Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Florida School Unveils New Building for Students with Dyslexia

  • By Yvonne Marquez
  • 09/14/20

Middle school students began classes on Monday at the newly constructed building at Roberts Academy, a private school for students with dyslexia, reports The Ledger. Students in sixth through eighth grade have their own building apart from two other buildings used by students in second through fifth grade.

Founded in 2010 and located on the campus of Florida Southern College, the school is the only transitional elementary school in Florida dedicated to students with dyslexia, Head of School Kim Kelley told the Ledger. The school uses the Orton-Gillingham Approach for teaching language comprehension to students with dyslexia. The school has 145 students and 75 are in grades six through eight.

Construction on the new building began in March, after the school began remote classes for the rest of the school year. The fall semester began on Aug. 24 with in-person classes, but the new building wasn’t ready until Monday.

Blue, red and yellow primary colors are found throughout the two-story building. The new building has a bigger cafeteria than the original building, but it isn’t in use yet due to COVID-19 precautions. On the second floor, the school will eventually have an information technology room with the science lab in the adjoining room. In addition, the school has new smart boards in each classroom.  

“It’s beautiful,” Marissa Smith told The Ledger. “I’m so excited to have the space and a place where middle school can really feel like it’s their own and thrive and grow and learn.”

About the Author

Yvonne Marquez is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Myrtle Grove Elementary

    Phased Construction Keeps Students on Campus During Rebuild

    When Escambia County School District needed to replace most of Myrtle Grove Elementary School in Pensacola, Fla., it had three distinct challenges: honor the school's legacy in the community, bring state-of-the-art learning environments to the county, and be seamlessly built on the same site as the active school campus.

  • Spaces4Learning Announces 2026 Product Award Winners

    Spaces4Learning has just announced the winners of the 2026 Product Awards! The award program spotlights outstanding product development achievements of manufacturers and suppliers whose products or services are considered to be particularly noteworthy in their ability to enhance K–12 and higher-education learning environments.

  • Can AI Help Build Stronger Communities in Student Housing?

    Student housing success is shifting from operational performance to student experience, with belonging now at the center. A recent 2025 report underscores a growing emphasis on student well-being, community, and engagement, signaling that expectations now extend beyond logistics to ensure students feel supported in their living environments. AI is enabling that shift by reducing administrative workload and giving teams more time to focus on meaningful student engagement.

  • Girl Sitting at Library Desk, Using Laptop

    How Campus Design Shapes the Finals Week Experience

    Academic performance is not just about preparation. It is closely tied to how students manage stress, maintain their energy, and shift between work and recovery modes. Much of that is influenced, directly or indirectly, by design.