FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A groundbreaking ceremony marked the start of construction on a new K-8 school in Fort Pierce that will combine three St. Lucie County schools into one state-of-the-art facility.
The new school will be built on land behind Dan McCarty Middle School and is expected to welcome between 1,500 and 1,800 students when it opens. It will consolidate Dan McCarty Middle, St. Lucie Elementary and Lawnwood Elementary into a single campus.
WATCH BELOW: New $70M K-8 school breaks ground in Fort Pierce
Superintendent Jon Prince said the project is moving forward as planned.
"On time, on budget, on schedule," Prince said.
Prince said the new facility will feature state-of-the-art technology and serve the north part of St. Lucie County.
"It's going to be very popular in the community. That's for sure," Prince said.
The decision to consolidate comes as the existing schools show their age. All three were built several decades ago.
"These schools were built in the 50s and 60s, and you know, a lot of these schools have been retrofitted, but they're still not quite as efficient as (they) can be," Prince said.
Dan McCarty Middle Principal Latricia Stubbs-James said the wear and tear is visible inside the building.
"Some of the things that we have in there are antiquated," Stubbs-James said.
She is glad students in the northern part of the county will now receive the investment they need.
"Being able to actually know that our schools in the north part of the county are also getting the attention that they deserve and they need would be great," Stubbs-James said.
She also said the K-8 model offers unique benefits for younger students.
"Kindergarten students can see what it looks like to be an eighth grader at a new K-8. What does it look like to be a fifth grader?" Stubbs-James said.
The district is funding the $70 million project in part by selling the properties where the three older schools currently stand, offsetting the cost of maintaining aging buildings. Prince said the K-8 model is already proven across the district, which operates 11 other K-8 schools.
"Attendance is better, test scores are better and also grades are better in the K-8s," Prince said.
The new Fort Pierce K-8 school is expected to be completed in August 2028.
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