Liberty County School Board Regular meeting Tuesday, May the 12th, 2026, 5:30 p.m. Come to order, please. President of the city. >> Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you Lord for the opportunity to be here.
Thank you God for the rain that that we so desperately needed. We thank you for that. Uh Lord, we pray right now that you bless our time and our fellowship and our meeting together, Father, as we take care of school business. We pray God for great wisdom, great sermon, Father, and statesmanship allin one.
Father, we pray that you guide our our paths and our Lord our ideations, our decisions, Father. May they be L or be proper to you and to our county. Uh Lord, we pray for uh Mr. Willis tonight. We pray for continued healing in his life and pray God that you would rid his
body of that cancer. Uh Lord, just pray for him and Carly and those girls right now. And we pray that this treatment would be very very successful. Pray these things. Believe in it right now in your name. Amen. democracy to the flag of the United States of
America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all recognition present. >> Yes, sir. >> Moving on to item three, public comment.
We got one of Wagner. >> Good evening. My name is Anna Wagner and I'm a parent of a student at Fuller School. I'm here tonight regarding serious concerns about student safety and supervision following my son's physical attack on school grounds. My
son was attacked during a time when staff were assigned to supervise students outside. However, no staff were present in the area where the incident occurred. I understand schools cannot predict or prevent every student action. However, schools can and should ensure that assigned supervision is being
carried out when students are left unsupervised during designated supervision times. Student safety is put at risk. I would now like to take a 22 seconds of silence to reflect the amount of time it reportedly took after the attack started for staff to arrive where
they were expected to be during this incident. As a result of this attack, my son suffered a head injury. and later experienced postconussive symptoms. Following the incident, due to both his medical condition and continued threats and harassment from other students, I
requested remote learning for his safety and recovery. This situation has raised serious concerns for my family, not only about what happened to my son, but about how students safety concerns are handled after an incident occurs. My purpose in speaking tonight is not simply to
discuss 15, but to ask what is being done to ensure proper supervision is consistently taking place and that families can trust their children are being reasonably protected while explaining. I am asking this board for answers. How is the district ensuring staff assign staff that are assigned to
student supervision are actually present and monitoring students as intended? What review has been conducted regarding the lack of supervision at the time of my son's attack? and what steps are being taken to address ongoing threats or harassment after a student has already been injured. My son, as well as
every other student in Liberty County, deserves to feel safe at school, and families deserve confidence and that reasonable supervision and student safety measures are being taken seriously. Thank you for your time. Moving on item four, superintendent petting.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh very quickly, uh very proud to have Mr. Walt Summers uh as our new district school safety specialist beginning June 1st. He's here tonight. Uh he's began begun the process of transitioning uh from the
the Ricky Sansom era to the Walt Summers era. Ricky is a big big shoes to fill and uh we have been very blessed to have Ricky here and so I I can say with great confidence Mr. Summers is inheriting a well greased machine and we're we're
very glad that he's here and uh he's got a I told him he's going to have a busy summer. You got a lot lot of things to get ready for getting ready for the school years. I appreciate Ricky. Ricky's been fighting through some sickness and stuff trying bless his heart trying to trying to get there. So, we uh we appreciate Ricky and his his uh
his expertise in getting Walt ready for for our 2627 school year. Uh PM3 test results are looking very good for the district. Uh obviously, you got areas that you know, you go uh you know, we need need improvement and I I think everywhere we want to improve, but there
are some really good scores. Um and I don't even want to start to tell you exactly where they are. Um, I mean, I know where they are, but this I won't wait to everything kind of comes in, but there's some really thing really good things to be proud of. Uh, in some areas
that, uh, a lot of our district folks have just been really providing some extra supports in and and it and it paid off and I'm very proud of our students. Got a lot of level fives this year and very >> perfect scores. >> Some perfect scores. Yeah. So, we'll be
recognizing those students uh I'm sure in the fall, but very very proud of that. We still got still testing and then we'll have makeups and then we'll get a better clearer picture of where we're at and where we think our school grades will be. Uh total graduation is
this Thursday at 6:00 p.m. Uh love to have you there. Oxford's will be next Monday. Kindergarten graduation May 18th at 6:30. uh Liberty County softball. Uh they played last night finally uh against Cottondale and won and so the the
regional final and I had already got this up scheduled to be tomorrow night. I don't think I went out to the field while ago and it'd be a great opportunity for fundraising for a bog in or something. But uh it's it's it's a mess and and I don't know that tomorrow's you know it's still kind of
raining on and off now. But uh we need a lot of sunshine and a lot of a lot of wind to to dry that field out. So there may be a maybe even a further delay maybe into to let it die. Not sure. But all those decisions we we have to clear that through FHSA. So I've talked with
Craig Damon who's executive director and um you know we we we stay in constant contact with them. Um and I'll let y'all know as soon as we know. I mean like right now it's supposed to be tomorrow night but I Kevin, what do you think? that could probably slim.
