Name: Leon County School Board Meeting (September 22, 2026)
Duration: 1 h 19 min 16 s
Description: Taxpayers deserve a clear answer. If you want the community support the school district by paying more property taxes and sales tax, you'll need to support us by giving us access to our tracks.

[0:03] Thank you. Thank you. I'm sorry. Good evening. Thank you all for joining us. This is our business meeting on August 22nd, September 22nd, 2026 and this meeting will get started at 601PM.

[0:25] So we are going to, we don't have a pledge,

[0:33] so we will turn it over to Mr. Logan Crouch,

[0:41] the proud principle of, oh, he stepped out.

[0:47] I was going to say, Mr. Miko Wallace, you're on,

[0:56] so just so you know we need both a pledge

[0:58] and a thought for the day, so be thinking about what your thought is going to be.

[1:04] And you are brilliant, so I know you're going to come up with something great.

[1:09] and heard.

[1:11] That's a lot of pressure.

[1:15] Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

[1:17] Please rise for the pledge of allegiance.

[1:22] I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God in the visible with liberty and justice for all.

[1:37] So, the principal has now returned, and I'm sure he is very well prepared to give a thought for the day.

[1:43] Great thing, good thing.

[1:47] But be he ever ready.

[1:49] I was ready.

[1:50] Thank you, Ms. Wallace.

[1:52] A true assistant principal in that light.

[1:56] Our thought for the day is, strength doesn't come from what you can do.

[1:59] It comes from overcoming things that once you thought you could not do.

[2:05] And that comes from Ricky Rogers.

[2:06] So this afternoon or sort of this evening, we are, I would, I'm sorry, I don't want to overstit my balance, Mr. Hannah.

[2:15] So he's jumping right in.

[2:16] Oh, okay. So I will move down to Item 2.0 1 and I'll turn it over to the superintendent for the superintendent spotlight.

[2:24] So thank you, Chair Nicholas, as every fall, you know, we go around and do our tour around the county, visit all of our schools,

[2:32] at every level, just to see how their school year started, to see if there's anything they

[2:36] need from us, staffing wise, to support students with disabilities, talk about their facility,

[2:43] and any needs that they have with their facilities.

[2:46] I just did general conversation about how their school year started, I've done this since

[2:51] my first year as superintendent 10 years ago, and as we were visiting Cobb Middle School,

[2:57] we were looking at some of their data and some of their numbers and as you all are well

[3:02] aware, the Cobb Cubs, returned to an A school this year, congratulations.

[3:10] And I was, we go through all their data and we talk about their school improvement plans,

[3:14] you know, what they've done and what their goals are for the coming year.

[3:19] And I couldn't help but notice their science scores were off the chain last

[3:24] last school year.

[3:25] And I said, well, what sort of, how did that happen, you know,

[3:29] and he said, well, first I tell you the story about an amazing science teacher

[3:33] We had our school and how she went just above and beyond to help her kids prepare for that assessment in the spring and what she did and I don't want to steal his thunder

[3:48] I guess before this little baby was born last spring, but it literally brought me to tears

[3:56] I mean, we talk a lot about teachers in a servant's heart and how much they do to go above

[4:02] and beyond.

[4:03] I've never heard anything quite like this.

[4:05] So with that principle, I'd like to bring you up and have you introduce our special guest

[4:12] and talk a little bit about what she did for you guys last spring.

[4:17] Thank you very much, Superintendent.

[4:20] So this evening, I'd like to introduce you to Miss Maria, Miss Paula.

[4:26] So

[4:30] I had the pleasure of meeting Miss Ciaadi when I came in to the

[4:35] Principle Ship at Cobb, the summer before my first year, which was two

[4:39] summers ago, and just her heart, her character, her energy, just carries you

[4:47] as you speak with her, and then about midway through the school year she goes,

[4:53] I need to talk to you about something, and as a Principle, you get a little

[4:58] That says I need to talk to you about something and she says I'm gonna need to go maternity leave

[5:04] It's some point this year and I said okay. Well, that's way better than the alternative, which is

[5:10] So we were very we were very excited for her and her family

[5:14] for the new addition and we can see

[5:17] little Oliver

[5:18] There with us right now and the cool thing is is she said you have nothing to worry about with my students

[5:26] Um, I'm going to miss all of the third quarter, but you have nothing to worry about.

[5:31] And I said, okay, that's, that's great.

[5:33] That's confidence.

[5:34] I love that.

[5:35] But she said, no, no, no, I'm going to prepare every lesson before I leave.

[5:40] And I'm going to leave those lessons with this permanent substitute.

[5:45] And I said, okay, you know, you know, work sheet, things like that.

[5:49] What you would expect for a teacher going on leave, and she says, no, no, no, no, I'm going

[5:54] be doing digital lessons, some of them are going to be video and audio lessons, and when

[6:00] I saw the product that she left for the Substitute, it was amazing.

[6:07] And so she started preparing, when did you start preparing Miss Yati?

[6:13] Yes, she started preparing for her maternity leave in August, and she didn't go maternity leave

[6:19] until before Christmas. Yes. And so her hard work and dedication to her students is just

[6:26] really amazing. And I do want to say that Miss Yoddy was the first to deflect and say,

[6:34] I had amazing students, which she does, but it also takes a village. And so I also want

[6:42] with the Superintendent's permission to be able to recognize Miss Little. She is with us. She

[6:49] is the permanent sub that delivered his lessons.

[6:56] She came in every day and with Fideli and the

[7:00] scope and sequence of the missiati left and went forward with these lessons and the help with

[7:07] also miss Wallace was a huge part of that because she'd input the grades and backed up miss

[7:12] little so miss Wallace was a huge part of that as well. So I want to just say thank you to

[7:17] village they got these scores to where we need a two-for-cup.

[7:25] So I think I think Denver may have a small snippet of

[7:30] Some of the lesson plans that she did back in August to get ready to go on maternity. Denver, do you have anything you can show us?

[7:37] I do. Get ready for your head to spin.

[7:39] I'll go ahead and go to the next page on your packets.

[7:42] So, the part of the table is arranged by atomic number.

[7:46] And there are, as you can see, rose. I mean, excuse me.

[7:50] Do you just two different groups, the metals and metals and the metal loites?

[7:53] You do not have to use the same colors that I am using.

[7:55] So, I have colored all of the non-metals in the color orange, so that's hydrogen up here and then carbon through me on this whole group group 18.

[8:11] So, go ahead and pause this video and color your non-metals and then label your key.

[8:18] Next, we have the metal loites, and the metal loites are kind of like an in-between between

[8:25] the metal and non-metal, and so this little staircase down here is the are the all-the-metal

[8:31] loites.

[8:31] Again, you don't have to use this in colors that I used.

[8:34] You can pick whatever color you want, go ahead and pause the video and color in your metal

[8:38] loites,

[8:43] and lastly, we have the metals, and again, you don't have to use this in color

[8:48] use, go ahead and color in your metals and make sure that your key is completed. Now notice

[8:54] what are most of the elements on Earth? They are metals, followed by non-retals, and then we have

[9:01] the fewest of metal loites. So that is it for this period of table labeling.

[9:19] I just wanted to say

[9:20] something really quickly. First of all, thank you so much for the recognition and the words of

[9:25] validation. I don't take them for granted. But I also, like Mr. Crouch said, it does take a village,

[9:33] and this didn't happen in the vacuum of my classroom. I think it's really important to recognize,

[9:38] especially the fact that I was on maternity leave. I think really cement that point.

[9:43] Ms. Little being there being a consistent figure in the classroom every day for those three months.

[9:50] Um, my kids, uh, the students who worked really hard, um, they also had, I want to give

[9:56] a shout out to their sixth grade science teacher, Ms. Prop, who's no longer at Cobb, but, um,

[10:01] they had life science with her and sixth grade, and she really cemented a very, very strong

[10:07] solid foundation of basic biological concepts, um, that I think really benefited them, um,

[10:13] in taking the EOC and biology and eighth grade. Um, a lot of my students were also concurrently

[10:17] taking agriculture and at Cobb and they were able to apply the concepts in real time, so that

[10:24] was, I think, really, really useful and important. So, Ms. A. Cree, shout out to Ms. A. Cree,

[10:30] we have an incredible department head, a misparade, and our science department is so collaborative.

