On March 31, 2009, at approximately 6:00 p.m., the School Board of St. Lucie County held a town hall meeting in the auditorium at Fort Pierce Central High School in Fort Pierce, Florida.
PRESENT: DR. JUDI MILLER, Chairman
Member Residing in District No. 1
MR. TROY INGERSOLL, Vice Chairman
Member Residing in District No. 5
DR. JOHN CARVELLI
Member Residing in District No. 3
MRS. KATHRYN HENSLEY
Member Residing in District No. 4
MS. CAROL A. HILSON
ALSO PRESENT:
Member Residing in District No. 2
MR. MICHAEL J. LANNON, Superintendent
MS. MOLLY ROTTINGHAUS, Attorney (sitting in for Attorney Daniel B. Harrell)
Chairman Judi Miller called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Dr. Miller welcomed everyone and explained that the purpose of the town hall meeting was to obtain comments from members of the community on the district's proposed 2009-2010 budget plan, either in written or verbal form. It was noted that the Board had held a prior town hall meeting on February 26, 2009, the comments of which had been recorded, reviewed, and posted on the district's website. Likewise, comments from the March 31, 2009 town hall meeting would be posted and made available to all. In addition to reviewing all information, the district continued to provide updates on "myths and facts" relative to all aspects of the proposed budget.
The tentative budget plan collaboratively developed over many months by district administrative staff and union partners, included elimination of positions, contracted services, school closings, and salary reductions in order to cut 10.5% in spending for the next school year. The district anticipated a $30 million dollar shortfall next year on top of the $23 million cut in state funding for the current year. The Board was scheduled to consider the final proposed budget plan at its
April 7, 2009 regular meeting.
Prior to opening the meeting to receive comments, Superintendent Michael Lannon was asked to briefly review the proposed budget plan he had formally presented to the public and School
Board at its March 24, 2009 regular workshop meeting. Mr. Lannon spoke about the statewide revenue problem, the anticipated 19% decrease in district revenues, the myth/fact of Florida lottery funds, employee insurance benefits, athletics, school consolidation (Port St. Lucie
Elementary, Southbend K-8, and Anglewood Center to be closed), contracted services, salary

reductions, elimination of positions, and other staff savings. Transportation modifications, utilities, and categorical flexibility were also explained.
A total of sixty-one speakers addressed the Board, the majority of which spoke against the closing of Port St. Lucie Elementary School, against the transfer of a program coordinator for the
Marine Oceanographic Academy, and against the non-re-appointment of teachers on annual contract. The entire meeting can be seen On Demand through the district's website www.stlucie.k12.fl.us.
At approximately 7:45 p.m., the Board took a break. Chairman Miller reconvened the meeting at approximately 7:55 p.m.
Written comments received during the March 31, 2009 town hall meeting are included below.
1. Our children are our future. If you cut education and teachers you are cutting away the future of our children. Let’s go back to the basics, we don’t need other people from the district to train our teachers how to be successful in the classroom. You have a wealth of information and resources from teachers. Use your teachers for these ideas and don’t cut teachers.
2. I am a parent of a MOA Westwood freshman. I am asking that Ms. Morgan and her supportive administration remain in place. It is important that the board understands that MOA’s vision could be lost through the eyes of someone new.
Perhaps that someone new would allow the program to be molded by politics or worse. MOA is very much in its infancy and needs to be nurtured by someone who understands its existence. MOA is a unique and exciting education experience like no other in the country. I am very concerned that she is simply being displaced to drop a favorite of the school board in that position.
3. I am currently a substitute teacher for St. Lucie County schools. My child attends
Windmill Point Elementary where he is a third grader. I sub at Windmill Point on a full time basis. Even with working almost every day, I make hardly any money.
My husband was laid off from his job almost 9 months ago. I’m about to lose my house. With the cuts you are about to make with subs I will not be able to feed my family. Teachers will not be able to take an time off because you can’t or won’t pay for a sub. We can’t just say “let the schools figure it out”, when there is no money for subs it feels like you are turning your backs on our most valuable resource: our children’s future.
