By Leon Tomlinson
Cross Bayou Elementary School is set to close at the end of the 2025-26 school year, leaving teachers, staff and families unsure about what the future will look like. The decision was part of a districtwide effort to deal with declining student enrollment and better use of school buildings.
The closure came from Pinellas County Schools’ “Planning for Progress” initiative, which focused on making changes across the district to improve efficiency and academic opportunities.
According to district information, Cross Bayou had about 245 students but space for more than 600, meaning the school was only about 40% full. This low enrollment played a major role in the decision to close the school and move students to nearby campuses.
“My initial reaction, I was actually really shocked,” Domonique Tomlinson, K-2 literacy coach at Cross Bayou Elementary, said. “I had heard there would be school closings, but not until the 2026-27 school year.”
Tomlinson said the news spread quickly among staff and created strong emotions in the beginning. Many teachers were upset and worried about what would happen next, especially since they did not expect the closure to happen so soon. She explained that even though the school has a specialized deaf and hard-of-hearing program, many staff members still did not think it would be chosen to close.
“Initially, the staff were quite upset,” Tomlinson said. “But over the past few weeks, they adjusted and continued to be professional and teach their classes.”
As time went on, teachers focused on staying consistent for the sake of their students while also dealing with their own concerns. Some staff members began thinking about retirement earlier than planned, while others considered moving to different schools or even leaving the district.
Even with support from the district, there was still uncertainty about where everyone would end
up next year.
“Some staff are definitely anxious about what next year will hold,” Tomlinson said. “We have quite a few staff members who are deciding to retire, and others who may consider relocating.”
The district stated that support would be provided to help staff find new positions. If the plan moved forward, human resources would work directly with teachers and employees to help them find assignments for the 2026-27 school year. While this offered some reassurance, many staff members were still concerned about possible changes, such as longer commutes or adjusting to new work environments.
Erica Costa, a Pinellas County Schools teacher, said transitioning to a new school could create additional challenges for educators who must quickly adapt to new environments and expectations.
“Starting over at a new school means building relationships with new coworkers all over again, which can be challenging,” Costa said. “You may also have to teach a different grade level, which means learning a new curriculum while adjusting to a new environment.”
Costa said each school has its own culture and systems, which can make the transition even more difficult for teachers who are used to a certain structure.
“Every school is different in how they do things, and learning those rules can be tough,” Costa said. “Certain management techniques that work with one class may not work the same with another, so teachers have to adjust how they manage their classrooms.”
The closure will impact students, although reactions varied depending on age. Younger students, such as those in kindergarten and first grade, did not fully understand what was happening. Older students, however, were more aware and had already started thinking about the move to new schools.
“I think it affected them the first couple days after the news broke,” Tomlinson said. “But moving forward, it hasn’t really affected students much.”
She added that students might feel the impact more strongly as the school year came to an end and classrooms began to be packed up. These changes could make the situation feel more real for students who had spent years at the school.
Under the district plan, students living in the Cross Bayou zone would be reassigned to nearby schools based on where they lived. At the same time, the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program would be moved to Walsingham Oaks K-8, where it would expand into a K-8 program. This change was designed to give students more consistency by allowing them to stay in one school for a longer period of time.
Principal Jodi Leichman of Walsingham Oaks said her school was preparing to welcome the new students and staff and was ready for the transition.
“We are going to welcome all students that are coming from Cross Bayou and other schools,” Leichman said. “My staff will be ready for anything.”
The closure also carried a personal impact for members of the community who had connections to the school. For many people, it is more than just a building. It is a place where memories were made and connections were built.
The district said the goal of the closure and student reassignment was to improve academic opportunities and make better use of resources across schools. By moving students to campuses with higher enrollment and more available programs, the district believed students would benefit from stronger academic environments.
As the final months of the school year continue, teachers and staff at Cross Bayou work to stay focused on their students while also preparing for an uncertain future. Even with support from the district and plans in place, the closure marks a major change for the entire school community.
