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A $53.8M Orlando Gifted Academy is rising near Mills 50: inside the new OCPS campus. Orange County Public Schools is rebuilding one of its most distinctive magnet programs from the ground up. With the design now finished, the new Orlando Gifted Academy will trade 1947-era classrooms for a modern 100,000-square-foot campus on Fern Creek Avenue, with construction set to begin in January 2027. The Jared Jones Team is tracking the $53.8M Orlando Gifted Academy rebuild near Orlando's Mills 50 district. What to Know The Orlando Gifted Academy project in brief. A full rebuild of the district's only stand-alone magnet school for gifted students, on a nine-acre site minutes from downtown Orlando. $53.8 million rebuild. A new Orange County Public Schools campus for the Orlando Gifted Academy magnet program, near Mills 50 at 1121 N. Fern Creek Avenue. 100,000 square feet. A new building replaces several older structures on the nine-acre site, some dating to 1947, when it opened as Fern Creek Elementary. Opens fall 2028. Demolition wraps by mid-October, construction begins January 2027, and Pirtle Construction is targeting a fall 2028 opening. The new Orlando Gifted Academy is a $53.8 million Orange County Public Schools project near Mills 50 in Orlando. Architecture firm Schenkel Shultz has finished the design for a 100,000-square-foot campus at 1121 N. Fern Creek Avenue, replacing buildings that date to 1947. Construction begins in January 2027, with the school set to open in fall 2028. Winter Park-based Schenkel Shultz announced on September 14 that it had completed the design, clearing the way for construction. As reported by the Orlando Business Journal, the project replaces several aging buildings with a single modern campus for the district's gifted magnet program, which serves students in grades two through eight from across Orange County. It joins a wave of campus construction reshaping Central Florida as districts and private schools race to modernize. What is being built near Mills 50? The centerpiece is a new 100,000-square-foot building on the school's nine-acre site in the Colonialtown North neighborhood, just off the Mills 50 district. It replaces several older structures, some of which opened in 1947 as Fern Creek Elementary. The Orlando Gifted Academy itself debuted in 2018 as the district's magnet school for intellectually gifted students, taking applications district-wide. Pirtle Construction is the general contractor, and the replacement school is designed as a two-story campus for roughly 800 students, targeting a Three Green Globes sustainability certification. What will the new campus include? Schenkel Shultz designed the campus around how gifted students actually learn. The plan centers on grade-level "STEM hubs" that group hands-on, interdisciplinary work together, with specialized science, technology and language-arts labs woven throughout. Beyond the labs, the design adds a deep bench of arts spaces, including rooms for music, drumming, drawing, photography and performance, plus flexible, technology-rich areas that flex from individual study to large project-based collaboration. Outdoor gardens and learning spaces extend the campus beyond the classroom walls. When will the new Orlando Gifted Academy open? OCPS spokesman Michael Ollendorff said demolition of the old buildings is expected to finish by mid-October, with a public meeting to present the completed design set for November. Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2027, and the campus is expected to open in fall 2028. Until then, the Orlando Gifted Academy continues operating out of the former Orange Technical College campus in Winter Park at 901 W. Webster Avenue. Ollendorff said the school will remain at that temporary home through the 2027-2028 academic year. The new campus by the numbers. The figures frame a full public-school rebuild in one of Orlando's older core neighborhoods, replacing mid-century facilities with a purpose-built magnet campus. $53.8M total project cost for the replacement campus 100,000 square feet in the new building on a nine-acre site Jan 2027 construction start, following demolition this fall Fall 2028 targeted opening for the new campus A light real estate read on the project. For the Mills 50 and Colonialtown North area, an eight-figure school investment is a quiet vote of confidence. Districts rebuild where they expect families to stay, and a modern magnet campus in an established core neighborhood tends to lift the long-term appeal of the streets around it, from Colonialtown to the nearby Milk District. For buyers weighing where to land, it is one more reason to study how Orlando's neighborhoods compare before making a move. The wider backdrop is more nuanced. The district said it lost 7,600 students heading into this school year, more than