martin county school board members

It appears that we still have the scourge of demon rum in some school board members minds. Diaz took it upon himself to put on a non-sanctioned traditional prom for the seniors from the three Martin County high schools. Vouchers are one way to ensure that choice will be an option. The board needs to decide whether the attorney and the legal department should be outsourced, in house, or a combination. Director of K-8 and Title I. These ideas, and parental rights advocates such as Moms for Liberty, have influenced statewide legislation, including the "Parental Rights in Education Act" and the "Stop WOKE Act," which limit discussion of gender identity, sexuality and race in classrooms. Does that imply he wants to meet me behind the gym? She writes in the memo that the school population needs to evacuate to a site off campus as soon as possible. As a retired teacher and principal of the Martin County district she was in line with the professional educators viewpoints. The School Board has the least of that going on. Both Florida Blue and United Health Care representatives spoke at the meeting. It is my honor and pleasure to officially introduce myself to the Martin County School District community. The numerous opportunities offered to students both inside and outside of classrooms are nothing short of remarkable, and I am committed to building upon the established framework to ensure all students continue to be educated for success, achieve their highest personal potential and explore their interests in a safe, nurturing learning environment. You can find the schools that and their census here. A strong, well-rounded public-school system translates to a thriving local community and economy, something all of us should support. The board has done a very good job of shepherding the money to teachers, mental health programs, and resource officers. Please join me by offering your support so I can let your voice be heard on our school board. In the boards discussions, they mention the problem of a premises being close to schools (only Palm City Elementary qualifies because of other zoning issues). In an earlier meeting, Board Member Defenthaler wanted to have a proclamation supporting LGBTQ+ History Month. Why in America are we tied to keeping kids in school until age 18? If I were a parent, I would be more worried about the dumbing down of the curriculum than some supposed attempt to brainwash kids. Every Student is Healthy, Safe, and Responsible. We bring learning to life! Pedagogical justifications can be just as mystifying as trying to know how many angels are on the head of a pin. During the meeting, each Board Member explained his/her rationale for their choices. You can see the presentationhere. The school board should recognize and preserve her seniority, but they need do nothing else. Liz had a couple of problems. Somehow, I believe it has gone in the opposite direction, maybe considerably. He was hired by a 3-2 vote of the board. I would just observe that may be true, but the parents of the children that will attend the charter do not believe that is the case. Amy loves America and believes that children should be taught about the unique and special values that make America a beacon of liberty in the world. While I am in favor of pouring the money into the classroom, that security piece takes several million dollars. The curriculum would meet some broad state standards that were outlined in the facilitys license. This a relatively poor community and I dont believe there has been another charter or private school opening. The Stuart News endorsed my initial run for office concluding that Im very proactive quick to recognize a need in the community and find solutions . District; Schools . None of the information requested is buried in the recesses of the digital school board vaults. No one has made that clear. I came away from this meeting confused. The amount spent does not consider all that is budgeted for the district. The statement had to do with a package of Memorandums of Understanding that was Covid related. The call for defunding the police was also a reaction to what was happening. Christia Li Roberts, Vice Chair from 11-22-16 1 Marsha Powers, Chair through 11-21-16 2 Rebecca Negron 3 That does not mean the board becomes involved in day-to-day operations. Now she is moving the Arts Council further from the district. How do you start a controversy in Martin County Schools? And not much will be done. Currently, the elected Superintendent functions as a co-equal. From 2009-2015 I worked as an analyst and research economist for the US Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis. You can read the brief one-page memohere, Board member Roberts did an excellent breakdown of elementary school population by race and ethnic group. Miller explained that the district, through committees and the board, takes months and months to review what is going to be taught and what materials will be used. On the campaign trail, Pritchett touted that"every parent has the right to make education and health decisions for their children," and showed a commitment to academic excellence, student empowerment andparent collaboration. For a non-COVID 19 illness, students may return to school once he or she is symptom-free including no fever of 100.4 or higher in the previous 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications. (See my opinion on the millage next). He outlined what has been cut and what has been added. The term is from November 17, 2020 to June 30, 2024. How do you attract people to work in a