The active hurricane season is sending construction workers elsewhere and making materials costly, hurting the district's work at Trinity Oaks Elementary.
By MARY SPICUZZA
Published November 2, 2005
The new Trinity Oaks Elementary School has faced its share of struggles since the beginning.
The recent rash of hurricanes is the latest blow to the Pasco County school's construction schedule.
"It's the perfect storm," said John Petrashek, director of new school construction for the district.
On Tuesday morning at the school district offices in Land O'Lakes, Petrashek warned that the hurricanes were having a "domino effect all throughout the industry."
He advised the School Board to come up with contingency plans in case the new school is not ready by August.
Trinity Oaks is one of seven new schools that the overcrowded 60,000-student district plans to open for the next school year.
The board hopes Trinity Oaks will relieve overcrowding at Trinity Elementary, which has about 1,100 students, assistant superintendent Ray Gadd said. That's about 400 students more than it's designed to handle, he said.
But an active hurricane season has slowed overcrowding solutions. Many construction workers have been sent to areas hit by the hurricanes to rebuild. Construction materials are also at a premium.
Despite these and other obstacles, Gadd said, opening the school in August still is a possibility.
Still, he is also working on a backup plan.
Creative Contractors in Clearwater is required to finish the school by Nov. 9. That would allow the school to open around the holidays, Gadd said.
If Trinity Oaks is not ready by Nov. 9, the district might place students in portable classrooms at the Trinity site until the new school is ready. That would allow entire classes to remain intact and move together.
Trinity Oaks is not the only new school that might not be ready to open by August.
Sale of the property for the new Double Branch Elementary School (formerly known as Elementary School J) in the Meadow Pointe-Wesley Chapel area has not yet closed.
However, Gadd said, the district expects to complete the purchase soon.
Wiregrass Ranch High School will also have a mid school year opening.
"That entire site has been a permitting nightmare," Petrashek said.
Still, Pasco school officials are hoping for the best - even as they plan for the worst.
"We're developing contingency plans for every school site," superintendent Heather Fiorentino said.
She said the district construction schedule faced problems with hurricanes last year but added that this year has been "the biggest crunch" because of the storms as well as Pasco's aggressive building schedule.
Despite the issues facing the construction industry, Petrashek said, the remaining schools are right on schedule - and some might be ready before August.
"I think all things considered," he said, "we're making remarkable progress."
Times researcher Carolyn Edds contributed to this report. Mary Spicuzza can be reached at 352 848-1432 or mspicuzza@sptimes.com