>> It could dry. It dry another day in one day. >> Yeah, it just depends on how much more rain we get. >> It all depends about rain. So anyway, if it didn't rain anymore right now and you got some sunshine and wind tomorrow, maybe don't know. So we'll we'll try. >> St. Joe's not wanting us to play.
>> Yeah. Yeah. >> Joe volunteered their field so we could play and that was nice. >> It was very nice. Very. But uh coach uh so uh declined anyway. Okay. So uh if let's see if we win that game. Not to be
presumptuous. I went ahead and put the address uh for you for the uh we going to win the game. I'm just going to tell you I'll be a little presump. We're going to win that game whenever we play. Uh next Tuesday will be the semi-final game. Uh it'll either be at 1 or three.
That's on the FHSA website. But we do know the time for the championship game. If we win, that will be on Wednesday if we make it. So, that'll be a four o'clock game. Um, I'll be leaving for Miami immediately after the total kindergarten graduation. I have been at the commissioner summit before. Uh, had
not necessarily planned on going this year. Um but the commissioner asked me, Superintendent Dorris from Miami Dade. Um Superintendent Teders from Okachchobee uh and Florida International University head of security Alexander
Casus to be a on a panel discussion talk about threat management in Florida and Florida public schools. I tell you what, the congregate the congregation put my pastor hat back. uh the the conversation is ultimately coming down is is they're going to be guardian program on the
post-secary level. So colleges will they have especially after the Florida State shooting um they're looking at what threat management how we can continue giving information. So Ricky heads up our district threat management here at the district. Let's say you have kids at
college and they know that you know is there going to try to implement it'll probably take a few years but would you implement that if kid has a problem here do we we find out they go to Chipola college does Chipola have access to that information of some of the threats maybe we had to deal with on the high school
level or even the elementary level and then the second part of that is you know the introduction of the guardian program into colleges that's going to cost cost the state more money and so uh that's that's the brunt of the conversation Uh but threat management uh no school on
Monday May 25th and observance of Memorial Day. Uh Liberty County Balorat is Wednesday, May 27th at 6:00 p.m. The graduation is on Friday at 7. Senior awards, we we get most of those done, most awards there. So graduation not so
long, which has been a blessing. Uh but that'll be on Tuesday, uh the day before the baloria on May 26, 6:00. uh retirement party for ESSE Director Laura Diesson. We're excited. You should have a invitation there. Some beautiful
invitations. Um we want to celebrate not her leaving. We want to celebrate her retiring that she gets to go home and enjoy grandb babies and and take care of Ronnie De. So uh we're we want you to be here May May 20th in the boardroom at
9:30 and celebrate her many many years of service to Liberty County School Board. uh school start times. Um this is an agenda item and it doesn't say what the recommendation is. I wanted to let you know obviously, you know, from our
workshop. I want to leave it as is. Um this is one of those things that school boards have been doing forever and I think it needs to stay in the hands of the school board, but the legislature got involved in 23 and changed the legislation to uh make no no high school could start before 8:30 and that just
does not work with a lot of schools across the state. So in 2025 they came out with some other legislation said ah school boards y'all y'all know what's best for your communities. Y'all do it well that's what y'all are doing to begin with. So anyway I did uh I did a a survey on parent square. We had 181
people and and I'll be glad to show you all these results. I have names, numbers, phone numbers, emails, everything. 162 said leave the school times as is. Uh 19 said we should start after 8:30. Um, and we did have some
staff members that were part of that 19. Um, so anyway, my recommendation is to leave school times as is for the 2627 school year. Um, if there's any change in that, the board has the the, you know, the power to to change that. So, I
think we leave it as as is. Uh, you know, I just feel like it we don't need to extend the day longer than it is. We want people to get home. We want people to get home to their family and uh you know a lot of lot of extracurriculars going on in Liberty County and that already makes for long days but to
extend everything I think it's a real problem for parents trying to drop off kids in this you know at a school in the morning try to get to work maybe if they work in Tallahassee or have a job outside the county and try to be there sometime after 8:00. It would put it would put them not being able to probably drop kids off like right now
they drop them off about 7:30 but it'd be closer to 8:00 before they could drop them off. Uh, so we we just I just don't think that's good for us. Maybe down the road it might be a good idea, but right now I don't see it and would ask for y'all when that comes up and Mr. Hayes
asked for that. I just asked for one of y'all to make a motion to leave it as is for the 26 27 school year. Um, we will need another schoolboard meet this this month to recommend uh probably some personnel items and just some wrap-up type stuff for the coming into summer.
