By GARETT VALCOURTThe Holmes District School Board unanimously approved Clemons Rutherford and Associates as the architectural firm to oversee the construction of the new Ponce De Leon K-12 School Building during a special meeting on April 11.
“We are excited that the board has selected an architect for the Ponce De Leon K-12 project. Clemons Rutherford & Associates is an award-winning, national architectural firm with offices in Tallahassee, Panama City, and Thomasville, Georgia,” School Superintendent Buddy Brown said. “They are a leader in school design in North Florida, boasting over a dozen successful school projects. With over 60 years of experience, they are well-versed in special facilities projects through the Department of Education Legislature.”
The selection process involved a thorough evaluation by a selection committee, which compared Clemons Rutherford and Associates with two other firms.
“The final decision was based on presentations made to the board by the top two firms and a final recommendation made by me,” Brown said. “Clemons Rutherford and Associates ranked highest in each category.”
Brown said the School Board has worked with CRA before in the production of Bonifay K-8 School and “sees them as a true partner in our goal to build a new school on the west side of our county.”
“They have already begun the process of design and initial schematics, with plans to submit the next step in the special facilities project process to the Department of Education Facilities department by June 1, 2024,” Brown said.
Staff Report 
Hannah Collins 