Thousands of Pinellas students may have to change schools

More than 18,000 Pinellas elementary school students would be forced to change schools next year under a plan that the Pinellas School Board gave tentative approval to today.

Most of the students affected are currently in schools they got into under the old choice plan; they did not move to their new zone school when the student assignment system was changed last year. But thousands of additional students will probably be affected as well because the district plans to redraw the entire zone map for elementary schools. That means students sitting in their zone school now could be redrawn out of that zone and reassigned to a new school.

The message to families with a child in a regular Pinellas elementary school next year: No matter your situation, assume nothing about what your school will be.

The move, which still must be formally approved, is part of an effort to reduce busing costs for the district and help address a projected $40-million shortfall.

The board also tentatively decided to close five elementary schools next year: Gulf Beaches, Kings Highway, North Ward, Palm Harbor and Rio Vista.

Board members expect a strong reaction from parents. "We have to strap in because it's going to be a rough ride," board member Carol Cook said.

Said board member Mary Brown: "We've got to go back to the drawing board and tell parents, 'What we gave you last year, we can't afford to do it any more."

- Thomas C. Tobin, Times Staff Writer

Comments

[Child-focused parent]

I completely agree with the comment regarding cutting the busing for those families not in their "close to home" school. We happen to be one of those families that are grandfathered into our "choice" school and I'm completely willing and feel it is my responsibility to arrange my own transportation to get my kids to our school of choice.

What's so interesting is that our "close to home" school is twice the distance away from our house as our "choice" school....something's wrong with this scenario!!

Please cut the busing NOT THE SCHOOLS!! It doesn't make sense to impact EVERYONE when eliminating the buses that are going outside of their "close to home" route will only impact SOME.

[AlexJ]

More news, and a better place to discuss whats going on here and do something about it:

http://www.pinellasparents.com

Get involved!

I have no problem with requiring grandfathered students to provide their own transportation. The biggest issue here is that they knew choice was coming to an end a couple years before they made it known to the public. Had I known choice was going to end I would have sent my son the school within walking distance to my home. I would have assumed that would be our close to home school, but guess what it would not have been. My kids would have taken a bus to a school not all that "close" to our home. Don't even get me started on high school. We live within 3 miles to PHU, but my kids will be sent to Tarpon. That is quite a bus ride compared to the PHU. The school board is not thinking of our kids. Maybe the school board memebers should take a pay cut. If things are so tight why are they adding on to Curlew Creek Elem?

[Lily]

I had to change my school last year and to tell the truth I still can't get used to the new one. It was really awful, and it is now. My parents were moving into another house, and what is the worst, they spent a lot of their time on http://www.fizber.com/ to choose a right house with a prestigious school nearby. I can't tell that they chose the bad one, but the process of changing school is really hard and it's a pity that a lot of students will feel the same because of our government.

[Lily]

I had to change my school last year and to tell the truth I still can't get used to the new one. It was really awful, and it is now. My parents were moving into another house, and what is the worst, they spent a lot of their time on http://www.schools.fizber.com/ to choose a right house with a prestigious school nearby. I can't tell that they chose the bad one, but the process of changing school is really hard and it's a pity that a lot of students will feel the same because of our government.

[Lily]

I had to change my school last year and to tell the truth I still can't get used to the new one. It was really awful, and it is now. My parents were moving into another house, and what is the worst, they spent a lot of their time on http://www.schools.fizber.com/ to choose a right house with a prestigious school nearby. I can't tell that they chose the bad one, but the process of changing school is really hard and it's a pity that a lot of students will feel the same because of our government.

[Carl]

11:43

Get over yourself and read what I wrote again! Idon't care if a good teacher quits because as a parent that means I will work harder to help educate my kid...in other words I make no excuses. I would rather pay more in property taxes to help schools, police, and the EMTs but the majority didn't vote that way. So because you are a teacher you aren't qualified for another job? Stop using your family as an excuse for you to keep complaining. 2: I didn't say anything about the "idiots" you feel may be on the streets. I see people from all walks of life acting like idiots...what does education matter? It seems as if those GOOD teachers just go tired of the games of the system...but if they were so GOOD why didn't they stick it out or start thier own school? Happy? Once again...stop the cryin and buck up!!!

