District leaders unveil ‘aggressive’ plan to build 5 new Manatee County schools by 2027

In a new plan that Superintendent Jason Wysong called “aggressive and exciting,” the School District of Manatee County plans to build five schools by 2027.

By opening several new campuses over the next three years, district leaders say the goal is to relieve overcrowded schools and keep up with rapid development in the eastern part of the county.

At a School Board workshop, district officials shared their plan to open a K-8 and a middle school in August 2025, two elementary schools in August 2026 and a high school in August 2027.

The school district plans to build its first K-8 school from the ground up.

Wysong said K-8 schools are popular among families who want to have more of their children on the same campus and who want to make the transition from elementary to middle school easier.

The new school, which does not have a name yet, will sit east of Uihlein Road near State Road 64.

“We have two campuses that are overcrowded, but families want to be there because the culture at both Gullett and Harvey is so strong,” Wysong said.

The K-8 campus will have a two-story elementary school, a one-story middle school and enough space for 1,620 students. District officials said the new school will help lower enrollment at Gullett Elementary.

The district plans to open the elementary school in August 2025 and the middle school in August 2026.

Priority will go to students who attend Gullett Elementary, who were reassigned to Freedom, McNeal or Braden River or who live near the new school.

The district picked Gullett Elementary principal Todd Richardson to lead the K-8 school. Richardson pointed out that Gullett Elementary grew from 800 students to 1,400 over the last eight years.

“This school is going to be unique in that when these kids come in at age 4, I’ll be able to work with them and our staff until they’re 14,” Richardson said. “That’s a tremendous opportunity for us to make a great impact for kids and their families.”

Manatee plans to turn elementary into K-8

The district plans to create another K-8 campus by expanding Harvey Elementary.

The new school, which will keep the Harvey name, will sit west of Fort Hamer Road near Moccasin Wallow Road.

The K-8 school will have a pre-K to 3rd grade campus, a 4th grade to 8th grade campus and enough space for 1,268 students. District officials said the new school will help lower enrollment at Harvey Elementary and Buffalo Creek Middle.

The district plans to open the 4-8 campus in August 2025. The new school will start with fourth, fifth and sixth grades and add seventh and eighth grades a year later.

Hayley Rio, Harvey Elementary’s principal, will continue to lead the expanded K-8 campus, district officials say. Rio said she wanted to expand Harvey Elementary because it was less disruptive to students. District officials first kicked around an idea to move fourth and fifth graders to another campus.

“It was initially this big disturbance to the community and now this new concept has really turned it into a unique blessing for us and an exciting adventure,” Rio said.

Manatee plans to draw new school boundaries

The district also plans to change school boundaries for the 2026-27 school year.

School Board member Mary Foreman said it is important for families who want their children to go to the new schools to know what to expect.

“Moving kids from school to school is not easy,” Foreman said. “It’s hard on the family. It’s very hard on the child.”

School Board member Cindy Spray said the district’s plan should solve the problem of overcrowded schools.

“I think that the whole region needs to understand that we’re trying to keep up with the pace of what’s being developed out that way,” Spray said.

This story was originally published September 23, 2024 at 5:50 AM.