A Tuesday special School Board of Alachua County (SBAC) meeting for a public hearing on proposed new and amended job descriptions will be extended to allow for additional public comment.

SBAC Chair Leanetta McNealy set the original meeting time of 11 a.m. to accommodate board members traveling to an event, she said at the June 1 meeting. But now the board has scheduled additional time for feedback amid a “No Confidence” petition against the superintendent, which has garnered more than 1,300 signatures in just over a week.

“Throughout the past 6 months, we have witnessed Dr. [Carlee] Simon’s abrupt interim appointment to the swift permanent appointment, we have had concerns regarding Dr. Simon’s leadership, specifically concerning trust, collaboration, decision-making, vision, communication, her lack of respect for parents and staff, and her inability to create positive working relationships with staff members and the community,” the petition states.

The meeting agenda for the public hearing has two items: 

• Executive summary: statement of new job descriptions, reasons why, and financial impact
• Proposed changes since the first reading held on May 18

The job descriptions include a range of new positions such as student assessment manager, SBAC chief of police, cyber security supervisor II, records management coordinator, school choice director, magnet coordinator, equity, inclusion and community engagement coordinator, student wellness and professional services director, online presence coordinator, and community engagement coordinator.

Public input will be taken in person and by phone at the 11 a.m. hearing. When all those who want to speak at that time have been heard, the meeting will be recessed and reconvene at 6 p.m. the same day to allow for additional public input.

Those interested in speaking in person can attend either session of the hearing in the school board meeting room at the Alachua County Public Schools district office (620 East University Avenue). Masks and social distancing within the room will be required. Those interested in participating by phone in either session should call (352) 955-7646. Staff will take names and place commenters on hold until their call is transferred into the board meeting room in the order in which calls were received.

The meeting will not be available on Channel 12, but both sessions of the meeting will be aired live on YouTube.