001Good evening. It is Monday, April 28th, and I'd like to call this regular schoolboard meeting to order. Uh please stand for a moment of silence followed by the pledge of allegiance. Thank you. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. All right. Good evening board, audience, those watching at home. Um, moving on to item two, changes, amendments, additions, or deletions to the agenda. Board, do you have any changes this evening? Yes, sir. Superintendent, do you have any changes this evening? All right, perfect. Then we're good with the agenda moving forward. Um, approval of the minutes. Uh, superintendent, do you have a recommendation? Recommend approval of the minutes from the regular schoolboard meeting April
00214th, 2025. So moved. Second. Got a motion by Mr. Matias, a second by Mrs. Cunningham. Any discussion? All those in favor? I. Passes 50. Uh, we do have representation this evening. Uh, recognition of a media specialist by Dr. Tiffany Scott. Good evening, superintendent, board members, and honored guests. April is school library month, a time when we celebrate the vital role of school libraries and media specialists play in supporting literacy, inquiry, and student achievement across our district. These learning hubs are more than just places to check out books. They are dynamic centers for creativity, collaboration, and academic support. Strong libraries are proven to improve student achievement and we are proud of the incredible work happening in our schools. In honor in our schools, in fact, six of our schools have been recognized as Florida Power Library
003Schools. An honor awarded by the Florida Association of Supervisors of Media and Florida Department of Education to highlight exemplary library programs that make a real difference for our students. Tonight, we are excited to share a short video that will be released tonight upon the conclusion of our meeting here tonight that celebrates the school library month and showcases the impact of our school libraries and media teams. It's a tribute to the innovation, passion, and daily dedication to help students thrive. Tonight, I'd like to welcome our instructional materials manager, Miss Kelly Dodd, who supports the who supports these individuals, as well as Miss Brit Bridget Marshburn, a program specialist who support in this work. If you'd help, please join me in showing a round of applause for our media specialists across Lake County schools to help inspire
004students everywhere. [Applause] At this time, I'd like to invite them forward to to be recognized by the board and our and our guest. Please come forward. Thank you. Once again, I just want to reiterate the impact that these individuals have on literacy and supporting our students in thriving. It goes much more beyond literacy. And I'd also just be remiss if I did not acknowledge the hard work of Miss Kelly Dodd, our manager, as well as Miss Bridget Marshburn, for making sure that we are giving our very best to our students in this capacity. Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Scott. And if our media specialist could come up, we'd like to shake your hand and thank you as well. Thank you very much. appreciate it. Thank you. You absolutely may. Um I just wanted to to
005tell you ladies, um I don't we don't get the opportunity to talk to specific groups of people very often and I will never forget my very precious now 19-year-old as a kindergartener. I think for the first two years her favorite teacher was the school librarian. Um so I think you guys should know that I you know you don't have a class of your own. you get the whole school and the role that you play is so significant in those students lives and I know as a teacher anytime I needed reference materials anytime I needed a fiction uh book that's where I was I learned about the Sunshine State readers was from my librarian and so I just I don't know I love librarians the media specialists have been through quite a bit in the last
006couple of years and we appreciate your hard work your dedication and your perseverance through through what we've all kind of gone through with the scrutiny of our library books and I think that just a love for reading is a passion and and passing that on to students and the role that you play is so important. So, I know there's only three of them and that message is for everybody here, but thank you for the work that you do to support them as well and thank you guys for making the trip out here tonight. Thank you, chairman. Thank you, Dr. Luke. Public input this evening, we do have two cards. Uh first one up is Miss Kathy Smith from the LCA. Good evening everyone. How are you? Good. I just have a couple updates that I
