SUMMERFIELD, FL (352today.com) – On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, Marion County Public Schools held a ceremonial groundbreaking that was originally to be conducted at the construction site for the new Lake Weir Middle School–685 Oak Road, Ocala–but was moved indoors because of inclement weather and held at the existing school.
The institution has appeared at the top of the list of the district’s middle schools that needed replacement since as far back as 2009, said Dr. Danielle Brewer, MCPS superintendent. The current complex was built in 1954.
“The district said that the current campus needed $32 million in improvements,” said Brewer. “Those improvements were part of the board’s five-year capital plan, but they were not funded. The district decided to hold off on the improvements and instead expand a new facility that would be modernized and energy efficient.”
The average age of buildings on the campus is 53 years old, with two of the buildings being 72 years old, said Brewer.
“The school board acquired 30-acres for a replacement middle school about 15 years ago and obtained a special use permit from the county to allow a school to be built on the site,” said Brewer. “The Marion County School Board approved the guaranteed $63 million price tag in October of last year, and the site work started back in February of this year. This new campus will also feature an outdoor track and field facilities, along with playing fields for baseball, softball, soccer and basketball courts.”
The project ran into an obstacle, in the form of protected gopher tortoises, which had to be relocated. Sand skinks had also been residents of the site property, and as they were a threatened species, the school district had to wait for a special federal permit, which was approved April 1, 2026, by the State of Florida, and facilitated the moving of the reptiles.
The new school will be completed in Aug. 2027 in time for the new school year, said Brewer. It will also be reinforced and serve as a storm/hurricane shelter for the southeast Marion County and the surrounding areas.
Brewer thanked Congressman Randy Fine (R-FL), his staff, Jason, Stephen, Charlie and Anna, as well as the offices of Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Ashley Moody (R-FL) for their roles in helping to facilitate the process.
“This is a fantastic day for Marion County public schools, and you (U.S. Rep. Fine) are a big part of our celebration today,” said Brewer.
Skanska is the construction firm building the replacement school that is being constructed on a greenfield parcel, the three-story, 141,000-square-foot facility will accommodate more than 1,400 students once completed.
The school will have 43 modern classrooms, nine science labs, two art studios, programs for construction, logistics, agriculture and culinary arts, said Dr. Sarah James, Marion County Public School Board chair. There will be dedicated areas for band, chorus, a state-of-the-art gymnasium, fitness center, cafeteria and an auditorium.
“We are eternally grateful for the opportunity to be able to move forward on this project,” said James.
U.S. Rep. Fine was introduced by State Representative Ryan Chamberlin (R-Dist. 24), stating that the area is certainly proud that the congressman had taken an interest in being present at the event and supporting what is being done in the community.
This was the second time since being elected that U.S. Rep. Randy Fine had the opportunity to go to a Marion County School. Fine served for eight years in the State House and for about three minutes in the State Senate, before announcing his candidacy for Congress.
It was Fine who introduced the bill for a moment of silence in the Florida legislature, so the students would have time to reflect on what’s meaningful, whether it’s talking to God or thinking about the day. He also congratulated Dr. Brewer on being named the new full-time school district superintendent and recognized the leadership for their commitment to Marion County public schools.
The purpose of education isn’t putting a piece of paper in someone’s hand, said Fine. The purpose of an education is to make certain you can go out and be a participating member of society. For some students that will mean going onto a four-year university, but many others might follow a different path.
“As I often say, you make a lot more money as a plumber than you do as a philosopher,” said Fine. “I want to talk about the work of my team, we’re proud of what we did to help make the day possible.”
A few months ago, Fine’s office received a call, and they were told an important school couldn’t be built due to the presence of a species protected by the Federal government. But he and his staff were among those who worked through the bureaucracy to make certain the school’s opening would take place in Aug. 2027, and a few weeks later, they were able to make things happen, demonstrating the importance of what a U.S. Congressman can do for his constituents.
“It’s fun for me to go on TV and talk about the big issues of the day and all of the controversy that goes on in Washington,” said Fine. “But what most people don’t pay attention to is that most of the work that we do, and that’s picking up the phone to a government agency, and say, ‘you’ve had this request to deal with these little lizards for a year, we need for you to move that, find it on your desk, pull it to the top and deal with it.'”
A couple of weeks later, they we able to get the necessary permit approved, said Fine. It speaks to the importance of what’s done in Washington D.C.–not just the big things, it’s actually the little stuff that affects how people live, he said.
“We just received a request for $2.7 million in federal funding, funding for a new early learning facility right here on this campus,” said Fine, who sits on the Education and Workforce Committee, which was one of his requests. “The goal is to expand voluntary pre-kindergarten. That’s a program for 4-year-olds. Some of you guys may have done it. You don’t have to do it. Florida is one of the few states in the country that offers voluntary pre-kindergarten for anyone who wants to go. That doesn’t always mean that there are places for people to go, or good places for them to go. With this $2.7 million, it will help establish a new early learning center here. I can’t guarantee it. Washington’s a crazy place. But I did bring back almost $20 million to the district in my first 12 months, which is a pretty big deal, given that I showed up in the middle of the game. I got elected April 1 (2025).”
Fine decided to run for office in 2015 because of education. He grew up in Kentucky, the son of a public university professor and middle school teacher. He started his first business at age 19, built three successful businesses and was able to retire at age 40 because of the education he received. America is a place where you can become a congressman, leave home and go out of state for college, build businesses, and end up in Congress 35 years later, he said.
“Education is what makes America, America,” said Fine. “In America, we don’t measure you by where you start, we measure you by where you end. No country in the world, not one, gives more mobility for people.”