The Santa Rosa County (Florida) district is scheduled to break ground next week on a $103 million high school in Gulf Breeze.
The Pensacola News Journal reports that the school, known at this point as "Southend High School," is scheduled to open in 2026-27 with a capacity for 1,800 students.
Plans call for a three-story facility on 36-acre site with a collegiate-style appearance and an emphasis on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics). The three-story school will have 74 classrooms as well as CTE labs.
When complete, the new school could be the “flagship of Santa Rosa County,” according to Santa Rosa’s Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services Joey Harrell.
The new campus will relieve enrollment pressures at Navarre High School or Gulf Breeze High School, both of which have 2,000 or more students and depend on portable classrooms to accommodate all students.
The architect is DAG Architects.
The three-story school will have 74 classrooms, CTE labs, a gym, a sports fieldhouse, and athletic fields.
“We are delighted to begin construction on a new school in the Gulf Breeze/Midway community serving students from ninth through twelfth grade," Dr. Karen Barber, Superintendent for Santa Rosa County District Schools, said. "This will be our first new high school in almost 25 years and its modern layout and thoughtful design will provide new opportunities for our high school students.”
The school will serve 1,800 students.
Construction is expected to cost $110 million.
