Talar Governor, 5, checks the road for traffic as she and her mother Keyth Hargrett, 23, prepare to cross N Boulevard on their way to Just Elementary School. Kids who live in the area used to be bused out into surburban areas.
TAMPA - Keyth Hargrett walked three blocks, across four lanes of traffic, past two apartment complexes and along rows of waiting cars in the sticky-hot Thursday morning.
With a grip on her 5-year-old daughter's hand, she walked toward a bit of history.
On this, the first day of school in Hillsborough County, she was taking Talar Governor to a school in their neighborhood - a first for her and many parents in several mostly black communities.
If this had been any year of the past 33, her daughter would likely have been bused to a suburban school to ensure racially mixed enrollment.
But with busing for desegregation replaced this year by a new controlled choice student assignment plan, many children are attending their neighborhood schools for the first time.
The new stucco exterior of Just Elementary on Spruce Street came into view as Hargrett, 23, guided Talar along. The former all-black school that later become an integrated preschool was rebuilt and opened this year as an elementary school.
"It's a hop, skip and a jump from my house," Hargrett said. "If anything was to happen, it's close."
The end of desegregation and beginning of the choice plan made it historic, but in many ways, the day was as typical as sloppy joes in the cafeteria.
Parents' cars jammed roadways. Some buses were up to an hour late. Others unloaded children at the wrong school.
Across the county, lines of frustrated parents snaked out of school offices. Some were angered when they realized their children had been reassigned inexplicably because of the choice plan.
"I don't understand it," said Demetria Kelly, who said administrators moved her son Jeronte Jackson, 6, from Lee Elementary, where he went last year, to Ballast Point Elementary, further from her home. "They just up and switched him. I figure a child has a right to be at the same school."
Since court-ordered busing has ended, choice aims to make schools voluntarily diverse by encouraging black and white students to choose campuses outside their neighborhoods, schools that feature special programs and after-school care.
But the desire for neighborhood schools was apparently stronger than first thought.
At Booker T. Washington and James K-8 schools, which are two of four schools to open in urban areas, more than 200 parents showed up Thursday, trying to enroll their children at those closer-to-home schools.
But by mid morning, most children were seated at desks, making new friends, memorizing the route to the cafeteria and learning the no-nos, such as wearing flip-flops.
"We had some glitches here and there," said superintendent Earl Lennard. "We'll correct them and get them worked out."
At Graham Elementary in Tampa Heights, principal Charlotte Valenti waved to children as they poured from cars and buses and strolled up the sidewalk with parents.
After giving some children a squeeze, Valenti said, "You make them feel warm and comfortable so they can relax and enjoy school."
By day's end, 166,743 had shown up for class - 3,998 more than the first day last year. Educators expect enrollment to rise to a record 186,304.
To make room, seven new schools opened: Sheehy, Davis, Corr and FishHawk Creek elementaries, Shields Middle School, and Bowers-Whitley and Simmons career centers. Some are so new they still need paint and landscaping.
At Davis Elementary in Town 'N Country, cars spilled onto the grass. A few buses drove over a median after missing the front entrance.
Principal Cecelia Troutt and her team seemed relieved that the problems were small.
"Everything's gone okay," she said. "Not too many tears."
By mid morning at Shields Middle in Ruskin, principal Jerry Jackson was telling 14 children whose bus had shown up late where their classes were.
Seventh-grade geography teacher Shelly Riley took a few moments to explain the rules about bullying (not tolerated) and dress code (no pajamas). And ...
"No underwear showing," Riley said. "If I see underwear, you go to the office. If I see your belly button, you go to the office. If I came in dressed like that, gross."
At Corr Elementary near Gibsonton, Kimala Achor and Tara Barnes smiled despite the pouring rain outside. Through the choice plan, they had picked Corr over Wimauma Elementary because it is closer to the day care center their four other children attend.
Achor said she thought the kids would have an easier time making friends and getting a good education. "Coming to the new school made them all happy," she said.
By lunchtime at Memorial Middle - expected to be the second-most crowded this year - principal John Copeland approached a crying girl. She had just learned she had failed last year and had been transferred to Stewart Middle.
Copeland put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm going to take care of it," he said.
An hour later, the girl was smiling. She could stay at Memorial.
Down the hall, sixth-grader Genesis Munoz had a nagging question for science teacher Sean Farrell, who was trying to inspire the class by telling them they could achieve any goal.
"Are you going to give us a seating order?" Genesis asked, sneakers swinging.
Back at Just Elementary, Talar Governor stood in line behind her teacher, her first day of kindergarten over, her first day at a neighborhood school done.
"Stand up tall," said her teacher, Rose Grady. "Hands behind your backs. Did everybody have a good day of kindergarten?"
Talar boomed with the other children, ""Yes!"
She marched outside with the others. When she saw her mother and baby sister, she screamed, "Mommy!"
The family was only three blocks from home.
Times staff writers Elizabeth Dyer and Jaremy Shelton contributed to this report. Melanie Ave can be reached at 813 226-3400 or melanie@sptimes.com
Back-to-school coverage
