Board Notes

School Board Notes
Action Meeting - December 1, 2025

Recognitions

The Board recognized:

This year's winners and runners-up in the annual Holiday Greeting Card Design Contest and the inaugural Best Ornament Design Contest. The cards will be used by School District staff to send holiday messages and the artwork will be showcased in the School District lobby and at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center, located in downtown Fort Myers, throughout the month of December.

Holiday Greeting Cards

• Isabelly De Jesus Duarte, Allen Park Elementary
• Katherine Liu, Allen Park Elementary
• Brynlee Milthaler, Hancock Creek Elementary
• Lilu Backens, Veterans Park Academy for the Arts
• Aimee Doan, Three Oaks Middle School
• Ariana Melvin, Lexington Middle School
• Alexi Strianese, Riverdale High School
• Gisselle Perez, North Fort Myers High School
• Audrina Kantarze, North Fort Myers High School

Best Ornament Design

• Natalie White, Ida S. Baker High School
• Gabriella Granadillo, Ida S. Baker High School
• Maddy Delora, Cape Coral High School

Consent Action Items

The School Board approved:

• The 2026 legislative platform to present to state lawmakers for approval.
• Alva High School as the name for High School “NNN.”
• Green Meadow Elementary School as the name for Elementary “L.”
• Phase 2 Total Project Cost Estimate in the total amount of $13,427,973.00 for the Green Meadow Elementary School Staging Campus.
• Funding for Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech Language Therapy and Sign Language Interpreting services.
• A Service Agreement with American Medical Staffing, National Staffing Solutions and TheraPeds, LLC to provide Speech Language Therapy to identified students with disabilities in accordance with their Individual Education Plans (IEP).
• An Academic Affiliation Addendum with Lee Health to provide adequate facilities for the clinical preparation of Medical Laboratory Assisting students.
• Agreements with FleetForce, LLC d/b/a FleetForce Truck Driver Training for training, testing and instruction of Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicle (“FLHSMV”) approved commercial driver’s license course at both Cape Coral Technical College and Fort Myers Technical College.
• Adopting the 2025-2026 Student Enrollment Plan in compliance with changes in related rules, regulations, and statutes; to adopt best practices and to promote transparency and accountability.
• Adopting the Amendments to Charter School Contracts for the sharing of Capital Outlay Surtax Proceeds with applicable charter schools.
  Funding for playground equipment and improvements at J. Colin English Elementary, Hancock Creek Elementary, Pelican Elementary, and Lehigh Elementary.
• Funding to purchase HVAC chiller packages and parts and support new HVAC installations, upgrades, equipment, repairs, and services at Sunshine Elementary and Transportation North.
• Funding for exterior painting at James Stephens Elementary, Dr. Carrie D. Robinson Littleton Elementary, and Riverdale High School. Funding for interior painting at Cape Coral Technical College, Colonial Elementary, Skyline Elementary, Trafalgar Elementary, Diplomat Elementary, Challenger Middle, Oak Hammock Middle, and Island Coast High School.
• Funding for paving services to improve the running tracks at Dunbar High School, Gateway High School, and Mariner High School. Funding for basketball ball court upgrades at Three Oaks Middle School. Funding for parking lot improvements at Orange River Elementary, Skyline Elementary, Trafalgar Elementary, Buckingham Exceptional Student Center, Fort Myers Middle, Mariner Middle, Trafalgar Middle, Cape Coral High School, Fort Myers High School, Gateway High School, Mariner High School, and North Fort Myers High School.
• Terminating the Contract with Avesis Vision Insurance and adding vision coverage through Aetna.
• Engaging with MetLife for comprehensive Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Administration.
• An agreement with the Lee County Sheriff's Office to provide Extra-Duty Detail Services, as needed, during School Board meetings and activities where additional security may be needed or is required.

Administrative Appointments

• Sarah Cox, Chief Financial Officer
• Kasidit Tipayaosoth, Deputy Director, Information Security and Compliance
• Ed Carter, Principal, Green Meadow Elementary School
• Gina Falzone, Principal, Pinewoods Elementary School
• Akiya Maston, Principal, Veterans Park Academy for the Arts
• Joe Restino, Principal, Alva High School (Effective July 1, 2026)
• Elijah Porter, Director, Athletics and Activities at Lehigh Senior High School
• Kevin Beckman, Senior Coordinator, Community Partnerships
• Jenn Robinson, Senior Coordinator, Community Partnerships
• Gwen Garrison, Coordinator, Projects

Board Policies

The Board revised the following policies:

• 7105 - Site Selection Committee

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 December 1st meeting visit the District’s BoardDocs page.

Our next action meeting is at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, 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