SCHOOLS update
August 10 School starts. Expect heavy morning/afternoon traffic on School Ave, Shade, Bahia Vista, and the whole area, to resume; it's always worse at the beginning of the school year, as parents figure out dropoff and pickup. Oh, and watch your speed in school safety zones, cuz speeds are reduced for mornings and afternoons, and tickets are expensive.
SHS has a new principal, too: Sean Donovan. Former principal Ryan Chase, who was named Principal of the Year 2026, has moved on to a higher administrative role.
Neighborhood - Schools Liaison Our neighborhood still doesn't have an official neighborhood liaison at Sarasota High or Alta Vista. So when problems arise -- often small issues that could be easily solved -- who do we local residents contact? We don't know!!
Meanwhile, suggested is to contact Dr. Mike Kemp and/or Principal Sean Donovan at Michael.kemp@sarasotacountyschools.net & Sean.donovan@sarasotacountyschools.net
REMINDER: Sarasota High P.A. systems too loud?
Sometimes reasonable; sometimes Wicked Loud. Any day or evening when excessive noise (not the usual, to-be-expected sounds) is bothering you, call 941-966-7233 (Sarasota County Schools security) and/or email Dr. Mike Kemp and Principal Sean Donovan at Michael.kemp@sarasotacountyschools.net & Sean.donovan@sarasotacountyschools.net ) right away.
Sarasota High School 2026 Construction Alert: New Tennis Courts and Volleyball Courts
May 2026 Update: Tennis courts are in the process of construction. (Previously, tennis courts were demolished in 2013.)
The Project Manager has kindly provided answers to some of my questions:
- There are NO plans to allow general public use of these courts.
- They will have high fencing at ends of tennis courts, so balls shouldn't be going over The Wall into people's yards.
- The courts will NOT be lighted, so no night-play.
- Student access will be from inside SHS campus, NOT directly from School Av.
- As for the hours of use, actual days and times of use will be determined by the SHS Administration.
- I also asked about students blaring music while using the courts: "How the school uses the courts, and what rules they implement, will be up to the SHS Administration."
- There are NO plans to allow general public use of these courts.
- They will have high fencing at ends of tennis courts, so balls shouldn't be going over The Wall into people's yards.
- The courts will NOT be lighted, so no night-play.
- Student access will be from inside SHS campus, NOT directly from School Av.
- As for the hours of use, actual days and times of use will be determined by the SHS Administration.
- I also asked about students blaring music while using the courts: "How the school uses the courts, and what rules they implement, will be up to the SHS Administration."
NEW Performing Arts Center Currently budgeted for 2027.
SHS is the last Sarasota County high school that still has an old auditorium but not a performing arts center. Plans show a new PAC, to be located off TamiSola, between School & Shade Aves, between two large SHS parking lots, where the softball field currently stands. No doubt, more info should be available in future...
SHS is the last Sarasota County high school that still has an old auditorium but not a performing arts center. Plans show a new PAC, to be located off TamiSola, between School & Shade Aves, between two large SHS parking lots, where the softball field currently stands. No doubt, more info should be available in future...
EDITORIAL comments regarding public school facilities use by community residents:
Used to be, the old tennis courts were used by the public during off-hours; these courts were demolished in 2013. After all, the public, the taxpayers, are the ones who pay for school facilities; it's about 50% of my annual property tax bills. Used to be, you could use the SHS track during off-hours. At a minor community meeting back in ?2017?, one (former) school board member expressed hopes of EXPANDING community use of school athletic facilities. Nowadays, sometimes a group may formally RENT the stadium track, or some other facilities (a local church had been doing so, for a few years). Granted, school activities have multiplied -- which is good for the kids, so actual student use covers more hours/days. But 21st century trends in school security have resulted in "security" prohibitions of community use of most school facilities (including playground at AltaVista Elementary) from use by public. Meanwhile, gates in the "secure" fencing are often left open for the convenience of athletes.
