A RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE EFFORT OF THE SCHOOL ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO ESTABLISH THE SANIBEL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AS A KINDERGARTEN THROUGH 8TH GRADE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE

WHEREAS, the Sanibel City Council is concerned for the welfare, well-being and quality of education of Sanibel's children; and

WHEREAS, the Sanibel Elementary School is to be renovated in the near future and has the requisite space available for expansion; and

WHEREAS, the resident elementary school population, and the population of school-age children of persons living or employed within the city limits is such that a kindergarten through 8th grade school will be well-attended and diverse; and

WHEREAS, there is an after-school recreation program available to provide the diverse student population with social and cultural interaction in a safe, supervised setting, helping avert the phenomenon of "latch key kids"; and

WHEREAS, a careful, comprehensive survey of elementary school parents (with an 87% response rate) has found that 96% support such an expansion; and

WHEREAS, a similar survey of the community at large has revealed an identical (96%) level of support; and

WHEREAS, Sanibel and Captiva are outlying areas, physically separated from the rest of Lee County by long distances and often congested roads, school proximity would virtually eliminate a 2-5 hour daily commute for our 6th through 8th graders. That would afford more time for the children to pursue their academic and extracurricular passions such as sports, music, and art, and would also greatly increase parental involvement in their schooling; and

WHEREAS, a K-8 school on Sanibel will give us more opportunity to enrich our children's lives with the wealth of human and environmental resources we have on this island; and

WHEREAS, a K-8 school would attract younger families to island living and prevent the exodus of families that occurs after children reach the 6th grade, helping promote diversity, as called for in the Sanibel Vision Statement;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Sanibel, Lee County, Florida:

Section 1. The City Council hereby strongly encourages and endorses the efforts of the School Advisory Committee of the Sanibel Elementary School to achieve the goal of expanding the Sanibel Elementary School into a kindergarten through 8th grade school; and

Section 2. The City Council further declares the hope and wish of this Council that the Sanibel K-8 School, when established, will provide a strong environmental education focus to use to best advantage the numerous public and private environmental resources available on this oficially-proclaimed "sanctuary island," and thereby take the lead in promoting environmental studies in Lee County elementary schools.

Section 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon adoption.