School Board, Kissimmee city seats may be decided this month

A Kissimmee City Commission seat, and possibly the district 1 School Board seat, will be decided in this month’s primary election — a reason why all elections are important.

Candidates were asked to send responses to emailed News-Gazette questions, and they sent lengthy ones that can be read in full and un-edited here.

Kissimmee City Commission seat 2

Downtown Kissimmee restaurateur and incumbent

Felix Ortiz, who did not respond to the profile request, is opposed by former Commissioner (2016-20) and one-time mayoral candidate Angela Eady, who said she’s running again to bring her experience of the city government and the community back to the dais.

“I know the needs and what needs to be done here. I’m familiar with the surroundings here. And I feel that people need someone that has the passion, the skill and the knowledge to do the job at hand, to present themselves in a dignified manner to represent the people, to be the voice for the voiceless,” Eady said. “We still have a major homelessness population here that needs some assistance and guidance. We have issues here with, not necessarily overdevelopment, but we need some improvements on our roads and our streets. So there’s a mixture of problems.

“The first step in fixing any of this is, the city needs to unite. Let the unity that the city needs in order to move forward with any initiatives that is needed to make this the best place to live, work and play, and to raise families. It has to start with unifying bring everybody on the same level, we can learn off of each other. This is a very diverse area, of our city is extremely diverse. But we don’t have to be divided because we’re diverse. We can come together we just need the willingness and the desire to do so.”

1. We’re still recovering from the pandemic. What would a complete recovery look like as it pertains to Kissimmee?

1. Everyone is back working the same way prior to Covid
2. 90% of the population is completely vaccinated and boosted
3. Minimal need for rental/mortgage assistance
4. Cost of living goes back to prior Covid (gas, food etc )

2. What has been successful in bringing new business to Kissimmee, and what more (or new) can be done?

We need to push/advocate for some Fortune 500 companies to bring a division of their company ( or headquarters ) to our city . Offer incentives. If we bring high paying jobs to our city, it could decrease the need for affordable housing. People will be able to afford average cost of housing.

3. Affordable housing and homelessness have long been issues in the city, which has addressed them in the past. What are the best ways to continue that push?

Refer to Question No. 2.

4. What should the leading consideration be when the city considers vendors and other business contracts?

I believe local vendors should receive preference.

5. What boards or local organizations have you sat on or joined that would enhance your abilities on the commission?

Osceola Branch NAACP, C.A.F.A, Central Florida Chapter of M.A.D.D., Osceola County Charter Review Board, Osceola County Planning Commission, Florida Rising.

6. Is there anything else that we didn’t ask that you want to address?

We live in a very diverse city. That’s a great thing. We are truly blessed. We can learn from each other. We cannot or should not let the diversity divide us. We need to come together NOT just get together. #WeNeedEachOther.

 

School Board district 1

A hearing regarding an issue allowing a candidate to remain in this race was held Wednesday. Check AroundOsceola.com for any updates.

Incumbent Teresa “Terry” Castillo faces opposition from local Realtor Jennifer “Jen” Arguello and hospitality execut ve James Nickles, who did not respond to the profile request. Arguello, 41, said she’d bring a “completely different and unbiased, view to the dais.

“It seems like right now, most of the board members and most of the people involved at the leadership level, including the superintendent, are all entangled with each other. They’ve been heads of Osceola County for a long time and throughout watching these School Board meetings over the last year, we’ve noticed that they aren’t really caring for the community. A lot of things are being swept under the rug,” she said. “The community has been very vocal about these things, they’ve brought them in front of the School Board members and they’re not being addressed. That should not be the case or how it should function. In fact, at the very top of that pyramid is actually the community. The school board members, the superintendent, the educational system, should be responding to the community. If I were to come into the board, I’m basically fresh blood. I have no biases, I just want to serve my community.”

She said she would address a “lack of accountability, trust, care and concern.”

“You don’t have to be a bureaucrat to see that our school district is in peril. I don’t think anyone on either side of the spectrum feels this School District is one they can trust and trust their children to.”

1. We’re still recovering from the pandemic. What would a complete recovery look like as it pertains to the School District?

Ideally, a complete recovery would mean the school district looks better than it looked before the pandemic struck us. It means kids in school without fear, socializing and learning freely, building relationships, parental involvement, and a safe school environment.  It means kids caught up and excelling academically and emotionally, being inspired and enthused to learn and grow every day as they prepare for their future. A fully recovered School District must also have 5 Board Members that work collaboratively and well together to improve and enhance our education and to put the students best interests first.

2. Speaking as a potential School Board member, what should parents and students expect from the School District from an education standpoint?

Parents and students should expect transparency and accountability from SB members that represent and meet the communities needs and concerns.  They should also hold their School district to high standards and expect excellence and opportunities that encourage a student's overall success. A school district should provide excellence in academics and in innovation, and it should consistently strive to meet the evolving demands of the community it serves. At the very least, the community should be provided education at the same level and quality as we have in surrounding counties and a plan for improvement that leads to all of our children achieving proficiency. 

3. Staffing has been an issue — many teaching and support staff (bus drivers, food service) positions remain unfilled. What’s the best strategy for filling them?

