Pasco County Schools are asking for community input on new rezoning maps of West Pasco Schools that would go into effect in time for the next school year.

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“We’re trying to minimize … to what degree would those schools be overcrowded,” Superintendent Kurt Browning said.

For some families, the new proposed boundaries tell a familiar story. Once again, some students who attend Seven Springs Middle School and J.W. Mitchell High School were rezoned to River Ridge Middle and High Schools.

That came as good news to parent Corey Hynes.

“This notion that this neighborhood or neighbors in the area are unanimously opposed to River Ridge is wrong,” Hynes said.

Hynes’s 11-year-old daughter, Abigail, was originally supposed to attend Seven Springs once she started sixth grade this year. She was rezoned under the old maps to River Ridge.

“She is doing amazing there. She’s a straight-A student, on the dance team, just doing absolutely fantastic. And she wants to stay there,” Hynes said.

Not all parents are on board with the move.

“They still aren’t solving the problem they set out to solve, and there’s even less reason to move Longleaf than there was last year. So we just think that it’s an absolute mistake,” said Jim Stanley.

Stanley’s daughter, Lauren, is a sophomore at Mitchell High. She was rezoned to River Ridge, but was able to stay at Mitchell through school choice. She’ll be grandfathered into the school if the new boundaries are adopted.

Stanley was also one of the plaintiffs in the case that caused the last set of rezoning maps to be thrown out due to Sunshine Law violations by boundary committee members during their creation.

The new maps also propose moving some Seven Springs students to Paul R. Smith Middle School and others from Mitchell to be rezoned to Anclote High School. In addition, some from Anclote High would be moved to Gulf High School.

“Well, it’s larger, but I think it’s larger simply so they could claim that they’re doing a broader rezoning effort to cover the fact that they’re punishing us for challenging the last rezoning legally,” Stanley said.

“I don’t retaliate against anybody. This is a public process,” said Browning.

Next year's 6th, 9th graders first to be affected

Browning said it will be next year’s incoming sixth and ninth graders who will be impacted first. Students will be able to finish the highest grade available at their current schools, then move to their rezoned schools once they move on.

He said this latest proposal also takes steps to handle a main criticism of the last process: that many students rezoned out of Mitchell or Seven Springs were able to remain at those schools thanks to school choice, decreasing the number of students who were actually rezoned.

“We moved kids out one door, but we continued to let kids come in the back door through choice,” Browning said. “So, what we are doing is strictly adhering to the district’s controlled open enrollment plan.”

Browning said exceptions can be made for students rezoned to the River Ridge schools who have siblings currently attending Seven Springs or Mitchell.

Stanley and other representatives from the Longleaf and Ellington neighborhoods sent a proposal to the district questioning estimated costs associated with the current boundary proposal and offering alternative solutions, such as accelerating planned construction of new wings and new schools.

“We’re extending the hand of cooperation and friendship, saying we want to be part of solving this with you, but if you don’t, the alternative is we’re going back to court,” Stanley said.

Browning said the district plans to take all community feedback into account.

“I’m going to do the right thing for our kids, the right thing for our communities we serve,” said Browning.

The district planned a public workshop on the proposed boundaries on Monday, March 12, from 5 p.m. -8 p.m.

People are also invited to leave comments on the district’s website

Finalized boundaries are expected to be adopted at the school board’s May 1 meeting.