News Summary
The Fayette County Board of Education is set to host public forums on March 31 and April 1 to discuss the draft District Facility Plan. This plan includes proposals for new construction, renovations, and facility upgrades aimed at enhancing educational environments across the district. Key projects involve a new elementary school, a School for the Creative and Performing Arts, and various renovations of existing schools. Community feedback will be gathered during these public forums ahead of submission to the Kentucky Department of Education.
Lexington – The Fayette County Board of Education’s Local Planning Committee is set to discuss a draft District Facility Plan during public forums scheduled for March 31 and April 1. These meetings will provide an opportunity for community members to review and comment on the proposed plan before it is submitted to the Kentucky Department of Education.
The District Facility Plan outlines significant developments, including construction and renovation projects aimed at improving educational facilities across the district. Key proposals include the construction of a new 750-student elementary school on Polo Club Boulevard, estimated to cost $28.7 million, strategically located near the new Mary Britton Middle School. Additionally, a 450-student George Washington Carver Elementary School for Boys is being proposed, with an estimated cost of $18.7 million, which will involve the acquisition of a site.
Further changes include plans for a new 750-student Maxwell Spanish Immersion Elementary School, which will replace the existing Maxwell Elementary School, also estimated at $28.7 million. Another major initiative involves constructing a 650-student School for the Creative and Performing Arts (SCAPA) at Bluegrass, budgeted at $40.6 million, intended to replace the current facility on Lafayette Parkway.
Renovations are also on the agenda for several existing schools, including significant upgrades to Paul Laurence Dunbar and Lafayette high schools, as well as Beaumont and Southern middle schools. In addition, the Eastside Technical Center on Liberty Road is slated for repurposing into a district transportation administration building, while current career and technical education centers will consolidate at the renovated site on Midland Avenue.
In terms of athletic facilities, a new middle school athletic complex and upgrades to existing fields are estimated to cost approximately $8.5 million, although the exact location for these improvements has not been specified. Furthermore, plans include a new middle school in the Masterson Station area, projected to cost around $72 million.
For early childhood education, a new preschool center accommodating 90 children in north Lexington is proposed at an estimated cost of $6.7 million, though a specific location has yet to be determined. Additional projects in the plan encompass a new 1,000-seat performing arts auditorium at $7.5 million, a welcome and community education center at $7.3 million, and a district operations department building anticipated to cost $23 million—all without specified sites.
The public forums will commence at 5:30 p.m. on both days at the venue located at 128 Walton Avenue, with provisions for online access to facilitate broader participation. Following the conclusion of the second forum, the Local Planning Committee will conduct a regular meeting that is open to the public.
This undertaking reflects Fayette County Public Schools’ commitment to enhancing its infrastructure and providing superior educational environments for students. The outcomes of the public forums and subsequent discussions will shape the final District Facility Plan submitted for approval, which aims to address the current and future needs of schools in the area.
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Additional Resources
- Kentucky.com: District Facility Plan Discussion
- Wikipedia: Education in the United States
- News Examiner: Fayette County School Corp
- Google Search: Fayette County Public Schools
- Fox 56 News: Return to In-Person Instruction
- Google Scholar: Fayette County education
- Kentucky.com: Education Article
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Elementary Education
- Kentucky.com: Additional Education News
- Google News: Fayette County education news
