Groundbreaking alert! Starkey Ranch will soon be home to an innovative Pasco County kindergarten through 8th grade school right in the neighborhood. The new school, with gymnasium, playground, track, athletic fields and an exciting technical theater and library, will be located adjacent to Whitfield Park in a beautiful natural setting. 

The school groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for September 5th. Mike Gude, Director of Construction Services and Code Compliance for Pasco County Schools, says that construction is set to begin in October 2019 and our new K-8 will be open in August of 2021 for the 2021/22 school year.  

Mr. Gude was happy to share some highlights, “Like all new County schools, the Starkey Ranch K-8 will offer the latest innovative features and technology to support our STEM and Career & Technical Education (CTE) focus. We are doing our best to ensure the school design is flexible space-wise to accommodate the evolving Arts and Engineering curriculum. A digital design lab is being talked about and we’ll have great spaces for Family and Consumer Sciences. Plus, there will be a really innovative focus on the performing arts.”

An adjacent “technical theater” and library are also being built! At the theater, students can learn the basic technical aspects of running a real production and putting on performances. It will also be a wonderful venue for the K-8 drama, dance and music programs. “And remember,” Mike points out, “All of this is geared to K-8 students! It’s always all about the kids.”

Designed with a color palette compatible to Starkey Ranch and set against the natural Florida beauty of our community, we are sure our new K-8 will join the ranks of the top-rated schools our Starkey Ranch students currently attend. During non-school hours some facilities will be open for shared-use activities by Starkey Ranch and Pasco County.