[10:37] And not to mention, my other colleagues, the students, other teachers that year and former teachers

[10:42] who really lay a really important foundation in their academics and who I consider mentors

[10:49] and have taught me so much and have and continue to teach me so much and so I'm just

[10:55] thank you and I'm also very grateful to be a part of Cobb where we collaborate so well together

[11:01] and I get to work with some wonderful administrators and incredible educators.

[11:06] Thank you.

[11:11] So how many of these video lessons did you create in total?

[11:20] Do you have an idea?

[11:22] No, I didn't create that many of them.

[11:24] Maybe five altogether and then other stuff I kind of pulled from the internet to make.

[11:29] So it wasn't that many.

[11:31] But I've never heard of, but we know teachers do amazing things.

[11:34] And this is just an example of a teacher going above and beyond.

[11:37] It would have been easy to mail it in, to give Miss Little something to work with, but Miss

[11:42] Little having to figure it out for herself, but it sounds like you just gave her the

[11:45] perfect roadmap to lead her and your kids to success, and just so thankful of you and this

[11:53] profession and all that you've done at Cobb, you can tell you're a genuine person, you're

[11:57] very humble.

[11:58] He just liked it a lot of attention to other people, but we're lucky to have you.

[12:02] We truly are.

[12:03] But I, I, I really stand by what I said. So thank you.

[12:10] It colleagues. All right, I want to say something. Oh, you want to say something, Mr.

[12:14] To this great teacher at Cobb Middle School, one of the things that I say at this

[12:22] dias, for these last eight years is that I always encourage our teachers to love first and to

[12:30] teach second. And what has been described about what you have done along with your

[12:35] colleague in our substitute teacher has really embodied that whole concept of loving

[12:41] first and teaching second. To have gone through what you've done, to make certain

[12:47] that your students as well as your replacement were prepared and then subsequently

[12:52] for the young people to then be able to test as well as they did, means that that

[12:57] love was indeed felt. So congratulations to the both of you and to this great school

[13:02] the environment that you create, the climate clearly is set on high and on excellence and so

[13:07] congratulations to Cobb Middle School colleagues. Yes. I wasn't going to say anything but I of course

[13:15] I'm never sorry for words but it's I just want to appreciate I want to let you know how much we

[13:22] appreciate that enthusiasm and that dedication and just I was talking to Furman out in the

[13:28] out in the hallway out there and he and I were first grade classmates together a long time ago

[13:32] but we were talking about the impact that even our elementary teachers even though we're really

[13:37] old had on us and I was speaking to a group of kids today at Child's High School and ran into a bunch

[13:43] of my former students and just want to thank you and all the teachers that are in the room.

[13:47] You guys the impact that you have on your kids and they know how much what Mr. Jones said,

[13:53] how much you love and you care about them and they don't care how much you know as a teacher

[13:58] until they know how much you care and so thank you for sharing with us and thank you

[14:04] Superintendent for bringing Mr. Krauts and Ms. Wallace and this amazing teacher and again

[14:09] it's just a snippet of some of our amazing dedicated teachers that we have in Leon County.

[14:15] So thank you.

[14:15] Thank you to your family.

[14:16] Oliver is adorable.

[14:17] adorable. Thank you, Miss Cox. Anything else colleagues? So a couple things, right?

[14:27] A couple things at play here. Number one, I think that there has to be, I love the recognition

[14:34] here, but what you've managed to do, it needs to be displayed, depicted, announced, projected

[14:44] at some sort of conference, right? Like what you've managed to do, right? There are you always

[14:52] say doing the commonly thing uncommonly well and you have scores to back it up. What I saw on

[14:59] That's great.

[15:00] And how you were able to engage the students, even though you weren't in the room, is absolutely incredible.

[15:07] So that needs to be submitted to somebody's conference because you would think that that's a normal thing.

[15:15] You would think that all I did was this, it no. You've done a little bit more. You've managed to engage the students without you even being there.

[15:22] So that works on a on so many different levels. So I would expect to see that conference submission pretty soon.

[15:30] The other thing that you've done, and I think you've demonstrated it, Mr. Kraush, since you've been there, and you did it at Raw as well when you were the assistant principal at Raw.

[15:43] If tonight is a microcosm of how you lead,

[15:47] Cobb is is a lucky place to have you as it's leader because not only did you recognize your teacher

[15:56] How many people would actually bring the permanent sub to a school board meeting to be recognized?

[16:03] That is not a normal thing at all. You found it not robbery to bring her here

[16:11] so that she can be acknowledged because you understand the concept of an ecosystem, you understand

[16:17] the concept of a village and you want it to ensure that everybody in that village is celebrated.

[16:25] Well done, you are gracious, humble, and I am so glad to have adopted you as District 5 adjacent,

[16:36] Because you are absolutely wonderful and the last shout-out goes to I heard you shout-out, but I'm a shout-out

[16:42] too

[16:44] My former student

[16:45] Hannah Ackery

[16:47] She was my student at Gabby, so I'm glad to see that she's doing fantastic things over Rekop. Thank you all and well done

[16:54] So if I would have a good

[16:56] Mr. Chair, I have a gift for our amazing teacher Miss Little. I did not know you were going to be here tonight

[17:02] But I got your flowers coming, girl, I'm telling, I promise you, I'm going to hand deliver you some flowers, all right?

[17:13] And the last thing was really, really cool is Miss Little, you have your son here, and he's video taping you, and he looks proud.

[17:22] And so now he gets to see his mom doing great things being acknowledged by the school board, so that's just a really, really cool moment.

[17:29] So both family. Yeah, you got a little Oliver over there and both families that I'm assuming the parents

[17:36] Right, so job well done to all involved.

[17:43] All right, that you want to do some nice things. Yeah

[17:46] I think a principal crouch mentioned something about ice cream on the way home Oliver. I don't know

[17:50] I'm just saying

[17:54] I do have one change I would like to

[18:04] We're going away six.

[18:06] Let's do it six.

[18:11] Okay.

[18:12] All right.

[18:13] Thank you.

[18:14] Thank you, Mr. Superintendent.

[18:15] Recognition, no recognitions, reports to be heard, no reports to be heard.

[18:20] That moves us to changes and additions, Mr. Vice Chair.

[18:24] Mr. Chairman, Mr. Superintendent.

[18:28] Changes in addition, September 22nd, 2026.

[18:32] The Superintendent recommends approval of changes in addition to the September 22nd, 2026 business

[18:37] meaning first.

[18:39] Item 19.08, the Superintendent recommends Board approval of the Fitzgerald Collaborative Group

[18:44] LLC, Professional Architectural Consulting Services, contract for raw middle school, phase

[18:49] to west-classional building project, pulled.

[18:54] Second, item 7.03, approval of personnel action, September 22nd, 2026, the public content

[19:01] section has been updated, and the attachment has been replaced to reflect the revisions.

[19:06] I am moved, acceptance of changes and revisions.

[19:09] We got a motion, do we have a second?

[19:12] Second.

[19:12] Any discussion?

[19:14] I have a question.

[19:15] While Mr. Superintendent, why was there an item 19.08 pull?

[19:20] We didn't have the engine and the review yesterday, so I don't know.

[19:24] Oh, Mr. Chair, so we decided we were going to make some modifications and meet with them.

[19:29] And we're not, and we're really not to hurry to get under contract with them to be honest with you because we're just now starting phase one got it

[19:35] So we'll maybe push it off a couple of months. Thank you, sir

[19:38] All right any other discussion points seeing none all in favor any opposed

[19:45] Passage unanimously

[19:47] That moves us to item six point zero one persons to be heard madam attorney. Thank you

[19:53] Chair Nicholas. We have there were emails that were sent to the persons to be heard at Leonst School's.net email address

[19:58] And they have been attached to this item additionally there are eight speakers here tonight when I call your name

[20:04] Please come to the podium give us your name and address for the record and you will have three minutes

[20:07] We will start with Lucy pride followed by Valencia Hargret and then Shari go on to

[20:25] her

[20:25] I am Lucy pride my address is 31 91 connected drive

[20:30] Tell us if order you reach it to me zero three

[20:36] Okay,

[20:43] I am employed with me on county at Springwood Elementary

[20:46] where I serve as a pair, a pair of professional, and I'm also the leader for the

[20:52] LESPA group for my school. I big concern that I have with regards to, I guess

[20:59] the knowledge referendum is going to be on the ballot for November 2026, we need to

[21:09] make sure that when we implement anything that we want to make sure it does take

[21:14] working work to make the dream work. Nobody does anything by themselves. So we want to make

[21:21] certain that we look at ourselves as I know that we are out of the 67 counties, we are

[21:27] number 65 and that is very, very low. I don't know if you have read any of that and I'm a little

[21:36] concerned to you with the lack of pay and also the understanding we need to make certain that the

[21:42] places pretty safe and on some occasions we may not have enough staff to be able to care

[21:49] out the work like we need to because as you know the need for a lot of the needs for students

[21:55] have have increased tremendously. We need a lot more hands on deck to make a lot of things

[22:00] happen making sure that we keep the environment safe so that we won't have any harm or

[22:06] to see any of our students or any of our staff as well.

