NAPLES, Fla. — The Collier County Public School board members are once again discussing the proposed school boundary changes that brought out many opposing voices in February.
PREVIOUS REPORTING:
Parents, students question first rezoning proposal at CCPS meeting (fox4now.com)
The changes that the school district says come from the rapid growth over the recent years and they say is long overdue.
The March 5 school board meeting brought back new plans. CCPS says these tweaks in the proposal come from the public survey responses.
"The schools out east need to be addressed not us," said Stephanie Jonas, a parent at Veterans Memorial Elementary.
Jonas is a parent of one of about 1,400 elementary school students who will be affected by these proposed changes.
"We're being pulled apart," said Jonas. "We're being pushed to different schools. We've all been in these communities for 12-plus years, and we just feel like it's really unfair."
Since the idea of moving kids to different schools was first floated, the school district and some parents have started working together through these concerns.
"It's necessary and it is highly personal because you're dealing with where students are assigned to go to school," said Chad Oliver, Chief Communications Office CCPS. "The good thing is families love their schools, and for the handful of people that you're hearing from that don't want to change schools. One way of looking at that is a positive. They love their school."
Now the school district has gone from one boundary proposal to having two ideas of what the 2025-2026 school year could look like.
With two new schools coming to Collier County in the next two years, the board has some big decisions to make before then.
PREVIOUS REPORTING:
Collier County Schools prepares for new elementary school (fox4now.com)
"I actually think they are listening to us," said Jonas. "We've had numerous communications with the board members, and Kelly Lichter herself, and we do feel like they are somewhat listening. They did say that they were going to push it back so they could gather all the information because there has been so much feedback from the community."
Collier County Public Schools said this will not take away parental choice in schools, even for those who are affected by the boundary modifications.
Click here for the CCPS boundary modification website.
Fox 4 will continue to keep you up to date on their decision.
