001No matter what age your child is, you want the best for their future. What do they want to do after graduation? What career path do they want to take? These questions can be overwhelming. That's why you should ask them this question. What's your E? Semino County Public Schools e- pathway program is designed for your student to choose their own path in life from as many options as we can offer. Whether they're looking to enlist, enroll, or be employed, we're excited to help you and your child make it happen. Want them to enroll in a college or university? We'll help you find the best school for them to continue their education. Learn about grants and programs to help your child obtain their degree at a pace and a cost that works for you both. Are they
002looking to go straight into employment? Discover a variety of trades and skills that will propel their future. They can learn aviation maintenance, automotive repair, culinary arts, and more to hone their talents in a growing industries. Is your child interested in enlistment? We'll help them find the right path of service. Whether it's military, law enforcement, fire response, or EMS, they can serve the community while learning skills that will last a lifetime. What's your E? Explore options with e- pathways by visiting us online at the link below. [Music] What inspired me to get into engineering was Legos. So, I started as a kid, as most kids do, uh, working with Legos and just kind of doing your own thing, building the Lego sets. And I would often take apart my Lego sets, mix them together, and build
003something completely new. Then in about fourth grade, I was introduced to Lego robotics, which is where you have a actual uh robot that you could program and you start with this brick and that would feed information to Lego motors and it would all communicate as a system and you could do a lot of really cool robotic tasks with that. And that was really the start of me looking into engineering. The engineering I'm looking to pursue at first is mechanical engineering. This is what I'm going to go to UCF for. and this is going to be the start of my career. A mechanical engineer can really do anything. Um, they work with a lot of thermodynamics and a lot of vibrations and really just anything that moves. So, a lot of fields use mechanical engineering. I
004want to go past that and specialize into biomedical engineering which is more along the lines of surgical robotics and medical machinery. I want to develop surgical robots and with that I need to know exactly how the human body functions and how it functions with robotic systems. Essentially, I'll be able to design a system where a person will be able to communicate with a motor and hopefully improve their quality of life. Whether this be through a surgical robot that a doctor is controlling or whether it's a prosthetic that's motorized. I taught Josh his freshman year. He was so good with that inventor material. He picked up on it very quickly. He was ready to jump in and help other students which I really really appreciated. And he has carried those characteristics with him as he has
005moved through the program. And now with his journey moving forward in bioengineering, I can't wait to see what he's going to make with his knee brace and the orthotics that he's trying to produce. The current prosthetic I'm looking at developing is a loadbearing knee brace in which I'm going to take a motor or servo and attach that to the knee which will enable the a person to be able to push past what their muscles currently are able to do whether that be because of uh muscle fatigue or osteoarthritis in the kneecap where they're not able to put a lot of pressure on their knee. Current knee braces really only work when walking. There's still a lot of pain when there's extra forces being applied to the knee. such as walking upstairs or standing up from
006sitting down. Things you and I normally don't think about. But for someone that has severe arthritis in their knee, this is hugely painful. The strongest advantages of projectbased learning, that hands-on experience that allows you to manipulate that material, really solidifies in the brain exactly how those things work. The thing I would say about this program where it exceeds the most is the more you use it, the more it'll benefit you. stuck on. I'm going to mention it. So, the invocation is the first thing that I do. Yes. Okay. I pulled the flags out because they stuff them back against the wall and like people can't see them. So I pulled them out. I don't want to be too formal and bang, but I'm gonna I'm gonna speak and then bang. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
007Good evening. If I could ask you to please take your seats. Fair. You have to hit your mic. It's on. Oh, okay. It's on. Got it. Good evening. Thank you and welcome to the school board meeting for Tuesday, June 17, 2025. Um, if you would let the record reflect that Vice Chair Garrick, member Dinger, member Sanchez, uh, Superintendent Attorney Cole Palmer and Jill are present. Um, board member Davis is excused due to health complications. She's still in the hospital, so we wish her well. This evening, uh, vice chair has the invocation. As we begin this meeting, let us ground ourselves in purpose and service. We have been entrusted to make decisions that affect the lives and futures of students, educators, and families. And that responsibility calls for thoughtfulness and courage. This month, June, is Pride
008Month, honoring the dignity and autonomy of our LGBTQ plus community. We also commemorate Junth remembering the long struggle for of enslaved people for freedom and justice and the work that still lies ahead. And we celebrate Women's Veterans Recognition Month, lifting up the strength and service of those who have gone unrecognized. May these observances remind us in the words of Sydney J. Harris, the purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows. Let us use this vision to guide us with wisdom today. And if we can please all stand for the pledge. 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, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you, vice chair, for that inspiring message of hope. Um, I have
009one acknowledgement this evening. Uh, Christine Adono Riviera from, uh, Midway School Advisory Council. Where are you, Chris? Welcome and thank you for being here this evening. Um, Superintendent, do you have any agenda modifications? I do. to the addendum for good cause is marked on our electronic agenda named addendum items and there are two items item 6H the property and casualty insurance renewals that was modified to correct the coverage amount with American international group and then also item 6W the Florida Safety Council agreement was modified to clarify the financial impact statement. Okay, thank you very much. Board members, roll call order for today is member Sanchez, vice chair Garrick, member Dinger, and then myself. Schoolboard members, are there any agenda modifications? Member Sanchez? No modifications. Thank you. Vice Chair, no modifications. Chair, member Dinger? None. Thank
010you. And I have none. Thank you. Is there a motion to approve the agenda outline? So move. Second. Thank you. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Okay. Motion passes. Superintendent, it looks like we have a lot of uh presentations and recognitions this evening. Yes. A lot to celebrate. And we'll get started with our Odyssey of the Mind World finals recognition for Hamilton Elementary. So, if you would join me out in front. Okay. Thank you board members. There you go. Good evening, Chair Krauss, board members, Superintendent Bean. As you already shared, I am thrilled to introduce you to the Hamilton Elementary Odyssey of the Mind team, wellbeloved and known as the Willoughy Wonka team. [Music] this team competed and moved on to the world finals
