Justin Matthews Highlights Imagine School at North Port Expanding to Offer Middle School
Imagine School at North Port, a public charter school, is expanding its offerings to include middle school grades. This comes in response to the growing demand for alternative education options in the area.
Science teacher Kimberly Klein prepares her classroom for her students as principal Justin Matthews shows off the new gymnasium under construction in North Port.
Highlights:
- The new middle school wing is a 20,000-square-foot facility.
- It will house sixth, seventh, and eighth graders.
- The expansion frees up space in the existing building for additional programs and amenities, including an indoor basketball court.
- Imagine School is currently seeking approval to expand to ninth grade.
Reasons for the Expansion:
- Meeting the needs of the community: The expansion is a response to the growing student population in North Port and the demand for alternative education options.
- Providing a seamless educational experience: Imagine School aims to create a “contiguous K-12 feeling” by offering a full range of grade levels.
- Addressing overcrowding at North Port High School: The expansion will help alleviate overcrowding at the traditional public high school.
Current Status:
The middle school expansion is complete, and classes are starting this coming Monday.
The application for ninth-grade expansion is under review by the district committee.
Additional Information:
Imagine School at North Port is projected to receive more than $5 million in funding this year.
The school has long-term leases for its current space and is looking to build additional facilities in the future.
Overall, the expansion of Imagine School at North Port is a positive development for the community. It will provide students with more educational choices and help to alleviate overcrowding in traditional public schools.
“We’re in a very conducive market to build really nice facilities,” Justin Matthews said, noting that Imagine School at North Port is ultimately looking to “to create a contiguous K-12 feeling.”
A ribbon cutting for the middle school expansion is Expanding into the high scheduled for Thursday.
