TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) -- The Leon County School District is actively pursuing a plan to build a new high school within the next five years.
The plan is in addition to work already underway at 11 schools in the district. Buck Lake Elementary School, for example, is undergoing a $4.5 million project, which will add a new classroom wing and renovated cafeteria.
The district's plan to build a new high school will cost an estimated $50-60 million, and the school will accommodate roughly 1,800 students.
"The district has been growing," said Jim Connell, LCS chief of facilities and construction. "We have aging facilities. Some of our secondary schools -- the high schools, junior highs -- are nearing capacity. We're trying to do away with relocatable classrooms. So as we phase some of those out, we have less seats available."
The exact location of the school hasn't been determined, but the district has dedicated some land for the construction of a school near the city's Southwood section. The district is also waiting on approval from the Department of Education to move forward with planning.
The designing phase could take about a year, and construction would take about two more years. The district will also rely on feedback from the community once the project kicks off.
