On Tuesday, Seminole County school administrators could approve a rezoning plan that would move hundreds of elementary school students to different schools.
- Seminole County considers elementary school rezoning plan
- Plans moves hundreds of students to reopened Longwood Elementary School
- Parents can speak out on the plan Tuesday afternoon
- RELATED: READ Seminole County Public Schools Rezoning Plan
Parents not happy with the plan will have one more chance to voice their criticism directly to school board members.
Anne Russolese is fighting back against the school district’s plan. Her daughter is almost out of elementary school, but her son has just begun, and would have to switch schools if the plan is approved.
“He wants to stay there, he idolizes his big sister and he wants to follow those footsteps – the same footsteps and opportunities that she has had,” said Russolese.
And Russolese says her son’s new school would move him much further from home.
The Settars say they moved to their Lake Mary home because it was close to the school they wanted their kids to go to.
“We paid probably more than wanted for this house," Tim Settar said. "We paid to be in the school district and if they switch it on us, it was almost like the wrong decision for us.”
Settar’s children go to Woodlands Elementary, but would have to go to Longwood Elementary, further away from their home, if the rezoning is approved. Settar says if that happens, he’ll consider pulling his kids out of public schools and sending them to a private school.
“Longwood Elementary is the other way, so it’s going to add another 30 minutes,” said Settar.
School administrators closed Longwood Elementary several years ago after the economy crashed. District officials say they had to make cuts then. But now, with the county seeing major growth, schools are getting crowded.
They are now re-opening Longwood Elementary, and say they must fill the school by pulling students from other schools. School administrators say the level of students’ education won’t drop by going to a new school.
But Settar says he’s not so sure.
“I want them to be in a school that’s approved by me. I don’t know what’s at Longwood, what that school’s rating is going to be or anything like that,” said Settar.
Anne Russolese says she wants her son to learn from the teachers she’s grown to know and trust.
“Will get to know the personality of your child, and once they teach them, they get to teach them at a much better and effective level. So it is just destroying that cohesive culture and be detrimental to the children,”said Russolese.
The school board could vote on the rezoning plan at their regular meeting Tuesday night. But before that, parents have one more chance to tell the school board what they think about the plan.
That public meeting is Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m. at the Seminole County Schools Educational Support Center in Sanford.