4. I attended Village Green Elementary. That school molded me for middle school and now high school. My younger sister attends there now. That school is a family and always will be. Their extended day program teaches kids so much.
It’s not a day care for parents. Kids learn sign language, music, arts and other things! So taking the magnet status away from VGE will only hurt the students not help them at all! I hope that you please reconsider! VGE is the best school out there for any child! I went there, my cousin went there, my sister goes there, my younger brother is going to be attending there, so please don’t get rid of the extended program and reconsidering the firing of VGE Staff! Thank you!
5. 1) I think if the school board expects the teachers to take a pay cut, the school board should be expected to do the same. 2) Do away with breakfast at school.
It’s not your job to feed the kids, it’s your job to educate them and make them productive members of society.

6. As a parent with 5 children in 4 different schools in the County I must demand that we sight our legislature on their choices. I am a proud parent in St. Lucie
County and appreciate all that the teachers and staff do to help my children become leaders of our future. My oldest is a sophomore in the MOA and I do not understand your proposal to move Mrs. Morgan out of MOA. I also have children at Treasure Coast, Oak Hammock and Palm Pointe. Each school has its own qualities and each school is important to myself and children. Please look at how you fund schools and be fair across the board. Why does a child at LPA get more funding than a child at Treasure Coast? Don’t you think that if other schools could have extra funds they would have grades like LPA? I am a parent who chose to have my children at neighborhood schools and because of that they are not treated like the students at LPA. Please take a look at those choices that are made. Please note that I understand the district has to make hard decisions and that cuts have to be made. Not only am I a parent, but I am an employee of a fabulous school named Windmill Point and hate to see what is happening and hope that we can get our state to support our futures.
7. Make H.S. 4 days/week and go longer days. Parents will not suffer because older students are working and can let themselves in.
8. Cutting the JV programs in our schools should not happen and should not even have been brought up. JV is the feeder program to the varsity programs and to some of the children in St. Lucie County their only option to receive a scholarship to help further their education. To some of these kids sports keeps them in school. If you don’t keep them in school now they will wind up in our jails and probation system in the future. We need to invest in the athletics department along with education. Children are our future, Please rethink the JV programs.
9. It is very unfair to cut the bottom tier teachers (less than 7 years experience). 1% because of the poor step disparity between high and low steps. 1st 7 years – small steps and 8 – 29 steps large increments. This will disproportionally affect those at the bottom.
10. How will the education of our children compare to the education that children are receiving elsewhere in other countries. Would they qualify to attend universities in other countries?
11. Why is Village Green loosing Magnet status? Make all or none – LPA programs except orchestra can be found at any other H.S.
12. I will like to request for the school board to review and reconsider the decision to stop the transportation of children outside the perimeter of Village Green
Elementary (magnet school). This is the only magnet elementary school in PSL –
Would like to request to consider community and transportation as per the other magnet schools and charter schools are done.
13. I have been at PSLE for 8 years and I don’t what to see the school close.
14. Despite having asked union officers, I have yet to have answer beyond “we’re concerned” over how they plan to save $1 million on subs.
15. My son currently rides the school bus to Village Green Elementary. We will have

to change schools if the bus program stopped. We would really like him to stay in the school as he is very happy there and excelling.
16. We love our school. It’s like a real family to us and everyone there at PSL
Elementary. They always care about everyone. We are a real family. Please don’t close.
17. My daughter is in MOA. I hope MOA is in the budget for the next school year.
Also please keep Ms Morgan as coordinator!!
18. My son is in MOA. Please keep the MOA school next year!! It is an awesome program and please do not replace Ms. Morgan – she is doing a fantastic job as coordinator. We need her!!!
