School Board meting highlights (Nov. 9, 2023)
Posted on 11/09/2023
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:
School Board Approves OESPA Contract for 2023-24
The School Board and the Orange Education Support Professionals Association (OESPA) collaboratively bargained a contract that includes wage increases, health insurance plan design and premium changes, and contract language changes. The wage increases will increase the minimum hourly rate for all education support employees to $15.40 per hour. To implement this increase in the minimum hourly rate, there is an increase in the minimum hourly rates for pay grades 3 – 18. The combination of the wage structure movement and the employee adjustment to the structure movement will result in all active education support personnel who worked one day more than half a year in 2022-23 receiving a minimum of 9 percent (9%) per hour increase. In addition, there is an increase in the retention bonus for 2023-24 and an extension of the retention bonus through 2024-25.These agreements represent an increase in the board’s contribution to healthcare premiums effective June 30, 2024.
School Board Honors John Peery
The school board honored former Apopka Chief editor John Peery who passed away in October. His wife, Grace Peery, his daughter and son-in-law, Kristin and Austin Martin, and his stepson and daughter-in-law, Adam and Angela Shaw, attended the school board meeting. (See group photo above.)
Proclamation adopted for the month of Nov. 2023
First celebrated in 1987, National Education Support Professionals Day was established as a special way to honor the essential role education support professionals play in creating great public schools for every student. Education support professionals are represented by employees who serve in the clerical; custodial; educational paraprofessional; food service; maintenance; technology; transportation; and uniformed security job families. They provide invaluable services that enable students to learn in positive and supportive environments.
National Education Support Professionals Day – Nov. 15, 2023
Changes regarding administrative personnel
Chastity Aria Sanders, assistant principal, Wolf Lake Middle
School Board spotlight
District 2 School Board Member Maria Salamanca presented the School Board Spotlight to Lake Nona High Debate teacher Derek Antoniazzi, who has worked at OCPS for the past seven years. He is an invaluable member and has played a key role in building a positive culture for his students. He prepares his students for college and success by helping them improve their reading and writing skills, teaching them about conducting research and speaking in front of an audience. For the past five years, he has grown the Debate program from the ground up, and now it has nearly 100 team members. He is also a Florida Civics and Debate Initiative regional ambassador and helps build new debate programs throughout Central Florida. His hard work has paid off with numerous Academic All-American Award winners and state champions under his belt.
District 3 School Board Member Alicia Farrant honored Walker Middle Support Services Clerk Lashawn Harris, who began her OCPS journey four years ago. For the past year, she has been greeting parents, students and visitors at the front desk with a smile. She also manages the fast-paced school office with a positive attitude and willingness to assist everyone who walks through the door.
School Board approved the name for a new high school set to open in August 2024.
Innovation High School will be located in the Innovation Way corridor, creates a link with Innovation Middle School, and matches the schools new innovative design and programming. The school relieves Lake Nona High. The school is designed by Zyscovich Architects and is being built by CORE| HORUS Construction. The high school will be the district’s 23rd traditional high school. The name of the school is selected by the school board.
Board member football challenge update alert
District 2 Board Member Salamanca had to wear the University High jersey after District 1 Board Member Gallo’s University High beat Colonial High 26-18 on Oct. 26.
District 3 Board Member Farrant had to wear the University High jersey after District 6 Board Member Castor Dentel’s Edgewater High beat Boone High 42-14 on Nov. 3. Edgewater remains undefeated for the season.
*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.