On February 22, 2011, I attended an Orange County Florida School Board Meeting. In attendance were the following board members: Bill Sublette, Joie Cadle, Daryl Flyn, Rich Roach, Vicky Bell, Kate Gordon, Nancy Robinson and Christine Moore. Superintendent Ronald Blocker and his staff were also present.The first 15 minutes of the meeting were set aside to recognize 8th grade student Jason Freedom of Ocee Middle School. He was the recipient of the Celebrate Literacy PSA Award. The principal of Ocee Middle School, Sharon Gabriel was also recognized for being the recipient of the Innovative Principal of the Year Award. A new principal for Kings Crossing Elementary and A.P. for Sevilla Elementary were hired and introduced to the board members. Their names were Principal Sherry Donaldson and A.P. Sheila Holly.
The agenda items for the rest of the meeting were a vote on renewal certificates on specific buildings. The vote was postponed. Next the board discussed the procedures to be used in the search for a new Superintendent, pending Mr. Blocker's retirement in 06/2012. The board agreed to continue discussing the process in future meetings, but nothing was really decided. A PowerPoint presentation was given on computerized GPA reporting and it's pros and cons. The board asked for further research on the subject before they could make a definitive decision on what would be the county's policy in the future. Charter School Legislation was discussed briefly. The Board Chair Mr. Sublette asked that the topic be discussed on a later date, because some of the board members were still not completely informed on all the issues pending in Orange County with the Charter Schools. Individual committee reports were the last official item discussed.
One of the members Mrs. Robinson was very irate because of the boards lack of dissemination of information to the constituents about meeting dates and locations. Chair Sublette reminded her that she had a time limit and Mrs. Robinson proceeded to remind him she planned on using every minute to let the board know what her constituents were calling her office about. Honestly, that was the most intertaining part of the meeting. The last item that was spoken about was not on the agenda, I believe it was board member Ms. Moore who suggested that the board should have a retreat to regroup and work out any unresolved issues. Everyone seemed excited about the prospect of a "retreat".
As I sat there for almost three hours, I realized that the only real item accomplished that night were the brief award ceremony and planning a board member vacation. Nothing like seeing our tax dollars at work!
