People to watch

The newest member of the Manatee County School Board, John Colon isn't taking a passive approach to spearheading issues impacting students.

Since he replaced the late Mary Cantrell as the District 5 representative on the board in September, Colon has prided himself as being a unifying force. He said he wants to work to find common ground on security and financial issues.

Colon currently is running unopposed in 2016, and that gives him the confidence to start charting his plan.

He said school security should be spotlighted in 2016.

He has had various conversations with Sheriff Brad Steube and he hopes the board will revisit providing security officers for district elementary schools. Colon said the issue is on Steube's radar as well.

"There's nothing more important than children feeling safe when they go to school," Colon said. "If they’re listening to these things going on in the world with school shootings, naturally they will be apprehensive about going to school."

Of Colon's top priorities, truancy has grabbed his attention more than revenue streams and the pending fate of the half-cent sales tax.

A financial advisor for Wells Fargo Advisors, Colon understands that the district has more needs than its wallet allows.

By showing how their dollars are being used, voters will approve the sales tax next year, he said.

"I hate to use this phrase, but people want to get 'the best bang for their buck,'" Colon said. "If they think their money isn't being well served, they won't approve the tax. We'll cross the revenue sources bridge when we get to it."

Students not attending school is a more immediate problem for the district, he said.

In 2009, the Florida Department of Education cited that public schools in the county had a dropout rate of 3.6%, a number which directly correlates with truancy, Colon said.

He said today's stats are higher and that truancy is becoming more of an issue. Stricter enforcement of absences is on his to-do list.

"No child can graduate from school, be productive or be college- or career-ready when they don’t show up for class," Colon said. "This is an issue that affects all students regardless of race and age. We need to find ways to keep students in class."