Duval County School Board members, administrators, students, parents and community members gathered today to celebrate the grand opening of Waterleaf Elementary School, #160, located at 450 Kernan Boulevard. This school will provide relief to Sabal Palm, Abess Park and Kernan Trail elementary schools.
Constructed by Mills-Gilbane, Inc. and designed by Bhide & Hall architectural firm, Waterleaf is a 98,000 square-foot facility on 16.5 acres that will accommodate more than 500 students. The design of this school was based on green building concepts to save energy and lower maintenance costs.
This new facility will provide students with state-of-the-art technology in an environment that supports learning. Waterleaf will provide ESE facilities, kindergarten play yards, covered play fields, and an 1/8 mile track. Also part of the new school campus is a library/media center, multipurpose room, high-tech stage and food-service seating for 350 students. The school layout includes room for future portables or another wing to be added if desired, and there is fully deployed information technology throughout the school.
“Waterleaf is a great addition to the area and will offer enormous benefits to the neighboring schools and incoming students,” said Superintendent Pratt-Dannals. “This school will provide our students with access to advanced learning resources that will allow them to excel in the classroom.”
For convenience and safety of the students, a walkway was built into the adjoining neighborhood so students can walk to school on a safe and secure path. The school district also partnered with the City of Jacksonville to expedite the widening of Kernan Boulevard in front of the school and to realign the signalized intersection at Matthew Ungar Road to ensure school safety.
Waterleaf opens with students in grades kindergarten through fifth, and will be led by Principal Marianne Simon. The school’s mascot is the wolf and its colors are blue and yellow. School Board member Martha Barrett will be the representative for Waterleaf Elementary
Duval County Public Schools operates 172 schools and serves approximately 123,000 students. The school district is committed to providing high quality educational opportunities that will inspire all students to acquire and use the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in a global economy, and culturally diverse world.
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