Schools Chief Calls Monday Press Conference

An economic recovery plan for bringing financial stability to the troubled Manatee School District will be released to the media and public Monday morning at a special press conference called by Superintendent Rick Mills.

The school district recently laid off teachers for next school year to lower costs and meet its budget. It also is under a state mandate to build up reserves.

Mills had assembled a team of educational experts from across Florida. The press conference will begin at 10:30 a.m. in the School Board Chambers at the School Support Center, at 215 Manatee Ave. West in Bradenton.

The Transition Team was convened by Superintendent Mills as part of his 100-Day Entry Plan. Mills became the Superintendent of Manatee District Schools on March 20, 2013. The Transition Team spent the week of April 22nd visiting the school district to examine the operational and financial areas of the district.

The Transition Team was led by Dr. Bill Vogel, former Superintendent of Seminole County, and the team has included a dozen educational professionals including:

• Dr. Pamela Craig, Regional Director for Region IV Office of Differentiated Accountability for the Florida Department of Education;
• Donald Griesheimer, Associate Executive Officer of the Florida Association of District School Superintendents;
• James Messer, Chief Financial Officer for the Florida Association of District School Superintendents.

The Florida Department of Education and the Florida Association of District School Superintendents provided more than $26,000 to pay the majority of the costs to bring the Transition Team to Manatee County. The school district’s portion of the cost is approximately $6,000.

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