Proposed attendance boundary modification could affect where your kids go to school

Reporter: Amy Galo Writer: Matias Abril
Published: Updated:
Collier County

A new plan could change where your kids can go to school in Collier County, and some parents are not happy about it.

Tuesday was the first open house meeting about what the proposed attendance boundary modification could mean.

Some said they’re worried about their kid’s friendships. Others are worried about having their kids switch their last year, and traffic is another concern.

For many kids, school is more than just a place to learn.

“My kids, they’re boys, [and] they regularly come home and say, ‘Mom, that school is my family,'” said Caitlin Pfitzinger, Collier County mother.

But as Collier County schools prepare for a rezone, Pfitzinger’s boys may have to leave their family. Their school is just one of 32 impacted by rezoning plans.

“These modifications will affect about 1,400 elementary students, about 400 middle school students, and 32 high school students,” said Chad Oliver, CCPS Chief Communications Officer.

The proposed boundary changes won’t go into effect until August 2025, but on Tuesday, Collier County public schools hosted an open house to inform parents.

“The reason why we’re doing this right now is because we need to plan for future growth, and adjust for the population shift that’s already happened across Collier County,” Oliver said.

And while some parents do recognize the need, not all are happy with how it’s being done.

“We’re having kids that live minutes away from each other that are gonna go to different elementary schools,” said Joanie Merrihew, Collier County mother.

There’s also the issue of our busy roads.

“We’re just really concerned about the traffic that’s going to happen with a lot of vehicles coming in,” Merrihew said.

But these rezoning changes aren’t final yet, so if you have concerns, now’s the time to voice them.

“The school board is going to review every single comment, every ounce of feedback before they make a final decision and vote on the boundary modification in the month of March,” Oliver said.

CCPS will be holding three Open House meetings related to the proposed Attendance Boundary Modification. Opportunities will be available to ask questions regarding the different proposals, view maps, and submit electronic feedback.

January 30 (6-7 p.m.) at Corkscrew Middle (1165 Oil Well Road)

February 6 (6-7 p.m.) at Oakridge Middle (14975 Collier Blvd.)

February 20 (6-7 p.m.) at North Naples Middle (16165 Learning Lane)

At the Collier School Board meeting on Wednesday, the school board proceeded with a 5-0 vote to defer the vote on the Boundary Modification to a future meeting.

The board will hold a Board Work Session on April 10 at 4:30 p.m. to discuss the topic further.

A vote will then be made at the May 14 Regular School Board Meeting.

There are over thirty schools impacted by this change. Click here to see them.

If you’re interested in finding out how this affects your child’s school, click here.

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