RIVERVIEW, Fla. — The coronavirus has shut down many businesses and school activities across the Bay area.
What You Need To Know
- Hillsborough's County's newest school Sumner Middle & High to open in Aug.
- Coronavirus outbreak has not stopped construction
- Sumner High in Riverview to also house 6th graders when it opens
- Sumner High to open in fall of 2020
- 6th graders will stay at school and transition into the high school
- PREVIOUS STORY: Hillsborough County's newest high school gets a name
But the virus has not stopped construction on one of the largest schools in Hillsborough County.
The new Sumner Middle and High School is scheduled to open in Riverview in August.
Some students who got an earlier look at the facility love what they've seen.
"I think it’s honestly beautiful," said incoming 9th grader Ya'nia Stroud. "I’m so excited because it’s huge. honestly I was wowed because it’s so much to take in."
When the school opens in the fall of 2020, high schoolers won't be the only ones in attendance. Sixth-graders also will be attending. The middle schoolers will be part of the new Academy 2027 - the year those incoming sixth-graders will graduate high school.
"I think it’s really pretty and modern," said incoming 6th grader Journey Leneger."It’s really nice."
Built to alleviate overcrowding in Riverview, there's room for 3,000 students.
"Living in this area myself, you can see population explosion," said Sumner Principal Dave Brown. "They definitely need another school and if things don’t change there’s going to be another high school that’s going to be needed."
Meanwhile, Brown and district officials are closely monitoring their plans for the fall and the coronavirus.
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