School board unanimously chooses Kamela Patton for interim superintendent

Mainstreet Daily News | By Glory Reitz | November 4, 2024

The School Board of Alachua County voted unanimously to select former Collier County Public Schools superintendent Kamela Patton to serve as interim superintendent for Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS).

At the board’s last regular meeting on Oct. 21, Board Chair Diyonne McGraw and Board Member Kay Abbitt brought four recommendations for the position, while none of the other board members brought any names. Patton was not among any of the names brought up at the last meeting, but on Monday each board member named her as their first and only choice.

Several citizens also attended the meeting or called in to comment, most saying they were pleasantly surprised to see the board reach a unanimous decision.

“It must be an election eve miracle that all of you have agreed… This is a board that people like myself voted in a couple of years ago,” citizen Peggy Vermont told the board. “And this is what I wanted, along with all the other voters wanted, to see all five of you work together and make positive decisions for Alachua County schools. And unfortunately, I don’t know where you all went awry, but this is probably the first good decision you’ve all made.”

During the board’s discussion of interim superintendents at the last meeting, Board Member Leanetta McNealy said the CEO of the Florida School Boards Association had told her that though her organization maintains a list of retired superintendents open to short-term contracts, none would want to come based on a 3-2 vote from the board.

Kamela Patton

Patton’s resume includes 12 years as superintendent for Collier County Public Schools, a district covering 2,300 square miles, from 2011-2023. During her time there, the district’s graduation rates improved by over 20%, overhauled the employee benefits platform and students’ learning management system, and enhanced school security.

In 2022, AASA, The School Superintendent Association selected Patton as one of four finalists for AASA National Superintendent of the Year.

Before Collier County, Patton started her 35-year career in public education teaching in Dade County. From there, she worked her way up to assistant principal, then principal, then assistant superintendent of academics and special projects, and eventually assistant superintendent of operations.

Abbitt said one of her main concerns about an interim superintendent is that they would act as nothing more than a placeholder while ACPS conducts a national search for a new superintendent. She said Patton’s record assuages that concern.

“She assured me that that’s not what she wants either, and she feels like she can get a lot of procedures in place so that when the new superintendent comes in, it will be possibly an easier transition,” Abbitt said. “I’ve spoken to other people about her also, and she is a go-getter. She’ll come in and she wants to be able to see some results from her work.”

McGraw confirmed for an inquiring citizen during the meeting that the board will be pursuing a national search for the new superintendent, and Patton is not interested in throwing her hat in for the position.

The only conflict that arose during the special meeting was over the timeline of contract negotiations with Patton, and when the board would be able to review the contract, which was on the Nov. 6 regular meeting’s agenda as an action item.

Board Member Tina Certain said two days was not likely to be enough time to solidify a contract for the board to vote on, and asked that the rough draft for Wednesday be changed to a discussion item, not requiring a board vote yet. She said if the contract is not finalized before current superintendent Shane Andrew’s termination date on Nov. 15, Deputy Superintendent Cathy Atria can fill in as acting superintendent.

Certain made the motion to appoint Patton, seconded by Board Member Sarah Rockwell. The motion, which also authorized the board chair and board attorney to negotiate a contract with Patton, passed unanimously.

“It’s unfortunate that we’re at this point… it sounds that you want to get it done, but I don’t think this is something that we rush into agreeing on, something that consequential,” Certain said.