FWCS, Weigand Break Ground on Levan Scott Academy Addition
Students from Levan Scott Academy, 950 E. Fairfax Ave., helped break ground Wednesday, Sept. 14, on an addition that will double the size of their school.
Site work is now underway for the project that will add 19 new classrooms, a media center, cafeteria and support spaces for a total of 43,456 square feet. The school currently has just 15 classrooms in the building and four modular classrooms nearby. The modular classrooms will be removed when the project is complete in 2024.
“This addition allows Scott Academy to better serve the community, which is the fastest growing area in Fort Wayne Community Schools,” Superintendent Dr. Mark Daniel said. “This expansion will move the school from offering three sections of each grade K-5 to five sections at each grade. It will also add two pre-kindergarten classrooms and provides modern learning space for art, music and other special services.”
Weigand Construction Company serves as the Construction Manager as Constructor on the nearly $17 million project, which was part of the 2020 School Building Basic Renewal/Restoration and Safety Project approved by voters. In addition to the new building space, the project will add parking and a new parent pick-up lane to alleviate traffic congestion on neighboring streets.
Scott Academy opened in 1956 under the name Southern Heights Elementary School. The original cost of the building was $465,427. In 2000, the school was renamed in honor of Dr. Levan R. Scott, who served Fort Wayne Community Schools for 28 years. He was the first Black principal in the city when he took over as the leader of McCulloch Elementary School in 1965. When he retired from FWCS in 1986, he was Assistant Superintendent for Administrative Services.
With nearly 30,000 students, Fort Wayne Community Schools is one of the largest school districts in Indiana. FWCS proudly allows families to choose any of its 50 schools through its successful school-choice program creating diversity in each school, including some with more than 75 languages spoken. FWCS offers seven magnet schools focusing on areas such as science and math, communication, fine arts or Montessori at the elementary and middle school level. In high school, students can choose from the prestigious International Baccalaureate program, Project Lead the Way or New Tech Academy as well as other rigorous academic and specialty training programs.