Arts Aesthetic Moment:  North Port High School Dancers performing "Sleeping Beauty"

AL HARAYDA    al.harayda@sarasotacountyschools.net

ALLISON FOSTER   allison.foster@sarasotacountyschools.net

The Administrative Law Judge Service contract has additional language concerning the confidentiality of student record information. This agreement is required in order to use the services of DOAH. 

The purpose of DOAH is to provide a uniform and impartial forum for the trial and resolution of disputes between private citizens and organizations and agencies of the state in an efficient and timely manner.

Sarasota County Schools currently does not have an affiliation agreement with the University of Phoenix. This institution offers a Bachelor of Science in Education/Elementary Education, Master of Arts in Education/Elementary Teacher Education, Master of Arts in Education/Secondary Education, and a Master of Arts in Education/Special Education.

SETH GARDNER   seth.gardner@sarasotacountyschools.net

ALLISON FOSTER   allison.foster@sarasotacountyschools.net

CHRIS RENOUF   chris.renouf@sarasotacountyschools.net

The University of South Florida, Sarasota-Manatee is conducting a mentorship program entitled Building Literacy through Mentorship in which the University of South Florida, Sarasota-Manatee students mentor students from Tuttle Elementary, Gocio Elementary, and Booker Middle schools.  The program is designed to strengthen the students' reading interest and attitudes toward learning. They also have an Inquiry-Based and Experiential Learning IBL/EBL Program for Grade 7 students at Booker Middle School.  The programs are supported by the Henson Fund Initiative (HFI).

Primary Purpose/Outcomes:

  1. Assess growth in Tuttle Elementary, Gocio Elementary and Booker Middle School students' interests and attitudes toward reading.

  2. Identify how the program impacts college-age mentors' attitude toward literacy and lifelong learning.

  3. Measure how the program impacts students learning in ELA and Social Studies (use of grades, test scores, observational data from teachers, learners, families and USF Mentors).

  4. Identify how the program impacts civic engagement for learner participants (use of observational data from teachers, learners, families, and USF mentors; project evaluation rubrics, peer/mentor observations and exit tickets.

DENISE CANTALUPO    denise.cantalupo@sarasotacountyschools.net

RACHAEL O'DEA   rachael.o'dea@sarasotacountyschools.net

Sarasota County Schools (SCS) seeks funds to support an innovative Intensive Reading Initiative for Students with Disabilities (SWD/ESE) and English Language Learners (ELL), a district-wide project that integrates powerful, research-based reading programs with quality materials, expert training provided by Imagine Language and Learning, Really Great Reading, WIDA, and a SCS ELA Program Specialist to help manage the implementation of the program. Teachers providing the intervention will receive necessary professional learning and curricular/instructional materials to implement appropriately designed intervention/instruction. 

Over 80% of English Language Learners and Students with Disabilities scored below level in the FAST ELA assessments during AP1 this school year.

While the focus of the District Intensive Reading Initiative Pilot (DIRIP) Grant remains on building teacher capacity, this year’s funds are supporting project deliverables that have not yet been implemented.

Targeted and prioritized ESE and ELL students of teachers participating in DIRIP should show improvement on AP3 in SY23/24.

That the approval of the District Intensive Reading Initiative Pilot (DIRIP) Grant is approved as presented.

KELLY ELLINGTON   kelly.ellington@sarasotacountyschools.net

JENNIFER MAINELLI   jennifer.mainelli@sarasotacountyschools.net

RACHAEL O'DEA   rachael.o'dea@sarasotacountyschools.net

$294,909.24 - DIRIP Grant Funding

All work has been completed and all required close-out documents have been received from the contractor. The final project costs have been internally audited, and the final payment application and backup #22303569-02 are enclosed. The Director of Facilities Services has determined that the project is complete in accordance with state statutes.

COT Labs are part of an ongoing project whereas a few Labs are added on a yearly basis.

All additions are done on an as needed basis and there are quite a few of “unforeseen” conditions which we ask the General Contractor to cover with a contingency, so we do not have unexpected budget. As it is, this project was pretty straight forward which resulted in a change order returning the contingency to the district and final payment to the General Contractor as reflected in this amount.

All monies unused will be returned to the district and monies owed to the General Contractor will be paid to them.

That the project be accepted as complete, and the final payment and certificate of substantial completion be approved as presented.

