ORLANDO, FL, April 22, 2015 — Beat Kahli, President and CEO of Avalon Park Group announced today that the Orange County Board of County Commissioners’ decision to extend the vote on the Timber Springs relief school site will not cause any delay in the opening of a relief school.  Kahli reiterates that he is in full support of the Timber Springs relief site, and that the school board should move forward with planning with the originally proposed time of a 2017 opening date for that school.  “Our proposal was simply to offer an additional solution to help accelerate that process and bring relief sooner to our severely overcrowded schools.”  He goes on to explain that the exploration of this plan will run parallel with the planning that the school board already has for the relief school, so that not one day is lost in the school relief plan.  “We want to assure the public that no time will be lost and that we will work diligently to open not only one, but five schools for this community in 2016 versus the proposed 2017 timeline.” said Kahli.  “However, if the currently proposed Timber Springs relief school site, which we support, is not approved at the May 19^th vote, Avalon Park Group will absorb all costs incurred from yesterday, April 21st until the final decision on May 19^th, and the school board will be able to continue with no lost time on the Timber Springs relief lot.”

“After learning that the originally proposed relief school would not be open until as late as the 2017/2018 school year, fearful of a potential no vote from the Board, and hearing rumors of litigation, which would further the delay of a relief school, we felt we needed to act immediately to present an alternative solution that would bring relief more quickly.”  Kahli goes on to say, “Avalon Park Group will work with the Orange County Public Schools during planning and design process for the next 30 days as a plan is developed.”  Orange County Mayor Theresa Jacobs, Orange County Commissioner Jennifer Thompson, Orange County School Board Chairman Bill Sublette, Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Barbara Jenkins and Beat Kahli, will meet Monday afternoon at 3 p.m. at the school board offices.  Avalon Park Group is thankful that all organizations are working together to bring a rapid solution.

Avalon Park Group has presented a plan to build and privately finance five schools for Orange County Public Schools to be opened in the Fall of 2016:  Spring Isle Middle School, Timber Springs Elementary School, Avalon Park VPK, and Avalon Park Middle STEM School and Art School (STEAM).  The plan would bring approximately 2,800 new student stations to the Avalon Park corridor.

For more information on Avalon Park Group, visit www.AvalonParkGroup.com or call 407-658-6565.