The expansion of Oak View Middle School in Newberry into a Pre-K-8 campus continues to draw discussion amongst local leaders.  

Oak View, which currently serves fifth through eighth grade, is set to expand into a Pre-K-8 campus this fall under a right-sizing plan approved by the School Board of Alachua County (SBAC) in March. 

Right-sizing was an important part of Alachua County Public Schools’ (ACPS) “Our Schools – Future Ready” planning initiative, which launched in November 2025 to address key issues such as enrollment and school capacity, transportation and educational programs. 

As part of the right-sizing plan, which also includes new school attendance boundaries for all elementary, middle and high schools, Oak View will take in most of the students in the current Newberry Elementary School (NES) zone, according to a March 13 ACPS press release. NES is converting to an independently operated charter school this fall, requiring ACPS “to provide a traditional public-school option for families in the area.”  

To accommodate the increase in students, the release said that “modular buildings used to house students during previous facilities projects will be moved to the Oak View campus this summer, and plans will be developed for a new elementary building at the site.” 

Jackie Johnson, a spokesperson for ACPS, previously told Mainstreet that the projected timeline for completion of the new Pre-K-4 elementary school is fall 2028, with “layout and location to be determined.” Until then, these students will be served in the modulars.  

ACPS currently expects to accommodate 200 Pre-K-4 students in the modular buildings for the first day of school on Aug. 10. The facilities can hold up to 406 students to accommodate future growth. 

According to ACPS’s website, the modulars “will include separate spaces for classrooms,” an arts/music/media center, warming kitchen/dining area and several playgrounds. There will also be a separate drop-off/pick-up area for elementary school families. 

City of Newberry Mayor Tim Marden sent a letter to the SBAC and interim Superintendent Kamela Patton on April 29, requesting clarification and/or information on several items related to the Oak View expansion. This included a traffic impact study for SW Fourth Avenue and public utility connections. Traffic is a concern that has already been shared by city officials in Newberry. 

In the letter, which Marden shared on his Facebook account on Friday, he warned that there should be “no expectation by the District of readiness for use” of the added buildings at Oak View for the fall semester “without proper documentation, applications, and approvals in order and filled” with the city. 

Patton issued a response to Marden on Friday. In her letter, which was shared by Johnson, she references Florida law, which allows school districts to place temporary portable classrooms to existing school campuses without local government approval.  

Marden addressed this comment from Patton in an interview with Mainstreet on Friday afternoon. 

“I’m sure that it’s true that they [ACPS] do have certain latitude, according to that statute [1013.33],” he said. “But I think that latitude only pertains to their physical footprint on the property. I doubt that that statute speaks to utility connections.” 

Regarding utilities, ACPS said project representatives started communicating with Newberry staff and the Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) in late February in preparation for adding the temporary modular buildings. This included utility, traffic and stormwater management infrastructure.  

In her letter, Patton also addressed Newberry’s request for a traffic study on SW Fourth Avenue.  

“Per our licensed professionals, the traffic projections between existing traffic conditions and the traffic conditions caused by our portable classroom facilities do not warrant a full traffic impact study,” she said.  

Patton said ACPS has, however, requested that Newberry conduct a study to determine hazardous walking conditions within two miles of Oak View.  

“These studies identify conditions that may be hazardous along student walking routes,” Patton said. “Bear in mind, the two-mile walk zone encompasses for more than just the street adjacent to the school.” 

ACPS said it will continue to work with Newberry staff on the Oak View expansion. Marden told Mainstreet that the city is also willing to collaborate with the district, as long as they follow proper procedures and submit all required documentation.  

Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.