New Emerald Coast Middle School

jdarg · 03-19-2009, 08:15 AM

The Walton County School Board has had other issues on the table besides the budget. They voted 5-0 this week to go ahead with the new Emerald Coast Middle School, which is wonderful! The South Walton middle schoolers had temporary quarters at the high school, then were schlepped over to Butler, where they share facilities with the 700 Butler kids, who are at 155% capacity in their existing building and need to expand into the rest of the campus, currently occupied by the middle schoolers.

According to the article, the new ECMS will be occupied by June 2011.

Finance Director Jim McCall said he is concerned with the public understanding the difference in the types of budgets and how the Board is building a multi-million dollar school when laying people off.
Davis said part of the $20 million will stay in the local economy and with the room needed, it might be time to stop talking doom and gloom and go ahead with the project.

Middle school construction approved | approved, construction, middle - Local News - WaltonSun.com

Tootsie · 03-19-2009, 08:22 AM

great news jdarg. really, do they have any choice but to build a middle school, with overcrowding now and projections for more students in Walton County? its overdue. glad to hear its going forward.

momof2kids · 03-19-2009, 08:35 AM

Thanks jdarg!

I am looking forward to figuring out where my kids will go to middle school... not! I understand why they purchased that land at the time... but it still makes me mad that it is 25 miles from my house!! So - where does this leave families on this end of the county?? My kids have gone to school with their peers since kindergarten and when middle school begins I am practically forced to send them to a different district; send them on a bus for an hour each way extending their school day; or spend an hour driving them each way... Although the time alone in the van would be nice, but do I (or other parents near where I live) need to quit working to avoid putting the kids on the bus at 6:15 in the morning so they get to school on time? GRRRRR...

Jdarg - this isn't directed at you - I am just venting. I am looking forward to the new school, just not looking forward to the uncertainty it is bringing to my childrens' education.

Thanks again for keeping us posted on the happenings!! It is greatly appreciated!

jdarg · 03-19-2009, 08:50 AM

Momof2kids - where do you live? This school is more centrally located for everyone than the current ECMS.

Edit- I see you live in Miramar. FYI- the high school is mid-county as well, and neither are 25 miles to Miramar.

TooFarTampa · 03-19-2009, 08:53 AM

Where is the new middle school?

And is it the only middle school in SoWal, other than Seaside Neighborhood School? (which is a charter/lottery type school, right ...?)

momof2kids · 03-19-2009, 08:56 AM

I drove it last week to see how far it was. 25 miles from the sign to my driveway. I live behind Smith's antiques...

Not too worried about the high school drive yet. I still have time to fret about that. =) Trying not to move too far in the future. Middle school is right around the corner though... =(

momof2kids · 03-19-2009, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TooFarTampa

Where is the new middle school?

And is it the only middle school in SoWal, other than Seaside Neighborhood School? (which is a charter/lottery type school, right ...?)

yes - you are correct.

jdarg · 03-19-2009, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momof2kids

I drove it last week to see how far it was. 25 miles from the sign to my driveway. I live behind Smith's antiques...

So you are way up in Miramar. I Mapquested Bay Elementary (which is close to the new ECMS site) to the back of Burnt Pine in Sandestin and it is just shy of 15 miles- it's really 10 more miles to Holiday Rd.? The location is where it is- the land was available, and the district is too small to build a middle school on both ends, so it is close to the middle of the county. The high school is going to be a haul for you too, but we only have one right now, and it is located in a place that is fair to everyone as well.

If drive time is an issue, have you thought about Destin Middle? It would be closer and I heard it is a great school.

jdarg · 03-19-2009, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TooFarTampa

Where is the new middle school?

And is it the only middle school in SoWal, other than Seaside Neighborhood School? (which is a charter/lottery type school, right ...?)

Yes, everyone funnels into ECMS or Seaside. ECMS is currently "camping" at Butler- I don't think the intention was ever to be there permanently. They share lunchroom and gym facilities with Butler, but the school can't offer much due to lack of space. They currently do not have an art program!

TooFarTampa · 03-19-2009, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdarg

Yes, everyone funnels into ECMS or Seaside. ECMS is currently "camping" at Butler- I don't think the intention was ever to be there permanently. They share lunchroom and gym facilities with Butler, but the school can't offer much due to lack of space. They currently do not have an art program!

