ORLANDO, Fla. —  The Howard Middle School Academy of the Arts in Orlando is undergoing a $36.6 million dollar renovation.

What You Need To Know

  • Howard Middle School is undergoing a $36.6 million dollar renovation
  • The project started in June and will go into December 2025
  • The $36.6 million dollars is coming from OCPS facilities funds which comes from taxpayers, plus the 10-year half-cent sales tax

The school will be renovated inside while keeping all of it’s the exterior façade to preserve its history.

Formerly known as Orlando High School, Howard Middle School was built and opened in 1926.

As these renovations continue, officials say the walls of the school will remain, but it’ll be a brand new school on the inside.

Renovations include new roofing in all buildings, site improvements to the gym, reconstruction of the courtyard, a remodeled media center, music spaces, upgrades to performance areas, and larger dance studios.

The principal called these renovations an “urgent need.”

“The seats are the big thing that they’re re-doing, like you could see some of them are even missing,” said Roselynn Lockshin, Howard Middle School Academy of the Arts student.

Lockshin says she enjoys spending time at the auditorium. She’s watched some original plays there.

“Last year, they did Beauty and the Beast, and then How to Survive Being in a Shakespeare Play, and those were both amazing,” said Lockshin.

She says auditorium seats are almost 100-years old.

Renderings Spectrum News obtained from OCPS shows new seating, new lighting, and a new stage. There will also be a new sound system, and new curtains there.

“We’re very enthusiastic about it. We can’t wait to see everything done,” said Lockshin. “We know it’s not going to happen while we’re here, but it’ll make the next generation of people who go to Howard even happier.”

Dr. Karen Castor Dentel, an Orange County school board member who used to teach at OCPS, says these renovations will show students that the community and the school district are investing in their opportunities to learn.

Principal Walton McHale says when the school was first built, there was no air conditioning, it was added later on.

“Right now, if you go into some rooms, it’ll be like you’re in the arctic, other rooms like you’re in the Amazon jungle and everything in between,” said McHale.

The school will have a new HCAV system. Classroom areas will be remodeled during the school year and students will be moving into portable classrooms. For the next three years, the school’s courtyard will be an academic hub with 10 portable classrooms.

“It’s going to be an exciting process for the next 3 years to see us go from a school that had a rich tapestry in history to a school that’s going to be cutting edge,” said McHale.

The project started in June and will go into December 2025.

The $36.6 million dollars is coming from OCPS facilities funds, which come from taxpayers, plus the 10-year half-cent sales tax.  

Hollywood actor Buddy Ebsen graduated from Orlando High School in 1926.

Astronaut John Young graduated from there in 1948.  

Lauren Roth at Orange County Public Schools says the school is almost 100 years old.

The school has “OHS” letters on the back of Howard Middle School to remember and acknowledge its former name that will be kept throughout the renovations. Roth says the historic features in front of the school, including the clock and historical columns, will also be preserved.

“We don’t have many schools left in Orange County that go back this far, so it’s very important to the entire community and OCPS to make sure we preserve the look,” said Roth who is the assistant director of public relations for OCPS.