Notes from Charlotte County, Florida

"New" HOME OF THE EAGLES

Punta Gorda Middle School is Charlotte County Public School’s fourth completed hurricane replacement school. A total of six schools were destroyed in the aftermath of the August 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley. East Elementary School and the Charlotte High School are both in the process of being rebuilt. It is anticipated that children will occupy East Elementary School in November, 2008. Charlotte High School’s classroom phase, including the historic three-story, building, in scheduled to open in 2009. Additional Charlotte High School buildings will be occupied as they are completed, 2009, 2010. Baker Center opened on August 13, 2007, followed by Neil Armstrong Elementary, which opened on October 10, 2007, and Peace River Elementary, which opened on December 3, 2007.

Punta Gorda Middle School was destroyed on August 13^th, 2004 by Hurricane Charley. From August 23, 2004, until February 14, 2005, Punta Gorda Middle School students attended classes in a split shift arrangement on the campus of Murdock Middle School. Since February 2005, Punta Gorda Middle School students have attended classes in temporary modular buildings on the same campus grounds as the original Punta Gorda Middle School and had the opportunity to watch construction of their now completed new facility.

May 27, 2008 marks the opening of the newly completed Punta Gorda Middle School. The twenty acre site now houses the new three-story, 172,111 square foot replacement school designed by Harvard Jolly Architects and constructed by Ajax Building Corporation. School District, Insurance, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds, paid for the $37,580,474 newly constructed school. Students will be classes in the new school on August 19, 2008. Design, engineering, layout, technology, security and aesthetics make this an impressive facility by any measure and it will serve the community long into the future.   STATS/INFO: Cost $37,580,474, Classrooms/Labs 53, Total Seating 1198, Parking Spaces 153, Security Cameras both inside and out, Ground Breaking 10/11/06, Open House 05/27/08, Firsts day of use 08/19/08.