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Palatka’s Kelly Smith campus to be replaced; new pre-K–2 primary and intermediate campus planned
Summary
District officials say Kelly Smith Elementary will be demolished after the school year and replaced by a new pre-K–2 primary campus; students will shift to other schools while construction proceeds and an intermediate campus will serve grades 3–6.
JD Thompson, the district’s executive director of construction management, said the Kelly Smith site in Palatka will be torn down after the school year and rebuilt as a dedicated pre-K–2 primary campus. "When they come back August '27, we're gonna have a brand new pre k to school there," Thompson said.
Thompson described a two‑campus arrangement for Palatka: a primary for pre‑K–2 and a Palatka Intermediate School for grades 3–6 that will allow neighborhood students to attend a single campus for their early grades. He said much of the work must be staged around an occupied campus: "We're pouring pads and everything at night, trying to work around still let the playground be open and things like that."
The district said families will be notified of temporary student reassignments during construction and that logistics will include phased moves after the school year ends. Officials characterized the rebuild as intended to bring students together from scattered locations into more consistent neighborhood schooling while addressing aging facilities.