DON HAMPTON   don.hampton@sarasotacountyschools.net 

JODY DUMAS   jody.dumas@sarasotacountyschools.net

N/A

The Facilities Services’ change order is summarized on the enclosure for ease of review. This change order reflects a decrease of ($30,800.34) in gross contract dollars.

Change orders are utilized on construction contracts to adjust the original contract amount for various circumstances.  These may include adjustments for either an increase or decrease in project scope, adjustments needed to close a contract or for removing the purchase of large items from a contract so the district can purchase these items directly from vendors to save the cost of paying sales tax.  The attached documents detail the associated change order for this item on the project.  The change order is for a reconciliation of the contract dollars not needed for the refurbishment of the Booker Middle School COT Labs. 

Change orders reflect construction project progress and occur normally as a result of conditions on the construction project and the project manager managing the costs associated with the purchase of materials, supplies and labor.

The district will complete out the Booker Middle School Classrooms of Tomorrow (COT) Labs project. 

That the Facilities Services’ change order be approved and/or ratified as presented.

 DON HAMPTON don.hampton@sarasotacountyschools.net 

JODY DUMAS jody.dumas@sarasotacountyschools.net 

($30,800.34)

As part of the Gocio Elementary School New Classroom Wing and Campus Refresh Project, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) requires an underground easement from the School Board in order to provide electrical utility service to the future classroom which is currently under construction.

This easement allows Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) to have access to service their equipment on our site. This area is limited to portions of the site on which their equipment and infrastructure are located.

That the Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) underground easement for the Gocio Elementary School New Classroom Wing and Campus Refresh Project be approved as presented. 

JANE DREGER   jane.dreger@sarasotacountyschools.net

DON HAMPTON   don.hampton@sarasotacountyschools.net

JODY DUMAS   jody.dumas@sarasotacountyschools.net

The Construction Services' change orders are summarized on the enclosure for ease of review. 

Included in these change orders are: CO #1 for the Sarasota High School Buildings 13 & 14 Renovation project in the amount of $32,692,898.00 for the construction and renovation work required for the project, and CO#2 in the amount of ($9,433.91) to allow for sales tax savings and the utilization of a state bid on flooring. These change orders result in an overall contract increase of $32,683,464.09, which is included in the total project budget.

Change Orders are utilized on construction contracts to adjust the original contract amount for various circumstances, which may include adjustments for an increase or decrease in project scope, adjustments needed to close a contract and return unspent funds to the district, or for removing the purchase of materials from a contract so the district can purchase these items directly in order to save sales tax. The attached documents detail the associated change orders for these items on this project. 

Change orders reflect construction project progress and occur normally as a result of conditions of the construction project and district staff managing the costs associated with each project, including deductive change orders to allow the district to save sales tax. 

This system has resulted in significant, ongoing savings to the district and allows district staff to continue to maximize these benefits, especially as the construction market becomes more competitive.

That the Construction Services’ change orders be approved and/or ratified as presented.

JANE DREGER   jane.dreger@sarasotacountyschools.net

JODY DUMAS  jody.dumas@sarasotacountyschools.net

The bargaining teams from the School District and SC/TA have bargained in good faith to reach an agreement on changes to both the instructional and classified bargaining contracts. These changes reflect the efforts of both parties to provide a first-class work environment for all employees, support the District's professional development initiatives and increase academic achievement for all students.  

Including the 0.5% increase provided at the start of the school year, the total increase in compensation for the 2023-24 school year amounts to the following:

• Instructional, rated Highly Effective = 4.75% + 2% one-time supplement
• Instructional, rated Effective = 4.0% + 2% one-time supplement  
• Grandfathered Instructional, rated Highly Effective = 4.0% + 2% one-time    supplement
• Classified = 4.5% + 2% one-time supplement

The agreement also raises starting teachers salaries to $55,000 per year.

In addition these changes significantly increase the amount of time available for professional development for all instructional staff during the work year and provides for up to an additional 15 hours of professional development outside the duty day.

This agreement is contingent upon ratification by the membership of both the Instructional and Classified members of the Sarasota Classified Teachers Association on 12/08/2023.

Approval of this item also includes changes to the administrative salaries as follows:

Including the 0.5% increase provided at the start of the school year, the total increase in compensation for the 2023-24 school year amounts to the following:

• 4.5% + 2% one-time supplement

JODY DUMAS   jody.dumas@sarasotacountyschools.net

CHRIS RENOUF   chris.renouf@sarasotacountyschools.net