E.W. Chittum
Chesapeake, VA
Type:
Education + Civic
Client:
Chesapeake Public Schools
Chittum Elementary School represents a new approach to the student experience—pushing what a public school can be and how it can better support learning, well-being, and pride. Developed for Chesapeake Public Schools and serving approximately 940 students, the school was shaped through close collaboration with district leadership, educators, and families, including a clear directive to challenge conventional models. Open classrooms, movable furniture, and learning neighborhoods organized around shared commons support flexible teaching and collaboration, while the new building was constructed alongside the existing school to allow daily operations to continue uninterrupted. The school’s impact is reflected not only in performance metrics but in anecdotal evidence from interviews, demonstrating lasting value even within tight budgets and challenging conditions.
Project Type: New Pre-K–5 public elementary school replacing an aging facility
Delivery: Phased demolition and replacement allowing the existing school to remain operational throughout construction
Scope + Systems: ~940-student facility with general and special education classrooms, STEAM lab, media center, arts spaces, gym, dining, and learning neighborhoods organized around shared commons
Status + Timing: Opened Spring 2023
Collaborators:
Heartland Construction, Inc. | construction management
GET Solutions, Inc. | geotechnical
MSA Professional Services, Inc. | civil engineering
Thompson Consulting Engineers | mechanical + electrical engineering
Speight, Marshall & Francis, P.C. | structural engineering
