Local

Seminole Co. school board rezoning finalized

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — The first rezoning for elementary students in Seminole County has been finalized.

The school board voted to go ahead with the superintendent's recommendations for new zones in the north phase that will change schools for nearly 1,700 students.

The school district is acting immediately on the decision. Notices will begin printing Tuesday.

The school district is in a rush to get students assigned to their new schools with registration right around the corner.

Several families left the meeting Monday night in disappointment after they found out their children would be among the 1,700 going to a new school in the north phase of Seminole County.

Karin Barngrover's daughter will be starting kindergarten next year. Instead of going to the school on her street, she'll be going to one farther away.

"If she's sick or anything else, I can't just get a parent to quickly go down the road," Barngrover said.

The rezoning is even more upsetting for parents who have neighbors they share a property line with but will be rezoned to a different school than them.

Parent Joann Benoit said it's the difference of a fence to send someone to Lake Mary Elementary.

The school board voted 3-2 to go ahead with the superintendent's recommendation, which includes two clusters of communities without a single designated school. Instead, each of those areas will have three schools from which to choose.

With school registration one month away, parents are nervous the district won't have enough time get things straightened out.

"Well, it's been going on for so many months I think it's probably time to wrap it up," parent Jane Ivey said.

However, Superintendent Walt Griffen told Eyewitness News staff has prepared for the shorted timeline.

"We had a team working all of spring break last week to prepare letters for every single family who's affected," Griffen said.

The superintendent said the district's goal is to have notices in the hands of parents by May 1.


The final vote on the east and west phases will be made in two weeks.

Has your family ever been affected by school rezoning? How did you handle it?

You can join the discussion right now on our Facebook page at facebook.com/wftv.

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