Prince Community Academy To Be Tardy Or Absent In '07

By MARILYN BROWN The Tampa Tribune

Published: Aug 18, 2007

TAMPA - Hours after Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent MaryEllen Elia called for patience and flexibility regarding the school year that starts Monday, up popped opportunities to put her words into practice.

A question mark was left dangling late Friday over whether a long-struggling charter school will open and when, as the district raced to call 57 families registered at Prince Community Academy to place them in other schools.

At the same time, officials debated the possibility of altering school closing times on Tuesday to accommodate traffic as the funeral procession for slain sheriff's Sgt. Ron Hamlin Harrison winds across town about the same time schools let out that day.

"As of now, we don't plan to alter closing times," school district spokesman Steve Hegarty said late Friday. He plans to send a letter home with students and an electronic notice about why delays may occur and suggesting parents may want to pick up their children early.

The day started with an upbeat back-to-school news conference that included a warning from Elia to expect glitches and delays as the school year unfolds.

Throughout the day, however, drama was unfolding at district headquarters, said officials who were involved.

Prince Community Academy charter school, at 6802 E. Broadway Ave. in Tampa, sent the district and parents letters this week saying it would postpone opening at its new facility because of renovation and permitting delays. The school would open Aug. 27 instead of Monday, when regular public schools open.

Charter schools are operated by private individuals or private or public organizations, but funded by taxpayers. They are free of most government regulations except for testing, health and safety.

Prince opened in the 2002-03 school year and has struggled with academic, discipline, financial and permitting issues. It was threatened by the district in 2005 with losing its contract but improved and earned the equivalent of a C grade from the state in 2007, said Jenna Hodgens, district supervisor of charter schools.

Thursday afternoon, the health department called and said the remodeled school had septic issues and could not open, possibly for weeks, Hodgens said. She did not reach Prince officials until Friday morning, when they said they would try to find a temporary facility or, Hodgens said, "rent a room in a hotel - which was not acceptable."

District staff spent the day contacting families and reached most, Hodgens said, although some messages were left and a few numbers were disconnected. Families were offered help registering for regular public schools or other charter schools.

Late Friday afternoon, Prince officials showed up at district headquarters and said they still hope to open, though late, both Hegarty and Hodgens said. Still, the district didn't want students missing a week or more of school, they said.

"If they open by the 27th, I told them I'll call each child back and help them get back to Prince," Hodgens said. "I'm going to work it out." She also said she will be at the school Monday to help families who didn't get the message.

"No one is saying they are waiting for Prince," Hodgens said. "Some are calling back, saying they are going to another school or will make a decision this weekend.'

Meanwhile, the district expects about 191,000 students this year, about the same as last year, with the increased traffic that goes with that.

The district is starting its new, tighter transportation plan in south Hillsborough with fewer bus stops and longer walks for many students. Safety is the key issue, Hodgens said, and high school students who drive to school will be asked to sign a pledge to use seat belts. Patience will be needed, she said.

Typical first day delays are expected, along with delays in numerous areas affected by the funeral for Harrison, shot while in his patrol car early Wednesday morning in Bandon.

The funeral is set for 1 p.m. Tuesday at Idlewild Baptist Church, 18375 Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz, with the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office predicting lengthy traffic delays along the route and on nearby roads during the 3 p.m. procession to the cemetery. The route is Dale Mabry to Bearss Avenue, east to Interstate 275, south to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, then east to Garden of Memories Cemetery on East Lake Avenue.

In her message, Elia focused on increasing district efforts to conserve energy, promising expanded recycling programs, new energy clubs and patrols at all schools, and a continuation of the "energy mentors" who patrol schools at night to make sure the lights have been turned off.

She also stressed the district's need to improve science, a weakness statewide.

Reporter Marilyn Brown can be reached at (813) 259-8069 or mbrown@tampatrib.com.