19. Reducing the JV athletics in the high schools is 1% total of budget cuts. Before you eliminate this program, ask the parents, school teachers and community to find other alternatives. The JV program is the growth of varsity and without this our children will not have the opportunity to receive scholarships to help their education. JV programs can be played on Sat. double headers, provide their own transportation and this will help reduce cuts. Have you ever looked at the costs of transportation department charges for a school bus to transport a team? The cost is between $300 to $800 per game. This is outrageous. Reevaluate this charge and this would help. Sports programs keep kids in schools and a lot of them will not graduate if sports are cancelled. There are ways to keep JV in our schools.
You should try every option before cutting this program. As a concerned parent I have emailed, phoned and sent snail mail to all of our elected officials and I have not heard one word from anyone. If this is the way our elected officials do their jobs no wonder FL is in such a bad financial way. Please as our administrators I ask you keep our teachers and sports and give our children a chance. I hope someone reads this and not just a waste of paper. Please read this and I hope to hear from someone.
20. Mrs. Morgan is like our mom, please don’t take her away! There is no other person who could fill her shoes from the experiences that she has been through, help us gain our knowledge this much faster. If she were to leave, I and many others might also leave.
21. MOA without Morgan just doesn’t make sense. She is the foundation that keeps
MOA standing. She needs to stay!
22. I urge the board to make its 157.5 instructional position cuts fairly. Please consider each annual contract teacher’s highly qualified status and ranking in seniority list before deciding in which teachers will be non-reappointed. Please utilize the seniority list to ensure that reductions will be made in a fair and equitable manner.
23. Village Green Elem. Extended day is more than just an day-care. If you take that away you are taking away the opportunity for our children to be enriched. It is not acceptable for our children’s education to suffer because of budget problems.
We all have money problems, but we do not take from essential things for the sake of less important items. The school busses are running, whether you are extended day or not, so there is no way you are saving $500,000 by doing this.
24. I am a sophomore at Marine Oceanographic Academy. I spoke tonight (March

31, 2009) at the County meeting. When I spoke I couldn’t get out everything I wanted to say because it is heartbreaking to be informed that one of the people that is a part of your family to be taken way from you and that is what is being done to the MOA students. Suzanne Morgan is one of the people that the MOA faculty, students, teachers absolutely love and now it is being said that to be reassigned. Please for my new family’s sake don’t take her away from us! We love her!
25. In any and all areas of society, that is the home, the church, the school, places of employment (in any and all categories thereof) in recreation, we just have to
“make do”, tolerate or get along with the amount of money (available funds) we have to work with, and seriously hope and pray for “brighter days ahead” hopefully as soon as possible God will help us. As I understand the “great message” delivered at this time and place in history (His (God’s) story) I firmly believe our Saint Lucie County Public school authorities are striving very hard to make do with what they have to work with. There may be some citizens who are able, willing and competent or qualified to assist with public education in certain ways. God bless America and His world Amen period. P.S. More home schooling needs to be done.
26. I would like the school board to reconsider taking away the magnet status of
Village Green Elementary. We understand the budget whose we are facing. Can we find a way to shift VGE to have an academic magnet program. As such, please also consider community busing rather than taking away transportation from other regions outside VGE area.
27. My son attends Village Green Elementary. We are very pleased with the extended day magnet program. We would like to request that the board reconsider changing VGE’s magnet status. There must be a way to find the funds in the budget (such as hub or community bussing) It would be a shame to lose the only magnet school in the south end of the county.
28. Keep our “mom”! No one else will do. Suzanne Morgan is MOA.
29. Please reconsider transferring Suzanne Morgan! She is not replaceable!
30. Its time to turn the clock back 3 Rs – teach them well. Lay a strong foundation – this way when “our” honor students leave the state and go to school else where they aren’t stupid and so far behind the rest of the county. FCAT’s humbug!
Teach them to read!
31. Let our “mom” stay – Suzanne Morgan no other “mom” will do.
32. Two SROs at every PSL K8 and middle school is duplication of services. SROs are completely unnecessary at elementary schools. They sit in their secluded offices and play computer games – I’ve seen it!
