School Board Special Meeting

1. CALL TO ORDER 2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA 1. Approval of the Agenda Amendments - added after publishing 4. PUBLIC COMMENT AND RESPONSES (UP TO 60 MINUTES) Public comment is not an open forum to discuss matters unrelated to education, to support or oppose candidates for public office, or to engage in commercial speech attempting to sell a service or product to the School Board or public. Also, public comment is not a forum to attack individual school system employees or Board Members. Any such complaints should be submitted in writing to the Superintendent for appropriate handling. Finally, this is not a forum for addressing issues involving individual students. Because of privacy concerns, such issues should be submitted in writing to the Superintendent for appropriate handling. Each speaker is allowed three minutes to address the Board. Speakers must stand at the podium and not approach the dais. This is a business meeting of the School Board and the public expects that we conduct it in an orderly, efficient, effective and dignified manner. We request that speakers keep this in mind when making your comments. We also request that the audience keep that in mind and not demonstrate approval or disapproval of what a speaker has said by clapping or booing. The Board appreciates the public's input and will listen attentively, consider each comment, and usually will not respond, enter into debate, or answer questions during comments on agenda items or during the public comments section. PUBLIC INPUT INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Before you begin speaking, please provide any handouts to the Agency Clerk. 2. Please identify yourself only by your full name for the record. 3. You have no more than three minutes to speak. Please stop speaking when the bell rings. 4. Florida Law requires all citizens to conduct themselves in an orderly fashion at public meetings. 5 . WARNING: Any individual who interferes with the expeditious or orderly process of a School Board meeting, will be subject to removal from the meeting pursuant to Section 1001.372(3) Florida Statutes at the discretion of the Chair. Orderly fashion is deemed as, at a minimum (1) no profanity (2) no vulgar language (3) no discourteous, disrespectful, or disparaging conduct. Agenda June 17, 2025 School Board of Manatee County School Board Special Meeting - 11:00 AM Walter Miller School Support Center Board Room Times Indicated are Approximate 1

5. NEW BUSINESS 1. Discussion and Approval of Florida School Board Association Superintendent Search Timeline and Details 6. ADJOURNMENT 2

i'm just GOD, Troy, he he was nominated. Came to our attention and out. We learned a little bit about him in manatee. Manatee bridging the gap thought. Well, you know what? He's going to be the first one to receive our war. >> So last year, a group from bridging the Gap nominated MISTER Dodd to be the morning, everybody. >> Welcome 6/17/2025, school Board of Manatee County special meeting. Officially call this meeting to order. I do want to stand and do the pledge. You'd doing that. I pledge to the flag United States America. >> stands under GOD, indivisible, with and justice for all. Thank you. MAY be seated. We do have one public comment today. This is Conan's, think important more important. >> Morning board members interim superintendent This will be brief first of all, let express sincere gratitude for your recent steps fairness and collaboration. And as you move forward, just like in the next superintendent for Manatee County, I respectfully offer a recommendation that reflects both our community's values and our student demographics to come during some the top 5% nationally and parent choice a clear sign the families are actually shaping their children's educational paths. With over 20% of our public school students enrolled in charter schools. It's essential that our next superintendent leads with a vision that includes every student in every setting. Among the many qualities you're seeking vision, ethics, collaboration, strategic planning. There's one more that deserves explicit inclusion to the list. One additional leadership quality, a demonstrated record of supporting parent choice by working collaboratively with charter schools, recognizing their vital role. The Manatee County Public education, ensuring equitable opportunities and resources for all students regardless of their school time. Including this quality in the superintendent profile, the border from simple, but powerful principle that leadership builds bridges, not barriers. We can't afford. We can't afford to repeat the mistakes of the past mistakes that pitted the district against the parents right to choose the best educational path for child. And the superintendent stepping into the role must understand that more than one in 5 public school students in Manatee County attended charter school. That's not a side issue. That's a central that's central to the job. Equity can't be an afterthought. It must be part of the foundation from day one. Most importantly, we can rebuild the public trust by showing that this district every child regardless of the type of public school they attend that kind of leadership turn silos and the systems and possibility in the progress. Thank you again for your service and your continued commitment to all of our children. Thank Thank Thank you. All right. That concludes our public comment. >> So board the some pride into item number one, a new business, which is the discussion approval. The Florida School Board Association superintendent search timeline and details thereafter obviously in front of us from Memphis, be a doctor. Rice thank you very much. And obviously for us to illegal, y'all didn't work my the scene for I know for 5 days. So thank you all very much for for calming our time. I know it's quick that's where thing. But you've been watching from day one. And so really appreciate, you know, on on some of this. We've already discussing, you know that and you've got some tweaks and changes so really excited because back in helping us, you know, all 3 Detroit first time. But appreciate year. So and give up to you first, let's I know, MR. 7, you're probably good DR. Believe anything you want to? No update. Maybe update on move from the Web site. Yes. Last night at 5 o'clock, the website was live alive at 5. As we like to say, >> Thanks to Lourdes work and Jenin. Chris, over 90 and we posted the advertisement and just as you said, been working very closely with Laura. And if this ba and I. >> feel like the process that has been put together is going to be a very effective one. >> Yeah. Thank you very much. Thank board, you can see. And so the staff can see public can teach you. That is the Web site up there. Very Simmons last time. >> Where where'd >> feedback will be? Meetings are recorded. Meetings will be there for the public to see their input will be there as well for them to do their input. So everything with site ready, Gov or rock and roll and people can apply. Now. >> So correct. And what, again, I will continue that process, which is very popular with the community that as soon as complete application is received, their posted on the website for the entire community. And of course, the board received them and then the community for their feedback. Point of Do we need to approve agenda? First? >> Very true. My apologies. It jumped right through that. That's right. Yeah. Let's go back. We could approve the agenda. Usually we don't have that on special meetings, but that's fine. I think we There was an amendment. Yeah. So there was amendment to the agenda which was just adding some of the timelines and the discussions and that sort of thing on the attack is that we have in front of us. So yes, get a motion to approve the agenda. So moved second. There's a motion a second. I don't have on the agenda. So mean, I don't have a bomb. Looks like might still says request to speak. So we'll just vote manually. And that you can put up to That works. We have motion a second. And it's good. But on the privelege enough. And then we get back Sorry about that. You know, all right. >> good women over because think thank you very much, both. >> So as as Dr Bill, as you were saying, though, community feedback from the website goes fsb, afs. Be able to collaborate. Get that back to us. And know, go over that you guys will go over that here in a second. What that looks like for us. But just like last time they will gather on Kampala feedback and all the applicants. And that's thing and then give it to our it. Then upload. All right. So not a good start us off your defense. Going start us off with and looks like timelines. First. >> Actually, if we could have you our let's start on the qualifications place because the qualifications, everything feeds into the timeline so will move And follicle process off, I want to say thank you so much for your confidence. Is your membership association? You know, we're here too. Serve you and we're here to help. You have a very transparent and clear superintendent search process. Last time I was here, we had a different team as you recognize, Dr Vogel and MR. Reichert have since retired and they worked with me for 10, long, hard years. And in many, many districts and from one end of the state to the other. But we do have new team members. I want to make sure, you know, Doctor Demetrius Rice, who's one of our full-time staff members. He's our director of strategic operations and he's works closely with me. He's already been through 2 searches with us as well as Doctor Debra Pace, who's a retired superintendent from Osceola County and MR. My GOD Rowe, who is retired from Seminole County, he was the directors of schools, a secondary as well as he was a a professor out at the University Central Florida overseeing student intern. So we've got a good team. Just a newer team, but I'll be working with them every step of the way. We're going to start a with first a little bit of a review for your community. We helped the manatee school board less than 2 years ago. Do some community survey and public input sessions and we your team has been listening to all your previous last 3 meetings. So we've heard everything you had to say and we know that you want to start with the qualifications. You're comfortable with the at because of the, you know, length of time that has passed. Since then. It hasn't been too long that we're gonna use that still. So if we can start with the qualifications, what I heard discussed during a previous meeting was editing under preferred qualifications. Experience in a school district from 10,000 to 20,000 or more students also adding Florida based experience and the salary range of 220,000 to 260,000. So I just want to reconfirm these qualifications that they exist and they're exactly what you all want agreed to so that we can move forward and feed those into the ad and other things. Yeah, I will say. >> We've obviously discuss all this stuff. But I will ask at the end of this once we go through all of the materials for a motion and the second to obviously move and actually vote in all the material that look at today. So just fy. So there's a there are any changes. I know we've we've kind of look at these. I don't I don't see any changes to the qualification. But if anybody else does, state Minnesota. >> So we decided I don't remember on 20,000 is that when think so? So Dr Vogel, anybody really what? But my concern with the number is the it It will limit the pool of people that we're looking at and that there might be some good. I guess it's just prefer. I mean, it's not. But anyway, what what are your thoughts on whether is that the right if you are, if you're headed to last time, right, like yeah, and you go out I guess someone has District of 17,000 >> it could still apply its just preferred. What are your thoughts on? >> I think it's a it's good number to put down. And like you said, it's a preferred qualification. And what happens is most of the individuals will contact sba and do they'll point out that is preferred think certainly would exclude anybody to come. >> Yeah, I think it's important that we hear you say you're open to some that might be maybe not meeting expectation. As you mentioned, it is preferred not required. But you all do have a large size district by national standards. And so to manage. That does require a certain level of leadership. But knowing that you're open to others is really the important piece so that when people reach out to us, we can say, you know, you MAY not be there, but that's ok, just go ahead. And if you have the other things that they're looking for, they're they're willing to consider you. >> thanks for that, I agree. I agree with you mean that 18,000 are 17 to? I mean, I think I think we're open 2. It least I know I am. Ending up some assault. I'm sorry. And a misprint. I. And think looking we try again and looking over this and thinking about it over the last couple weeks. >> I really feel like we need to have a required qualification of some experience in a district in some way. Because as board members, those of you never worked in a school before. I have learned as our previous board members have learned because I've talked to them about it, the functioning of how a district runs is not a business. That we're not producing. Cars were producing people. And I think that have that understanding of what a school does of what a district does. And I'm I'm not saying that they need 2 of, you know. Necessarily have run a district but that they should at least have experience in it, even if they talked for 5 years, you know something, having worked with a school because it is a can tie early different animal. Than any other kind of business out there. And that to me is extremely important that they understand that I don't want somebody coming in here and thinking they're gonna, you know, suddenly make us into this industry of producing something. If you understand what, I'm not very coherent today, apparently. But if you understand where I'm coming from. I feel like that's really important to have an understanding of how schools function do you want and are required qualifications? Not your hands in the school system in school system. So most kind of what we have for the preferred, we say, experience as a teacher, school-based or district level. And you're not saying they've got to be those. Yeah, you're just saying experience in the school system. Yeah, schools are required. >> Yeah. So they could. Bennett. Teachers substitute or a secretary, whatever. But they least know how it works. Okay. That's that's important to me. Yeah, for me >> yeah. Might runs down. I would. I agree with you. We just start with that. Here. I would just suggest that we move from to required experience as a school-based or district level administrator because anybody who's in a position like that is probably come up through the ranks. So just a not that he's been on okay. But if you keep administrator. You're saying you want as he's a principal assistant principal. >> Or district level Caruso that would kick out that say. 25 your teacher, that's 20 or teacher that left which one industry ran something when just hypothetically saying. Charter school, whatever ran something going to come back. Because they my guests in mind, if they win it. I'm just up. If you put required to be in an actual administrator, you could potentially lose. Someone who has great experience in the schools and maybe went out and did something else. Came backwards wanting to come back because they were never actually school basement. That's fair. You're going to you're going to nothing that are out there. What know. You're right. Because it would exclude makes somebody with corporate experience. Sure. >> Maybe their teacher for 10 years. They went