Local teachers, parents and students got a chance to have their voices heard by top Hillsborough County Public Schools officials Monday, Oct. 17.
Superintendent Jeff Eakins, District 4 board member Melissa Snively, Chief of Schools Harrison Peters and Area 6 Superintendent Sharon Morris opened the floor in two separate, 90-minute forums at Plant City High School: one for teachers and one for parents and students. The forums were part of the school board’s initiative to improve communication between itself and the general public.
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS
Faculty forum
These are some top issues brought up during the faculty forum, which was held before the community forum.
Q: When will non-classroom instructional units (resource teachers, reading coaches, success coaches, academic intervention specialists) be relocated? Which group will be the first to go back to the classroom? Which positions will be eliminated?
A: Superintendent Jeff Eakins said relocations will start at the district level. While no timeline is set yet, one will be put together in the next two weeks.
Q: How does the district plan to support IB training and certification?
A: School board member Melissa Snively said, “The teachers whose certification would expire were permitted to attend the training. Those whose certification would not expire this school year were asked to wait. We are committed to ensuring that our teachers receive all the professional development and certification needed to meet our students' needs.”
Q: Administrators don’t know what it’s like to work in a school. Why don’t board members visit?
A: Board members say they are in schools several times a week but must be “strategic” with their visitation choices.
Q: The district’s walkthroughs do not provide teachers with constructive feedback and lack attention to detail. How can this change?
A: Board members agreed teachers should be able to provide their own feedback on walkthroughs, and school board meeting times must be pushed back to 5:30 p.m. to allow more teachers to attend.
Q: Why can’t adult education schools hire more full-time, rather than part-time, employees?
A: Eakins said the board is looking into repositioning methods.
Q: Is the Ford & Associates firm actively managing money?
A: Eakins said it does not, and the firm helps with refinancing, analyzing debt and finding better interest rates on the board’s $65 million mortgage for school buildings.
Q: Does the school board have anything to do with levying the property tax in Hillsborough County?
A: Eakins said it does not, and the only thing that could happen is a voter referendum to get one-half mill back. Eakins added Snively plans to travel to Tallahassee this year to start a conversation about this subject.
Q: What will the school board do to make teachers feel their voices are being heard?
A: Chief of School Harrison Peters agreed there must be more engagement. Snively said her role as a mother of four gives her perspective. Eakins said he has asked to have more “ears on the ground.”
Community forum
These are some top issues brought up during the community forum, which was held after the faculty forum.
Q: Must a person have a child in school to join a PTA board?
A: Snively said it is a volunteer position anyone can sign up for, whether or not they have a child in the school system.
Q: Plant City High School vending machines do not have food all kids enjoy, so they may cut class to get fast food. Could vending machine items be changed?
A: Eakins said those decisions are made on the federal level.
Q: Why does the school board cut jobs inside schools, then spend $800,000 on a consulting firm and over $900,000 to consolidate two human resources offices into one building?
A: Eakins said all positions outside of the classroom must be analyzed, and a group will be formed to examine how non-classroom resources are being used.
Q: Does the district or the state decide what is taught in schools?
A: Eakins said the state decides what is taught, but the districts have some autonomy over how things are taught.
Q: Was there embezzlement at Turkey Creek Middle School?
A: According to an audit done by Naomi S. Frierson, treasurer of Hillsborough County Council of PTA/PTSAs, “while there is a substantial deviation from proper procedures and best practices, I find no evidence of willful wrongdoing.” She said future officers should attend Hillsborough County Council of PTA/PTSAs training and officer-specific training at the Florida PTA Leadership Conference in July. A copy of the audit is available through Melissa Snively’s office.
Q: Parents had bad experiences at Turkey Creek Middle PTA meetings. What are the professional standards enforced by the school board?
A: Snively said details of the disciplinary actions taken are private. Eakins said every employee must sign a code of ethics. Snively added the code of ethics can be viewed on the school board’s website.
Q: Did funding for school advisory councils get cut?
A: According to a letter from Gretchen Saunders, chief business officer of Hillsborough County Public Schools, funding has been cut from the state budget since 2009. Hillsborough County Public Schools has found different ways to provide funding since then, including money from bank account interest, Office Depot contract rebates and money from Pepsi. Now that Pepsi funding has stopped and bank account interest dwindled from lower interest rates, there is no more funding. SACs are support groups made up of the school's principal, staff, parents and community members.
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.