Hunter B. Andrews PreK-8 School is named after Hunter Booker Andrews. A Hampton native, Andrews once served as a member and chairman of the Hampton School Board and also served as a Virginia State senator for 32 years. Andrews has been referred to as a “Champion for Education.” He also served as Senate Finance Committee Chairman where he channeled billions of dollars into public education in Virginia. Instrumental in creating and funding the Virginia Pre-School Initiative, Andrews worked with Norfolk’s school board chairman to establish WHRO-TV, the state’s first non-commercial educational TV station.

The September 2010 opening of Hunter B. Andrews PreK-8 School marked the first time Hampton City Schools opened a new school in over 30 years. The school is located on Victoria Boulevard on the ground of the former Dixie Hospital (Hampton General Hospital).

The construction of Andrews has allowed many small and minority businesses in the area to participate in what will be known as one of the “Gems of the Peninsula.” Working with the construction management team of M. B. Kahn and the architectural firm of Moseley Architects, the construction project had a 54% SWAM (Small/Women and Minority) business participation.

Students attending Andrews PreK-8 School are grouped into small and separate “learning communities” within the school. The PreK-2 communities as well as the 3-5 communities have a capacity of 400 students each, while the 6-8 communities allow for 500 students. Prior to the opening of Andrews, students from feeder schools voted on the school mascot and school colors. The school mascot is the alligator (Gators), and the school colors are blue and silver.