and Bensley elementary schools relieves critical overcrowding in Chesterfield County's school system and provides modern facilities with updated technology and learning spaces for thousands of students entering the 2026-27 school year. These projects represent fulfillment of a voter-approved bond referendum to fund major capital investments in education.

Places

• Deep Creek Elementary School
• Bensley Elementary School
• Strathmore Road
• Deep Creek Middle School

Related links

• Chesterfield Opens Two Newly Constructed Elementary Schools
• 2022 Community Facilities Bond Plan: Schools
• Turning Plans into Progress: A 2022 Bond Referendum Update
• Chesterfield County Public Schools

Read the original at Chesterfield on Point →

Sources

• Chesterfield Opens Two Newly Constructed Elementary Schools Ahead of First Day
• Chesterfield cuts the ribbon on Deep Creek, opening its 41st elementary school
• Chesterfield celebrates second ribbon-cutting in one week at Bensley Elementary School
• Ribbon cutting opens new Deep Creek Elementary School in Chesterfield
• Chesterfield opens new Bensley Elementary School building
• 2022 Community Facilities Bond Plan: Schools
• Deep Creek Elementary Opens as County's 41st School
• Bensley Elementary celebrates renovation with community ceremony