007wanted to to discuss. I don't come up all the time, but it is nice to speak with you guys and let you know what's going on. And of course, I'm sure you're aware that next week is teacher appreciation week, and we're kind of hoping to kind of call it a week of action. Uh because we have two reasons. Uh one right now, of course, is our perk election. And I'll talk a little bit more about that in a minute. But we have our celebration uh which kind of goes along with the perk election because it is our 50th year of bargaining with Lake County schools. Wow. Congrats. So, so we are having a celebration um at the Venetian on May the sec 7th. If you would like to join us, you may. It starts at
0085:00 and we're going to be doing some it's our annual meeting. So, we'll have a little bit of meeting, but it's going to be m mainly the celebration itself. um celebrating advocates for for everything we do and yes unfortunately my retirement but yes uh but we celebrate our reps and our advocates that help us do many things throughout the year. Um, and so that is the first thing and that kind of goes along with the perk election which is going on now because that's why we're having our 50th celebration also is because it is the bargaining unit but unfortunately we have to now have an election to prove that we can continue to be the bargaining unit with Lake County schools due to some new laws from Tallahassee. So instructional staff should have received their
009ballot by now either in the mail or at their work site and they need to also now put a stamp on it because it's not self-addressed and then it goes on to Tallahassee and then we have to tally the votes and then we'll go from there. And so we hope to continue being that um our 51st year at that point now. So, we hope to continue being the bargaining unit with LC with um Lake County Schools and we'll we'll see what happens, but hopefully it will. Um but 50 years of not having to do the election and now all of a sudden we do have to do another election. So, it's kind of going backwards if you ask me. But of course, that's that's just my opinion, right? Um but hopefully we can continue. This
010will be a nice week for everybody and hopefully everybody will have some nice celebrations at their school and work sites and we'll continue to work with out Lake County schools. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Smith. Uh, next one up is Farmer Banks Helick. Farmer Banks Hellfrick, Clay District, South Lake County farm tip of the day. You can go to any Ace, any Publix, buy raw uh in the shell peanuts and um put them in water for two days. Then put them into the ground um about 2 in down about 2 feet apart and in 120 to 150 days you will have peanuts. Yes, you can grow peanuts in Florida. Um Madame Superintendent, um board chair, board, distinguished guests, welcome to April. Welcome to tax month. Um, taxes have a bad rap.
011In fact, the one word associated with taxes more than any other word is death. So, what exactly do we get with taxes? Um, many of us here today, in fact, I would venture to say that every single one of us drove here on roads paved and funded by our taxes. Many of us passed some educational learning center, some uh district school, some charter school, some private school, funded by our taxes. Um the water fountain out front uh which gives potable drinkable water, it's there because it's funded by our taxes. The air that we're breathing is also funded by our taxes. Um, in fact, in our county, our sheriff, his group, his team of detectives and officers to serve and protect us funded by our taxes. Um, the uh chief of um of fire, fire chief
012uh who is also a county employee, his group of uh paramedics, firefighters and paramedics are there to make sure that they are at an emergency within seven minutes funded by our taxes. In fact, here in this room, recording secretary, our council, uh, in fact, you all, the board are funded by our taxes. So, without taxes, we would not have government, and without government, we would not have liberties. Um, freedoms are not free. My friend used to tell me all the time, and he's correct, freedoms are not free because without government, uh, we have no liberties. Without taxes, we have no government. And without taxes, we have no freedoms. I am Farmer Banks Helfrick. Thank you for allowing me to speak. May you all be blessed. Thank you. Thank you, Farmer Banks. All right. Um, moving
013on to the attorney's report. Mr. Cole, nothing. Perfect. Uh, we also don't have any unfinished business this evening. So, moving on to the consent agenda. Superintendent, do you have a recommendation? Recommend approval of the consent agenda items 8.01 to 10.04. So, move. Got a motion by Mr. Matias, a second by Dr. Luke. Any discussion? All those in favor? I passes 50. Moving down to item 11 under discussion. Um item 11.01, tentative approval of policies. Mr. Cole. Yes, sir. We have uh for consideration um some policies. So, at this time, we'll open the public hearing to consider policies 42 uh I'm sorry, 2421, career and technical education, 2460, uh exceptional student education, 5410.01, promotion, acceleration, placement, and retention. Uh does anyone like to speak to any of these policies? Hearing none, the public meeting is closed.
