Board honors Assistant Superintendent Billy Epteen; student-led Girl Flow projects and VPK childcare access raised in public comment

The meeting opened with a recognition of Assistant Superintendent William "Billy" Epteen for 33 years in education. Colleagues and board members presented a certificate, praised Epteen's leadership across roles and schools (including Leon High School and Canopy Oaks), and his family attended the recognition. Epteen spoke briefly about returning to classroom teaching and thanked colleagues for support.

At Item 2.02, Anitra Krishnan, a senior at Charles High School and lead ambassador for the Girl Flow Project, described the student‑led group's work on menstrual equity: donation drives, educational events, installation of dispensers in Leon County middle and high schools, three active school chapters, and an upcoming booth at the Leon County Back to School event on Aug. 9. Board members praised the project and offered support.

During public comment, Christy Tillman, a Woodville Elementary parent, asked the board to investigate barriers that exclude VPK students from before‑ and after‑school extended-care programs at that Title I school. Tillman said the barrier could stem from statute, DCF licensing, or student classification, and asked staff to research state and local requirements and pursue licensing or policy changes to allow VPK access; the superintendent asked staff (Director of Early Childhood, Brooke Bruner) to contact Tillman before the end of the week. Audrey Lewis offered to partner on parental‑involvement programs, and Gary Hunter, representing a developer, noted he would be available for questions on an upcoming concurrency item.