Since the approval of the 2016 bond referendum, several elected officials in western Henrico have been advocating for more money to be added to the Tucker project so that a new school can be built.

“The School Board was grateful the referendum included $55 million to renovate Tucker. But as we looked more closely at this plan, we realized that renovation might not give us the school we need or the school that our community deserves,” said School Board Chair Micky Ogburn.

Meanwhile, folks in Varina have continued to call for new schools in the eastern district.

Earlier this year, county officials abandoned plans to continue studying the potential construction of a new Tucker High to replace the school constructed in 1962 on North Parham Road.

At the time, John Montgomery, Varina’s representative on the School Board, said it would have been difficult to support building a new Tucker, given that a new school was not coming to eastern Henrico. He and Varina Supervisor Tyrone Nelson have explained to constituents in recent years that county officials prefer renovating old buildings to avoid more costly construction projects.