Where I Stand on the Cross Bayou Elementary School Closure

By Curtis Campogni, Candidate for Pinellas County School Board, District 3 at Large

Last night I attended the Cross Bayou Elementary school closure meeting, and I left with one thought that has stayed with me all day:

If you sat in that cafeteria as I did, you would understand why cost, logistics, and strategic vision were not the parents' priorities in that moment.

Empathy was.

As a dad, I know exactly how I would feel if I were in their position. I would be asking the same questions. I would be worried about the same things. I would be thinking about my child’s friendships, stability, routines, and sense of safety.

And I would want to know that the people making the recommendation understood the human impact behind the numbers.

What I Felt in That Room

Despite the yelling at times, Cross Bayou was not a room full of angry people looking for a fight.

It was a room full of parents trying to protect their children from uncertainty.

It was a room full of families who love their school, love their teachers, and are terrified of what change could mean for their kids.

That kind of emotion is not something you can “data” your way through.

It is something you have to sit with.

Where Trust Gets Lost

I want to be careful here, because I do not believe this is about blaming anyone. This dilemma is far too complex to assign fault to one person or position.

But one concern I heard repeatedly in that cafeteria was about how quickly everything moved.

Some families felt like they learned about the recommendation the same morning it was presented publicly, and then within days, they were sitting in a meeting at 6:00 p.m. trying to process what it could mean for their child’s future.

That is a lot to ask of families.

When trust is already fragile, communication cannot feel rushed, confusing, or reactive. Even when decisions are complex, the process has to feel steady and respectful.

I found myself wondering, could the communication have been slow-played differently?

Could there have been more time for families to absorb the information, ask questions, and feel included before the emotions hit full force?

Because once families feel like something is happening to them, instead of with them, trust breaks down fast.

And the truth is, the future of public schools will be defined by the level of trust the community gives to them.

I Support the K–8 Model, If We Do It the Right Way

I’ve been clear that I support the K–8 model when it is done with the appropriate supports to ensure its success.

Stability matters. Long-term relationships matter. A school that feels like a community matters.

But even if a recommendation is strategic, families still deserve empathy in the delivery.

They deserve a process that recognizes what is being disrupted and what children may lose in the transition, even if the long-term plan is well-intended.

A Question I Haven’t Heard Asked Yet

One thing I have not heard enough in these discussions is a harder, but important, question:

Looking back, what could the school system have done better to get ahead of this?

If enrollment declines are part of the reason these conversations are happening, then we owe it to the community to reflect on prevention, not just reaction.

To be fair, the district has done a phenomenal job outlining the external factors contributing to enrollment declines, like birth rates, affordability, and even the impact of hurricanes, but I have not heard enough reflection on what internal decisions could have helped mitigate the impact we’re seeing today.

How do we strengthen trust in neighborhood schools earlier? How do we communicate value to families before they leave? How do we adapt before we are forced into closures?

That kind of humility matters.

It builds credibility, even when the message is difficult.

One More Thought: What Options Would Families Want to Hear?

I’ve also wondered something else, and I say this thoughtfully.

Even though I have shared concerns about co-location in other posts, I couldn’t help but ask myself:

How would families have responded if they felt more options were on the table?

For example, co-location comes with serious concerns, but were families given a real chance to evaluate that option, or was it taken off the table because of the broader district impact that “choice” could create?

When parents are afraid of losing their school, they are not just reacting to the decision; they are reacting to the feeling that the decision is already final.

When families feel like they are being given one path forward, emotions rise.

When families feel like they are being invited into problem-solving, trust has a chance to grow.

Why I Was There

I do not live in that immediate zone. My children are not directly impacted by this specific recommendation.

But I still went, because every decision made by the Pinellas County School Board affects every part of our community, not just the families in one neighborhood.

And because if I am asking the voters of Pinellas County to trust me with this responsibility, I have to be willing to show up for the hard conversations, too.

I want parents to know this:

Even when I can think strategically about the big picture, I will always keep the people behind the numbers in mind.

And even when decisions are made that not everyone agrees with, families deserve elected officials who prioritize empathy, clarity, and connection.

What We Should Do Next: Solutions That Build Trust

Here are the solutions I believe Pinellas County needs right now:

1. Slow Down the Communication, Even When the Timeline is Tight

Families should not feel like they are learning life-changing information the same day it becomes public.

We need a process that gives parents time to absorb, ask questions, and plan. When communication feels rushed, trust collapses.

2. Lead with Empathy First, Then the Numbers

Data matters, but people come before spreadsheets.

Every recommendation should include a clear message that acknowledges what families are losing, what will change, and how the district will support children through the transition.

3. Create a Transition Support Plan for Students and Families

If a school closure is being considered, families deserve to see a real plan, not just a destination.

That plan should include:

• Student visit days to the receiving schools

• Counseling supports for students and staff

• Transportation clarity

• Friendship and classroom transition considerations

• A timeline that families can understand

4. Offer Families More Than One Path Forward

Even if a recommendation is strong, families should not feel boxed in.

We should publicly explore multiple options and explain the trade-offs honestly so families feel they were part of the process, not simply informed of the outcome.

5. Practice Humility: What Could We Have Done Differently?

One of the most trust-building things a school system can do is reflect out loud.

If declining enrollment is a driving factor, then we should be asking:

What could we have done earlier to strengthen confidence in this school? How do we keep families connected before they leave?

How do we make neighborhood schools the obvious choice again?

And maybe the hardest question of all:

What could the School Board, and the district, have done years ago to help mitigate the impact we’re facing today?

I understand the concept of taking responsibility, even when it’s complicated.

There have been times in my own leadership where I apologized for impacts that, deep down, I didn’t feel I personally caused. But I did it anyway, because it wasn’t about blame. It was about trust.

It was about what my team needed in order to move forward together.

That kind of humility matters, and in moments like this, it can go a long way.

Let’s Keep It Real

Public service is not easy. In many ways, it’s a thankless job.

But in my experience, that’s also what leadership is. You step into hard decisions knowing there may not be a clean win for everyone.

And in the case of Cross Bayou, there are no easy answers.

• Do you invest more money into a school operating far below capacity?

• Do you close a school that serves families who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing?

• Do you consider co-location, knowing it can open the door to future “takeovers” and competition instead of collaboration?

• Do you do nothing and risk the problem getting worse, forcing closures elsewhere later?

The options are endless, and many of them come with painful trade-offs, no matter which direction is chosen.

Still, this moment is critical for our community, and what we do next matters.

You don’t fix enrollment with angry communities that feel blindsided.

You don’t build trust through displacement, even if the intentions are pure.

What happens next has to be different.

We need the School Board to truly listen.

We need families to truly advocate.

We need communication that is transparent, timely, and centered on the parents and children behind the numbers.

And we need the humility to ask, “What could we have done differently to prevent this from getting to this point?”

That is how trust is rebuilt. That is how strong schools are protected. And that is how we move forward together, even when the decision is hard.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of Curtis Campogni, Candidate for Pinellas County School Board, District 3 at Large, and do not represent the official position of any organization or governing body.