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Westchase Residents Press On Boundaries

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 13, 2008

WESTCHASE - Stung by a controversial boundary vote two years ago, Westchase residents sought assurances from school board candidates that the community would stay intact when a new high school opens in Lutz.

Several questions at a candidate forum Thursday focused on how the Hillsborough County School District sets attendance boundaries. The World of Westchase (WOW) and the Westchase Community Association's government affairs committee hosted the meeting, culling questions neighbors submitted in advance.

Two nonpartisan races have attracted challengers to incumbents Susan Valdes and Carol Kurdell. Valdes is finishing her first term representing District 1, which includes Westchase as well as Town 'N Country, Egypt Lake and southern Carrollwood. David Schmidt, a 10-year district employee, is running against her.

Kurdell has served on the board for 16 years. Competing against her for the countywide District 7 seat are Hillsborough Community College employee Stephen Gorham and retired Army officer Jason Mims. The primary election is Aug. 26.

Moderator Chris Barrett, WOW publisher, asked candidates during the 90-minute session to explain positions on managing money, improving poor-performing schools and other issues.

Boundaries, though, were "the big elephant in the room," Barrett said, and several residents had sent him questions on that topic. Many wanted Kurdell to explain why she voted in 2006 to split the community and send 144 Westchase Elementary children to Lowry because of crowding.

Valdes voted against the move but was in the minority. Now many parents fear the board will divide high school students living in Westchase, keeping some at Alonso and assigning others to Sickles. Sickles is crowded but will lose students to Steinbrenner High School when it opens in Lutz next August.

Kurdell, who called boundary changes "heartbreak for everyone," said that she would have supported a single elementary school for Westchase if the district was in the situation it is in today. Growth has stalled, and Westchase Elementary has room.

"In the future, would I support that? Absolutely," she said.

Other candidates agreed that the board's goal should be to keep communities together. Gorham dubbed the board "reactive" and said it needed more data to drive its decisions.

"We do need to understand there will be times to make hard decisions, only it should be used as a last resort," Gorham said. "It's ridiculous to move kids because of poor planning on our part."

Kurdell said the district creates five-, 10- and 25-year plans, projections that were difficult during Hillsborough's growth boom. She said the district had not communicated its plans well to parents but that officials have fixed that with advisory committees that participate in discussions early.

Each candidate fielded a question specific to him or her. Barrett asked Valdes to explain her $50,000 in travel expenses, the highest on the board, and fractured relationships with other members.

Valdes said she went to conferences to learn from others and see model schools in action. She was asked to fly to Las Vegas to accept an award on behalf of the district. Although she had been honored to go, she said now felt betrayed by other members who did not come to her defense.

Conflict also is inevitable, she said, because she challenges the board's status quo.

"When you're trying to bring about changes, that's what happens," Valdes said. "You ruffle some feathers, step on some toes."

Schmidt said he did not expect a divisive relationship on the board if elected.

"I think I've built up a reputation for trust," he said, referring to his work managing a district program for immigrants. "I believe that I can build consensus because of my real-time educational experience."

All candidates addressed funding shortages. Mims said the district had to do more with less. Kurdell said any cutbacks had to come from places that would not hurt the classroom, and Valdes praised the board for trimming expenses without laying off employees. Gorham suggested reviewing professional contracts and ending those that did not boost student achievement.

The candidates also discussed ways to bring up school grades at Middleton, Sulphur Springs Elementary and Franklin Middle. The schools are at risk of closing if they do not improve academically.

Schmidt said the district should promote parental involvement and business partnerships and increase teacher mentoring in those schools. Valdes said the district has to find out how it can help parents, grandparents and other relatives raising children in those areas. Officials needed to head to the streets.

"It's time we put on our tennis shoes, jeans, T-shirts and put my hair into a ponytail and talk to these kids and find out what is going on," she said.

Mims pointed out that the problems at Middleton don't start with Middleton. Too many students arrive reading below their grade levels. Those students got pushed along in elementary and middle school, Mims said, leaving Middleton left holding the bag.

"We've actually missed the boat" by the time they get to high school, Mims said.

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503 or cpastor@tampatrib.com.

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