SW Marion County is getting two new elementary schools. Here's what we know.

Local public school officials and other dignitaries broke ground Thursday for two new elementary schools in southwest Marion County.

“This is a historic day,” said Marion County Public Schools Superintendent Diane Gullett.

Gullett said the schools are in a “beautiful area, the heart of Marion County.” She said the openings were “all about the students” and making sure each student succeeds.

The twin ceremonies marked the first new Marion County Public Schools school opening since Legacy Elementary in 2013 and the first simultaneous groundbreaking for multiple schools since major expansion in the early 1990s, according to school officials.

The two new schools are labeled School “W” at 14320 SW 70th Avenue Road (west of the Marion Oaks development main entrance on County Road 484) and School “X” at 7200 SW 49th Avenue Road in the Winding Oaks Farm development.

The “W” site is in unincorporated Marion County. The “X” location is inside the city of Ocala.

The schools are scheduled to be completed in August 2025 and should accommodate about 850 students each.

County property records indicate MCPS purchased 27.8 acres at the “W” school site in Marion Oak from Deltona Construction Co. in 2015 and the property now has a just value of $642,180.

A 20-acre parcel at the “X” school site was purchased by MCPS in 2020 from a private party for $800,000, county records indicate.

Gullett said when a principal is appointed for each school, the process will begin to select a name, mascot and colors for the schools.

School “W” is near Sunrise Elementary and “X” is close to Liberty Middle School.

MCPS Director of Public Relations Kevin Christian said the schools will help handle increased enrollment.

“Sunrise Elementary School currently enrolls 1,387 students. Sunrise was built in 1989. With portable classrooms added since then, its capacity now is 1,189 students,” he stated in an email.

“Elementary School 'W' will help ease some of the Sunrise overcrowding. Elementary School 'X' will help ease overcrowding at other elementary schools in Southwest Marion County,” he wrote.

Both schools will be constructed on roughly 27-acre sites with a concern for preserving the surrounding topography. Building construction has been modified to MCPS specifications for classroom size and other requirements.

The two schools both will have “stack” space around the perimeters to allow parents to line up while parked waiting to pick up their children.

Hepner Architects of Tampa handled both school projects. A.D. Morgan of Tampa is the contractor for School “W” and Ausley Construction LLC of Ocala is building School “X.”

At the School “W” ceremony, MCPS board member Eric Cummmings noted that the school sits within his district, District 3.

“I’m so pleased,” he said.

Nancy Thower, Marion County School Board chairwoman, spoke of fiscal stewardship and said getting the two schools took “vision and commitment.”

Jess Schultz, the Ocala Metro CEP vice president of partner engagement, said “all the moving parts” came together for building the two schools.

Robert Beasley, senior project superintendent with A.D. Morgan, said the two-story “W” school building will be about 600 feet long with large rooms.

Senior Project Manager Tony Howard and Project Manager Todd Taylor, an Ocala resident, were also on hand for the groundbreaking.

Howard indicated a consideration was keeping a surrounding barrier of trees on the property.

A second ceremony was held at the site of School “X” several miles to the north of the School “W” site.

Peter Hepner and John Kidwell of Hepner Architects attended and tabletop models of both schools were displayed.

Hepner spoke of the number or size of rooms and the use of earth tone paints, while Kidwell described the media center, which is shown in renditions on the upper floor with spacious windows.

Dan Gude, project manager, and Project Executive Dustin Magamoll, both with Ausley Construction, were at the “X” school ceremony.

Magamoll said upwards of 1,000 people overall may have hands-on involvement with the project.

Kevin Sheilley, CEP president and CEO, said reports have stated Ocala is the country’s fourth fastest growing metro area and Marion County the ninth fastest growing county.

Words of wisdom: USA TODAY's Women of the Year honorees share the words that keep them going

Along Southwest 49th Avenue Road, many new homes can be seen and construction of homes is ongoing.

Ocala City Council member Jim Hilty Sr. said a new 2,000-home development is coming to the area near School “X.”

Hilty said for prospective residents, the additional school facility is “another attraction” for the area.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: SW Marion: Two new schools coming to accommodate enrollment growth