Pinellas to consider closing five schools

Pinellas school administrators have identified five elementary schools for possible closure next year, The Gradebook learned this afternoon. The schools are:

* Gulf Beaches Elementary in St. Pete Beach
* Kings Highway Elementary in Clearwater
* North Ward Elementary in Clearwater
* Palm Harbor Elementary in Palm Harbor
* Rio Vista Elementary in St. Petersburg

Three of the schools -- Gulf Beaches, North Ward and Rio Vista -- were on a list of potential school closings last year.

"The district is responding to a number of difficult factors -- declining enrollment and a budget picture that seems to worsen by the day," said district spokeswoman Andrea Zahn. But she emphasized that the list was preliminary. The School Board will discuss the issue at a workshop Tuesday.

Last year, the district identified 10 schools that might be closed, but ended up closing only three: Riviera Middle School, South Ward Elementary in Clearwater and Largo Elementary.

Clearview Elementary was to be closed last year as well. But officials delayed the closing over concerns that there may not be enough elementary seats in South Pinellas in the first year of the new "close to home" schools system. Clearview will be closed next year as planned.

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Comments

[Sam]

Oh, brother...

[Scott Keller]

Who can I call about these schools? Have they been closed or not? What's to become of the buildings?

I'm heading up an effort at a new educational system that can utilize the school buildings and give your kids an alternative.

[Paula Valentino]

I realize this email is being sent within days of a final decision being made on whether to close Palm Harbor Elementary or not, but if possible, please forward this to the eyes that should be reading it:

I'm going to keep this short. I have a daughter at Palm Harbor Elementary, and had a son graduate from the school. I purchased this house based on the fact that I wanted my children to attend an A-rated elementary school. A NEIGHBORHOOD school. Granted, this school is old. There's no disputing that. But since when do we discard what's old? When I walk into PHE, I can smell that old rubber eraser smell that reminds me of my own school up in CT.... the OLD school I attended that my parents attended before me. PHE is a nostalgic school full of memories and character, and the parents and children of Palm Harbor have a unified bond here. We are like a small community; a family of sorts. I understand that Dunedin and Tarpon have "new" schools, but does that really warrant displacing hundreds of children? WE NEED OUR SCHOOL KEPT OPEN AND RUNNING.
Why is it, there seems to be money for the auto dealerships, the banks... all this bailout "help", but when it comes to a neighborhood school.... nobody wants to step up to save it. What this country has reduced itself to; putting education below banks and auto dealers... (not to mention the paychecks of the pro-sports teams.... but I won't go there... I think I've made my point.)

Our children love their school. With the recession, hard times on the parents inevitably trickle down to the children. When adults are stressed, the children sense it. Times are tough enough. Can't these students keep the school that they are familiar with, and truly love?

The idea of closing a school due to lack of funds is sickening. Close something else; anything else! but to close a fully occupied school that holds memories of generations? Sad.

Please reconsider. For every problem, there is more than one solution. Don't take the easy way out by closing our school, please. Find another way.
Sincerely,

Paula Marie Valentino

[no]

i hate children and women they should never get any money. they should strictly pleasure me and make me food.

[Claire Huxtable]

I notice that NO ONE is mentioning the kids. Just money. Where are these children going to go to school? Where are these teachers going to teach? For all of you making comments, I urge you to go visit one of these schools before you further stick your foot in your mouth. These schools are made up of FAMILIES. Those families consist of teachers, support staff, children and their parents. It's a group effort. More than just your pocketbook will be affected by such schools closing.

[Byrd]

I have 2 kids in Starkey Elem, I don't know about other schools, but Starkey is awesome, so I have no complaint with Pinellas Schools. If the other schools are old & rundown, then it costs too much $ to bring them up to standard & code. (i work in construction that works @ schools) The school is funded by headcount, if it is low, they don't get the $'s for the students. CLOSE THEM. But keep w/Class size ammendment, that's just one of the many reasons Starkey is so awesome.

[parentsareteachers]

to ttt: ....Hartford CT tried a FOR PROFIT public school and FAILED miserably. They lost more money that the way it was before.
That experiment was already tried and did not work.

Kids aren't "widgets", and teachers have only 12 years to FIX a child/children that come to them already BROKEN thanks to their PRODUCERS/PARENTS.

So don't try and pin the system's failure solely on the backs of teachers. Schools are merely a reflection of a BROKEN society, not the cause of it.