[22:11] So that we need to have some appreciation shown, and that's seem to be a little

[22:17] lacking, and when I research around that I look with the salary that's given, there are

[22:26] any safe wallmark, for instance, and of many of us.

[22:30] . 1st Newchild. The nurse, last week, and Sunday morning and 2nd week, a month and day.

[22:36] They were classmates at the school in the school weekend,

[22:40] bringing the exam time to me.

[22:41] They said, me, saying to me, really have

[22:50] to keep doing this, getting everything else to do.

[23:04] where I'm able to make things better for everyone

[23:08] that we have to make a great effort in trying to do that

[23:11] because if you certainly have a happy group of people

[23:14] working for you, you would certainly get a lot more

[23:17] productivity from those happy persons.

[23:22] I would also like to capture on the real problem

[23:26] is that we can't seem to agree on much of nothing.

[23:29] We're always fighting about something.

[23:32] Time, thank you for your comment.

[23:33] Our next speaker is Valencia Hargret, followed by Shari Guantar and then Bobby Nehu.

[23:43] Name an address, we'll have three minutes.

[23:45] Valencia Hargret, 2715, late months in street, 3, 2, 3, 1, 0.

[23:51] Good evening, school board members, and Superintendent Hannah.

[23:56] I am tired, our support staff are tired.

[23:59] Florida has 67 counties, and based on the salary ranking being discussed,

[24:04] Let's first start our ranked 60 fifth and out of 67 counties when it comes to pay.

[24:10] 65th out of 67, what makes every, that should make everyone stop and ask, how do we get here?

[24:20] I was told that I need to say thank you to the school board.

[24:24] Thank you for what? Please tell me, maybe I missed the opportunity.

[24:30] Yes, I will acknowledge that Florida minimum wage is moving to 15, 15 an hour.

[24:36] If that change had not happened, some of our lowest pay workers could still be making

[24:41] significantly less.

[24:43] But let me be clear, 15 an hour cannot be the finish line for the people who keep our schools

[24:50] running.

[24:51] I support staff our clerical workers, employees, paraprofessional bookkeepers, technician, assistant,

[24:57] and many other employees who shows up every day serve our students and our schools.

[25:04] We work, we sacrifice, we give, we deserve to be valued, and our patrons, not just

[25:12] word.

[25:13] The military, I understand that the village was not created specifically as a raise, but if millions

[25:20] of dollars are being generated to our school system, support stashahal the opportunity

[25:25] to receive more than what was offered.

[25:28] When I talk to our members, they tell me they are not happy.

[25:32] Hell, I'm not happy either.

[25:34] But I gave my word that I and wanted to present behind the village, I believe in supporting

[25:40] our school, I believe in supporting our students, I believe invested in public education.

[25:46] But supporting the village does not mean that lessons should stop speaking up for the people

[25:51] we represent.

[25:52] I gave my word, and I will keep it.

[25:55] I will vote for the village, but when it comes to hustling for this calls, selling this calls

[26:02] and convincing our members and families to carry this message, nope.

[26:07] The district will have to sell this calls without my help.

[26:10] Because before you ask me to sell something, show our support staff that they matter.

[26:17] Show us our in our paycheck.

[26:19] Show us in our country.

[26:21] Show us in the salary schedule. Show us that the people who keep our schools running are not going to continue to be in push to the bottom.

[26:29] Let's must style our tired. We are not asking for charity. We're asking for fairness. We're asking to be valued.

[26:38] 67 counties 65th in the pay is not good enough. Let's will continue to stand up for support staff. Thank you.

[26:47] Thank you for your comment.

[26:49] Next speaker, Shari Gowanter, followed by Bobby Nehum and Jeremy Shaw.

[26:58] Shari Gowanter, Tallahassee Florida, 3, 2, 3, 01.

[27:01] Before I get to this, I just want to say that I don't want to take anything away from

[27:06] what my last book Brothers and Sisters are saying.

[27:08] I'm talking on a different topic, but respect,

[27:10] definite respect.

[27:11] And I also want to recognize Ms. Riley.

[27:13] Eight years ago, she caught the bouquet at my wedding.

[27:17] Very happy to see her out there.

[27:19] Tonight, I bring to you, please, please, why can't we fix it, list?

[27:24] Just sharing because there might be some things on here that you're not aware of, and I

[27:29] hope it just sparks a conversation.

[27:31] A teacher at a Northside School made a request multiple times, over the last couple years,

[27:36] they have a hole in a wall fixed from where a stove pipe was removed, paperwork, maintenance

[27:41] requests were all put in as of 98, it has not been fixed.

[27:44] Northside Elementary School's Sync has no running water in the multi-use bathroom.

[27:49] Students have to wash their hands in the classroom after they left the bathroom.

[27:53] Request sent at pre-planning as of 98, not fixed.

[27:57] Sync in my classroom, I discovered at pre-planning the entire faucet assembly needed to be replaced.

[28:01] They put chairs on the faucet, I don't know why.

[28:03] Work order, August 10, finally fixed, September 8th.

[28:07] I needed to go in any biotics.

[28:09] I wonder why.

[28:11] Also at my school primary playground, I reported multiple times water fountain.

[28:14] was overflowing onto the ground, this went on for months.

[28:19] And the solution was to shut the water off.

[28:22] So there's now no running water

[28:24] fountains on the playground.

[28:25] The children have to be out of sight to get water.

[28:27] That is a health and safety issue.

[28:30] Amateness requested a north-side school

[28:31] to reset clocks.

[28:33] Many clocks are approximately five minutes behind.

[28:36] Teacher was told to use their watch or cell phone.

[28:38] As of 9, 14, not fixed.

[28:41] Also, at the school AC, I am told, is a consistent challenge.

[28:44] Why am I bringing this to you tonight?

[28:46] Well, it's more than just a list of things that are broken.

[28:49] In some cases, it's health and safety issues.

[28:51] And yes, I do have the names of the schools that I am mentioning.

[28:54] I'm happy to share that with the superintendent.

[28:56] This is just a few examples of when I'm sure as a much larger problem

[29:00] and a larger concern.

[29:01] It affects the learning and working conditions

[29:03] and most importantly, the health conditions of your teacher's staff and students

[29:07] and it needs your immediate attention.

[29:09] My request is that you, Mr. Hannah, please conduct an audit

[29:12] of all of your maintenance requests and make sure that they are being taken care of in a timely

[29:16] fashion and for each school board member to reach out to their schools to follow up to

[29:20] get a list of what kinds of things the schools are needing.

[29:24] This is infrastructure seems to be a priority and it should be, especially as we're talking

[29:28] about half penny sales taxes and we all need to take the best care of our facilities that

[29:34] we currently have before we consider adding on or building new.

[29:37] Thank you.

[29:38] Thank you for your comment.

[29:39] next speaker Bobby Nehm followed by Jeremy Shaw and then Lynn Jones.

[29:50] Bobby Nehm East

[29:50] Call Street. I'm here to discuss the financial aspects of the five artificial turf fields

[29:55] that are local high schools and why from a taxpayer's perspective leaders are...

[30:00] There are two reasons I'm bringing this up first. The installation of these two fields is directly connected to public losing access to the high school tracks, and I'd like to see public access to the tracks restored as it was prior to 2020.

[30:13] The public was allowed to use the tracks for many decades with no problem. Then as soon as the fields were installed, the public was banned from using the tracks in order to help keep public off the turf fields, despite the public having a long track record of using the tracks and fields responsibly.

[30:27] Second, taxpayers are being asked to provide the school district with more money, through a

[30:33] middle-grade increase in the renewal of half-mini sales tax. Before taxpayers vote on these

[30:38] tax increases, they deserve to know the true financial picture of these surf fields.

