As the school year ends in Pinellas County, Melrose Elementary students and faculty look ahead to a new beginning with a groundbreaking for a new school.

  • Melrose Elementary a 'failing school'
  • New 75,000 sq. ft. campus will be 'state-of-the-art'
  • New campus to open September 2019
  • Click HERE to see renderings of the new campus's classrooms, features

Principal Nikita Reed, who is wrapping up her first year with the failing school, told us she sees progress. Reed said a positive school culture and climate has been created at Melrose.

"That’s what I’m most proud of, that they understand and believe in themselves, that they build their self-efficacy about learning and I can do this and I can be engaged in my classroom," said Reed.

A new school campus can help build on that growth.

"That’s one of the things we pride ourselves on when you think about turning around a school is that culture and climate and a part of that is creating a conducive learning environment, attractive, a place where scholars want to come to school and taking pride in the beauty of their school,” said Reed. And it’s all for them."

This rendering courtesy of Williamson Dacar Associates shows the facade for the new Melrose Elementary Campus.

The new 75,0000 square foot Melrose Elementary will include a state-of-the art learning environment for more than 420 currently enrolled elementary students. The campus will include everything from 21st century classrooms to a community center.

"Where we can develop the whole child,” said Reed. “Where families can come to meetings and receive services as well, where we have the rooms in our university hall, where tutors and volunteers can come in and work with our scholars,” said Reed. “I’m most proud of the community center that’s going to be within our school, so wrap-around services where our school will be open seven days a week."

Construction on the school is expected to be finished by September 2019.