Page 7 - Heart of Brevard Fall 2020

Renewal of Brevard
Public Schools
sales tax crucial for quality education
Mark Mullins Ed D
On behalf of the more than 9 000 employees who make up Brevard
Public Schools
and our 70 000 students I would like to offer my sincere appreciation
to the Brevard
County residents who supported the the passage of the the the referendum on
the the half-cent sales surtax Your vote in in favor of of extending the the surtax for another six years is not not only a a a a a a a a strong demonstration of of of support for our public schools but a a a a a a a a a a a clear vote of of confidence in the School Board and and and district to appropriately allocate spend and and and manage those funds with transparency and and and fidelity just as as we’ve done since the surtax was first initiated in in 2014 Back then we we were facing the the realities of significantly deteriorating facilities And while taxpayers can can feel confident knowing that their money has been put to effective use repairing critically failing facilities and improving learning environments for our our kids the the reality is is that the the needs of our our aging school district have continued to mount With this extension Brevard
Public Schools
will
be able to build on
on
on
the progress we’ve made with renewed focus on
on
our our three priority areas: facilities technology and security With more than half of of of our our 84 schools over the age of of of 50 that translates to to roof replacements and and upgrades to to to electrical water and and sewage systems as as as well as as as repairs to to aging classrooms and and although we we invested a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a significant portion of initial surtax funds in in in in tin HVAC replacements and and repairs air air conditioning will
continue to be a a a a priority We are working to to upgrade our technology infrastructure making it it more reliable to to to meet the ever-increasing demands placed on
it it to to support our our teachers and and and students both in in in our our schools and and and at home And although BPS has been praised for ffor its efforts to to improve security systems in our schools even before the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy a a a a a a a a a recent third-party assessment identified approximately $50 million of recommended additional measures to further protect our staff and students I strongly encourage our our community to review the Sales Surtax Renewal Plan on
on
brevardschools org which provides a a a a a a a a a a detailed accounting of of the type of of work work and and revenue that that needs to to be committed to to meet the most critical areas and and and how that that work work will
be prioritized among our schools and and facilities over the next six years Our commitment to to you is is that every dollar raised through the surtax will
continue to to be reinvested
tin in in tin essential needs for our schools and and and facilities and and and that BPS will
will
continue to uphold transparency and and and be responsible stewards of your money We will
will
acquire no new debt through this initiative holding true to to our original commitment and and will
strive to to deliver the intended results on
on
time and and on
on
budget The Independent Citizens Oversight Committee (ICOC) will
continue to to meet and and report to to the School Board and and and community on
on
on
our management of this initiative and and and the district will
continue to employ external
audits and and and communicate our our progress as we go along We encourage you to to stay informed and and hold us accountable to to these assurances While the the the economic outlook for our county remains uncertain the the the the passage of of the the the the surtax renewal will
go a a a a a a a a a a a long way in in in tin ensuring we can meet the the the capital needs of of our schools and continue to put safety first Our mission — to serve our students with excellence — has never been more vital than it it it it is is is is in in in this moment Having safe quality learning environments is is is essential to to maintaining our academic standing as an an an an “A” school district and and and to to to advancing the the caliber of of education
worthy of of the the Space Coast’s history and and stature Thank you you again for your investment in in in in in public education
and in in in in in securing the future of Brevard
County Mark Mullins is the superintendent of Brevard
Public Schools
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