Seaside School, Inc
Minutes
April 2023 Board Meeting
Date and Time
Thursday April 20, 2023 at 5:30 PM
Location
Seacoast Collegiate High School
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.
Directors Present
A. Winicki, D. Lilienthal, D. Tinghitella, F. Barker, G. Latour, K. Goff, L. Blue, M. Foley, M. Hale, M. Kerrigan, M. Uhlfelder
Directors Absent
C. Lewis, J. O’Donoghue, K. Tucker, T. Glavine
Guests Present
D. Ward, J. Robbins, K. Mixson
I. Opening Items
A.
Record Attendance
B.
Call the Meeting to Order
II. Consent Items
A.
Minutes
B.
Special Meeting Minutes
C.
Discipline/Enrollment Report
D.
Financials
E.
Adopt Consent Agenda Items
III. School Update
A.
School Leadership Team Update
B.
School Foundation Update
Foundation update provided in the board materials.
IV. Governance Committee
A.
Update
Governance committee is working on bylaw updates.
Dr. O'Prey submitted his resignation letter last night effective June 15, 2023. Rhea complimented his many accomplishments and contributions to the school over his tenure.
Administration is working on a transition plan and messaging to staff and students.
Executive committee made this recommendation to help support administration with year-end activities and high school expansion.
Ms. Uhfleder raised that we needed to confirm compliance with Sunshine and other educational laws before any new hire was made.
V. Seacoast Collegiate High School Expansion Committee
A.
Seacoast Collegiate High School Expansion Update
Rhea discussed the visit to Tallahassee last week. She noted the important contributions of Tom Glavine, among others, to those meetings. The team met with various representatives, aids and Governor DeSantis. We got incredible feedback and left very encouraged. We remain optimistic on receiving funding. We should know soon the result of our efforts as committees are meeting now.
We have collected a lot of letters of support, particularly when it goes to the governor's office. If you still have anything you are working on related to that, please submit it as soon as possible.
VI. Student Excellence Committee
A.
Update
M. Foley praised the CTE certifications.
May testing is approaching.
8th grade graduation prep is underway. Volunteers have been requested.
Incoming 5th grade open house is next week.
A summary of spring athletics was given.
Seacoast graduation was discussed and some parent concerns on having to bring their own chairs and rain possibility options.
J. Robbins praised Mark Foley and other parents participating on Parents on Patrol and noted that the Parents on Patrol and pickets really helped make Spring Break season less stressful. Mark noted how important that we continue to implement this program every year.
All calendars will now be handled through Board on Track.
Both schools will do Teacher Appreciation in May. May 1 - 5 (Middle School) and May 8 -12 (High School).
VII. Public Comment
A.
Parking Situation in Seaside
Dan asked about any update on the carpool situation in Seaside. Joy continues to work on this issue.
Michelle would like to propose that next year's selection committee publish the slate of directors prior to the board meeting. She was disappointed in the lack of diversity in this year's selections. Rhea noted how hard they tried to make it an inclusive process for all board members to engage in the process, and she noted that diversity of the board was considered, and the selection committee did their best to select the best candidates to fill the needs of the school. Jon Ward noted that the selection committee was majority female and stated that we should select candidates based on their skills but not simply to check a box.
There was other discussion about the selection committee's great efforts and the desire for the board to continue to improve the process.
Joy discussed the additional geographic diversity of lottery applicants. She also discussed the CTE being sought by students as part of their education. 5th and 6th grade students are pursuing GoogleDocs certifications. 7th and 8th grade students are pursuing Microsoft certifications. The administration is very proud of a 100% pass rate on ServeSafe by several 8th grade students. These certifications result in funding to the school which the school reinvests into its CTE programming.