[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6108641,"mediaKeyId","2767658-decb99cd84412277a626322e7d89c143","parentId",2767658,"title","Votes at a glance: key actions taken by Marion County School Board on March 25, 2025","audioSeconds",2583,"startMs",2816000,"endMs",5399000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2767658-decb99cd84412277a626322e7d89c143&start=2816&end=5399","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2767658-decb99cd84412277a626322e7d89c143/thumbnail_2816000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6108641/Florida/Votes-at-a-glance-key-actions-taken-by-Marion-County-School-Board-on-March-25-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108641-c11134784b26c2f18d34adbc88153afd/orig.mp4?Expires=1773675412&Signature=a8DufZzLCnwzsVyR1kV3c5NQAEHhip0VnzjHxYXq~2ftYC8ytPpOh8Pz2LmsTCSBjo~BRBAQnwKtxxPJii2vqO5jrVhHaCPP4AoJKvJ7lsyEn-sLFbmerj9TtvMffu2wSApjyqQtBtuK9-kzVoGxeza2T3kRMEweJiUxbZLL1D48geMLID9PR2viKhFcvVz-FPyBrbUBrkkwti0da8D6idweuodUjEQ0~lO9Z6dV7J5l8jPP2oQ~j9ZNdUutK2PBAZ4o2TnwXCLvrq6-SzJYQdhQB0agkVQnu781~c9oCuZWrdA~LCDN1oGjubhuLnJ3cb~Qewk8gveScXQU0SDgWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Marion County School District","date","2025-03-25T14:11:45Z","article","Ocala — At its March 25 meeting the Marion County School Board approved a series of motions covering discipline, contracts, purchases and real-estate offers. Most items passed unanimously (5–0). A summary of the principal actions follows.

Votes at a glance (items approved, motion language and outcome):

- Consent agenda (C11.1–C16.1) approved with exceptions D19.1–D19.7 placed under discussion — motion passed 5–0 (mover: Nancy Thrower; seconder: Reverend Eric Cummings).

- Minutes and routine procedural approvals — multiple motions to approve minutes for Feb. 24 (special administrative briefing and work session) and February regular minutes; motions passed 5–0.

- Expulsions: The board approved expulsions of a list of students (JD25-199; JD25-208; JD25-209; JD25-210; JD25-214; JD25-220; JD25-221; JD25-224; JD25-225; JD25-226; JD25-227; JD25-228) for the remainder of the 2024–25 school year and the first three quarters of the 2025–26 school year — motion passed 5–0 (mover: Dr. Campbell). The board also approved expulsions with off-campus virtual learning for a second list (JD25-201; JD25-202; JD25-204E; JD25-216; JD25-218; JD25-219; JD25-222E; JD25-223E) for the same time frame — motion passed 5–0 (mover: Dr. Campbell; seconder: Dr. James).

- Fourth amendment to agreement with ESS Southeast LLC (substitute services) and additional funding — motion to approve passed 5–0 (mover: Dr. Campbell; seconder: Nancy Thrower). See separate article for details on requested funding and rate changes.

- TIPs contract 230301 for furniture, furnishings and services ($550,000) — motion to utilize TIPs contract approved 5–0 (mover: Nancy Thrower; seconder: Reverend Cummings).

- Expenditure increase request: State of Florida alternate contract 5612000-24-NY-ACS for additional furniture (approx. $2,500,000 referenced by staff) — approved 5–0 (mover: Dr. Campbell; seconder: Nancy Thrower).

- First amendment piggyback agreement with Miller Electric Company (increase spending authorizations from $200,000 to $800,000 for access-control hardware) — approved 5–0 (mover: Dr. James; seconder: Dr. Campbell).

- Professional services selection recommendation: construction management services for new middle school DD (Project 24-130) — approved 5–0 (mover: Dr. Campbell; seconder: Nancy Thrower). See separate article for procurement and environmental context.

- First amendment with Ocala Consulting and Prevention LLC (OCP) for school-based mental health services (district presented an amount of $1,800,000) — approved 5–0 (mover: Reverend Cummings; seconder: Nancy Thrower). Staff said 14 OCP counselors provide services on 24 campuses and serve approximately 336 students.

