OKEECHOBEE — The Okeechobee High School Band was honored at the Okeechobee School Board Meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 11. for their achievements. The Brahman Band recently competed in the Florida Marching Band State Championship in Jensen Beach. They ended their season with a fifth place finish in 5A. The score was 81.525! It’s the highest score the OHS Band has ever received at the Florida Marching Band State Championship. The band directors, the student leaders of the major sections and some volunteers that help the band program were there to accept their certificates.

Myla Sheedy was also recognized at the meeting for retiring after 26 years as a paraprofessional with Okeechobee County Schools.

For the purpose of reorganization and in accordance with Florida Statute 1001.371, the board must reorganize every November by electing a chairman, a vice chairman and establishing a schedule and location for regular meetings. Present Chair Jill Holcomb was nominated and re-elected as chair of the Okeechobee School Board and present Vice Chair Christine Bishop was nominated and re-elected.

The school board chose to continue monthly meetings at the scheduled time of 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of every month.

Much discussion was had over the logo for Okeechobee County Schools. The board is currently working with Rhodes Branding on establishing a new logo for the purpose of re-branding. None of the board members appeared to content with any of the examples the company has come up with thus far and asked the public for their input. Someone in the audience suggested asking some of the digital art students at OHS to have a go at it and suggested that if students participated in the design, it would give more meaning to the logo.

Board member Malissa Morgan said that a few of the new designs that Rhodes had offered aren’t clear in their design and that it had to be explained before she realized what it was. For the time being, they decided to table the discussion until Dr. Joseph Stanley, assistant superintendent for administrative services, returns.

Before closing the meeting, Superintendent Dylan Tedders reminded all that the school board office will be closed Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving weekend. Staff may be limited that whole week for those taking off more time for the holiday.

The mention of the holiday prompted Tedders to also state that the school board has been working very closely with Our Village Okeechobee to help families in need this holiday season. The demand for food in the community has increased due to the government shutdown putting a delay on SNAP benefits for the month of November. Tedders said, “The schools are collecting food and Our Village is spreading out resources.”

If you have any extra food in your pantry that isn’t getting used, please consider donating it to Our Village or one of the other local food banks to help families in the community in need.