field that more and more prospective employees are reluctant to do? It was seconded by Anderson. A couple of things happened to make collections less. The ultimate decision is the individual student and parent. Perhaps it is because both unions are heavily involved with political donations and as campaign volunteers. It looks like they will keep the recommendations of the redistricting committee for Options 4, 5, 6 for high school students only. He initially said he didn't plan to seek another termafter how contentious School Board politics became during the pandemic. Taxpayer dollars are used to keep the premiums manageable but still individual employees contribute a large amount to their plans. And from everything I heard it was a success. There is nothing innovative about the district. When making motions and seconds, rarely does anyone clearly spell out what is being voted on. You can find all the information including how teachers pay stacks up with St Lucie County here. I would like to see our school system invest more resources into supporting reading skills because reading is crucial to a childs ability to succeed. Public education is currently organized using a 19th century model in a 21st century world. A closed session, if needed, generally occurs at the end of the open session. She made the motion for Option B. Andrson seconded and it passed 5-0. All of this complicates bussing patterns. Although there were 3 distinct MOUs, the staff and board always referred to them as one unitone entitya package. A ten-year-old is different from a senior in high school. Another consideration was where to fuel the busses. will be anywhere between $10 and $20 million. The resolution mentioned in some detail the steps the district has taken in furthering anti-bullying and promoting acceptance of all. Anderson then went into how great public schools are and there is a misperception of that fact by the public. Well Mr. Anderson this figment has certainly bore down into your brain. Resciniti is the head of the union but she was only speaking for herself as a teacher. You can view the maps, options, and agenda item here. And that means whether you are a public or a private sector employee. It was time once again to pick a health insurance carrier for district employees. That rate has been steadily reduced for the past decade. The education of the students was not to be discussed. Open and transparent government has an obligation to make the information available in a timely manner. He is a teacher and sincerely believes in trusting to the experts. Perhaps if the state sent more money, its dictates would be more acceptable. The board is not really being secretive. The governor has removed the ability of the school board to mandate masks under its own authority. Kathleen Price; Micky McCoy ; Steven Gauze ; Bowie Clark ; Lorna Cassady; Meetings ARCHIVED MEETINGS Documents Pro, con, and a little out there with some of the claims for masks, quarantining, and having the vaccine. Every government wants to preserve its fiefdom. The past will not be repeated. This was not affordable housing since rent levels were not discussed. Martin County voters decided in 2018 to allow the school board to pick the new superintendent. That is an impressive statistic. For FSBA, I have served on the Board of Directors representing the four counties of District 21, the Nominating Committee representing the seven counties of Region 5, the Finance Committee (as Vice Chair), the Advocacy Committee and Legislative Subcommittee as the Representative for Martin County, and the Equity Committee. New Superintendent Millay wants the students back in the classroom. At 6 months, the superintendent hasnt been here long enough to warrant an accurate assessment. There was a second presentation by Deputy Superintendent Featherstone entitled Martin County School District Success Plan 2021-2025. According to the presentation, the vision is for A dynamic system of educational excellence and the mission is to Educate all students for success. It goes on to state things near and dear to a bureaucrats heart. This is an all-new process for Martin County after voters in 2018 decided to allow the school board to pick the new superintendent, according to the district spokesperson Jennifer Deshazo. That may cast doubt on whether a referendum for teachers pay can pass in this atmosphere. It doesnt believe in textbooks as much as original sources. As you know I am on the boardof Gertrude Walden and strongly believe that every teacher and day care worker should be qualified but not necessarily with a college degree. That should give him time to work with Gaylord and the rest of the administration to understand the District. I would suspect that maybe half of these will be built. More:Stuart commissioner, Martin School Board member not seeking reelection; others qualify for ballot, More:Florida school board races are supposed to be nonpartisan; keep them that way | Our View. Anderson has devoted himself to education. In its rating of Millay, the board has gone that route. If another charter school were opened, you would probably see another 500 kids leave. 