News
By Michael Hernandez, 1-11-25
FERNANDINA BEACH—The Nassau County School Board re-visited the taxpayers’ approved millage that gives $13.7 million annually to county schools at its Jan. 9 meeting but this time focused on the impact for Educational Support Personnel. (Note: See Dec. 13 Citizens Journal Florida story posted at https://www.citizensjournal.net/nassau-county-school-board-hears-contested-updated-millage-report-approves-yulee-ms-aluminum-canopy-contractor/ which showed a pie-chart with most of the $13.7 million in funds going toward teacher compensation.)
At the December Nassau County school board meeting, Richard Lamken, a former California Assistant Superintendent of Schools, criticized the county board for compensating “every employee the same compensation.”
At the Jan. 9 county school board meeting, special presentations (Agenda D) were organized by the Nassau Educational Support Personnel Association with a special video presented showing what a day at school would be like if there were no classified personnel (non-teachers): phones would be ringing with no one answering (no office support); bathrooms would be clogged and unsanitary (no custodians); there would be no technology usage (technology support would not be on campuses); no lunches (food service professionals would not be working); and no nurses nor district mechanics would work:
- Marian Phillips (union official): “We would have to wake up from a bad dream if we were without educational support professionals who cannot survive on their poverty wages…with 74 percent living in the district.”
- Dennis Marsh: “Students asked me not to retire. I play an important role in children’s lives.”
- Diane Douglas: (I am for) “fair compensation to all support personnel. The pandemic showed how valuable and irreplaceable our school employees are.”
- Terry Wilkerson (bus driver): “I have rapport with these kids.”
- Angela C. (fifth grade Callahan teacher): “All non-instructional staff deserve recognition and support which includes the recent millage bonus. They (provide) a safe, learning environment.”
- Stephanie Jessie (union official and Yulee Elementary custodian): “I came tonight so you wouldn’t have false information.”
- Julio Herrera: “The millage is working. Citizens support the millage. We are important.”
Five Actions Items Approved 5-0:
- Wildlight Parcel 5D Mitigation Agreement (Agenda F-1) approved for 124 townhall units in Yulee North.
- Maxine Street Mitigation Agreement (Agenda F-2) approved for 48 single family homes in Fernandina Beach.
- Cook Yulee Mitigation Agreement (Agenda F-3) approved for 35 single family homes in Yulee South.
- Replacement of Building 1 Roof at Callahan Elementary approved (Agenda F-4) at a cost not to exceed $262,399 (with BBG Contracting Group of Jacksonville, Florida).
- District Wide Boiler Project Change Order #2 approved (Agenda F-5) at Callahan Middle School and at Fernandina Bach High School for $1,253.11 with CC Borden Construction of Jacksonville, Florida. The original contract sum was for $1.2 million.
Superintendent, Board and Attorney Comments:
- Supt Dr. Kathy Burns: “We couldn’t do our work without our support personnel. Every student depends on them. I am proud of them for sharing their stories. When we build relationships, it makes all the difference in success in (student) lives.”
- Shannon Hogue (District 1): Millage money has helped us “fund the arts” in our schools.”
- Gail Cook, Chair, District 2): “I am very appreciative of our millage money.”
- Joe Zimmerman (District 3): “Our district could benefit from a public information officer—a professional expert to get the word out about our schools.”
- Kristi Simpkins (District 4): “We are the number third district in the state.”
- Lissa Braddock (Vice-Chair, District 5): “I can’t imagine a school system without support personnel. You can’t run schools without them.”
- Brett Steger (Attorney): “Keep Sally Bailey’s family in your prayers. She passed away recently and touched so many lives.”
Jan. 9 Agenda: 10 Pages
https://go.boarddocs.com/fl/nassau/Board.nsf/Public
Jan. 9 Watch: 1 hours 4 minutes
Jan. 13 Workshop Tackles 5-Year Work Plan, Compensation, Library Book Objection Process
The Nassau County School Board is hosting a workshop in Fernandina Beach at 1201 Atlantic Avenue at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 13. The three-main items on the workshop agenda are:
- A Five-Year Work Plan
- Employee Compensation
- Library Book Objection Process
Jan. 13 Workshop Agenda: 2 Pages
https://go.boarddocs.com/fl/nassau/Board.nsf/Public#
Michael Hernandez, from California, is co-founder of the Citizens Journal—Ventura County’s online news service. He is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor. Mr. Hernandez can be contacted at [email protected] and is editor of the weekly “Stories Speak Volumes.”