School Board to vote on middle school proximity plan Jan. 9

Dec 7, 2023 By MEGHAN BRADBURY 3 min read

The School District of Lee County’s plan to allow middle schoolers to attend campuses closer to home has been honed a bit to better accommodate students on Pine Island.

The middle school proximity plan has been modified to have Pine Island Elementary School “feed” to its nearest middle school, Trafalgar Middle School in Cape Coral.

“During our previous adjustment to middle school zones in Cape Coral we unintentionally disconnected Pine Island Elementary from its nearest middle school, Trafalgar,” Planning, Growth & Capacity Director Dr. Adam Molloy said. “Recognizing this oversight, we have proposed a solution that Pine Island fifth graders will now transition to Trafalgar Middle School, establishing a feeder pattern for the barrier island.”

Transportation would be provided for the 60 current Pine Island students at Trafalgar and incoming sixth graders.

“This adjustment not only restores the connection but helps ease transportation issues on the island. Families on Pine Island that prefer not to attend Trafalgar can submit a choice application,” Molloy said.

Board Chair Sam Fisher thanked district staff for the work they have done, especially for District 1, as there are many middle schools clustered nearby.

The proposed middle school proximity zones are:

Proximity Zone AA

• Challenger Middle School

• Mariner Middle School

• Sanibel School

Proximity Zone D/DD

• Alva School

• Sanibel School

Proximity Zone HH

• Lehigh Acres Middle

• Lemuel Teal Middle

• Sanibel School

• Veterans Park Academy

Proximity Zone BB

• Gulf Middle

• Sanibel School

• Trafalgar Middle

Proximity Zone MM

• Cypress Lake Middle

• Lexington Middle

• Sanibel School

Proximity Zone JJ

• Harns Marsh Middle

• Oak Hammock Middle

• Sanibel School

• Varsity Lakes Middle

Proximity Zone CC

• Caloosa Middle

• Diplomat Middle

• North Fort Myers Academy

• Sanibel School

Proximity Zone GG

• Bonita Springs Middle

• Sanibel School

• Three Oaks Middle

The Sanibel School is listed in each of the proximity zones for parents to be able to select, but the parent is responsible for transportation.

The school board is expected to vote on the proximity plan at its Jan. 9 meeting.

Open enrollment begins Jan. 16 and runs through Feb. 29 providing families the opportunity to rank their school in their proximity zone.

Families can select to remain at their current school as long as they submit a continuation form, which includes a document that accepts the responsibility to transport their student to school and promises to get them there on time.

For those families that do not submit a school choice, or continuation form for their child, will be entered into an assignment lottery.

This will be done to ensure all students that have a registration in the district will be enrolled in a school by the end of the lottery.

To reach MEGHAN BRADBURY, please email news@breezenewspapers.com