Apollo Beach Parents Advocate for Transforming Inez Doby Elementary into a K-8 Campus

Community Growth and School Needs

• 🏘️ The Southshore neighborhood in Apollo Beach has experienced significant community growth and expansion.
• 🏫 Parents are proud of Inez Doby Elementary but are concerned about options for students after fifth grade.

Parent-Led Initiative for K-8 Expansion

• 📈 A parent-driven initiative is pushing to expand Inez Doby Elementary into a K-8 campus to retain students within the public school district.
• 🎯 This transformation is seen as a need for families, not just a preference, due to the increasing number of local charter school options.
• 🤝 Over 1100 signatures have been collected in support of the expansion, with ongoing advocacy planned.

Benefits of a K-8 Model

• 📚 Supporters believe keeping students on the same campus through middle school offers academic and social benefits.
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 The goal is to allow students to build lasting friendships within a familiar school environment.

District's Current Stance

• 🗓️ The school district has stated that expanding existing schools to a K-8 model is currently not on their 5-year plan.
• ⚠️ While the 5-year plan is always under review, no decisions have been made regarding the proposed expansion.
• 💰 The district acknowledges that there are associated costs with such an expansion.