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Hillsborough School Board Swears In Members

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By MARILYN BROWN

mbrown@tampatrib.com

Published: November 18, 2008

TAMPA - Four of the seven Hillsborough County School Board members were sworn in for four more years Tuesday night and applications for five more charter schools were approved for the 2009-10 school year.

Carol Kurdell, who retained her District 7 at-large seat in a Nov. 4 runoff, was voted board chairwoman and sworn in for her fifth four-year term.

Susan Valdes, elected vice-chair, won her second term in District 1 in the primary; Jack Lamb, who holds the District 3 seat, and Doretha Edgecomb, the District 5 representative, had no opposition and were sworn in.

The new charter applications approved are: Shiloh Middle School, planned in the Plant City area to serve grades 6-8; NewPoint Academy, planning to open in the Brandon area for grades 9-12; Florida High School for Accelerated Learning-Hillsborough County Campus, location pending; Valrico Lake Advantage Academy, planning to open in the Valrico area for kindergarten through eighth-grade students and Advantage Academy Middle School, planning to open in the Plant City area for sixth through eighth-graders.

Hillsborough now has 26 charter schools plus three approved last year that delayed opening until 2009.

In other action, the board suspended second-grade Summerfield Crossing Elementary teacher Valerie Sabarese without pay effective today. She was arrested Friday on felony drug charges not involving students.

Parents from Alafia Elementary School returned to the board, demanding the removal of Principal Ellyn Smith.

Parents complained last month that teachers and parents fear retaliation from Smith and many teachers have left.

Superintendent MaryEllen Elia said she will meet with parents Thursday at 7 p.m. at the school.

Reporter Marilyn Brown can be reached at (813) 259-8069.

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