Education

The permitting phase is underway for construction to begin on a new preschool for visually impaired and blind students. The school will open in late spring of 2023 in Ocala and is part of the new expansion program of the Florida Center for the Blind. The preschool is funded by a $600,000 grant that was approved by the Marion County Commission in March of 2022 to purchase land.  Construction is expected to begin next month on land adjacent to the center. The school will eventually include a primary charter school.  It is the first phase of a three-phase project that intends to include a vocational center with dorms and job training facilities, and a youth education center.

Apprenticeship is an ancient practice that extends to a vast array of industries. Artists, technical workers and tradespeople all learn through immersive practice under the watchful eye of mentors in their chosen fields. No matter the profession, an organic, personalized approach to teaching is intertwined with trust as apprentices grow into full-fledged professionals.  For Jack Manfredi, an artist, the choice between college and apprenticeship was easy.