WS/FCS board approves $46M for new Ashley Elementary School

The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education voted to allocate $46 million to build a new Ashley Elementary School. District officials say the new building is slated to open in the 2026-27 academic year.

Community members have been advocating for a new Ashley Elementary for more than a decade due to issues at the existing building with mold and air quality. Now, with additional bond funds approved by the Forsyth County Commissioners to support the school district’s construction needs, the project is possible.

Katie Sonnen-Lee, a long-time advocate for a new Ashley, spoke about the importance of the school at a board of education meeting on Tuesday. 

“You all know equity is a goal of our district, and that means making sure that every child gets what they need in our schools," she said. "And we want to give every community a safe school that they'll be proud to enter."

The board voted 6-3 to allocate the funds for the new building. The district plans to put the project out for bid in the spring of 2025, with a construction period of about 18 months.

Amy Diaz covers education for WFDD in partnership with Report For America. You can follow her on Twitter at @amydiaze.