When Tom McClanahan first heard that the community in which he lives — Union Park — was being re-zoned and his two children would be attending Thomas Weightman Middle School and Wesley Chapel High School (WCH) instead of nearby John Long Middle and Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH), he was stunned.
Because Union Park is tucked in the southeastern corner of Wesley Chapel, he and other residents never thought re-zoning to help stock the new Cypress Creek High (previously referred to as GGG) — which is located north of S.R. 54 and west of I-75 — would involve them. “That’s why we didn’t get involved,’’ he says.
Until now, that is. Tonight, McClanahan will present an alternative to the Pasco County School Board in preparation for the the big Tuesday, November 29 meeting when a large crowd of parents from Union Park and Meadow Pointe III & IV is expected to gather at WCH’s auditorium to voice their concerns.
Since the new school zone — Option 12 — was chosen by the Pasco County School Boundary Committee (SBC) on Oct. 20 for Cypress Creek High and to relieve overcrowding at all the Wesley Chapel middle and high schools (which are all over capacity) parents in the areas expected to be most affected in Meadow Pointe III and IV and Union Park have rallied to decry the new zones.
Option 12 re-zones all students who live in neighborhoods with access to Meadow Pointe Blvd., like Sheringham, Heatherstone, Claridge Place, Nesslewood and Larkenheath. It also moves more than 300 middle and high school students out of Country Walk and Fox Ridge in Meadow Pointe IV, as well as students all the way east to Union Park.
Groups opposing Option 12 have met numerous times since the proposal was put forth as the SBC choice, developing what they feel are better options. Those options have already been sent to Pasco School Board members and members of the SBC, which is comprised of principals from Wesley Chapel’s schools and parent representatives — including two from Seven Oaks, originally a candidate to be re-zoned.
None of those representatives, however, were from Meadow Pointe or Union Park.
“I would say that personally, I was very surprised and confused by the recommendation,’’ said Kevin Croswell, who is representing Meadow Pointe III. “I was surprised because of our physical proximity to our current schools versus the proposal to send students 8-10 miles away. It also splits up Meadow Pointe III. We’d be the only community split up, which contradicts one of the guidelines of re-zoning, which is maintaining subdivision integrity.”
According to Croswell, 56 percent of students in Meadow Pointe III would remain at their current school, with 44 percent having to attend Weightman and Wesley Chapel.
Both groups represented by Croswell and McClanahan have met, and both say they are proceeding professionally and respectfully.
They have asked their neighbors not to flood Pasco’s School Board with angry calls or emails, and instead would like their proposals to do their talking for them. They think when taking future road construction on S.R. 56 and S.R 54 that will impact travel to Weightman and WCH into consideration, as well as slight modifications of other plans (like Options 13 and 20) that could provide greater relief — particularly to Wiregrass Ranch, which is at 168 percent of its capacity — they can get results.
All concerns and feedback raised at the parent meeting will be addressed a few days later, at what could be the final SBC meeting on Friday, December 2, where it will be determined if any changes need to be made.
“It is certainly possible (changes will be made),’’ said Chris Williams, Pasco’s planning director. “The committee usually does a pretty good job and considers things and talks through them and is willing to look at problems from a different perspective.”
Folks in Meadow Pointe and Union Park admit, however, that they were caught by surprise and acknowledge that it is late in the game. But, McClanahan says he has his fingers crossed.
“All of us moved here, because of the schools, so it’s a tough pill to swallow,’’ McClanahan says. “Part of me thinks we might just be going through the motions, but Chris Williams, and some committee and Board members (say) they are willing to tweak things if we are able to present a good enough proposal. And, I think we can.”
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