Rep. Janet Adkins hopes to reinforce her strong education credentials by hosting an Education Leadership Summit on the First Coast in early August. Florida Education Commissioner Tony Bennett will be attending the events.
Adkins, R-Fernandina Beach, announced last week the summit will include two different meetings on the First Coast on Aug. 6 with one event at Florida State College at Jacksonvilles Yulee branch in Nassau County and the other at Fletcher High School at Neptune Beach.
Late last week, Adkins said the event would focus on middle school reform, the new common core standards and higher education.
"The middle school years should be focused on developing students' creativity and problem-solving skills," Adkins said. "We must use these years to help students understand that school is connected to their future, and the decisions they make during middle school will affect them for the rest of their lives."
Adkins' team stressed to Sunshine State News on Friday that the event would give attendees a chance to ask questions to Bennett and other education and elected officials. Adkins said something similar in her announcement of the event.
"As with prior education leadership summits, we will have a short presentation of what we know on the topics and then we will open the floor to public testimony and comments, Adkins said. It is through this exchange with citizens and working families that we will shape our priorities for the 2014 Legislative Session."
Before being elected to the Florida House in 2008, Adkins served a decade on the Nassau County School Board and she has used that experience to move up the legislative ladder. During her three terms in the Florida House, Adkins has focused on education issues. She currently chairs the K-12 Subcommittee and sits on both the Education Appropriations Subcommittee and the full Education Committee.
Earlier in the month, Adkins told Sunshine State News the summit was her chief focus instead of other concerns like fundraising for 2014.
Adkins, who represents all of Nassau County and parts of Duval County, encouraged residents of the First Coast to attend the two events.
"Education is the one gift we can give our children that no one can ever take away, Adkins said. These summits are a chance for working families and taxpayers who care about their community to be heard. No matter your issue, concern or view we need to hear from you.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com.
