Sarasota School Board majority convenes for final time before new members seated
The Sarasota County School Board met for the final time Tuesday with the board members who have formed the core of a more liberal majority that has influenced policy for more than a decade.
The board will see a conservative swing when two new members are sworn in on Nov. 22.
The meeting, which almost didn't achieve quorum because board members Tom Edwards and Bridget Ziegler were out sick, saw the passing of $135 million in financing for new school construction and approval of two additional days of school due this school year to make up for time lost to Hurricane Ian. Ziegler and Edwards participated in the meeting online, but three board members were required to be physically present for a quorum.
The nine-figure financing, which passed unanimously, will go toward for a new K-8 school at Clark and Lorraine roads and renovations at Gocio Elementary School.
Awards: Sarasota County Schools announces principals of the year for 2023
Venice High: Texts show Disney objected to Venice 'Indians' name, as well as logo
"It will be a very welcomed addition" to Gocio, board Chair Jane Goodwin said, adding that it would alleviate crowding at Ashton Elementary and Laurel Nokomis School.
During the discussion on the item, Ziegler called on the future board to have public hearings on any financing above $50 million.
Board members also voted to change the school calendar to add two additional instructional days to account for lost time because of Hurricane Ian. The new days, previously marked as professional days for teachers and staff, will be Jan. 9 and March 20.
Both days are the Mondays after Winter and Spring breaks, respectively, and the days were selected because the district staff felt they would be more productive for students.
Heading into the meeting, there were questions regarding if the board meeting could occur because of Ziegler's and Edwards' absence due to illness. Board member Karen Rose arrived with 10 minutes to spare, and the meeting proceeded as scheduled.
Before the meeting, about 30 district staff members and families of Brown and Goodwin gathered in the board chambers to celebrate their retirements from the panel. During their goodbye remarks, the two took time to thank district staff and gave calls to action for unity as the board's makeup is set to shift.
"Disagreeing isn't wrong," Brown said "Coming to the table with differing opinions can sometimes help. What you need to do is listen and think with that mindset. I hope that our new board will work on that."
Brown had served on the School Board since 2006, and Goodwin since 2010. Rose, who will remain on the board, replaced Caroline Zucker, who served 22 years on the School Board. Starting Nov. 22, the longest-tenured Sarasota County School Board member will be Ziegler, who has been on the board since 2014.
Follow Herald-Tribune Education Reporter Steven Walker on Twitter at @swalker_7. He can be reached at sbwalker@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota School Board meets ahead of conservative shift