014Superintendent, do you have a recommendation? I recommend tenative approval of the policies as presented. So moved. Second. Got a motion by Mr. Matias, a second by Mrs. Cunningham. Any discussion? All those in favor? I I passes 50 11:02. Uh public hearing tenative approval. Mr. Cole. Yes, sir. At this time, we'll open a public hearing for consideration of policies bylaws. 0131 legislative policym 0164 notice of meetings. 0165 meetings. 0165.2 regular meeting. This is a uh rescending 0165.3 special and emergency meetings also rescended. 0166 exempt meetings also rescended. 5780 student parent rights 9270 home education programs. Would anyone like to speak to these uh policies or bylaws? Seeing none, the public hearing is closed. Superintendent, do you have recommendation? Recommend tenative approval of the policies as presented. So moved. Second. Got a motion by Mr. Mr. Matias,
015second by Mr. Dodd. Any discussion? All those in favor? I I passes 50. Uh, superintendent, your report this evening. Just a few things this evening. First of all, uh, Chairman Brandyberg, we want to congratulate you on earning the Florida School Boards Association Certified Ward Member Distinction Award for all of the hard work and training that you have completed. So, congratulations to you. It's quite an honor. Um, also tomorrow at 1 PM we will celebrate the next group of students who have completed the teaching academy program at Taris High School and um we are excited to be able to recognize them. I know Dr. Luke is probably especially excited to welcome them. Hopefully they're moving on um to her as they um graduate soon. Um I also want to congratulate all the participants in our fourth
016annual incubator edu final pitch competition that was take place um two weeks ago. It's that Shark Tank style um program where students compete and present their innovative business ideas and some walked away with cash awards and um hopefully they'll be able to reinvest that and begin their own business. So the winning presentations included a team from Taris High School. They won first place for their sip and stash idea, which is a pill and vitamin holder that attaches to your water bottle so you never miss your medications. Um, also they tied with the team from Mount Dora High and their presentation a style craft ideas, which was a personal styling chat bots that lets users take pictures of clothing from their closet and receive suggestions on how to best style those items. Both of those teams
017won $500. And then the people's choice award was from East Ridge High School. um their team presented an idea of a phone case with a built-in GPS tracker giving users a way to find their phone even when it is not turned on. So, and they won $200. So, I want to thank the many mentors and teachers, the judges from our business community that came out and supported these students as well as those in our office of college and career readiness that sponsors this event every year. Um, and the other sponsors included the Education Foundation, Cherry Lake, um, Chick-fil-A, and Addition Financial. So, special thanks to those. And it is teacher appreciation week coming up next week. We look forward to celebrate celebrating, recognizing all of our outstanding teachers all across the county. So, that's all
018I have tonight. Dr. Luke, um, I wanted to I just have two notes of, um, congratulations or good luck, I guess. We have several baseball and softball teams that are starting postseason runs last week and this week and so we have many teams that are represented in those different levels of playoffs and that's exciting. So it's exciting time. So if you're looking for a good game, there's lots going on that you can come to. Um and then the second thing I was going to just bring to everybody's attention, super fun. Um next week is Lake Sumpre State Colleg's graduation and we will have several high school students that will graduate next week with their AA degree from Lake Sumpre State College. And so I would like to offer a huge shout out to those students.
019I I don't get the opportunity to go to every graduation, but they'll be recognized at the individual ceremonies and they will be graduating a couple of weeks before high school with their AA degree from Lakes State next week. So, those celebrations will be taking place in Claremont and Leburg and it is the season. Thank you. Thank you, Mrs. Cunningham. Um, I would like to offer um congratulations and best wishes to Miss Kathy Smith. Uh, Mrs. Smith is going to retire, but she has a long history with Lake County. Um, I remember her start at Eustace Elementary. And I also remember her distinguished days um, teaching the gifted program at Carver Middle where she had some of the highest test scores in Lake County for many years. And she gave a great contribution and a helping
020hand to Carver, achieving some A's back in the day when our writing scores were the one thing that could push us over. So on behalf of all those students that you taught and on behalf of all those good things you were able to accomplish for Lake County, we certainly want you to know that we appreciate you. We value your service and these last few years where you've served so well with the union. We'd like to thank you for that as well and just wish you well and hope that you make many memories in the land of retirement. Uh I'd also like to wish uh happy teacher appreciation week to all teachers and especially to our media specialists. Uh those are some of the hardest working people in our schools with little recognition. So certainly it
