The Marion County School Board on Oct. 14 recorded a series of formal actions spanning personnel, construction and student-discipline matters. Key outcomes included approval of the Marion Education Association collective bargaining agreement, multiple construction change orders for school projects, procurement of new school buses and multiple expulsions.

Nut graf: The board approved the contract and change orders by recorded voice vote during the regular meeting. Several items were discussed briefly by administration before the votes; one board member recused herself from the South Marion High School construction amendment vote.

Votes at a glance (selected items):

- Agenda approval: Motion to approve the Oct. 14 agenda (materials in the packet) — Mover: Reverend Eric Cummings; Second: Dr. Sarah James; Vote: 5–0 in favor.

- Collective bargaining agreement (Marion Education Association, 2025–2029): Motion to approve — Mover: Miss Nancy Thrower; Second: Dr. Lisonbee Campbell; Vote: 4–0 in favor (record reflects board vote 4–0 after discussion; Dr. Brewer presented details). The district reported the total cost associated with the agreement as $5,800,000 ($4,200,000 for years-of-service increases; $1,600,000 for pay-for-performance increases).

- Construction — South Marion High School (compensation amendment/GMP amendment number 4): Motion to approve — Mover: Miss Nancy Thrower; Second: Dr. Sarah James; Recusal: Dr. Lisonbee Campbell; Vote: 3–0 with 1 recusal. The superintendent’s staff described the amendment as just over $13,000,000 to finish interior finishes, landscaping, irrigation and stadium/turf work; administration said fields would be ready for the first day of school while some auditorium-related work’s substantial completion is set for Oct. 29.

- Construction — Ross Prairie Elementary and aviation/diesel program building: The board received informational change-order reports showing revised substantial completion dates (Ross Prairie substantial completion reported as 07/25/2025 for a specified change order; a separate change order achieved substantial completion on 08/19/2025 for a different component) and a change order returning unspent funds on the Marion Technical College program building; no additional board action beyond reporting was required.

- School buses — purchase via Florida Department of Education bid ITB2023‑02 (five lift buses) and ITB2023‑022 (13 regular buses): Motions to approve both purchases passed by voice vote, 4–0. District staff said the 5 lift buses will carry wheelchair-securement equipment and that the 13‑bus purchase was funded from a previously approved amount (board discussion referenced approximately $2.2 million for one tranche and a broader $3.08 million authorization previously discussed).

- Piggyback transportation services (School District Services, Polk County bid ITB049MJ0624): Motion to approve increased funding for a renewal piggyback agreement to support transportation and supplemental driver needs — Mover: Dr. Lisonbee Campbell; Second: Miss Nancy Thrower; Vote: 4–0. Administration said the vendor can provide drivers and creative routing for struggling schools and that some routes will be funded by Unisig dollars.

- Student discipline/expulsions: The board approved multiple expulsion motions by voice vote. One motion to expel student JD26‑011 with off‑campus virtual learning for the remainder of 2025–26 and the first quarter of 2026–27 passed 4–0 (mover: Dr. Sarah James; second: Dr. Lisonbee Campbell). A subsequent grouped expulsion motion listing multiple JD identifiers also passed 4–0 (mover: Dr. Lisonbee Campbell; second: Dr. Sarah James) — the transcript lists the affected JD IDs as spoken during the meeting.

Process notes: For items authorized by the superintendent or designee under existing board policy (construction change orders below delegated thresholds), staff reported those approvals to the board consistent with board policy. Several informational change orders were reported without additional board action.

Ending: The board recorded the votes during the Oct. 14 meeting and directed staff to bring the North End utilization plan to a work session Oct. 16; no additional final policy votes on that utilization plan took place on Oct. 14.