ORLANDO, Fla. – Orange County Public Schools leaders faced questions Monday night from parents and neighbors over a plan to spend $75 million renovating the historic Cherokee School downtown, a proposal drawing criticism as the district also navigates school closures, budget cuts and staffing concerns.
The district recently closed seven schools and made $8.5 million in cuts, prompting some parents to question the timing and optics of a major capital project.
OCPS says the long-vacant, century-old Cherokee School would be transformed into a first-of-its-kind “launchpad for the next generation of creators.”
At this high school, which is set to be called the School of Arts & Entertainment at Cherokee, students will learn film, animation, sound and digital design.
“It’s a capital investment in an historic building that’s downtown that we think is going to bring some amazing opportunities for our students, both through the workforce and in the arts,” said Scott Howat, chief communications officer with OCPS.
According to OCPS, $51.5 million comes from capital funds, with a plan for an additional $25 million in private donor support. Dr. Phillips Charities has also committed $2.5 million to the project.
The district believes the renovations will draw students from within the district, and pull from outside as well, including charter, private and homeschool students.
Neighbors near the site say they are concerned about the school’s proposed scale and the potential impact on surrounding streets.
“It’s pretty upsetting that our tax dollars are going to a school that’s going to serve 500 students or less when there are multiple schools in the area being shut down that could potentially serve 2-3,000 students,” Adam Zywicki, who recently purchased a home across from the site, said.
Traffic is a key issue, according to residents who say neighborhood roads are too small to handle an influx of vehicles.
At Monday night’s event at Boone High School, leaders with the architecture firm Corgan, along with district officials, made a presentation and took questions from neighbors.
OCPS says current plans include 88 on-site parking spots, but locals argue that is not enough and are calling for additional traffic studies.
The district says it has already begun adjusting plans in response to feedback.
OCPS presented four traffic queuing options to the community on Monday and asked for input on how students would enter and exit campus.
OCPS also says its proposing operational changes intended to reduce congestion, including limiting the campus to 250 students at a time on alternating days, with a school day running noon to 6:30 p.m.
Howat said those changes were made “to try to address the concerns that the community has raised.”
Some parents also raised concerns about whether the district will be able to staff and operate a new program as the district faces broader budget pressures.
“If they’re not going to be able to operate it, and we’re going to get into the same issues that teachers and social workers at current schools are facing, have we just created a new problem at a very big expense to the taxpayers?” Brian Wilson, who lives nearby, said.
OCPS is expected to continue gathering community feedback as the project moves toward a planned August 2028 opening.
Howat said at least three additional public meetings similar to Monday’s are planned.
