Fort King Expands See page 8
JULY 13 - JULY 19, 2020 | TWO DOLLARS
Gullett’s goal
Marion residents have a week left to register to vote
Improve schools, district’s image By Brad Rogers Executive Editor
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tarting a new job is challenging enough. If that job, however, is leading Marion County’s 43,000-student school district in the midst of the worst pandemic of our lifetimes, challenging doesn’t quite cover it. Welcome to Marion County, Diane Gullett. Gullett started work as Marion County’s new superintendent of schools – its first-ever appointed superintendent – on July 1, just as those who now work for her were finalizing a plan for re-opening local schools on Aug. 10. So how well does she believe the plan will work? “We don’t know what we don’t know,” said Gullett, who grew up in North Florida and is a University of Florida graduate. What she does know is there are plenty of other challenges facing the Marion County Public Schools – challenges she is ready to begin addressing. Asked what her three top priorities are as she assumes her first superintendent’s post, Gullett said they are better communications, both inside and outside of the school system; elevating the image of the school district; and improving the district’s underperforming schools. Regarding communications, Gullett said it is important to include all stakeholders – internal
and external – in discussions and identify what is working well in our schools. Next, the areas that are not working well must be pinpointed and corrective action must be taken based on those practices that are working. The new superintendent said schools help shape the perception of a community through their economic impact, their image as either good or not-so-good and the partnerships they develop with public and private sectors. “People tend to love their individual schools,” she said. “What I think we need to work on is the impact and the reputation of the district as a whole.” Underperforming schools have a special place on Gullett’s priority list. During her time as an area superintendent in Orange County’s schools, she led that county’s efforts to uplift struggling schools. She wants to do the same in Marion County. Already she has reorganized her administration to put more, or at least different emphasis on fixing Marion’s underperforming schools. Gullett believes that Marion County’s ongoing struggles to raise its overall academic performance is part of the reason she is here. “There’s an awareness of that in the decision of the voters to adopt an appointed superintendent,” she said. Beyond those priorities,
By Bill Thompson Deputy Editor
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Diane Gullett [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2020
“There are a lot of communities that are not wrapped around improving public education. But I think Marion County is committed to that.” though, Gullett sees her role as that of leader and advocate. She said she will stress support for the schools, the principals and the teachers. Moreover, she intends to advocate for students who do not have equal access to resources, whether that be technology or transportation or tutoring. To do that she will go to
the teachers, then look at the students, the data and copy the successful teachers approaches. “Teachers are first and foremost to the success of students,” Gullett said. She added, “Our purpose is to support the schools … What do the schools need and how do we get it to them.” Gullett is enthusiastic See Gullett, page 2
arion County Elections Supervisor Wesley Wilcox wants voters to know his office is prepared for the Aug. 18 primary. On Thursday, elections staff distributed the initial round of mail-in ballots, the first wave of answering roughly 60,000 voteby-mail requests for the upcoming election, Wilcox noted in his quarterly newsletter, released on July 2. Additionally, he wrote, “All 117 Election Day voting locations and 9 Early Voting sites will be open and equipped to safely process voters.” Meanwhile, election worker training started in June and will continue through the end of July. “We have been very fortunate to staff all of our locations and are thankful for our partnership with the County (Commission) and School Board to supply extra workers.” So, one half of the voting equation – the people who assist voters and tally the ballots – seems set. What about the other half: the actual voters? Fortunately, Marion County has relatively few new potential voters to woo. Marion County, as of June 1, had 252,051 registered voters. By party, that includes 113,697 Republicans, 81,557 Democrats, 54,261 unaffiliated voters and 2,536 who are members of smaller parties. Thus, Marion County has 85 percent of its voting-age population registered to vote. See Voting, page 5
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