Pine Island parents concerned about middle school proximity plan

Reporter: Jolena Esperto Writer: Rachel Murphy
Published: Updated:

A proximity plan for middle schools is meant to keep kids in schools closer to where they live, but some parents WINK News spoke to on Pine Island said that’s not the case for them under the latest proposal.

“Then to move our children who are already used to being here, who half this generation has gone through COVID and hurricanes which completely destroyed our islands,” said Lisa Soffe, “and now you’re going to uproot them from their middle school and not provide transportation, and it’s just going against the definition proximity.”

Soffe sent her son, Aaron Thorpe, to sixth grade at Trafalgar Middle this year. Thorpe is in the “Nautilus” program, a gifted program only offered at two schools in the county.

“It was stressful, and everything was changing. But yeah, and now we’re just getting used to it and like starting to get to know my teachers and everybody there, so it’d be like restarting the whole process,” said Thorpe.

Under the new revised proximity plan, Thorpe would have to go to Challenger Middle — which does not have the Nautilus program.

However, Challenger Middle has the “Caspian” program which is an equivalent gifted program to Nautilus.

“The two people who proposed the plan, Dr. Malloy and Dr. Ralph, they did a very thorough job,” said Lori Liano. “It’s not an easy task. I’m sure it was very challenging, but if they’re not hearing any opposition, how will they know? So please, parents, get out there and let your voices be heard.”

The next meeting to discuss the proximity plan is Tuesday. A vote will be held on Jan. 9.

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