33. Let our “mother” stay – Susan Morgan is our mother.
34. Its so so important and justified to have this wonderful school that has educated my granddaughter. The teachers are unbelievable. Do not close this school for our next generation.

35. As a teacher all I ask is for honesty and fairness from the district. I have given this district 100% and I expect the same. Please look at the date of hire when and if layoffs occur.
36. To keep this short, I am a first year teacher highly-qualified, ESOL endorsed with my master’s degree in elementary education. I completely understand cuts have to be made, but please make them fairly. I don’t think keeping a teacher less qualified than myself is a fair way to make cuts across the district. Please make these cuts fairly. Qualified teachers should not lose their jobs over temporary certificate holders, and no ESOL endorsement. We have gone through all the hard work and should be given the benefit of the doubt. We need to be fairly considered – Thank you!
37. Port St. Lucie Elementary is an unbelievable school and I would feel very privileged if all my children could attend. However that apparently will not be possible. The level of core and attention to my first grader receives there is priceless and closing a great school, which is a community landmark is a terrible disservice to our future children. Perhaps we should have thought about the cost to maintain the fist school in St. Lucie County when too many new schools were built. KEEP PSLE OPEN.
38. You reap what you sow!
39. How can you close an “A” school and keep failing schools in Ft. Pierce open?
40. My personal feelings about hall monitors and gate keepers are please do not eliminate all gate keepers.
41. As a teacher, I do not agree with cutting network technicians from the schools. A lot of money has been invested in technology and we are expected to use it daily.
Mr. Lannon stated that we can’t compete with other countries, but if our technology doesn’t’ work properly, we will be further behind. Please keep the network techs at all of our schools.
42. First and foremost our children should be our #1 priority. It saddens me that my child will not experience the education and other experiences that I had growing up. I can still remember all my coaches and teachers that had a great impact on me, it is so bad that children are becoming stressed out. These should be the best of times in their life! We have to come together as a community. Raise taxes do whatever to help these children (our future)! I am embarrassed that we are ranked the lowest that is very bad. It makes me want to leave this area just because of the school situation. Instead of building buildings like the new civic center (waste of money) a botanical garden (another waste) and a railroad (why?) All that money should have went towards our current school situation! Other states are doing just find what is wrong with ours?
43. Let our “mom” stay Suzanne Morgan! No other mom will do!
44. My concern is the closing of PSLE. We are a family. We are an “A” school. If anyone – child or adult are in need please we all pull together as family does. My question which is only one of many is – PSLE was one of the first schools in PSL.
Has anyone looked at turning PSLE into a working historical site for PSL? If we did there would be much funding by way of grants, etc that would take care of

running the school building itself. Our children are supposed first – it is always stated that they are our future. So why are we teaching them w/our actions that they do not matter? How is the amendment we voted on for class size going to be upheld if we place 1,100 children in already full classes? I am asking that our leaders look more to the top and the fat at the top than at the bottom who are already doing miracles with very little –thank you!
45. Keeping sacrifice in mind, paraprofessionals, teachers, low end salary employees endure the 1% pay cut - this hurts consider larger cut for those employees that earn 90$ K and up! (1% doesn’t hurt at this $$ range). School Board members consider serving the people without pay or major reduction (i.e. CEO working for
$1/year) Look at custodial staff – Possible have students engage in taking responsibility for “chores” at the schools, work at Charter High School. Consider employees who may not be pulling their weight. Professional development – Is
WOW truly necessary/effective? Use in house trainers – don’t hire out. New sex ed curriculum – cut – focus on 3 Rs. Cut media at district level. Keep things basic. Consider cutting program specialists consider job consolidation. How many are necessary?
