Highlands board hears mixed reaction to Lake Placid 6–12 consolidation proposal

The Highlands County School Board held a public workshop on Feb. 24 to discuss a proposal to combine Lake Placid Middle School and Lake Placid High School into a single 6–12 school and to outline next steps, including interim leadership arrangements.

District staff and outside presenters framed the proposal as a way to reduce transitions for students and expand academic and career options. Kevin Tooning, principal at Lake Placid High School, told the board the plan would “eliminate a transition between eighth grade and ninth grade” and allow staff to “build relationships from a 6–12 perspective.” He said the merged campus would be roughly 1,300 students combined and that administrators would be reallocated (one principal and additional assistant principals) rather than eliminate teaching positions.

The meeting included a 40-minute presentation from Craig Damon of the Florida High School Athletic Association on how combined schools handle athletics. Damon described two FHSAA models: a “type 1” combination that fields only high school teams (allowing sixth–eighth graders to play up) and a “type 2” model that preserves middle school teams while permitting eligible…