9 Investigates

9 Investigates: Recommendation made to move special-needs school in Seminole County

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. — Seminole County Public Schools Superintendent Walt Griffin recommended Tuesday to move a special needs school off of its current campus following concerns from parents and neighbors.

The Hopper Center has seen dozens of physical disruptions, runaway incidents, and even students being involuntarily committed under Florida’s Baker Act.

The school, which serves Seminole County’s emotionally disabled elementary and middle school students, sits in the middle of a mainstream elementary campus.

Some neighbors of Lake Orienta Elementary School say the two campuses should be separated.

Seminole County Public Schools Superintendent Walt Griffin sent a letter to parents who have concerns about the Altamonte Springs campus.

Lake Orienta Elementary School shares a space with the Hopper Center, which is a school for the county’s emotionally disabled elementary and middle school students.

The letter shows a decision about whether to move the Hopper Center could come in just a few weeks.

Lake Orienta Elementary serves more than 700 students, and in one of its buildings, there are two dozen or so others enrolled in the Hopper Center.

The Hopper Center moved to this location in the 2012-2013 school year, after almost closing completely due to district budget cuts.

9 Investigates scoured more than 900 police calls for service to the school since that time, and requested additional information on only the calls which produced an incident report.

Of those, there were at least 13 incidents of Hopper students running away from campus, another 13 incidents of students being physically aggressive or disruptive with themselves or staff, and at least seven times in which students were involuntarily committed for an evaluation under the state’s Baker Act.

Altamonte Springs police indicated that some of those reports involved the same student.

“The only option may be to go to another school, so why keep moving them around?  The kids need some place to go,” neighbor Edwin Roman said.

A school district spokesman told 9 Investigates that after a recommendation Tuesday, the school board likely wouldn't vote until April 24.

Karla Ray

Karla Ray, WFTV.com

Karla Ray anchors Eyewitness News This Morning on Saturday and Sundays, and is an investigative reporter for the 9 Investigates unit.