Lake Mary Jane Alliance

Narcoossee High School

There is a new grass roots effort in our community called the Narcoossee High School Coalition that is currently being organized to influence OCPS to build our south east area high school. We need your support and assistance. There is strength in numbers and we need to get people involved supporting this effort.

We have decided to call ourselves "South East Relief Schools Initiative" We believe the efforts we are making regarding educational facilities issues will be ongoing and beyond the needs of our High School so the name was selected to reflect that. We are continuing to focus all of our efforts on a High School at this time. Then the focus can change to additional elementary and middle schools.

Please read the letter sent last week to the City, County & School Board and the growth statistics report for our area. If you wish to support our endeavors please contact Darlene Hilkert. (rhilkert@cfl.rr.com) You will then receive e-mails detailing the coalitions efforts, information about what's happening, upcoming coalition and school board meetings and how you can support the coalitions efforts.

We have a unique situation here - we don't have a HS facility that is overcrowded and needs relief - but we do have exponential growth and have an obvious need for a community high school. The county and city leaders see that we are becoming a high tech corridor, let’s help them see that we require a community High School to attract highly educated professionals and their families.

Latest News

1. We have been told that negotiations are taking place to start planning a HS in 07 with open date of 2010. We are pushing to get this in writing. While this is great progress, we feel it is still late since the growth statistics show that we can fill a HS @ 128% capacity by 2010. (without any new developments beng added to the mix) We are pushing that planning start ASAP. We are pushing OCPS to "fast track" our South East Narcoossee Rd HS to open in 2009.

2. MEETING - Please mark July 31st on your calendars for a School Board Public Hearing for the new budget @ 5:30 downtown. (Wear Orange or LMJ Alliance shirt) We NEED people to show up at this meeting from SE Orlando in large numbers and representatives from the group who are willing to address the board. The proposed budget does not include enough schools to address our needs. Contact Julie@RTArtist.com for more information

."Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead

Please Read:

High School Growth Statistics Report for Our Area

Letter sent to City of Orlando, Orange County Government, and Orange County Public Schools:

June 21, 2006

Dear Ladies and Gentleman,

As residents in the Narcoossee Corridor in Southeast Orlando, we look forward to the great opportunities being brought to us with the UCF Medical School and now possibly Burnham Institute for Medical Research. This burgeoning high tech corridor will add amenities and opportunities for the residents of our community. It is a good thing.

There is one major concern that could be a stumbling bock to this “good growth”. This stumbling block is the overwhelming need for schools in SE Orange County. The exponential growth rate in this area has already put a substantial strain on our educational system. The building of school facilities is far behind the need.

A report by Paul Lewis, Senior Planner, City of Orlando Economic Development Department, City Planning Division, (see attachment) in regard to development along the Narcoossee corridor states the following:

· “Using the OCPS design program capacity of 2,776 students for a high school, the 2010 need for this area is projected to be 99.6% of a new high school.”

· “Once you add in the current and projected 2010 development in the Vista East area directly north of the Beachline Expressway (an additional +/-800 high school kids), this part of south Orange County will have a total of 3,565 high school kids (128% of a new high school).”

This report does not include any projects that have and will be approved since September 2005. Despite all of this growth which was brought to the attention of OCPS via Mr. Lewis’s report @ a school board meeting this past year a high school for SE Orlando was pushed back on OCPS’s capitol improvement plan from 2010 to 2012.

Businesses such as Burnham Institute who are looking for opportunity to expand and relocate are surely interested in a strong, well thought out community to determine if their move will be successful. If education and schools are the backbone of strong communities, let’s consider sending the strongest message possible to the Burnham Institute representatives as they are currently being courted to locate in SE Orlando. Developing a High School to be completed on or before 2010 when it is indicated that it is needed will demonstrate that Orange County will be a solid and viable community for them to invest their resources for years to come.

We are requesting a meeting with a representative’s from the City, County and OCPS as soon as next week (June 26^th-28^th ) to work together to expedite the building of a high school in SE Orlando along Narcoossee Road by or prior to 2010.

We look forward to your timely reply. I can be reached at 407-380-3802 or rhilkert@cfl.rr.com. Thank You.

Darlene Hilkert

Representative of the Narcoossee High School Coalition

Isle Of Pines, Lakes and Pines, Lake Mary Jane Shores,

Live Oak Estates, Moss Park, Moss Park Reserve, Moss Park Landings,

The Enclave, North Shore at Lake Hart and all of Southeast Orlando