[30:42] Leon County Schools spent approximately $8.97 million in selling all-terf fields between

[30:48] 2019 and 2023. During this time period, the school district publicly promoted the conversion

[30:53] to turf fields as a cost saving measure that would pay for itself in about six to seven years.

[30:59] In 2017, 2018 school year just prior to converting to artificial turf fields.

[31:04] The uncanny school spent just over $265,000 maintaining all five school grass fields that year.

[31:11] About $53,000 per field, including material and labor.

[31:15] Just this past summer, the turf field at Chiles was re-done at a cost of $375,000.

[31:20] just seven years after the initial installation in 2019.

[31:24] So we now know the useful life of these fields is about seven years.

[31:28] This means the district has to reserve roughly 53,700,

[31:31] five hundred and seventy-one dollars per year per field,

[31:34] just to redo the turf every seven years.

[31:37] Then add approximately four hundred dollars per year in scheduled maintenance

[31:40] and you're at fifty seven thousand nine hundred and seventy-one dollars per field per year

[31:45] about two hundred and ninety thousand dollars a year to maintain all five turf fields.

[31:48] That's actually more expensive than maintaining the old grass fields.

[31:52] So the district spent nearly $9 million in selling these fields, and instead of getting

[31:56] lower on-going operating costs, the available numbers indicate that the on-going costs are

[32:01] actually higher than maintaining the old grass fields.

[32:04] If the turf fields cost as much or more to maintain the grass fields, where the problem

[32:09] is savings needed to pay back the $9 million investment in turf.

[32:13] The savings don't exist, the turf fields won't ever pay for themselves ever.

[32:17] Taxpayers deserve a clear answer. If you want the community support the school district by paying more property taxes and sales tax, you'll need to support us by giving us access to our tracks.

[32:28] You will need to explain also to taxpayers why we spent nine million dollars on these fields,

[32:33] laws public access to the tracks, and are now facing ongoing costs that are peer to be higher than what we had with the grass fields.

[32:40] Thank you.

[32:40] Thank you for your comment.

[32:41] Next speaker, Jeremy Shaw, followed by Lynn Jones, and then Joyce Gainman.

[32:50] Name an address for the record and you'll have three minutes.

[32:54] Jeremy Shaw, 1221, Brent Drive.

[32:57] This is kind of strange for me to be up here because I know everyone you all quite well.

[33:01] I've been here 35 years now.

[33:02] No, most of you all, you all part are kids like me, where I started.

[33:05] So this is a little different, but this is about less of us.

[33:08] It's a little different, so it comes from a different section.

[33:11] So good morning or good morning, good evening everyone.

[33:13] That's a perception, perception is interesting because perception is just what it is.

[33:19] Very often, the staff of Lee and Kane schools are referred to as family here all the time.

[33:24] Each site is pretty much even a closer family when we go, we actually do stuff for people.

[33:30] So when there are family gatherings, there are smiles and fun conversations and respect.

[33:35] Looking from outside in one would say, we appear to be a close-knit family, that's perception.

[33:40] The millage referendum hasn't been voted on yet, but the bargain users have been working with the district on how the funds would be divided ahead of the vote, just so in case it does pass, the disbursement will be ready to go when it won't have to be going through the Christmas vacation or that stuff.

[33:57] So, LCTAS for a percentage, the district accepted and raised it at 10% more.

[34:03] Let's ask for our percentage, and the district couldn't meet it because they had to give

[34:08] 10-10 in the exemplifies part of the pie as well. So, that's perception. The district by

[34:14] offering more before on the bargaining meetings were complete shows how you feel about the

[34:19] LCS family. Some are thought of more than others. The family members need to know that they

[34:24] equals to each other, both in perception and in value. Thank you. Thank you for your comment.

[34:30] Next speaker, Lynn Jones, followed by Joyce Gaiman, and then Scott Mayzer. Now Miss Jones,

[34:36] on your form, you said that you were going to be talking about something and also item 19.

[34:42] 19, I think it's 19.01. Okay, so that's not a public hearing. So all of that can be talked about

[34:49] in this three minutes. Okay? Okay, please give us your name and address. Thank you. Lynn Jones,

[34:53] 3, 2, 3, 0, 5, a pleasure to be here.

[34:57] Good evening, everyone.

[34:59] I'm enjoying with our met.

[35:01] Yes, ma'am.

[35:03] OK, I came tonight to speak about the fields,

[35:06] but they have done a beautiful job on that.

[35:09] So I'm not going to say anything about the fields,

[35:11] but I do want to say something about number 19.

[35:15] And that is instructional materials, K-12, English language

[35:21] arts. Every five years, six years, whatever, when I was teaching, they would adopt new materials.

[35:30] And I'm here to say that at this point, with the financial crisis that we are in right now,

[35:37] why do we have to? Language arts does not change that much. So let's use that money for

[35:46] something else. I don't know if it's in the bylaws or whatever that we have to do this.

[35:54] But I think if you put your hands together, you will find that with the status, I don't

[36:00] believe in grades, ABCD, whatever. But our students, the majority of our students are doing

[36:07] okay. So the only thing we need to do is to make sure we focus and use some different strategies

[36:15] for the students who are not doing okay, adopting a new series is not going to change anything.

[36:23] So I suggest that we just give additional training to those teachers who need it.

[36:30] Everybody doesn't need to go to training and that's something that I find very disturbing.

[36:35] If you are a good teacher and you're doing a good job, let that teacher stay in her classroom,

[36:41] are his classroom and do what they need to do instead of going to all of these trainings.

[36:47] It's just not important, as far as I'm concerned. Also, what I want to say is, I was on the

[36:54] instructional materials adoption committee and it was all about money anyway. Who can give the best

[37:01] pitch at this point with all this DEI mess going around and having to evaluate these materials

[37:10] based on if it is addressing all of the needs of all of the kids. I think we're addressing

[37:18] the needs of all of the kids. So please do not adopt new materials, just support the teachers

[37:25] where they are and have them to continue to do the good job that they're doing.

[37:30] Thank you. Thank you for your comment. Next speaker, Joyce Gaman, followed by Scott Mazer, and then Kim Andrews Ward. Joyce Gaman, okay. Thank you, ma'am. Next speaker, Scott Mazer, followed by Kim Andrews Ward.

[37:53] Scott Mazer, 2655 Capital Circle, Northeast, sweet number eight, speaking, I'll be half of LCTA.

[38:03] It is gotten to the point where giving the benefit that the doubt is almost impossible.

[38:08] When patterns continue and they repeat themselves,

[38:15] it's hard to give the benefit of the

[38:17] doubt.

[38:20] It seems as if that sometimes it's who gets the I got you, who got the win, who gets

[38:26] the claim to be the leader of the parade.

[38:30] But if you look at the sequence of events that have taken place here, we provided an offer,

[38:35] we went to the table in good faith, we came back, we were asked to meet with the other two

[38:40] bargaining units which at first we declined and then we started working together behind the

[38:44] scenes to make sure that we are all in the same page where things were.

[38:49] But then we get an email that goes out to the entire bargaining unit trying to take the

[38:55] leader of the parade and who's done what and what that means and then a bargaining session

[39:03] two days later where you really don't have much of an option because if you go ahead and

[39:06] pick poison pill one, then you didn't bargain for your group to the best possible deal you

[39:14] could get. And on the other side, then you go ahead and make sure that you divide all three

[39:18] bargaining units against each other. It's hard to give the benefit of the doubt.

[39:26] Last time I was here, we talked about how there were some people that wanted to stick it

[39:30] to me, that was part of the conversation we had,

[39:37] right? And then since then, I have two formal

[39:39] complaints against me right now.

[39:42] Plus, whatever happened at the bargaining table.

[39:46] I'm starting to wonder what is the intent

[39:49] within this district, and who's actually in charge?

[39:56] Thank you for your comment.

[39:58] Last speaker, Kim Andrews

[40:03] Ward.

[40:03] Name an address, please.

[40:04] Good afternoon, Kim Andrews Ward, 61616,

[40:07] Tommy Lee Trail Teller has deployed at 32309.

[40:10] I'm a behavior specialist at heart-rise elementary school.