021is very befitting that you be recognized now and that you receive some uh recognition for the wonderfulness that you do. And that's all I have sir. Thank you Mr. Cunningham. Mr. Dud. Well, that was a much more eloquent uh happy retirement message than I could have ever put together. Uh you know, I've I've enjoyed our time together as well. And so, um ditto to what she said on that. You know, as we approach teacher appreciation week, um you know, one of the things that I always like to try to reflect on and think about are some of those things that teachers do that are above and beyond that most people just kind of take for granted. You know, they just assume, oh yeah, of course the teacher's going to do that. They're going to do
022this. They're going to do that. you know, and there are so many things that go um beyond the just the job description of of the teachers. Uh this past week, I had a chance to attend a math bee uh at Cypress Ridge, which was pretty exciting. It was their uh their first fourth grade math be they had in the school, and my kid was particularly excited because he's not a great speller, right? So, spelling bees are not going to be his thing, but math math is his thing. And uh and he was just so thrilled to be able to participate. And that's an example of one of those things that just goes above and beyond. Nobody is required to to put on a math be for their kids and they could just say, "Well, we
023already have the STEM bowl. Why do we need a math be?" But it was just another great opportunity for kids to get involved and to be able to to showcase their strengths. And so anyway, I'm thankful for things like that where the the teachers just go above and beyond something pretty exciting. So, thanks thanks to all the teachers out there. Mr. Matias, I also want to recognize Kathy Smith. Kathy, you brought a breath of fresh air when you took leadership. And there's a time when um especially when you're across the table from each other that you trust the person that's across the table and you brought absolute integrity to your role. So best of luck you to you in retirement. Um and by the way, union is not a four-letter word and I hope that
024the vote goes well for you because the because that bargaining component and holding union should hold their people accountable. That's the policing force and you've done an outstanding job at that. So I hope it goes well for you. Um, next thing. Can anybody believe it's May and we have graduations coming up? It's going to be May. Okay. I was duly corrected on Wednesday. It to be May. Anyway, uh so starting starting off is Lake Hills. I have to tell you that when I was first elected, that school is truly the diamond um in the rough for Lake County. It sets the standard for everything else that we do. and the passion and the commitment of the teachers and the administrator that um goes beyond reproach. And if it's okay with you, Mrs. Cunningham, I haven't
025missed a graduation, so I'd like to be there. We look forward to seeing you there. Thank you. And then off we go to the races for the rest of our schools. So that's all I have. Excuse me, Mr. Chairman. May I I forgot something? You may go right ahead. I I can't be remiss and not congratulate the new vice president of the union. Uh, I don't want to overlook her. She and I go back for many years and you're a long way from third grade classroom at Beverly Shores. So, congratulations to you. Thank you, sir. And I didn't know you, so sorry. Well, as a former Carver Middle School student when Miss Smith was there, ditto all those comments. Uh, Kathy, I've enjoyed working with you. Um, you have certainly left the union better than
026you found it. Um, and looking forward to the continued partnership moving forward. So, congratulations on a well-deserved retirement. um last week had the opportunity to attend I think it's the eighth home dedication for Leburg High School's construction academy um at the high school. Um so I want to give a shout out to Marta and her team that continue to do a fantastic job growing and celebrating those CTE programs and getting those kids involved in worthwhile projects that will lead to high demand high wage jobs in the future that we so desperately need. Um also want to give a shout out to Church of the Lakes that did their annual campus cleanup at Leburg High School the Saturday prior to Easter. Um, this year they did it a little different. Had, I think, eight sports and
027clubs teams involved in different projects with cash prizes awarded to those that did the best work and the most work and they all ended up with a cash prize. But LHS continues to look amazing. Uh, and due large part to Chad and his team as well for their efforts, but the church continues to be such a good partner for us. Um, wanted to recognize them as well. Um, and other than that, I have to give a shout out to Joseph Mabberry. Um he was the superman at the office today fixing a flat tire and getting a car out of the rain for one of the our staff members as she was trying to head home. So Joseph, your work never goes unnoticed. Thank you for all you continue to do. Um happy teacher appreciation week.
028Uh congratulations to our media specialists. Um if there are no other comments this evening, did anybody miss anything? Any objection to adjourning? No, sir. We are adjourned. Thank you very much.