UPDATE: The big news this week in our City of Lake Worth: “Overcapacity Schools Cause for Alarm”.

Overcapacity (noun), “beyond what is normal, allowed, or desirable.”

Please note, for reference, at the end of this blog post is the video of PBC School Board member Erica Whitfield at the Lake Worth City Commission last Tuesday and “Resolution No. 41-2018 — encouraging action by the Palm Beach County School District to address the overcapacity issues at Highland Elementary and South Grade Elementary schools”.


This is a developing story. Erica Whitfield, also a City resident, attended the Commission meeting last Tuesday at the request of Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso to address the concerns of elected officials and the public. The subsequent resolution on the agenda passed unanimously, 5-0. An excerpt:

WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission recognize that regular communication with the City of Lake Worth’s elected representatives to the District School Board is necessary to improve the educational outcomes of the city’s public school students.

Why are the public schools so important? Simply put: our City’s future growth is tied to the public schools. The planning needs to start now for upgrading schools, constructing new schools and/or redistricting the public schools that exist. This needs to be a high priority for the City Commission.

Worth noting is this City has quite a number of volunteer advisory boards, e.g., a C-51 Canal Advisory Board, a board that has only met one single time since being formed in Nov. 2016.

This City has a Library Board, a Recreation Advisory Board, and even a Tree Board too. But guess what this City doesn’t have? A board tasked with coordinating and working with our one charter school, the four public elementary schools, Lake Worth Middle, and Lake Worth High School.

As reported in The Palm Beach Post this City and our public schools reached a crisis point back in 1989. It was a situation so dire the public rose up to challenge the School Board. And later, as reported by Scott McCabe, a wonderful thing happened: “Project Lake Worth turns diversity into strength”. Before this latest challenge turns into an avoidable crisis, is it time for Project Lake Worth II?

Highland and South Grade elementary schools are
the front page news in the Herald today.

Also front page news: “City Amends Land Development Regulations” and “Tattoos and Piercings Moratorium in Downtown”. For subscription rates or other questions call the editor at 561-585-9387 or by email: editor@lwherald.com

From the Herald, an excerpt from the school news everyone is talking about:

City Commissioner Omari Hardy requested placement of a resolution on the agenda which encourages action by the Palm Beach County School District to address the overcapacity issues at Highland Elementary and South Grade Elementary schools.
     The resolution addresses the overcapacity . . . and encourages the Mayor and Commissioners to meet with members of the Palm Beach County School Board. [emphasis added]
     The School District of Palm Beach County’s 2018 Capacity Watch list* indicates that enrollment at Highland Elementary School is 15% above the school’s original built capacity and South Grade Elementary School is 16% above its original built capacity and 3% above its built capacity when its “concretable”† classrooms are taken into account.
     School Board Member Erica Whitfield attended the commission meeting and made herself available to answer any questions the commission may have.


*To learn more about the PBC School Board Advisory Boundary Committee (ABC) board click on this link.
†Concretable  =  Modular structure constructed of concrete.

Resolution No. 41-2018:

Agenda Date: July 17, 2018.

Background and Justification: Commissioner Hardy requested this item be placed on the agenda.

Motion: I move to approve/disapprove Resolution No. 41-2018. . .

WHEREAS, Highland Elementary and South Grade Elementary are both located in the City of Lake Worth; and

WHEREAS, the City of Lake Worth’s Mayor and Commissioners believe that all of the city’s children deserve a quality education, no matter their race, income, sex, or national heritage; and

WHEREAS, the City of Lake Worth cannot prosper unless its public schools are well resourced and its children well educated; and

WHEREAS, the Mayor and City Commission recognize that regular communication with the City of Lake Worth’s elected representatives to the District School Board is necessary to improve the educational outcomes of the city’s public school students;

WHEREAS, the School District of Palm Beach County’s 2018 Capacity Watch List indicates that enrollment at Highland Elementary is 15% above the school’s original built capacity; and

WHEREAS, the School District of Palm Beach County’s 2018 Capacity Watch List indicates that enrollment at South Grade Elementary is 16% above its original built capacity and 3% above its built capacity when its “concretable” classrooms are taken into account; and

WHEREAS, the School District of Palm Beach County has published no plan to address the capacity issues at either Highland Elementary or South Grade Elementary;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF LAKE WORTH, FLORIDA, that:

Section 1: The City Commission hereby encourages the District School Board to lower the number of students enrolled at both Highland and South Grade elementary schools by either redrawing their boundaries or constructing more, permanent student stations.

Section 2: The City Commission hereby seeks to establish biannual joint meetings in which the city’s Mayor, Commissioners, and elected representatives to the District School Board, as well as school district staff and city staff, shall discuss issues pertaining to the city’s public schools, and in which the city’s residents shall have the opportunity to comment on matters discussed.

Section 3: A copy of this resolution shall be forwarded to the Palm Beach County District School Board, the School District Advisory Boundary Committee, and the Palm Beach County League of Cities Executive Board.

Section 4: This resolution shall become effective upon adoption.

The passage of this resolution was moved by Commissioner Herman C. Robinson, seconded by Commissioner Scott Maxwell, and upon being put to a vote, the vote was as follows:

Mayor Pam Triolo: Yes.
Vice Mayor Andy Amoroso: Yes.
Commissioner Scott Maxwell: Yes.
Commissioner Omari Hardy: Yes.
Commissioner Herman Robinson: Yes.

The Mayor thereupon declared this resolution duly passed and adopted on July 17th, 2018.

Have thoughts to share on the topic of our public schools? To contact the elected leaders on the Lake Worth City Commission click on this link.

Here is the video of School Board member Erica Whitfield at the City Commission last Tuesday:

Thank You for visiting today and hope you found this information helpful.