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MONIQUE FIELDSThe Hillsborough and Pinellas school boards come together for the first time.
LARGO - For the first time, the Pinellas and Hillsborough school boards held a joint meeting Tuesday to discuss common public education issues and ways to address them.
TECO Energy and Progress Energy brought the boards together for the meeting that included Pinellas and Hillsborough education foundations, as well as business and community leaders from both sides of the bay.
Businesses often get involved in education late, when it's time to hire a high school or college graduate. No more, said Bill Habermeyer, president and CEO of Progress Energy of Florida. "It is in our best interest to intervene early and appropriately," he said.
About 100 guests dined on roast beef and chicken cordon bleu, mixed beans and wild rice before discussing issues of mutual interest.
Pinellas Superintendent Howard Hinesley addressed successes and failures the district has encountered on the legislative front. On the plus side, $10-million was provided for technical education across the state. On the down side, area businesses may provide money to private education and receive a tuition tax credit, but the same credit is not given to businesses donating to public education.
Hillsborough Superintendent Earl Lennard focused on working as a team.
"When you work to help us and we continue to work to help you, then (education) works all around," Lennard said.