Many studies have been performed on this kind of situation that tell us that the vast majority of employees don't leave because of money, they leave because of poor leadership.  Countywide, we have an unstable environment, we are not satisfying the needs of our educators and support staff, and the current leadership is allowing political agendas to take over our education.  Nationwide we see a shortage of teachers and educational professionals because of politics in the classrooms.  Change starts at the top which means we need to start by electing better leaders. Instead of losing our veteran teachers, we need to be using their wisdom and knowledge to encourage and train new teachers.  We need to offer our teachers and support staff the best competitive pay we can, provide them with the resources and environment they need to be the best at what they know best, teaching and inspiring our students, and allow them to positively impact the lives of students as they have in the past.  We need to remove politics in education, and make education a career that people enjoy again.

4. What should the leading consideration be when the School Board considers vendors and other business contracts? 

I really appreciate this question because it allows us to address another pandemic in Osceola, which is untrustworthy procurement. The only considerations for vendors and business contracts should be their ability to provide a quality service to the community and work efficiently with the School District. Procurement should be a fair and transparent opportunity for everyone who can and wants to serve the community and students.  The leading consideration should be based on the School Board Members' responsible stewardship of the taxpayers money and the vendors' commitment to doing the best job at the most reasonable price for the sake of the students, not special interests or relationships to the current school board members.

5. What boards or  local organizations have you sat on or joined that would enhance your abilities on the School Board?

In the past people have used board memberships in political positions or appointments to demonstrate their experience has been valuable, no matter how little they actually work or how little good they actually contribute to the cause. Today it's clearer than ever that what you need is integrity, an ethical standard, and the commitment to serve the community, not your own interests.  That is the most important qualification and that is what I offer the community. 

Castillo, 40, said she wants to continue work done by the current and previous board now that the pandemic is a manageable piece of life.

“COVID obviously hit aspects of life pretty hard and may have put some of our goals on the back burner including, for example moving our district from a ‘B’ to an ‘A’,” she said. “But I think that is a really important goal for Osceolans to have in general – to have a School District they are proud of. While I think that we are well on our way, if we continue to focus only on education and making sure our students are well served, I would like to be part of that and I still have work to do.

“In my first term, I took some time to really understand my role as a school board member and how that role can influence legislature, whether it is in Tallahassee or federally. So, I have taken up some additional leadership roles throughout the state, specifically with the Florida School Board Association, and I would like to continue to influence the education landscape that is very much influenced by a lot of what happens in Tallahassee and federally.”

1. We're still recovering from the pandemic. What would a complete recovery look like in the School District?

Complete recovery from the pandemic means reversing the academic losses known as The Covid Slide. This issue is especially prevalent among the students in elementary school since they did not have ample opportunity to socialize before COVID. We need to close the achievement gap for these students as soon as possible. According to a study by McKinsey, "The ripple effects may undermine their chances of attending college and ultimately finding a fulfilling job that enables them to support a family. (The) analysis suggests that, unless steps are taken to address unfinished learning, today's students may earn $49,000 to $61,000 less over their life owing to the impact of the pandemic on their schooling." While our school district has invested in reversing the COVID Slide by providing additional academic support before and after school and offering summer educational enrichment programs, we must continue working to ensure all students succeed.

2. Speaking as a potential School Board member, what should parents and students expect from the School District from an education standpoint?

The School District of Osceola is committed to ensuring that "every student receives a high-quality, standards-based curriculum that is consistent across grade levels and courses throughout the district."

The School Board is tasked with leading the district's strategic plan. As a School Board member, it has been my priority to advocate for each student's right, as stated in the Florida Constitution, to "a uniform, efficient, safe, secure, and high-quality education." Whether connecting parents to our innovation department, conducting education fairs for the community, working with the PTA, or advocating in Tallahassee, I strive to be accessible, effective, and empathetic.

3. Staffing has been an issue — many teaching and support staff (bus drivers, food service) positions remain unfilled. What's the best strategy for filling them?

The challenge with staffing in our schools is a multi-faceted issue. The root cause of the problem is that we do not have enough folks interested in working in public education. While we can discuss the strategies for recruiting and retaining staff, we need to increase the education staff pipeline as a priority. While the population of public school students continues to grow, the number of teacher training programs continues to shrink. As a school district with limited reach, we must continue to invest in and strengthen our Grow Your Own programs to include teachers, support staff, and bus drivers. By doing this, we are investing in people who are already committed to education by providing the tools necessary for success. Investing in these programs does not preclude us from advocating for competitive pay and more robust benefits. However, it is a fallacy to believe that pay alone keeps folks away from education. By focusing on income alone, we fail to solve the root cause of the problem

4. What should the leading consideration be when the School Board considers vendors and other business contracts?

The leading consideration for entering into a business partnership with vendors should be whether or not the vendor is improving the chances that our students are receiving the best education possible. Improving student outcomes is the only reason school districts exist; therefore, enhancing student outcomes should be the leading consideration in any conversation. As a body, we must also consider our fiduciary responsibility by ensuring we invest our funds wisely.

 

5. What boards or local organizations have you sat on or joined that would enhance your abilities on the School Board?

Board and Committee Memberships 

• Vice-President of Florida School Board Association( current) 
• Crummer Graduate School of Business
• Professional MBA Association - Career Enhancement and Community Service Chair (past)
• Osceola County Education Foundation - Board of Directors (past)
• Florida School Board Association - Board of Directors ( current) 
• Florida School Board Association - Advocacy Committee, Legislative Subcommittee Vice-Chair (past) 
• Florida School Board Association - Policy Committee Chair (current) 
• Marydia Community Advisory Board(past)
• Mercy Foundation - Education Lead (past)