A recent property purchase will open up new opportunities for students and teachers at Ocean Studies Charter School.
The property, located at Key Largo’s former Church of the Nazarene and acquired on June 28, will give neighboring Ocean Studies’ students access to an art room and indoor gym in the upcoming school year, says principal Trisha Woods.
Formerly, the school lacked a dedicated art room, with the art teacher having to cart materials among the K-8 classrooms. Similarly, indoor athletic opportunities were limited.
“The indoor gym will give students the opportunity to learn to play additional sports and games that we didn’t have room for in the outdoor space we currently have,” Woods said.
After minor renovations over the summer, the former church will function as an extension of the main property. An expanded play area will also be built around the back of the building.
Other plans are in development concerning the future of the acquisition.
“In three to five years we plan to knock down the existing structure and build something that includes a full-size gym with some creative added classrooms,” Woods said. “We are so excited to have added this space to our school.”
Ocean Studies, located in Key Largo, is a free public charter school with a focus on marine science education. Beginning in 2021, it incorporated a middle school, and the new acquisition is one in a series of many new developments and changes the school has made over the past four years.
