SANTA ROSA COUNTY, FL – Following a collaborative effort by the district’s Facility Names Committee, comprised of two assistant superintendents, a director, a principal, a parent, and a community member, Santa Rosa County is thrilled to announce the official name for its newest high school: Soundside High School.
The naming process was initiated in December. The committee proposed three potential names: Bayshore High, Midway High, and Soundside High. To determine the final choice, public school-enrolled families from all Santa Rosa south end school sites were invited to participate in a vote. Tonya Shepherd, Public Information and Family and Community Outreach Officer, remarked, “Within 20 minutes of the voting link going live, more than 1,000 votes had been cast. It was pretty incredible to watch in real-time. Approximately 5,030 total votes were cast in this initial process.”
The results of the first round of voting resulted in the names Midway High and Soundside High being the top two names, prompting a run-off election. A run-off survey was then sent out to all public-school enrolled families on the south end of the county.
After an overwhelming response, with 4,345 votes cast during the run-off, the south end communities made their preference clear. During the January 16th School Board Meeting, the School Board unanimously voted to officially name the new high school Soundside High School. Assistant Superintendent Joey Harrell expressed excitement, stating, “All of our new schools begin with a working name. We are excited to move from the working name of Southend High to the official name, Soundside High School.”
Located on a 36-acre site, the three-story school will have 74 classrooms which include ESE spaces, CTE labs, gymnasium, sports field house, and athletic fields, and at capacity, will serve 1,800 students. Construction costs for this project of approximately $110,000,000 are being funded by $34,400,000 in local option sales tax revenue, $65,000,000 from certificates of participation funding, and $10,700,000 from millage (property tax).
While the school colors and mascot are yet to be determined. Discussions on zoning for Soundside High will commence in 2025. Anticipated to open its doors in the fall of 2026, Soundside High School represents a significant addition to Santa Rosa County’s educational landscape.