Wow! Sounds like it is tough on the kids, teachers and parents.

momof2kids · 03-19-2009, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdarg

So you are way up in Miramar. I Mapquested Bay Elementary (which is close to the new ECMS site) to the back of Burnt Pine in Sandestin and it is just shy of 15 miles- it's really 10 more miles to Holiday Rd.? The location is where it is- the land was available, and the district is too small to build a middle school on both ends, so it is close to the middle of the county. The high school is going to be a haul for you too, but we only have one right now, and it is located in a place that is fair to everyone as well.

If drive time is an issue, have you thought about Destin Middle? It would be closer and I heard it is a great school.

When I drove it last week specifically to find out how long it would take and how many miles it was; my van showed just under 25 miles from the sign to my driveway. If I had gone to the light at Holiday and driven to my house instead of taking the road my the old Tib's then it would have been 25. The back of Burnt Pine is about a 10-15 minute drive for me. So it's possible it's about 8 miles?? not too sure about that one...

We are talking about DMS and will visit it when the time comes. I have heard that it's a good school as well. Thanks for the vote of confidence!

I do like the HS location. However I'm hoping that we will be able to buy a car for the kids to drive themselves... Wishful thinking?? LOL! That is still too far in the future to worry about though.

I love that you keep us posted on these things - I can't make meetings due to work, so having you on here is fantastic! Thank you!!

jdarg · 03-19-2009, 09:16 AM

We live in, for lack of a better description, a rural county. There aren't going to be schools in every area, and from what I hear, we are lucky to have the high school south of the bay. I am thankful that I don't live in Okaloosa, since they don't have a high school south of the bay and the kids have to go over to Ft. Walton, Niceville, or South Walton. We have come a long way!

jdarg · 03-19-2009, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momof2kids

When I drove it last week specifically to find out how long it would take and how many miles it was; my van showed just under 25 miles from the sign to my driveway. If I had gone to the light at Holiday and driven to my house instead of taking the road my the old Tib's then it would have been 25. The back of Burnt Pine is about a 10-15 minute drive for me. So it's possible it's about 8 miles?? not too sure about that one...

We are talking about DMS and will visit it when the time comes. I have heard that it's a good school as well. Thanks for the vote of confidence!

I do like the HS location. However I'm hoping that we will be able to buy a car for the kids to drive themselves... Wishful thinking?? LOL! That is still too far in the future to worry about though.

I love that you keep us posted on these things - I can't make meetings due to work, so having you on here is fantastic! Thank you!!

You are welcome. I goof around alot and like to have fun here, but when it comes to school stuff, I am dead serious and I am thankful I have the time to be able to devote a little energy to our educational system. Our schools have "good bones", and there are lots of SoWal parents who have faith in our school system and work hard!

DuneLaker · 03-19-2009, 10:07 AM

I would think you'd want to stay in South Walton and not have to deal with the Okaloosa County's Destin traffic on 98 which is quite bad at times. Then, you also wouldn't have to switch school districts for high school as you'd not want to make the difficult drive to Okaloosa's high schools. South Walton was not open when we moved back and we had to drive to Freeport for High School, over the bay and much road construction, as always. I would have loved the opportunity for my child to go to South Walton. Highway 98 traffic this way would certainly seem better than going west.

momof2kids · 03-19-2009, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuneLaker

I would think you'd want to stay in South Walton and not have to deal with the Destin traffic on 98 which is quite bad at times. Then, you also wouldn't have to switch school districts for high school as you'd not want to make the difficult drive to Okaloosa's high schools. South Walton was not open when we moved back and we had to drive to Freeport for High School, over the bay and much road construction, as always. I would have loved the opportunity for my child to go to South Walton. Highway 98 traffic this way would certainly seem better than going west.

I'd LOVE to stay in So. Walton district... However DMS is about 5 miles from my house compared to 25 miles... The traffic during the school year isn't bad until Spring hits, then it's only in the afternoon... I'm sure things will change many times over before we have to make a final decision.

DuneLaker · 03-19-2009, 10:38 AM

Good luck with whatever you do. Your children have a wonderful, concerned mother and will do well wherever they are with your support and guidance. Good parents are involved with their children and schools. You have my full sympathy of transportation issues to school. Seemed like we always had some issue, whether it was having to drive them to school even though we were only about two miles away, but to walk they'd have to go up a hill, through woods and deep snow, and dodge wild moose in Alaska; a new subdivision in North Dallas area (Allen) where there was no direct road, closest school was overcrowded and full so bus ride would have been over an hour; to back home to South Walton and no middle or high school south of the bay. We made it, the children graduated from high school and college, yea!! I smile with appreciation as I see the parent's cars lined up before and after school.

beachmouse · 03-19-2009, 11:48 AM

Miramar Beach to Destin Middle School isn't horrible from a traffic standpoint- relatively short and something of a bypass road from Regatta Bay and around Destin Commons to get you to the school if need be.

