The sight of a new elementary school under construction would seem to be a cause for celebration.
But, even when students can attend a new school, and even when the new school will reduce crowding at other area schools, the prospect of boundary changes for existing schools is often fraught with controversy.
“Folks don’t want to move. I can understand. Folks are loyal to their school,” said Chris Williams, director of planning for Pasco County Schools.
Elementary W, being built off Mansfield Boulevard in Wesley Chapel, is slated to open in August 2016.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)
It will affect the current boundaries for Seven Oaks, Double Branch, Sand Pine and Denham Oaks elementary schools — if the Pasco County School Board approves a plan recommended by a school boundary committee.
Those who are interested in learning more or weighing in on the proposed boundaries are invited to attend a community meeting set for Nov. 19 at 6 p.m., at Denham Oaks Elementary, 1422 Oak Grove Blvd., in Lutz.
The proposed boundaries aim to reduce crowding and leave room for future growth in schools expected to experience the largest enrollment increases over the next few years, Williams said.
Under the proposal, students would be shifted out of Double Branch Elementary and Sand Pine Elementary into the new Elementary W, Williams said.
Then, some students from Seven Oaks would be assigned to Sand Pine, and others from Seven Oaks would be assigned to Denham Oaks, Williams said.
“Part of the rationale is that we don’t want to shift a whole huge amount of kids to Sand Pine and have to move a bunch of portables over there,” Williams explained.
“Denham Oaks has quite a bit of room now,” he added.
The boundary committee’s proposal is facing resistance, Williams said.
Although Williams was out of town recently, he said he’s heard that “the biggest opposition is coming from the Arbor Woods group. They’re the newest phase of the Northwood development. They don’t want to be zoned into Denham Oaks.”
Opponents would prefer to stay at Seven Oaks Elementary or move to Sand Pine Elementary, he said.
“Part of their rationale is that Denham Oaks is a lower-graded school. They’re concerned about that,” Williams said.
Opponents also are concerned about traffic through the interchange of State Road 56 and Interstate 75, especially with the recent opening of Tampa Premium Outlets, Williams said.
However, the committee has taken a look at the traffic issue, Williams said.
“They certainly have the ability to go down to County Line (Road) and traverse County Line (Road). By our measurement, so far, the drive times to get to Denham Oaks (Elementary School) from that area are not as bad as they made it out to be,” Williams said.
There’s no question that Seven Oaks Elementary needs relief, the planning director said.
“The car line at Seven Oaks is just madness because of how many kids we have there,” he said. “We just can’t continue to have that many kids at Seven Oaks Elementary.”
In addition to the upcoming community meeting, the public also can weigh in at two public hearings before the Pasco County School Board.
The first public hearing will be during the board’s 9:30 a.m. meeting on Dec. 1, and the second public hearing will be during the board’s 6 p.m. meeting on Dec. 15. The board meets at in the school district complex, Building No. 3 North, at 7205 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.
Elementary W boundary meeting
What: Community meeting to discuss proposed boundaries for Elementary W, a school under construction in Wesley Chapel that’s expected to open in August 2016.
Where; Denham Oaks Elementary, 1422 Oak Grove Blvd., in Lutz
When: Nov. 19 at 6 p.m.
Who: All are welcome
Published November 18, 2105