Carl-
I get tired of people like you telling me to strike or quit. I have a family to feed. If I strike, I go to jail. Lots of good teachers HAVE quit and now we have idiots off the street "teaching" and you all now want to screech about that. You asked for it, you got it. Happy?

So your kid has to change schools. Big deal. They are entitled to a public education. Not entitled to pick where it is for your convenience. No wonder the kids today are whiners. Their parents whine about everything--me first! me first!!!

Guys, you might want to revisit the Constitution of this State, Article IX, section 1, which provides in pertinent part:

"a) The education of children is a fundamental value of the people of the State of Florida. It is, therefore, a paramount duty of the state to make adequate provision for the education of all children residing within its borders. Adequate provision shall be made by law for a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high quality system of free public schools that allows students to obtain a high quality education...."

[Carl]

Stop the cryin'. Explain to your kid why things are the way they are...not enough money to please and take care of everyone's needs and WANTS. Parents you should have enjoyed it when it was good now do what is best under the issues that the district has to deal with. Problem 1: Pinellas County tried to please everyone! 2: Money ran out! 3: Time to cut back and people don't like it. Most cuts don't and won't make sense...get over it. Teachers, don't like your job? Quit or Strike. You (teachers) won't quit and you won't strike so the District will continue to call your bluff and do what they will do. Parents, support your child by FLOODING the district and state with calls, emails, personal visits and support your teachers NOT just the selfish wants for your kid. Life is pretty good here in Pinellas County! Parents if you want Lexus level educators...pay for it. Don't expect anything for free anymore...teach this to your kids. Good grades aren't "good enough" teach your kid how to be life long learners! Learn with them, relearn all the stuff you forgot from your school days, and pour your soul into your children...then the school will only become a hoop for your child to jump through not the end all/be all proof of what kind of future they will have.

[AlexJ]

I should also point out that if you even care about these issues remotely...

TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW THAT MIGHT CARE.

The heading for this topic at the board meetings has been 'transportation' and was suppose to be about cutting back or eliminating busing for grandfathered students. A few members that didn't want grandfathering in the 1st place, last year have taken this opportunity to rehash the whole grandfathering thing (and blaming the budget) and are trying to push it thru as quickly as possible without a huge community involvement.

Email the board, call the board... MAKE NOISE. We can make a difference - earlier this year we got them to give us grandfathering, we need the same type of community support to keep it. There is power in numbers.

[AlexJ]

10:52... That is our case exactly. Our grandfathered school is exactly 1 mile away from our home. We walk, ride bikes or drive our kids... It was the school our home was zoned for since it was built until the choice program started. Our new, 'close to home' zoned school is over 3 miles away, which would require busing. The fact that the zoned us for the 4th closest school to our home and would require busing... Has to make you wonder... Who's interest's are these people serving?

What about the kids starting 5th grade next year who will lose all the opportunities they have worked towards for their final year such as safety patrol, student council, morning news, yearbook, etc? Moving kids in their last year to a new school where they have no friends and will miss all of the try-outs for any of the schools programs doesn't seem right, especially if it doesn't cost the district anything to transport them. Fifth graders have a lot of learning and maturing to do before they transition into middle school. If there isn't any added expense to the district they should at least allow those kids to graduate from their current school. As for the argument that those kids could prevent a neighborhood kid from getting a spot where the district would then have to bus to a different school...where are the figures? With the county saying we are losing elementary student enrollment every year to the point that we have to close schools I find it hard to believe that there would be very many (if any) cases of 5th graders who would be bumped out of a neighborhood school for a grandfathered kid. Most of those 5th graders would probably want to spend their last year at the school they are in anyway. Also, the grandfathered kid with no transportation to their choice school may be eligible for busing at their zoned school if the district moves them, negating any savings or even costing more for that child. The school board needs to look very closely at the true figures before casting a poorly researched vote and disrupting those kids.