We'll also uh honor retirees uh at that meeting. And so u I'll let y'all know probably here within a week or so when that date would be. And then right before the meeting uh I think we by agreement with everybody to move the
June meeting to the 16th U and everybody seemed to be good with that. And Mr. Rene made sure y'all y'all get a reminder of that. So that'll just push the June meeting a week out. Anyway, any questions? All right, Mr. Chair,
>> Betty, move right along to item with eyes. Addition to the agenda, need a motion to approve addition to consent item 8B. A motion motion motion, Mr. Jody, secondary. Any discussion? All fos car. Next item B need a motion to
approve to add emergency item 10 A and B. Have a motion. >> Motion Commission. >> Any discussion? >> Any discussion? All >> in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Moving on to item six. Approve the agenda. Motion to approve agenda for
May 12th, 2026. Have a motion. >> Motion. >> Motion with single. Second. Second. Miss Jody. Any discussion? All f say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Moving on item seven. Then a motion approved April 14th, 2026 regular meeting minutes.
Motion motion. >> Motion Merry. >> Second, Mr. Moore. Any discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carry. Next item B. Need a motion to approve April 30th, 2026 special meeting
minutes. Have a motion. >> Motion. Mr. M. 37. >> Any discussion? All in favor say I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Next item eight. Need item eight. Need a motion to approve the following April 2026 finance
report and transactions. Have a motion. >> Motion. Mr. Moore. Second. Yes. Mr. Ke any discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Mo on item B. Then a motion to approve May 2026 personnel consent table
with addition to correction. Have a motion. >> Motion secondary second. >> Second key. Any discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Moving on item C. Need a motion to approve May 2026 update subly. Have a
motion. >> Motion. >> Motion. Mr. Keer. Second. >> Second. >> Second. Miss Jody. Any discussion? All in favor say I. I opposed motion carries. Moving on item nine, action items. Item eight. Need a motion to approve
Katie Gun direct finance travel expenditure to attend the FS FOA 2036 summer conference to be held June the 15th through the 18th and consumm. >> Mr. Morris, any discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carried.
Moving on to item B. Then a motion approve s superintendent travel expenditure to attend the 26 Florida education commissioner summit as part of the three man in Miami Florida May the 14th through the 15th. Motion >> motion move second
>> secondary. Any discussion? >> Yeah. Can I back up one number Katie? You're going to be gone on the 16th. That's not I know you mentioned that while ago that you don't need to be >> I can call in. Okay. that I should be
available to call for some. >> I know it's getting summer time. I don't know if it's going to be one of your meetings that you >> uh quite but available. >> Okay, it's coming. >> Sorry about being late, Mr. Chairman. >> That's fine. All in favor say I. I
carried moving on item C. Need a motion to approve letter of engagement between Alison and S CPA, PA, the Liberty County District School Board. Have a motion. Motion >> motion m second. >> Yes. >> Any bill? All in favor say I.
>> Any opposed? Motion carries. Moving on. Item D. Need a motion app to approve summer hours for bread day to provide ESSE extended school year speech language servicesing to include prek child screening to students with disabilities.
Motion. >> Motion. Who? Second single. Any discussion? All in favor say I. Uh any opposed? Moving on. Item eight. Need a motion to approve agreement for contracted services between the Liberty County School Board Premier Therapy and
Rehab Tesser to provide occupational therapy service for June June and July 2026. Yes. Why? Motion motion. Motion Miss Ke. Any discussion? All favor say I. Any opposed? Move on it.
