SARASOTA, Fla. — At several school districts in the Tampa Bay area, the yellow buses roll out and bring students to the classroom doors for a new academic year on Thursday.
In Sarasota County, students will be greeted by new Superintendent Terry Connor.
Conner sat down with 10 Tampa Bay to discuss leading the district. With just three weeks on the job, the new superintendent said he's ready for the new school year.
"It's been a wonderful transition. Everyone has been a very supportive community. I've gotten a chance to get out and to meet several of our folks whether it be foundations, parents, teachers, staff," Connor said.
Connor came to the position after his predecessor, Brennan Asplen, made a surprise announcement that he was stepping down last year.
RELATED: After clash over teaching on gender, AP Psychology class may be available to Florida students
Asplen butted heads with the school board over issues he said were driven by politics and the pandemic.
All of which played out publicly at school board meetings. Connor hopes for a smoother tenure leading the district as its superintendent.
"It's going take some time to come in and listen and learn. I think it's incumbent upon any effective leader to understand the strengths of the school district so that we can capitalize on that, and as well as take on the opportunity to hear from people about where those opportunities to grow exist," he said.
With an expected 49,000 students, a jump of 3,000 more students than last year, such growth also highlights other growing pains. One of the key challenges which many districts in Florida are facing is a teacher shortage.
"We're not immune to it. All school districts are facing that. We are right at about 100 vacancies total and that includes instructional and not instructional. I would say currently we have about 80 classroom teachers that we're looking to fill. We are processing every day and we have a game plan," Connor said.
That game plan also includes capital projects like building and opening new schools and mitigating the impact that wages and a lack of affordable housing in the area have on recruitment.
"I do look forward to talking about if that is a reality for our district or if there are other opportunities to ensure that our teachers are being compensated appropriately," Connor said.
But at the fore of this academic year is what teachers can or can't teach in the classroom
The state's Department of Education recently sent a new directive to schools reversing course on a decision to reject AP Psychology and there are also ongoing concerns about Black history instructions after Gov. Ron Desantis approved a new curriculum for African-American history in grades K-12, which critics have said is economical with the truth about factual events and is harmful to students.
"The DOE's stance with AP Psych is that we can teach that course in its entirety and stay within the state laws and so we believe here in Sarasota that we also can do that as well," Connor said.
"The issue of diversity also comes into that conversation. How are you going to approach that with the school district?" 10 Tampa Bay's Adaure Achumba asked.
"We have to celebrate diversity. All students that come to our doors should be welcomed and embraced, and then we make sure that we provide everyone the highest quality education when they enter our doors,' Connor added.
Manatee County also has a new superintendent of schools. Dr. Jason Wysong, who also resumed last month, would be leading that school district into the new school year.