Lee County schools is overseeing several changes in infrastructure as it starts a new school year. Lee Schools Superintendent Christopher Bernier describes some new schools in the eastern part of Lee County that were financed by a half-penny sales tax in the district:
“We're very excited about the new schools opening out in the East zone, providing us the seats that we so desperately need out in the east zone,” said Bernier. “It's just an incredible opportunity. And thanks so much to the taxpayers of this school district for the halfpenny sales. Amanacer Elementary, the redo of the former LAMS, now known as Lemuel Teal, the additional seats at the new LAMS, that's not possible without the voters and the help and support of this community. So we do want to say thank you.”
The LAMS Dr. Bernier refers to is Lehigh AcresLeeSchoolsBuildings MIddle School.
In terms of recovery from Hurricane Ian, Bernier says, there is still work to be done.
“We still have Fort Myers Beach, not back in their school building,” said Bernier. “We still have Hector Caferatta, back on the backside of the technical center in a set of portables and those children both deserve an opportunity. Fort Myers Beach, moving forward, we've signed paperwork with our contractor, our contractor is doing its due diligence, and we believe work will start very, very soon. It's still with the goal of its students getting back to their school building the small amount of students getting back to their school building this fall. Hector’s going to be a little bit longer build, but we've identified a piece of property that we own out in Cape Coral, and we'll be building a brand new K-8, so Hector will not only have room just for its elementary students, but it will give parents an opportunity to potentially stay and to finish out their sixth, seventh and eighth grade years in the same building. So we're excited about that opportunity as well.”
