- April 17, 2024
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School District of Manatee County officials said they will be proactive in addressing area growth with their five-year capital plan.
“We do have a couple of items that were not on our last five-year capital plan, but due to enormous growth we’ve experienced in the last year, we have suggested moving some of those up so we are prepared and ahead of the curve,” said Cynthia Saunders, the superintendent of the district.
The district plans to construct a new K-8 school on a 40-acre site a quarter-mile east of Uihlein Road and south of Academic Avenue in Lakewood Ranch. The district has two existing K-8 schools, but the schools were converted from existing facilities.
Saunders said although wings have been added to schools like B.D. Gullett and Robert E. Willis elementary schools, those schools and Gilbert W. McNeal Elementary School are either near capacity or over capacity.
Dr. Mona Jain Middle School, which opened two years ago, already is close to capacity.
"There's no way with the number of (housing) permits pulled out in the east part of the county that we're going to be able to keep up with it," Saunders said. "(The new K-8 school) was slated to come online in about four years. There's no way. From the time you start to design to get it finished, you're looking at two to three years. We need it ready to be populated. We need to start this year."
The tentative plan includes additions at Braden River and Lakewood Ranch high schools, Braden River, Carlos E. Haile, R. Dan Nolan middle schools and Freedom and Tara elementary schools to help with overcrowding at some schools and increase capacity at the schools.
With new additions at Braden River and Lakewood Ranch high schools, Saunders hopes the district can hold off on constructing a new high school in East County until at least fiscal year 2026-2027.
"We don't want to have to pull the trigger on it until we have to because that's just such an expensive item," Saunders said. "We would rather get all these other projects and things in place. None of the new growth is going to eliminate our existing commitments of older school renovations. Those have to be done because we have to make sure that everyone has an equal facility."
Saunders said many middle schools were built for around 800 students, but with the growth the county is seeing, middle schools should be constructed for about 1,200 students. Many high school capacities sit around 1,700 to 1,800 students, but Saunders said the schools should have space for 2,000 to 2,200 students. Elementary schools should be constructed for about 800 students, Saunders said.
Also to help with the acceleration of capital projects, the School Board of Manatee County unanimously approved last October a resolution that allows the district to borrow up to $100 million in certificates of participation for capital projects.
"By doing this, not only are we avoiding inflationary costs, which last year they were running 7% and more recently from construction firms its running more 9% with some materials, but we're also pulling projects forward in the timeline so the students, staff and community all benefit from these projects much sooner than later," Bargeron said.
Some of the $100 million will go toward renovations and additions at Tara Elementary School and Carlos E. Haile Middle School.
Here are projects that are tentatively planned for the next five years in East County:
New K-8 school
To be located on a 40-acre site a quarter-mile east of Uihlein Road and south of Academic Avenue in Lakewood Ranch
Lakewood Ranch High School
20-classroom, two-story addition
Braden River High School
10-classroom addition
Braden River Middle School
Renovation and six-classroom addition
Carlos E. Haile Middle School
Renovation and 10-classroom, two-story addition
Tara Elementary School
Renovation and four- to six-classroom addition
R. Dan Nolan Middle School
Eight-classroom addition
Freedom Elementary School
Eight-classroom addition
