LAKE NONA, Fla. — For the first time, Channel 9 gets an inside look at Orange County Public Schools’ newest school.
Luminary Elementary will open this fall. It’s located in Lake Nona right next to Luminary Middle. The school was built to relieve overcrowding. Only Channel 9 was there on Monday as workers unpacked furniture and prepared for the first day in August.
“State of the art building, as state of the art as it can be in this moment,” Craig Jackson, the Senior Construction Director for OCPS, said. “Including art rooms, cafeteria, CCTV lab for the students to do their own television work.”
Jackson said the school will include advanced technology, top-tier security, as well as skills labs, playgrounds and athletic areas.
“Technology is going to be great; it’s going to be very safe based on our safety features,” Jackson said. “They should feel very comfortable and happy to be here.”
Lauren Roth, the assistant director of the district’s public relations department, stated that with a $30 million budget, this school spans over 10 acres of land and can accommodate more than 800 students.
“When we see a school getting really overcrowded, we want to build another school in that community when there are enough students to fill a new elementary school, so that’s what we’re doing here,” Roth said.
With the extension of the half-cent sales tax in November, Roth said not only is the construction of new schools possible but also revamping and updating existing schools.
“With over 200,000 students, we want every one of our students to be in an amazing and excellent learning environment,” Roth said.
The first official day of school for OCPS is August 11.
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