Some youngsters who had been shuffled around during construction will return to their regular campuses this year.
By DONNA WINCHESTER
Published July 23, 2003
Completion of building projects in south Pinellas County totaling more than $70-million has ended the carefully choreographed dance that required some students to attend schools away from their assigned campuses and others to navigate construction for the past year.
Gulfport Elementary students, who had been attending school at the new James Sanderlin Elementary, completed their extended school year at a new facility at the school's original site, at 2014 52nd St. S. Sanderlin, at 2352 22nd Ave. S, will welcome its own group of students in August.
Campbell Park students will return to their newly constructed campus at 1101 Seventh Ave. S after attending school for a year at the new Douglas Jamerson Elementary. Jamerson, at 1200 37th St. S, also will open its doors to a new student population
Fairmount Park Elementary students, who had been attending school amid construction at 575 41st St. S, will return to a completely new facility, with the exception of two buildings.
Meanwhile, newly constructed Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle School has been completed at 2130 40th St. S and is ready to welcome its first group of students.
The district built James Sanderlin and Douglas Jamerson elementaries and Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle School as part of an agreement reached with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to end court-ordered busing for desegregation. Gulfport, Campbell Park and Fairmount Park elementaries were rebuilt because the district determined new construction was more cost-efficient than renovation.
"What we're doing now is rebuilding a lot of schools that are old and tired," said Tony Rivas, facilities director for the district. "There has been a little more construction in the last couple of years, but in general, it's been pretty steady and probably will continue to be."
The district will use its available resources to continue to improve its facilities, Rivas said.
Several other schools, including Shore Acres Elementary, Gibbs High School, and Largo and Dunedin Highland middle schools, now are undergoing upgrades. Construction projects will begin shortly at Oak Grove and Safety Harbor middle schools.