Per Sarasota County Schools, Section 9.30 Use of Facilities:
"As a matter of policy, the Board intends to make facilities available to groups of citizens, where it makes sense to do so and where the access to and use of facilities does not materially interfere with school operations, events, or the educational environment." ...
"XII. Outside Facility Use.
A. Playgrounds. Where practical, playgrounds on the campuses of elementary schools will be open to the public during daylight, non-school hours, as long as the opening does not interfere with a school sanctioned event."
B. Hardcourts (Tennis and Basketball). Where practical, hardcourts at all schools will be open to the public during daylight, non-school hours, as long as the opening does not interfere with a school sanctioned event."
There MUST be a way that we can safely restore sharing use of these facilities with residents. Discuss...
Used to be, the old tennis courts were used by the public during off-hours; these courts were demolished in 2013. After all, the public, the taxpayers, are the ones who pay for school facilities; it's about 50% of my annual property tax bills. Used to be, you could use the SHS track during off-hours. At a minor community meeting back in ?2017?, one (former) school board member expressed hopes of EXPANDING community use of school athletic facilities. Nowadays, sometimes a group may formally RENT the stadium track, or some other facilities (a local church had been doing so, for a few years). Granted, school activities have multiplied -- which is good for the kids, so actual student use covers more hours/days. But 21st century trends in school security have resulted in "security" prohibitions of community use of most school facilities (including playground at AltaVista Elementary) from use by public. Meanwhile, gates in the "secure" fencing are often left open for the convenience of athletes.
Per Sarasota County Schools, Section 9.30 Use of Facilities:
"As a matter of policy, the Board intends to make facilities available to groups of citizens, where it makes sense to do so and where the access to and use of facilities does not materially interfere with school operations, events, or the educational environment." ...
"XII. Outside Facility Use.
A. Playgrounds. Where practical, playgrounds on the campuses of elementary schools will be open to the public during daylight, non-school hours, as long as the opening does not interfere with a school sanctioned event."
B. Hardcourts (Tennis and Basketball). Where practical, hardcourts at all schools will be open to the public during daylight, non-school hours, as long as the opening does not interfere with a school sanctioned event."
There MUST be a way that we can safely restore sharing use of these facilities with residents. Discuss...
School Security Fails and the Saga of the Batting Cage. A few years back, SHS implemented tighter security measures for protection of their students, including new perimeter fencing, etc. Theoretically, climbing over the fences onto campus can get you arrested for trespassing. On an ongoing basis, students (presumably, and presumably baseball team members) are climbing the fence to use the batting practice facilities when they are not officially open. After ongoing neighborhood resident attempts to resolve, the school has said that they cannot control this. On a related note, then, this calls into question either their willingness to act or the ineffectiveness of the expensive security measures they put into place over the last decade.
School Zone automatic traffic speed cameras & ticketing. Speed enforcement cameras in Safety Zones on school days, near Sarasota High and Alta Vista Elementary, have been installed, with more to come. These WILL automatically ticket you ($100) if you speed in the posted school zones. Speeders beware!
THREE ongoing Schools / residents issues
SHS Noise Issue: There have been continuing issues with sometimes-excessive noise levels from Sarasota High PA systems (baseball stadium & batting cage, & football stadium) disturbing neighboring residents. SHS HAS made some adjustments over the last 2 years (see below), but unfortunately not all issues have been resolved. The problem continues, with several local residents continuing to seek adequate resolution for more comfortable coexistence with neighboring residents. Recently SHS admin has committed to taking further actions -- including hiring a consultant sound engineer -- to try to mitigate the P.A. noise issues. This problem also ties in with City noise ordinances, currently under revision process, but the fact is that the Schools are exempt from City rules & regulations. Several local residents have been working with school staff on mitigating this problem. Meanwhile, RESIDENTS: if excessive noise (not the usual, to-be-expected sounds) is bothering you, call 941-966-7233 (Sarasota County Schools security) and/or email Principal Ryan Chase and Dr. Michael Kemp ( ryan.chase@sarasotacountyschools.net & Michael.kemp@sarasotacountyschools.net ).
