MICMS Board Welcomes New Principal

The Marco Island Charter Middle School (MICMS) held a school board meeting on July 22, with several items on the agenda, including the highly anticipated introduction of the new principal, Dr. Scott Nicklas.

With a dedicated search committee, comprised of school board members and teachers, leading the charge, Dr. Nicklas was their final choice.

“When we started this journey, we wondered ‘how many people are going to want to apply?’ But we said, ‘I think Marco Island is a good place to want to work’,” acting president of the board Joe Oliverio said. “Well, we found out that a lot of people want to work on Marco Island!” He praised the search committee who put together a detailed program and whittled down over 46 applicants.

“Dr. Nicklas stepped right into the job with both feet. We couldn't be happier.”

Taking a moment to formally introduce himself to the attendees, which included the majority of MICMS faculty, Nicklas shared, “I’m coming to you guys with 15 years of leadership experience at a couple of different districts. I’m very excited about coming here. After researching Marco Island, I found that the small community was really kind of what I was geared towards coming to. And so far, the help and support that I've already seen from the staff members and the board has been tremendous, and I think this is a fantastic place to be at.” He closed with, “I feel very blessed to have been awarded this position.”

An existing teacher, Georgina Dolin, was officially sworn in as a member of the board and praised for her dedicated work for the school. “As a new board member, as a teacher, what she has given and the lessons I have learned in conversation with her – it’s been invaluable having her on our board,” Oliverio said.

In anticipation and preparation for the new school year close at hand, the Family Committee has posted two teachers a day onto their social media page, until they get through the whole staff. These ‘Meet the Teacher’ postings show the familiar faces returning and list their favorite things. The board said that was a nice way for incoming students and families to get to know them, especially for the sixth grade.

Updated Frequently Asked Questions have been completed and posted onto the school’s website for easy access to all families with questions leading up to the first day of school. The policies are included to ease the minds of first-year and returning parents.

A mental health plan was approved for the school, per a required statute by the Board of the Department of Education.

The teachers have received their assigned classes, and their schedule is nearly complete. All new courses have also been picked and approved by the district.

The board took the time to acknowledge the effort given by the Family Committee for their communication between the parents and themselves, “Reaching out directly and having those conversations that could have been an e-mail goes a long way, thank you!”

Adding on to the acknowledgments, Oliverio made sure to note, “We have had all these teachers, this staff,” he gestured to the faculty present, “working with the board to find the right fit for this school, working on the curriculum, working on everything to keep us going when we did not have a principal,” said Oliverio’s sentiment was evident, “They all worked without pay, volunteering their time, when they should have been off after working for 10 months.” He gestured to his fellow board members, “We've all volunteered, put our time in, and knew what we were getting into – but this was their vacation time. They put in so many hours, it’s unbelievable. To make the school the best it could be.” Oliverio led a round of applause for the teachers.

Eighteen positions exist on the current MICMS staff; 16 are returning teachers, all Effective or Highly Effective. “The community can feel comfortable that they are returning to all the things they loved about Marco Island Charter Middle School.”

“We had to go through some very difficult changes. We know there has been community outcry,” Oliverio addressed the room, “Whatever problems we had to work through to make us financially solvent, to make us have a bright future, happened because of the hard work of all of these teachers and employees in the school that came in of their own accord.”

274 students are currently enrolled for the upcoming school year, down by only one student from last school year’s total.

“I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this board,” Oliverio said.

Another item on the agenda received its final vote for additional compensation on the teacher contracts. For returning full-time teachers, those with a Highly Effective rating will receive an additional $2,000 to their base pay, and those with an Effective rating will receive $1,000 to their base pay.

“We thought it was important that the teachers that worked hard last year achieved these marks - that's why we're an A-plus rated school - be compensated for it. It’s a way of us trying to say, wherever we're at, they need to be recognized, and that's us recognizing it.”

Oliverio continued with, “We as a board, again, appreciate what the teachers did and said. I think it is really important that this community has to understand that these teachers are so invested in the kids and in the school that they're kind of making our job a little bit easier right now.”

The faculty of MICMS is looking forward to welcoming back new and returning students for the ’26-’27 school year.