Groundbreaking Set For New Ernest Ward, A.K. Suter

August 1, 2013

The Escambia County School Board has scheduled official groundbreaking ceremonies next week for Ernest Ward Middle School and A.K. Suter Elementary School.

The groundbreaking at Ernest Ward will be held on Thursday, August 8 at 9 a.m. at the school campus, 7650 Highway 97 in Walnut Hill. The A.K. Suter groundbreaking will be held at 1 p.m. on the same day at the school, 501 Pickens Avenue in Pensacola. The public is invited to both ceremonies.

Both schools are being rebuilt, Ernest Ward at a cost of about $16.5 million  and A.K. Suter at a cost of about $21 million. Both schools will remain open during the reconstruction process.

Both construction projects are being funded by half-cent sales tax monies.  It is anticipated that the new structure at A.K. Suter will be open for the 2014-2015 school year; Ernest Ward Middle School’s construction will take approximately two years for completion.

Pictured top: Demolition work has already started at Ernest Ward Middle School. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.

Comments

4 Responses to “Groundbreaking Set For New Ernest Ward, A.K. Suter”

  1. FL Girl on August 2nd, 2013 9:57 am

    I attended both of these schools! The old is nostalgic but I do understand the need for the new. Will miss seeing both of the old schools.

  2. Robert S. on August 1st, 2013 6:37 pm

    WOW….this is time for celebration at both schools.
    As much history as they have and as attached as the communities are to them they have well served their time as structures.
    New, upgraded, stronger and safer places for kids to attend and learn – how great is that?
    Read once of an old school much like these where the builder carefully removed and kept part of the old bird’s eye maple wooden flooring which was later reinstalled in the new building so there would always be a part of the old school there.
    Have joked many times wondering if AK Suter would one day have 3-story portables. Now they get a new school…..Great News.

  3. William on August 1st, 2013 5:52 pm

    >>>Since Earnest Ward will take two years to complete, where will the Earnest Ward students go to school at?

    In the current “main building”, current portables and a few rearranged portables. The current main building won’t come down until the new one is complete.

  4. Emily on August 1st, 2013 5:17 pm

    Since Earnest Ward will take two years to complete, where will the Earnest Ward students go to school at?