- December 4, 2025
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Predicting growth in the school district is always a challenge, said Jody Dumas, executive director of facilities at Sarasota County Schools.
He said over the last 5 years, Sarasota is beginning to grow in certain areas of the district, and those areas are typically Lakewood Ranch.
He said the district has also been eyeing Palmer Ranch east of Interstate 75, and south of Sarasota in Wellen Park.
Overall, he said, the district's population has been trickling "a little bit up and a little bit down."
Nonetheless, the district has some major construction projects still on the way. Here is some of the major work that is upcoming.
The district's major development this year is the opening of the new Skye Ranch School at Clark and Lorraine roads, its first new school in more than 15 years.
The school will be available to incoming kindergarten through rising sixth grade students, although it will eventually serve as a K-8.
Dumas said in June the project was on schedule, and the district was readying the facility, adding staff and adding in furniture.
"Between now and August ... our real big focus will be trying to get that, make sure that's open and ready to go, and that's going to be a beautiful facility," he said.
Budget: $103,600,000 (as of Nov. 2024)
Completion: Summer 2025
For years, a building near Booker High School's football field was a mechanical room serving the school's chillers.
However, with the equipment no longer present in the space, the district is converting it to a space with features that will include football locker rooms, a team room and coaches offices.
“We're excited about that. That's really going to be nice for Booker High,” Dumas said.
The project follows the opening of a new track last year.
Budget: $1,500,000 (as of Nov. 2024)
This year, construction continues on a new high school in Wellen Park, North Port.
The district's first high school since North Port High in 2001, the 363,600 square-foot space will include an auditorium, media center, gymnasium, cafeteria, and athletic facilities such as an area for sand volleyball that will serve a new district-wide volleyball program.
"That's coming along nicely. That's still on schedule," Dumas said.
Budget: $200,000,000 (as of Nov. 2024)
Completion: Summer 2026 (as of Nov. 2024)
With The Farm at McIntosh Middle School now open and welcoming students, work continues on the agricultural and livestock facility with Phase 2.
"Phase two of the farm is, is moving along very, very nicely," Dumas said. "That should be ready to go and we should have a lot of students on campus here as we get into new school year."
Features of Phase 2 include an additional barn, as well as a nearly complete teaching kitchen hosting farm-to-table foods.
Budget: $8,000,000 (Both phases, as of Nov. 2024)
Two classroom buildings at Sarasota High are undergoing a heating, ventilation and air conditioning renovation, which also involves upgrading finishes, ceilings, floors, paint, cabinets, some doors and lights.
The project began in Building 13 and has now moved into Building 14.
"We're moving. We're on schedule in that project," Dumas said.
Budget: $37,500,000 (as of Nov. 2024)
After several years of roofing at Booker Middle School, the district is now headed to Sarasota Middle School for the same project, Dumas said.
Budget: $12,900,000
After Garden Elementary School in Venice suffered significant impacts from Hurricane Ian in 2022, the district settled on a demolition and total replacement of the building.
Dumas said the project was breaking ground "almost immediately."
The project will keep a new cafeteria building for other uses later on, while transitioning students into another new building.
Budget: $80,000,000 (as of Nov. 2024)
The district is preparing to introduce a new elementary school in Lakewood Ranch.
"We are moving closer to that. So we'll start on that the end of next year, probably," Dumas said in June.
He said this school will relieve population growth in the Tatum Ridge area.
5-year forecast: $77,000,000
In June, Dumas said the renovation at Bay Haven School of Basics Plus was wrapping up.
The improvements were intended to address aging conditions in the interior, updating features including security, air conditioning, lighting, walls and carpeting.
Budget: $18,105,000 (as of Nov. 2024)
The district is about to embark on a major renovation of North Port High School, which Dumas calls "a big refresh of the entire school."
The project will involve building a classroom building to use as a swing space for the project, while the school closes one building at a time for renovations.
Work will include HVAC renovation, as well as renovations that include mechanical systems, paint, carpet and lights.
Budget: $95,000,000