46. Please allow our mom, Mrs. Morgan, too stay. No other mom will do.
47. I apologize if I am misinformed, but it has been thrown around that supplements not based on the $32K base will not be cut. If this is the case please consider making the supplement cut a universal cut. Its not fair to cut some of the academic and elective supplements and leave the rest alone.
48. Saint Lucie County School Board Officials – Please reconsider the change in position of program coordinator at Westwood’s MOA program. Suzanne Morgan is the right person for the job, She is invested in the program. She dedicates and sacrifices a great deal for the program. My daughter (name) is a Freshman at
MOA. Ms. Morgan has nurtured a relationship that she appreciates. Ms. Morgan has also developed a positive relation with the local businesses. My business is committed to donate funds when needed. I have offered my services to the program because Suzanne Morgan has reached out to us. She has made a personal sacrifice to ensure MOA’s survival. It is too soon to change the person in that position. Thanks.
49. Dear sir/madam! Me also born 3rd world country. There also never me see any economic problem coming time schools going to close way. This is very hard to our heard. My son also going to school. That school is one closing. This my own words – Please try to take a good way – Don’t close schools.
50. I am a 3rd year teacher. I have received excellent evaluations throughout my 3 years. Because of the recommended closing of my school, I am facing the possibility of not having a position next school year. I feel the placement of teachers from closing schools should be a priority, regardless of contract status.
This needs to be an equitable process. The chance that a first year teacher will have a position, while teachers who are 2nd, 3rd year or even from out of state with years of experience are not guaranteed a position is unfair. We did not ask to be closed. We are not leaving by our choice. Please take this into consideration when you make your decision about the proposed budget cuts. My school is my second family. It’s bad enough I’m losing them, please don’t allow me to lose the job that I love. I would love to have PSLE remain open. However, I do

understand the likelihood of this happening. The building is not what made us a family. It is the people inside it. Consider the possibility of a relocation of the faculty and staff, not a disbursement throughout the county. Thank you for your time.
51. Keep our “mother” Ms. Morgan because no other mother will do!
52. Mrs. Morgan is MOA without her it will fail. Please let her stay.
53. Keep Suzanne Morgan at MOA.
54. Why can’t we all pay another penny for taxes and strictly have it put aside for the school system only! I have a kindergarten teacher who is my daughter. Our granddaughter is starting kindergarten and I would gladly pay a 1% tax increase on everything I purchase in our county to help pour school system. Someone should oversee the state’s lottery. Doesn’t the monies go there?
55. I have dealt w/ PSL schools for 20 years, have seen some very bad or teachers who should not be teaching, they need to go. Get rid of the union, my company has 2000 employees and we don’t need a union, w/out losing quality healthcare,
401K etc, but no one benefits from a union except the union, this is proven by the teachers/staff who are going to be laid off. Offer the same school programs at all schools, my son has to be bussed out of his school district to FP Central because he is in the honors program. He wants to go the PSL High but we’ve been told repeatedly “no” no room for him and the Honors program at PSL High. He dual enrolls next year, I would rather he go to IRSC at St. Lucie West but he has to go to the main campus and I’ll be driving him. Have FCAT scoring/grading performed by FL people to save money and time. Get rid of the automated phone system for when PSL High calls me about their drama class, etc only calls that impact the district or the school my kids go to my home should get. I am confused as Obama keeps saying all this money is going to education so why isn’t it? Why are there cuts instead? Trust me, I didn’t’ vote for him but I heard the schools did.
56. Drop this nonsense about kids getting 50% of their grade just for showing up what would a good kid get 150%? Or just 100% so what is their incentive for performing well? 70% of the money should go to the classroom, cut all there administrators do not pay the school board, make this volunteers, not paid. And yes, Europe does not have the USA % of teachers/administrators. There are more teachers. The finger pointing might make this board feel good. But everyone knew that his was coming the taxation and the money grubbing in St. Lucie
County had to stop sometime. This school board had no advance planning, no savings, no contingency plan. The short sightedness is remarkable. Some of it is the blame of the Florida Government but 50% of this board. Too many excesses, too much finger pointing and too much not my fault. This was preceded by an age where there was lots of money an still we did not improve. Excuses not accepted.
