Santa Rosa school board approves routine agenda items, appoints interim assistant principal; public speaker warns about library content

The Santa Rosa County School Board on an approximately 44-minute meeting unanimously approved multiple administrative and financial items, appointed an interim assistant principal effective June 11 and heard a public comment urging the district to remove a book currently under review.

Most votes on the board's consent and action agendas were unanimous. Items approved included requests to advertise public hearings on policy updates and student codes of conduct and progression, approval to advertise a transportation program policy, the district's Visa rebate program (24-20-24), a grant-match item, prequalification of contractors, direct purchasing change orders, a budget amendment (24-08) and bills and payroll for April 2025. The board also approved the district's new and updated professional-learning components for June 2025 and a 2023–2028 professional learning catalog the district said was updated to comply with state requirements.

Why it matters: The approvals clear several administrative steps the district says are needed to meet state requirements and keep projects and school operations moving into the summer. One public commenter, Cindy Smith of Pace, urged the board to speed up removal of what she called "graphic and obscene" materials from school library access and cited Florida law in urging action. The comment signals continuing community scrutiny of the district's materials review process.

The board's action and administrative approvals The board approved, by voice vote,…