Sarasota School Board Meeting Takes Place on May 20 at North Port City Hall
Guess Who Will Be There
The adage ‘the more you have, the more problems you get” can be as jarring as the buzzer at a Friday night high school football game.
Advocates are moaning about problems at the public schools that are non-existent at voucher schools (private and charter), because those schools simply don’t even have the same substrate. Example, a person with means will complain about the swimming pool not being clean, while a person with a limited income doesn’t have a pool. In certain cases, these private and charter schools (that take taxpayer money) can’t even compete with the most basic of American education values: That every student receives an equal education.
Public education is at the top of the hill - and in life, we know that there are those that want to throw the most successful off the cliff. They want a piece of the pie. Unfortunately, the ‘they’ is the federal and state government, because there is money to be made in privatization.
As leaders of Support Our Schools (SOS) is often heard to say: “Private schools choose you, you don’t choose them.” These schools can turn down any student they feel is undesirable - or those they are unequipped to help.
So what are the public school advocates boo-hoo’ing about now?
The very serious business of not allowing the district’s schools to lower expectations and to maintain its A-rating, despite a government that is working against them. These tireless advocates are making pathways to continue making education available for all and creating a safe space for them.
The advocates - consisting of parents, students, educators and community members - go through the minutiae of agenda items, forcing a full transparency. The more people who show up to board meetings, the better. Still, this dedicated, consistent group of organizations and individuals are always present doing the heavy lifting.
What’s on the agenda?
We break down the upcoming May 20 School Board Meeting to be held at North Port City Hall, starting at 6:00pm. With so many agenda items listed, we started backwards at Agenda Item 11.7.
This item is the legal case of Melissa Stone, a guardian for a pupil who attends (or attended) Venice Elementary School. Last May, another child opened up a drain cover while playing on the playground. They then dropped the cover on the pupil’s index finger, severing it. The claimed damages are over $50,000.00.
There’s the lawsuit of Maria Pederson in Agenda Item 11.6. A collision between a car and a school bus driver took place in December 2022. I’m not sure a police report was even filed. However, the victim alleges that the school board was negligent in hiring and retaining the bus driver. The driver of the car is claiming permanent injury.
In both these cases, there is a request to schedule a private meeting concerning settlement negotiations and or strategy sessions, pursuant to Florida statutes.
11.5 concerns APPROVAL OF REVISED POLICIES FROM SCHOOL BOARD POLICY BOOK CHAPTER 5: STUDENTS
This covers topics that range from teachers removing disruptive kids from the classroom to possession of alcohol and drugs. Expulsions and student records are also set for approval in this lengthy 10 topic long agenda.
Administrative yawns are in Agenda 11.4 - with a focus on public records. However, there is a section 3.43 on Internet Safety. Citizens trust in Board Chair Tim Enos to take a fine-tooth comb to that page. When it comes to safety, no public school could ask for a more knowledgeable, up-to date source than Enos.
Additionally, on May 22, a Parent University meeting will take place on Internet Safety in both North and South County, sponsored by the school district. This is a webinar that can be attended in person also. This is well worth attending for parents and kids in every grade level.
“Removed on this May 20 agenda was Agenda Item 10.14, Section 300.3 on the Student Code of Conduct - Discrimination.”
11.3 digs deep into a lease agreement with a former South County Bus Depot on Taylor Ranch Trail.
11.2 sees an expenditure of $63,946,303.14 for construction services for the Garden Elementary School Replacement Project. We found what the norm is on a 130,000 square foot school in Sarasota County:
In 2025, it could range from $39,000,000 to $102,600,000. This estimate is based on a per-square-foot cost range of $295 to $790, which is the typical cost per square foot for school construction in 2025. The actual cost may vary depending on several factors, including the complexity of the design, materials used, and the presence of specialized areas like sports facilities or STEM labs.
Jon F. Swift won the contract with his well-earned impeccable reputation.
Good News
We’re going to take a break from the agenda to bring a piece of good news from the Sarasota County Schools (SCS) website. The SCS Communication team won the highest honor from Sunspra.
Curious, I had to look up what Sunspra was and surprisingly found who’s on the executive board. It was none other than the Sarasota County School’s Director of Communications, Craig Maniglia.
I can only guess that there were other criteria that this award was based on.
Resuming Agenda Items
I believe 10.32 means that Sarasota School Police Resource Officers can bring guns into court facilities.
10.22 - 10.31 revolves around deletion of storage sheds and portables and paying said bills associated with that process. There’s some miscellaneous painting, as well as inoperable equipment, furniture deletion included.