- Sale of central warehouse property: Board accepted an offer from 1 Remington LLC for $2,400,000 and authorized attorneys to proceed; motion passed 5–0 (mover: Dr. Campbell). Counsel said a 30-day due-diligence period was requested by the higher bidder; closing timelines and standard title/closing costs were discussed. Board authorized chair to execute non-substantive adjustments with counsel review as needed.

- Adjournment — motion passed 5–0.

Ending — Most items were routine approvals required for district operations, capital projects and student discipline. Several items that passed 5–0 had substantive financial implications (ESS amendment, furniture contracts, Miller Electric amendment, warehouse sale) and will require staff follow-up and reports to the board as implementation proceeds.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Marion County School Board Meeting, March 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved multiple routine and substantive items, including expulsions, contract amendments, furniture purchases, a construction-manager selection, a mental-health services contract, and the sale of the district’s central warehouse.","taxTitle","Marion, School Districts, Florida","taxId",15365,"location","Florida","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6108645,"Board names Skanska construction manager for new middle school; members press for better procurement transparency and note environmental holds",295,3778000,4073000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2767658-decb99cd84412277a626322e7d89c143&start=3778&end=4073","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2767658-decb99cd84412277a626322e7d89c143/thumbnail_3778000.jpg","/articles/6108645/Florida/Board-names-Skanska-construction-manager-for-new-middle-school-members-press-for-better-procurement-transparency-and-note-environmental-holds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108645-94b5b6c03b27a0a2b73da91a89b547cd/orig.mp4?Expires=1773675412&Signature=PgGKnLr1Yu1X7GzS~Tv7lwsrZijC1TGS-SOyFlzrO701W9KWhlXbJQGNubiVuhc~9K6Cm-jsE3Zp5n5Rzw2V1D3L5uSaVdBpIHAhvUbz9Rk41CxVAZHqD6kdG0h2EUimFlCUB7zqyxH2CC2PSh0BoS-5~1XXRhVBMuc-Xo5q5QNwDaum630hFKzq85Ds~z-9H5JjY-TTkxCaSGne85WKPFiklKQjKbe~BS4qu0bTwq93st4QGx8YIrvoPpSeyHtf9bQnmRzxKWXgLk~g3St4qP-k9bgwO7GyGl5dXyYLxVKQWFtvXn9d9HCXhhbsM62mofxnL51mQ~SoM3eIBdApGg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ocala — The Marion County School Board voted 5–0 on March 25 to approve Skanska USA as construction manager for Project 24-130, the district’s replacement middle school (identified in staff materials as middle school DD). The decision followed two rounds of evaluation and an extended discussion about adherence to procurement procedures and potential environmental constraints on the project site.

Operations staff presented the selection process. Angela Usher (operations) said Skanska received the highest score in a first shortlist and, after a repeat of the process on March 3 that was recorded, again received the highest score. Usher also told the board environmental studies had identified gopher tortoises and sand skinks on the school site; the district is pursuing permits for relocation/mitigation and had applied for an archaeological permit. “These permits … could delay the start of construction,” Usher said, and staff added that concurrent permitting and phased site work might allow some work to start on schedule.

Several board members said they were troubled that the procurement process earlier had not fully complied with district or state procedures and that the board had not been informed of critical schedule or environmental risks in a timely way. Chair Laurie Conrad delivered a prepared statement saying she would vote for the project because of its importance to students but criticized the district’s failure to follow established procedures and said she expected stricter adherence going forward.

Board member Dr. Sarah James said she was disappointed that the procurement required being restarted and that procurement roles in the new manual had not been followed; she also said she first learned about the possible schedule impact only after asking for an update. James pressed staff on the schedule risk, asking whether a 10-month delay was possible. Operations staff said the delay was a possibility depending on permitting results but that phased site work and mitigation could reduce the impact.

Board members asked about the practicalities of relocating gopher tortoises and preventing them from returning if site work were delayed; operations staff said they would coordinate with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission on mitigation and consider temporary fencing or other measures.

After discussion, the board approved the Skanska selection 5–0 and directed staff to provide clearer procurement documentation and timely updates to the board as permitting unfolds.

Ending — The district will continue environmental permitting and final scheduling with the contractor; staff said they will provide the board with updates and aim to mitigate delays by phasing site work where possible.

