Article written by Tom Markland and published in The Journal on April 1, 2026, link to article HERE.
Ground was officially broken Tuesday on the new Inwood Early Learning Academy, a project leaders say represents a long-term investment in Berkeley County’s youngest students and the future of the community.
According to Berkeley County Schools Superintendent Dr. Ryan Saxe, the facility is expected to take roughly 12 to 14 months to complete, with plans to open in time for the next fall school year. The project, supported by the county’s 2022 bond and additional state funding, will serve about 220 pre-kindergarten students.
“Today, we gather to celebrate more than the start of construction,” Saxe said. “We celebrate the continuation of a promise.”
The academy is designed specifically for early childhood education, featuring classroom layouts, collaborative learning spaces and dedicated areas that support both academic development and social-emotional growth. Saxe emphasized that the building’s design reflects the importance of early learning in shaping long-term educational outcomes.
Saxe compared early education to planting a tree, noting that while growth takes time, the foundation built in those early years is essential.
“If you plant an apple tree, you don’t expect fruit overnight,” he said. “You prepare the soil, and in those early years, what may look small and fragile is actually where all the strength is being developed.”
The Inwood Early Learning Academy will be the county’s first facility dedicated entirely to pre-K students. Sarah Wolfe said that focus allows for a more intentional approach to early childhood education, including spaces designed for play-based learning and physical development.
“Early childhood education is not simply preparation for later learning, it is the foundation of learning itself,” Wolfe said.
Plans for the school include an indoor motor skills area to ensure children have daily opportunities for movement regardless of weather, as well as collaborative spaces for teachers to design engaging lessons.
Local and state leaders also highlighted the broader impact of the project. Jason Barrett, who attended the ceremony, pointed to increased state funding for school construction as a key factor in advancing projects like the Inwood academy.
Barrett said he recently worked to increase funding for the School Building Authority, adding $10 million to its budget, a move he said will help accelerate projects across the state, including in Berkeley County.
Jackie Long called the groundbreaking both a celebration and a moment of reflection, noting the long history of the current Inwood Primary School building, which dates back to 1924.
The new academy will eventually replace the existing school, marking a transition for the community while preserving its educational legacy. A closing ceremony for the current building is planned for May 19.
Saxe said the project is part of a broader wave of school construction in Berkeley County, driven by rapid population growth in the Eastern Panhandle. Another major project — a new elementary school in Falling Waters — is expected to break ground in the coming months.
As the ceremony concluded, students joined officials in turning the first shovels of dirt, symbolizing the start of construction. Among those in attendance were young children wearing shirts reading “future little apples,” a nod to the Musselman High School mascot and a reminder of the students the new facility will ultimately serve.
“Together, we are not just building a school,” Saxe said. “We are building opportunity and investing in the future of Berkeley County.”