Destin Elementary School officially opened its new 3-5 Center on Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of a 30-classroom addition, multipurpose building and administrative wing that school leaders say will reshape the campus for years to come.

• The expansion, located at 630 Kelly Street, brings fifth-grade students back to the elementary campus from Destin Middle School, giving Destin Elementary dedicated instructional space for grades 3-5 while freeing up capacity at the middle school.

“It’s not about just simply building 30 classrooms. It’s not about just simply having this multipurpose building. It’s about creating opportunities for students,” Superintendent Marcus Chambers said. “We need to make sure that there’s capacity at Destin Middle School. We need to make sure that there’s capacity at Destin Elementary School. And by building the 30 classrooms, we knew we had the ability to bring the fifth-grade students back.”

Grant Meyer, Assistant Superintendent, said the scope of the project speaks for itself.

“If you have not walked this building, it is absolutely amazing,” Meyer said. “There’s 30 new classrooms. There’s the bus rider line. There’s a car rider line. This is a multipurpose space that PE and the students get to use when it’s hot outside. There’s a new front office admin space. It really has transformed this school.”

• The district said the expansion reduces its reliance on portable classrooms and reflects ongoing efforts to manage capital resources while planning for growth.

For Principal Amy Morgan, the most meaningful part of the project is what it means for the students now walking the halls.

“Walking through the building yesterday and seeing the students learning in their new bright classrooms, using those new indoor spaces, and gathering together was such a special memory,” Morgan said. “One of the most meaningful parts of our expansion is bringing our fifth graders back to elementary school. Our fifth graders now have the opportunity to be the leaders of our school.”

Morgan said the older students will serve as role models and take on leadership responsibilities, helping younger students see what it means to be a “Dolphin leader.”

The project also carries personal significance for School Board Member Parker Destin, who attended the school as a child. His mother taught first grade at Destin Elementary for more than 30 years.

“This is a vision that was put together by our community, a community that’s growing, a community that has always been close-knit, a community that sticks together,” Destin said. “This is an example of what happens when we stick together as a community.”