Groundbreaking inaugurates new reality for charter school

The groundbreaking ceremony for the Marco Island Charter Middle School was held June 5 on the school site.

"This is an historical event," said Patricia Carroll, member of the District School Board of Collier County.

Carroll said that to her knowledge this was the only charter school being built by a public school district in the state.

The students are expected to attend class in the new buildings in August 2007, said Principal George Abounader. The students are currently attending class in portables.

The new charter school will have a two-story academic building and related arts building, which will be about 69,000 square feet. The $17.3 million building will accommodate about 450 students.

The design features for the new buildings will include Internet access in all classrooms and hurricane resistant construction. The building systems also exceed Florida energy code.

Abounader said that one-quarter of the charter school students don't live on Marco and that one student travels from Lehigh Acres to attend school here.

"(MICMS) had fantastic writing scores on the (Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test), teachers are unbelievable," said Jane Kiester.

"It's exciting, almost beyond exciting." Kiester said about the groundbreaking. She taught middle school for 31 years in Gainesville.

Members of the MICMS School Board and staff, the District School Board of Collier County and the district's administration donned their construction helmets and shoveled dirt to end the ceremony.

"We'll dream for the completion," Carroll said.