TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Bringing Some Relief

A new elementary will help crowding at Forest Hill and Pizzo.

ADVERTISEMENT

By MICHELE SAGER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 7, 2008

Temple Crest - Temple Crest - School district leaders expect little opposition to proposed attendance boundary changes affecting students at Forest Hills and Pizzo elementary schools.

That's because a new elementary being built on 46th Street will mean a closer school.

The district is proposing an attendance boundary for Elementary M that includes students living south of Busch Boulevard, east of 37th Street, west of 50th Street and north of the Hillsborough River.

The new school, opening in August, is being built where Temple Heights Christian School once stood. The school district bought the property and tore down the private school to build a new facility.

Elementary M, expected to have about 600 students, will bring relief to Forest Hills, which is at 113 percent of capacity, and Pizzo, which is at 120 percent of capacity. About 270 students will come from the Pizzo attendance area, and about 245 students will come from the Forest Hills and Cahoon attendance areas.

"We don't anticipate much opposition because this school will be much closer for these families," said Bill Person, general director of student planning, placement and support programs. "In fact, most will probably be close enough to walk."

The school district had hoped to give relief to crowded Witter and Shaw elementary schools, but that didn't happen with this plan.

"We have another plan in our back pockets," Person said, though, he wouldn't say what that plan is or when changes might happen.

The district plans to hold a community meeting in the next couple weeks to discuss the boundary proposal, but a date has not been set.

Reporter Michele Sager can be reached at (813) 865-4843 or msager@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT