Rotary Club Pays Visit to New School

When Apalachicola Rotary Club took an up-close and personal look at the new Franklin County Consolidated School building recently, their collective impression could be summed up in one word "Wow!"

Invited by the Franklin County School Board to tour the facility now under construction, Rotary members and their guests drove to the site, entered the building, and were treated to lunch prepared by Cheryl Creek, food production supervisor, and her culinary arts class.

"We are really happy about the new consolidated school," said School Superintendent Jo Ann Gander. "It's top quality, something everyone in Franklin County can be proud of for a long time." Construction of the K-12 school is on schedule and it is expected to be open for students when the next term begins in August.

There was a time when the word consolidated was scoffed at in Franklin County. People thought there was too much rivalry between Apalachicola, Carrabelle, and Eastpoint students. As the new building goes up, the new Seahawks pride is reflected among students, parents, teachers, and others in the county.

The new gymnasium is ready for business, said Jimmy Gander, School Board Chairman. "We'll graduate right here next year," he added, as Rotarians and guests admired the shiny new floor, the video cameras and announcing equipment at top center, fold-back bleachers, sound absorbers, with the new school colors, crimson, black, and silver prominent.

Pam Register, with Franklin County Emergency Management, asked about evacuation plans in the event of a hurricane. "We're working on a route on the east side up 67 and with the power company," said Jimmy Gander.

"The new library and communications center will be the finest in this part of Florida," bragged School Board member Denise Butler. She pointed to the check-out area and where computer banks are to be set up soon.

Apalachicola Rotary Club President James Miller thanked the superintendent and the school board for the tour. "When it came his turn to provide a Rotary program J. V. Gander couldn't have picked a better one," he said.

In the empty, new-smelling building it was easy to imagine crowds of students hurrying into the library, rushing up and down halls, bells ringing for classes when the new consolidated kindergarten through 12th grade school opens for the business of educating Franklin County students. - By Sue Cronkite