Superintendent’s Monthly Message
A FOCUS ON
6 PRIORITIES
by Superintendent Denise Carlin, Ed.D.
Oak Hammock Middle School Town Hall
Advocating for Students at the Capitol
With a strategic focus
on assessing District needs,
legislative advocacy, and
strengthening partnerships,
I am laying the foundation
for four years of success.
Legislative Advocacy
Working with the School Board, legislative priorities to advocate for our students’ needs were developed and taken directly to state lawmakers in Tallahassee. We are thankful for our partners in the Legislature and we look forward to the outcome of this year’s legislative session.
As Superintendent of The School District of Lee County, I am committed to SIX priorities:
Increased student achievement
Expanding technical education opportunities
Increasing teacher retention and recruitment
Ensuring fiscal responsibility
Empowering parents as partners in education
Six Key Priorities
Ensure Safe and
Secure Schools
We have invested in strengthening the safety and security at our schools by implementing OPENGATE Weapons Detections Systems at every school, using the emergency alert system Centigix at all of our sites, and expanding the Guardian Program, now in its third year.
Increase Student
Achievement
Students will be safer with the Safe Start Initiative adjusting school start times, so they spend less time waiting for a bus and more time in class. The new bell-to-bell no-cellphone policy will decrease distractions and keep students more focused.
Expand Technical
Education Opportunities
We established the Associate Superintendent of Career & Technical Education (CTE) position to oversee and expand CTE offerings. We are launching new programs this fall in Applied Robotics, Solar, and Environmental Water & Reclamation.
Increase Teacher
Retention and Recruitment
Through strategic and focused efforts, like recruiting employees with Bachelor’s Degrees to teach, we have reduced teacher vacancies by 80% since November and started negotiating with our teacher’s union to increase salaries for the 2025-2026 school year.
Ensure Fiscal
Responsibility
A 5% budget cut in every department has resulted in $15.9 million in identified savings, and a reorganization of the School District’s central office operations has resulted in adjustments to more than 50 positions and another $1 million in savings.
Empower Parents as
Partners in Education
Town Hall meetings were held across the District with each School Board member to meet directly with parents and a Parent Task Force was formed to give families direct access to the decision-making process.
Looking Ahead
I truly love this job and look forward to every day. Working with the School Board, school staff, and District administrators for the betterment of our students is a blessing. My focus will remain on these SIX PRIORITIES to build upon the momentum we’ve already created. Thank you for putting your trust in me.
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