011hosted at Michigan University of Michigan May 21st through 24th. And there still no The students competed against over 30 teams from across the US and around the globe, including Mexico, South Korea, Poland, and China. They took third place in the world for their task classics cooking with books. The team members here tonight are Paige Lacatani, Isaiah Jimenez, Devin Sweeney, Olivia Strevor, Aranga Abara, Matthew Porter, and Crystal Castro Sosa. They are accompanied by their principal, Mr. Adrienne Fuller, proud principal. Two of their three coaches, assistant principal Jennifer McDonald and teacher Amber Price, and Marissa Molen. also is still traveling for summer. But congratulations for this first ever team from Hamilton Elementary. Next year, we hope to see you back with a first place World Championship. Thank you. [Music] [Applause] All right. Uh good evening board members
012and superintendent bean. Uh we are incredibly excited uh tonight to have this opportunity to recognize our state science fair winners and our students who qualified to attend the international science fair. Uh this year uh we continue to see our participation in our SCPS regional science fair increase. We had 231 students participate in this year's fair. So incredible turnout and we were super excited to have that many students participate. Uh before I turn it over, uh I would like to take this opportunity to thank Katherine Zitcher, our high school science fair district program. Yes. Give her a parent of applause. [Applause] Miss Sitcher is our high school science district program specialist and SCPS regional science fair director. Definitely want to thank her for her strong leadership and supporting our teachers and students. Obviously, you just heard
013it was greatly appreciated. Um, and I would also like to take this opportunity to recognize the incredible work and support provided by Christy Sites and April Ruiz. Uh, so I know they're in uh back here. So, they are our middle school and elementary district science uh program specialists as well. Uh, and certainly like to thank uh William Fioce who's a science teacher at Ovito High School. He also is a great help as well. So I am going to turn it over to Miss Ziter for the presentation. Thank you Mr. Alba. Thank you schoolboard for having us here tonight. Um Semino County Public Schools has once again been named number one in the state for STEM career preparation. [Applause] And tonight we're here um to honor and recognize students who've achieved excellence in showcasing this learning
014alongside their own creativity and ingenuity by completing exemplary original research and engineering design projects. So as Mr. Alba said, some of our highlights are that we had 231 students presenting 28 projects. That's our highest turnout in recent years. At this year's state uh fair, we had 81% of our students who won um who attended win an award. And we took home a total of 15,350 in cash prizes and scholarships just from state. And then at the International Science and Engineering Fair, twothirds of our students that we brought won an award and that totaled $4,100 in cash prizes. So, please join me now in recognizing the amazing accomplishments by these students as well as acknowledging their families, their science teachers and mentors, and the science fair program staff for all they do to help earn the
015title of STEM county stem county. [Applause] I'm going to start with our middle school awardees. So, first we have Guha Krishna. He won fourth place um from Jackson Heights Middle School. He won fourth place in behavioral and social sciences. He wasn't able to be here tonight. Uh we have Laura Vasquez from Jackson Heights Middle School. [Applause] She won third place in her category of earth and environmental sciences at the science and engineering fair. [Applause] We have Ivy Stain Thorart. Ivy won third place in her category of chemistry at our state fair from Rock Lake Middle School. Next from our middle school category is Nisha Gupta. Nishe from Sanford Middle School. He won third place in his category of intelligent machines, robotics, and system software at our Florida State Fair. [Applause] And last for our middle
016school awardees tonight is Enjinkia Pawar. He won second place in his category of intelligent machines, robotics and system software also from Sanford Middle School. And he also won first place at the Loheed Martin Science Challenge in his category. [Applause] Just To start off our high school awardees, we have Tyler Johnson from Lake Howell High School. He couldn't be here today, but he got fourth place in his uh category of engineering. Also unable to attend today, Arvid Vadia Nathan, who is Winter Springs High School valid Victorian, who also got fourth place in his category of physics and astronomy. Aiden Zoo from Winter Springs High School also got fourth place in his category of engineering. Also couldn't be here tonight. [Applause] Molly Bagshi unable to attend as well um from Semol High School but she got third
017place in her category of biomedical and health sciences. From Seminal High School, we have Sanjit Parish. Sorry. He won third place at the state science fair in intelligent machines, robotics, and system software. Ishani Shondaanda from Ovito High School got second place in her category of biomedical and health sciences. [Applause] Our [Applause] resident hype girl, Victoria Kupika from Ovito High School, won second place in animal science at the state engineering state science and engineering fair. She also was selected to be the Jason Colloquium speaker at the science um fair and that's only one of only seven. [Applause] Vicki also won third place at the Florida Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, which was a $1,000 scholarship. [Music] [Applause] Audrey Cho, also from Ovito High School, was one of our international science and engineering fair fair finalists. She
018couldn't be here today. [Applause] And we have Angela Calvo Chumbamuni from Ovido High School. She she won best in fair at the Loheed Martin Science Challenge, which was a $4,000 prize. She also won um third place in the world at the International Science and Engineering Fair in her category of biochemistry. [Applause] And last but certainly not least tonight we have Maitri Sanchez from Ovidito High School. [Applause] Muree won first place in the plant sciences category at the science fair. She also represented us at the international science and engineering fair and got second place in the world in her category. [Applause] [Music] [Applause] She also received a $2,500 grant to help support her future sensor work. Thank you. Every page [Applause] Good evening board members and Miss Bean. On behalf of Muster Mike Rice and the
019high school principles, I want to take this opportunity to recognize some of the state of Florida's top athletes who competed who competed in the Florida High School Athletic Association state tournament. Not only did they make it to the state tournament, but these student athletes also achieved either a state championship or were the state runnerup. We are extremely proud of these students who have earned this honor, one that very few individuals will ever experience. So, to get things started, we would like to recognize the 1A state runnerup for girls water polo. Please help me to congratulate the Semino High School's girls water polo team. With the conclusion of the state finals, the seminals posted an overall record of 28 and two. In route to the finals, Simino High School earned the 1A district 1 and 1A
020region 1 titles with victories over Lake Brantley and Winter Park respectively to go along with their first place finish at the seminal athletic conference. The girls also ended with a third place national ranking. Also here tonight is the head coach of Simino High School, Ryan Aerson and assistant coaches Tony Aerson, Griffin Cien Samino, Julian Bame, Luke Jongsma and athletic director Woody Cox and assistant principal Roy Dosta. Amen. Okay. [Applause] Next, we would like to recognize the 2-way state runner up for the girls lacrosse. Please help me to welcome the Lake Mary High School girls lacrosse team. The Lake Mary High School girls lacrosse team qualified for the state tournament for the first time in school history this season. Playing one of the toughest schedules in the state, the team finished with a 194 overall record
