Hardee County school board approves bus-tracking system, Arrow Group contract and multiple routine items; recognizes swim team and leadership nominees

The Hardee County School Board on Oct. 23 approved a five-year hardware, software and support agreement for the Where’s the Bus tracking system and a professional-services contract with Arrow Group, along with final budget amendments and other routine items. The board also recognized four district administrators selected for statewide leadership programs and honored the Hardee Senior High swim and dive team.

The board voted unanimously in favor of the Where’s the Bus agreement, a contract set to begin Nov. 1, 2025, that officials said will let drivers and families track buses, generate ridership reports and support unweighted full-time-equivalent (FTE) reporting. “It is another safety layer that we haven’t had,” said the administrator who presented the item. The board approved the Arrow Group agreement for professional services the same evening; presenters said Arrow Group has committed to an all-inclusive fee and would not request additional reimbursements beyond the contracted amount.

The recognitions section included four district staff accepted into two Florida Association of School Administrators leadership programs. Suzanne Stagg and Zachary Harvard were named to the Pivot principal leadership program; Jessie Roberts and Donna Block were accepted into the Launch Pad program for early-career assistant principals. The board also heard remarks from Coach Britney Campos and student members of the Hardee Senior High swim and dive team, who described the team’s training schedule and recent district championships.

Why it matters: the bus-tracking system and related routing and reporting tools are intended to provide drivers and district staff with real-time location data, increase passenger accountability and improve FTE and Medicaid-related reporting that can affect state funding. Contracts and budget amendments approved at the meeting set implementation timelines and clear the district to proceed with installations and software integrations ahead of the 2026 school year.

Board action and discussion

Where’s the Bus (five-year hardware/software/support agreement) and related routing work were presented as a phased rollout. The administration said technicians would install equipment and begin testing starting the first week of November with a target for broader use and parent notification by February 2026. The administration described a pilot that had earlier been used by bus drivers and reported that initial technical glitches were promptly fixed.

On Arrow Group, a board member asked whether the contract allowed for additional reimbursable expenses such as travel or lodging. The administration said Arrow Group told staff that its fee was all‑inclusive and that the company would not submit other reimbursable fees. The board did ask staff to confirm the reimbursement and approval process for any expenses that might be proposed.

Recognitions and school highlights

The board added a recognition to the agenda for two leadership programs after a scheduling change to an earlier Chancellor Leadership Academy presentation. The district announced that Suzanne Stagg and Zachary Harvard were accepted to the Pivot principal program and that Jessie Roberts and Donna Block were accepted to the Launch Pad program for assistant principals. The presenter described both programs as year‑long cohorts focused on Florida educational leadership standards, vision, culture, instruction, operations and resilience.

Coach Britney Campos introduced the Hardee Senior High swim and dive team and noted the team has 17 girls and 22 boys this season. Campos said the boys captured the district championship for a fourth consecutive year and the girls were district runners-up. Student speakers described long practice schedules, team camaraderie and recent record-breaking performances. “This team has taught me so much,” said Coy Knight, a senior. Team captain Wyatt Haney called the squad “like a family,” and senior Sadie Herrera described swimming as a discipline that prepared students for life after high school.

Other items

- The board approved a resolution to participate in the Small School District Council Consortium. - The board approved an interagency agreement with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Suncoast Incorporated; Jeannie Beck, vice president of programs for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Suncoast, said the program served more than 80 students last year and that some students were on a waiting list for mentors. Beck also said the organization will reopen applications for Florida Prepaid scholarships for juniors and seniors. - The board approved final budget amendments for fiscal year 24‑25 and approved removing surplus cafeteria equipment from inventory as the district expands scratch‑cooking operations supported by grants. - The board granted conditional approval for use of school property on Rodeo Drive for overflow parking on June 26, 2026, pending receipt of a certificate of insurance before the event; the board discussion clarified that the applicant may not use district property without that certificate. - The board approved two safety documents: the 25‑26 school security risk assessment and the 25‑26 district best practices assessment.

Votes at a glance (motions, movers, seconds, outcome)

- Approval of minutes for Oct. 9, 2025 — motion by Miss Cornell; second by Dr. Sharp; outcome: approved (all ayes). - Resolution authorizing participation in the Small School District Council Consortium — motion by Miss Cornell; second by Mr. Smith; outcome: approved (all ayes). - Interagency agreement with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Suncoast Incorporated — motion by Dr. Sharp; second by Mr. Smith; outcome: approved (all ayes). - Contract with Arrow Group for professional services — motion by Miss Cornell; second by Dr. Sharp; outcome: approved (all ayes). - Facilities use request (overflow parking on Rodeo Drive for 06/26/2026) — motion by Dr. Sharp; second by Mr. Smith; outcome: approved, pending certificate of insurance (all ayes). - Five‑year Where’s the Bus hardware/software/support agreement (beginning 11/01/2025) — motion by Dr. Sharp; second by Miss Cornell; outcome: approved (all ayes). - Final budget amendments for 24‑25 — motion by Dr. Sharp; second by Mr. Smith; outcome: approved (all ayes). - Removal of surplus cafeteria equipment from inventory/storage — motion by Miss Cornell; second by Dr. Sharp; outcome: approved (all ayes). - 25‑26 school security risk assessment — motion by Miss Cornell; second by Dr. Sharp; outcome: approved (all ayes). - 25‑26 district best practices assessment — motion by Dr. Sharp; second by Miss Cornell; outcome: approved (all ayes).

Discussion vs. decisions

The meeting separated informational discussion from formal action. Enrollment data was presented as an information item (unweighted FTE) with no action taken. Diskussions about the Where’s the Bus implementation included rollout timing and pilot results; the formal decision approved the five‑year agreement. On the Arrow Group contract, board members pressed for clarity about reimbursable expenses and were told the company described its fee as all‑inclusive.

Superintendent’s update and community notes

The superintendent’s update paused for a district announcement about the death of Linda Arredondo, a longtime Hardee Senior High staff member who served as dean’s office secretary, assistant athletic director and class sponsor; the superintendent said Arredondo served the district for more than two decades. The board and administration acknowledged the need for continued staff and student support in the coming weeks.

Ending

The meeting ran about 46 minutes from its 5:00 p.m. start and adjourned at approximately 5:46 p.m. The board scheduled its next regular meeting and organization meeting for Nov. 13, 2025. The district presented multiple operational steps it said will follow these approvals, including technical integrations, parent communications and phased rollouts for the bus‑tracking and routing systems.