30 of the letters came back because the students no longer live at their address of record. focused utilization of temporary grant funding; implementing data-driven responses addressing learning losses; strategic and calculated Career Technical Education expansion; promoting increased parental involvement; refining school differentiation and broadening choice. The Martin County student population in 2022 is less than 52% white. That is yet to be seen. This was added to the modules without the district being made aware as was a module on COVID. Whether that means driving to Palm Beach or St. Lucie Counties to find school jobs or to begin in a new profession, this is how markets work. You can find ithere, Finally, there is the Superintendents updatehere. Nothing in these documents would really guide the superintendent publicly on how these board members really view his job performance. He also would do any investigations of any member of her union on disciplinary matters. "I see the ability to make positive change and make things explainable and transparent to parents and to taxpayers and to citizens," she said of her decision to seek a third term on the board. Supporting school choice for families is very personal to me. Christia Li Roberts District 1 (incumbent) Roberts was elected automatically when no one filed for the seat but her. Stuart commissioner, Martin School Board member not seeking reelection; others qualify for ballot, Florida school board races are supposed to be nonpartisan; keep them that way | Our View, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. How many students as high school seniors still have the same besties from kindergarten. As of July 1, 2021, and every fiscal year thereafter if Millay receives a satisfactory evaluation, then his base pay will increase by the same percentage as other administrators in the district. Children will always make new friends. To be successful, our students need every opportunity to experience quality teaching and learning. Naturally, no one was in support including Commissioner Ciampi who is the supposed champion of affordable housing. He mentioned that Licata said the plan should be to front load education in the early years to save the system on the back end. Does this mean that any individual teacher cannot try and inject an opinion into the course work? Instead of just doing away with local districts all at once, the state is slowly chipping away at their ability to choose curriculum or whether to promote a child or not. This was a workshop that was very substantive yet for the lay person extremely boring. This group of items will be woven into the 2021-22 Operating Budget that the Board has been working on for the last three months at Budget Workshops. You can see the entire presentationhere. We should also continue to expand our career and technical education and invest in school safety. Why wouldnt you want to involve and get approval from the people? That is why when you want to know where the substantive portion of the agenda is look at Section 18. It has been around since the 1960s but is a theory that a few law schools would touch upon and surely not Stuart Middle. Dr. Millay is a contract employee, so it is negotiated. To my knowledge, it has not been provided. In a host of matters, the school board cannot act independently. , Url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_County_School_District Go Now, Schools Details: WebSCHOOL BOARD MEETING FEBRUARY 21, 2023 Dr. John Millay, Martin Countys first appointed superintendent, surprised the board, staff, and citizens by resigning effective , Url: https://friendsandneighborsofmartincounty.com/martin-county-school-board/ Go Now, Schools Details: WebBoard Members. Public county charter schools educate 8% of the total students. Even now the local district has truly little authority in any public charter school. But there is also research that shows that students who are labeled under-achiever or socially awkward never have the chance to reinvent themselves when transitioning from school to school. If you read the Indiantown section, I write about a request by the Indiantown Council to have busses parked at the schools in case of an emergency evacuation. One of the things that precipitated the district to buy the old Stuart News Building was the problems this building had with asbestos and other sick building problems and the projected cost to remediate it. Perhaps they are unable to get the buy-in needed from the district staff. Neither was Anthony George, the school boards attorney. So, these actual numbers are all preliminary and there is still a state of flux until the actual formulas are revealed from Tallahassee. That is the kind of remark that would get her predecessor in trouble. Only time will tell. The board listened but, unfortunately, they cant print money to make everyone happy. It is as if we the people that pay for these facilities to be built are somehow barbarians that need to be kept out by locked gates. Growing up here and attending both Hidden Oaks Middle School and Martin County High School, I know first-hand the excellent caliber of our public schools and have a vested interest in keeping them great. To see the population tables for every elementary school, gohere, Finance Director Carter Morrison presented the CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report) for the year ending June 30, 2020. Pages Fifteen through Eighteen plus the items for the 2022-23 school year from page 2 and without the ChalkTalk that was moved are department/staff requests that are being gathered here in one place but need additional vetting and discussion before moving forward. I would be happy to partner with Jensen Beach High School as a work experience and training sight. Ive utilized Florida School Board Associations (FSBA) training in School Finance, Governance, Bargaining, Advocacy, Leadership and Knowledge completing the 96-hour requirements for Certified Board Member designation, now held for six years. To change it now would require permission