Pasco County Schools will be opening a new high school and middle school on the same campus next year, and will open a new elementary school, too.
As a result, existing school boundaries will need to be redrawn to assign students to the new schools.
It’s a process that tends to be controversial.
The boundary committee for High School GGG had its first meeting on Sept. 16.
(Photos courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
Its first goal was to develop a draft boundary for the combination high school and middle school campus, said Chris Williams, director of planning for Pasco County Schools.
During the committee meeting, two additional meetings were added to its schedule.
One gives the committee more time to work on its recommendations before they are presented at a community meeting for parents. The other meeting gives the committee an opportunity to recommend any potential changes after the parents’ meeting, but before the Pasco County School Board considers the boundary recommendations.
The role of a school boundary committee is to develop and recommend school attendance boundaries that best meet established guidelines, to provide advice and direction to the technical assistance subcommittee, to review and critique the work of the technical assistance subcommittee, and to represent students, parents, communities, schools and the district.
Boundary committee meetings are open to the public, but members of the public may attend only as observers.
High School GGG, being built at 8701 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel, will open as a sixth- through 12th-grade school next August, but will only have grades six through 11 its initial year.
The district needs to relieve crowding at Wiregrass Ranch High and John Long Middle School, and cannot afford to build a middle school at this time.
Another school boundary committee, for Elementary School B, being built at 4380 Ballantrae Blvd., will begin meeting on Sept. 26. The new elementary school, set to open next fall, will reduce crowding at Oakstead and Odessa elementary school.
Both school boundary committees are expected to complete their work by Feb. 1, and the Pasco County School Board will make the final decisions relating to boundaries for the new school.
In addition to drawing new boundaries, the Pasco County School Board will be naming the new schools. They are soliciting suggestions from the public. Anyone who wishes to submit a name can send a suggestion and a brief explanation for each school name by Oct. 1. Type Elementary B or High School GGG in the subject line, and email to .
Also, to keep abreast of information being considered by school boundary committees, visit PascoSchools.org and click on the Rezoning link on the right-hand side.
Boundary meeting schedule, High School GGG
- Committee meeting, Sept. 29, 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Committee meeting, Oct. 20, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Parent meeting, Nov. 29, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Committee meeting, Dec. 2, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
All meetings will be at Wesley Chapel High School, 30651 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel
Boundary meeting schedule, Elementary B
- Committee meeting, Sept. 26, 10:30 a.m.
- Committee meeting, Oct. 13, 10:30 a.m.
- Parent meeting, Nov. 1, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
All meetings are at Oakstead Elementary, 19925 Lake Patience Road in Land O’ Lakes. The committee meetings will be in the media center, and the parent meeting will be in the cafeteria.
Published September 21, 2016