021and were crowned district, conference, and regional champions along the way. Here tonight is the principal of Lake Mary High School, Dr. Mik Reynolds, as well as head coach Rick Wyers, assistant coaches Pat Barrett, John Diaudis, Richard Bayz, and Ron Hill. [Applause] They also had the highest GPA in the state. Oh, they also had the highest GPA in the state. [Applause] All right. Our next championship team, our next championship team won this year's 5A softball state championship. Please help me congratulate the Winter Springs High School softball team. After winning five consecutive home playoff games in Route 2 district and regional titles, the Winter Spring softball team advanced to the state final four played right down the road at Bumba Soldiers Creek Park. After defeating North Fort Myers 5 to one, five to four in the semifinals,
022the Lady Bears avenged a playoff loss from last season against Niceville, defeating the Eagles 4 to3 in the championship game, winning their second state championship since 2019. Also here tonight is the head softball coach, Farah Gordon, and her staff, and the principal of Winter Springs, Mr. Pete Gaffne. [Applause] For our next recognition, let's welcome the state runner up for boys weightlifting from Winter Springs High School, Luke Deal. After capturing the conference, district, and regional championships, Winter Springs senior Luke Deal finished as a 2025 FHSAA weightlifting state runnerup in the 183 lb Olympic division. Luke also broke the state record with a 270 lb snatch, capping off an amazing career with the Bears. Here tonight is Coach Bill Riker of Winter Springs High School and Mr. Gaffne, principal of Winter Springs High School. [Applause] Next, we
023would like to recognize the 7A softball state runnerup. Please help me congratulate and welcome the Huskys from the Hagerty High School softball team. With the conclusion of the state finals, the Huskys posted an overall record of 24 and seven. In route to the finals, Hagerty earned the 7A District 4 and 7A region one titles with victories over Timber Creek and Lake Brantley, respectively to go along with their second place finish in the seminal athletic conference. The team will be sending six seniors on the next level to play at Weber International, Converse University, Santa Fe State College, St. Pet St. Petersburg College, the University of South Florida, and the University of Alabama. Here tonight is the principal of Hegy High School, Robert Frasa, athletic director Jay Getty, head coach Tom Keling, and assistant coaches Wendy AC
024Seaman, Mick Verie, Amaya Murray, and Alyssa Oaks. [Applause] Next, I would like to recognize the state runnerup for pole vault. Please help me to congratulate Nora Gerity. [Applause] Nora had one of the most remarkable all-around seasons in Semino County, excelling both athletically and academically with a 4.2 29 GPA. She was the only athlete to score in four events at the sack, district, and regional championship meets. At the sack meet, she won three events and was runner up in a fourth runner up in a fourth, earning the high point GPA with 38 points. She repeated as a high point winner at both districts, 36 points and regionals, 20 points. At the state meet, Norah placed third, earning a bronze medal in the pole vault and 11th in the 400 meter hurdles, finishing as seminal county's top
025state performer. Also here tonight is the principal the principal of Lyman High School, Michael Hunter, and head track coach Fred Frink. [Applause] Next, I would like to recognize 3A boys weightlifting state runnerup Jagari Gardner of Hagerty High School. Jagari Gardner captur captured titles in all three championship meets during the season prior to the FHSAA finals at the sack championship, the 3A district 5 championship and the 3A region 2 championship. At the FHSAA finals, he posted lifts of 185 pounds in the snatch, 245 in the clean and jerk, and 190 in the bench for overall totals of 430 in the Olympic division and 435 in the traditional divisions in the 119 pound weight class. The totals earned two state runner-up medals for his performances. Here tonight is the principal of Haggri High School, Robert Frasa, athletic
026director Jay Getty, and head co coach Mark Bened Benedict and Steve Michaels. [Applause] And our final neck recognition is the 2A state champion for boys volleyball. Please help me congratulate the Lake Howell boys volleyball team. The Silverhawks finished third at states last year that left an impression as this year they had one goal and they achieved it as state champions with an overall record of 29 and two. It was a momentous year as coach Leman in his 20th year as head coach. A year in which he also celebrated his 250th win. Senior Tyler went, who was also a three-time Semino County volleyball athlete of the year, rad in over a thousand career kills. The men were also three-time conference, district, and regional champions. This is their first title in school history. So, here tonight is
027athletic director and coach Dr. Scott Leman. [Applause] Good evening, board members and superintendent. I just got to say that is a really tough act to follow. I don't have any medals. I don't have any state championships. I don't even have the highest GPA. But I have some Energy Star awarded schools and we can tell you that the district we saved a lot of money for the district. So we can give it to our kids. Um, I'm Mark Mullins's, assistant superintendent of operations, and I'm very proud to share with you this evening that we have continued our efforts to improve in energy consumption to uh reduce our kilowatt usage across our schools through our Energy Star certification program. I'd like to introduce Miss Annabelle. That's kind of a cool name. That's her real name, Annabelle. um
028who is our consultant through train and she has a very cool job title. She is an intelligent services account engineer with train and she is our oz behind the curtain who monitors and manages all of our uh equipment across the district and helps us achieve these things. uh in her role she leverages her expertise to provide consultive services to help us optimize our facilities, reduce energy consumption and improve operational efficiency. She is the expert of Energy Star and uh all things energy consumption. So, um Anna, come and give us a some highlights and then we'll announce our schools that received the award. Thank you, Dr. Collins. Um, so I've gotten to work with the district for about five years and since we started, um, we went from zero schools and now we're up to 17,
029which is very exciting. Um, so we got nine last year, which a lot of this came from the efforts of the facilities and maintenance and the energy team. Um, so while we try and make things more efficient and sustainable, we also want to make sure that it's a very healthy space for our kids and teachers. So, we've gotten to balance that with the controls and everything that we've implemented. Um, of these 17 schools, we've saved over $1.9 million going towards Duke and FPNL. Um, so obviously I'm very excited about it, but it's so much more exciting to give that money to our kids and the infrastructure in our schools than to our utility companies. Um so Energy Star right it is um a free program through the EPA but it tells us when we certify
