At Issue: Boundary For Brand New Elementary School Near Military and Potomac.
BY: STAFF REPORT | BocaNewsNow.com
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2022 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — The Palm Beach County School District Advisory Boundary Committee meeting — which is expected to be a meeting full of controversy and drama — is now set for Thursday, January 27th. The meeting will be entirely virtual.
At issue: a redistricting of schools to make way for a new elementary school at Military Trail and Potomac. Known as Elementary School 05-C, the school is set to open in August, 2022 — just eight months from now. It will receive a “real” name over the next several months.
Several parents, instead of being ecstatic over a brand new school that will alleviate overcrowding at other elementary schools, are instead upset that too many children from “gated communities” will remain at Calusa Elementary. Calusa is a school with a stellar reputation and a full-time gifted program. The parents argue that the boundary committee is favoring those who live in homes — largely in gated communities and country clubs. We note that renters do not directly pay property tax which funds schools and programs.
Elementary 05-C will also alleviate overcrowding at other elementary schools, including Whispering Pines, Sunrise Park, and Del Prado. All, over the past several years, have seen projections that push enrollment well over 100 percent of capacity.
The meeting, per Palm Beach County School District Policy, is only required to allow 30 minutes of public comment. It is unclear if that limit will be exceeded. The meeting is set for 4:30. Information about logging in and requesting time to speak can be found here.
