April 13, 2023 – Right now, the plot of land adjacent to Chaffee Trail Elementary School is just dirt and grass.
But by August 2024, it will be a 125,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art middle school serving sixth-eighth grade students on Jacksonville’s fast-growing westside.
Funded by the half-penny sales tax, the new Chaffee Trail Middle School is the first middle school to be constructed in Jacksonville since 2008. It will feature 21st century learning spaces – including 26 studio classrooms for specialized learning – two athletic fields, and a track.
The Chaffee Trail school community gathered this week to officially break ground on the new school and celebrate its significance to the westside.
“This community is seeing such tremendous growth, and that growth is only projected to continue,” said Board Member Charlotte Joyce, who represents District 6. “Chaffee Trail Middle School allows us to capture that growth and maintain the capacity to provide exceptional educational experiences to our growing number of students.”
Joyce and other school district leaders noted that the new school is one of a handful of half-penny projects designed to address growth. Once built, the school will serve as a relief site to both Baldwin Middle-Senior High School and Charger Academy, with a capacity for approximately 1,000 students.
The budget for construction and design is approximately $56 million. The Gilbane Company was awarded the construction contract.
More information about the Chaffee Trail Middle School and other half-penny projects can be found on the district’s Half-Penny Website.
