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Highlands school board member mistaken about new home site, resigns immediately

Highlands County School Board member Nicole Radonski, above earlier in April after deciding to run for re-election, resigned her position Tuesday after discovering her new home's address was outside her district.
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Highlands County School Board member Nicole Radonski, above earlier in April after deciding to run for re-election, resigned her position Tuesday after discovering her new home's address was outside her district.

The evening began with such promise and delight when an assortment of school children brought farm animals they are raising at their school to the board meeting so they could explain the importance of learning to care for things.  

And just as official business was about to start, board member Nicole Radonski, tearfully explained that she needed to resign from her position immediately.

"Just a few weeks ago, I was privileged to speak to a group middle schooler about intergrity. We talked about how having integrity will cost you at some point in your life -- and today there is a cost," she said. "Serving  on the school board has been one of the hardest, if not the hardest, things that I have ever done, and stepping away is equally as hard.

" I am passionate about helping our school district to be the very best that it can be. I love this community that I have grown up in, but I know that I am doing what is right."

 Radonski was an educator for close to 20 years before beging elected to serve in District 5 on the school board.  She  had recently announced her intentions to run for a second term,  but that, too, is over because she no longer lives with in the boundaries of the district.
  
"We thought we had taken great care to ensure that we stayed within the district, but unfortunately, our property backs up to District 5, but our home resides in District 3. Due to learning this, I will be vacating my seat as the District 5 board representative," she said.   

By law the seat must be filled by the Governor’s office. Radonski told the board she would inform the office about the vacancy Wednesday.  
 
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