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PLACE program for San Antonio Elementary still in limbo

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By RONNIE BLAIR | The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 22, 2009

LAND O' LAKES - Parents at San Antonio Elementary must wait a little longer to find out what kind of before- and after-school-care program will be offered at their children's school.

The Pasco County School Board voted Tuesday night to postpone until May 5 a decision on whether to put one of the school district's PLACE programs at the school.

Some San Antonio parents oppose program for the school because two physical education teachers already run a child care program at the school that the parents are pleased with.
That program would be bumped out if PLACE comes in.

"I don't see where opening another [PLACE] program where it's not wanted or needed would be beneficial," parent Tami Bentley told the board.

Superintendent Heather Fiorentino recommended that the board approve the PLACE program for San
Antonio. PLACE, which stands for Pasco Learning and Activity Centers of Enrichment, operates at 39 elementary schools.

Fiorentino said she has a number of concerns about the Coaches' Training Camp, including the precedent it sets that could lead to more school employees wanting to run similar private businesses using school facilities.

She also said PLACE buys its own equipment, but the Coaches' Training Camp uses the school's equipment, putting additional wear and tear on it.
Board members, though, said they would like the district to work things out with the Coaches' Training Camp. They want the district staff to meet with the two teachers over the next two weeks to try to come to an agreement. Board member Joanne Hurley will participate in those meetings as the board's representative.

The issue then will return to the board May 5. Board members don't want to delay much longer because parents need to make decisions about summertime care for their children and both PLACE and Coaches' Training Camp need time to make preparations.

Both programs offer all-day care in the summer and before and after-school care during school days.
The two teachers, J.J. Scaglione and Bobby Wade, say they will move their camp to a church a few miles from the school if they can't continue at San Antonio Elementary.

The teachers originally planned to locate their program at the church, but district officials suggested they do it at the school instead, Scaglione said.
Board member Allen Altman cited that as one of the reasons the district should allow Coaches' Training Camp to continue. He said it would be "morally wrong" to force the teachers to move their program after it was the district's idea to locate the program on campus.

"Today we are basically talking about pulling the rug out from under them," Altman said.

He and Hurley said San Antonio is a unique situation and they don't believe allowing it to operate from the school means the board would have to do the same thing at other schools.

"I sincerely think we need to let this program thrive where it is," Hurley said.

Fiorentino said district staff members made a mistake in suggesting the program be at the school. She said allowing the teachers to run the program violates the district's internal accounts procedures. She said some district staff members have been reprimanded as a result.

Some San Antonio families already use PLACE, but their children are bused to a program at Pasco Elementary in Dade City. Fiorentino said 27 children do that.

Assistant Superintendent Dave Scanga said a survey of parents showed an additional 45 San Antonio children would use PLACE if one were located at their school.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 731-8119.

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