INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The School Board is considering all its options for Osceola Magnet Elementary School, which could mean the school could be relocated someplace other than the Pointe West development.
For months, the School District has been negotiating with representatives of Pointe West to relocate the school to the development as had been originally planned in 2000. But disagreements over street paving and the purchase price for stormwater retention have caused School Board members to reevaluate the project.
Schools Superintendent Dr. Fran Adams told the School Board during a round table discussion Tuesday morning that the district has granted most of what the developers had requested.
A percentage of student seats at the relocated school would be reserved for Pointe West children. The School District would pave and widen 76th Drive and would pave the ingress and egress of the school site.
“There have been several points the School District was willing to negotiate,” Dr. Adams said, “and go above and beyond.”
Dr. Adams suggested the School Board hold a workshop next week to reexamine the district’s options for Osceola Magnet, which could include moving the school to another property.
“There are other options,” she said. “Something has to be done with Osceola Magnet.”
Pointe West representative Chuck Mechling addressed the School Board, saying that he looks forward to continued discussions with the School District staff.
“I’m ready to wrap this up,” he said, adding that he expects they will come up with a solution that is to the School Board’s satisfaction and meets the district’s needs.
School Board members agreed that they need to move forward with relocating the school, noting that last week’s flooding only serves as a reminder of why the school needs to be moved.
Classrooms were flooded, forcing those students to relocate to other classrooms. In some cases, three classes were held in one room.
With the cleanup completed by today, the students were allowed back in their classrooms after having been displaced for a week.
Due to the low-lying property Osceola Magnet is currently situated on, it has been prone to flooding, which has not only been disruptive to classes but has also caused structural damage over time.
The School Board has discussed building a new campus and relocating Osceola Magnet as a more cost effective method than trying to rehabilitate the current campus.
The board will hold a workshop next Tuesday at 11 a.m. to further discuss the status of the negotiations and the other potential options for Osceola Magnet.
School Board member Jeff Pegler asked that Superintendent Dr. Adams place on the Dec. 13 agenda her recommendation for the school’s relocation so the board can vote on it and bring the issue to a close.
