Alafia principal on the hot seat
VALRICO - A few years ago there was a waiting list of people ready to buy homes near Alafia Elementary School, long considered one of the best in Hillsborough County.
Now, some parents say, they've heard from a Realtor that the school is becoming a liability. At least one recent prospective buyer specifically asked not to be in the Bloomingdale neighborhoods that feed into Alafia.
Why? They'd heard parent complaints about Alafia principal Ellyn Smith. In a highly unusual move, a group of parents spoke to the Hillsborough County School Board this week about Smith.
The principal said she is aware of the complaints. One of the parent concerns, lack of a fence around the school, is being addressed in upcoming renovations, she said.
Click here to read the story from this week's Brandon Times.
--- Jan Wesner, Times staff writer
State Road 60 has long been a defining feature of eastern Hillsborough County: commuter thoroughfare, shopping hub and dining spot. 60 & South offers an array of news, announcements, community activities, local sporting events from the communities north of State Road 60 to the emerging communities farther south. Visit this blog daily for information about your neighborhood and community.
Saundra Amrhein covers retirement living in Sun City Center and cultural and immigration issues in Wimauma, Ruskin, Dover, Brandon and Plant City. Before working in east Hillsborough, she covered police news in Tampa; social services and government in Pasco County; and growth and development in Hernando County. She's originally from Pittsburgh and is married to a professional magician. In her free time, she practices yoga and has been working toward a master's degree in Latin American Studies at the University of South Florida. You can reach Saundra at 
Sherri Day the Brandon Bureau Chief, loves suburban life. She enjoys leaving the urban jungle behind for the peace, quiet, sound of laughing children and random wildlife in her deed-restricted community. Though still fairly new to the bay area - she moved here in 2004 - Sherri knows what makes small communities special. She was born and raised in Tifton, Ga., a small-town in the southwest part of the state. Sherri received her bachelor's degree from Clark Atlanta University and her master's of journalism from the University of California at Berkeley. She moved to Tampa from Brooklyn and lives in the 'burbs with her husband, one-year-old daughter and two cats. Share your news & views with Sherri at 
When I first came to Brandon in 1988, I thought, "There's a McDonald's here, so it can't be all bad." After a year, I moved to St. Petersburg and then Lakeland. When it became time to return to Hillsborough County in 1993, I could have picked Carrollwood, South Tampa or Temple Terrace, but the "60 " South" area just seemed like home. Fifteen years and three kids later, our roots have taken hold in Seffner like a majestic oak tree. We couldn't be happier. You can reach Ernest Hooper at 
Chandra Broadwater covers growth and development, including the areas of
Riverview and Lithia. Chandra grew up in a military
family and the suburbs make her feel right at home, bringing back memories
of a childhood spent in the back of a minivan as her mother carted the
family around to countless after-school activities. (Just as her mother
predicted, she regrets that she didn’t stick with piano.) And now that she
drives herself, she enjoys exploring the "60 & South" area and meeting
everyone along the way. You can reach her at 
Jessica Vander Velde joined the Times in 2008 after graduating from the University of Florida. She grew up in the suburbs of Tampa, planning not to return. But she's back and loving it. Nothing beats Plant City strawberry U-picks and lazy afternoons kayaking down a local river. She'll readily pass on tips about fun things to do in southeastern Hillsborough County. Jessica can be reached at 
Kevin Smetanahas lived in Brandon most of his life, and he eagerly returned to the suburbs to join the Times in November after spending six months in South Carolina reporting for a newspaper, TV station and Web site. Kevin is a graduate of Bloomingdale High and USF. He covers news in the Brandon area, but on the blog he writes about local sports -- both team and individual. He's an avid runner and cyclist and a member of the FishHawk Road Runner's Club. If you have information on athletics, you can reach Kevin at 
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