Seaside School, Inc
Minutes
The Seaside School Regular Board Meeting
Date and Time
Thursday June 19, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Location
Seacoast Collegiate High School (Learning Cottage 2)
109 Greenway Trail, Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
Founded in 1996
Serving Students in Grades 5 - 12
We seek to sustain an educational community where an emphasis on academic excellence is complemented by our concern for each learner’s personal growth and intellectual, aesthetic, and psychological development. The curriculum is developmentally responsive – actively engaging students in learning skills in context, integrative – directing students to connect learning to daily lives, and exploratory – enabling students to discover their abilities, interests, learning styles, and ways that they can make contributions to society.
Information on procedures for public comment can be found at https://www.seasideschools.net/about/governance
If anyone needs special assistance to participate in the public input session, every effort will be made to provide an appropriate accommodation. When requesting accommodations for public input, please allow no less than 1 business day notice prior to the scheduled meeting.
Specific issues about a particular student should only be addressed to the school’s Director of Student Services, rather than the Board of Directors.
All public comments will be taken under advisement by the Board, but will not elicit a written or spoken response. The names of persons providing public comment and a brief summary of topics or input will be included in the meeting minutes published. A response will be provided to the stakeholder within seven (7) days.
If a person decides to appeal any decision made by this body with respect to any matter considered at this meeting or hearing, he or she will need a record of the proceedings and, for such purpose, he or she may need to ensure that a verbatim record of the proceedings is made, which record includes the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal is to be based.
Directors Present
A. Jordan, C. King, D. Lilienthal, D. Tinghitella, J. O’Donoghue, J. Ward, L. Blue, M. Harrison
Directors Absent
A. Winicki, D. Hahn, F. Brown, R. Kauffman, T. Brooks
Guests Present
K. Mixson, M. Willcox, T. Miller
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
C.
Approve Minutes
D.
Consent Items
II. School Leadership Team
A.
Executive Director Report
T. Miller went over items in the Director report:
People:
• Orientations Adult/Students
• Recruitment (10-12th grade)
• School Culture (Reset norms, expectations and communication channels)
• Social and Emotional Learning (Training for all staff)
Programs:
• STEM Programming • Literacy (Improving comprehension grades 7-10)
◦ Training Lining Up (Differentiation, Block Scheduling, Data Driven)
• CTE Programs (Triumph Grant Focused)
Property:
• Finalize all ordering and logistics for new school (FF & E)
• Finalize the middle school makeover (floors and paint)
• Performing Arts Centre Meeting (Seaside)
• College Security Logistics
Policies:
• Requesting Review of the Following Policies
◦ PTO Buyout
◦ Admissions (Military Preference)
◦ Comp Time
◦ Student Performance Contract (Ensure all policies align)
Enrollment:
604 currently enrolled, budgeted for 585
B.
High School Update
T. Miller gave the High School Report:
- End of Year Academic Data
- Spanish Finals/Standards
- Class of 2025 Stats
- SAT/ACT scores
- Courses being offered at SCHS next year
- Discipline/Dress Code/Cell Phone Usage
- New Hires
- Defensive Driver Course in June (19 attended)
- New Studenet Orientation August 7th
- Big Kahunas Trip August 8th
C.
Middle School Update
K. Mixson gave the following updates:
- New 5th graders met up for Summer Movie Day
- Thanked everyone who came to 8th grade graduation
- A "point' was hit by lightning causing the front office to be without internet
- 3rd building had an electrical problem that Chelco and Lee discovered
- 1st and 2nd building still having an electrical issue-its been presented to Chelco and the electricians
- Excited to have K. Youngblood join our team
D.
