School board authorizes staff to pursue planning for new Yulee elementary, Callahan replacement and Fernandina Beach Middle renovation

The school board voted to authorize the superintendent and district staff to move forward with planning, funding and development for multiple capital projects, including a new elementary in Yulee, replacement of Callahan Elementary and renovation of Fernandina Beach Middle School.

Superintendent Doctor Burns presented the recommendation and asked the board to approve it as a single agenda item, explaining that the action would allow staff to pursue the planning and funding work necessary to prepare formal submissions to the Florida Department of Education. A board member seconded the motion and the board voted in favor.

As part of the discussion, architect Dean Scott reviewed conceptual site options and constraints. He noted the district owns a 30‑acre parcel along River Bluff Parkway that the district has discussed as a potential elementary site; the concept study shows an access road from a traffic circle, five ferry (stacking) lanes that can stack roughly 90 cars on site, and initial parking for approximately 112 vehicles in the proposed scheme. Scott said the site's "sweet spot" for elementary design is about 800 students and that the concept could be expanded or contracted to accommodate demand.

Board members raised concerns about traffic, shared access with proposed multifamily development and the timing of nearby builds. One board member recommended designing additional stacking now rather than retrofitting later, noting many housing units already approved in the county near the corridor.

Scott outlined a phased renovation approach for Fernandina Beach Middle School that would preserve mature trees in the front of campus while replacing or modernizing classroom buildings over multiple steps, and said each major building is typically a ~12‑month construction effort with several months of preconstruction work; the overall plan was characterized as roughly a five‑year effort.

Doctor Burns said staff will follow up with DOE (including a short memo describing requested changes to five‑year recommendations) and coordinate further proofing for Callahan site soils and environmental concerns. The board asked staff to return with a funding model from Ford & Associates and to present formal documents for board sign‑off before authorizing construction contracts.

The board also set follow‑up workshops and an executive session to discuss insurance and other details ahead of the next board meeting.