After a controversial school board shut down Just Elementary in West Tampa, Hillsborough County Public Schools announced on Thursday plans for a new, namesake school to reopen in its place alongside a newly-constructed Stewart Middle. "We're really excited about what's to come for the Just and Stewart on this shared campus,” Superintendent Van Ayres said. “This is a victory,” Hillsborough NAACP President Yvette Lewis said. “This is a sign that the school district has listened to the people and the concerns of the community.” In 2023, the Hillsborough County School Board voted 4-3 to close Just Elementary after then-superintendent Addison Davis cited low enrollment and poor academic performance. The move scattered hundreds of children across two different schools outside of their immediate community, angering parents, neighbors and civic leaders. During the months that followed, talks quietly surfaced around possibly opening a new campus. It’s an idea that has been floated outside of the district as well as part of a bigger picture of redevelopment in West Tampa. MORE: https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/education/just-elementary-reopening-middle-school-vote/67-ebc8626c-9ec9-4393-a1ec-ac0f25e02b64 ►Subscribe: https://on.wtsp.com/youtube ►Website: https://www.wtsp.com/ ►Facebook: https://facebook.com/10TampaBay ►X: https://twitter.com/10TampaBay