People to watch

Just eight months into her tenure as superintendent, Dr. Diana Greene has a handle on the School District of Manatee County's biggest issues, increasing revenue and classroom space.

She is banking on the renewal of the half-cent sales tax, set to expire in 2017 unless approved by voters in the 2016 General Election.

The tax generates $30 million each year for the district. 

In 2016, the mother of two hopes to explore more money-making alternatives so the district doesn't have so much dependence on the passing of the sales tax.

"An option could maybe be increasing millage rate," Greene said. "We'll see where we are after we get our Long Range Master Plan results."

The Long Range Master Plan, which is scheduled to be released Jan. 19, will identify the district's biggest needs, such as an additional high school slated for East County.

Greene will focus on the school security issue. In 2014, former Superintendent Rick Mills approved a contract between a security agency and the district's elementary schools, which provided an unarmed private security officer for each of the 34 schools.

The contract was voided less than a month later, and the issue hasn't been on the school board's docket since. In the new year, Greene plans to explore ways for the district to add School Resource Officers to elementary schools countywide.

"We have SROs in middle and high schools, but not on every elementary school campus," Greene said. "I want to look at that more in the coming year, because safety is always a top priority to me for our students."