Parent Pick-up Issues SHS has two main parent pick-up lines, one in the front parking lot off Bahia Vista, and another that renders Hatton Street and School Ave impassable on school days, generally starting around 1.45pm til 2.15pm or so. This is a universal problem, not just for Alta Vista neighborhood. Hatton Street traffic enforcement: eff. January 2025, the City said they would begin enforcing normal traffic rules that prohibit drivers from blockading the streets here, with signage instructing drivers NOT to park on road (which is too narrow for other cars to pass). Another issue is that this many cars, idling with engines on (for A/C, since it's so hot&sunny) -- some for up to an hour each day! -- spew intense air pollution across the abutting residential area and the playground for SSIS elementary school!. Another issue is that some parents park on neighboring streets (with idling engines) to AVOID the official pickup lines. Over around Riverview High, there are "no pick-up parking" signs on all neighboring streets, but why we don't get those in our neighborhood???...
Public Sidewalk maintenance around our schools (Alta Vista Elementary, Sarasota High, SSIS charter): Several local residents have been working with the City, the School Department (County), and school staff regarding regular maintainance (clearing of debris, cutting protruding vegetation) of public sidewalks around the perimeters of the schools. Note that residents are required by the City to maintain the public right-of-way including sidewalk abutting their lots, yet sometimes the schools, with their long stretches of abutting public sidewalks, have neglected this public duty. [2026 update: this appears to have gotten much better.]
SHS Noise Issue: There have been continuing issues with sometimes-excessive noise levels from Sarasota High PA systems (baseball stadium & batting cage, & football stadium) disturbing neighboring residents. SHS HAS made some adjustments over the last 2 years (see below), but unfortunately not all issues have been resolved. The problem continues, with several local residents continuing to seek adequate resolution for more comfortable coexistence with neighboring residents. Recently SHS admin has committed to taking further actions -- including hiring a consultant sound engineer -- to try to mitigate the P.A. noise issues. This problem also ties in with City noise ordinances, currently under revision process, but the fact is that the Schools are exempt from City rules & regulations. Several local residents have been working with school staff on mitigating this problem. Meanwhile, RESIDENTS: if excessive noise (not the usual, to-be-expected sounds) is bothering you, call 941-966-7233 (Sarasota County Schools security) and/or email Principal Ryan Chase and Dr. Michael Kemp ( ryan.chase@sarasotacountyschools.net & Michael.kemp@sarasotacountyschools.net ).
Parent Pick-up Issues SHS has two main parent pick-up lines, one in the front parking lot off Bahia Vista, and another that renders Hatton Street and School Ave impassable on school days, generally starting around 1.45pm til 2.15pm or so. This is a universal problem, not just for Alta Vista neighborhood. Hatton Street traffic enforcement: eff. January 2025, the City said they would begin enforcing normal traffic rules that prohibit drivers from blockading the streets here, with signage instructing drivers NOT to park on road (which is too narrow for other cars to pass). Another issue is that this many cars, idling with engines on (for A/C, since it's so hot&sunny) -- some for up to an hour each day! -- spew intense air pollution across the abutting residential area and the playground for SSIS elementary school!. Another issue is that some parents park on neighboring streets (with idling engines) to AVOID the official pickup lines. Over around Riverview High, there are "no pick-up parking" signs on all neighboring streets, but why we don't get those in our neighborhood???...
Public Sidewalk maintenance around our schools (Alta Vista Elementary, Sarasota High, SSIS charter): Several local residents have been working with the City, the School Department (County), and school staff regarding regular maintainance (clearing of debris, cutting protruding vegetation) of public sidewalks around the perimeters of the schools. Note that residents are required by the City to maintain the public right-of-way including sidewalk abutting their lots, yet sometimes the schools, with their long stretches of abutting public sidewalks, have neglected this public duty. [2026 update: this appears to have gotten much better.]