GADSDEN COUNTY, Fla. (WTXL) — Community members gathered at Stewart Street Elementary on Wednesday night for an in-depth look at the future of education in Gadsden County.
Contractors presented detailed layouts of the new K-8 school, sharing floor plans, design concepts, and even a 3-D model to help families visualize what the campus will look like.
The new school will eventually replace several aging campuses across the county, bringing students together in one modern facility.
But many parents also had questions.
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Gadsden County discusses plans for new K-8 school at public meeting
One major topic of discussion was what’s next for students at James A. Shanks Middle School. Right now, the county wants to tear down that building. District leaders say they are working on plans to transition those students when construction on this new school begins.
Other parents were concerned about combining younger and older students in one building.
“I just personally don’t know how I would feel if I had a kindergartner student in the same school as an eighth grader,” neighbor Lorraine Bridges said.
Superintendent Elijah Key addressed those concerns directly, pointing out that Gadsden County already has combined grade campuses, including Crossroad Academy, which serves K-12 students.
He emphasized student safety will remain a top priority in the new facility, especially because it could be a new home for the county’s Head Start program.
“We’re looking at the possibility of being the Head Start center for the county, so when we ask about Head Start, this probably is going to be the Head Start center. That is one of the things that has been proposed: that this become the Head Start center as well as other offices for district officials,” Key said.
District leaders say construction is moving forward and say this won’t be the last meeting.
They plan to share updates with parents and keep them involved in this process.
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