[Dan]

Do you think they close an A school just to get people to complain to the legislature? If they closed a C school and sent your kid to an A school, would you complain? Of course not. Stop blamming Ammend 1, the mill rates are set far below what Ammend 1 allows.

[MK]

The right and reasonable thing to do both fiscally and ethically is to let the grandfathered elementary kids stay at their choice school only if they can find their own transportation. That will save millions in busing while at least retaining some integrity and trust that the board will honor their promises to those children and families. 18,660 was the figure of elementary kids that stayed in their choice schools. That is not a small number of lives that will be disrupted. School administrators have said that the plan that is the most financially reasonable yet least disruptive to the children is the best one. Remove transportation but allow those elementary kids the opportunity to stay at their choice school seems to be the right compromise. The board needs to slow down and think things through before making such a broad sweeping change that will disrupt not only the kids forced out of their established schools but the teachers and administrators trying to deal with the shear number of children switching schools across all elementary grade levels.

[FAPE]

You "lawsuit" types crack me up. Exactly what will you sue for?

K2s comments on this blog are just a ploy to rile everyone up.Doesn't everyone just hate it when people do that on blogs?!Just ignore it and hopefully it will go away.

[K2]

Why do they not just close the ghetto schools down south? Move the magnets up to the north county where kids actually learn. Seems easy to me.

[enough is enough. part 2.]

A local lawyer should be chomping at the bit to grab this one up and fight for the tax paying citizens of the county. Just because these people cant manage the school system, financially or otherwise, doesnt mean my children should suffer. When I mess up my checking account, the only one in trouble is ME. Everyone at the bank doesnt pitch in and help me out. Enough govt waste! Enough is enough!

[old school]

Everyone . . . this is all going to get worse before it gets better. Prepare yourselves, and try to stay positive. The pendulum must swing.

[Billy]

If you can't get a business to buy it, maybe the "environmentalists" at Crescent Oaks will put their money where their mouths' are. Funny, I don't think many of them would open their own wallets for the environment.

Nothing ventured,nothing gained when it comes to selling the HUGE pieces of property that sit idle or ill-used.The Times needs to do an all encompassing,in-depth investigation into everything/anything concerning the Pinellas County School system(past and present).I wonder what they would discover/uncover.

[just a parent]

For those who think the budget crisis can be solved by selling real estate....do you really believe there are buyers out there now?

[PK41]

Close more schools? Change 18,000 students? I am an elementary teacher at a newly built school and we are overflowing with portables! Our students have lost their P.E field because we have so many portables. Why do we let more students in if there is room other places? Yesterday I pulled up to John Hopkins Middle to pick up my child and saw rows of new portables on their PE field. It looked like a FEMA campsite. How sad to see these at this school. What about the safety of these students walking to and from these portables? They are not "locked in" like the school. If the school board thinks moving these students will save money, I hope they consider giving us teachers raises this year. Our insurance has gone up and we lost BayCare. We barely have paper and supplies.I have spent so much money this year for the classroom and I have donated to my children's classrooms. What are they going to do with Riviera Middle since it was shut down? Are they selling the land or just going to let it sit there? Well I guess we just have to wait and see what they plan to do to our children's "lives"!

NOTE TO OUR "illustrious" school board members:The district needs to downsize the staff and consolidate all the many title 1 buildings it uses around the county.Sell THOSE buildings.Change school start times.FIGHT the state on the class ammendment AND the PE mandate.Buck the system!! Add a penny or 2 to the local sales tax.More tax on alcohol and tobacco products.I will glasdly pay a small bit more property tax and sales to help alleviate the financial crisis in our schools.Cut administrative staff-get back to the basics:too many cooks spoil the broth should be the mentality at the administrative level.Do not go off half-cocked like you appear to be doing.Have principals take a look at TEHIR staff and programs:at NEHI my son spent a quarter taking a PE elective where the "teacher" did NOTHING and the kids sat (slept,studied,read,talked,texted)in the bleachers for almost each and every class.What a waste of TIME and MONEY!POLICE the schools for waste!!! Encourage more fundraising:Parents will pull out all the stops to save their schools.MORE community/business partners are needed.In other words:do not just sit there on your fat behinds and spew "solutions" that are NOT practical---get out there and lest see some REAL elbow grease--both mental AND physical!!! Become a part of the solution,not the PROBLEM!

