Today we celebrated the beginning of a new era at Southwest Middle.
Officials gathered to break ground on a modernization project that will essentially create a new campus for the school. The project will encompass more than 183,000 square feet of facilities, including a centrally located courtyard and new cafeteria. The new buildings will also be more energy efficient and have upgraded safety features.
The project is expected to be complete in February 2024, with the majority of the construction taking place on the property behind the existing school site. Students will continue to attend classes in the current buildings while the new campus is built.
Southwest Middle was founded in 1956 as a junior high school and became a middle school for grades 6-8 in 1992.
The $55 million modernization project is made possible by impact fees, as well as Polk County's half-cent sales tax, which was renewed by voters in 2018.
