School district looks toward 2010

Handling the school budget, determining procedures for magnet school admittance and selecting the future leader of the Hernando County School district top the wish lists for what school leaders want to see accomplished in 2010.
Interim Superintendent Sonya Jackson said that coming up with a school budget that covers education issues while not hurting taxpayers' pockets is one of her top concerns for 2010. She added that increasing graduation rates, student performance and communication in the district as also topping her goals.
Part of that will also depend on whether she's selected from among six other candidates for the superintendent role.
"The way I look at it, a lot of these things are what I'm already working on," Jackson said. "I'm hopeful that will play a part in their decision."
Board president Pat Fagan said providing better communication from the board and administration is also a main goal along with ending the turmoil about the gifted and magnet schools.
"With Wayne Alexander leaving, the district has been in turmoil with our superintendent situation and we need to start fresh," Fagan said. "Hopefully, once we do that, we can work toward having a great year."
Board members Sandra Nicholson and James Yant agreed with Fagan about the superintendent and magnet school issue. Nicholson added she would like to see whoever is chosen superintendent to stay with the district for a minimum of four years - although she would like for him or her to stay for 10.
For her goals in 2010, Nicholson said she would also like to tackle the statewide issue about high school dropouts. Currently, she said students who are 16 years old can drop out of school. She would like that to be changed to 18.
"You can't tell a student they can drop out of school at 16 and then criticize (the school district) when they do," Nicholson said. "Where is the logic in that? Now if by 18 they decide they want to drop, that's something different."
Yant said he would like to see board members work together better to utilize each others' strengths and experience while also paying more attention to economic issues and how they affect the district.
Although he couldn't provide examples, he said the board has been "fragmented" and that they should all work toward being more united.
"I would just hope that we as a board wouldn't come to a point where we make a decision that has no recourse to correct it," Yant said. "It's important for us as a board to work together to make decisions that best benefits our students."
Board members Dianne Bonfield and John Sweeney could not be reached for comment by press deadline.