[40:13] Leon County School is right in number 65

[40:15] about a 67 counties. Is that disrespectful? Yes. Are we still the capital, the great state of

[40:22] Florida? Yes. Are we the rest? Are the rest of the counties in this state watching copy

[40:27] and expecting the standards to be set right here in Tallahassee? Yes. Are we able to be the proud

[40:33] people of Leon County School system? Salute to say that's a firm no. Why? Because the teachers

[40:40] and support staff, and especially the support staff play a vital role, and they are not

[40:46] being appreciated.

[40:47] We serve support staff service, behavior specialist, prayer professionals, bookkeepers, technicians,

[40:52] etc.

[40:53] This meal is proposed should be fairly distributed, and it would be a great way for the

[40:58] dishes to show their appreciation to everyone to work for them.

[41:02] The school board is only the vehicle, again I say only the vehicle, but this money to be

[41:07] distributed.

[41:08] Please set the state's standards by doing the right thing with the mealist proposal.

[41:12] Thank you for your support staff as well as the teachers, but money tells and foolishness

[41:17] walls.

[41:18] Give us the money because we deserve it.

[41:21] Thank you for your comment.

[41:22] That concludes public comment.

[41:24] Thank you so much, Madam Attorney.

[41:28] Typically we would move to items to consent, but I'm going to recognize the superintendent

[41:33] it now before we go to items of consent.

[41:36] For item 4, item 7.03.

[41:46] Good night, 10,

[41:51] 10.

[41:51] OK, all right.

[41:53] So chair necklace, we have an issue to discuss in item 703, 7.03.

[41:58] So if we could pull that item and make it now, 19.01.

[42:02] OK, the superintendent has recommended to us

[42:04] that we pull, let me finish reading it.

[42:09] The superintendent is saying it.

[42:10] The superintendent has recommended that we

[42:12] 7.03 approval of personnel actions from the items of consent down to the

[42:23] down to the

[42:27] 19.01A items for consideration. So do I have a motion?

[42:35] Yes. So we have a motion. Second, any discussion?

[42:38] and all right, seeing none all in favor in your polls,

[42:44] past unanimously.

[42:45] So now we go back to items of consent,

[42:47] may I have a motion?

[42:50] We got a motion, we got a second, all in favor.

[42:54] Any opposed, a past unanimously.

[42:57] So we are going to take item 19.01A first

[43:03] with that, Mrs. Superintendent, take it away.

[43:06] So, yeah, I think prior to this meeting, we found a date was omitted, a termination, or a exit date for one of our drop employees that had just entered the deferred retirement program.

[43:20] And there was no end date on there. There was just a start date of, I believe, was August the first.

[43:26] I don't know how to cure that until we can verify.

[43:30] So I'm sorry, Mr.

[43:32] Thank you.

[43:33] That's my turn.

[43:35] Mr. Wallace was able to work with HR that I now cannot to have that item corrected.

[43:48] And so it's, unfortunately, it's not showing as an attachment to the item.

[43:52] So the superintendent is basically asking the board to approve 7.03 with one correction.

[44:01] If you look at item number eight, it's on page 23.

[44:08] Item number eight instructional staff deferred retirement option program.

[44:14] There is one name listed.

[44:17] Stephanie Tolbert.

[44:18] The

[44:22] school is Griffin, classification teacher resource, MJ, the date should be 731, 2034, not 801, 2026.

[44:33] So they're asking for approval with that one correction.

[44:37] 731 correction, remove the correction be made to the document for our official records.

[44:43] Thank you, Mr. Jones. Let me read it out first before we do any emotions.

[44:48] So just so that we're clear, Ms. Tolbert, what we need to do is add the word through with the following date.

[45:00] No, we just need to add the following. We need to add the end date of 731-2034. And that's going to replace 08-01-2026. All right, thank you. Now, we have a motion. We got a motion. We got a second. Any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor? Any opposed? Passes unanimously. 19.01.

[45:34] This is a public notice of adoption of Instructional Materials K-12 English Language Arts,

[45:40] Lehigh County Schools Division of Academic Services is pleased to announce the next steps

[45:44] in the K-12 English Language Adoption and Instructional Materials Adoption Process.

[45:50] For this adoption, LCS has requested the participation of all publishing companies that are listed

[45:56] on the FLDOE adopted list as of August 6th, 2026 for each participating publisher, a series

[46:05] of links will be posted to a dedicated web page, LCS 2026, 2027, K-12 English Language

[46:14] Arts adoption, where reviews will find the public product preview links, pricing of packages,

[46:21] is a literary professional development plans and other related publisher documents, parenthetical

[46:28] no vote required.

[46:31] Mr. Minton.

[46:32] Yeah, if I just want to add that we have to go through this process to the adoption cycle,

[46:37] but it is not, that's all we're required to do.

[46:42] So, where we go from there, we'll be the board's decision, we'll come with a recommendation

[46:46] about purchasing adopted materials, not purchasing adopted materials, but this is just

[46:51] the process to what will be adopted anything that would be considered to be purchased would

[46:57] come later.

[46:58] Thank you, Miss Simultani.

[46:59] Any other discussion colleagues?

[47:01] Yes, Mr. Chair.

[47:02] Yes, Mr. Jones.

[47:03] Are there any legislative implications to the instruction of English?

[47:13] I'm not sure.

[47:13] The reason I asked that question, we know that there has been legislative implications to the teaching of history.

[47:19] I want to know, is there any legislative implications to the teaching of English source materials or anything like that?

[47:25] So the legislative requirements for English or ELI would be through K-4 reading, and so those would be the only ones that would be.

[47:33] And these are all on the option.

[47:35] We'll be on the state adopted list.

[47:36] I mean, the only materials that can be considered are already on the state adopted.

[47:40] But there are no new legislative updates.

[47:42] Thank you.

[47:45] Mr. Chair, Mr. Sysher before you leave.

[47:48] So how long have we had the, is it the science of reading?

[47:52] is that we're talking about or something else with Ely?

[47:55] Or science reading part of that?

[47:57] The science of reading is part of Ely, yes.

[47:59] And so it's been at least five years.

[48:03] Right.

[48:03] And the state is still currently using that, I think.

[48:06] Right, yes.

[48:07] So what are the implications, and I understand,

[48:10] this is by legislation, I state statute,

[48:12] we have to go through the process,

[48:13] but it doesn't necessarily mean, like the superintendent

[48:16] said, that we have to adopt new materials.

[48:19] Have to adopt new materials.

[48:20] We don't necessarily have to purchase.

[48:22] Got you.

[48:23] Okay.

[48:24] Thank you.

[48:25] Let me share.

[48:27] Mr. Jones.

[48:28] You know, purchase.

[48:30] We still teaching from Chromebooks, correct?

[48:32] Yes, sir.

[48:33] Don't want to be the purchase of software.

[48:37] Some of it sometimes it is and sometimes it's not.

[48:39] So, yes, but we do for secondary.

[48:42] It is through Chromebooks.

[48:44] And through hardback books and class sets.

[48:50] Thank you.

[48:51] I have a question, Mr. Cyford.

[48:53] Is any of the legislative material anything related to OER open education resources?

[49:00] Is that an opportunity or an option that the state has opened up for school districts to use?

[49:07] I think that is always an option for school districts to use.

[49:10] But when you utilize those, that process, you have to develop your own curriculum and then it has to be approved through the Department of Education.

[49:21] Okay.

[49:21] We can use those.

[49:23] It would take developers to develop that curriculum.

[49:27] And then once that is developed and then it would go to the Department of Education for approval.

[49:32] So there's nothing that has been a doubt.

[49:34] It has been developed, not from Lee, I can't even from the state.

[49:37] this that we're looking at are only the vendors that are approved through the adoption process

[49:42] through the Department of Education.

[49:44] But I think what he's asking is, he hadn't the state of Florida been talking about doing creating their own

[49:49] materials. That's what I'm mentioning. I thought so as well. I'm not sure where the department is on creating.

[49:55] I don't know where they're at on that process.

[49:58] I mean, ELA would be the subject area that would be most opportune for developing an OER.

[50:06] you know, so again, I don't know where the state is if we can look into that to see where

[50:12] we're going to look into that and see where they're at.

[50:14] Thank you, sir.

[50:15] The policy whispers behind me is saying that that did not, that did not go through the legislation.

[50:20] Oh, it did pass.

[50:22] Okay.

[50:23] Well, thank you.

