New Upper School Campus in Fort Pierce Brings Athletics, Debate, and Hands-On Entrepreneurship to Students

Fast-growing Independence Classical Academy opened the first phase of its upper school expansion, developed with Building Hope, adding more than 250 seats for grades 6–12.

FORT PIERCE, Fla., Aug. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Independence Classical Academy (ICA), a classical charter school serving nearly 800 students on Florida's Treasure Coast, on Friday opened its new upper school campus — the first phase of a 61,000-square-foot expansion — with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the school's new gymnasium. Developed with support from Building Hope, the building completes the first phase of a multi-year expansion, moving ICA's grades 6–12 out of the temporary modular classrooms that have housed them for the past two years and adding more than 250 seats at a school operating above its designed capacity.

The new campus expands several of ICA's signature programs. The gymnasium and adjacent weight and locker rooms allow the school to expand athletics for middle and high school students. The lecture hall will host ICA's debate team — which has advanced students to state-level competition on multiple occasions — along with hosting public forums and debates in an intimate, town-hall setting. A new marketing and entrepreneurship pathway will put students in charge of the school store and athletic concessions, where they will manage inventory, pricing, promotions, and profit-and-loss statements en route to an industry certification. The school is also set to establish a JROTC program.

Founded in 2020 as schools nationwide moved online, ICA built its model around the opposite premise: didactic, teacher-led instruction with a knowledge-based curriculum, minimal screen time, and hands-on learning outside the classroom. Now in its seventh year, the school is oversubscribed. Beginning in early elementary, students have access to a school garden, increased physical activity, and after-school clubs ranging from boxing and jujitsu to debate, archery, art, and fishing. The school's motto — "Where teachers can teach, and students will learn" — reflects a culture ICA's leaders describe as the thing that sets it apart. 

The opening represents a full-circle moment for kindergarteners who enrolled the year ICA opened who will enter the new building this fall as its first class of sixth graders. Students marked the occasion by sealing a time capsule to be opened by ICA's first K-12 graduates of 2033.

"What sets ICA apart has always been our culture — a place where academic rigor intersects with a virtuous environment; it is in this special place where excellence occurs. ICA offers a culture that allows kids to be kids again, off screens, getting their hands dirty, enjoying the outdoors, diving into the great books of our own childhood, and learning to articulate an argument in positive ways through classical teaching methods," said Sandy Howard, ICA's Founder and CEO. "We wanted a building that matches that, so we built a space that is warm, rustic, and homey. Now our students have a space designed for the way they actually learn — hands-on, together, and with high expectations. Our kids are virtuous and engaged, which is why they have a self-checkout library, outdoor eating space, and a student lounge for congregating on this new campus."

The new building gives ICA's Outdoor and Agricultural Education programs — the school's biggest draw, and the reason its students are known as the Anglers — the room they have outgrown. Outdoor Education spans clay shooting as well as club-based and competitive freshwater and saltwater fishing, while Agricultural Education offers FFA, Ducks Unlimited, and Ag Systems certifications. In the new building, students will continue building custom fishing rods, lures, and bait traps and running small businesses of their own. ICA's anglers have placed first in the state's School Fishing & Conservation Challenge two years running, recognized for conservation work including local waterway/beach cleanups and building monofilament recycling bins.

The building itself was designed to break from convention. Rather than the institutional look of most new school construction, ICA chose a farmhouse style — warmer, more rustic, and meant to feel like the family culture the school has built.

The next phase of the expansion will add career and technical education programs, additional lab and classroom space, and collaborative learning areas for high school students — roughly 300 additional seats, with a target opening in 2028. A subsequent phase IV will add approximately 180 K–5 seats. ICA expects to graduate its first senior class in the 2027–28 school year. "As we continue to grow and expand, two things come to mind when I think about ICA's history and future, perseverance and persistence. The ability to overcome any challenge we face throughout our tenure, and keep meeting the demands of our ICA families and the Fort Pierce community. This is what makes us ICA. Our town is special, and so are our families," states Mr. Clay Becton, who has served in a volunteer capacity as Chairman of the Governing Board since the school's opening in 2020.

Building Hope — a national nonprofit that finances school facilities and supports school communities — led the development of the new campus, with Paul Jacquin & Sons Construction serving as general contractor and Mussman Architects leading design.

"The overwhelming demand from parents is a testament to the academic model and culture the ICA leadership team and governing board have established at ICA," said Jerry Zayets, Senior Vice President of Real Estate at Building Hope. "It's been an honor to help them build a facility worthy of that vision — a campus that finally gives their classical, hands-on approach the space it deserves."

About Independence Classical Academy 
Since the pandemic, parents are demanding more of the education system, and ICA fits that bill, being a perfect combination of private and public schooling. With policies requiring minimum attendance, GPA, and behavioral standards to be met in order to retain a seat at the institution, it mirrors a private school, but is chartered publicly by statute, creating a tuition-free opportunity for all who desire a classical education with a rigorous curriculum and virtuous environment. This is the root of the demand for ICA that has grown exponentially year after year. This demand was met with the need to expand 3 years ago, and it has finally come to fruition through this project. ICA currently has less than 40 seats in grades 6-12 available, even with the added capacity this project brings. The demand for unique programs such as Step-Up acceptance for PT enrollment and Club/Athletic participation, outdoor education, FFA, and self-defense clubs has led the way in developing a program meant for Fort Pierce. ICA is a tuition-free K-12 academy with open enrollment for all. Enrollment for 6-12 is now open for 26/27, and applications for 27/28 open in December of 2026, with the lottery held in February 2027. Tours will be available in October. Enrollment questions can be sent to the Director of Business Services, Mrs. Cross, at [email protected] anytime.

About Building Hope
Building Hope is a national nonprofit that empowers advancements in education through our work with schools and communities by providing unparalleled facility financing, real estate development, and operational services. We believe a facility should never be the barrier preventing a child from attending a great school. During our 22-year history, Building Hope has supported more than $2 billion in charter school projects. For more information, visit www.buildinghope.org.

Media Contact:
Karen Swan
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SOURCE Building Hope