$12M bond sale to propel improvement projects in Wicomico County Public Schools

WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. – Wicomico County Council recently approved a bond sale worth about $12 million, which stands to propel projects in the Wicoimco County Public School District (WCPS).

$950,000 will help pay for a multi-year roof replacement project at Wicomico High School. Work on that project began earlier this summer. “It’s a multi-phase, multi-year project,” said WCPS Chief Finance and Operations Officer, Dr. Brian Raygor. “The high school is several buildings, so we are going to be putting new roofs on all of those buildings over a couple of summers.”

Meanwhile, just over $1.2 million will also help with roof repairs at Parkside High School, slated to begin in 2024. “We are now in the initial stages of working with a construction manager to get started on that project,” Dr. Raygor said.

The biggest project, however, involves major renovations at Mardela Middle and High School. “[We’re] getting about $2.1 million out of this bond sale. That’s in addition to funds that have already been provided by both the county and the state,” said Dr. Raygor.

Phase one of that project began just after school let out in 2022. It’s now complete, and students will get to see it once they return to school next week.

“That includes some of the high school classrooms, along with the cafeteria, kitchen, stage, fine arts, a new auxiliary gym, which will be a great addition to the building. Students and faculty are moving into those new areas,” said Dr. Raygor. “At the same time, phase two and phase three are beginning construction.”

Dr. Raygor says staff and students can expect to move more into phase 3 of construction later this year, into next summer. He adds, full occupancy and move-in is expected in the fall of 2025.