[Kent Vermeer]

I spent around 250,000 alone just trying to get the utility field complete.

[Observer]

It is remarkable that Board members are now vilified for making hard decisions they were criticized for allegedly failing to make last year. Wake up and smell the coffee, folks. This is just the beginning of the cuts. More schools will close. More positions will be cut. So, too, will pay and benefits. And then we will have broken the surface.

[AlexJ]

Oh and for the record... I really laid into Wickle in an email before the workshop. I have to say she was one of the only speaking board members that didn't seem like this was a done deal during the meeting. She specifically asked the board questions I had asked in an email. You ever notice, there is like 3 of them that do 90% of the talking?

[over it]

I like how my close to home school is 4 miles away and requires busing, but my current school is 1 mile and we walk. It's pretty sad when an 8 year old asks you why the people on the school board dont understand math. Perhaps they need to go back to 3rd grade.

[K2]

I am sure a lawsuit won't cost the district in the short term. Oh, you also won't win.

[AlexJ]

8:30... There was a slideshow during todays workshop early on, and it showed the number of students by school level that would be displaced by the removal of grandfathering. 18,000 is the number of elementary students in Pinellas county this year using the grandfathering option....

8:20... We do need a website... ASAP. I'm looking right to set one up. I'll post it here when I do....

[K2]

Ed,

You are my hero, did you also walk uphill to and from school?

[bev]

Billy, that was hillarious, thank you, I needed that. Yes, I am sure Mr. Peluso is a great father, I have seen him on the football field as a volunteer coach, I see him within the neighborhood with his children all the time. I am in NO way comparing his parenting skills with Mrs. Bostock's, just philosophy.

[HA HA]

Peluso, a good job of parenting?

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

[BBMOM]

What is all this whining about closing an "A" school and leaving a "D" school open. It is not the school that gets the grade. The kids that are doing good will help the lower grade schools. But that also should not be a consideration since the school grades based on the FCAT scores is a bunch of crap!!! If all the "A" schools dont have a certain percentage of their students improve this year they will fall to a "B" school even though thay have the same % of students passing as they did last year. I am not thrilled about the changes but I see it being a good solution to start fixing this problem with having no funds. They threatened to do it last year and didn't stick to it, so I hope this time they go through with it. Change is not always a bad thing. It may end up being a good thing for a lot of people if they just go with it. It's a shame that all these negative blogs are being heard by the kids of the bloggers. Help your kids make the transistion by showing a positive attitude. Kids are tougher than you think.

[ED]

MR. K2, final thought before I retire from this ridiculous blog. Maybe you can take your supplement from coaching these 80 young men and contribute it to the school board. You appear to be a very responsible and respectful man who is willing to parent 1000's of young men who would literally be on the streets. My "tuba" sized hat is off to you for your dedicated work to these young men and their X's and O's on the football field. Maybe if they learn their X's and O's in algebra they won't be on the streets for long. Pay for Play, worked when I was in school, my parents could not afford it, so I got my self something called a JOB on weekends to pay for it myself.

[Billy]

Gee, at least he did a good job of parenting.

[K3]

Oompa Loompas:
Oompa Loompa doompadee doo
I've got another puzzle for you
Oompa Loompa doompadah dee
If you are wise you'll listen to me

What do you get from a glut of TV?
A pain in the neck and an IQ of three
Why don't you try simply reading a book?
Or could you just not bear to look?

