PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — After a tense Palm Beach County School Board meeting on Wednesday night that left board members fighting to defend the communities they represent, we now know the official student boundaries for the new Dr. Joaquín García High School, along with eight other schools impacted by the zoning process.
Building Dr. García High School from the ground up also means building the student body from the ground up.
And while many are excited to come to the school when it opens in August, some said they wish the process had been more equitable.
SPECIAL COVERAGE: Education
"To summarize it in one word, it would be 'disappointed,'" said Dr. Carlos Diaz, the chairman of the Hispanic Education Coalition of Palm Beach County and also a member of the School District of Palm Beach County's Advisory Boundary Committee.
Under the plan unanimously approved by school board members Wednesday night, certain students from Palm Beach Central High School, John I. Leonard High School, Santaluces Community High School, and Park Vista Community High School will be rezoned for Dr. García High School.
"I was hoping the attendance boundaries for García would be more representative of suburban communities," Diaz said.
Drawing those boundaries was a difficult and controversial process, impacting eight other schools and shuffling thousands of students.
A point of contention became an area of Wellington just west of 441, which ultimately will stay at Palm Beach Central High School instead of going to Dr. García High School.
"It's a village. It's not just a gated community. And the village speaks loud and clear about education. And I feel like Wellington got a bad wrap here," board member Marcia Andrews said Wednesday night.
"I'm simply standing up for my constituents and looking at this from a 30,000-foot view, that we are tasked with doing the best for every student, not just the ones we represent," board member Alexandria Ayala said.
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Some neighborhoods, like Isola Bella on Hypoluxo Road, which will remain zoned for Park Vista Community High School instead of rezoning students to Dr. García High School, got the change they were hoping for.
"There is a solution that keeps them with their peers," parent Elana Kerr said.
But the city of Greenacres remains splintered with students going to five different high schools.
"At some point, someone has to take a look at the big picture. And if there’s inconvenience, balance out the inconvenience," Diaz said.
Diaz said he'll do whatever he can to help the school named after his dear friend, Dr. Joaquín García, be successful.
"What I want is a balanced population to get García High School started on the right foot," Diaz said.
Greenacres Councilwoman Susy Díaz sent the following written statement to WPTV on Thursday about the approved boundary map:
"While we are very disappointed in the process and vote that lead to our six square mile City being divided into five area High Schools, now it is time to lend support and ensure a smooth transition strategy is in place for our children. The City of Greenacres will continue to advocate and remains steadfast in our commitment to the educational well-being of our students. We will do all within our power to support the schools to which our children are zoned."
As the work continues to get the campus ready for the first day of school in August, the Palm Beach County School Board still needs to vote one more time on the boundary map. That vote will happen at the end of March.