030that we are as a school 75% more efficient than other schools throughout the whole country but we're doing that in a way that's still very healthy. So we're maintaining proper ventilation and humidity and temperatures right so our kids don't get sleepy and everything like that. Um so we're very excited as part of train to be able to kind of help get there. Um, and we have some plaques that we'll get to then go give to the schools and the principles and hopefully get the kids excited about their school being certified. So, um, thank you for allowing us to partner with you all and we'll hand out some plaques. [Applause] So, we are excited to uh announce and share if we can have our assistant superintendents for elementary and middle school come up and join us
031and receive plaques on behalf of their schools. So this year joining uh the original nine is Heathrow Elementary School, Jackson Heights Middle School, Longwood Elementary, Rainbow Elementary School, Sable Point Elementary, Wakiva Springs Elementary School, Wilson Elementary, and Winter Springs Elementary School. And if I could have my facility services uh leadership team come on up here. John, Corey, come on and join. Without their leadership and uh prioritizing this effort, it wouldn't happen either. Don't drop those on your toe. [Applause] Yeah, you I'm going to stop clicking. 100% my favorite way to celebrate all the presentations and recognitions. Um we are now up to agenda item three, school district highlights and our focus on student achievement. Superintendent. Yes, chair and board members. We are um going to have our focused on student achievement. Um basically a presentation
032by our assistant superintendent on our summer programs that have already started as you all know just give you all an update and so we will start with Dr. Guch. Good evening again, Chair Krauss, board members, Superintendent Bean. Thanks for letting me kick off our sharing with you of the many programs that we have for our students to be enriched, accelerated, and receive important remediation to help them be successful into next school year. In our elementary schools, all 37 of our elementary schools have the opportunity to send students to summer learning camp, belovedly known as SLC. This is the camp for third grade students who score a level one on their Florida assessment and need that additional opportunity in order to potentially go on to fourth grade. We did that at 16 hub sites this year,
033but all schools participated and the focus is on intensive reading instruction and enrichment, but we also add in instruction and support for mathematics because most of those students also need that support. In addition, a new program that we worked with our title one department to offer at all title one schools. Although Wikllo was housed at Crystal Lake due to their front entry remodel, but it was their program was a rising threes camp for current second graders rising into third grade to try to give them some additional boost as they head into third grade in hopes that that might help them be that much more successful and maybe avoid being someone attending following summer. our level one third grade camp. That was also a focus on foundational reading skills, intensive reading instruction, as well as mathematics
034to support those skills. In addition, at all our elementary schools as well as our high schools, we had two specialized programs. One is the extended school year or ESY that supports all students K to 12 who have disabilities and based on their individual needs and data are made eligible through student study that again was at a variety of hub sites was offered at both elementary hubs and secondary hubs at Lyman and Winter Springs High and then our special center of endeavor. And for our high school students, there was a new initiative focusing on embedding the work transition to IEP goals that they have so that they could begin those community-based field trips. And you'll get more information on some of those wonderful extensions from Miss Lwood shortly. In addition, for our ELLL newcomers, those are
035students who arrive to this country anytime after January 1st this year. So, they are brand new to us. they have an opportunity to be they were at Crystal Lake Elementary School like Brantley and McMary High to get some boots on the ground ready skills to help them as they come into the next school year. And we had 40 students in each of those programs. So serving over about 80 students from M Miss Cardona's department. Well, actually I'm the second speaker, but really I'm first because they start with BPK. So I'm going to share some update with updates with you about BPK. Um so um our summer VK BPK program kicked off um July of June 2nd. We'll go through July 22nd. Um that is the required 300 hour program for summer. Um we serve breakfast
036and lunch to all of those students. Currently we our hub sites are Crystal Lake, Early Learning Center, Forest City, and Sterling Park. We currently have 40 students enrolled in our BPK program and that is for any eligible student who has not previously attended BPK prior to kindergarten. Also this year, new um per state requirements, we do have a new summer bridge VPK program that is for those students who did attend a VPK program and scored at or below the 10th percentile um on their PM3. Summer sites um are Crystal Lake and Forest City. We currently have nine students total enrolled. Um there are seven Simino County public school students and two private school students. And of course, the district is responsible for hosting the program for any student who attended BPK in Simino County. So,
037we only have nine students this term. And again, only those students who scored below the 10th percentile um on PM3. And in Simino County, we only had six of those kids total out of all of our BPK students. So, I'm very excited about that and we'll look forward to seeing how the kids do in our program. Thanks, All right. Prior to uh talking about high school summer learning, I'll give an update for our middle school. Uh all Simino County middle schools have elected to uh utilize our funding to provide an above staffing allocation for an academic intervention program facilitator who provides mentoring interventions and instructional support for students below a 2.0 graport average throughout this school year. The goal is to foster great indivi great greater individual student accountability, implement systematic monitoring, and provide acade
038academic interventions to keep students on track for grade level promotion. I'd like to also share that we have two middle schools, Milwei and Greenwood Lakes, who have offered small two-week programs this summer. At our high schools this summer, we have just over,00 students participating in our high school summer school program. This program is offered at all high school sites. Our summer school program provides a remediation opportunity for students who have fallen behind with their required credits. We utilize the Edmonson platform to assist students in making up a class that they have previously failed. By providing opportunities for credit recovery, students can move past whatever challenges they experience in order to meet the ultimate goal of graduation. For the summer expedition program, we have just over 300 students participating. This program is offered at all high
039school sites. The purpose of the summer expedition transition program is to provide eighth grade students with a summer program to help them find their why as they enter high school. Students selected for this program met the following criteria. Students with a middle school GPA below 2.0, students who have earned a level one and or level two on state assessments or a middle school principal recommendation. As a part of this exploratory program, students engage in a number of activities that will help them to connect with the staff at their new high school, all while learning about the enrollment, employment, and enlistment opportunities available on their path to graduation and beyond. Early academic challenges transforms into opportunities for achievement with summer expedition. Well, as you heard, we have some traditional programs happening for our students with disabilities,
