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Pinellas School Board decides to close 6 schools
Despite the concerns parents raised, the board decided to close six elementary schools.
PINELLAS COUNTY (Bay News 9) -- The Pinellas County School Board decided Tuesday to close six elementary schools.
It's a move the board said they had to make due to budget concerns and low enrollment.
The six elementary schools that will be shut down are: Clearview, Gulf Beaches, Kings Highway, North Ward, Rio Vista and Palm Harbor.
Also, two fundamental schools will be closed and moved to other campuses. Coachman Fundamental will be moved to Kennedy Middle School, and Southside Fundamental will be moved to Madeira Beach Middle School.
During the meeting parents pleaded with board members to keep their child's school open.
"I just don't think it's fair to our children to tell them that they're not worth the education they could get," said one parent during the meeting.
The board voted on Dec. 9 to shutter the elementary schools during a board meeting that went late into the night as parents, students and others in the community spoke to voice their opposition to the board's plans.
"I feel that the school board members listened," said one parent after Tuesday's decision. "I just feel that they made the wrong decision when they voted to close our school."
School Board Chairperson Peggy O'Shea said the board would have to work toward plans for next school year. She said there also will be more cuts in the future, especially once the board sees the final state budget.
Students who attend the schools that are set to be closed will be given priority in being placed at other schools.
The school board also voted on the student assignment plan. They voted to allow about 17,000 students to be grandfathered into their current schools as long as parents provide transportation for the students.
However, the process will be a little tricky. All elementary students will be zoned to their neighborhood school, and it will be up to the parents to call the student assignment office to tell them the they want them grandfathered into their current school.
Closures mean no public school for beaches
The closure of Gulf Beaches Elementary School may have a wide-ranging impact on the communities of St. Pete Beach and Treasure Island. Losing the school will mean there are no more public schools on the two islands.
Three board members were actually in favor of keeping Gulf Beaches open because of this, but they lost the vote.
Treasure Island Mayor Mary Maloof said she is concerned about the future impact of the school closing.
"It would be very very detrimental to our community to lose the vibrancy that having young families there creates," she said.
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