Schools

Board puts 30 acres in the bank

Officials hope to build a high school on the Shady Hills site someday.

By JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK, Times Staff Writer
Published October 17, 2007

LAND O'LAKES - After years of scrambling to find land to build on, the Pasco County School Board moved ahead of the curve Tuesday.

Expecting the population to boom in the Shady Hills area, the board approved a contract to buy 30 acres adjacent to where it's building Crews Lake Middle School and just northwest of Mary Giella Elementary.

The district will pay $1.1-million for the site, where it intends to build a high school at some point in the future.

"I'm so excited," Vice Chairwoman Kathryn Starkey said after the unanimous vote.

"We're really happy about that," added Chairwoman Marge Whaley. "We have something in the bank."

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In other business, longtime community coach and activist Orville Williamson urged the board to reinstate Gulf High football player Julian Ford to the football team while he awaits his fate in the court system. Ford, a senior, has not played a game this year, having been barred from the team while facing robbery and felony battery charges.

Ford at first admitted guilt, but later recanted.

"If he's innocent, we are punishing this young man for something he didn't do," Williamson said. "He may not be an All-American, and he may not win the world championship. But I'd like to give him the opportunity."

Board attorney Dennis Alfonso told the board that district policy leaves the decision in the hands of the district athletic director and the school principal. However, assistant principal James Davis said, if Ford is exonerated at a hearing later this week, he will be immediately eligible to play, though he might not appear on the field right away.

"He may be out of football playing shape," Davis noted.

Williamson said he will attend Thursday's hearing and will notify the district of the results as soon as possible.

Also, the board approved Delores Gauvey, assistant principal at Sand Pine Elementary, as the new principal at Chasco Elementary. Gauvey replaces John Mann, who becomes director of leadership development.

The board also learned that the state Board of Education denied the district exclusive authority to authorize and oversee charter schools within the county. The district scored a 94 percent on the 800-page application, but the state awarded exclusivity only to districts that earned 100 percent compliance. Those three were Sarasota, Orange and Polk counties.

Jeffrey S. Solochek can be reached at solochek@sptimes.com or 813 909-4614. For more education news, visit the Gradebook at blogs.tampabay.com/schools.

[Last modified October 16, 2007, 21:55:26]