SPECIAL WORK SESSION, THE SCHOOL BOARD OF BREVARD COUNTY

March 8, 2005

The School Board of Brevard County, Florida held a workshop on Tuesday, March 8, 2005, at 2:00 p.m., at the Educational Services Facility, 2700 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, Viera, Florida.  Notice of the meeting was advertised in Florida Today newspaper on Sunday, March 6, 2005, and the affidavit of publication with a copy of the notice attached is filed in supplemental minute book #204, page 204-1.

 

Chairman Larry Hughes called the workshop to order at 2:30 p.m.

 

Members Present:  Larry Hughes, Robert Jordan, Janice Kershaw, Bea Fowler

 

Members Absent:  Amy Kneessy (arrived at 2:48 p.m.)

 

OPENING COMMENTS      

Dr. DiPatri welcomed the group and thanked the Board for meeting with staff during the past week.  He reviewed the agenda and walked the group through the timeline for the facilities plan.  Copies of these documents are filed in supplemental minute book #204, Pages 204-2 through 204-3, inc.  He indicated that another work session could be scheduled if needed, but, if not, he planned to bring the plan to the Board on March 22nd as an information item.  If the Board agreed at the March 22nd meeting, the plan would be placed on the district web site and in the Mark of Excellence for parent review and an opportunity for parent, community and employee input from March 23rd to April 26th.  The Area Superintendents would also be holding meetings during this time period.  Public presentations would be held on April 12th with adoption of the plan on April 26th.  The adoption of the plan could be extended if necessary.

 

PROPOSED PROJECT LIST CHANGES

Robert Jordan asked for a detailed list by area and school.  Ed Curry, Assistant Superintendent for Facilities Management Services, stated he would have this ready by the end of the month but would try to have it ready by March 22nd.  Bea Fowler requested a comparison of the Hillsborough County plan on building a school.  Mr. Curry stated he would report back to the Board within the next week.  He then passed out and reviewed the suggested changes made to the original project list as a result of individual meetings with the Board members and suggestions by senior staff.  All revisions are noted in red font.  A copy of the revised project list is filed in supplemental minute book #204, pages 204-4 through 204-7, inc.

 

Discussion was held on the start and completion dates, relief provided by the new high school and enhancements in technology, bus compounds, a competitive football stadium at Titusville and Astronaut High Schools, roofing information received from Hillsborough County, life-cycle air conditioning costs, and re-building of hurricane damaged portables. 

 

As a result of discussion on district owned property, Dr. DiPatri stated staff would put together a report on property the Board currently owns for this week’s update.  Bea Fowler questioned the status of selling the Pineapple site.  Judy Preston, Associate Superintendent for Financial Services, stated that staff is currently researching this issue.  She indicated that, when you have surplus property, the State Statute says that first choice would go to an existing charter school at no cost to them.  If a charter school did take the property and functioned as a school, they could sell it in the future.  Larry Hughes questioned what would happen if they demolished the existing school.  Dr. DiPatri stated Board Attorney Harold Bistline would investigate this issue.

 

Discussion was held on building a new elementary school north of the Barge Canal.  The growth would be relieved by the additions planned at Stevenson.  Bea Fowler questioned making Stevenson a K-6 and making it a choice school for K-2.  Dr. DiPatri stated that Sandy Demmon, Area Superintendent, would hold meetings with staff and parents.  Discussion was held on concerns of where students would be drawn from.  A detailed analysis would be prepared to address the situation.

 

Amy Kneessy questioned special education classes at Eau Gallie High School.  David Piccolo, Area Superintendent, stated that enrollment would go down with construction of the new high school.  She suggested that the exceptional education classrooms be looked at for accessibility versus functionality when renovated and to work with the Exceptional Education Department and ADA requirements during planning.  Janice Kershaw requested that feedback be obtained from all facility users during the design.  Brenda Blackburn stated that staff had visited each school on science renovations and the fine arts resource teachers would be visiting the auditoriums.

 

Mr. Curry passed out and reviewed an auditorium analysis done on the three district auditoriums compared to Holy Trinity Episcopal Academy and Atlantic High School in Palm Beach County.  Detailed criteria was compared and this information would be used for future reference.  A copy of this analysis is filed in supplemental minute book #204, pages 204-8 through 204-19, inc.

 

 

Bea Fowler commented on the three auditoriums built in 1991, which she terms as state-of-the-art theatres.  She noted that only one school is using the extensive equipment.  She indicated she would like to see a plan for using these theatres, what courses are offered to students in a performing arts curriculum, who will be the teachers for set design and construction, property management, costuming, lighting, etc. and their credentials.  She questioned if Brevard County had a need to produce more graduates with theatre specialties or could this need be satisfied by a simple auditorium.  She suggested a higher priority may be needed to be placed on math and science facilities.  Larry Hughes stated that he had requested similar data during his meeting with staff earlier in the week.

 

Bea Fowler also stated that the City of Rockledge has plans to construct a Cultural Arts Center and Performing Arts Center and would like to partner with the School Board so they could apply for grants.

 

Bea Fowler requested a school district policy on rental of these facilities to district schools.  The charges for district schools should not be the same as charges for outside commercial groups.  Dr. DiPatri stated he thought this was dealt with last year but would have staff re-check.

 

Robert Jordan commented that he did not want the auditoriums to be a matter of contention when looking at the project list.

 

Janice Kershaw asked for an analysis of the equity of facilities between Edgewood and West Shore.

 

In response to a question by Janice Kershaw, Ed Curry stated that Bayside Lakes Development, by copy of a letter provided to the Board, had terminated the donation of land for Elementary School “S”.  A copy of this letter is filed in supplemental minute book #204, pages 204-20 through 204-23, inc.  Recommendations for a substitute site would be by Palm Bay Charter School, or in the Barefoot Bay area.  A complete feasibility study would have to be conducted on any site in the south.  Amy Kneessy indicated that she had been told the board owned land in Barefoot Bay.  Dr. DiPatri stated staff would look into this.

 

Mike Degutis, Assistant Superintendent for Financial Services, distributed two graphs on property tax projections vs. debt service projections, created from board member meetings on where the district would obtain funding for the proposed projects.  Larry Hughes indicated that if you added the total COPS and total RANS together that they would exceed the value of 1 mill during the first ten years.  Mike Degutis stated that the 1 mill only applies to COPS capacity.  Robert Jordan requested another analysis with updated numbers noted.  A copy of the graphs is filed in supplemental minute book #203, pages 204-24 through 204-25, inc.

 

BOARD DISCUSSION         

Bea Fowler stated that her primary concern is that there are two theatres not being used, except for the summer theatre program, and if they plan to build theatres they need to ensure they have the proper personnel to use them to their full capacity.

 

Larry Hughes stated he would like to see an itemized list by school, by area, and by district.  He would like to put into place a process where each board member look at their district and prioritize the projects.  Also have the Area Superintendents prioritize the list by their areas.  Also, the board needs to determine how much they need to borrow.  Discussion was held on how to look at the projects.  Another suggestion was to look at how the projects where already scheduled by start/completion dates.  Larry Hughes requested additional information on the financial impact by year.  Michael Degutis stated that a revised spread sheet would be prepared to the new project list.  Robert Jordan stated that they needed to focus on the older schools.

 

There being no further discussion, the workshop adjourned at 4:25 p.m.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                   

                                                                                                Chairman: ______________________________

                                                                                                                                               

 

 

 

 

 

ATTEST:          ______________________________________

                        Secretary and Superintendent of Schools