expected, as voucher expansion and lower birth rates reshape enrollment, part of a broader shift in Florida school and housing rules this fall. Even so, OCPS still counts nearly 200,000 students across roughly 200 campuses, and it is choosing to invest here rather than pull back, which is the detail worth noticing for anyone tracking where Orlando is putting its money. "When a district invests eight figures in a magnet campus, it is telling you the surrounding neighborhoods are worth building for. Families notice that, and so do buyers." - Jared Jones, Jared Jones Team The takeaway. The completed design marks the point where the Orlando Gifted Academy rebuild stops being a plan and starts becoming a construction schedule. Demolition this fall, a public design meeting in November, and a January 2027 groundbreaking put a real timeline on a fall 2028 opening. For buyers and sellers watching Orlando's core neighborhoods, it is a reminder that public investment often signals where an area is headed. Mills 50 and Colonialtown are getting a brand-new, purpose-built school, and that kind of anchor tends to matter for years. Faq. Where is the new Orlando Gifted Academy being built? How much does the new Orlando Gifted Academy campus cost? When will the new campus open? What will the new Orlando Gifted Academy include? Where are Orlando Gifted Academy students during construction? External links & related reading. For readers who want to review the design team behind the new Orlando Gifted Academy, plus related Central Florida coverage, these are the key references. Watching Orlando's core neighborhoods? Development stories like this one say a lot about where an area is headed. When a move is on your radar, local context matters. The Jared Jones Team, brokered by eXp Realty, serves Winter Garden and the greater Orlando area. Call or text 407-706-5000. Jared Jones Team. Jared Jones is a Realtor with the Jared Jones Team, brokered by eXp Realty, serving Winter Garden and the greater Orlando / Central Florida area, with 20+ years of experience and roughly 4,000 homes sold. The team covers Orlando community stories, local growth, neighborhood updates and market insights across Central Florida. Office: 213 S Dillard St, Ste 320F, Winter Garden, FL 34787. Call or text 407-706-5000 or visit jaredjones.com. Original reporting for this story by the Orlando Business Journal.

Wekiva AFJROTC honors 25th anniversary of 9/11 at school flagpole. September 11, 2026 | 11:35 pm Key points. * Wekiva High School's AFJROTC held a ceremony on Sept. 11 to honor the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks at their school flagpole. * Retiring OCPS Superintendent Maria Vazquez praised the cadets for their honor, duty, and service during the event and previous high-profile performances. * The AFJROTC color guard presented flags and conducted a 13-fold flag ceremony. Wekiva High School's Air Force Junior ROTC commemorated the 25th anniversary of 9/11 at a Sept. 11 ceremony surrounding the school flagpole. "Today, 25 years later, leaders from Orange County Public School system, Apopka's mayor and Wekiva High administrative staff took a minute of their time to pay honor and respect to what happened to our nation 25 years ago, to pray for those that gave the ultimate price and be grateful for those that went forward into strange lands to defend America from any more attacks," said AFJROTC senior instructor and retired Col. Scott Stewart in an email to The Apopka Chief. At the ceremony, the school band performed the national anthem, and the AFJROTC color guard presented the flags of the United States, Florida, the Air Force and the Space Force. Retiring Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Maria Vazquez also shared remarks, noting her appreciation for the cadets' dedication and character. Become A member. The Apopka Chief does not have a paywall, but pavement-pounding journalism is not free. Join your neighbors who make this vital work possible. "Even though you did not experience this firsthand, I see the values born from that tragic day, and they are very much alive in our cadets," she said. "I see honor, duty and service in each one of you. That spirit is why keeping each other safe matters so much - by staying alert, looking out for your classmates, and taking care of our Mustang family every single day." Vazquez also commended the color guard's performances earlier this year. "On August 29, you represented our district on national TV at the Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero Sugar 400," she said. "After presenting the colors for the Orlando Magic, the mayor's office, and other high-profile events across our community, you stood before 100,000 people in the stands and four million watching live at home, carrying yourselves with absolute dignity and poise. NASCAR's officials told us you set a whole