57. Hi, I am (student). I go to Westwood High school. I just want to say that band has helped me a lot there. Plus if you take away the Cops that work at my school I will not feel safe any more. Because just last week there was just 2 fights went on and if them and the deans were not there the fights would have kept going till someone could not fight. So please keep them in my school.

58. Consider the zoning issue again, no one should be passing one school to get to another, they should go to the school closest to them. Also any salary over
100,000 should be reduced.
59. Save Mrs. Morgan. Mention that she makes u feel like “someone” and not a #.
She has been there since day 1 and she needs to be there to the end. When I walk into other schools I hear the comment “that’s not in my contract. So I ain’t doing it” Mrs. Morgan goes above and beyond her contract so all kids succeed and for the same pay.
60. I’m disgusted with the closing of PSL Elementary. It’s a great school. An “A”
School. With all these cuts I’m sure there are more options rather than closing that school at a cost of a little over 1 million a year. Now my child is “assigned” to a
“B” school – to which I have no say. I’m disappointed, saddened, angry. Why close the best school in the district? My son is excelling and this lack of stability and inferior new school we’re giving to him is not fair. If we need a new roof on the school I guarantee you PSL Elementary parents will come together and do it.
DON’T CLOSE OUR SCHOOL.
61. I understand that this suggestion will not solve the entire budget but it is a start.
The busing in this county is way out of whack. Sending children to school so far away from home is a waste of $$$. The cost of a driver, bus maintenance and fuel can not be cheap. Neighborhoods these days have a multitude of families of different backgrounds. There should be a child should not be able to go to the school closest to him/her more children would be able to ride a bike to school. IF you know this area last year my children were bussed from Midway Road and
Torino to Port St. Lucie and Darwin (Windmill Point) they spent almost an hour on a bus when they lived within 3 miles of another. There is no good reason for this.
62. I am livid that you cut me off at 2 minutes when other speakers got 3 full minutes.
I will write my entire speech to each and every local paper and TV station who will accept it. This was the beginning of the meeting and rude!
63. Instead of using admin for teachers and letting go of the trained teachers or your save program. You should keep the people who are trained as teachers. If there is an opening use a teacher not someone who will be bitter and out of touch.
64. Please keep as much of our PSLE family together as is possible. Also please tell use where we are assigned before May 29th since the students already know where they are assigned. I have been at PSLE 14 years off and on. I love the family atmosphere always make people feel welcome. It is the most wonderful atmosphere to work in. The teachers all love it here as do the students and parents. We want to keep our family together. I have written to all legislators in
Tallahassee, Washington DC (that represent us). They need to step up education funding.
65. Keep our Athletic programs – This is part of our children’s education. Cut more off transportation – we have running buses that duplicate routes over on north beach. Thank you for taking all of our comments I do not envy your decisions.
66. In regards to MOA, Mrs. Morgan is the heart and soul of our program. She has

been here from the start. Taking her away is like ripping a shirt and watching it unravel!
67. My name is (name) and I am a sophomore at MOA (Marine Oceanographic
Academy) which is located on the Harbor Branch Oceanographic institution/FAU
(Florida Atlantic University). Recently the Kid’s of MOA have been told that Ms.
Morgan. our substitute teacher, Nurse, coordinator and most importantly our friend and inspiration may be re assigned a teaching location other than at MOA.
