Construction begins at Downtown Doral Charter Upper School

The educational offering at Miami’s premier town center, Downtown Doral, is growing with the 6-12 grade Downtown Doral Charter Upper School (DDCUS) now under construction.

The milestone was commemorated with a community event that engaged more than 300 dignitaries, parents, students, and teachers. Special guests included the City of Doral Vice Mayor Ana-Maria Rodriguez, Councilwoman Claudia Mariaca, and Councilwoman Christi Fraga.

“Our graduates, fully bilingual and globally aware, will be uniquely equipped to excel and lead,” said Jeannette Acevedo-Isenberg, Head of School at Downtown Doral Charter Schools. “The educational experience at DDCUS will prepare them for college and the world.”

Downtown Doral Charter Elementary School (DDCES), the first of the Downtown Doral Charter Schools was established in 2015 and is the main feeder school for DDCUS students. DDCES has an A-rating since its inception, is a top five school among all public and charter elementary schools in Miami-Dade Public Schools, and is a leading school in the City of Doral. 

DDCUS will offer a similar dual-language program to that of DDCES whose students have a choice of two tracks: Spanish or Portuguese. In addition, math, science and social studies are also taught in both English and the foreign language. When the students from DDCUS graduate, they will leave the school prepared for a post-secondary education experience and ready to develop as professionals and global leaders in the 21^st century.

“After witnessing first-hand, the tremendous success of the program at DDCES, learning that this initiative will now expand to the middle and high school levels is nothing short of great news for everyone involved in education in Miami, and particularly, for the children and their families,” said Federico Alonso Alonso from the Spanish Education Office, Spanish Consulate, Miami. “Quality dual language classes like the ones offered at the Downtown Doral Charter schools will educate students to be bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural. This will set them up for success in college and careers in a global economy. Also, as they grow up in our culturally rich and multilingual city and country, these young people will be well-prepared to thrive in all spheres of life.”

DDCUS will be a modern, urban education center; the school will not offer parking to students as it is centered in Downtown Doral’s walkable community.

The new school was designed by Zyscovich Architect, is being built by Campus Construction Group, and is being developed by Codina Partners. The facility will be ready for the 2019-2020 school year.

Applications for 6^th, 7^th, 8^th and 9^th grades for the 2019-2020 school year will be launched on October 1, 2018. For more information, visit www.ddcus.org or call 305-569-2223.