Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Duval County Public Schools Breaks Ground on New Middle School

  • By Matt Jones
  • 04/25/23

Duval County Public Schools in Jacksonville, Fla., recently celebrated a groundbreaking ceremony for a new middle school, according to a news release. Chaffee Trail Middle School will play home to students in grades 6–8 and is currently scheduled to open before the start of the 2024–25 school year. The district partnered on the project with architecture and engineering firm Zyscovich, LLC, and Gilbane Building Company.

Funding for the $50-million construction project comes from a $1.7-billion capital improvement program involving a half-cent sales tax that local voters approved in 2020. The new facility will measure in at 124,259 square feet and include amenities like 26 classrooms, a Career and Technical Education Center, science demonstration labs, skills development labs, and Exceptional Student Education classrooms, according to local news. The new school will have a capacity for 994 students.

“We are committed to building a better future for the communities in which we live and work and for the generations to come,” said Gilbane Building Company Area Manager Adam Verducci. “With that, we as a company have committed to generating $4 billion in awards over five years to certified minority and women-owned businesses (M/WBE), disadvantaged, LGBTBE, and veteran-businesses enterprises and are proud to work alongside a local Minority/Woman owned environmental partner and other small and diverse partners for construction management support and outreach.”

The new school will feature outdoor athletic amenities for football and soccer baseball and softball, tennis, basketball, and track, the news release reports.

Other new projects being funded by the capital improvement plan are set to include a $58-million new high school and a replacement facility for Rutledge Pearson Elementary, local news reports.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Niles West High School Natatorium Renovation

    Natatoriums are highly specialized spaces, and luminaires in this setting face several unique challenges. Perhaps the most significant is corrosion, which is exacerbated by high indoor humidity, condensation, and pool chemicals, often resulting in material degradation in luminaires not certified to perform in corrosive environments.

  • NWEA Report Recommends K–12 Natural Disaster Recovery Strategies

    The Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA), a K–12 assessment and research organization, recently announced the release of a new playbook for schools and communities recovering from extreme weather events, according to a news release.

  • Little Grand Market

    Designing for Belonging: Why Student Wellness Starts with Space

    From walkable site planning to flexible interiors, intentional design choices play a critical role in how students experience comfort, connection, and community.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.