Hendry County Schools officials said the district has state approval and a top ranking to receive special facilities funding to build a new high school in LaBelle, with a planned capacity of roughly 1,500 students and an expected opening in the 2027 school year.

Superintendent Mike Swindle said the district applied to the state facilities program about four years ago, received approval and a number-one ranking, and is now working through permitting, civil engineering and construction-manager selection. "We are already on schedule for our timeline to be having students there on school year 2027," Swindle said.

District staff said the new LaBelle High School will be built on a new Helms Road site and designed to serve as a community hub and a designated hurricane shelter. Officials described the facility as intended to meet the area’s long-term needs; district presenters noted some existing school buildings are decades old, with the newest roughly 26 years old and the oldest dating to the late 1960s.

Why it matters: The project will affect future school footprints, student matriculation patterns and long-term facilities planning while creating temporary construction and permitting tasks the district must manage.

Discussion vs. decision: Officials described completed application steps with the state and ongoing design and permitting work. No construction contracts or final site approvals were voted on at the meeting; staff said permitting and construction management are continuing.

Ending: Staff invited members of the public to view project renderings posted on-site and said updates will be provided as permitting and construction progress.