FORT PIERCE — St. Lucie County Public Schools marked the opening of the new Fort Pierce Westwood Academy campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 13, unveiling a replacement high school designed to support modern learning, career training and future growth.
The new campus offers a wide range of updated facilities intended to prepare students for college and the workforce, according to Lydia Martin, chief communications officer for the St. Lucie County School District.
“The new Westwood Academy delivers a true 21st-century learning environment,” Martin said, pointing to more than 80 classrooms and career and technical education labs, a 750-seat auditorium, a modern gymnasium and cafeteria, and a full slate of athletic facilities. She said the campus also includes “a cutting-edge agriculture technology complex on 10 dedicated acres,” expanding hands-on learning opportunities for students countywide.
District officials said the campus was designed to advance education by bringing high-value academic and extracurricular programs together in one location.
“The campus is purpose-built to strengthen college- and career-ready pathways,” Martin said, noting features such as advanced labs for industry certifications and performance spaces that support the arts, debate and community events. She said the centralized design allows the district to expand programs, host regional events and build partnerships with employers and higher education institutions.
The project, with a budget of approximately $100 million, replaces the former Westwood campus with what district officials describe as a next-generation high school aligned with current instructional and workforce needs.
“The intent is to replace the former campus with a next-generation high school that aligns to today’s instructional and workforce needs—especially in career and technical education, STEM, and agriculture,” Martin said. She added that the new school brings student supports together on a campus designed to be safe, efficient and welcoming, while also serving as a year-round community venue.
The replacement high school measures about 265,000 square feet and increases capacity for students in the area. Martin said the campus includes space for 2,000 students, with room to grow.
“The school provides 2,000 student stations, with the site and design planned to accommodate an additional approximately 600 students as growth continues,” she said.
District officials said the new campus represents a long-term investment in students, families and the surrounding community.