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The foundation is set, the walls are up and in the center of the main room, a sanctuary is built out of concrete.

The Rev. Tim Neptune, senior pastor at First Baptist Church, is hopeful that his flock will be worshipping in the new facility by this winter.

But parents hoping to send their children to the church’s Christian school in 2008 may have to wait a little longer, unless community members help.

“We have a goal date of the fall 2008, but that is contingent of several things,” Neptune said. “With the cost of the facility (reaching) $10 million, the church doesn’t have the resources to fund a high school on its own right now. We need a commitment from the community to get this started.”

Neptune said the school will cost about $250,000 to get off the ground. The money would pay for an administrator, secretary and equipment.

The church unveiled plans to build the first high school on the island last year. Neptune has said he hoped the church’s high school would carry on with the foundation the existing Marco Island schools have set by offering a “safe and conservative environment.”

QUENTIN ROUX / Eagle staff

Work is progressing on the new high school at the First Baptist Church of Marco. Pictured is the main school section, while a sanctuary is being constructed beyond the wall on the left.

Tommie Barfield Elementary is the only Collier County public school on the island, and parents have the option of sending their children to Manatee Middle School in East Naples or Marco Island Charter Middle School.

Only a handful of Marco students attend Manatee Middle School each year.

Since it’s inception 10 years ago, the charter school has grown in popularity, with more than 360 students enrolled last year. While the school has continually received an A grade from the Florida Department of Education, it’s the idea of keeping children on the island that’s a draw.

When it comes to high school, parents do not have the option of keeping their children on the island. All Marco public high school students must attend Lely High School, and more than 300 island high schoolers were enrolled in the school last year.

Neptune said he hoped the new school would give parents the option of keeping their children on the island. But unlike at Lely High School, parents must pay tuition to send their children to the new school.

“It’s a Christian high school,” Neptune said. “Its a public high school in the fact that anyone can attend; a private high school in the fact that no tax dollars go towards it; and it is a Christian high school in the fact that we will be teaching Judeo-Christian values.”

Although all four years of high school will be offered, the school will open in phases, starting with freshmen and sophomores its first year. The school’s population will be capped at 100 students.

But when that will be has yet to be determined, Neptune said. While Islanders have expressed excitement over the school, the church hasn’t asked for contributions to help fund it.

“We’ve had a terrific response, but we hadn’t been ready to discuss the financial aspect yet,” he said. “We’re just at that place now.”

The church plans to gauge Islanders interest Aug. 1, when it hosts a forum to discuss the school.

“This will be an opportunity to get that conversation started, to find out if there are people out there ready to help us,” Neptune said.

The high school is not the only thing that will be housed in the new facility. While several rooms have been set aside for school use, the new building will also house the 420 seat sanctuary and offices that are in the current facility. It will also be home to several children’s rooms, a coffee shop and bookstore, and a library, Neptune said.

“It’s going to be very nice,” he said. “Our church has grown significantly over the years, we’ll definitely fill the sanctuary the first day its open.”

The current building will be torn down once the new facility is completed, and the church will create a 4,000 square food covered courtyard, which will have a baptismal fountain as its centerpiece.