Orange County Public Schools kicked off one of its busiest school building programs Tuesday, with a ceremonial groundbreaking at the Pineloch Elementary School.
Beginning this summer, construction will begin on 12 OCPS schools with $207 million worth of projects. The funding comes largely from the half-penny sales tax approved by Orange County voters in 2002.
Eight elementary schools are being replaced with new facilities that include classrooms; multipurpose cafeteria; administration space; art, music and computer labs; separate parent and bus drop-off loops; and outdoor activity areas with a covered play space. These schools are: John Young ES, Little River ES, Ocoee ES, Pineloch ES, Shingle Creek ES, Spring Lake ES, Washington Shores and Wheatley ES.
In addition, three other elementary schools will be upgraded – Dr. Phillips ES, Lake Silver ES and Waterford ES. Cypress Creek High School will undergo a comprehensive renovation to existing core buildings will bring the school up to current prototype standards. Additional classroom and administrative space will house 2,776 students and it is anticipated the project will be completed in August 2016.
“The improvements to these schools would not occur if we didn’t have the sales tax proceeds,” said OCPS Superintendent Barbara Jenkins. “These new buildings are especially critical to support our move toward digital learning. We must have the infrastructure in place to handle the electrical and wireless requirements of equipment our students will be using.”
Orange County School Board Chairman Bill Sublette cautioned that, new school construction and renovation could come to a screeching halt when monies dry up in two years.
“This year’s student growth would fill two new elementary schools or a middle school, demonstrating that the need for new and renovated schools continues,” he said. “Unfortunately, the funding for this is running out. The half-penny sales tax ends in 2015 and without it, school building and improvements will slow to a trickle.”
School Board Member Kathleen “Kat” Gordon, whose district includes Pineloch ES, said the school has waited a long time for this renovation. “The Pineloch Panthers are getting a beautiful new school complete with the classroom technology that will help them succeed. I’m so excited for these students.”
The District said, the upcoming school year will be one of the business for construction, second only to 2005-2006 when 18 schools were built.
