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Setback Not An Ending

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 10, 2008

CARROLLWOOD - A charter school that postponed its opening for a year plans to fill the time and meet potential students by offering private after-school tutoring.

Taylor Peace Academy, a public elementary school that would be privately run, wanted to open last month but didn't have enough students. Only seven children signed up to enroll in the school, which was building its curriculum around peace and conflict resolution.

Felecia Wintons, president of the school's board, said Taylor had about 35 applications but ran out of time to collect complete information and process them before classes were scheduled to start in Hillsborough County.

The school had hoped to have up to 100 children in kindergarten through third grade and add fourth and fifth grade during the next two years. Wintons said the staff was disappointed not to make its goal but hoped waiting a year would help the school come back stronger.

"We don't look at anything as roadblocks," Wintons said.

The academy will stay in its building at 10512 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Carrollwood. The idea for a charter school sprang from a tutoring program the Prevailing Word Worship Center ran, and charter organizers will bring tutoring with certified teachers to its Dale Mabry site. That will allow academy officials to get to know the community better and stick to their mission to educate children, Wintons said.

"We don't want to go behind the doors for a year," Wintons said.

Enrollment suffered from a late move to Carrollwood. The school had planned to open on Busch Boulevard and held an open house in Temple Terrace to recruit students. But when the landlord put the building up for sale, Taylor Peace Academy switched locations.

The students did not follow.

The teachers will have to apply for jobs at other schools. The charter school has a five-year contract from the Hillsborough school district, allowing it to open as soon as August 2009 if it increases its enrollment.

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503 or cpastor@tampatrib.com.

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