on corporate number of ladder. They know how to run a great industry. Delta a look what happened cfo who the teacher any for I don't. It's just a corporate or or just lets that's just good. Teacher school-based. Yeah position. My experience as school-based position, ok, let's recognize teacher that could've in principle. I can anything at that point. But at least, you know, some of the school system. I what do you I'm love when I think we're talking about 2 different things here now. >> a real clear picture. First, if you if you do want to move it up, just moving up. The one line that says experience as a teacher school-based or district level administrator up to required, make some sense, right. It include both of of what you guys are looking for. But the key distinction here is if you're making a requirement having been in a school, which is what I heard, Ms Skelton, say then what districts take one of 2 paths. One, we definitely want somebody with education background, which is what I'm hearing that would like. And another is no, we're we're willing to look at industry military, other background. So first, I think you need to the tournament. Do you definitely believe you need an educator? You know, someone who has an education background. Then if so we can agree on that MAY be moving that level off. >> I mean, so I look in that for some spring. You were up peak and he probably had something else. But yeah, you have a comment about that. We're at right now. The qualification part >> I don't know if we could actually add in their corporate beast. So you're saying fry or light to MISTER Cho? Its point, if somebody was a teacher for 10 years. Principal for 10 years and they have on offer and a corporate. Level somewhere else. Corporation for 10, 20 years and they're ready to come back and do this. I want to be able to consider that percent. >> They won't because they had the experience at the school level. >> Well, think they would have the 10 years successful administrative leadership experience that would be that cover what you're describing for corporate that that language was there, which does not say education. Okay. And it was intentionally not to say education are okay. But if you move that other one up. Then that's where the conflict. Right. Nestor, the complex is correct. And and so the question is, do you believe that you need to have an educator? And if the board agrees that you need to have an educator, then we can talk about moving that other one up. But it would be someone who maybe it could be someone from corporate if they were a teacher and then left and did something else still. But it couldn't be. Shake or wired if someone who just came up through the military or just came up through through private business or even and I have to corporate to be private business or all right. All right. Okay. So so what are you saying that we need to do year because of what you got eat or the top and says tenure, successful administrator leadership experience that require thing. >> Correct. That's in any business records act to provide Surrey military. That that is >> Last time we do this search, we did not narrow it to. You have to have education experience because and are required. We don't say anything about education, correct? So that that she sent right. Do we want everyone to go with that? It's called already said that that is a priority for her. Move. Some kind of experience in education up to required. If that's the case. You do live in 8, someone who's never been education credits GOD to corporate or military. Let's never done the education piece so that we've got decide. Are we willing to do that? Potentially street? >> Our pool. >> Because they have the education experience or are we not? And so last time we did not that time. We just put as the preferred, but not as a regret. >> I would rather keep it as Preferred k. I can't lot of people. It's not got this kind of background applying, but I like to keep it under the preferred. That would be preference. But I'm only one. >> It read I would keep preferred And there's example, after example of, for example, in the leadership good leaders changing industries going to other industries and turning around corporation Wheatley 0, 1, of the comes to mind is the former ceo Boeing afford in the early 2000. Unlike 17 billion dollars a from the place around, it might Well, Boeing making cars MAY complain still different industry. Is week. I would just like that. The bulls biggest possible. You never know who's going to show up. So and we've already limited at the 20,000. But every time we put these restrictions on, we just keep shrinking shrinking in strict in the pool. And there are like I said, many examples of great leaders changing industries and turning organizations around. Not that this is going to be turned around. But I did. Like to see the biggest will pass. One >> Yeah, I'm I'm I'm more the biggest bull possible. But I do believe in my heart of hearts. That it will be some investigation background. I mean, I did, too. Really do believe I don't think debt. I think have to be someone really. There have to be some kind of. Some education background with the family spouse, something it's just education is not run like business entity. And I don't want to I don't want to