040um, K through 12. But if you're following us on social media, I know that you all have all seen that our ESSE career camps are underway for over 400 of our students with disabilities. Um, these career camps are a great collaboration between our e- pathways department and student support services under the leadership of Felicia and I do. So, um, these are week-long camps that allow students um, to explore career and technical education. um electives at our high schools who have opened their doors to these students. So it includes culinary, barbering, photography, construction, welding, and automotive classes. So under the direction of the CTE teacher and an ESSE teacher. So each of these weeklong programs um ends in a field trip out into a real world career-based program to see what those careers look like um
041out in the real world. So, um, the business partners that have also partnered with us have been fantastic to open their doors. So, we've been to places like the Daytona 500 to see automotive in action. Uh, we've been to the Palm Mitchell School to see barbering um in action. We've been to several different restaurants and catering companies. So, it's been great with many more field trips to come. These camps run from June 2nd to July 18th. Um, and the students and families are super excited about it. In addition um to their career camps, we are also doing work-based learning experience. So um these also run the same dates, June 2nd through the July 18th, and they're serving over 300 students with disabilities. These are 20hour work um sessions allowing students to get real work experience
042out in the community with different business partners. Um students are placed with an employment specialist out in the field. So to let them practice these real world um soft skills and also um experience some meaningful job tasks. So um many of our business partners are listed here and there's many others that are signing up with us for the July sessions as well. So and they're listed here. We can't thank enough because this runs the full length of the summer and that means that our teachers are giving up their summer vacation to make sure that students are engaged and thriving in these activities and our business partners are opening their doors. So, a lot of great work is happening during the summer months. So, thank you. For the fourth year in a row, we are proud
043to be the host site for the National Association of Women in Construction Camp. um that happened June 2nd to the 6th. We had about 40 young women that participated in um that project. They built those micro libraries that you often see in neighborhoods um where it's kind of a give a book, take a book. Um but they don't just do the general construction, they also participate in things like project management. Um they understand contract law. And if Melissa Singleton wasn't in the room, I would tell you that they get to learn how to operate a scissor lift and all those sorts of things. But she's here, so that didn't happen. Uh and so they those those students get a really great experience um operating or work learning and working um with other women who work
044in the construction field. Okay, so Kids Zone is also in full swing. Uh they have 300 campers registered over the four sites, Crystal Lake, Sterling Park, Forest City, and Stenstöm. And they are attending. They started June 2nd and will run through July 25th. The summer theme is explore. So a few of the uh weekly themes are exploring animals, exploring kid cuisine, exploring our world of transportation, exploring the arts. And the students will also attend a weekly field trip. So some of those that are scheduled uh is the Wizard of Oz at the Ritz Theater. There is an etiquette activity sponsored by Texas Roadhouse. Um, S County Sheriff's Department is bringing all their transportation vehicles out for students to explore. They'll also be traveling to the Orlando Auto Museum and the Bvard Zoo. So, just a
045shout out to the kids own staff for putting together such a very expansive and detailed summer program. Thank you all for presenting to us. Board members, do do you have any comments or questions for any of the speakers? I'm just blown away with all the wonderful activities and uh just thank you so much for planning all the great activities for our children and learning experiences. I guess I'll just say I have a granddaughter that's going to kids zone at Forest City and she loves it and it's not even her home school, but she's very happy there and can't wait to go to the Ritz. Just FYI. And I'll just echo the sentiments. Thank you. It's been so exciting watching social media and hearing from um kids on the street and families about all of the
046wonderful opportunities. So, thank you for making it happen. I know there's a lot of behind the scenes work um but it looks magical. Thank you. I and I especially love the bridge program from middle school to high school. I think that's going to be so important helping those kids um adjust and just be familiar and feel a part of. So, thank you all very much. Okay, we are now up to agenda item four, public comments. Vice chair, can you read the statement, please? The purpose of the public participation segments of the board meeting is to allow the public to address matters within the board's jurisdiction and not to resolve individual grievances or disputes. Public comments related to education, the board agenda, and the district are welcome and encouraged, but public comment segments are not forums
047to engage in personal attacks against school system employees or board members. To maintain orderly conduct, the public comment segments of the meetings may not be used as open forums to discuss matters unrelated to education, to support or oppose candidates for public office, including presentation of political and/or campaign issues, announcing candidacy and/or campaigning, or to engage in commercial commercial speech, attempting to sell a product or service to the board or the public. Nor are they forums to address matters involving disciplinary actions of any kind pending claims, complaints, or litigation against the district or district personnel. Public comment segments durations are as follows. Agenda items limited to three minutes. One group representative speaking on a proposition maximum of six minutes. Speaker must remain on topic for agenda item/proposition. Non-aggenda items limited to two minutes. Speakers shall direct
048their comments only to the board and may not address the audience or other speakers. No speaker may yield his or her time to any other person. Generally, substitutions of speakers will not be allowed. Thank you so much. Um, we have three speakers this evening. First up is Miss Nina Sandberg, followed by Raquel Molino, followed by Jessica Tilman. Good evening. I'm Nina Samberg. I see that you intend to approve the continued purchase of a garbage program called I Ready. I Ready did tremendous damage to my child's English education. I Ready is a form of educational malpractice. I Ready is one of the reasons why Johnny can't read. Johnny can't spell and Johnny does not even know what a pronoun is while the pronoun police are on the attack. I was used as a babysitter in lie
049of real teaching in lie of reading literature in lie of reading actual textbooks. I was used in lie of teaching the actual mechanics of the English language. I was used in lie of adequate instruction in both science and social studies. time that should have been used to teach science and social studies was taken up with I Ready instead. And then my child was tortured with I Ready as homework at night and on the weekends and all the time during the lockdowns too as almost all the work I Ready I Ready I Ready. At the end of all the I Ready torture, my child did poorly on the FSA tests and was put in a remedial reading class after years of being tortured with I Ready. So then I Ready was used to torture the kids