","Marion County School Board approved Skanska USA as construction manager for a new middle school but several members criticized compliance lapses in the procurement process and raised concerns about possible delays after environmental studies found gopher tortoises and sand skinks on the site.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6108649,"Board approves amendment, adds funding for ESS substitute services; district cites higher demand and improved fill rates",168,2968000,3136000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2767658-decb99cd84412277a626322e7d89c143&start=2968&end=3136","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2767658-decb99cd84412277a626322e7d89c143/thumbnail_2968000.jpg","/articles/6108649/Florida/Board-approves-amendment-adds-funding-for-ESS-substitute-services-district-cites-higher-demand-and-improved-fill-rates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108649-40752377a12696f7c9b8cc8d42a8c8e6/orig.mp4?Expires=1773675412&Signature=PMTBsYEv~fttPIpvwwvBYnVqFg37Wf3A8u6JpevNO9UIT0-NcBUE1KFuUaLG7iXafL-f2oHG5fEaEbgFlc9ETnUQZ2BfyUOSi8INJKdd8R5v5ymNdVJ5xo1peB8yHN3UmKbNyvTBUViVIBEMoZYqMbys4BB9LRLfUE3NgdNs5m2CuBEzpZ3Bq9kRgD0Sxjyh7NX0dyMUPP8ukG2~LyRdQaIA7Z8uz-sF3iVTmFkl8Md3VCPwOVQXoRWKhU30orONo44etEHK2abbimBLLwo1G7cE8f4bpRKpbFgw1gHddESp7i-By8s~wGP8n7tJ2fzh9tn81WwhMQKJtyFFxI7ybQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ocala — The Marion County School Board on March 25 approved a fourth amendment to the district’s contract with ESS Southeast LLC, the company that provides substitute teachers, and authorized additional funding the district said is needed to cover higher demand and to raise pay rates to attract more substitute teachers.

Superintendent Diane Gullett introduced the request; Mr. Carlisle from Human Resources presented details. Carlisle said the district is requesting an additional $2,000,000 for the 2024–25 school year “which would increase our total annual cost for the school year to $6,000,000.” He also told the board the district is asking to renew the contract for 2025–26 at a total projected cost of $6,500,000 because of higher daily rates and a plan to add a “hard to fill” premium for certain schools.

Carlisle gave operational detail: “To date, ESS’s fill rate for absences is 86%, which is a 6% increase over this time last year … ESS has filled 5,172 more assignments than this time last year,” he said, and described ESS staff’s campus-level support and increased substitute recruitment. The board heard a proposal to raise the daily substitute rate by $3 for a full day, $1.50 for a half day, and $8 for long-term continuous substitutes; the proposal also would add a hard-to-fill stipend of $15 for up to 10 schools per year.

At one point Superintendent Gullett used a larger aggregate figure in describing the amendment; she said the fourth amendment was “at a cost of 8,500,000.0.” Carlisle’s presentation then supplied the more granular figures above. The board’s discussion included questions about whether a $3-per-day increase would be significant; Carlisle and board members said they expected the rate change and the hard-to-fill premium to help recruitment and retention.

Board members also voiced broader concerns about teacher workload and retention, and asked staff to continue pursuing long-term solutions to shortages and absences. After questions, the board approved the amendment and additional funding by a 5–0 vote.

Ending — The board approved the fourth amendment and the requested funding increase; staff said they will report back on recruitment effects and on the fill rate going forward.

