Marion County voters face $52.5 million cost for single campus
The board approved merging two Belleview schools, forcing students to relocate for two years while a new facility is built.
By Chioma Kuznetsov ·
Marion County School Board members voted unanimously on November 12 to approve a $52.5 million project. The plan merges Belleview Elementary and Belleview-Santos Elementary into a single campus. This decision resolves a long-standing debate about how to house students from both schools.
The board has now set the framework for the physical consolidation. Construction will begin on the current Belleview Elementary property. District officials plan to demolish the existing school building to clear space for the new facility.
Superintendent Danielle Brewer outlined the scope of the work in a statement. The project includes site improvements and infrastructure upgrades. It also covers the demolition of old structures and renovations to buildings eight and nine. Additional covered walkways are part of the approved design.
Students and staff from Belleview Elementary will move to the Lake Weir Middle School campus after this school year ends. This temporary relocation will last until the new building is complete. The district expects to finish construction by July 2028. The new school is scheduled to open for the 2028-2029 academic year.
Rebecca Cooper, a parent at Belleview-Santos Elementary, expressed concern about the transition. She noted that her daughter is anxious about leaving her current friends. Cooper also raised issues regarding the scale of the new environment. She said it is hard to imagine a five-year-old starting kindergarten in a school with such a large student population.
The board will hold a workshop on November 19 to discuss potential rezoning changes. This meeting will cover how the merger affects students at the two schools and in other parts of Marion County.
