March 2007 , Volume 18 Number 4
Community Paper
copyright ©2007 by Community Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.
LETTER FROM ANNE GEIGER, OCPS SCHOOL BOARD
Dear Edgewater High School Community,
Great news! At the last school board meeting (01/23/07), the architecture firm C.T. Hsu +Associates was approved by the school board for Edgewater High School's comprehensive renovation. Acquisition of additional land is underway while Mr. Hsu and his team begin design development. (Mr. Hsu's firm is also designing the renovations at Lee Middle School.) The team is very energized by the unique opportunities that this project presents.
According to the current 10-year capital plan, the estimated construction start date is 06/08 with an estimated completion date of 08/10. Some construction may begin before 06/08, and some may occur after 08/10 due to complex sitework, coordination with the City of Orlando, and the fact that Edgewater will remain a "live campus" throughout construction.
The campus will be substantially renovated, and the following new construction will be included: academic core, gymnasium, locker rooms, cafeteria, auditorium, and music suite. Additional parking and outdoor practice space will be provided, and, of course, the athletic stadium will remain a centerpiece of the campus! Edgewater will function much better than it does now in terms of circulation, access, and safety and continue to serve as an important community anchor. Most importantly, the campus will be state-of-the-art to provide maximum access to academic opportunities. Preliminary concepts informally presented by Mr. Anderson at the Edgewater Foundation's recent fundraiser were well received by those in attendance. Two important aspects of these concepts: the learning environment will be minimally disturbed during construction and convenient, safe public access will be provided to the stadium, gymnasium, and auditorium.
The Edgewater Foundation's High School Rebuilding Task Force has been involved in discussions with the school district's facilities staff and the school board over the last two and a half years. The group's focus on safe, efficient access and circulation, more outdoor practice space, and additional parking was very helpful.
A community meeting will be held this spring for presentation of a concept plan by the architectural team and facilities staff, and provide an opportunity for the school community and area citizens to ask questions and provide input. A series of regularly scheduled community meetings will allow further dialogue and input throughout the coming year as the concept plan is shaped into a final design. As soon as the architect is ready, the schedule of meetings will be shared with the Edgewater High School community, the College Park neighborhood, and feeder middle schools through e-mail, newsletters, school websites, and the Connect-Ed phone system.
Special thanks go to Principal Rob Anderson for his exceptional leadership and his ability to honor Edgewater's heritage while skillfully building an institution of 21st century learning for every student. As your District 6 School Board member, I thank everyone for your cooperation and look forward to this long-awaited process.
Congratulations to our students, teachers, coaches, and administrators for this year's many accomplishments! Undoubtedly, there are more to come. Parents, families, neighbors, business partners, PTSA, SAC, and the Edgewater Foundation-Thank you!- with your continued support,
Edgewater will achieve new heights in academics, athletics, and the arts. Reach for the moon and you will land among the stars!
Eagles........Soar!
Anne Geiger, OCPS School Board, District 6, Orange County Public Schools
445 West Amelia Street, Orlando, Florida 32804, office- 407-317-3236