050in the remedial reading classes further. The solution to Irey's failure was more I Ready in lie of actual real teaching. My other child spent a year and a half in a private school and all of a sudden he had textbooks for all of his subjects and he had a grammar workbook and a vocabulary workbook. All of a sudden he was being required to read actual literature and actual textbooks. All of a sudden he was being required to learn the actual mechanics of the English language while you were wasting everybody's time with I Ready. I Ready is F-quality education and as long as you are buying garbage programs like I Ready, it is a substitute for real teaching. You are not an A-rated school district. That is false advertising. Get rid of Plato, too. This isn't
051teaching anything meaningful either. You have to stop using computers as babysitters and go back to classical education. Thank you. Miss Raquel Molino, please. Good evening. Good evening. My name is Raquel Molina. Florida schools are obligated to enforce rules of conduct to ensure safe and productive learning for all students. Right. Well, unfortunately, SCPS continues to not enforce their own rules. Recently, I was informed that there were two students in my grandchild's fifth grade classroom identifying, acting like furries, like cats, and making statements that they are gay students, etc. This is insane. In elementary school, unacceptable. I say let kids be kids, but SCPS needs to monitor this type of behavior and make sure it does not become inappropriate or distracting other students while in school environment, much less in elementary school. We need to get back
052to old-fashioned morals and values if we want to save society and bring back common sense. teachers and students already have enough distractions and misbehaviors to deal with without this nonsense. So I respectfully ask you all to do something please. In conclusion, I told my grandchild that students are in school to learn and not to be distracted by this nonsense and show respect but expect re respect in return always to you all. What happened to rules of conduct in SCPS? What is the point of having student code of conduct, ethics, retaliation policy if none are being enforced? None. Period. If you all follow SCPs mission statement to ensure that all students acquire the knowledge, skills, attitudes to be productive citizens like these cases. Let's chat and end this nonsense in SCPS, please. I am more than
053willing to meet with all of you guys and superintendent to discuss this issue that's occurring in elementary school. In elementary school, this isn't anything a teacher do alone. The admin needs to step in and make clear and consistent rules for all students regarding costume wearing and roleplaying behaviors at school. And the role of a teacher would be to enforce the rules expectations. But as I already know, SCPS doesn't practice what they preach. Unfortunately, man, I learned I learned that the hard way. Students and teachers are in students and teachers and ensure we I apologize. Student discipline policy should support students and teachers and ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect. It's not happening in SCPS, unfortunately. It's a shame that a portion of the younger generation have lost their sense of belongings and
054trying to find it in this ridiculous manner. Do better SCPS. Stop lying to us, please. We've had more than enough. We're finally Thank you. Your time has expired. Thank you. Thank you so much. Jessica Tilman. Good evening. Good evening. My name is Jessica Tilman. So, I want to thank the district first of all for um putting out a new strategic plan pathway. I think this is a great start. Um we do need to condense, look at, and sift through what we're actually looking for our district. I I'm I'm I'm encouraged by this, and I think that this is a great start. So, thank you for that. Um I think that we should focus on student achievement. um not discipline logs. So we should look at reading levels, we should look at um student behavior, we
055should look at decreasing student behavior, not decreasing referrals. When you look at decreasing referrals, you get a skewed number of what's actually happening in the schools because people they're just not writing students up. Kids are not being disciplined. It's not happening. So when you are looking at your strategic plan, please look at the numbers of where your kids are learning, where they're falling short, not where they're being written up because that really does discourage disciplining the students. The teachers have no say in their own classrooms. Um, so I also want to talk about the the health contracts with the health department. Um, I think that minimizing them and not putting them on the school campuses and directing families to go to the health department. Those services are are available, but you should direct them to
056the health department, not bring them on campus. The phone policies, I was really excited to see that this afternoon in the workshop. um removing them from elementary schools and middle schools and limiting them in high schools. But you're being contradictory when you approve the Ming MA app on this agenda tonight that the kids will have their cell phones out. The kids there's QR codes all over the school encouraging them to pull their cell phones out and have them out. Like we should really discourage them from having them out. Period. Belltobell. It really does work. It works in other districts and it would work here too. The furry in elementary school is a really bad discipline distraction. You can't have children in a mindset that they are outside of a human. That's that doesn't work. It's
057not going to work and it's just going to be a distraction. the dress codes. You have to follow the dress code. It's great that you have the dress code on the agenda tonight. You have the discipline code on the agenda tonight and you just they're not followed. It's great that you have these policies in place, but they're not followed. Lake Hal is the closest school you have to follow a dress code, and the rest of them do not. These kids go to school in booty shorts and sweaters and you can't even tell if they're wearing shorts. They go in midrift shirts. It's Please take a look at what's actually happening in these schools versus what your policies say because I agree with your policies. You just have to get back to following them and get
058these schools back on track. So, Funspot recently enacted you can't go to Funspot anymore unless you're 21 or older. So, these kids are not learning discipline at home. A lot of them are not having discipline at home. I understand that. But they're not having discipline at school either. They're not being disciplined at school. They're not pul being pulled out of class when they need to be. So you're now creating a community issue where kids can't even go into funspot under the age of 21. Please be humble when you think of your strategic plan and think of ways that we can better our community, better our children, and ed focus on education. That's what you're here to do. Thank you. Thank you. That concludes public comment on um board related items. It's now time for board
059discussion. Your general comments, not committees. Um, member Sanchez, sorry. So, general comments. Um, my seminal cultural arts council, we met uh last week. Uh we will start um going out to or sending out messages to the schools as well as to the um teachers requesting if any student is interested in commissioning their artwork out to the city commissioner offices. Um the city commissioners would like work to be displayed in their offices and around the building. Um which I thought was a great idea. Um, and so that's going to be displayed there and the clerk of court wants to do it and so does the tax collector's office. So, we're going to have our artwork displayed in those areas. Um, I just wanted to say thank you to um all of our amazing cabinet and faculty.
