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Highlands County School Board approves broad package of policy revisions, new science curriculum and multiple facility contracts
Summary
The board unanimously approved revisions to dozens of district policies, adopted K–12 science instructional materials, and awarded several HVAC and facility contracts in a meeting where few items drew extended debate.
The Highlands County School Board on April 22 adopted a large package of policy revisions, approved new K–12 science instructional materials and awarded multiple facility contracts, with all recorded motions passing on unanimous roll calls.
Board members said the votes move routine but important district business forward. Superintendent Dr. Longshore and curriculum specialists described teacher-led review processes that produced the publisher recommendations now approved by the board.
The actions affect district policy language (dozens of policy numbers were presented for adoption or deletion), science curriculum for elementary and secondary grades, and several facility and HVAC projects across the district. Jennifer Reeser, K–5 math and science specialist, described the elementary adoption process: “It’s a lengthy one, with a lot of steps,” she said, adding that a 13-member committee of teachers and two parents reviewed three publishers, completed rubrics and ranked options before submitting a recommendation. Van Peoples, secondary math and science specialist, described a parallel secondary process that included nine teachers and three parents and deliberate review of publishers that offer both regular and advanced course materials.
Votes at a glance (selected items approved): - Adopted the agenda as revised; motion approved on roll call. - Approved the consent agenda, personnel recommendations and expulsions (motions passed unanimously). - Adopted revisions to district policies including Policy 02/2021 (Career and Technical Education); 02/04/1940 (Summer Program); 2460 (Exceptional Student Education); 2520 and 2521 (Instructional materials/adoption procedures); 2522 (Challenges to adoption/use); deletion of 2540 (Audiovisual use); 2700 (Academically High Performing School District); 3231 (Outside activities of staff); 5130 (Withdrawal from school); 5410 and 5410.01 (Student progression & promotion/retention); 5420 (Reporting student progress); 5463 and 5465 (Credits from other schools, GED); 5505 (Academic honesty); and the 2025–26 Code of Student Conduct. All were approved following motions and roll call votes recorded as affirmative by the members present. - Adopted K–5 science instructional materials: McGraw Hill, Florida Science (2025, first edition). - Adopted secondary science materials: Savvas Learning (comprehensive Science 1–3), McGraw Hill and Savvas titles for Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, Earth/Space Science, Environmental Science, Physical Science and Physics (specific publisher/title pairs were read into the record and approved). - Awarded facilities contracts including coil-cleaning to America First Air Conditioning & Heating (SBHC 2420-524), multiple HVAC renovations and chiller plant projects to Air Mechanical & Service Corporation (various SBHC contract numbers), and Sebring High School fire alarm upgrades to BCI Integrated Solutions (SBHC 2425-21). Several contracts covered multiple buildings at Sebring High School and other campuses; the board approved each contract following motion and second.
Board members and staff emphasized that the curriculum adoptions follow state-approved lists and a multi-step local review. Reeser said the elementary materials were posted for public review on March 4 and that committee members were trained on the rubric and publisher platforms before conducting independent reviews. Van Peoples said secondary committees prioritized publishers that offered both standard and advanced course versions.
All motions recorded on the transcript were moved and seconded (movers and seconders were called during the meeting) and passed by affirmative roll calls from the members present. Several items had no public comment; board members thanked teachers, administrators and committee volunteers for the workload required to vet materials and manage complex facility bid processes.
The meeting also included routine superintendent remarks, recognitions and an announcement that an executive session would follow the public meeting.
The approvals take effect as specified in district implementation procedures; where effective dates, contract amounts, or funding sources were not read into the record during the meeting, those details were not specified in the transcript.
