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Board Notes

School Board Notes
Action Meeting - November 4, 2025

Recognitions

The Board recognized:

  • 34 schools designated this year as PBIS Model Schools. PBIS is an evidence-based approach to supporting positive behavior in our schools, including training, coaching, technical assistance, and recognition.
  • Bronze Model Schools
  • Challenger Middle
  • Cypress Lake High
  • Diplomat Elementary
  • Heights Elementary
  • Oak Hammock Middle
  • River Hall Elementary
  • Sunshine Elementary
  • The Alva School
  • Three Oaks Elementary
  • Tortuga Preserve Elementary
  • Treeline Elementary
  • Villas Elementary
  • Silver Model Schools
  • Bayshore Elementary
  • Bonita Springs Elementary
  • Cape Elementary
  • Fort Myers Beach Elementary
  • Island Coast High School
  • Spring Creek Elementary
  • The Sanibel School
  • Three Oaks Middle
  • Tropic Isles Elementary
  • Varsity Lakes Middle
  • Gold Model Schools
  • Buckingham Exceptional Student Center
  • Caloosa Elementary
  • Diplomat Middle
  • Gulf Elementary
  • J.Colin English Elementary
  • Mirror Lakes Elementary
  • Patriot Elementary
  • San Carlos Park Elementary
  • Tice Elementary
  • Trafalgar Elementary
  • Trafalgar Middle
  • Young Parent Education Program
  • Six schools that have embraced this culture of environmental stewardship on their campuses and within their communities by becoming Everglades Champion Schools.
  • Bronze Level
  • Lee Virtual School
  • Silver Level
  • Harns Marsh Elementary
  • Lehigh Elementary
  • Pelican Elementary
  • Gold Level
  • Hector A. Cafferata Jr. Elementary
  • Hancock Creek Elementary
  • Silver Level Distinguished JROTC Instructor Awards to LTC Mario Johnson at Cape Coral High, LTC Terry Morrow at Oasis High, 1SG Don Anderson at Dunbar High, SFC Anthony Restivo at Lehigh Senior High, and SFC Baxter Pittman at Riverdale High. This prestigious honor recognizes instructors that demonstrate that they are encouraging excellence in the classroom.
  • Gold Level Distinguished JROTC Instructor Awards to SFC Malachey Sumpter at Ida S. Baker High, 1SG Frank Smith at Island Coast High, SGM Kim Williams at Mariner High, CW4 Gary Carter at Lehigh Senior High, and SGM Charlotte Morris at Lehigh Senior High. This prestigious honor recognizes instructors that demonstrate that they are encouraging excellence in the classroom.
  • Impact JROTC Instructor Awards to CSM Sergio Ortega at Cypress Lake High, SFC Thomas Brooks at Oasis High, 1SG Michael Brown at Oasis High, SFC Ronald Cluff at North Fort Myers High, CSM Michael Lewis at Gateway High, LTC Terry Morrow at Oasis High, CPT Janai Frohmann at North Fort Myers High, LTC Damon Varnado Cypress Lake High, SGM Bryan Elmore at Ida S. Baker High, SSG Brian Brown at Fort Myers High, SSG Robert Hunter at Bonita Springs High, and MAJ Sol Velez at South Fort Myers High. This award recognizes an instructor’s ability to work and stand out in a high-impact team.
  • Four JROTC cadets with the Cadet 5.0 Award for maintaining a GPA of 5.0 or higher:
  • Cadet Sophia Homoky - South Fort Myers High
  • Cadet Genesis Zapata- Island Coast High
  • Cadet Chloe Bien-Aime- Oasis High
  • Cadet Reid Spicker- Gateway High

Consent Action Items

The School Board approved:

  • The FY25, FY26 and FY27 Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Teachers Association of Lee County (TALC).
  • The implementation of a new, voluntary payroll deduction for Florida State Teacher Certification, renewal fees, or other necessary certification-related costs, as defined by the Florida Department of Education for eligible District employees.
  • A contract with BloomBoard to address teacher vacancies through an innovative paraprofessional-to-teacher career pathway.
  • The SY27 (2026-2027 School Year) and SY28 (2027-2028) Instructional Calendars.
  • Renaming Hector A. Cafferata, Jr. Elementary School as Hector A. Cafferata, Jr. K-8 School.
  • Renaming James Stephens Elementary School as James Stephens Community School.
  • A contract with the State of Florida Department of Health (FLDOH) to provide $270,000.00 on an annual basis for the operation of the School Health Programs.
  • A Memorandum of Understanding with Blessings in a Backpack to provide non-perishable weekend food items to students in need at various school sites, with no financial impact to the District.
  • Acknowledging the Completion of the 2025-2026 Florida Safe Schools Assessment Tool (FSSAT).
  • An Interlocal Agreement with Carmine Marceno, Sheriff of Lee County, to enforce violations of the Stop Arm Law within the School District, which jointly establishes the responsibilities of enforcement.
  • Funding for Intercom and PA Systems Installation, Maintenance and Repair at Manatee Elementary, Spring Creek Elementary, Lehigh Senior High School, and Fort Myers Technical College.
  • Electing Armor Persons as School Board Chair and Bill ribble as School Board Vice Chair. Both will serve one year terms.

Board Policies

The Board revised the following policies:

  • 1500 - Remote Work
  • 2421 - Career and Technical Education
  • 2423 - School-to-Work Program
  • 3500 - Remote Work
  • 4500 - Remote Work
  • 5114 - Admission of Foreign Exchange Students
  • 5780 - Student/Parent Rights
  • 8600 - Transportation

Please note that this page is updated after every School Board Action Meeting. For past meeting minutes, agendas and for a complete list of actions taken at the November 4th meeting visit the District’s BoardDocs page.

Our next action meeting is at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 1st at the Lee County Public Education Center. All meetings are live streamed and available to view at your convenience on the District’s YouTube channel.

Thank you.
The School Board of Lee County