from Tallahassee. Until the final budget is passed and after adjustments are made, the numbers are fluid. That cant be either. Russell also had the endorsement of Governor DeSantis which brought a boatload of money from Tallahassee. Anderson and the other school board members are not going to challenge DeSantis authority regardless of their own personal beliefs. Position. This was Laurie Gaylords last meeting as superintendent. There was only one real topic for this meeting, and it wasnt on the agenda. There was not much of substance at this meeting. This is a reason why some outlays for roofs, chillers and other capital items could not be done. You can use this area for legal statements, copyright information, a mission statement, etc. Presently, the board will continue mandating fully masked students, teachers, and personnel through the end of this school year. While Dr. Millay is rethinking non-school staff, there needs to be the same re-evaluation for schools. (Note the Warfield piece of this is handled later.) The only one who thought that Millay should be given some slack was Anderson so that he could learn for himself. The board held a workshop in essence to discuss the use of ESSER Funds. It can be foundhereand then by following the tabs, you can see each grade level and subject matter. It was a theme he returned to a few times in his remarks. In fact, it died for a lack of a 2nd. If the stars, the moon, and the sun line up, maybe something will happen. It should not be this hard for lay people to understand what the school district is proposing and doing. Board Members. You can see the proposed revisions under the Martin County Commission Section. How much is a persons sexuality key to their accomplishments as human beings. Perhaps with better outreach, a better outcome could have been realized. There are some parents in favor of keeping the current education model. She looks forward, she said,to advocating for students, parents and teachers. Last year, the legislature gave $600 million to the districts to bring starting salaries to $47,500 and to boost veteran teacher pay. She also narrowed it down to Licata and Millay. Parents were not going to have to change their families routines. If anything, he may be too cautious in his approach. In 2021, the taxable value of real estate for the district will be about $26 billion. It is up to the superintendent to carry out their policy within existing law. The school board should encourage Dr. Millay to continue meeting with not only those who agree with him but also those that do not. If that had happened this year, then if the millage passed, it would not become effective until the following tax year. How will Jen do as a new school board member? The chart can be found herehere. We are providing counseling to anyHidden Oaks Middle Schoolstudent in need and are working on longer-range plans to work with community partners to help heal the harm this incident has caused. School Board meetings can be excruciatingly boring. That tax was for a term of seven years and will expire in 2025. Secondly, considering that the two-senior people in that department are in the Drop Program, they would not hire a Transportation Manager as requested. Li Roberts was looking at the academic and financial side. Both women loaned their campaigns $1,000, according to election finance reports. There are no plans for that in the next school year either. The board is in a quandary with the new Parents Bill of Rights, print advertising requirements for meetings, the opening plan, and juggling a hundred other differing requirements before being able to take a vote. He had taught college courses on education and was a mentor to other district superintendents. The superintendent will have more direct reports. Powers and Defenthaler withdrew their motion. John Millay, the incoming superintendent, has just seen another challenge. The board was also being asked whether to suspend a custodian without pay because she was not performing her job. Nothing was decided and again it seems that they are building something to be used for the limited time that school is in session. Bernstein, meanwhile, spent $56,722, which far outpaced the $40,188 Russell had spent by Election Day. Stay tuned. And to some extent it isexcept when it is not. Liz Bernstein seemed to have a great resume for being a school board member. The debate and decision will center on whether the board did indeed use the funds for the purposes intended. At times, they died to end segregation. A public, open and frank conversation needs to occur between employee and board. Board Member DiTerlizzi stated that Martin County had fallen in the rankings in his opinion. There is a $10,000 moving and temporary living allowance. It seems it is much more probable that a kid will be injured walking to school than being hurt by a gas leak. One of my issues with Anderson is at times he seems to be thinking as a union member and not as a school board member. They are waiting for the state budget to pass. The main building itself served as the original Martin County High School from 1923-1964. Powers supports the millage because if it does not pass, she said the district will be at an extreme disadvantage in attracting employees. I can just hear board attorneys, district staff, and the board members themselves stating that they cannot comment on a pending matter before them. A while ago, Chair Roberts asked Dr. Millay and staff to provide information about how many more district employees had been added over several periods of time. This is hard to believe! The estimated cost