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Southwest Middle School is getting a new campus

Construction on a modern new campus completed in March 2024 for the Lakeland school founded in 1956.

A new lit sign for Southwest Middle School sits in front of its newly built, two-story administrative building. A US flag pole sits a few feet away from the sign.

Welcome to the new Southwest Middle, home of the Seminoles.

Southwest Middle School at 2815 Eden Pkwy. has a brand new look. Following a groundbreaking ceremony held in September 2022, Polk County Public Schools celebrated the opening of the refreshed campus in March 2024.

The goal of the $55 million+ Southwest Middle School Campus Modernization master plan was to update the entire school, which was founded in 1956. Around 800+ students are currently enrolled — now that construction is finished, capacity could increase to around 1,350 students.

An outdoor courtyard at Southwest Middle School pictured at dusk. A two-story building and another building with an outdoor seating area are connected with curved sidewalks. Between the paths are light poles and newly planted trees.

Staff + students are already using the newly built facilities.

How will the middle school accommodate all those extra students? A new two-story building totaling more than 175,000 sqft includes:

  • Administrative offices
  • Classrooms + laboratories
  • Media center
  • Fine arts suite
  • Combined cafeteria + auditorium
  • Outdoor dining space
An open outdoor seating area at Southwest Middle School. Picnic-style tables with seats are covered with a roof outside of an indoor seating area.

Students can hang out outdoors in the new courtyard.

In addition to these features, there’s also a new bus loop, parent pick-up + drop-off location, and lit fields. Is it normal to be jealous of middle schoolers?

Students and teachers have been using the updated buildings since January 2024 — next, most of the older structures will be demolished, barring the original physical education facility, gym, and science building.

The Southwest Middle School Campus Modernization project is funded by impact fees + Polk County’s half-cent sales tax. Compare these original renderings from fall 2022 with the finished project.

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