Need a motion app to approve 2025 26 leave the county school board adopted curriculum. I have a motion. >> Motion Miss Kever second. >> Second singlear discussion. All f. Any opposed? Motion carries on item G. Need
a motion app to approve Chipola College High School campus dual enrollment core and instructor request of Georgia Georgian hostage for 26 fall semester pre outer and 2027 spring semester plane
trigonometry have a motion >> motion more second Jod any discussion all in favor say I opposed motion carries next item eight then a motion to approve Approve through summer schoolbased data scientist
guidance have a motion. >> Motion Mr. Singleary second >> second Mr. Ke any discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. Moving on. Item I need a motion to approve summer data entry staff. Have a motion.
>> Motion with Jody. Have a second. >> Second Keith. Any discussion? All f say I. Any oppose? Motion carries. Next item J. Then a motion to approve summer tech staff. Have a motion. >> Motion. >> Motion to san. Second. >> Second.
>> Second. Mr. Keeper. Any discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Next item. Okay. Need a motion approve 21st CCLC summer personnel consent table. We have a motion. >> Motion. Mr. Kever. Second.
>> Mr. Morrison. Any discussion? >> Yeah. M I need to ask are we changing are we need times for summer program? >> No. So these are only the new people. So everyone who's already working had option. So they're
The original group is not on that list just once I decided not to work and then the times are going to be the same. So still Monday through Thursday three weeks in June for each >> all in favor say I motion car. Next item able then a motion to approve summary
intervention merent table. Have a motion. Motion jable. Any discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Next item M a motion to approve summer esy personnel
consent table motion motion single second Mr. Kever any discussion all in favor say I >> oppose motion carries next item end a motion to create advertise one eligible boot camp position I have a
motion >> motion Mr. More second. >> Second. >> See if there any discussion. >> Yeah. Do we have an idea who may be this >> this person is an advertise?
>> Maybe we don't have any idea yet. >> Yeah. I tell you who's done it years past. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I had a question too. I'm sorry. I didn't ask y'all on this earlier and I forgot. Do we have a number of num like students
that are >> Yeah, that's why we sat on this one until after the alpha assessment was done because if it were 50 kids didn't pass and we would need a lot more than >> Yeah, they did a lot better than we >> we did. Yeah. >> Okay. All right. So, we knew this this
is like an every summer they might need it. Right. >> Right. We take it in the summer. >> Right. So, that we think this is plenty enough hours. coming with >> typically they'll um like of the strands they get those prep hours they'll look
and say you and you need to work on this strand you're going to come I'm going to work with you at this time you and you are a different strand so they're not getting all of it >> again yeah it's very targeted on what they need to work >> got thank you say
>> I opposed motion car next item need a motion approve some approve personnel consent table have a motion >> motion Motion Secretary second commodity. Any discussion? All in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Next
item. Pen a motion. The nomin motion nomination of FF FSBA district adversary committee representative alternate for the term July 1st 26 through June 30th 27th. Have
a nominee. I nominate >> judge not >> and Jason Singleary is vice. Thank you. >> What I heard somebody that either way your name was involved
I didn't hear you. >> I got wheel Jason or >> I nominate Mason. >> All I need is the second. >> Thank you. You got to have somewhere to go.
>> I said >> Jason are the you are the you don't have the big old >> any more discussion? All in favor say I. >> Any oppose? Motion carried. Okay.
>> Next move on item two. Need a motion to approve the start time for 2026 27 school year. Leaving it the same. We have a motion. Leave it. >> I have a motion. Leave that. >> And I second. Mod leave it the same. Any discussion? Y'all call up.
>> All in favor say I. I. >> Motion carries. Leave it. M. >> Thank you. >> Yes. There's on item 10 items. Item eight need a motion to create advertise one ESC extended school
years one to one professional WR to have a motion. >> Motion >> motion Mr. Moore second miss Jody any discussion all in favor say I. Any opposed? Motion carries. Next item B need a motion to approve recommendation of Palen Rogers under urgent condition
status effective by the 5th 1st 26 through the 6 to 30 26 have a motion >> motion >> motion M secretary >> yes sir >> any discussion I mean second >> Mr. Any discussion? >> Yes. Um, talk. >> Yeah. Yeah. Um, this was a late ad and
um, this was the lady who u, you know, Miss Danielle Summers was helping with that kindergarten class. Um, and so we got this lady, she was just about to finish up her degree. And so what we did, she came in as a par, we hired PA
professional, but we told her once she got her her degree and we had records of that, then we could pay her as a teacher. So Danielle has since pulled out and so we got her transcripts and all and has her degree. So >> and she just got approved >> and she just got certification.