060this um the workshop this morning or the numerous workshops that we had the productive ones were just phenomenal updating um our policies, strategic planning, insurance um all the different things that we did with it are so meaningful and um a lot goes into it. So we truly appreciate everything you did are doing and thinking out of the box. Thank you. Thank you very much, Vice Chair. It was a very exciting last month uh filled with graduations. I was so excited to be able to uh shake the hands or fist bump or knock elbows with nearly 2,000 graduates. Um both at our traditional schools as well as we had graduations with Project Search with um Endeavor students uh with virtual school. Um we heard stories that made us laugh. The students they shared reflections um about
061their their future goals and their triumphs. And um some of the most meaningful moments of these graduations were watching and hearing from students who had gone through extreme hardships and yet somehow they found the strength to graduate with their high school diploma and cross the stage. So it was truly heartwarming and um it is the culmination of all of our work. So, thank you very much to our staff and to our educators in this room that make that happen and support our kids um every step of the way. Thank you. Member Dallinger. Yes. I'd just like to reinforce what Miss Garrick said about the graduations. And I won't go into a lot of detail, but I do want to say that they are really joyous occasions. And despite whatever environment it was, parents are so
062happy, the kids are beaming, all the guests are happy, the faculty and staff work so hard to make a meaningful celebration. And um I know when I was a high school teacher, I found it to be one of the best days of the year. A lot of work, but but so gratifying to see kids be able to walk across that stage and know they had accomplished something really wonderful. So I just want to, you know, share that and and if you've ever been had the opportunity to attend one, I'm sure you felt that, too. Um I would also like to congratulate Markhamm Woods Middle School. their uh biomegatronics had their capstone project and we got to see the kids um research a real world problem. It they're just darling. I mean watching them work through
063the process and come up with some conclusions and they're going to be going to a competition and they may actually they're going to present their idea to patent attorneys which I think is so amazing. We're talking about eighth grade students. That was fantastic. Um, also if you are interested in the performing arts, the Who's Tommy will be presented by Semino County Performing Arts at Lake Mary High School, June 20, 21, 27, 28 at 7 p.m. and June 22nd, and 29 at 2 p.m. You can go online and buy tickets. I think if you go to Lake Mary High School website, you'll find the uh place to order tickets. And finally, I'm just going to take a little bit of a personal privilege. um board members sign letters for people that are retiring from Semino County
064Public Schools and um there's a lot of them, but um we all of course know some people individually and personally and that's really special to be able to write a special note on their letter and and it's really wonderful that fe people have worked with us sometimes for 40 or more years. That's just incredible. We have amazing people. I do want to mention three specific people and the reason I'm mentioning them is because they are folks that I worked with for like 20some years and they are special people. And so I'd like to he's not here but I'd like to just do a little shout out to Jim Kubis who is the principal at Milwe Middle School. He is retiring. um he and I worked together um back in 2004 and he he's an amazing
065leader. And then also I'd like to mention Kelly Thompson. She's retiring um from our is department, our assessment accountability department, but I worked with her many years ago when she was an assistant principal at Hagerty High School. And she really was an amazing partner when we were working on a math project. And so it was wonderful to be able to work with her for years. She's a special special person. And then finally, I'd like to do a little bit of a shout out to Dr. Cummings who is retiring. There she is over there. Um, yay. Um, she and I were partners for years supervising elementary school, but I also got to know her when she was a principal at Caroline Elementary and I was at L Child and we partnered up on some things and
066encouraged each other when we were working on our dissertations. So, um, it was a real pleasure and privilege to work with her. she initiated me into elementary school and um I learned a lot from her and so I'm just really proud that I had that opportunity and and want to congratulate her especially. So that's it for my comments. Thank you. Thank you so much. Um we didn't coordinate notes because I too wanted to acknowledge uh Dr. Cummings, Mr. Greg Long, and Kelly Thompson. Thank them for their service to our district. you left it better than when you got here and I thank all of you and wish on behalf of the board our happiest well wishes. I also wanted to thank Mr. Pavlochuk and Dr. Mullins and Brandy for your expert work on the bond
067um and and getting us ahead of a much needed uh budget check and and looking forward to the work coming forward. So, thank you. Thank you all for that. Um, and that concludes my initial public comment. Um, it's we're now up to item six, the consent agenda. Superintendent, do you have a recommendation? Yes. That the consent agenda be approved as presented. So moved. Second. Thank you. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, I'll call the vote. All in favor signify by saying I. I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes. Recommendations. Give me one second to catch up here. Superintendent, do you have a recommendation regarding student discipline? Yes, I do. So that the school board of Simino County approve the student disciplinary recommendations from May 5th, 2025, May 19th, 2025, May 27th, 2025, and June 2nd, 2025.
068Is there a motion to approve? So moved. Is there a second? Second. Thank you. Any discussion? All in favor, please signify by saying I. I. Any opposed? Motion passes with no unfinished, no new business. Superintendent, do you have a report? My report is included in the book and it is read only and um I too would like to wish Dr. Cummings well. I'm I'm still in a bit of denial um about her retirement, but we know that she has done great work for many many decades and her legacy will continue to be felt for many many years and for many generations of students. So, um, welldeserved retirement, Dr. Cummings. We will miss you. Also would like to to say thank you to the board members. I know that it's been a a very busy last
069couple of days. You all were in Tampa engaging in in lots of professional development um with other board members around the state and then came back to a very busy uh session um for today. And so appreciate um the work and the advocacy. Thank you. Thank you so much. Okay, we're now up to um board comments, committee updates, member Sanchez. Um so my first one would be on the zoo. Uh they went to the Jacksonville Zoo at for a retreat the other day on Friday, but we were FSBA conference. Um, I did get some sad news that we didn't get any of the legislative funding requests of the $1 million match because that's under cultural arts. So, we didn't get the funding for that. So, we're going to have to figure out where we're going
070to get extra funding. Um, and it is our 50th anniversary coming up for the zoo. Um, so we will figure it out just like we figure out everything else. um my legislative advocacy committee uh with FSBA and and being back and forth in Tallahassee and on our calls. Um you know the there's some disappointment and there are some things that we are happy about or we settled for should I say. Um but if you want to know what's going on or you know in a nutshell you can just go on to the um Florida senate.gov site Florida house dot gov site and you can open up anything. You hit committee, you can and you can watch the videos. You can see anything you want to. Everything is archived and I suggest that you do. Everything
071is broken down into different categories. This way you can see what's going on because everything that we do, majority of it is by law, state statutes and so on and so forth. So, um please take a look at all that and check all that out. Um, and then the only thing I forgot to mention was the parks board, which is the recreational parks. Um, it's a nonprofit organization that I sit on and supporting our local parks and trails natural lands recreational facilities. Um we are having an event tomorrow night at Waka Island, a fundraiser to raise um for some more um equipment and um ESE equipment as well as equipment for um our parks. Thank you. Thank you, vice chair. I uh along with the superintendent attended um the foundation committee uh meeting which um
