The Okaloosa County School Board will get input Monday from district administrators and parents about the first year of the Okaloosa STEMM Center.
The presentations will come after a discussion at the last board meeting about the center and the future of the middle school housed there.
Superintendent of Schools Mary Beth Jackson expressed some concern about the enrollment, and after some back and fourth she said she would have a member of her staff make a full presentation at the next meeting.
Board members requested STEMM Center Director Rick Soria make the presentation, but Jackson asked Shawnea Tallman, a science coach in the district who works at the center, to do it instead because Soria is retiring.
Six adults and two students also have asked to speak about the STEMM Academy housed at the science, technology, engineering, math and medical center.
“This is an amazing school,” parent Cynamon Mishra said. “It is the only one like it in Florida.
“Our community should be extremely proud to have it.”
Mishra’s two daughters, who just completed sixth grade at the school, and her husband will speak Monday.
Mishra said she and her husband decided to pass up a job promotion because they wanted their children to attend the school.
“These kids want to be there. They love it,” she said. “Every day these kids come home and they’re thrilled with what they’re learning.”
Peter Loffler, whose son also was in the inaugural class, said he will be at the meeting and hopes to encourage the board to continue forward with the plan to add another class to the school in August.
“Why would you kill this glorious crown jewel?” he said. “ … Look at the partners … They believe in it, too.”
Parents with students at the school met Wednesday to discuss how they could ensure that future students would have the same opportunity as their children.
They came up with several approaches, including reaching out to the local senator who helped secure close to $400,000 for the school to help cover start-up costs.
“I told them I certainly support the initiative,” said Florida Senate President Don Gaetz of Niceville. “I would be very disappointed if the funds I appropriated were wasted … but the decision has to be made by the School Board members.”
In his role as a state legislator, and a former schools superintendent in Okaloosa, Gaetz said it would be inappropriate for him to try to influence the future of the STEMM Center.
“The help and the support ought to come from the School Board members,” he said.
WANT TO ATTEND?: The Okaloosa County School Board will meet at 6 p.m. Monday at 120 Lowery Place in Fort Walton Beach.