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Highlands Today

Fate Of IB Program, Superintendent Selection May Be Decided Tuesday

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By MARC VALERO | Highlands Today

Published: February 24, 2008

SEBRING - SEBRING - The School Board of Highlands County will likely vote on two major issues Tuesday – starting an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program and letting voters decide how to select the superintendent of schools.

If the board gives the go-ahead to apply for the IB program, it could be start with 11th-graders in Fall 2010 at Sebring High School. Pre-IB courses would be offered in Fall 2008 at all three county high schools.

"We really do appreciate the support that the parents have given us," said parent Diane Juve. "We have a lot of people who said they will be there on Tuesday.

"What's really exciting is how the district staff has gotten onboard; they're very enthusiastic about it. I think we have the depth of talent at the district level to really put together an excellent program."

Criteria for acceptance into the program have yet to be determined. Avon Park and Lake Placid high school students who are accepted into IB would transfer to Sebring High by 11th-grade.
Superintendent Wally Cox announced that Lake Placid High School Principal Ruth Heckman would head the proposed program.

The school board will also vote on a resolution asking county voters if they would like to continue electing their schools' superintendent or opt for one to be appointed. Changing to an appointed superintendent would require voters' approval through a referendum.

Some believe the position should filled by appointment, which would include an interview process to find a suitable candidate who would then be subject to school board approval. The issue has been discussed at two workshops.

The resolution the school board will consider includes the following: the currently elected office of superintendent is scheduled to be elected in the November 2008 general election and the board desires to provide the electorate adequate time to review and debate the issue of elected or appointed superintendent, which is not feasible in the current compressed time frame.

The next general election for the state of Florida is not until November 2010, the gubernatorial election, where the question of appointed or elected superintendent could be timely presented to the electors, the resolution states.

If the electors of Highlands County approve the employment of an appointed superintendent of schools, the effective date of employment of an appointed superintendent of schools will be at the time of the annual organizational meeting of the school board held in November 2012, according to the proposed resolution.

The school board will meet 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, in the Garland Boggus Board Room, 426 School St., Sebring.

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