Board meeting highlights (Sept. 26, 2023)
The School Board of Orange County held its regularly-scheduled board meeting at 5 p.m. at the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center. These are the highlights of the meeting:
Strategic Plan Update
School Choice Services delivered an update on truancy and attendance in school following School Board Policy JE. This national issue is also impacting Orange County Public Schools as explained in
this week’s “Mondays with Maria” segment. Executive Leader Greg Moody provided a
truancy intervention plan.
School Board approved policy changes
Board Policy DFAA - The purpose for the revision is to include updates to the safekeeping/custodial section by a third-party custodian as it relates to securities that are purchased by the district.
School Board approved the 2024 Federal and State Legislative Platform
The 2024 Federal and State Legislative Platform is the result of a consensus reached by school board members during the Legislative Committee meeting held on Sept. 12, 2023. The recommended legislative priorities are based on a comprehensive review of the 2023 Florida Legislative Session, an assessment of the current legislative landscape, and input from school board members, district staff, teachers, and various state and national organizations.
2024 Federal Legislative Platform
2024 State Legislative Platform
Additional proclamations adopted for September and October 2023
National Childhood Cancer Awareness – Sept. 2023
Breast Cancer Awareness – Oct. 2023
Cybersecurity Awareness – Oct. 2023
LGBTQ+ Awareness and History – Oct. 2023
National Bullying Prevention – Oct. 2023
National Principals Month – Oct. 2023
Disability History and Awareness Weeks – Oct. 1-14, 2023
Dyslexia Awareness Day – Oct. 3, 2023
World Teachers Day – Oct. 5, 2023
Fire Prevention Week – Oct. 8-14, 2023
Changes regarding administrative personnel
Superintendent Maria Vazquez introduced the following new administrator:
Autherene Leighvard, principal, Dr. Phillips Elementary
School Board recognition
The Board recognized custodians who earned their Florida School Plant Management Association certification (see photo above). The training program was established for public school custodians by the Florida Department of Education in 1959. It has been administered by the plant management association since 1994. This year, the program returned to OCPS after an eight-year hiatus, thanks to Custodial Services Director Carlos Maffuz Castillo, as well as Labor Relations Director LeighAnn Blackmore and OESPA President Ron Pollard. The certification provides our custodians with an opportunity to expand their skills and do more for OCPS. OCPS employs a workforce of about 1,200 custodians who collaborate to keep our 210 schools and work sites clean. The staff also put their hearts into their work and routinely go beyond the call of duty to keep our campuses in top shape, from the pandemic through many recent hurricanes. Take a look at this
recent feature highlighting our custodians, produced by the “Slice” News from OCPS team.
Meeting concludes with a board member challenge
Chair Jacobs and Member Byrd are participating in a football challenge when Apopka High School takes on Olympia High School Friday, Oct. 6. If Apopka loses Member Byrd, District 7, will wear the Titans jersey during the next board meeting. If Olympia loses Chair Jacob will wear the Blue Darters jersey. #RivalryLove
*Reminder* All board meetings are live streamed on the School Board’s YouTube page and will be accessible from web browsers on computers or mobile devices. To find the live stream, visit www.boardmeetings.ocps.net.