A Message from the President:

The end of the 2008-2009 school year was a somber one. With enrollment dropping around 100 students every month, we found ourselves facing the layoffs of both teachers and classified employees. On the last day of school, 125 teachers had been laid off. Over the summer, all but 8 of those laid off were placed back into openings or chose to leave the district. With stimulus funds, the school district restored some positions. However, the future looks bleak. On September 30, Dr. Eric Smith, Commissioner of Education in Florida sent out a long-range financial outlook:

Based on currently approved revenue sources and historical legislative budgeting practices, the outlook projects annual deficits of 11.80 % for FY 2010-11, 22.8 % for FY 2011-12, and 20.2 % for FY 2012-13. Since the State Constitution requires the Legislature to adopt a balanced budget each year, this Outlook implies the need to reduce future expenditures, enhance future revenues, or provide some combination of these two options.

It looks like a tough time ahead.

On a similar note, we have begun collecting food for high school students again this year. We have already sent out 6 boxes of food to a high school and have received requests for more. If you would like to contribute and you work in a school, just put your donation in PONY. The PONY drivers have been a great help in seeing that we get all donations. If you do not work in a school, you can drop off donations at our office at 4675 S. Tamiami Trail.

I would like to take this time to thank all of the voting community for supporting our 2002 referendum and renewing it in 2006. Without your support, we would not have the excellent school system that we have today. We could never do it without you.

Please support the renewal of education referendum in 2010.