PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — WPTV on Thursday got an exclusive first look inside the walls of West Boynton Middle School.
The new school located off Boynton Beach Boulevard between Florida's Turnpike and Lyons Road has been a long time coming in the community, promised more than a decade ago.
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Proud principal Joe Peccia on Thursday gave WPTV education reporter Stephanie Susskind the first look inside the "Hive," the home of the West Boynton Middle School Stingers.
"You’re going to have stadium seating where students in the front are at a lower level, and students at the back will be at a higher level," Peccia said, describing the layout of classrooms. "So there’s never going to be a bad seat in the house."
Building a school from the ground up is an experience a principal can only dream of, said Peccia, a Palm Beach County native, who had a say in everything from the classroom design to the culture they'll create.
"For anyone who's had the opportunity to be first through the door, first through the gate, there’s an ultimate feeling inside," Peccia said. "And for the students, they are gonna be stakeholders, too. And they are really going to drive the experience that the students of the future are going to get."
Everything at West Boynton Middle School is done with purpose, including the paint on the walls. The orange behind the classroom doors gives kids something to look at.
"School needs to adapt to the new generation," Peccia said.
The three-story building features the latest security, technology, and programs.
"The pre-informational technology rooms will also feature your robotics, your Esports, graphic design," Peccia said.
And while the shiny new furniture and fancy gym floor are certainly exciting, Peccia said his favorite part will be the nearly 700 students and staff members who will make the "Hive" their home.
"Really what it comes down to is the school is going to meet every student where they are," Peccia said. "It’s going to be about every kids' experience."
Before West Boynton Middle School, Peccia was the principal at Eagles Landing Middle School in Boca Raton for five years. Before that, he was at Pine Grove Elementary School in Delray Beach.
Peccia said he's working with the principal of Sunset Palms Elementary School, which is directly next to West Boynton Middle School, to help with the traffic flow.
"To be able to build a culture and build a community, it had been my baby," Peccia said. "I am constantly walking around, because I can only imagine what the experience is going to be."
West Boynton Middle School will open to students on Aug. 10, the first day of the 2022/23 academic year.