Geographic Preference for Hillcrest Elementary & Howard Middle School Magnet Programs

I find it ridiculous and utterly absurd that our children will not be zone for a school that is 3 blocks away from our residence. As tax paying residence of the neighborhood and in general, how does this make sense to spend our tax paid dollars to bus children in and bus our children out of these zones. Let me remind you, that we are voters who will show up to the poles and this will NOT be forgotten come voting day! Our voice should be heard and it obviously is not. We will find someone who WILL hear our voice and represent us true and accordingly!

Julia Rowe Please consider that the school system does not stand alone, apart from community. Your decision has huge implications for the continued resurgence of what once was a deteriorating neighborhood in Eola Heights. It has taken a long time to turn it around. The city of Orlando's downtown district benefits when the neighborhoods around it are healthy and viable . That is why the city has supported the Eola Heights Historical District by helping with establishing the district and enforcing the zoning to make it a walking delightful area. I hope the school system, the Eola Heights Historical District neighborhood, and the city of Orlando will strive for a decision for the best interest as a whole and consider this as a 3-way partnership . I want the children here to be able to have a geograhic preference to attend Hillcrest. I'm an old timer in this neighborhood and went to Hillcrest myself way back in 1945 through 1952 . Now I would like to see my grandson who lives behind me be able to attend Hillcrest. It isn't easy being able to afford to live in the Eola Heights area, and now many are feeling betrayed by this drastic change . It would change the dynamics of the neighborhood as gradually the young people with children would seek other areas to live because they would want a neighborhood school. I hope you will consider all the values at play here and take this as an opportunity of being a part of building up and supporting what we are trying to make of this urban neighborhood. My family has always had its hand in volunteering for Hillcrest School, and it is because we felt it was "our " neighborhood school. Please make this a win-win decision for , the children, the city , and the school . Thank you for wrestling with this problem. I am just asking you to look at it from the standpoint of all the values involved. and not just the system's viewpoint and needs .

We are magnet and want our friends to stay! Friendships have already been forged. Why create emotional readjustment issues? Let them stay close to home!

No a good idea

This is why we moved here, was so our kid could go to these school.

We live at 528 Cathcart and want our grandchild to go to his neighborhood school!

i live because I can walk everywhere. It does not make sense to drive my kids to a school when I can walk them to a perfectly good one. Get a clue OCPS. You are doing a great thing in Parramore. Why are you screwing with this?

It would be a great thing to be able to walk my son to school. Another benefit would be able to support the neighborhood and the happenings of the school.

I understand the School District desire to create magnet programs, they are a great way to inspire and educate students. I feel like allowing students that live near the schools a preference, if they chose to apply, seems like an easy compromise that should work for everyone concerned.

I'm a resident of Eola Heights and a teacher. Neighborhood schools are an integral part of every community. Students should have priority to their local schools!

As a concerned home owner, it is vital to have a viable school option for our neighborhood children. Having a quality neighborhood school open to the local community enhances our quality of life in the area. This a right, not a privilege for our area.

Our child attended Hillcrest, walking to school each day with neighboring students. Attending neighborhood schools generates investment in community, sense of pride and environmental responsibility. Our home, students and our community benefit from children attending the school in the neighborhood in which they live.

This is important to the downtown community. Let's continue to promote walkability in the historic districts.

Having an elementary school as well as a Middle school within walking distance of where one resides is a "value- addition" to ones home, particularly when it becomes necessary to sell. Any residential area benefits from the fact that it contains a large majority of young families with school age children, who share common interests. In my opinion, it would be the most logical approach to avoid having to transport long distances any children already within their existing historical borders. Transporting children is fraught with risks of accident not to mention inconvenience.

My husband and I specifically purchased our home to start our family in the historic district so that our future children can walk to a high rated school (Hillcrest) as lake eola heights is known for this walkable lifestyle. We really stretched our budget as it is so expensive here, but the walkability is what makes our neighborhood keep its high value in the community and we should try to preserve this fact. I agree that all children should be able to pass the same testing standards to be allowed to stay but should be allowed to bypass the lottery if they are in the immediate neighborhood. Just as Parramore should have their own local school, we should be able to have ours as well. We would not have purchased our home if we would have known that our future kids would have to be bused somewhere else.

I request that all students that live within walking distance to the school be able to keep geographic preference and not have to apply to attend their local school.

A neighborhood school is critically important to the vitality of a neighborhood -- and ours is a very special neighborhood. Please help preserve it!

10 years ago Featured

We have lived in this neighborhood since 1990. It is very important that the children can attend the schools in their own neighborhood. The ability to walk everywhere is part of the value, history, and identity of this neighborhood. It starts with our children.

We just moved to the neighborhood and were counting on our daughter being able to walk to Hillcrest Elementary. She has not yet started school and we would prefer for her to still be able to go there.

neighborhood kids need to be able to attend both Hillcrest and Howard, without having to go through the lottery system.