Destin Elementary, OTOH, take you right into the worst of the traffic in the area, and even the bypass and back route gets ugly during commuting hours.

ShallowsNole · 03-19-2009, 09:30 PM

June 2011. oh my lord.

Nostalgia time...many of the kids who will graduate from SWHS in June 2011 were from the last 6th grade class to attend "South Walton" Middle School, and they "broke in" ECMS as 7th graders. (jdarg, don't know about you, but I'm not ready. I will be happy and proud, but crying my durn fool eyeballs out.)

momof2kids - I totally get where you are coming from. While the prospect of my son's graduation makes me melancholy, I drove him to Butler from Freeport, and picked him up from SPICE in the afternoons, for six years. When my office moved to its current location on 331, I lived 7 miles from my office, 16 from his school. 16 + 9 back to my office +9 back to the school +16 home = 50 miles a day. When we moved back to PW, my life got simpler as bus transportation was available, but he had to catch the bus at 6:30. (Now it comes at 6:15 - egads!)

And oh yeah, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I was like DuneLaker's family - live down here, go to school in Freeport. I got used to distance, but very glad we now have K-12 on the south side.

It almost didn't happen...

momof2kids · 03-20-2009, 11:05 AM

ShallowsNole - thanks so much!!! I can envision myself driving out to the new school, but just the thought of it makes me cringe... I have to stop thinking of it as I still have some time and many things could change between now & then.

My son did go to Bay for Kindergarten; I hated the drive for that also - but loved the school. So - I will be driving to the school that is best for him - no matter where it's at. That's what it all comes down to; whether it's DMS or ECMS.

Thanks again for the kind words!

ItzKatzTime · 03-20-2009, 11:54 AM

Hi momof2kids! Love our girl scout cookies! Thanks again for delivering them to us!!!!

Even though the ride is 25 miles it will be worth it to keep them with their peers and in a sowal school. I know I would have driven 50 miles to keep mine in South Walton. It's just a different world for them if they've been at Bay and Butler. Possibly their is someone who could car pool with you. A mother of one of my daughter's friends drives her from Emerald Lakes.

Maybe this could work for you. Good luck with your choice.

mdd88jd · 03-25-2009, 10:39 AM

Thanks guys. I will finally see my dream of K12 education acroos the Bay in first class facilities before I get off the board. Just 13 years ago, all we had across the bay was Bay Elementary. We have come a long way. I know we will get criticism for building during this budget crisis, but, we have the money for the construction, which we cannot use for salaries and it will not get any cheaper to build than now. I was not particularly with the location and costs of the land, but, it was the best we could get. Thanks again guys for the kind words.

jdarg · 03-25-2009, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdd88jd

Thanks guys. I will finally see my dream of K12 education acroos the Bay in first class facilities before I get off the board. Just 13 years ago, all we had across the bay was Bay Elementary. We have come a long way. I know we will get criticism for building during this budget crisis, but, we have the money for the construction, which we cannot use for salaries and it will not get any cheaper to build than now. I was not particularly with the location and costs of the land, but, it was the best we could get. Thanks again guys for the kind words.

Thanks for explaining how the money works- I don't think a lot of people "get" that it can't be used for just anything.

And thanks for appreciating our educational needs down here!

I am sure you have heard that we are pretty full at SWHS- maybe we can get Extreme Home Makeover to put an addition on....

SGB · 03-25-2009, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdd88jd

Thanks guys. I will finally see my dream of K12 education acroos the Bay in first class facilities before I get off the board. Just 13 years ago, all we had across the bay was Bay Elementary. We have come a long way. I know we will get criticism for building during this budget crisis, but, we have the money for the construction, which we cannot use for salaries and it will not get any cheaper to build than now. I was not particularly with the location and costs of the land, but, it was the best we could get. Thanks again guys for the kind words.

There might be a budget crisis, but building the middle school will give much needed jobs to people in the construction business and I'm sure the school will be filled when it's completed.

kurt · 03-27-2009, 07:29 AM

Walton green-lights new middle school | school, new, middle - News - Northwest Florida Daily News

Quote:

The Walton County School Board has agreed to move forward with construction of a new Emerald Coast Middle School, an undertaking that would take two years and $24 million.