[Bev]

8:29, on the morning of November 4th I was all set to vote for Mr. Peluso and not Mrs. Wickle. I passed his house, which is in my neighborhood, and noticed a Nancy Bostock for county commisioner sign in his front yard. That turned my stomach and Mrs. Wickle received my vote. Mrs. Bostock helped create this mess, was Mr. Peluso going to continue it, was my rationale.

[K3]

The mighty Peluso would have saved us from this mess. What a moron! He reminds me of a umpa loompa.

[K2]

Hey ED

Great Idea, lets take the 1,000 high school boys that play football and put them on the streets everyday from 2:00 to 6:00 with nothing else to do and all the energy in the world. I am sure that the outstanding parenting they receieve will keep out of trouble.

Oh and how much does a tuba cost? I think you know how to blow hard.

[R'Club]

Currently the school board has allowed granfathering for every student. The original plan was to allow students to be grandfathered if they received their own transportation such as R'club or parent drop off. If the plan changes, does every elementary child, regardless of transportation need to be transplanted. The article does not state this. 18,000 seems like an awful lot of children to be displaced when maybe only half of them are bussed.Maybe i need to check out the workshop minutes on line, maybe I am being ignorant, but in no offense to the Times, I am sick and tired about hearing about my childs education through the newspaper. Keep up the great work Mr. Tomlin, and thank you for keeping the parents educated, as the 7 witches seem to not care.

[Julia]

I think they should just end the busing for grandfathered kids. If you are out of zone, no bus. I see both sides of the coin. I hate to see kids moved. On the other hand,I too see in my neighborhood, two kids get on separate buses and be one of the only kids on the bus to a school 20+ minutes away.Ridiculous.Both are non-magnet.They could go to the neighborhood school,which is good.I suspect the parents don't want to have to drive.Take some responsibility folks. You want them to stay in that school,then you need to provide transportation.I do. As for school closings,only the numbers and geographic indicators can decide that.I wish the School Board would show those #'s.

[Billy]

Well North Pinellas, you voted for Wikle, and looks like you got what you deserved. My gosh, how anyone in Palm Harbor voted for Ms. Tarpon Springs is now kind of hard to understand, eh?

[msadr]

k2... You are an athletic coach and you think the arts are useless... You make me laugh... I wonder how many people think extra curricular athletics are useless...

I smell a class-action lawsuit that will BANKRUPT the school system if they don't pull their heads out of their anuses real soon.

I have a 3rd and 1st grader at a "choice" school that I DID NOT CHOSE which is 10 miles from my house. We were JUST promised at the beginning of the year, that they could STAY there and transportation WOULD BE PROVIDED. Now not so much.

The punchline? Our NEIGHBORHOOD school, (A-rated, of course) which was my 1st choice that I didn't get for the past 3 years is slated to be closed!!!!!!!

You think you had a fight during the desegragation days? HA!

I HATE people who are lawsuit happy but I will not stand idle and let these morons ruin my childrens' education because they can't manage their money.

Next step will be creating a website for parents to sign up to be included in the lawsuit. I will write a letter to the SPT editor requesting the website address be posted and will post it on every blog/story/etc I can find.

It's time for parents to take back control of this moronic nonsense.

[ED]

K2, you seem to be a school board member with all the flip flopping. 80 JV footplayers????? Where does all the equipment come from? The use of lights for those Thursday night games must be outstanding, seeing as school lets out at 2:00, maybe the JV can play at 3:00. With 80 players, maybe you can just scrimage everyday and save on bussing, set up 4 different squads so It does not get boring. Or, maybe you can trim your roster by about 50. Just a suggestion from the North.

[CC]

Yes, you should sell the nice piece of property over in East Lake that ya'll have been siting on forever. This is what I suggested to Hinsley back in the day and more then likely ya'll are still siting on it.

The board should just bite the bullet and make these hard decisions now. Families will have 6 months to make the necessary adjustments. The board also needs to look right at the district office and see which admin. positions could be cut.