The Escambia County (Fla.) district has staged a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly rebuilt A.K. Suter Elementary School in East Pensacola Heights.
The Pulse reports that students began having classes in the new building last January while construction continued, so the grand opening was delayed until this week.
The project included removing the old school building, constructing a covered play area for physical education classes and activities, and installing a parking lot and driveway. The new building was erected on the same site that has housed Annie K. Suter Elementary since it opened in 1921.
The 108,000-square-foot facility accommodates 600 students; its core areas are designed for 800 students to allow for future growth.
“Seven years ago, there was a moment for A.K. Suter Elementary when it looked like the school might close due to declining enrollment,” Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said. “For generations to come, there will be students in East Pensacola that will have a great facility to come to where the most important thing that’s going to occur is learning, each and every day.”
