Charter School Set for Construction on Florida College Campus

The construction of Pinecrest Lakes Academy Middle/High School, a Florida charter school, is set to begin this year on the campus of Lake-Sumter State College in Clermont, Florida. The school is scheduled to open its doors to students in August 2022.

Pinecrest Lakes opened in 2017 as a K-8 school and has a current enrollment of about 750 in those grades. Additionally, 67 high-school freshmen have begun taking classes on the college’s campus. The school plans to admit tenth grade students during the 2021-22 school year and eleventh grade students in 2022-23. The first senior class is slated to graduate in 2024.

The charter school connected with the college about a year to a year and a half ago, according to Pinecrest Lakes Principal Cristina Alcalde, when it became a member of the Health Sciences Collegiate Academy. The lease is part of a STEM education partnership among the college, Lake County Schools, Montverde Academy, the University of Central Florida, and South Lake Hospital.

According to LSSC President Stan Sidor, “Together, we will create pathways for secondary students to work toward credentials and college credit that will accelerate their degree completion and improve the health and wealth of our local economy.”

Pinecrest Lakes is a member of Pinecrest Academy Inc., a charter school network with locations in five Florida counties and one Nevada county.

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.

  • California District Debuts New High-School CTE Center

    The West Sonoma County Union High School District (WSCUHSD) in Sebastopol, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new CTE Center at Analy High School, according to a news release. The district partnered with Quattrocchi Kwok Architects (QKA) for the facility’s design and GCCI for its construction, and funding came from local Measure A bond funds.

  • University of Mary Washington Selects Builder for New Theater, Dance Facility

    The University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Va., recently announced that it has selected construction and development firm Skanska to lead a series of renovations and upgrades to fine arts facilities, according to a news release.