August 9, 2024
Villages Elementary Breaks Ground on New School Building to Replace Modular Units
By Kyle Coppola
Villages Elementary Breaks Ground on New School Building to Replace Modular Units
Lady Lake, Fla. — Villages Elementary School in Lady Lake has officially broken ground on a new school building, which will replace the existing modular units and provide a modern learning environment for students.
(Parents, faculty and students got a first look at the construction that has already started.)
The new facility is part of a broader effort to accommodate the growing population in the area and upgrade the school’s infrastructure. The construction project, which began last month, aims to enhance the educational experience for the elementary school’s students.
(The modular units are still in place for the remainder of this year but will be demolished at the end of the school year.)
School officials expressed excitement about the new building, emphasizing its importance in supporting the community’s educational needs. The project is expected to be completed by the start of the next school year.
Currently, many 3rd grade students will utilize the modular units for one final year before they are demolished. We spoke with 3rd grade teacher Mrs. O’sada, who said, “I have been teaching in these modular classrooms for 9 years. This was my first ever classroom assignment, so seeing it go will be emotional, but we are going to have a great final year!” she said cheerfully.
(This area of the school is where students used to go to the outdoor gym overhang. That has been demolished and fencing is now in place around the construction zone.)
Most of the staff I talked with yesterday understood there would be some changes this year. “Since the gym overhang has been demolished and construction is ongoing, we will utilize other parts of the school for gym class. It is possible the school courtyard and cafeteria could be used this year while construction is ongoing,” said an anonymous teacher.
(The old modular units at Villages Elementary have served for over 15 years and were added to help the increase in school capacity. A new permanent structure will take their place.)
The construction is expected to last a year. A new, renovated car line is also in the works to help alleviate traffic congestion on Rolling Acres Road during the school season.
Photo Credit – Kyle Coppola
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