of this is $395,000. In my opinion, the board should decrease the subsidy they pay depending on costs. If Anderson had his way, a handshake (or today a fist bump) would be good enough. In opposition to Andersons position, I would argue we need for our tax dollars to be paying for fewer experts at the district level and more money going into the education of our children at the school level. If the district can convince parents that they can provide the same level of service, then children would not be going to charters. Perhaps one should look at what you are offering as compared to other options. The state is not providing fundsonly orders. Ms. Featherstone has risen through the ranks. I am also one of seven school board members who serve on the Board of Directors for the Florida School Labor Relations Service which provides services related to public sector bargaining in Florida including collection and dissemination of information, education and training of administrative personnel, research, analysis and evaluation assistance. The governor has insisted that there is power only in himself from his lair in Tallahassee. (In full disclosure I was a member of the committee.) The first was an email from Tyson Waters who represents the Board negotiating an impact fee and concurrency agreement with Pineland Prairie. How many vulnerable girls ended up sending him photos for money? I cant believe that in Palm Beach their board becomes involved in whether low or mid-level employees should be terminated or suspended. A few other facts were mentioned. His accomplishments are not because of or despite his sexuality. Until the legislature passes a budget, all state aid and mandates are uncertain. In the January 24thNewsletter, I reported on a proposed pre-k training program for students to obtain jobs at Jensen Beach High. Pages Four and Five outline Capital expenses (mostly computers and safety/sanitation) totaling $2,604,541.00 which may be eligible for reimbursement. That means there is a decrease in funding of $8,192 per student for a total of $6.42 million. Of course, all is predicated on whether Martin County becomes inundated with kids. Today the amount is $36,484,159 for capital outlays. My objection to the two vacant classrooms being utilized for Pre-K, stems from the fact that MCHS and SFHS are currently over capacity. Millay needed time to get to know Martin County and Florida. No terms were listed. Another item under discussion is the combining and outsourcing of legal services including labor negotiations. I need to disclose that I sit on this committee. All rights reserved. It can be found here. It also seemed that the Risk Management & Safety Department should probably be transferred to under finance if this occurs. I doubt if the staff would have done anything if it werent for those that are elected. By not having so many infrastructure changes, it is less expensive to convert Anderson. The support she thought she had from other board members evaporated once oppositional emails began flooding in. Anderson said this has nothing to do with his personal views. Directions. Pages Eight to Fourteen with black type on the blue background are General Fund (Operating Account) items that would come next. Apparently, it is so confusing that Florida universities and colleges do not bother to even look at those scores and rebuild the average some other way when considering candidates for admittance. Board Member Roberts has agreed to do just that. Without specifics, there is nothing that can be done. Jan Wagner. Many of our residents are familiar with this problem as they have come here from Long Island and other places that experienced exponential growth. Defenthaler in her written notes mentioned that school board members were elected to represent the best interest of the children. As Ms. Defenthaler said, she wants to see the ROI for this work. Board Members and Superintendent During the 2016-17 fiscal year, Laurie J. Gaylord served as Superintendent of the Martin County Schools and the following individuals served as School Board Members: District No. Obviously, the more money that goes into classrooms the better. Diaz spoke at the meeting about a South Fork teacher that was on video saying that Diaz had diverted $30,000 in funds for his college tuition. I remember reading the book in my Catholic high school. She has been a mentor to countless students, teachers, and administrators. The key here is that there has been a steady erosion of students from regular district schools. Their success depends on having buy-in. Superintendent Millay and Spellman discussed the matter, but Spellman was not asked to review anything. Last Sunday, an immigrant from mainland China attacked parishioners in a California church because they were Taiwanese. While there is a lot of content on government websites already, how many people read or have their questions answered there. The superintendent answering to the board will place the five school board members firmly in charge. Thomas Weber is a Digital Now Reporter at TCPalm. Including debt service, they envision rents being less than $1000 per month. COVID exposed parents to what teachers were doing in the classroom because of virtual learning. 2016 Minutes. The vote to recommend Florida Blue was 14-0 by the insurance committee. I take exception to the boll weevil comment but freely admit I was born somewhere else as are three of his fellow board members. This is counter to the purpose and mission of the schools. What does that tell us about so many things?

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