Superintendent proposes repurpose of Wilkinson as county‑wide micro STEAM magnet and educator center amid boundary rebalance

Superintendent Connor presented a multi‑phase plan at the Oct. 7 School Board workshop to address underutilized seats (more than 5,600 across ten schools). For phase 1 he recommended repurposing Wilkinson Elementary into a countywide, application‑based micro‑STEAM academy and a partial district professional‑learning/operations center while reassigning surrounding student attendance zones to increase utilization at nearby schools.

Connor said four nearby elementary schools — Alta Vista, Brentwood, Gulf Gate and Wilkinson itself — are the district’s most underutilized; those four sit within a roughly 3.5‑mile area and together represent the largest concentration of unused seats. Staff presented three boundary scenarios following community and advisory‑committee meetings. A boundary advisory committee recommended a plan that shifts Gulf Gate’s cutoff down to Proctor Road; Connor said his recommended map would instead set Gulf Gate’s cutoff at Bee Ridge to better balance transportation times and school loads.

Under Connor’s recommended plan Wilkinson would not be closed outright. Instead, staff would pursue a two‑part repurpose: (1) a dedicated county‑wide magnet focused on STEM, acceleration and small‑school culture — students would apply and the district would weight applications for students who live within Wilkinson’s current boundary; and (2) space in the Wilkinson campus for district professional learning, emergency operations and select satellite offices. Connor said the Wilkinson site already has a STEM certification and community support, and he cited survey data (about 1,500 family responses) showing demand for STEM, acceleration and small school environments.

The superintendent said this is phase 1 of a larger, multi‑year effort. If the board approves a boundary map Nov. 18, staff would begin implementation planning for the magnet, facility retrofit requirements, staffing and choice/assignment windows. Connor warned that delay increases the district’s exposure under recent state school‑of‑hope colocation rules (which allow approved operators to seek suitable underutilized public school spaces under certain conditions). He also described a longer phase 2 and 3 that would examine Brookside, Booker area schools, middle‑school models and other underused facilities.

Board members praised the approach but asked for clarity on timelines, program eligibility, supports for current Wilkinson students and whether families zoned to Wilkinson would retain priority in admissions. Staff said zoned Wilkinson families would receive an application priority weight in any dedicated magnet application process, and they committed to offering transition tutoring and supports for students who want to enter an accelerated pathway.

No formal motions or votes occurred at the workshop. Staff and the superintendent said they will hold additional community meetings and return any revised boundary maps and implementation plans to the board for formal action later in the fall.