[50:24] So now we don't have to look into it.

[50:26] All right.

[50:28] All right.

[50:29] So item 19.0 to the superintendent recommends following a public hearing approval

[50:34] of amendments to policy 5514, use of personal transportation devices, a personal transportation

[50:41] devices, effective September 23rd, 2022. So, I'm 2026. I'm going to open up the public hearing.

[50:48] There are no speakers on this item. Seeing none, I will close the public hearing. May I have a motion?

[50:52] Second. We got a motion. We got a second. Any discussion, Mr. Jones?

[50:57] I'd like to learn more about this. We didn't have a gender review.

[51:00] Okay, well, if you want to come up, this is when we talked about kids using their e-bikes or

[51:08] Right, never mind. Thank you. All right. I recall. Okay, so no, there will be then any other

[51:15] Thank you, Mr. Jones. Any other discussion points. All right. Seeing that may have a motion. I have a motion. I have a second.

[51:23] All the favor any opposed

[51:26] pass unanimously. 19.03. The superintendent recommends following a public hearing approval of a

[51:33] missed the policy's 5530.01. These are these words that I have trouble pronouncing.

[51:39] Stephanie, death and death and death, yup, yup.

[51:44] Do keep going.

[51:45] There, you go!

[51:47] Effective September 23, 2026.

[51:52] So we have a motion.

[51:53] We have a second.

[51:56] Oh, this is absolutely right.

[51:59] So I'm going to open it up for public hearing.

[52:00] No speakers on this story.

[52:01] All right, seeing none.

[52:02] We're going to continue on a close to public hearing.

[52:03] Thank you, Ms. Smith.

[52:05] So we have a motion by Ms. Ca.

[52:07] Oh, Ms. Wood, we had a second by Ms. Cox any discussion, seeing none, all in favor.

[52:16] Aye.

[52:16] Any opposed? Passes unanimously.

[52:19] 19.04, the superintendent recommends following a public hearing approval of a

[52:24] Mr. Policy's 57, 80, or Policy 57, 80 student parent.

[52:30] Rights, effective, September 23rd, 2026. I'm going to open the public hearing.

[52:35] No speakers on the side. I'm seeing that. I'm going to close the public hearing.

[52:39] May I have a motion?

[52:41] Motion.

[52:42] Second.

[52:42] We got a motion. We got a second. Any discussion?

[52:47] Seeing none. All in favor?

[52:49] Aye.

[52:49] Any opposed?

[52:52] Passes unanimously.

[52:55] 19.05.

[52:58] The superintendent recommends approval of the lawsuit settlement.

[53:03] We've got a motion.

[53:04] Do we have a second?

[53:06] So we've got a second.

[53:08] I'm sure there's going to be discussion.

[53:10] colleagues?

[53:11] I talked to Mr. Stupske today, but thank you.

[53:15] Okay.

[53:16] So no discussion?

[53:17] All right.

[53:17] Seeing none.

[53:19] All in favor.

[53:20] Hi.

[53:20] Any opposed?

[53:21] All right.

[53:22] It passes unanimously.

[53:24] 19.06, the Superintendent recommends approval to the Bellevue Middle School 5-year educational

[53:31] plant supplement survey for Leon County School's version 6.7.

[53:38] We got a motion, we have a second, all right, we got a second, any discussion?

[53:42] I just have a question of this wood since we no longer use Bellevue, but I know if there's

[53:47] you rent it, can you just tell us what this is about?

[53:49] So, yeah, I've had, if issue of been in conversations with them and they're in a long-term

[53:54] lease with Florida State University, they have a lot of their arts programs there now.

[53:59] There were some conversation at what time about them potentially purchasing the property,

[54:04] but we could not offer it to sell it without going through this process first with the Department of Education.

[54:12] I'll say that correct road.

[54:14] Right, so it has to be surplus before it can be potentially be sold.

[54:17] That's the possibility down the road.

[54:20] It is, yes, yes, it is, and I hope I had an initial offer for them.

[54:25] I reached out to the Florida State yesterday, didn't hear back, but if I get any more information,

[54:31] oh, then of course, come to you guys, and we can talk further.

[54:34] Thank you.

[54:35] How long does this delay the timeline of a potential sale?

[54:39] I'm going through this particular process.

[54:42] Like we have to, I guess, do we have to submit this? Wait for the state to prove it?

[54:47] I don't think it's wrong at all.

[54:49] Mr. Subhaner Timmer, please.

[54:54] Chair board members.

[54:55] There's no delay at all.

[54:57] Mr. Subhaner, Mr. Subhaner, please.

[54:58] Thank you, sir.

[55:00] All right. Any other questions?

[55:02] All right.

[55:03] All in favor?

[55:03] Aye.

[55:04] The opposed passes unanimously.

[55:07] 19.07.

[55:09] The superintendent recommends a board.

[55:11] The recommends board approval of the technology and information services.

[55:16] ITS building five year educational plan.

[55:19] Supplement Survey for Leon County Schools, a version 6.8.

[55:24] We got a motion. We got a second. Any discussion?

[55:28] I'm assuming this is the same thing. Same thing.

[55:31] All right. No further discussion? Seeing none. All in favor?

[55:35] Aye. Any opposed? Passes unanimously.

[55:40] 19.08 was pulled.

[55:44] 19.09. The superintendent recommends approval of

[55:47] recommendation to award and purchase order to capital asphalt ink for the chair's elementary

[55:53] school south side parent drop drop off loop, repaving project, invitation to bid ITB

[56:00] 1 0 1 5 dash 2 0 2 6. We got a motion. Do I hear a second?

[56:11] Okay.

[56:12] Miss Smith's second date.

[56:13] I was waiting for someone.

[56:15] Any discussion?

[56:18] Seeing that all in favor?

[56:20] Aye.

[56:21] Any opposed?

[56:23] Passage unanimously.

[56:25] Item 20.01 are just upcoming meetings for information purposes only.

[56:32] Item 21 reports from Boyle liaison to any reports.

[56:40] Seeing that.

[56:41] I did get a chance to speak to rep Franklin, I think I sent an email and caught it for superintendent, but it might have bounced back, so you might not have gotten it, and I have not recent that email about the GED, having the discussion about the GED, and because we are a state that promotes all pathways, as viable pathways, the fact that GED counts again.

[57:11] against our drop-out rate, which negatively impacts our schools is something that we need to

[57:18] look at.

[57:19] I spoke to Reptent today about that, and so she has a bill that's very similar in language

[57:28] that she is more than willing to have a conversation with the superintendent and his staff

[57:33] about that moving forward, so to ensure to add that in her bill and her caution to me is

[57:40] hurry up because she is now finalizing however many bills that she's able to get

[57:46] before she now has to push it through. So you got something for that incident?

[57:53] So yeah so on October 12th we have scheduled the legislative priorities conversation. We've

[57:59] developed a list internally and then to come to you guys and button everything up and then get it to

[58:06] to Jessica and so that is on our list that issues one of the issues on our list is we'll have that

[58:11] workshop on October 12th. Okay. Thank you. I still would say have a conversation with Reptent because

[58:22] would love to get it on a bill that she's already developing so would love to piggyback on her bill.

[58:28] Thank you so much sir. All right. So that moves us to Riley Gottney. This Food and School Board member comments. Take it away.

[58:40] So I haven't had our first SDAC meeting. That's actually tomorrow. So I plan to come with more information from our student population and the next meeting.

[58:53] Homecoming's coming up, bad schools, that's always exciting.

[58:56] God be already had there's lands, lands, lands, lands, comes up next.

[59:03] Don't really have anything, because we haven't had a meeting yet.

[59:08] It's like an over-paper work that we had from the last meeting, all the funds that we have for

[59:15] all the schools and the populations, little confusing at first, not used to it,

[59:23] I think that if we could piggy bank off of the bill, that would be great because it shouldn't

[59:28] count against us if they're still getting a high school diploma.

[59:31] Thank you.

[59:32] So I do have a question for you to not the answer it now, but come back next time I am curious

[59:37] to see how many students are actually participating in the College and Career Center at

[59:45] at Lyon from a student's perspective, so I have the numbers and from the administrative perspective,

[59:52] but I am curious to know how the students are receiving it, how they're using it, just from

[59:57] your perspective, so if you can talk about that next.

[1:00:00] At the next go a rail next week.