Foundation Updates
T. Miller gave the following foundation updates:
- Job has been offered to Callie Cox for the Director of Advancement role
- The foundation will no longer have employees (they will be school employees)
- The foundation will pay for third party contracts including S. Preston and B. Parker
- Letters went out to all recent graduates to leave a legacy donation
- One senior sent a pledge for $2500
- Every former board member will get a letter
- Submitted a $100 thousand grant for a simulation mannequin through Sacred Heart to add to our Innovation Lab
- Applying for an Impact Grant July 15th, STEAM grant due June 30th
- Doing away with The Annual Fund and moving towards programmatic sponsorship and direct donations
- Clarified the Director of Advancement role would be taking the place of Executive Director of the Foundation
III. Academic Excellence
A.
Academic Excellence Updates
J. O'Donoghue gave the following updates:
- Reviewed several policies including dress code, Ai policy with Kim, Tom and Drew
- M. Harrison shared Walton County Chamber is going to facilitate a civics meet for grades 6-8
- Reviewed CTE courses (new and current) expectations and next steps to receive funding
- Thanked admin for hosting the Teen Driver Challenge
IV. Finance
A.
Budget Updates
A. Jordan gave the following updates:
- May be slight adjustments with the budget going into August with new hires
T. Miller gave the following updates:
- Called on board members for help with major finance decisions including selecting insurances
- The google sheet is a estimate of how much we expect the Triumph grant to bring back in
V. Governance
A.
Governance Updates
No updates
VI. Other Business
A.
Two items that were removed from the Consent Agenda Vote
Discussion:
J. Ward expressed concern with the use of SEL terminology in the proposed training and noted the cost of $5,500 plus travel for an eight-hour session. Ward suggested mental health training might be more appropriate.
A. Jordan inquired about the purpose of the training.
T. Miller explained the intent is to equip teachers with strategies to better understand student mindsets and support students facing challenges. He noted Mr. LeFleur is a nationally recognized speaker and that several providers were vetted with comparable pricing.
J. O’Donoghue clarified that the training is not curriculum adoption, but rather professional development, and highlighted Florida’s $3,000 cap on certain trainings only when specific funding is used.
Several members (Ward, Tinghitella, Harrison) recommended shifting the focus toward mental health or emotional intelligence training and considering local resources such as the Sheriff’s Office and the district’s free offerings.
A. Jordan, J. Ward and M. Harrison recommended requesting revisions from Mr. LeFleur to remove or reframe SEL language and to return with updated information before taking action.
C. Cerise asked what non-academic issues teachers most request support with. T. Miller cited communication of expectations, professional presence, and feedback practices (praise in public, correct in private).
T. Miller confirmed he will follow the board’s direction and can revisit prior proposals.
Outcome:
No vote was taken. The board requested that the administration seek clarification and possible revisions from Mr. LeFleur and explore alternative training options.
- Bobby will continue on focus mainly on race
- Sharon Martin will be part time teacher and part time in house marketing/website
A. Jordan thanked Jenna, Lloyd, Dan and David for all of their hard work over the last four years!
A. Jordan read the following items up for vote on the consent agenda:
• Renew 41 Employee Contracts
• Vote to approve new hires ◦ Donna Stark (MS Civics) ◦ Dan Bump (HS Civics and Athletic Director) ◦ Kathryn Youngblood, (Director of Technology)◦ Cynthia W. Brigman, (Assistant Principal SCHS)
• Vote to amend Tricia Peterson's salary to cover additional duties (Foundation and Triumph Grant) ◦ $1,000 monthly
• Vote to approve Cedrick LeFleur (SEL Trainer)
• Vote to approve Financials ◦ May 2025
• Vote to approve 2025-2026 budget ◦ Expect minor tweaks by August
• Vote to approve renewal ParkerGene Communications ◦ Slightly different role (Foundation focused on race and events) ◦ No changes in the school's investment from the previous year
• Vote to approve SFS services for the 2025-2026 year ◦ No changes to the services or cost
• Vote to approve lease between Foundation and The Seaside School
J. Ward asked to remove Cedrick LeFleur & Parker Gene from Consent Agenda
M. Harrison asked to remove the budget from Consent Agenda
A. Jordan asked for a motion to approve consent agenda excluding Cedrick LeFleur, Parker Gene and the 2025-26 Budget