Lakewood Ranch High School plans to temporarily relocate classes after the winter holidays as crews upgrade the campus air conditioning system.

Principal Mike Mullen outlined the plans in an Oct. 6 report by student reporter Gus Walsh for the school’s Mustangs Ahead publication. The work is part of a broader series of campus improvements that includes new field lights and upgraded exterior lighting.

The school opened in 1998 and is “creeping up on 30 years old,” Mullen said.

Air conditioning upgrades will require classroom moves

The air conditioning project began last year to address uneven temperatures across classrooms. Mullen said the next phase involves bringing underground lines into each building to connect to existing equipment.

The goal is balanced airflow and more consistent classroom conditions, similar to the way a home’s ventilation system distributes air.

Mullen said the improvements would provide “consistent temperatures and air quality in each and every classroom” and keep learning spaces “comfortable and conducive for teaching and learning.”

To complete the work, classes will temporarily move in small groups at staggered times after the holiday break while crews work on individual rooms. Mullen acknowledged that the moves would cause “a little bit of disruption” but said the improvements would be “certainly worth the result.”

Construction is already visible near buildings 4 and 8 at the campus, 5500 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.

New lighting accompanies infrastructure work

Alongside the air conditioning work, the school has installed LED field lights and replaced older lights in the band parking area. Exterior lighting elsewhere on campus has also been upgraded.

Mullen said the new lights would reduce costs and be “brighter and more effective.”

The lighting improvements have taken place alongside larger infrastructure projects, including work on underground utility systems.

The school’s report did not provide a budget, funding source or completion date for the projects. It also did not identify which classrooms would move first or give a specific date for the relocations to begin.