PARENTS either do a great job or do a crappy job, and then the teacher has either a great product to mold into a better one, or he/she has a crappy one to fix into one that is barely functional.

[Marie]

Palm Harbor Elementary is such an excellent school and facility. I agree with the comment above, they have portables that are full so why are they wanting to close it. Also thanks to the person who gave the link to find your representative. They will DEFINITELY get a note.

[Karin]

How could they close Palm Harbor Elementary. Classes already have too many kids that they have to have portables. I don't understand how they can close a school that is full.

[Sylvia]

The kids will stuggle in a over poplulated school.. closing the schools will not elimante the kids !!

[Mel]

I think it is a good thing they are closing those schools. There are many schools in Pinellas that are not at capacity, so consolidating them would help with the budget. Plus, most of those schools on the list are in poor neighborhoods and are run down. Time to send the kids to new schools that can offer them a safe place to be.

[EDucated]

Please blame the legislature and tell them to fund class size ammendment. They are making cuts instead of fully funding class size ammendment.

[galfriday]

I wonder if the money from the lottery really DOES go to education? How about the legal battle regarding the Seminole Indians/Crist agreement with the Hard Rock Hotel - heck yeah, take the money from them and put back into the school system, roads. The Choice Program certainly busted the budget. I live in Palm Harbor, Why have 4 elementary schools in less than a 5 mile radius? Move those teachers to the surrounding schools, trim the fat

[dikson her]

I think sending ur kids to private school is awsome hot gurls and the teachers baby you so much i would do it. The classes are sooo easyand if you did it you would have like a 10.0 gpa because AP in those schools are for like retards.

[Alex]

The answer is simple: work outside the system. Send your kids to a private school. I know there's the significant issue of paying for tuition, but there are many families who can afford it. As for the rest, there ought to be a voucher program or a state tuition assistance program. I would be interested to see if there's a local fundraising foundation meant for assisting families who can't pay for private school tuition.

Forget the public schools. There may be 2 or 3 exceptions, but for the most part, they are substandard.

[Max]

If they let kids go to school in their own neighborhoods instead of being bussed 2 hours before and after school, think of how much gas money they could save. Forced busing is a joke. My child, when we first moved to Seminole, 1.4 miles away from Orange Grove, Maderia Beach and Seminole Elementary, he was bussed to Skyview Elementary 7 miles and 4 hours a day on the bus.

[ttt]

Let a private corporation run the school district. Within a few years there would be a big profit. Allow them to fire/hire teachers at will too.

[Parent]

I really hope they don't close Rio Vista. What a great school.

Why is the county spending money on improvements to a school that will most likely close?

What are they going to do with all the teachers and students at those schools? They have to be placed somewhere. The county will end up spending more money on buying portables and building additions than keeping the existing schools running.

[Senor T]

Oh you can't close Kings Highway, too many fond memories. I remember when some Homies from the Grove stode my bike. My Mammy went right down to the hood and wrestled my bike away from the Homie. Is Mr. Vawter still there?

How about closing the Pinellas County School District office in Largo? Lots of useless, high paid dead wood there. Then start cutting salaries of the state legislators until education is better funded by the state formula. Oh yeah....Crist is a joke, too. In the middle of a financial crisis, this guy is flying around Florida and planning his upcoming marriage. How about requesting a legislative special session, Charlie? Let's cut Crist's salary and small plane fuel costs to jet set all over. That should save some money too. This state and county is a joke.

[Nancy]

Isn't there a deal where gulf Beaches can be used only for a school? are they going to try to sell the property to a developer? Just what we need--more empty condos.

[Paul]

Why not cut your top heavy administration?
Put these over paid Ex Coaches and Principals etc, Back in the schools and class rooms where they can work for their salaries.

[Rio Mom]

This is so frustrating. They should cut in other areas - stop making cuts from our schools!

[BBMOM]

Kori - If it's a Fundamental school you won't have thugs. The parents must sign an agreement. If they and their kids don't live up to the agreement, then they are gone. That's why we love Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle School.

[Kori]

They are also talking about closing Southside Fundamental and turning Madeira Beach Middle school into a K-8 Fundamental school. Talk about dangerous, 5 year olds going to school with kids who are in their teens, some as old as 16. I will be throughly disappointed with our school board if they elect to do this. With the sort of students in middle schools, with the drugs, fights, and other such things, they are just asking for trouble

[Kurt]

King's Highway needs to go. It's outdated and run down and there is a brand new Dunedin Elementary 1/4 mile away. And I never understood why people are so against portables. If it's got a roof and A/C, what's the difference? I'm 39 and we had portables when I was in school. I turned out fine. They allow the schools to adjust to fluctuating enrollment without building permanent rooms onto existing buildings.

