FLEMING ISLAND – The school board met to recognize 118 employees on their retirement from Clay County District Schools with an honorary slideshow.

The outstanding employees completed 2,571 years of combined service in the county. The slideshow featured a photograph of each employee, the school where they worked and the position they held.

“We have such great employees, and I wish we could have more time (to recognize them) and that all 118 of them were here, but I think some of them are already on a boat or have their toes in the sand somewhere,” said Brenda Troutman, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, before the slideshow began.

The school board also approved their strategic plan for 2023-2028, which will serve as the guiding document for all departments during the next five years. The plan was prepared by district leadership during the last eight months, a process which included conducting surveys, town hall meetings and receiving stakeholder and focus group input.

The targeted goals and strategies will serve as bench makers for the district’s schools. In other news, a Methods of Administration agreement between the Department of Health, Clay County, the state of Florida and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Crisis Response Cooperative Agreement will result in 11 additional contracted nurses. Monies for the nurses will be provided by a grant from the Cooperative Agreement.