072clerk uh Joe Morramis will send out the meeting minutes uh we had request. Oh, you did? Excellent. She's excellent. Well, we'll make sure that that um happens uh following each meeting from from here on out. some uh just some reminders is that though it is summer, there are still needs for students who are not in school and there are ways to support students in need through um our foundation as well as through of course our community involvement. So if you um if you have uh an altruistic heart and you belong to a company that does as well, we would love to be able to uh to be able to put your good efforts to uh to use. So um also I would like to share I went to the Sanford Chamber of Commerce speaking of
073um community involvement uh with we by serendipity um Karen Hendricks and I met and so it was exciting to hear about the uh some of the large um businesses that are coming to Sanford and some of the potential uh partnerships. uh Brady Lassard who is the uh seminal or Sanford um city uh economic development um director. He was uh happy to share that the number one driving force to our community is our A-rated academically high for high achieving number one according to niche public schools. And so, um, he's happy to continue to discuss, um, how to, uh, be partners and how to make, uh, to develop better partnerships with some of our businesses, um, some that are already here and into the future. So, that was great. Um, I also was able to attend the
074Sanford Commission meeting. They did a couple of and represent the board. There were, uh, as I mentioned at the beginning of the um, of the evening. There are loads of things to celebrate this month and the Sanford Commission PA had several proclamations. So, I was happy to be there and hear that. Um, I was at the Belma Williams Center with Commissioner um Wiggins as well as the Midway um community meeting. At both of those, I had the opportunity to speak and ask for our stakeholders to please advocate for full funding for our advanced classes and career technical education. Um I was very pleased that there was some movement and advocacy did work. However, um I was disappointed to to learn this evening that um it will still leave a there's still going to be a
075gap for our middle middle school students with um without funding for our uh digital tools. So, there's going to be a shortfall and I look forward to um hearing from the superintendent as well as our very capable assistant superintendent how they will address that because I know that um our students are are always first and I know that they will find a creative way to make sure that they have continue to have um outstanding opportunities. And that concludes my um committee reports. Thank you all. Thank you, Member Dallinger. So, the three committees that I serve on have had their concluding meetings for the year. Um, business advisory board, uh, the audit committee, and the Central Florida Public School Board Coalition. That meeting took place when we were in Tampa, so we were all able to
076attend that meeting and mostly focused on legislative issues and concerns. Um, I would like to do a shout out to um, Mr. Pavchek for his expertise on the audit committee. You need to know a number. That man has a number. And um thank you very much, Mr. Pichchek. And then also uh Dr. Mullins. Uh our BAB meetings are a lot of fun and it's made up of so many community members and some of them have been on that committee for like 20 years. I mean they're amazing people who give up their time and really focus on our district and helping us look at at issues and concerns and make things better and bring their expertise from their various you know career areas and um it's really a wonderful group and very inspiring that they are
077so involved in our community and um Dr. Mullins and his team really helped us. And at our last meeting, we had Tom Condo tutoring us on how to get into teams because some of the people had some struggles with that. We had to set up the technology, but he was so patient with everyone. At any rate, um I just like to thank everyone for their support um for me as I got used to being on these committees, but also in the work they do for the school district and the students. That's it. Thank you so much. I was asked to share um parents take note um we are in our last cycle for controlled open enrollment before the start of the new school year. So now is the time to find your fit. Please check
078um the seminal county website. It should be on one of the banners um and you can enroll your student in school of choice. We are a a choice district well ahead of uh many other districts and and uh other states for sure. So again controlled open enrollment this is the last opportunity before the start of the new year. Um check it out and maybe your student is interested in a program you didn't even know we c we offer. So spend some time there. Um both of my uh meetings coming up. The science center is on Monday. The value adjustment board meeting at the county um seminal county is June 26 and the Steinway Society meets today. They meet on every board meeting it seems like. So I know they're planning their Diva concert at the
079Orlando Museum of Art and I will share updates as I get them. Um I I too wanted to just take a moment of privilege and thank our community members Sean Molsberger Sean um just a minute he's on the business advisory I wanted to say esinger and that was the chair that wasn't right Sean Esler and a student helped us um along with the superintendent contact our um our representatives district representatives in the legislature to share stories about the impacts that um API and K programs had offer had provided for them and um just a a moment of personal privilege to thank them and that can tr um I beg your pardon chair I had forgotten to mention uh I had mentioned that there was great need this summer but I wanted to tell you um
080that on June 27th for anyone listening and for those that you might need you might know that are in need of food picnic project uh partners regularly in Sanford, sometimes at Hamilton Elementary. On June 27th, they're going to be at Coastline Park, which is 900 West 9th Street. And while there are um many food pantries throughout the community, uh what makes this partnership special is they have fresh fruits, they have um pro they obviously that's produce, and they have meats, and they have a full well balanced um food sources. So, if anyone is in need of food, please uh please be sure to visit Coastline Park June 27th at 3 PM. And that's a partnership between Picnic Project and Commissioner Wiggins of Sanford. And everyone's invited throughout um Seminal County, but it is first come,
081first serve. Thank you much. Okay, we're up to item uh what item is that? 13. And public comments non-aggenda. And I only have one, Nina Samberg. I'm Nina Samberg and I'm an accidental advocate for students with disabilities. SCPS is currently wasting taxpayer monies to advertise that it is an A-rated school district. If you are a highly advanced Doogie Houser prodigy, then you may think that these advertisements are actually true. However, if you are a student with disabilities or a parent of a student with disabilities, you may have experienced the complete opposite of A-rated education at your school. Unfortunately, SCPS has a long and ugly history of treating students with disabilities and their parents like garbage. The culture inside of SCPS allows for employees to very deliberately and intentionally deny IEP accommodations, proper exceptional education services,
082proper child care while the child is at school, medical accommodations, a free appropriate public school education, academic participation, and even basic civil rights. In addition, SCPS freely allows for these very vulnerable students to be bullied by SCPS employees in addition to being bullied by other students. If the parent is forced to file a legitimate complaint about one of the above things, the method of handling that complaint is often illegal retaliation against the child and/or parent instead of just fixing the problem. There is illegal retaliation that is used against employees also to keep them quiet and compliant. The entire culture of this system with regards to how it handles the handicapped community is pretty problematic. What are you going to do to change this culture? This is corruption that is ingrained in the district that needs
083to be rooted out. And I'm here to represent the white family because that he can't be here. Thank you so much. Uh, board members, member Sanchez, you had something to add. I'm sorry. I wanted I left out insurance um committee and I wanted to say thank you to Don Bonds and Amy Smith and the insurance committee for thinking out of the box as well and coming up with some great solutions as well. Kudos to you and your team. Thank you. Thank you again. Parents, don't forget find your fit control to open enrollment. This is your last chance. Any other closing remarks? Seeing none, this meeting is adjourned.