The City of Cape Coral Charter System’s newest school, Oasis High, is opening its doors to students Monday at 7:30 a.m.
The student council at Oasis High also voted on the school’s new mascot: The Sharks.
Before the charter system constructed Oasis High, students had to transfer to the Lee County School District or another charter or private school in the area because the system’s highest grade level was 10.
Now, students are able to stay in the charter system until they graduate.
Construction on Oasis High is complete and, according to Dr. Lee Bush, the community was introduced to the school during an open house.
“We have been moving in and teachers have been getting rooms ready and taking in-services,” said Bush, administrator for the charter school system. “It has been complete for a week, there are little cosmetic things going on.”
Oasis Middle Principal Chris Terrill will now serve as principal of Oasis High. Terrill said the new building is exciting.
“The building was built in 100 days and it is absolutely fantastic,” he said. “It is a beautiful construction outside and inside.”
The school offers the AICE degree, a program that prepares students for college-level work, through Cambridge University. They can earn up to 30 college credits in high school and be eligible for the Florida Bright Futures scholarship.
Oasis High is capable of holding 700 students. Bush said the eighth grade will temporarily be a part of the high school until grade nine to 12 enrollment catches up.
“That will go back as soon as the enrollment is good for the high school,” he said. “We have 240 students in grades nine to 11.”
A lot of students in the community have expressed interest in attending the school, said Bush, but the school has to be selective on who can register so class sizes aren’t too large.
McGarvey Development Company was hired to construct the two-story, 50,000-square-foot building that was finished last week. The charter system is dedicating the school this morning before it opens for 500 students on Monday.
Bush said the design is modeled more after a junior college and less after a traditional high school.
“It has carpeted floors, the color scheme is more like a student union at junior college than a high school,” he said.
Terrill said classrooms will have the latest technology, including smart boards, projectors, document cameras and wiring for laptop computers. It’s also opening with brand new programs in culinary arts, graphic design and college-level science.
The dedication ceremony at the school begins at 10 a.m. and the community can take tours of the building.