The possibility of razing Fort Myers Beach Elementary School has drawn a strong reaction from both the town of Fort Myers Beach and its chamber of commerce.
Part of the problem is a last-minute addition to the Lee County Schools’ board of education agenda Tuesday evening. Because a consultant’s report was received on Sunday, Deputy Superintendent Ken Savage proposed that its filing with the state Department of Education be added to the consent agenda for Tuesday. And it was.
The speed with which that item was added drew emotion and confusion.
The Castaldi Report alleges that it would be more cost effective to raze the buildings, collectively once known as the Beach School, rather than repairing them, confirmed school system spokesman Rob Spicker. But permission to do anything with the buildings still lies with the state and also would require additional permissions because they are included on the National Register of Historic Places.
Besides these hoops to jump, there is an interlocal agreement (ILA) inked following Hurricane Ian between the town and the board in effect. That includes a phased rebuilding plan, a cafeteria building, and provisions for expanding capacity as enrollment grows. But the town and chamber are concerned that despite the ILA, razing the buildings seems inevitable due to the Castaldi Report’s contents.
According to a resolution released by the Fort Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, “The last-minute vote and lack of transparency violate the spirit and intent of the ILA, ignore years of community investment, and threaten student stability and educational continuity. Parents and students have already experienced disrupted learning, emotional distress, reduced enrollment, and instability in staffing due to the District’s actions and failure to communicate in a timely and transparent manner.”
The school was first closed after significant damage from Hurricane Ian in 2022 and reopened briefly in December 2023, only to be closed again after damage from the 2024 hurricanes. Former Fort Myers Beach Elementary School students are being bused to Heights Elementary in Fort Myers, although enrollment in the beach school has declined since the shut-down.
Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers has been vocal in his criticism of the school board’s lack of action to repair the school that is a source of pride in the community.
In a statement on Facebook Wednesday, Allers said, “We have maintained an open dialogue with LCSD and provided multiple viable options, despite Dr. Savage’s claim that this is the only option. That is categorically false. There are several paths forward, yet they continue to pursue just one: destruction and dismantling.”
A letter from Town Manager William McKannay on Wednesday to Superintendent Denise Carlin and the board expressed the same concerns.
A mediation session about the ILA between the town of Fort Myers Beach and the school system is scheduled for Nov. 5 at the Fort Myers Beach Town Hall.
