A Lasting Legacy!
By almost any conceivable standard a school district can be measured, Superintendent Saunders’ five-year tenure as superintendent has been a rousing success.
Since being sworn in as superintendent on June 26, 2018, she has been a difference-maker.
Leadership in a Crisis
When the COVID-19 global pandemic broke out in early 2020, Ms. Saunders presided over one of the most challenging periods in the school district’s history.
Working closely with the Florida Department of Health in Manatee, she established a District Operations Center to monitor cases in schools. While other districts struggled to maintain teaching and learning – Manatee completed each school year during the pandemic on time and offered in-person graduation ceremonies to seniors.
When districts were forced to go to full-time online learning in March 2020, the Manatee District was one of the first in Florida to get up and running. The district distributed more than 11,000 laptop devices to students and placed internet hotspots on district school buses, stationing them at churches and community centers around Manatee County so students could access free internet to continue their lessons.
During that same time period, the district’s Food and Nutrition Services Department set up more than 40 “Grab and Go” sites where parents could pick up pre-packaged breakfasts and lunches. In total, between March and May 2020, the district handed out more than 960,000 meals to students and families.
Academics
In 2013, when she first joined the district as the Executive Director of Secondary Schools, Manatee was ranked 47th out of the state’s 67 school districts in terms of student achievement on state accountability testing. The district also had 18 “D” or “F” schools.
In 2018, the year she became superintendent, the Manatee district had improved to 33rd academically in the state. In 2019, following her first year as superintendent, the ranking jumped to 28th.
By 2022, the end of her fourth year as superintendent, Manatee ranked 25th in the state – its highest ranking ever. The district also eliminated all “F” schools and reduced the number of “D” schools to two.
Finance
In 2013, the Manatee District registered a negative fund balance (reserve fund) of $7.5 million – even though the state requires school districts to carry a minimum positive fund balance of 3 percent of revenues. That financial crash led to the resignation of a previous superintendent, a complete overhaul of district leadership, and a collapse in community trust and support.
In 2016, when Saunders was Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, the district’s fund balance had risen to $16.1 million. By 2019, following her first year as Superintendent, it vaulted to $39.2 million.
By 2022, her fourth year as superintendent, the Manatee District posted a positive fund balance of $50.3 million – its largest ever. It equated to 9.3 percent of revenue.
Community Support
In 2018, before Saunders became superintendent, the school board asked Manatee County voters to approve a 1-Mill property tax referendum to provide students with an additional 30 minutes of instruction per day, enhance teacher and instructional staff pay, expand STEM programs and assist charter schools.
The referendum passed by a razor-thin margin of 51% to 49%.
In 2021, her third year as superintendent, the school board asked county voters to renew the 1-Mill for the same purposes and to add additional funding for the arts.
With Superintendent Saunders leading the charge, the referendum passed by a margin of 69% to 31%.
Education with Innovation and Imagination
Perhaps Ms. Saunders’ most captivating contribution as superintendent has been her penchant for bringing exciting, new academic options to Manatee district students and schools.
In 2019, she collaborated with Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Wozniak to make Palm View K-8 the first WOZ Ed Career’s Pathway school in the state of Florida. WOZ Ed teaches elementary students about coding, engineering, drones, and cybersecurity. She also introduced Florida’s first Garner Holt Animatronics programs at Nolan and Sugg Middle Schools; the Tampa Bay area’s first Community Partnership School at Manatee Elementary; Dual Language Programs at five district elementary schools and in 2022, the world’s first Guy Harvey Academy of Arts & Science at Anna Maria Elementary.
Impact
While Ms. Saunders’ impact as a leader in Manatee County will be missed immediately upon her departure, her success as superintendent of the School District of Manatee County will leave a lasting legacy.
Decade of Dedication…
After serving 34 years as a teacher, principal, administrator, and superintendent in Florida’s public schools, Cynthia Saunders is set to retire on June 30, 2023.
Ms. Saunders came to Manatee County in 2013 as the Executive Director of Secondary Schools. She was promoted to Deputy Superintendent of Instruction in 2015 and became Superintendent of the School District of Manatee County in 2018.
Here are some of her thoughts as she looks back on her career and ahead to retirement.
Q: What did you know about Manatee County before you moved here?
A: I grew up in Sumter County and started my teaching career in Marion County, but like anyone who grows up in Florida that is not born here, I vacationed here. I was probably in my 30s the first time I came here. I loved the beaches and how friendly the people were.
Q: From 2013 to today, the district’s academic ranking amongst the state’s 67 school districts improved dramatically. How was that achieved?
A: When I arrived, the district did not have formal assessments that were conducted district-wide so that you could formulate a plan in the summer, execute it, and then monitor it along the way. Teams of people at each school worked with the Executive Directors and Curriculum Department to identify what training was needed, what supports were needed, and what adjustments needed to be made. That’s what changed in 2013.
The plan that was formulated then is still in place today. Having that continual instructional plan in place for ten years has really contributed to our success.
Q: What was your thinking when you were being considered to replace Dr. Diana Greene as superintendent in 2018?
A: I never aspired to be a superintendent. I enjoyed working with the schools and being part of the team more so than being the face of the district. However, the School Board at that time felt that having a significant change of direction was not in the best interest of the district. They wanted to maintain consistency and keep moving along the same track.
Q: What has made your tenure as superintendent successful?
A: I don’t know many people who can be successful in isolation. Our teachers are second to none, and our whole team of employees is top-notch.
In a fast-growing community like this, you need to work hand-in-hand with community partners, agencies, and non-profit organizations because that gives you leverage and momentum to move forward together. That means getting to know people, hearing what other agencies are trying to do, and how we can support their initiatives and make them stronger. Then when we need their help, they are there at the table.
Q: Have any second thoughts on retiring?
A: The purpose of my retirement is to be retired. I feel very blessed that I could serve 34 years in public education and now move on to the next chapter of my life.
