Elementary rezoning one step from complete

Sunset Park, Independence and Keene's Crossing elementary schools could be affected by the result.

By Zak Kerr
| 2:27 p.m. December 11, 2015

Southwest Orange
News

ORLANDO During its Dec. 10 rule development workshop, the Orange County School Board considered two options for rezoning of elementary schools in Horizon West, given a new Lakeside Village elementary school planned to open next August.

In each option the Office of Student Enrollment presented, the new school would take on all Sunset Park Elementary territory that is both west of Winter Garden-Vineland Road and roughly south of communities accessed via Overstreet Road. The new school also would usurp all Independence Elementary territory east of the junction of Seidel, Reams and Ficquette roads, giving the new school a projected 2016-17 enrollment of 842 students. Sunset Park would have a projected enrollment of 841 students for each option.

Four Horizon West elementary schools would see significant population changes if the school board approves Option 2. (Open in new tab to view.)

In Option 1, Independence and Keene's Crossing Elementary zones would remain as they are, apart from the land the new school would inherit from Independence. This would result in student projections of 786 at Independence and 822 at Keene's Crossing for the 2016-17 year.

In Option 2, Independence would gain all Keene's Crossing students who live south of Lake Hartley and Bridgewater Middle School. This would mean respective student estimates of 847 and 761 in 2016-17.

The board endorsed Option 1, which matched the recommendation of Superintendent Barbara Jenkins' staff.

"They're fairly close, but Option 1 gives us a little bit more room where we're going to see the intensity of the growth, so it's just trying to plan a little bit better for that," District 4 School Board Member Pam Gould said. "We know we're going to need another elementary school, but we need to get the next round of projections before seeing where."

The school board is leaning toward Option 1, which would rezone just Sunset Park and Independence elementary schools to make way for a relief school. (Open in new tab to view.)

For about 200 students zoned from Sunset Park or Keene's Crossing to Independence for its inaugural year in 2015, it is possible the new elementary school would be their third school in as many years.

The final public meeting on this rezoning will occur at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 26, 2016, at the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center, 445 W. Amelia St., Orlando.

Contact Zak Kerr at [email protected].