Story thread · 2 reports / 2 sources

Pinellas might close more schools. Here’s what parents, staff are saying.

tampabay.com · 13h · first reportShare

The big story: In preparation for a second round of school closing and merger recommendations, Pinellas County district officials asked community members what they want to see. More than 2,500 people responded. Nearly half were parents, with another third being district employees. Superintendent Kevin Hendrick plans to discuss the public comments with the school board during a workshop this morning. The session is a precursor to the next proposal, which Hendrick is set to present in early September. Some themes already have emerged from the feedback: • People don’t like the idea of closing neighborhood schools, saying they help create community. They also keep the need for student busing to a minimum. • If the district must shut down under-enrolled campuses, many respondents support merging nearby schools to optimize resources, reducing costs while maintaining programs and services. The K-8 model was particularly popular, though some raised concerns about losing middle school opportuni