Palm Harbor and Dunedin families can explore magnet and fundamental school options at Dunedin High School on Wednesday, Oct. 21, when Pinellas County Schools holds its North County Fair.
The fair runs from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Representatives from magnet and fundamental programs across the district will be on hand to answer questions and explain enrollment for the 2027-28 school year, according to the district.
The timing matters. The fair falls eight days after the Pinellas County School Board is scheduled to vote Oct. 13 on Superintendent Kevin Hendrick's Planning for Progress recommendations, which propose closing six elementary schools and Lealman Innovation Academy. Tarpon Springs Fundamental, a North County school, is on the potential closure list, as Bay News 9 reported.
When Hendrick presented the plan on Sept. 10, he said families at affected schools would get priority access to choice programs. "We want parents to be able to fully access all of the choice programs available to them," Hendrick told the board, adding that impacted families "will get the first right of refusal for those changes."
The district has about 45,000 open seats across its schools, Bay News 9 reported. Hendrick said Sept. 10 that the consolidation plan could save $25 million a year, according to WUSF.
Two more in-person fairs and a virtual session follow. Details are in the key dates below.
Families interested in individual campuses can also attend Discovery Nights, where they can meet teachers and tour specific programs. The full schedule is available at pcsb.org/magnet.
Key dates for families
- Monday, Oct. 5: All Things DAP YouTube Live Event (virtual Q&A), 5:30 p.m., PCS YouTube channel
- Wednesday, Oct. 21: North County Fair, 6-7:30 p.m., Dunedin High School
- Saturday, Oct. 24: All County Fair, 9-11:30 a.m., Pinellas Park High School
- Wednesday, Oct. 28: South County Fair, 6-7:30 p.m., Gibbs High School
- Jan. 5-15, 2027: Initial application period
- Feb. 10-19, 2027: Acceptance period (families must log in to accept invitations)
Families with questions about the application process can contact the Student Assignment Office at [email protected] or 727-588-6210.
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