[1:00:05] I'm not exactly sure of the exact name, but he's been sitting out excellent emails about colleges being at least close to campus.

[1:00:15] I know a bunch of them are coming to Leons campus during lunch. I think it's a great opportunity for us to see all the avenues that Florida has for colleges.

[1:00:23] I think I get at least one email from him every single day about something new popping up, I think it's a really excellent opportunity that they've given us.

[1:00:32] Yeah, and I can't remember the gentleman's name, the new Jessica, I just call him a new Jessica, but he is absolutely fantastic.

[1:00:39] So I'm glad to hear that US students are getting that information. Wonderful.

[1:00:46] All right, that moves us down to continuing topics.

[1:00:50] colleagues, most of these, most of my continuing topics have been district has responded to it.

[1:00:58] My first one was an update on Administrator procedure 11, 12, 11, 20 as a school board policy.

[1:01:07] It looks like we're going to have that in October that workshop in October.

[1:01:12] the next one which is listed in our on our agenda as 24.02 the ESC case load updated data

[1:01:22] workshop date that one is going to be in November. So that was responded to me and then

[1:01:29] last one is an update on a compensation and classification district implementation plan.

[1:01:35] I'm currently Mr. What was response was Mr. Knight is currently working through much of the details.

[1:01:43] As you know, when we talked about this some years ago, this is really a long-term strategic plan, so it takes quite a while.

[1:01:55] But as Mr. White, as Mr. Knight works through that plan, we should start getting updates soon and later on.

[1:02:03] what it actually looks like with regards to district implementation.

[1:02:07] Mr. Chair.

[1:02:09] I just want to thank you for continuing to stay on these three things.

[1:02:14] So thank you very much.

[1:02:16] Thank you, Ms. Cox, absolutely.

[1:02:18] Any other continuing topics that did not make it on the agenda?

[1:02:25] Seeing none, any new topics?

[1:02:28] Yes, Mr. Chair.

[1:02:29] Yes, Ms. Miss Smith.

[1:02:30] A couple of things, I'm not able to see to workshops under the library, and I think it's

[1:02:35] possibly because I'm logged into the public site.

[1:02:38] I don't know if you guys, are you seeing the workshops?

[1:02:39] Is that what it is?

[1:02:42] All right.

[1:02:44] I wanted to bring up the topic of our retreat, because if we could go ahead and get a date on

[1:02:49] the calendar.

[1:02:50] I know it sounds crazy, but January is going to be here before we know it, so is that something

[1:02:54] that we could all kind of look at our calendars and see if we can come to a consensus

[1:03:00] today or if we need to maybe set a deadline where we get it on the calendar. I believe it was

[1:03:08] late January. Yeah, 25th is what currently is listed on the on the workshop. It's on the

[1:03:16] work. How is that date for you? Is that 25th? 2027. Okay 2027. That's perfect. Does that work for

[1:03:26] It is a Monday, the fourth, yeah, so basically it would take the place.

[1:03:33] Can you go ahead and take a calendar out for that?

[1:03:36] And I guess everybody, it's just on everybody's radar.

[1:03:40] And then kind of along that topic, I know that we talked about our retreat,

[1:03:46] how what we wanted to talk about, is that something we want to

[1:03:55] I was suddenly, I was talking about earlier and I was thinking, probably need to go back in the minutes and see, I know we talked about growth, we talked about

[1:04:02] half-any then we'll know whether it passes or not, so how it's going to be spent, and we talked about the need for additional reserves

[1:04:09] so that all is kind of encompassing, obviously, financial growth, future, and then in that same discussion, our strategic plan I believe expires coming up here pretty soon.

[1:04:23] So is that or are we all headed in the same direction for what the retreat would look like is that kind of all encompassing

[1:04:31] I think we had time to decide about what we will discuss at the retreat. I mean those are some of the topics, but there's a lot of

[1:04:41] land a lot of runway between now in January

[1:04:45] There is totally true. I just want to make sure that we give staff members enough time if we're asking for information that's going to come back at our retreat

[1:04:53] Um, I just want to make sure we give them a whole time to, I think we can, I mean, my recommendation, we would start with what you said, but I wouldn't want us to be, it to be a crime I hadn't cleared before November.

[1:05:07] Right.

[1:05:08] So, maybe, um,

[1:05:12] what would you all think about receding and clearly, Darrell would,

[1:05:15] most likely move into the chair of spots, it would be his retreat, so maybe this is a, you know,

[1:05:20] that was the only conversation. Yeah, that would be the only thing that I would say is, you know,

[1:05:28] in my short time, I'm still still my short time on the board. I really like the suggestions,

[1:05:35] but the retreat is driven mostly by the chair with, you know, it's a collaborative process,

[1:05:42] but the retreat is driven by the chair, so I would hate to start talking about how it's going to

[1:05:49] Even though I hope those topics are there right when we like I really hope that we're talking about that stuff

[1:05:56] But I would hate to

[1:05:58] You know

[1:05:59] Formalize something and it's it's the chair's opportunity to kind of lead the retreat. Mr. Chair. I miss Jones

[1:06:05] Again, I agree that that can be the starting point. I just don't want it to be iron-clare

[1:06:10] And I think we can come to some consensus that those are issues of interest to all of us. Yeah

[1:06:15] Right, so we, and if we're talking about giving the staff ample time, that right there is a big shoe right there, and then as we, and then as we come, you know, there are some things that are still up and there for us, like the past of the military, have some sales tax, right, and I'd like to think that a great deal of that will also be informed by voter response, right?

[1:06:40] something that passes narrowly changes the conversation right because we had to take into

[1:06:45] concern the consideration what the public is also providing instruction on. So I think we can start

[1:06:50] with that but I mean but again it's always a collaborative approach. I just want to make an iron

[1:06:58] plan if we come to some consensus that they can start with that and anything else we can add will

[1:07:02] still be available to us. That's all. Mr Chair. Ms Cox.

[1:07:07] as a follow-up. Thank you, Miss Smith. I think what you all said, I agree 100 percent.

[1:07:12] The strategic plan I was going to ask, when is it? When is our five-year strategic plan the

[1:07:17] ending of the one that we have currently? It had been 2026 or 2027. So the end does it in the calendar

[1:07:25] year, 2027, or the school year, 2627? Okay.

[1:07:30] So that's a huge task, too, for our district to staff.

[1:07:35] 2020-27.

[1:07:36] So it's going to be here before we know it.

[1:07:40] So at the end of this school year, right?

[1:07:43] Mr. Sivrin, did it so are they?

[1:07:45] It's a staff already starting to work on that, or have you all even thought about that?

[1:07:48] I'm just curious, because I was thinking about that this week.

[1:07:52] I mean, we've had internal discussions, but to your point, there's two things we're going to have to go to the

[1:07:57] We went through last year at the retreat, obviously, for next year and probably a much deeper level.

[1:08:04] And then, work on the strategic plan. There's not going to be enough time in the day to do both in the same day.

[1:08:09] So I don't think it's going to have to be concurrent sessions.

[1:08:12] And just to matter of what your preference is, how do we attack it?

[1:08:17] Can we attack the budget first?

[1:08:19] Should we attack the strategic plan first?

[1:08:23] Either way, they both have to get done.

[1:08:24] Yeah, four-jane.

[1:08:25] Okay. Thank you.

[1:08:27] So it's a five-year strategic plan, so that means I wasn't on the board when it was first done.

[1:08:33] My question is, how does the board engage in the strategic planning process?

[1:08:38] Typically.

[1:08:40] Well, in the past, I think we've just gotten, as you can look at the existing plan, and we've gotten feedback from you all,

[1:08:46] priorities that you have to make any type of adjustments to amendments or changes to the existing plan.

[1:08:52] Okay. It's a living document. You don't have to recreate the wheel necessarily.

[1:08:55] or you can, or we can go in a completely different direction.

[1:09:00] So I would just invite you all the kind of look through it.

[1:09:04] You know, our district well enough now.

[1:09:05] All of you are well burst in our district and the things that we do and what's in that plan.

[1:09:10] And we can either tweak what already exists or we can come up with something completely different.

[1:09:16] It's just what your preference is, what our preference is.

[1:09:19] Thank you sir.

[1:09:22] Any other new topics?

[1:09:24] Yes.

[1:09:25] Mr. Cox.