>> Yeah. >> So we're paying her as a teacher for the last month of the school year now that we've got her credentials. >> She will be for the next she'll she'll she's already applied for next. >> We'll have to advertise that position.
>> You said it's one of those. Okay. Yeah, that's who it is. >> All say I oppos motion carry. Move on to item 11 policy item a motion to approve second reading of volume 26 number two
February 2026 motion motion motion Mr. Kever second Mr. Singleary any discussion all I any opposed motion carries item 24 member Mr. Well, appreciate it. Want to welcome
Wall on board. I hope you can learn what you need to know from Mr. Whitley. He's made things easy. And Mr. I hate to see you go. I know Mr. Ronnie love me. >> I know, but I still hate to see you go.
Other than that, it's summertime's going to be here before we know it. is going to be really busy and appreciate all y'all doing. >> Thank you, Jason. >> Mr. Wall, like Mr. Boo saying, good to
have you. No pressure, but you got some big shoes to build. That's all I say about Ricky this weekend, folks. I make it tell you what I do. Miss Stephanie, you got some big shoes, too. Glad to have you on this side of the county. Miss Laura, we're
going to miss you. Uh, good luck to the girls. Uh, the weightlifting team did. Did you >> mention that on here? >> I didn't put that on. >> State champion Mendez is this champion
of the one team, >> but >> first and second in the state. Pretty big, pretty big to do. But, u appreciate the hard work. Thank you, Mr. Jackson. I want to say
the same. Thank you, Mr. Wall coming. Thank you, Rick, for your service today. Been a good Thank you, Mr. L, for your service. Miss Stephanie, pray everything works good for everybody. Thank y'all. Jody, welcome aboard. Um, but as I stated before, many, many years. Ricky,
you have been phenomenal. Um, we lost we lost a lot of good staff, you know, through leaving or retirement and stuff and and I sure hate to see you go, buddy. Um, we're going to miss you. Well, if there's anything that board can do to help you always feel free to reach
out to us. We're here. Um, safety is not my number one top priority. I can go. Um, and just just keep that in mind if you ever need anything. We're going we going to be here for you. Laura, best wishes. Stephanie, good luck, honey. Um, again, you know, as long as we're going
to be right here with you along the way and, uh, there's anything you need, you know. So, um, good luck to the girls. Uh, wow. I tell you what, Liberty County is just amazing. Um, looking forward to
seeing where it takes us and hoping to get some good scholarships and let these kids move forward. I know it'll always be your job if it goes. That's all. Thank you. >> Thanks, sir. Three minutes long. So, no,
I appreciate all y'all. Um, you know, what Laurie, thank you all sincerely. I know it's always a weird thing. You you sacrifice so much of your time, life into something and then all you get. So, thank you. You know, I do appreciate it and I hope the best for you in the next phase of life. I I do I hope it's a good
good time for you both. Um Steph and Walt, thank y'all for stepping up, being willing to come on board. Thanks a great team. I know from all the talk that that I've had and and things that I hear, there's a lot going on, a lot of planning, a lot of focusing on the
summer and what's coming up in the next year. So, thank y'all. That's a lot of sacrifice, a lot of time. Um, I know there's a lot of changes that are always happening and I appreciate y'all stepping up to the task for those changes to make sure the kids are taken care of. That's what it's all about. So, thank y'all for that. For the moms, hope
y'all had a good Mother's Day. It's a little late, but I hope it was a great one. And I'll tell you, our I love the way our athletic programs are going. I like the the kids that are stepping up to compete. Um, we got some competitors. We've had some in some places for a
while and we really have others stepping up. So, it's exciting to see. Um, I'll definitely mention this, the Bulldog Club, we're looking for volunteers to step up to help out. So, y'all reach out to me personally. I would appreciate it. And if you know, family, friends that
can step up. Um, want to have football wide open through the summer and then the fall. We'll be here before you know it. Um, we want to help him get off to a good start. Great season last season. Um, I'd definitely like to see that continue on the next year. Whatever y'all need from me, holler. Thank you
all. That's it. We're leaving. >> Thanks, M. Thanks, brother. Coming. Moving on. Item 14. Need a motion to journ. Thank you. Save.