For more than 25 years, Pinellas County Schools has had a tradition of providing enhanced opportunities through countywide magnet programs and fundamental schools. From the arts to the sciences, advanced technology to law studies, wellness to fundamental learning, Pinellas County Schools' countywide magnet and fundamental programs offer it all.
COUNTYWIDE FUNDAMENTAL SCHOOLS (K-8)
1976
Curtis Elementary, slated to be closed due to low enrollment, became Curtis Fundamental Elementary, the first fundamental school in the county.
1978
Child's Park Elementary, closed due to declining enrollment, opened as Child's Park Fundamental Elementary, the second fundamental school and the first in St. Petersburg.
1980
Tarpon Springs Fundamental Elementary became the third fundamental elementary school and the second in the northern part of the county.
The first fundamental middle school, Southside Fundamental Middle, opened in St. Petersburg.
1985
Lakeview Elementary became Lakeview Fundamental Elementary, the fourth fundamental elementary school and the second in St. Petersburg.
1995
Child's Park Fundamental was relocated onto the campus of the former Pasadena Elementary and became Pasadena Fundamental Elementary.
Coachman Fundamental Middle, the second countywide fundamental middle school, opened on the campus of Curtis Fundamental Elementary in Clearwater where its first class, 6th-graders, took classes in relocatables until its newly acquired facilities were renovated.
1996
Coachman Fundamental Middle opened in its newly renovated facility in Clearwater.
1997
As a result of a parent and community effort, Bay Vista Elementary reopened in the fall as the fifth countywide fundamental elementary school, Bay Vista Fundamental Elementary. This was the first time a grassroots effort resulted in the transformation of an elementary school into a fundamental school. Bay Vista became the third fundamental elementary school in St. Petersburg.
COUNTYWIDE MAGNET PROGRAMS (K/1-12)
1984
The magnet program concept first was implemented with the opening of two programs in St. Petersburg: the Program for the Academically Talented at St. Petersburg High and the Program for the Artistically Talented at Gibbs High.
The experiment into the feasibility of magnet programs proved to be a great success. The two pioneers opened the door to all of the other programs currently in place throughout the county.
The names of the district's two original programs have been changed.
St. Petersburg High's Program for the Academically Talented became the first of the district's two International Baccalaureate (IB) programs. It was the first IB program in the state.
The Program for the Artistically Talented Program at Gibbs High was renamed the Pinellas County Center for the Arts (PCCA).
1990
The Center for Advanced Technologies, or CAT, at Lakewood High opened under a federal grant in south St. Petersburg.
The Early Graduation Option (EGO) program was established at Boca Ciega High in St. Petersburg.
1993
Under a second federal grant, the Center for the Arts and International Studies was created at Perkins Elementary and Sixteenth Street Middle in St. Petersburg.
That same grant funded the Center for Advancement of the Sciences and Technology, which opened at Bay Point Elementary and Bay Point Middle in St. Petersburg.
1994
In mid-county, the district's only full-time gifted program for students in grades 1-5 opened at Ridgecrest Elementary's Center for Gifted Studies.
In addition, three ambitious new high school programs were introduced:
- the Center for Wellness and Medical Professions at Boca Ciega High.
- the 21st Century Learning Center Teaching Arts Academy at Largo High.
- the Criminal Justice Academy at Pinellas Park High.
1996
Pinellas' newest high school, Palm Harbor University High, serving the residents of north Pinellas county, opened with two magnet programs that mirror two in south county:
- the International Baccalaureate.
- the Center for Wellness and Medical Professions.
The EGO program moved to the campus of Osceola High in Seminole.
1998
Under a third federal grant, the Center for the Arts and International Studies at the middle school level became the Center for the Arts and Communcation Studies to reflect its new program design and moved into a brand new state-of-the-art facility at John Hopkins Middle, built on the previous site of Sixteenth Street Middle. It became the first full-school middle school magnet program in the district.
Under the same grant, the Center for Communication and Mass Media opened at Melrose Elementary.
The Pinellas Academy for the Technical Arts, the district's first magnet/academy, opened at Gibbs High.
2000
The Pinellas Academy for the Technical Arts was renamed the Business Economics and Technology Academy (BETA) to better reflect the scope of its curriculum.
Clearly, Pinellas County Schools has a rich history of diverse countywide programs available to interested and qualified students.
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