The Monroe County School Board held its regular board meeting Tuesday night, the first meeting since the end of the 2025-26 school year. Board members all thanked school district personnel as well as students and the community for the successful year and congratulated the 639 graduating seniors in the district, who took home a total of $13.3 million in scholarships as they move on to the next phase of their education, or move into the workforce.
“I have been to many such graduations over the years, “ said Superintendent Edward Tierney, who completed his first school year in the position. “But I’ve never seen such a sense of community and such support for schools as I saw at these three graduation ceremonies.” He went on to thank everyone for their support and hard work during this first year as superintendent.
Tierney and Deputy Superintendent Amber Acevedo also recognized the achievements of two outstanding groups during the regular Great Education Moments (GEMs) Awards portion of the agenda. The district hired a new Food Services Director during the school year and during the time the position was vacant, Acevedo said three women in the department were particularly crucial in ensuring the continuity of services while that search was going on. Lucia Cuculino, Denise Pollack and Susan Lawson were all recognized for their hard work with a GEM Award. The Key West Lady Conchs Softball Team was also recognized for a tremendous season during which they won the regional championship and competed in the state’s Final Four. Acevedo recognized the coaching team: Jason Garia, Eric Snow, Jules Castillo and Jade Castillo for their leadership as well as all the players for their teamwork, spirit, resilience and excellence.
Board members heard a report from STEM Coordinator Donna Tedesco about the status of Monroe County as an Ocean Guardian District. The district is one of only two such districts in the country and the only one on the East Coast, although there are a number of Ocean Guardian schools throughout the United States. The district’s goal is rainwater filtration. Over the course of three years, eight schools have participated in the program with their own independent goals they set for themselves. Six of them have participated with the district goal of rainwater filtration. All these schools have student designed and planted gardens, including Sigsbee Charter School, Poinciana Elementary School, Key West High School, Sugarloaf School, Plantation Key School, and Stanley Switlik School. During the creation of those gardens, 400 native plants were installed and 3,500 students participated.
Tedesco thanked all of the community partners helping the district, including the National Marine Sanctuary, United Way of Collier and the Keys, as well as local agencies, businesses and parents. During the upcoming third year of the program, she said two other schools have expressed interest in gardens: Horace O’Bryant School and Key Largo School. She also plans to offer two STEM lessons incorporating the gardens at each grade level. She said there is a special reception that will take place in August recognizing the accomplishments of the program in Monroe County.
Steve Vinson gave a report on student athletics to the board. He noted that the district has seen an increase in student participation in sports in the 2025-26 school year. He spoke about a new state requirement that incoming high school 9th graders who wish to participate in sports and all newly participating students are required to undergo an Electrocardiogram test which is being offered by Keys Area Health Education Center (AHEC) at no cost to students.
He told board members that during the year 224 students were drug tested per district policy with only 6 testing positive. In answer to a question by Board Chair John Dick, he said families of students who test positive are notified and the student is tested a second time. If that test is also positive, they are suspended from the sport, counseled and then tested a third time. If they are negative in that test they can return to playing the sport. He said few if any tests are positive after that process is complete.
He said the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) has approved pickleball and beach volleyball as sanctioned high school sports. After a question from board member Yvette Talbott about flag football as a potential sport in Monroe County, he spoke about the tremendous cost required in the Keys when it comes to transportation of sports teams because of the time and distance involved. Board member Darren Horan pointed out that AHEC administers both the drug tests and the ECG tests at no cost to students and a major fundraiser for that group is coming up soon. He encouraged everyone to participate in the upcoming Bubba Awards and to give support to Keys AHEC.