Recap of Budget Workshop 11/15/2011-Part 2: Electronics in Classrooms

“Are we preparing students for our age or for theirs?”

At the November 15^th School Board Workshop the Executive Staff along with School Board Attorney Wes Bradshaw provided the School Board with information about social media, emerging technologies and the newly installed student wireless network that will be coming online at the middle and high schools in Citrus County.

Citrus School district along with districts around the state and country are working to meet the challenges of providing students with better and more relevant instructions through the use of technology. At the same time the board is developing rules, guidelines and policies to provide students, teachers and staff with positive, educational and safe environments.

Using portions of Citrus’s “Race to the Top” grant funds the district has installed a wall to wall wireless internet network for students to us with their computer and handheld devices.  This network will allow students to access a filtered safe internet connection with an individual login and password.  Students can then use laptops, netbooks, iPads, tablets and other devices to take class notes, write papers, research data, read textbooks and much more.  This program is referred to as BYOT (“Bring Your Own Technology”) to school.  Now that some of the handheld technology like Tablets have gotten to a price of less than $75 (i.e. Androids) students and parents have been asking for the availability for them to be able to use BYOT in our schools and to have access to the internet at the same time.  In addition, beginning next school year in Citrus County, students, parents and teachers will be using a new computer district wide system that will include being able to access single login grades, planning, and an attendance recording system, called, Skyward.  This new student network will provide a way for students to have access to their grades and lesson plans LIVE.  Parents will also have the availability of checking grades, homework lesson plans and attendance anytime, anywhere

At the workshop Mr. Bradshaw updated the board on current legal issues that we need to consider when developing policies and guidelines.

I am excited and encouraged by the plans and directions our district is taking and I believe it will help to continue to keep Citrus County in the forefront as the “High Performance District” that we currently are.

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Recap of Budget Workshop 11/15/2011-Part 1: The Budget

“Do we take the left arm or the right leg?”

On Tuesday, November 15, 2011, the Executive staff provided the School Board with the survey and recommendations from the District Budget Committee.  This committee was made up of a cross section of representatives from all the various Citrus County School Departments as well as a representative from each of the Citrus County Schools.  (click here to see presentation and survey)

As a School Board we were asked by Assistant Superintendent of Business Services, Ken Blocker, to provide them some direction regarding which specific items the committee recommended.   He also wanted to know which items the Board would preliminarily support and what we might not support of the committee recommendations. During the meeting I clarified that my opinion reflected only a snapshot of the information we had at that moment, and that several outstanding and pending issues could, and might, change my position.   Some of those issues are, but are not limited to, the Department of Education Testing Window Dates (a.k.a. School Calendar), the 2012 Legislative Session and the pending Florida Retirement System 3% contribution lawsuit.

We were presented with several suggestions and as a Board we went down the list providing feedback.  At this time I am not going to go down the list because it is still changing and being revised.  What I will say is that, with the exception of NOT going to a four day work week, we have to consider every cost saving measure presented.  The challenge is to make formative cutbacks while setting limits that will not have a negative effect in the classroom.  At this time it appears to be very difficult, and nearly impossible.

More will be shared and discussed over the coming weeks and months and I encourage you to contact any and all of us in the elected office about your concerns and how you may be affected by these changes.

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One Year Later

“What a difference a year can make”

A year ago today, on November 16^th, 2010 I was sworn into office as a Citrus County School Board Member for District 1.  It has been one of the most fulfilling works I have done outside of being a father and husband.

Over the year I have often been asked, “Do you like it?” and “Is it anything like you thought?”  Like before one gets married or becomes a parent you can never really know what it would be like until you have experienced it.  I want to share that I love being a school board representative.  I feel so honored to be able to be a part of the decision making process and I am blessed to have an opportunity to work with these wonderful educators, staff, administrators and most especially Citrus County’s amazing students.

I want to take this opportunity to thank some of those people that have helped to make my year an exciting and great year.  First I would like to thank the individual schools staff, teachers and administrators.  You all are always so welcoming to me whenever I visit your schools.  It has also meant a great deal to me that you have provided open and straight forward support, feedback and advice.  Next, I must thank the many district staff members who work behind the scenes to make our district successful.  The district coordinators and directors I thank for always being willing to sit down and discuss with me information regarding any of my questions and concerns. Thanks goes to the executive secretaries who work so well together to take care of the executive Administrators, Superintendent of Schools, Assistant Superintendent, and the Citrus County School Board Members.  I want to thank Ms. Himmel who does an excellent job of working with each of us as board members.  It is difficult to adequately explain how hard Ms. Himmel works to build positive working relationships with her board members and make sure we receive pertinent information in a timely fashion.  Understand this is not the case in most other school districts.

Lastly, I want to thank each of my fellow Board members for going out of their way to help me transition into the Board by including me from the start and diligently working to make me feel a part of the team.  I have many specific positive memories of things that each one of them have done to reach out to me during this past year.  No new board member could have ever asked for anything more.  I share this because, looking from the outside in, it is difficult to really understand the respect, appreciation and admiration we share for one another.  Please understand that this doesn’t mean that we agree with each other all the time.  In fact, we regularly debate issues but it is done with respect while working to find a consensus.  In the end, all of this comes together because, as a board, the center of all of our decisions is always based on what is best for students.

I have learned so much over this past year and I learn more every single day.  Education has changed dramatically in just one year and we still have many great challenges ahead of us.  I ask that each of you keep me in your prayers and thoughts.  I ask that you continue to share with me your opinions, concerns and worries for our schools.  I want to thank you for allowing me to represent you as one of the Citrus County School Board Members.

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