[1:09:26] Just as a follow-up to Ms. Guilanteur too, it's freeing with, and I know, Mr. McQueen was taking

[1:09:32] some notes, but is that something that, in Mr. Suferentine, I don't want to over-step,

[1:09:37] because this is, this is Joel's purview, but can we get that list from Ms. Guilanteur

[1:09:41] and start working on those maintenance things that we're talked about?

[1:09:44] I know I'd already talked to you all about this freeing wood, her classroom.

[1:09:48] I got on that right away when I saw your email a while back.

[1:09:51] So the playground water fountain, of course,

[1:09:54] that is something I care greatly about.

[1:09:56] Those kids need water when they're outside.

[1:09:58] So if you can get that, Mr. McQueen, thank you very much.

[1:10:02] Thank you, Ms. Cox.

[1:10:03] Any other new topics?

[1:10:06] Yes.

[1:10:07] Mr. Jones.

[1:10:08] What, will we go into executive session?

[1:10:11] Who calls us into executive session?

[1:10:12] She had the superintendent.

[1:10:14] Either can call an executive session.

[1:10:17] A little of everything I've heard tonight,

[1:10:18] I'd be interested in executive session.

[1:10:25] Mr. Chair.

[1:10:26] Madam Attorney.

[1:10:27] There are for purposes of this board to major circumstances where you can call an executive

[1:10:33] session.

[1:10:34] One is for bargaining and one when there is pending litigation and there is a certain

[1:10:40] process you have to follow for pending litigation and I don't believe that we're talking

[1:10:45] about that circumstance.

[1:10:47] So the only other circumstance would be where there is a bargaining issue.

[1:10:51] So in that instance, generally speaking it's the superintendent

[1:10:54] or through his bargaining team lead,

[1:10:59] who calls the executive session.

[1:11:01] So the executive sessions that you all have been in

[1:11:04] have pertained to bargaining.

[1:11:06] So is that the subject of what you're looking for?

[1:11:09] Okay, well the superintendent,

[1:11:11] I'm sure has heard you.

[1:11:13] Concerning that, maybe I would suggest

[1:11:14] that you have a more detailed conversation

[1:11:17] with the superintendent about

[1:11:21] how it relates

[1:11:23] to bargaining and whether it's impacting current bargaining, or something that they're intending

[1:11:30] to take to the other side so that he can then call the executive session.

[1:11:43] Mr. Superintendent,

[1:11:47] Mr. Jen, would you say anyone will be noticed?

[1:11:53] You say anyone in executive session to talk some more about what we talked about the last

[1:11:57] several sessions. That's that's perfectly found and found and found and then everyone.

[1:12:05] Okay. Thank you.

[1:12:08] I have, is that it? So I have two, two things. One, there were a couple times that I

[1:12:17] heard tonight that I'm assuming that because it was articulated from LESPA unit

[1:12:29] employees, the 65 of 67 counties were 65 of 67, 65 of 67, and I know that the LESPA unit

[1:12:40] is an aggregate of a number of different professions. So what I was trying to grasp or get a hold of

[1:12:48] was, is it paraproals that's 55, 65 of 67, was it, you know, other units, is that an average

[1:12:59] of all pay within that bargaining unit?

[1:13:03] I did not understand the context of the 65 of 67 because, again, there are multiple professions

[1:13:12] within that bargaining unit.

[1:13:14] So I would like a little bit more clarity, it doesn't have to be tonight because it was just

[1:13:17] spoken about tonight, and I know you have to dig in and do some research, but I am curious

[1:13:23] to hear about, you know, the context of that 65, 65 of 67. Fair enough. Okay. Mr. Chair.

[1:13:32] Mr. Jones.

[1:13:33] That's why I wanted an executive session because I put back information came to me.

[1:13:47] And we were 42, and then moving possibly to 15.

[1:13:50] But we had not had not heard a number of relative

[1:13:53] to the other bargaining units.

[1:13:55] And so with that, an executive session,

[1:13:57] I would hope that that would provide us

[1:13:59] with opportunity to get greater clarity

[1:14:00] on what will be the impact potentially for the other units.

[1:14:04] And so that's absolutely my question

[1:14:05] because I'm thinking the same thing you're thinking.

[1:14:07] OK, because that 65 was the first time I had heard that.

[1:14:11] And I'm not saying that it was entirely

[1:14:13] with give us intentionally with help.

[1:14:14] But knowing that, you know, you can't unsee that what you've seen, and you can't unknow that what is known and you can't unhere, that what you've heard, and so subsequently, as we would, I would hope that we would come together to have a conversation to find out the contents by which that I would, by which that happens.

[1:14:32] Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

[1:14:32] And any potential remedy to the same?

[1:14:34] Thank you, Mr. Jones.

[1:14:36] Did you want to say something?

[1:14:37] We've had that conversation, and we can certainly have that conversation again, but I think, you know, we've talked about the impact.

[1:14:44] that it would have on all three of the units in relation to how we on County ranks with

[1:14:52] all bargaining groups. We did have that conversation.

[1:14:55] Well, so we can certainly have it again. I want it. Well, then I want to make-

[1:15:00] Make sure that whatever Mr. Jones is saying, we probably think in the same thing, I want to be very clear. Right? There are multiple, there are multiple professions within the Lespa bargaining unit. We have not heard from my recollection. We have not heard that the only thing that has come close to given us analytics on pay is the actual comp study.

[1:15:30] that's all that we've heard and there were some units in the comp study that average 85%

[1:15:38] below or 15% but I can remember the number below the average salary for that particular

[1:15:44] profession, right? Yeah, so let us to let us do some more information, do some more research

[1:15:49] and then we'll call the session and kind of walk through it there we go. All right, thank you so much.

[1:15:54] The last thing that I had for the new topics was I wanted to make sure that

[1:16:00] everyone is aware of October 2nd. October 2nd is our note October 1st. October 1st. Thursday

[1:16:12] October 3rd that 530 colleagues I hope that you can join us as we do as we host the sixth annual

[1:16:21] Long-ish drive competition for Title I schools, I know that some six, seven years ago,

[1:16:30] Mr. Jones, maybe eight years ago, seven, I don't know how long you've been on the board.

[1:16:35] Eight, so it's seven years ago, Mr. Jones challenged the Big Bend Minority Chamber to do more for

[1:16:44] title one schools, thus they begin to give all of the proceeds, all of the net proceeds,

[1:16:51] two title one schools. And then a year later, I begin sharing the longest drive competition,

[1:16:57] which is an absolutely fun activity where principals of title one schools get to come out

[1:17:04] and recruit these wringers to come out and drop the ball to try to win the purse that

[1:17:13] is accumulated through sponsorships from our community partners, last year we implemented a different challenge where not only do they recruit ringers, but they also get an opportunity to hit the ball themselves for an additional prize and that was loads of fun.

[1:17:32] So I hope that our colleagues can join us,

[1:17:37] that day, it's gonna be at the,

[1:17:41] one of the golf clubs, the one,

[1:17:44] the golf, the Southwood, Southwood,

[1:17:46] can never remember the name.

[1:17:47] So it's gonna be at Southwood at 530.

[1:17:50] We're gonna ask you guys to come at 515

[1:17:52] so we can take all the group pictures

[1:17:54] because on the first October 1st

[1:17:57] so that we can start at 530, Mr. Jones.

[1:18:01] Is this a chair or a business is still permitted to register their golf teams and stuff like that?

[1:18:08] Yeah, businesses we still need golf teams, but we actually have sponsors that did not feel the team.

[1:18:14] So we also need golfers to come out because we have actually just as many, we have, I don't want to say, more sponsors.

[1:18:24] But we do have some sponsor teams that don't have actual golfers. So I know I'm a Smith

[1:18:31] year and I have a golfer if you want to fill the team. I don't know, but, you know,

[1:18:38] you got a good foot this year. You got a good foot this year. You're not in that

[1:18:40] scooter. Yeah. So we meet teams to play. So can you send us to some more information

[1:18:50] there's a flyer. Absolutely. And I would be remiss if I did not say that this year our

[1:18:56] celebrity golfer is Archie Griffin, two-time Heisman winner from the Ohio State

[1:19:01] University. So he's going to be there on our longest drive and he's going to be there

[1:19:07] the next day for the actual golf tournament. So it is going to be a really fun event.

[1:19:13] All right. Any other new topics? Seeing none.

Leon County School Board Meeting (September 22, 2026)

Transcript