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New charter school seeks students

TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO

This is a type of bulletin board material that would be used at Taylor Peace Academy, a new charter school opening in Carrollwood.

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR

cpastor@tampatrib.com

Published: June 18, 2009

CARROLLWOOD - Taylor Peace Academy organizers had to shelve their dreams for a charter school for a year after enrollment fizzled but hope to gain enough students to open in August.

The school, in a building behind Einstein Bagels on North Dale Mabry Highway, is nearly ready. Walls are painted with colorful murals of music notes and children holding hands. Dry-erase boards in each classroom welcome kindergarten through fifth grade with inspirational quotes. Rulers, pencils and notebooks rest on desks in one classroom.

Seven teachers, enough to start, and a support staff have been hired. What the school needs is children.

About 50 have signed up, said Executive Director and Principal Nathan Taylor. The school's goal is a waiting list for its 170-student maximum, but 100 children would allow it to open. The academy held one open house last month and is offering another from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday to attract more families.

Last summer, Taylor Peace Academy held open houses and trained teachers but had seven students registered and 35 pending applications by the time the school year started. It had to turn the students away and tell the faculty and most of the staff to find other jobs.

The Hillsborough County school district had approved Taylor Peace as a charter school, meaning it would receive public funding but would be run privately. The academy had a five-year charter when it was approved, which allowed it to delay its opening.

The school, 10512 N. Dale Mabry Highway, is building its curriculum around peace education and conflict resolution. It grew out of a tutoring program Taylor developed in 2003 at the Prevailing Word Worship Center.

The nonprofit, nondenominational center has operated for about 20 years on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, near Orient Road. Taylor founded it and still preaches there, continuing to offer the after-school program and, this summer, a camp for about 30 at-risk children.

Taylor wanted a charter school that would encourage children to work together on projects, mentor younger students and discuss differences instead of fight.

"I saw the need for more time with young people for them to learn character education along with the reading and math," Taylor said.

He hopes the peace message trickles from the school to the community and plans to offer "peace training" to parents on July 18. Teachers are getting trained on classroom management and peace education, such as how to adapt reading lessons to get students to work as a team.

If it is successful, Taylor wants to add a middle school one day.

He is encouraged by parents' interest and the community response. The academy is conducting fundraisers to bring in $125,000 to offset costs it accrued by not opening last year and finish preparations for this year. The money from the school district depends on the number of children enrolled.

Time worked against the academy last year, Taylor said.

The school had planned to open on Busch Boulevard and held an open house in Temple Terrace to recruit. But when the landlord put the building up for sale, Taylor Peace Academy switched locations to Carrollwood and could not retain its prospective students.

IF YOU GO

Taylor Peace Academy will host an open house from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday at the school, 10512 N. Dale Mabry Highway, behind Einstein Bagels. There will be food, a bounce house and face-painting. The school is also trying to arrange a visit by a professional athlete for autograph signings.

Families will have a chance to tour the school, learn about its mission and meet the faculty and principal. For information, call (813) 374-0342.

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (727) 451-2343.

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