• Elementary student population increased so much in the 1980’s that five elementary schools were built. In 1981, the current Woodville building was constructed. In 1985, Killearn Lakes opened its doors in a beautifully wooded area in northeast Tallahassee. Chaires Elementary’s current stricture was completed in 1987, and Springwood Elementary started receiving students also in 1987. 1989, saw the completions of two elementary schools: DeSoto Trail received its name to commemorate the route taken by the Spanish explorer, Fernando DeSoto as he explored northwest Florid The second school completed in 1989, was Buck Lake Elementary receiving its name due to its location off Buck Lake Road in Eastern Leon County.

    The 1990’s saw many changes in County School Board policies such as the addition ofa student joining the School Board as a member. The first student member of the Board was Leon High School Senior, Ann Elisabeth Stuart.

    In addition to many changes that occurred in School Board policies in 1994, the building that currently houses Ft. Braden School was constructed; Hawkes Rise Elementary School was built (l995) and named to describe the area in the Oxbottom neighborhood; and Canopy Oaks Elementary School (1995} was opened, the name paying homage to the canopy trees that grew near the school.

    Deerlake Middle School (1990) and Swift Creek Middle School (1995) were added to the other seven middle schools serving the Leon County student population.

    In 1998, Florida initiated state wide mandatory student achievement tests called the FCAT. By the year 2015, the FCAT had morphed into the Florida Standards Assessments which was administered for English Language Arts and Mathematics.

    Entering the 21st century, Leon County Schools saw the need to build four new schools. Roberts Elementary was built in 2001, named after a former Black school house and a local farming family; Conley Elementary (2008) recognizing the educational contributions made by J. Michael Conley who served as Principal of Leon High School and later as a member of the Leon County School Board (1991-1994). Montford Middle School was built in 2008, and so named in recognition of the contributions of Bill Montford who served as Principal of multiple schools, including the “new “Lincoln High School which was built in 1975; Superintendent of Leon County Schools; and he was also a member of the Florida Senate. To date the last public high school to be constructed in Leon County (1999) was Lawton Chiles High School, built on the northern end of Leon County and named to honor former Governor Lawton Chiles.
Last Modified on October 4, 2022