ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- The Miller School of Albemarle wants to build a new dorm, and 144 years after its founding, it needs approval from the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors. 

"We predate the ordinance that requires a special use permit, so we've never had to apply for one," said Head of School Michael Drude.

It's part of the school's goal to increase student enrollment from 230 to 300 students, with a long-term goal of growing to 500 students.

The dorm would be for male students currently living in a multi-use building.

"Once they are out of this building, it opens up an opportunity for classrooms and offices and space we would utilize," Drude said.  

The first step to increasing enrollment is to combine with Seven Rivers Country Day School. The two would then become one K-12 school.

"It's a hundred kids in the lower school, about a hundred kids in the middle school, and the rest would be in the upper school, on 1,600 acres," Drude said.

He also says the expansion enhances the school's mission.  

"Becoming a little bit bigger provides more opportunities for our programming, our curriculum, and just puts us in a stronger position for the future," he said.