10.17 - 10.20 fall under the heading of: Business Services: Purchasing and Material Management.
Public School advocates would be happy to see 10.18:
This increase is by $1,000,000.00.
10.6 - 10.11 are agreements between higher learning institutions (and others) and our school system. There is nothing to see here, folks. This is all good.
There are more items that may deal with field trips and purchases, but nothing that wasn’t obviously diligently researched by capable staff.
The Agenda Item That Wasn’t
Perhaps the best reason for being a parent and student in the public school system has to do with the advocates who raise a stink if something looks suspicious. Removed on this May 20 agenda (on a Sunday?) was Agenda Item 10.14, Section 300.3 on the Student Code of Conduct - Discrimination.
This had organizations from Equality Florida, SEE Alliance and SOS up in arms. Florida certainly knows how to fight back against discrimination and the loss of civil rights for students. They hold the superintendent and board members to the wall with the district’s motto: Every Student, Every Day.
The proposed changes to the Student Code of Conduct meant that LGBTQ students and potentially any students perceived to be such should have no civil rights or expectation of being protected against discrimination in public schools.
This screenshot was taken by SOS.
It appears this could have been sprung on the board members and some may have voiced their concerns to the Superintendent and legal counsel. Working together with the board members, being heard and considered are the goals of advocates, who appreciate the board and staff’s long hours and hard work.
This agenda is what transparency looks like. It’s how the public goes to work and gets results. You can’t get this at a charter school. However, it’s just too long. All of this should be divided into two separate board meetings and workshops.
Superintendent Terry Connor likes to say that board meetings are for the “business of the board”. This is gleefully repeated by board member Robyn Marinelli.
However, the board is composed of elected officials, so the business of the board is the taxpayer and voter’s business. There is one monthly board meeting planned in 2025 for the crucial months of September, October and November.
Connor claims that one board meeting a month has proved more efficient for its employees. However, there are compromises that could be made and need to be considered in returning to a second meeting per month.
Connor likes to use the expression of being in a lockstep. A concern could be that the lockstep would be made with board members without any consideration to public opinion before a vote is taken. Thirty days is a long haul to have something in one’s head and then at a meeting having the community’s voice turning it all around. The public deserves a chance to be heard and let their voice simmer on the burner for awhile.
Public education is in a battle and it should be all hands on deck. People aren’t leaving the public schools. The difference now is that parents who have paid to send their kids to private and charter schools are getting tuition paid (in the ballpark of over $8000.00 per child) from taxpayer funding.
There are charters in Sarasota that do offer what the public schools can’t - from Montessori’s educational modicum to Dreamer’s Academy. These schools actually work in tandem with the public schools.
However, what so many of these schools can’t offer is the opportunity for students to take elective classes and participate in a wide array of extra-curricular activities. Public schools are bound by rules that guarantee each student receives a quality education. Public schools are graded and Sarasota has gotten A’s. Many charter and private schools set their own rules.
This often results in kids being behind when parents decide to transfer them to public schools. If there’s a problem with the school the child is attending, it’s the individual parent’s and student’s problem.
If a situation arises in a Sarasota public school, there are board members and administrators who go to work for the taxpayer. There’s a staff who diligently works on agenda items so the public won’t miss a beat. There is rarely an ‘us vs. them’, but a cohesive union that has students’ and teachers’ backs.
Public schools are a slice of Americana, like apple pie, Coca-cola and Friday night football games. They have earned that top of the hill spot. Enrolling one’s child in Sarasota’s public schools keeps that exquisite view at the peak.
Registration for public schools is happening now for the 2025 - 2026 school session.
Dear Bubbie searched for information on the district’s Facebook page for a post about the board meeting that takes place this Tuesday night. It’s imperative that information get out, because this will be the first that is easily accessible to citizens in south county. For the entire month of May, there has been no mention of it. However, the meeting is on the school’s website. Is Facebook under Managlia’s purview? Could the district post on North Port Community Facebook pages?
At the first Insight Community Connection meeting, suggestions were made to get the word out, but they appear to have gone unheeded. Communications, in regards to public meetings, appear to be handled in the manner that the public must come to them for information, versus reaching out to where the parents and interested parties are.
In an upcoming Dear Bubbie, we profile public school advocate Tamara Solum. Her inspiring story is an homage to ‘going with the flow’. The eternal optimist fought through hard times, but painted life with a joyful brush. Her husband calls her a warrior. Find out why in this compelling and brutally honest read
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Why does it say Nov. 20 instead of May 20