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Charter School Plans On Hold

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 3, 2008

CARROLLWOOD - A charter school designed to promote peace didn't attract enough attention to open this year as planned.

Taylor Peace Academy had moved into a building on North Dale Mabry during the summer and spent early August training its four teachers, aide and principal on peace education. The school had high hopes of developing a supportive environment where children would talk through conflicts and value diversity.

But when just seven children enrolled, the school had to put off its plans.

"It's not feasible for them to open up," said Linda Cobbe, spokeswoman for the Hillsborough County school district. Charter schools are public schools but run privately.

Taylor's application promised it would enroll about 100 children. The school was going to start with kindergarten through third grade this year, add fourth grade next year and fifth the following. The Hillsborough school board awarded Taylor a five-year contract in March based on those numbers.

With that contract, the school could open in August 2009, if its enrollment is high enough, Cobbe said.

Taylor Peace board president Felecia Wintons could not be reached for comment. Wintons said in an earlier interview the school was struggling to enroll children because it had to change locations.

Originally, Taylor Peace picked a spot to rent on Busch Boulevard and held an open house in Temple Terrace to recruit students. That facility fell through when the landlord put it on the market.

Wintons had said the school advertised its Carrollwood location and held a back-to-school bash in early August, hoping to attract more students.
Cobbe said the seven children who signed up for Taylor found slots at district schools. Taylor's teachers are not guaranteed jobs but may apply when positions open. The district usually reassigns or adds teachers after the first few weeks of school when enrollment stabilizes.

At other district schools, enrollment figures from the first week showed Alonso High School as the second-largest school in the county. Plant City High School has 2,900 students, Alonso has 2,754 and Sickles has 2,603.

The area's newest school, Smith Middle, opened last month with 993 children.

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

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