Board Meeting Recap for Oct 25th

Tuesday’s board meeting and workshop while having a full schedule and covering a multiple of different subjects was, as one person put it, “kind of like watching sausage being made”!  You are really just waiting for the results, not how it is made.  I thought that was a good analogy for describing it. (smile)

The Board approved a couple of amendments for the Crystal River High School Phase II Renovations, Remodeling and Additions.  Phase II will include the new Media Center and Freshmen Academy Building, renovation of the old administrative wing into the Medical Academy, and remodeling of the cafeteria.  This is going to be an amazing addition to Crystal River, Citrus County Schools and most importantly to the students of Citrus County.

The Board approved for four potential calendar variations for the 2012-2013 School Year to be sent to employees and the School Advisory Enhancement Councils for their voting input.  The 2012-2013 calendar is going to be a challenging one.  To help understand why please read my recap from our Sept. 13^th, 2011 meeting regarding the calendar. (Click here for recap to Sept. 13^th, 2011 Board Meeting.)  Two variations of calendars were developed by the Calendar Committee in response to our hope that the Department of Education (DOE) will expand End-of-Course exam dates testing window so that we may consider having our first semester end in December.  Since a final decision by DOE is still pending, in order to make the selection of the final calendar as efficient as possible, we ask that a vote be taken for each variation.  I hope to have more specific details to share regarding this in the coming weeks.

In a workshop meeting Renaissance Center Principal, Danita Eatman, shared information about the Renaissance Transition Program and provided an updated overview of the Renaissance Center.

Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, Kenny Blocker, provided an update from the Budget Committee regarding the 2012-2013 budget.  Several weeks back Superintendent Himmel told her executive team to put together, with the help of the school principals, a comprehensive budget committee. The committee members are from all the various Citrus County School Departments and representatives from each of the schools. The 2012-2013 budget will likely be the most challenging budget Citrus County schools has faced in decades.  Cuts to the budget are inevitable at this time. The purpose of this committee is to look at anything and everything throughout the school district as a possible reduction.  The board will still be the deciding vote in the end, but this information will be most helpful to hear and know when they are making those critical decisions.

Lastly, during a special goal setting part of our workshop, discussion began regarding the school board exploring the possibility of putting a half penny sales tax on a referendum for Citrus County Voters in the November 2012 election.  (see Chronicle reporter Mike Wright’s story, “Board ponders sales tax increase”)  I am sure I will be sharing more about this in the future.

Our next meeting is the School Board Regular Meeting on November 8^th, 2011 at 4:00pm.

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