Monroe County School Board members, top school administrators and Islamorada dignitaries officially broke ground on the new Plantation Key School this week.

The new K-8 school will accomodate up to 658 students and is scheduled to be open for learning some time in the 2017-2018 school year. In the meantime, students are being taught in what remains of the original building right next to the construction site on the bay side of U.S. 1 at mile marker 89.

Principal Lisa Taylor said learning has not been impacted as crews lay the foundation for the new school.

“No student education is being compromised because we’re in a construction site,” Taylor told an audience of about 300 elementary school students and community members Tuesday afternoon. “We will remain an excellent school.”

The Upper Keys was expected to get a new Plantation Key School almost a decade ago, but events like Hurricane Wilma in late 2005 delayed those plans. The storm flooded Horace O’Bryant School, making rebuilding the Key West school a priority.

“That school moved in front of your school,” School Board Chairman John Dick told those attending Tuesday’s groundbreaking.

The price tag of the school, which officials say will contain state-of-the art facilities and learning technology, is expected to come in around $35 million.

Superintendant Mark Porter called the project a “truly outstanding 21st Century learning community that you can be proud of.”

The original version of this story incorrectly stated the school was on the ocean side of U.S. 1.