CLERMONT – The Lincoln Park Education Center held a ribbon-cutting ceremony last week to celebrate the completion of Phase 1 of construction. The school, which opened to students this fall, is located on the site of the former Clermont Elementary School, which closed in 2023.

Phase 1 includes offices, classrooms, and dining space for the school, which offers flexible-day high school programs, giving students the opportunity to work jobs to help their families while still working toward their academic goals.

“This is just a start of what this project will ultimately become,” said Lake County Schools Superintendent Diane Kornegay. “This all started as a three-pronged merger of ideas that came together, originated by Sharon Keys and the Lincoln Park South Lake Alliance. They came to me, the School Board and the Board of County Commissioners and said, ‘Lincoln Park has such a special place in this community, and we want to preserve this building. What can we do to ensure it remains a place of teaching and learning and a pillar of this community?’ ”

Decades ago, the Lincoln Park School operated on the same land where the Lincoln Park Education Center sits today. The old school served African American students when racial segregation was enforced by law. In 1970, with the implementation of racial integration, Lincoln Park School closed and the building was repurposed to house Clermont Middle School and later Clermont Elementary School.

The Lincoln Park South Lake Alliance offered suggestions for the property, while Lake Technical College mentioned their need for a presence in South Lake, and high school principals recognized a need for more flexible student options.

Collectively, in partnership with Lake-Sumter State College, a plan was developed for the new school. Today, it stands as the first non-traditional high school for Lake County and a unique model for the country, as it allows students to earn a high school diploma with a flexible schedule while also earning industry certifications and dual enrollment credits all in one location. The goal is to prepare students to enter the workforce in high-demand, high-wage jobs.

“At Lake Tech, we are excited that last year we received a $4 million grant from the state of Florida to begin our Phase 1, which is Phase 2 of the total project,” said DeAnna Thomas, executive director at Lake Technical College. “It will involve the former gymnasium, which will be converted into an innovative learning lab space for HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) Technology and Electrician. It will consist of three labs, four classrooms, break room space and some restrooms. So Lake Tech will be self-contained in that area.”

More development will come later, Thomas said, with additional parking, the use of more space throughout the campus, and multiple partners, including Career Source Central Florida. The end result will be a “place of synergy,” she said, with academic, workforce and community based programs.

“It’s just so bizarre to think that just 10 years ago we were thinking about tearing down this school, and who knows what it would have become,” said School Board member Marc Dodd, who represents the communities around Lincoln Park. “This vision came forward with innovative ideas that brought us to where we are today. I’m just so excited that not only will students get a deeper level of support in a smaller setting, but also be able to take advantage of so many advanced opportunities.”