Hernando County School Board elects Casey Hawkins as chair, Shannon Rodriguez as vice chair; approves schedule and committee assignments

The Hernando County School Board reorganized at its Nov. 18 meeting, electing Casey Hawkins as board chair and Shannon Rodriguez as vice chair, approving its schedule of regular meetings through November 2026 and confirming board committee assignments.

The board convened at 10:03 a.m. and opened with a moment of silence and the Pledge of Allegiance. After approving the meeting agenda, board members nominated candidates for chair. Susan nominated Casey Hawkins; Shannon Rodriguez was also nominated. A motion to elect Hawkins was moved and seconded and was carried, though the transcript records a mixed verbal roll-call that is unclear; the board recorded the motion as passing. Later, nominees for vice chair were called and Shannon Rodriguez accepted the nomination; the board voted 5-0 to elect Rodriguez and the outgoing presiding officer handed the gavel to Hawkins.

Following a brief recess, the board approved the schedule of regular meetings for December 2025 through the organizational meeting in November 2026 by a 5-0 vote. Members then discussed committee assignments: Duval relinquished several committee slots (calendar committee alternate, inclusion committee, STC/Simpson Tech advisory), Rodriguez agreed to take the STC advisory role, and other members volunteered for ESE advisory, Small School District Council/FSBA advocacy and truancy committees. The motion to designate members to committees passed 5-0.

The board also approved minutes from the Oct. 15 interlocal meeting and the Oct. 21 workshop and regular meeting, and adopted the consent agenda, each by unanimous votes recorded as 5-0.

The meeting adjourned at 10:48 a.m.