When I found out about this it was the day of my friends 16 birthday who also attends MOA. She had ten other kids at her party that goes to MOA as well. When we were told about this we were stricken with fear, hurt, anger and sadness. At that instant everyone was talking and yelling. “They can’t do that!” and “Who are they to take her away from us?” “No one can fill her place, NO ONE!” Then all of a sudden the conversation turned to memories from our ninth grade year (the first year that MOA started and the first year for us) and in almost everything each kid had to say it lead straight to Ms. Morgan. Ms. Morgan is the heart and soul of
MOA. She is the one who keep’s everything up and going, she is the one who got to know each and every one of the students. To her we are not just another number in the system, To her we are people, who learn and are capable of doing so she may have high expectations for the kid’s of MOA but some way or another we all meet them. Now not to give Ms. Morgan all of the credit the teachers helped tremendously, but really Ms. Morgan gave us the start. In middle school I was nobody, an outcast and when I came to MOA I was scared (like every other new comer to the school). At MOA I became someone, I participate in after school activities such as tutoring and parent meetings and I, along with two students have started a club outside of school called SEA (Students for
Environmental AID). Ms Morgan has always supported not only us but every student in MOA. If you are having trouble in a class she will go out of her way to see what she can do to help you. For instance, November 6, 2008 I had what was believed to be a seizure in school, I could hardly move my limbs and I could hardly speak. I was escorted to her office where I began to cry. She asked me
“What’s wrong ?“ I could not tell her, because I did not know. She checked my pulse and temperature. Then she told me she was going to call the ambulance (I have never been in an ambulance in my life and yes I was terrified). She called my mother and told her of the situation as she was doing all of this. She made sure that I was not alone and she even gave me her own jacket off of her back. I was in the hospital for four day’s doing all kinds of testing and she would call from time to time to make sure I was Ok. Honestly, I felt safer with Ms. Morgan by my side knowing what she was doing than my own mother. Where else will you here that from a student? Ms. Morgan is one of those people who you will remember forever, she is the mother of our little MOA community. Without her MOA would be just another High school. And that was not her intentions when taking on the
MOA task. I’m asking you from the depths from my soul, Please don’t take Ms.
Morgan away from this school. Sincerely, (name) (not just a number anymore)
68. There are parents like myself who would like to be a part of the solution. Where can we find out what the needs of the schools are (i.e. paper, ink cartridges) so that we may donate it. If there is a teacher that wants to have a field trip, how can they get to parents who can help fund raise to get that done? My son is in 9th grade at LPA in the IB program. He’s enjoying it, but his friends don’t want to use the bathrooms. Are there plans to build a new LPA high school like FP
Central? Don’t our children deserve to learn in a positive and clean environment?
As well as the teachers? All in all, those of us who have jobs want to help raise $

for our schools. How can we help? We want teacher development too and can help pay for that as well. Also, I’m not sure if I missed this, is the Superintendent or members of the school board or other staff taking any pay cuts to assist with the budget?
69. Our greatest resource is the people who interact at our school level with teachers, faculty and staff. Yet it seems that these were the majority of people cut to save money. Pet projects and programs remain. Middle and upper management remain. We spent $3 million on software, train the school techs who keep our classrooms running daily, then fire half of them and give the rest a pay cut. We renamed the top position in the department and do no other cuts. The pet project of benchmarks is another prime example. It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to print, create, grade, and produce results. The majority of teachers find them useless in predicting or analyzing students. Even Owen Roberts admitted in our faculty meeting at LPA that math and science benchmarks show no correlation to FCAT scores. Why continue them? Our school has taken all our paper away, yet we print 120,000 test booklets, answer keys and results? Yet reading coaches and math coaches were eliminated because there wasn’t any improvement, which was happening at the same time as benchmarks? Cut the programs such as WOW, benchmarks, and more. We were expecting a large budget cut, yet we still are actively recruiting teachers and administrators from out of state. Why? Another example would be the grading scale. You pay someone who wrote a two page opinion piece with no facts to back up his opinion, to come help us revise the grading scale. You had numerous people mostly highly paid district personnel, write a 36 page grading scale that isn’t in line with state law! Why waste our time and money? You claim to be 65/67 in administrative cost. Strive to be the last!
70. In regards to MOA, Mrs. Morgan is the essence of our program. Replacing her with an administrator is pointless, due to the fact that she is so close. One more class and then she’s done. Removing her from the program will be a great loss,
Please reconsider your decision.
