The presentation from Take Stock in Children, a program administered by the YMCA, was led by Shaine Reynolds, the association director of Team programs. Reynolds detailed the program’s mission to mitigate financial barriers for students from underserved backgrounds by providing scholarships, mentors, and college success coaches. Since the YMCA took over the program, over 257 students in Clay County have benefited, with approximately $1.3 million in scholarships awarded. Janice Tucker, a program advocate, highlighted the importance of collaboration between TSC and school staff to identify eligible students, particularly those who might not self-identify due to socioeconomic challenges. Tucker urged the board to increase awareness of the program within schools to ensure eligible students are informed of these opportunities.

Following the TSC presentation, the board engaged with NEOLA representatives Tom Whitmer and Annette Martinson about the ongoing overhaul of the school board’s policy manual. Approximately 200 policy documents are under review, categorized for administrators, instructional staff, and support staff. Whitmer emphasized the collaborative nature of the process and encouraged board members to focus on specific policies. There was a discussion on the rationale for omitting certain statutory language from policies, with Whitmer clarifying that while laws need not be duplicated in policies, compliance with Florida statutes remains mandatory.

A particular focus was placed on the delineation of responsibilities between the board and the superintendent regarding the management of procedures. A board member expressed confusion over the oversight roles, referencing legal language that implied the board should maintain supervision of procedures.

The conversation then shifted to the topic of social media engagement policies for administrators, particularly those involving student interactions. There was a debate over the language in the policy that discouraged administrators from engaging with students on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. With the district having invested in Apogee, an application designed for safe communication, the relevance of the existing policy was questioned. Concerns were raised about the policy’s broadness and the potential for ambiguity with terms like “inappropriate.” Suggestions were made to revise the language, perhaps allowing more discretion in interpreting what constitutes appropriate engagement.

Further discussion included the possibility of creating a separate, detailed social media policy that outlines appropriate interactions explicitly. This new policy could be housed in the broader section of the board’s policies to provide clarity without diluting the original intent. The idea of incorporating acceptable use agreements that staff members would sign was proposed to reaffirm expectations regarding communications with students.

The meeting also addressed the board’s internal procedures, including a proposal to reinstate Robert’s Rules of Order for consistency in meeting management. The importance of understanding parliamentary procedures was emphasized, with discussions about providing additional training to board members. A consensus was reached to reinstate Robert’s Rules, with the option to temporarily suspend them during certain discussions to allow for more free-flowing dialogue.

In other business, the board reviewed several operational projects, including a classroom addition at Ride Out Elementary and the completion of the track at Clay High School. The board also discussed the implications of a new clearinghouse system for background screenings, designed to streamline processes and reduce redundancy for employees who have been screened in other districts.

Additionally, the board considered the development of a quarterly newsletter to improve communication with the community. The newsletter would highlight board accomplishments and initiatives.