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Schools, Parents Make Tough Choices

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR

cpastor@tampatrib.com

Published: January 29, 2009

TAMPA - Faced with a school district plan to transfer 2,400 teens to different high schools, families raised concerns Wednesday about academic and athletic opportunities and, in some cases, questioned why their neighborhood was not included in the changes.

The Hillsborough County School District will open Steinbrenner High School in August in Lutz. It will draw from Sickles and Gaither, and the district will lower crowding at Alonso by moving about 480 Alonso students to Sickles, said Steve Ayers, director of community and parent relations.

Students who will be seniors this fall will not move.

Parents asked whether Steinbrenner would offer sports, extracurricular and academic programs their children enjoy at their current schools. Some wanted to know why Chamberlain and Freedom were not included in the plan when their families live closer to Gaither and Steinbrenner than their current schools.

Chuck Eade's daughter is a sophomore at Freedom High School in New Tampa, although the family lives in Lutz. The long drive makes it difficult for his daughter to participate in after-school activities and separates her from their community, he said.

"If you're going to look at people who reside in Lutz, send them to school in Lutz. New Tampa is New Tampa. Let them take care of it," Eade said to cheers from the audience. "Keep us in our own neighborhood."
Mary Lou Smythe's daughter was reassigned last year from Martinez Middle to Walker for eighth grade. She was upset at first but made friends and wanted to join them and her older sibling at Sickles.

"Now you're telling me she has to go back to Steinbrenner," Smythe said. "She ended up at Walker and is now giddy to come here and join culinary and other things. How many times are we going to have to do this move?"

The superintendent will review feedback and recommend either changing the plan or keeping it as is. The school board could vote on Feb. 10.

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503.

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