Posted on November 25th, 2011 by
Thomas Kennedy
Recap of Workshop & Organizational School Board Meeting – Nov 22, 2011
Florida Statute requires that an annual Organizational Meeting of the Citrus County School Board must take place. This year the meeting was held on Tuesday, November 22, 2011. The agenda for the meeting includes the election of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, approving the day and time for the Regular School Board Business Meeting, and the hiring of the School Board Attorney for the coming year. At the meeting it was unanimously approved that Board Member, Linda Powers, would serve as Chairperson and that Board Member, Virginia Bryant, would serve as Vice Chairman. Wes Bradshaw was approved to continue as the school board attorney for the coming year. It was also approved that the Regular School Board Business Meetings will be held on the second Tuesday of each month beginning at 3:00 p.m.
I wish to congratulations Chairperson Linda Powers and Vice Chairperson Virginia Bryant for their appointments and wish for them a smooth running, productive and successful experience during their service.
Before Tuesday’s organizational meeting, the School Board met in another goal setting workshop. This was a continuation of the October 25th goal setting workshop. The meeting was held in the upstairs conference room to provide a more casual setting where we, as a board, could roll up our sleeves and plan. The workshop was most productive. Not surprisingly the school board’s main topic of discussion was how to maintain the high level of achievement that our schools and students have demonstrated in the past. This must be achieved during extremely challenging economic times throughout our country and state. As a team we shared that each of us, as board members, felt that one of the greatest part of our student’s and district’s success has been from the high quality educators in our schools. The challenge is, knowing that information and keeping that in focus as we develop and approve next year’s budget.
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Posted on November 20th, 2011 by
Thomas Kennedy
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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Posted on November 20th, 2011 by
Thomas Kennedy
Farm City Week 2011
I had the opportunity of attending the Citrus Farm Bureau’s breakfast to celebrate Farm City Week at the Citrus Cattleman’s Educational Building in Floral City. The event was attended by local farmers, business people, election officials and students from the Future Farmers of America.
The guest speaker was Dr. J. Stacy Strickland, Director of Hernando County Extension. Dr. Strickland asked us if we thought there were more farms in Citrus and Hernando County in the 1950s or today? He then shared the fact that we have over three times as many farms today as in the 1950s! He asked the same thing regarding income that was generated in the counties from 1950s as compared with today. The answer again was almost three times as much income is generated from agriculture today than in the 1950s. Citrus County has over 700 farms alone!
This was an amazing breakfast where all local products were used to prepare it. I must also add that it was a wonderful southern breakfast! I then topped it all off by drinking three cartoons of locally produced M & B Dairy chocolate, strawberry and white milk. (Yummy!)
The breakfast was Citrus Farm Bureau’s opportunity to share with non-farmers (urban) community members’ information about how agriculture relates to us. I sat with Lecanto High School Agricultural Teacher, Mr. Richardson, who brought several students to the breakfast whom are members of LHS Future Farmers of America. Mr. Richardson talked about his students like a proud parent! The students and Mr. Richardson shared about the many successes they had and some of the challenges that they are overcoming. They are a most impressive group of young people.
We must be cognizant of how much agriculture plays a role in our lives, not simply by feeding our bellies but also by providing products necessary for our daily lives such as fuel, and many more. Citrus County depends on agriculture more than most of us realize and it is very important that we actively support our local industries.
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Posted on November 16th, 2011 by
Thomas Kennedy
One Year Later
“What a difference a year can make”
A year ago today, on November 16th, 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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Posted on November 13th, 2011 by
Thomas Kennedy
Drafting & Design at CHS
Last Wednesday I stopped by Citrus High Schools for a visit. While there the District Literacy Coach, Debra Stanley, spent time with me showing me the new literacy intervention programs for our subject area teachers. Later, Ms. Stanley toured me through some of the literacy interventions at work in the classrooms. One of the places she brought me to was the CHS Drafting Lab under the leadership of Mr. E. H. Lindsey. Mr. Lindsey holds multiple degrees, including advanced degrees, from North Carolina State University, University of North Carolina – Wilmington, University of Wisconsin – Madison, and ECPI – Charlotte, NC. He has over 35 years of experience in engineering, facility management and information management. He was a system engineer at the Brunswick Nuclear Plant in North Carolina for 20 years and also held managerial positions in maintenance and engineering with other companies. Mr. Lindsey is a professional member of the American Design and Drafting Association (ADDA), and holds three ADDA certifications in Mechanical, Architectural, and Civil Design Drafting.
The Drafting & Design Program at CHS is certified by the ADDA. The ADDA is the only international organization that certifies draftsmen in the industry. CHS students are eligible to obtain their ADDA professional grade certification while at CHS. The ADDA offers an Apprentice Level Certification however; many CHS students are trained to enter the work field or college engineering programs at a professional level. This is the reason why Mr. Lindsey advocates that students get the higher level certification. The ADDA certification is an Industry Certification and not a Software Certification. (Software certifications can be limited in scope.) Since September 2008, CHS has certified 141 students in Mechanical Drafting. In 2009 and 2010, CHS certified more students than any other high school or college in the state of Florida and was the second leading school in the nation for two years in a row.
Crystal River High School and Lecanto High School also offer drafting programs for students. Programs like CHS Drafting Program are the types of programs that I so much believe in, not only for those desiring to further their education in college and universities, but it is also an option for those students who simply want to enter the work place directly out of High School .
Well done (“Bravo Zulu”) to Mr. Lindsey and to the students successes in the CHS drafting program.
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Posted on November 11th, 2011 by
Thomas Kennedy
Veteran’s Day Parade 2011
Citrus is one of our country’s largest Veteran’s Day Parades
What an amazing day. I am honored to have been able to participate in the parade this year. My daughter walked with me along the route and my son played in the Citrus Springs Middle School band.
The theme of this year’s parade will be military aviators. The Grand Marshal will be a personal hero to my family and myself Capt. Richard Tangeman USN (Ret), who was a RA-5C Vigilante Naval Aviator and who was POW at the Hỏa Lò Prison during the Vietnam war.
Captain Tangemen born in 1940 and raised in New York City. He graduated from New York University and joined the Navy in 1964. After receiving his aviation wings, he trained and deployed on several cruises aboard the USS Independence and the USS Enterprise. While on combat deployment to Vietnam, his RA5C Vigilante was shot down and he was captured on 5th May 1968. As a Prisoner of War for five years, he had the honor of serving with then lieutenant Commander John S. McCain.
After repatriation, he was sent by the Navy to obtain an advanced degree in Mathematics at Florida Tech—now called the University of Central Florida. After earning his degree and one year as a flight instructor, he transitioned to fly the A6 Intruder and made several overseas deployments aboard the USS America and the USS Independence. After tours in Washington and Orlando he attended the Naval War College where he simultaneously received Master’s Degrees in Strategic Planning and Foreign Relations. He subsequently served two tours of duty in the Pentagon within the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. His last tour of duty was in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Captain Tangeman retired on 31 years of service and moved to Crystal River, Florida where he taught at Crystal River High School teaching Calculus and College Algebra and Trigonometry and also coached four sports to District Championships. He was named Crystal River High School Teacher of the Year in 1998 and retired in 2002 to pursue voluntary tutoring and coaching.
Captain Tangeman military awards include, but are not limited to, the Defense Superior Service Medal, three Legion of Merit Medals with Combat V, two Bronze Stars with Combat V, two Purple Hearts. A Meritorious Service Medal and numerous Air Medals.
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