Board members voted at last week's meeting to move forward with the timeline, which begins in mid-April with advertising for bids. If all goes as planned, a contract will be awarded in mid-July.

Construction on the site - located in the Point Washington area off U.S. Highway 98 - would begin in September, and the new school would be ready by 2011.

Facilities coordinator Mark Gardner explained that Butler Elementary would take over the classrooms at the old middle school, meaning there would be two elementary schools in South Walton.

During the meeting, Elliott, Marshall & Innes, an architectural firm out of Tallahassee, "presented some demographic data (from the Department of Education) that showed continual growth through that area through the next five years," Gardner said.

According to statistics provided by the Florida Department of Education, there are 6,799 students enrolled in pre-kindergarten to 12th grade in Walton County this year. That number is projected to go up by about 700 by the 2010-11 school year.

The current middle school shares a campus with the elementary school, which already is overpopulated and contains about half a dozen portable classrooms between the two schools. The campus also lacks a media center and gymnasium.

The board presentation also included a site plan and floor plans showing the layouts of the classrooms and assorted buildings on the 40-acre tract.

The new middle school would be able to accommodate up to 800 students and would include a track area, a football and soccer field and a baseball and softball field.

"We're trying to provide the same services that we provide at other schools in the county," he added. But the board could stop the plans if the funding and needs requirements are not met.

Gardner said a couple things could "trigger a slowdown in the process," including bids from contractors that are much higher than the district has budgeted for, and fewer-than-expected students enrolling in South Walton schools.

But the influx of students is expected to continue, he said, especially with the anticipated regional impact of the new Bay County International Airport.

Although the number of Walton students is projected to increase, "it's important to take into account that statewide, student enrollment has dropped," possibly by up to 30,000 students, said Erin Geraghty, the director of communications for the DOE.

According to DOE statistics, about 2,614,000 students are enrolled statewide in pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. That number is projected to drop by almost 12,000 by 2010-11.

jdarg · 03-27-2009, 07:37 AM

From the article:

Facilities coordinator Mark Gardner explained that Butler Elementary would take over the classrooms at the old middle school, meaning there would be two elementary schools in South Walton.

I am sure this was a misquote- I have a feeling Mr. Gardner knows that there are already 2 public elementary schools in SoWal.

"We're trying to provide the same services that we provide at other schools in the county," he added. But the board could stop the plans if the funding and needs requirements are not met.

Thanks!

Chickpea · 03-28-2009, 05:16 PM

Where exactly in the point washington area would this school be?
Thanks

Susan Horn · 03-30-2009, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chickpea

Where exactly in the point washington area would this school be?
Thanks

I think it's somewhere in the general area of the Morgans' and Barretts' property, on the north side of 98. I've seen it on a map but can't remember exact location. West of CI, I think.

SWGB · 08-25-2009, 12:00 AM

Just across from the Regional Utilities World there is a small sliver on the north side of 98 that opens to a huge area being cleared. I looked on the PA's website and it's either privately held land or school board land. Anybody know what's up?

John R · 08-25-2009, 02:01 AM

middle school is what the sign says.

kurt · 08-25-2009, 07:25 AM

It is 40 acres being clear cut for Emerald Coast Middle School. Right now there is a buffer between the highway and the clear cut area which I hope remains.

I would be impressed and thankful if some nice trees were being spared to shade and enhance the new school.

This view shows mostly the entry road, which is a few acres. The majority of the land being clear cut is beyond.

30abob · 08-25-2009, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kurt

I would be impressed and thankful if some nice trees were being spared to shade and enhance the new school.

I looked at the plans when the project was advertised for bid... the landscaping drawing called for lots of trees to be planted. Of course it will be years before they mature enough to provide any meaningful shade.

The trees are one of my favorite features at Bay Elementary where my son is in the 2nd grade. It's a shame that there weren't any mature trees that were "deemed" to be worthy of sparing at the new middle school site.

DuneLaker · 08-25-2009, 08:44 AM

Ditto on sparing some of the trees. With new plantings there won't be much needful shade to talk of for many years. Oaks and palmettos have such old, tough root systems. Too bad more can't be left to provide a more stable land base and abate erosion during storms. Were there not any magnolia trees worth saving? Native landscaping and little to no irrigation would save money in the long run. It will be great to have the school. South Walton is growing and children are certainly filling up the schools.