","Marion County School Board approved a fourth amendment to the district contract with ESS Southeast LLC and authorized additional funding to cover increased substitute usage and higher pay rates for hard-to-fill assignments.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6108654,"Residents, alumni and clergy press school board to preserve historic Fessenden; criticize short notice for community meetings",4772,1515000,6287000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2767658-decb99cd84412277a626322e7d89c143&start=1515&end=6287","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2767658-decb99cd84412277a626322e7d89c143/thumbnail_1515000.jpg","/articles/6108654/Florida/Residents-alumni-and-clergy-press-school-board-to-preserve-historic-Fessenden-criticize-short-notice-for-community-meetings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6108654-bc373acc544aebe26244f5e8ef1874c9/orig.mp4?Expires=1773675412&Signature=FssZSiSc7J9IJwmy-L-BbbY3rcsYiBw8U-SKj0Tmw6Z0JcuIdMCsYlsaCdzmQ1pYy3fqVAoYgSKQSkrdBxdVAm-xh~PgSMxKL-Bpo7eE9LWs-rwDRWXQF4LrBTjND1-5amBeciNlif98i26Ng7TRH2c2XV9L82KwGTqtPf8o8ZFtOSKgDDtfQZd4J4tpIwbchH0MvO~RJb~ppJnNBl2SODBQnc7hLD10DLfZViY8Qjx2m~8RP1rnM7nQZzgpfwWG8vZWObSxMLw7PoxULvQniHM0o83P~O9n8skZuCpJe6ACqSNKylCWNWhiZPRJEfmg0DtbQTWI8c-6yOl0ntSuyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Ocala — Dozens of residents, alumni and local clergy used the public-comment portion of the Marion County School Board’s March 25 meeting to urge the board to preserve Fessenden Elementary School and to criticize the district’s outreach about upcoming community meetings.

Several speakers said the district’s notice process left parents and community members little time to prepare. “These meetings are going to take place on Wednesday, March and on Thursday, March. Now there’s very little time for the community, the parents, the students, and the teachers to come together and collect their thoughts,” said Reverend Leroy Chandler during public comment. Chandler described Fessenden as a long-standing local institution: “For over 157 years, Fessenden has been the educational facility that has provided these attributes for both its students and its teachers.”

The concern over notification echoed across speakers. Pastor Mikael James said notices sent March 14 reached families on spring break and were not posted promptly to the district’s website. “Giving families no really time to really process the information or the school staff to make sure that the families got that information,” he told the board. Sondra Brown Henderson, a longtime educator and community member, told the board she had found no evidence that Fessenden met standard closure criteria such as low test scores, unsafe conditions, or budget shortfalls and urged more transparency on the data behind any decision. “If it is not meeting the criteria … then what’s really the reason why it’s being closed?” she asked.

Multiple speakers also warned about the practical effect on families if a school closes. Jeanne Derrough, speaking on behalf of constituents in Congressional District 6, said moving students farther from home would disrupt families who walk children to school: “When you send those children by bus somewhere much further away, you are disconnecting their families from taking part in their education.”

District staff and board members acknowledged the criticisms. Superintendent Diane Gullett (presented in the meeting as Doctor Gullett) said the district had distributed notice materials on March 14 and that some project and permitting updates had been shared earlier with the board; she also agreed to follow up on how notices were posted and on the schedule for community meetings. Several board members called for a reset of communications procedures so affected neighborhoods receive timely, multi-channel notice.

Board members described a timeline the board had previously discussed: the earliest formal decisions about school realignment in the Northside area were expected to affect the 2026–27 school year, not the immediate term. Dr. Sarah James, a board member, said the board had previously agreed not to enact changes for next school year and reiterated that any ultimate proposals would include multiple community meetings and additional public review.

The public comments at the March 25 meeting focused attention on three named schools in north Ocala — Fessenden, Anthony and Reddick/Redick-area (sometimes referenced as Reddick Collier in district materials) — and on how the district notifies families and community stakeholders. Speakers demanded clearer timelines, full disclosure of the data behind any closure proposals, and more accessible meeting locations (many asked that meetings be held at the affected campuses rather than at secondary schools).

The board did not take any vote on school closures at the March 25 meeting. Several members said they would reconvene community engagement sessions with broader outreach and longer lead time so parents, staff and neighbors could attend and offer input.

Ending — Board next steps: Board members said they expect the facilities and communications teams to reissue meeting notices with at least three weeks’ lead time for repeat sessions targeted to affected campuses and constituencies; dates and formats were not finalized at the March 25 meeting.

","At the March 25 Marion County School Board meeting, multiple speakers urged the board to preserve Fessenden Elementary (formerly Fessenden Academy) and faulted the district for late notice and limited outreach about upcoming community engagement meetings.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: key actions taken by Marion County School Board on March 25, 2025

Board names Skanska construction manager for new middle school; members press for better procurement transparency and note environmental holds

Board approves amendment, adds funding for ESS substitute services; district cites higher demand and improved fill rates

Residents, alumni and clergy press school board to preserve historic Fessenden; criticize short notice for community meetings