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Boundary Plan Would Relieve Crowded County Schools

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By ADAM EMERSON

aemerson@tampatrib.com

Published: January 22, 2009

TAMPA - Some of most crowded high schools in northern and eastern Hillsborough County would see relief under new attendance zones the school district proposed today.

The district will take nearly 2,000 students from Sickles and Gaither high schools and fill one of the county's newest high schools, Steinbrenner High in Lutz, which opens in August.

Sickles High would see the most relief. The school off Gunn Highway is running at 600 students over capacity. Under the newest plan, which reflects the enrollment in the 2010-11 school year, Sickles would send nearly 1,700 students to Steinbrenner and receive 478 students from crowded Alonzo High.

Next fall's seniors won't be affected by this plan.

Administrators are recommending no changes for either Freedom High or Chamberlain High. Chamberlain is one of the most crowded high schools in the district at 2,100 students.

To fill Strawberry Crest High near Plant City, the district will take 1,600 students from Armwood, Durant and Plant City high schools. Of them all, Plant City needs the most relief; it's currently running at 124 percent capacity with 2,874 students.

In addition, Durant would lose 223 students to Plant City High.

The newest boundary proposals were among the last the district released publicly to facilitate the opening of five new schools in the fall.

Besides Strawberry Crest and Steinbrenner, the district also will open two elementary schools and a middle school.

After that, it will be years before another new school opens. The district lost nearly 1,700 students this year, the first time that's happened in 25 years.

Families can weigh in on the proposed high school attendance zones at two community meetings next week. The school board won't vote on the plan until February.

Those affected by the opening of Strawberry Crest High will meet at 7 p.m. Monday in the Tomlin Middle School auditorium.

Those affected by the opening of Steinbrenner High will meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Sickles High School auditorium.

Maps highlighting the boundary changes are at the district's class size Web site, classsize.mysdhc.org.

Reporter Adam Emerson can be reached at (813) 259-8285.

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