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Packed Zephyrhills High Sees Hope In Growth Pact

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By GEOFF FOX

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 25, 2008

ZEPHYRHILLS - There are 12 portable classrooms at Zephyrhills High School, and there should be three more by next school year, Principal Gerri Painter says.

With the school overcrowded and lacking room for more portables, Painter is pinning her hopes on a $2.5 million two-story building the school district plans to build on the north side of the campus. The free-standing building would contain eight classrooms, including two with science laboratories.

"We're pretty packed now," Painter said. "There isn't much more space to put portables on. It's imperative that we find permanent classroom space."

Monday, the Zephyrhills City Council unanimously approved an interlocal agreement for school concurrency among the city, Pasco County and the county school board. School board officials discussed plans for the building at Zephyrhills High.

School concurrency ties the approval of housing developments to school building. The state Legislature approved a bill in 2005 that requires every county in Florida to develop a concurrency plan.

Painter said Zephyrhills High has about 1,525 students, with a capacity for about 1,100. A couple of years ago, the school had about 1,700 students.

"We've definitely seen an impact with the slowing of the housing market," she said. "If that picks up again - watch out. We are hoping to see the building finished for the second semester of the coming school year, but that won't happen, obviously.

"Our next hope was the beginning of the 2009-10 school year, but we're not sure that will happen, either. I'm thinking it could be 18 months."

Reporter Geoff Fox can be reached at (813) 779-4613 or gfox@tampatrib.com.

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