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Public commenters raise concerns about advisory structure and site selection for new high school
Summary
Two public commenters addressed advisory committee restructuring and the proposed NNN high school site; one urged stronger SAC recruitment and input into district decisions, the other recommended reconsidering Lehigh site vs. Alva based on population and cost factors.
Two public speakers addressed workshop agenda topics during the public‑comment portion of the March 4 meeting.
Sergio Cruz urged the board to ensure that school advisory councils (SACs) and district advisory councils provide genuine stakeholder representation, especially for schools with high-need subgroups. He said recruitment and outreach to parents, including clear communications about SAC roles and the School Improvement Plan, should be strengthened because many councils lack the required diversity to inform improvement plans effectively.
Denise Everly, vice president of ALVA Inc., commented on the planned high‑school site known in board materials as "NNN." Everly urged the board to consider using a Lehigh Acres property instead of the Alva site, arguing the Lehigh location would serve a larger nearby population and reduce transportation burdens. Everly recited cost and population comparisons and urged staff to take feasibility and community access into account when moving forward on site decisions. She also referenced inflation and permitting delays that can increase project costs.
Board members acknowledged the comments and asked staff to continue to provide site and community-impact information as projects proceed. No board decision or action on site selection was taken at the workshop.
