In 1914, three schools consolidated to form Elkhardt School (eventually Elkhardt Middle School) at 6300 Hull Street Road, which had a faculty of four, including the principal. In 1916, the first public transportation to the school was provided by horse-drawn wagon. The name was changed to Manchester District High School in 1924, with the first graduating class, in 1925, consisting of eight students. Rapid population growth, following World War II, required that new facilities be built, and in fall 1964 the school was moved to 7401 Hull Street Road (now Manchester Middle School). Westward urban sprawl from the nearby city of Richmond, Virginia, required yet another move in 1992 to the current location at 12601 Bailey Bridge Road.[3]
Campus
Manchester shares many of its facilities with the adjacent Bailey Bridge Middle School. It is home to Lloyd Swelnis Stadium, named after the long-time Manchester athletic director. In 2003 closed-circuit cameras were installed in the building and parking lots to provide better security for students and staff. An addition to the main building was completed in 2004 to house the Mass Communications and Spanish-Immersion Specialty Centers.
Students
Manchester High School has a diverse student body, consisting of approximately 1900 students, and is reflective of the multiple ethnicities present in Chesterfield County. The opening of Cosby High School in 2006, and the new location and recreation of Clover Hill High School has alleviated the over-crowding at Manchester High, allowing for the reduction in number of trailers previously used as classrooms.
This list is incomplete. Although Virginia State University has a "Petersburg, Virginia" mailing address, it is listed here anyway since most of its territory is located within the Chesterfield County CDP of Ettrick.