new standard of maturity and behavior for high school units nationwide. You made the U.S. Air Force, Wekiva High School, and OCPS very proud." Cadets Anthony Darwin and Rodosvaldo Muñoz III then conducted a 13-fold ceremony for the American flag before Cadet Col. Taaliyah Rivers presented it to Vazquez for her years of service in public education. "Wekiva High School's AFJROTC program represented our school with tremendous pride and excellence during today's 25th anniversary commemoration of 9/11," said Wekiva principal Anthony Russell in a text message to the Chief. "Their precision, discipline, professionalism, and attention to detail were absolutely superb. I am beyond proud of Colonel Stewart, Master Sergeant Corry, and our outstanding cadets for the leadership, dedication, and excellence they demonstrated today. They truly embodied what it means to be a Wekiva Mustang." * Sarah Merly Sarah Merly is an editorial assistant and reporter for The Apopka Chief. She joined the Chief in May 2025 after graduating from Patrick Henry College's journalism program in Washington, D.C., where she served as the layout editor for her school newspaper. In her spare time, Sarah loves serving her local church, visiting Disney, and throwing parties. Suggested articles. The Apopka Chief Trusted local news since 1923

Leaders of Dr. Phillips Charities share vision for a cultural campus in Eatonville. PUBLISHED 8:03 PM ET Aug. 12, 2026 Dr. Phillips Charities is a step closer to creating a cultural campus to boost Eatonville's economy. A citizens' task force recommends that Orange County commissioners should approve TDT money generated by tourists to help pay for the nonprofit group's proposed project. On Tuesday, top leaders of Dr. Phillips Charities shared their vision of a cultural campus with a history museum, retail and a place for festivals to boost Eatonville's tax base and build its economy. They are also discussing the pushback they have received from some residents. The Hungerford property next to Interstate 4 is the gateway to Eatonville. The Orange County School District, owner of the land, has already approved a deal to sell 85 acres to Dr. Phillips Charities. Renderings show how the nonprofit group wants to develop 10 acres into a cultural campus. Terry Prather, board chair for Dr. Phillips Charities, says the Eatonville Museum of Culture and History would be the centerpiece. "The museum is this catalytic project that will lead to many other investments that we intend to make supporting education, healthcare and just housing issues in the town in general," Prather said. Ken Robinson is the president and CEO of Dr. Phillips Charities. He says the charity has invested more than $270 million in Central Florida communities since the 1950s, and the Eatonville project continues that legacy. Robinson says the nonprofit will never earn a single penny in profits from this project. "It's an investment into the community," Robinson said. "We've committed 20 million. We'll donate the land inside of it." The Southern Poverty Law Center has filed a lawsuit, trying to stop the school district from selling the Hungerford Property to Dr. Phillips Charities. The SPLC is representing the Association to Preserve the Eatonville Community Inc. Last week, a judge refused to dismiss the lawsuit, which claims negotiations for the land deal were not transparent and did not do enough to include Eatonville residents in the process. Wanda Randolph serves on the Eatonville Town Council. She says the development of the Hungerford property will determine the town's economic future. "We have to get it right. It has to be right," she said. Randolph hopes the charity will build strong ties with council members and with residents. "They have to feel the hearts of the real people here in the community that live here, play here and actually attended the school," she said. Dr. Phillips Charities says it has a project advisory committee made up of residents with long ties to Eatonville, and the charity's team has held at least 15 meetings with residents. Prather says the charity will continue to collaborate with partners. "It's like building trust. You can build trust, but you have to keep working at it to maintain that trust," Prather says. Robinson adds that he believes the school district will prevail in the lawsuit against it, but he does not want to speculate too much. OCPS sent Spectrum News 13 a statement saying the district remains confident the lawsuit is without merit and will continue to vigorously defend its position in court. The Southern Poverty Law Center shared a statement with Spectrum News 13, saying they've asked the judge to end part of the lawsuit immediately, in their favor and without a full trial. They want the judge to officially declare the school board's sale of the Hungerford Property illegal before the court case moves forward.