[publicschoolteacher]

Where is your outrage for your homeboy, Crist? "... hold education harmless." Weren't those his EXACT words?

[Libertarian Observer]

If you want government services, you have to pay for them. Maybe those tax cuts by Bush/Crist/Your Local Repubican Representative don't look like such a good idea now?

[George]

The school districts in Philadelphia and Detroit are asking President-elect Obama for aid.

Florida delivered more electoral college votes for Obama than either Pa or Mich.

Why can't Florida, Pinellas County ask Obama for aid. Everyone else is. We did more for Obama. We deserve more.

[Jess]

Frank- the new school on 38th Ave and 37th St. is replacing Tyrone Elementary, which will be closing at the end of this week. Students that are presently at Tyrone (all 650 of them)will be going to the new school.

[Joe]

Yeah, wow, amendment 1 is causing schools to lose money? Who woulda' thunk' it? Didn't all the articles promise this amendment wouldn't hurt schools? There is no one to blame but the idiotic voting public of this state. The poster who wants to sue probably voted for it as well! If you don't like your children's free public education enroll them in private school and take the voucher you probably voted for as well.

[Frank]

Declining enrollment says it all. Why are we building new schools like the one on 38th Avenue North and 37th Street when we don't have enough students to keep the present schools open?

[pappy]

I don't understand i'm buying more lotto tickets than ever!! now budget problems? man oh man what next

[ed]

This state if useless

[wheresmystimulascheck]

the drastic budget reductions was caused by us,the tax payers. don't you remember when charlie had us vote on amendment 1 (which he pushed) and said our taxes would fall like a rock?(which they didn't).i wonder if our government is learning from this bail-out crap and/or are they starting to cut back from the top down instead of the bottom up? i doubt it.

[tonystpete]

i sure hope the execs get their raises as planned or are they going to cut the fat like the rest of us?

[Alan]

I read these comments and sense your frustration. One person said they were going to hire an attorney. A simpler, more effective action, would be for all of you dissatisfied parents to contact your the Florida Legislature. They are the ones who are underfunding education in Florida. If you don't know who to contact look at your voter's registration card or visit http://www.flhouse.gov/ and go to "Find My Representative" on the left. If enough of us complain it may make things better in the 2009-2010 school year.

[Cathie]

5:09PM - Who are you going to sue? The county is doing the best they can with drastic budget reductions from the state. If you want to do something productive, protest the woefully inadequate educational funding in the state of Florida. The state legislature does not listen to the "greedy" teachers. PARENTS (voters & taxpayers) need to be calling, writing and visiting our state representatives to protest the lack of an adequate education budget.

If the state hadn't gutted its share of the school budget, or thrust the onus on property owners, or bat-and-switched lottery money from a suppliment to existing funding to use it willy-nilly.

Jeb!onomics. Cat in the Hat Jeb! Jeb! Lehman. Jeb! W's little brother. Jeb! Noelle's father.

[justthinking]

Close the schools now! Redistribute the few kids at those schools to other schools starting in Jan.2009. Enrollment at many schools is down. Consolidate, take those kids and put them in the other school. The money saved from operating those schools can be put in the classroom to help the most people! Be smart!

[Bob]

If they closed the schools last year, they would have just cut the budget even more this year. Everybody knows how budgets work. Fight for every penny because you will only lose more next year.

[Judith]

Young Families are struggling in Pinellas. They are leaving in droves. This is a poor job market for the 900,000 citizen of Pinellas. The best and brightest rarely return after college. We are getting left with the incredible number of drop outs that slip through the cracks.

[cs]

They are actually making several portables permanent. Go figure, they spend the money to do that...

[Tom]

As enrollment declines, I trust those revolting portable classrooms will go away.

I finally get my kids in their close to home school after 3 years of NO CHOICE bussing across town, and now they're going to close the school?

I'm getting an attorney. This is nuts.

[Eric]

Tony - I would have to agree. These schools should have been closed last year and they would not be at issue right now. The budget would look totally different. While these are difficult decisions the Board needs to remember that they must do what is best for the school system and what is not always popular.

[Tony]

Wow, looks like if they would have closed these schools last yr as planned they would not have the budget issues we have now....... Robin and the other new board members, Please stand up and stop this madness, the budget is out of control.