The last day for students and staff at Franklin Park Elementary School was Wednesday, Dec. 21. The campus is scheduled to be demolished and rebuilt in 2023 and 2024.

When students return from Winter Break on Tuesday, Jan. 10, they will attend classes in a temporary campus established for them at 1320 Marsh Ave., in Fort Myers. Portable classrooms, office space, restrooms, a kitchen and a cafeteria have been set up across the street from James Stephens Elementary.

Franklin Park has a rich history in the Dunbar community. It opened as an all-black school in 1958 and was converted into a middle school in 1970 and integrated. In 1977, Franklin Park was renovated and returned to an elementary school.

The rebuild of Franklin Park, pending state approval at the time, was one of the promises the District made to voters if the half-cent sales tax was approved in 2018. All but one classroom building and the gymnasium will be torn down and replaced. Both remaining structures will be thoroughly renovated.

The new Franklin Park Elementary School will open in August 2024 with 579 student stations for kindergarten through 5th grade and a 100 student capacity Pre-K building. It will also become the District’s first true community school.

The United Way, Lee Health, FGCU and other partners will be incorporated into the campus to provide community wrap-around services on site.

Franklin Park Elementary School is at 2323 Ford St. in Fort Myers.