Demolition begins at Fort Myers Beach Elementary

Author: Amy Galo Writer: Paul Dolan
Published: Updated:
Fort Myers Beach Elementary School. Credit: WINK News

Excavators were demolishing parts of Fort Myers Beach Elementary School on Wednesday. The machinery turned parts of the damaged school into rubble and moved them to dumpsters.

Hurricane Ian devastated the elementary school and put its future in serious jeopardy.

Regardless of what’s happening at the site, some parents and students said they’re always shocked.

Crews prepared to knock down part of the building, clear away debris and put a fence up. When the students showed up they were stunned.

“Destruction. Absolute destruction,” Fort Myers Beach Elementary student Gage said.

Demolition workers showed up with the excavators, construction trucks and other machinery, preparing to turn a section damaged by Hurricane Ian to smithereens.

“It was kinda devastating seeing all the trash and all this stuff on the baseball field right there,” Fort Myers Beach Elementary student Jake said.

“This is like heartbreaking to actually see this whole school being torn down,” Gage said.

These students feel at home at Fort Myers Beach Elementary.

For the next month, crews will be working on demolishing some of the school, but the historic ‘bones’ will stay, and that’s where the focus of the renovations will be geared toward.

“That’s mainly going to be renovated for a smaller population of kids, which we have now. And then as we grow our kids back, then we can build more buildings in the back too, you know, hopefully, have a healthy population,” John Koss, a parent to Fort Myers Beach Elementary student, said.

Students are expected to return to the school on November 13, and the student’s WINK News spoke with on Wednesday can’t wait.

Fort Myers Beach Elementary School’s reopening did come with several requirements. The school must increase enrollment to 150 students over the next four years. If it meets the enrollment goal, the school district of Lee County will continue to control the school. If not, the school could get shut down again.

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