PERRY, Fla. (WTXL) - The Taylor County School District hopes to break ground on a new building before school starts this fall.
The goal is to start construction on the new Perry Primary School in August. The district says the current building is over capacity and doesn't meet all the needs of its students.
The school will be built alongside Taylor County Elementary School. Superintendent Danny Glover, Jr. said the current building has issues with the roof, an aging HVAC system and doesn't have a functioning kitchen. The building was completed in 1974, and the school operates with a number of portables instead of actual classrooms.
He credits the school board and local lawmakers for pushing for additional state funding to pay for the project.
"We're not trying to build a Taj Mahal here in Taylor County. We're trying to build a functioning school that is going to be the best fit for our children, and the funding that we were funded on -- we were not going to be able to do that," Glover said. "There's never enough money, but we're going to do the best we can. We have moved the location a little bit to try to fit the needs of our students more efficiently and, again, watching our money and saving taxpayers dollars."
Perry Primary School serves around 750 students from kindergarten to second grade. The district is considering adding pre-kindergarten when the new building is complete.
The 105,000-square foot project, which is fully funded, is estimated to cost $19.2 million. Superintendent Glover said $2.5 million has been paid for by taxpayers.
The goal is to have the new building ready for the 2018-19 school year. District officials will share more details in a public workshop Tuesday at 5 p.m.