71. Dr. Miller, Tonight you heard the voices of our children express most eloquently their desire to continue to learn and grow under the unique guidance of the Ms.
Morgan. As you consider their requests really listen, not only to what they say but how they say it, clearly, with passion in numbers. This is what the Marin
Oceanographic Academy, under the guidance of Ms. Morgan has inspired. WE focus so much on the mandated “no child left behind” but children are being left behind every day. Sadly they are our best and brightest- or gifted and high achievers. While there are other programs available, MOA is unique not just in our county or state, but in our Country. Today MOA is poised to become the flagship of our school system. The MOA program offers our most talented students an opportunity to not only achieve their potential, but to exceed all expectations. As concerned parents we are blessed to afford private schools, and have our two youngest children in the private school system, yet under Ms.
Morgan’s guidance our oldest daughter is receiving an education that rivals any private school curriculum. How prestigious for our St. Lucie County Public
Schools to be drawing students away from private schools. All of these achievements are due to the diligent efforts of Ms. Morgan. Ms Morgan is the heart, soul and backbone of the MOA program. Only two years into the promised four year High School program, MOA is at a critical stage of development.
Without the right person at the helm (and make no mistake Ms. Morgan is not

only the right person she is the only person) this program will never fulfill the
“promise” made to these pioneering students and their families. uper
72. I am a concerned parent of a HS Senior, a middle school student in the MOA Prep program at FGMS, and an up and coming VPK student that I had hoped would have attended PSL Elementary, which in my opinion is one of the finest schools I have ever come across. I have some comments and questions:
1. Why would a decision be reached on the budget prior to the stimulus being given out on one of the President of the United States top three priorities, which is education?
2. Why would a decision be reached to close PSL Elementary school when it has a rather successful rate as an A school? Keep in mind both of my older children attended this school and it is a wonderful caring school.
3. 1 understand the school was set to be rebuilt as it is an old school, and in light of economic times I understand that it is probably not feasible at this time, but could it not be remodeled? Also, why not put out some repair needs into the hands of the community as I am sure many parents in their different fields would be more than happy to volunteer their time for this effort in lieu of closing a well regarded exemplary learning institution.
4. What about the methodology surrounding how funding is disbursed? It seems to me that the same old formula tends to not shine brightly on schools that serve the low income students that cannot afford the high per pupil spending.
5. Why would a new school that had to have cost a great deal to build such as the
Allapatah school be closing already? Is that not a waste of tax dollars and resources?
6. Where is our lotto funds? Why has there been no mention of this?
7. Are there not failing schools that can be put on the chopping block versus highly qualified and performing schools such as PSL Elementary?
8. Why would sports that keep so many children out of trouble as well as give opportunities to advance their education be subjected to budget cuts?
9. Why do we even need a school board when I myself have gone to them to find out the differences in two programs that I would think they oversee, and was redirected to the individual schools to find my answers? It seems to me that this is a great deal of resources spent on salaries of people that do nothing. Contain costs, keep salaries at an average, as teachers can barely survive, and put those funds back in to the education and future of our kids.
10. We are faced with teachers that do not care in some instances that give our children the answers for the purpose of the classroom, but then fail our children when they cannot pass the FCAT’s put before them. Challenge our kids, remember why you chose to teach in the first place!
In summation, I looked forward to my three year old starting his learning phase at the PSL Elementary school as I can’t think of any other institution that can do a better job with him as been proven by my older children’s attendance at this school. This is an atrocity and if you allow this to happen you are directly responsible for failing the kids in my community and the up and coming children for generations to come. I would think that the PSL Elementary school with the high standards it has set for itself would not ever succumb to an average standing.
Once all speakers had spoken to the Board, Chairman Miller thanked one and all and adjourned the March 31, 2009 town hall meeting at approximately 9:08 p.m.