LARGO, Fla. — Pinellas County Schools Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said the district will postpone the second round of community meetings on proposed school closures until after an Oct. 6 School Board workshop, giving board members more time to review the recommendations and feedback from families.
Each school on the district’s proposed closure and consolidation list is scheduled to have two community meetings. The first has been completed, while the second round had been expected to take place next week. Hendrick said the new dates will be announced in the coming days.
During Tuesday night’s school board meeting, Hendrick didn’t mention if this would impact the school board’s final vote that’s currently set for Oct. 13. The district has said enrollment, the age and condition of school buildings and operating costs are among the factors being considered as officials decide which campuses should close.
“It remains my strong recommendation that closures and consolidations must be considered for the district to maintain its financial health,” Hendrick said.
The timeline change comes as parents continue pushing back against several of the proposed closures, including John M. Sexton Elementary School in St. Petersburg.
Parent packed Tuesday night’s School Board meeting, urging board members to keep Sexton open and questioning why the school was selected. According to data provided by the district, Sexton Elementary has a higher utilization rate than at least 20 other Pinellas schools and recently received about $900,000 in renovations.
The YMCA has also expressed interest in taking over the property if the district ultimately closes the school.
Sexton parents, like Adriana Diaz, argue the recommendation does not add up.
“It’s not just that we don’t want our school to close, it’s that the process may not be being followed and this should raise concerns for the board members voting on this as well. I don’t think there’s enough information for them to vote right now,” Diaz said.
During the meeting, School Board Chair Caprice Edmond asked the district to analyze a different scenario: keeping Sexton open while closing nearby Woodlawn Elementary, which has a lower utilization rate.
“I would like to request an analysis of if Woodlawn was the school to close and Sexton remain open,” Edmond told fellow board members Tuesday. “This is based on community feedback, the age, and how many students it can hold”
That request does not mean the recommendation will change, but it could give board members another option to consider before the October vote.
Many parents also spoke Tuesday in support of keeping Tarpon Springs Fundamental Elementary open.
The Oct. 6 workshop is expected to be a major discussion point for board members before the district resumes its second round of community meetings and moves toward the scheduled Oct. 13 vote.