Thursday Marks Final Chance To Oppose School Closings
By Space Coast Daily // January 7, 2013
Last Public Forum Set For Thursday
BREVARD COUNTY • VIERA, FLORIDA – Brevard Public Schools will conduct another community forum for residents impacted by proposed school closures.
The meeting will be hosted from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10 at the Educational Services Facility in Viera.
Participants will be provided an opportunity to share their comments about the proposed school closures as well as make suggestions to proposed school boundary changes.
Brevard Schools Superintendent Dr. Brian Binggeli proposed in November that the school board close Clearlake Middle School in Cocoa, Sea Park Elementary in Satellite Beach, South Lake Elementary in Titusville and Gardendale Elementary Magnet School on Merritt Island.
It followed a rejection by Brevard voters in November of a half-cent sales tax for capital improvements, earmarked for facility roof repairs and the purchase of new school buses.
Binggeli told the board in November that a 65 percent decline in capital revenue and funding from the state left no other choice than to close schools and change districting boundaries for other schools as a result.
He said the impact of closing the four schools will not even come close to making up the budget deficit, therefore other major cuts such as elimination of elementary school, music and art programs and personnel layoffs, including teachers, must be made.
A final decision will be voted upon by Brevard School Board members at a meeting on Jan. 22.
