BROOKSVILLE, Fla. – When you step onto the campus of Best Academy in South Brooksville and look around, you immediately think of the history of where the campus sits. 

Patricia Laird is currently the acting principal and Best board chairperson. 

“It was actually Moton Elementary when I went here, but this was the original Black school in Hernando County when segregation was still in place,” Laird said. 

For a few years now, it’s been the last charter middle school in the area. 

"Our students do learn an advanced curriculum," she said. "It is a STEM school so we are science, technology, engineering, math. A lot of our classrooms and our curriculum are hands-on."

The unique program also gives kids the opportunity to learn beyond the classroom every week. Many graduate with high school credits and sets them up for the future before they even get into high school.

“The students are off campus one day every single week learning different things that complement what they are learning in the classroom,” Laird said. 

She's been the acting principal since July 1 and still serves on the Best board as a chairperson.

While the curriculum is unique and provides kids something they wouldn't find anywhere else, it's in jeopardy as school board members are considering if it's worth keeping the doors open.

“This past year in particular our principal had some medical issues," Laird said. "At the end of this year he resigned but that forced the board to have to come in and run the school. There were a lot of mistakes that were made, there was some grant money lost, there were some reports that hadn’t state so our funding was in jeopardy.” 

A business owner herself, Laird has gathered other business professionals and school board members to make sure the school has all the funding it needs and that the doors remain open to serve the community

Board member Jimmy Lodato has been an advocate in helping the south side grow and thrive, especially in the education department. 

"As I explained to the sheriff, if we don't educate our kids, if we don't give them an opportunity to get somewhere in life, then what's going to happen is that they are going to turn to crime," Lodato said. 

He said he's been a voice for the school at the school board level to try and push for a second chance.

“We need opportunity, we need help and we are going to give them that help. I’m going to fight very hard to get that done. Can I convince the other board members, I’m really going to try like crazy and not ever give up,” he said. 

The school board has not set a date to revisit the conversation and the school is set to run as normal for the upcoming school year. 

The principal position has been posted online as the school board is looking for a permanent person to take over and help the school grow to its full potential.

The position is posted online for anyone to apply, here is where anyone can apply for the principal position and enroll their child for any grade level.