The first newly built public school to open in the Parramore area in almost 50 years is set to open its doors at the beginning of this school year.
- ACE school is Parramore's 1st new school in almost half a century
- Facility will offer on-campus health and dental care
- Boys and Girls Club activities also will be offered
- BACK TO SCHOOL: Full coverage, including school year schedules, back-to-school pictures
The Academic Center for Excellence, or ACE, school is a community-partnership school for pre-K through eighth grades in Orlando's Parramore district. It has a number of unique services to offer the community: Along with school for children, the facility will also be a health clinic, a Boys and Girls Club, and adults will be able to use the school to earn GEDs.
"This is a wave of the future," said Bakari Burns, president and CEO of Orange Blossom Family Health on Wednesday.
Children at the school on West Amelia Street and North Parramore Avenue will be able to get health and dental care right on campus. Orange Blossom Family Health and Nemours Primary Care have partnered to providing the medical and dental care. That could help with lowering the number of missed days.
Also, when the school day is over, students will have a place to go that will be supervised by adults.
"What that will do is that will allow students to stay here after school and have a recreation opportunity right here," Orange County Public Schools spokeswoman Lauren Roth said.
"We expect ACE will be a hub in the Parramore community," she said.
Nearby resident Willie Mae Tyson, said she thinks the school is a blessing for the entire community.
"I think they will love it, because it is up to date," Tyson said. "Then it's going to be a Boys and Girls Club in there, so it's going to be pretty good for the kids."
The school's first day of classes is Monday, Aug. 14.