shrink. The type of applicants. But I do agree that I do think. Most likely it's going to be someone as education unit. I don't want to should the bull, but I do think it's a preferred to be honest with you. I think I don't know what this looks like. It's far as the list of preferred. And if you want to get that nitty gritty here, but in my personal opinion, some of that over like doctor, like docked. I think this MAY just been out that a cull order, the ef now that I'm smart enough, we can put them in priority. I don't. It doesn't have to be. Does that to be? And I don't really care out. Buckles fine. But to me, if you're if you've been a dynamic school leader Administrator Sandra, are on the level of you know, Associate Superintendent Matt, you don't have a doctor at like the doctor to me is not above something like that, but it doesn't really matter. I'm okay. With all the qualifications as they are. I had to go back to. That 20,000 that MISTER Tatum brought up. >> There's a huge difference in running a small rule district I'm from 2 high schools, 3 elementary, one, middle, whatever. And coming here, running. 50 schools. There's a huge difference. So that's why I. I went for the 20,000. It's not to limit the ones that are running. Those smaller districts. But it's a huge difference when you're running school 20,000 or 5,000 or 10,000 students. At 57,000. That's a huge 50 sums principles. So we're if you doing 10,000 you might only have principles. Yeah. So I I think 20's a good. Balancing between cell. >> its not opponents, Florida judges know, for instance again, you know, make a lot of it is in the military. When you get the win, you. Lee differences in airports recall the wing commander, that person can lead anybody from and Air Force base from 3 to 10 or 15,000 people right. The job before that it's a group men or that person leaves maybe 500 to 800 people. So you train yourself for the next job. So these guys are group commanders and they lead reports water they lead maybe 500 to 1000 people as a group commander. And then that's the trade to move up to the next level. But it's finding the preferred area. >> Can make a suggestion? You had the word approximately. 20 means you can give a range do you have a range and that when people feel like I care, you know, I'm it. I'm going think about approximately I think I was anybody lit up something qualifications. Our good way. They ok, I definitely >> You know, multiple people saying they wanted to leave the experience and education preferred. But I'm also happy to organize them. And what I think based on what I've heard, your good was on the way give them a anybody go with the way their athletically. >> Yes, because the that 5 different ways to organize for different things. And so, ok, I think we're good. Just south of medically. >> And so the only change on this will be the word approximately in just before the 20,000 figure. We'll get qualifications approved at the end and are right? Yeah, and I'm in the up. Okay. Lets go of it. Then the next document I want you to is the qualities. We have a team of these. And these actually came out of direct input from your community survey as well as your input sessions. So at one point, MISTER Chair, I believe you said any board member that had suggestions could have submitted them and you didn't receive any. We did get one today from the public speaker, MR. Price, if you could. If you could read in what was suggested, I'm not saying you have to add it, but I sure I do want you all to at least discuss it before we move forward. Please. >> This is a demonstrated record of supporting parent choice by working collaboratively with charter schools, recognizing their vital role in public education and ensuring equitable opportunities and resources for all students. Regardless of school time. >> And we could even edited it. I would that. Yeah. Yeah. Demonstrated record of supporting parent choice and ensuring equitable opportunities and resources for all students regardless of school, tight >> so I love the suggestion and I love just not not just for charters, but I think. Parental choice in general. And I mean by that is like choice within our district of where parents can choose within our public school system. You know. So not just parental choice when it comes to charter that I do agree with that and to be able to collaborate in that sort of thing. So I would almost say parental choice. End. >> Demonstrated record of supporting per parent choice and ensuring equitable opportunities and resources for all students. Regardless of school time. >> That's perfectly fine with I mean, that preschool is it includes my mind charters. Yeah, absolutely. I know my personal. I mean, for during interviews that will be something discussed. So but that to me what you just read. Encompasses that. So I would I would definitely ok with that. >> Let me read one more time covering demonstrated record of supporting parent choice and ensuring equitable opportunities and resources for all students regardless of school time. >> And want it public school type. >> Demonstrated record of supporting parent regardless of public school time. Yeah, thank you because charter regular and yeah, I by that school's coming after Are you make sure I have it to for record of supporting p