Florida schools roundup: Construction caps, school recess, Pledge and more

Construction caps: School officials worry about the effects a construction spending cap bill will have on growing districts. One of the provisions in the House bill limits the amount that can be spent on land, which district officials say is unfair because the price of property varies widely across the state. Another is that construction money collected through property taxes would have to be shared with charter schools. Orlando Sentinel. Fort Myers News-Press.

School recess: Pinellas County School District officials make it official: There will be recess or physical education classes in elementary schools every day for the 2016-2017 school year. Each school will determine its own scheduling. Gradebook.

School pledge bill: Sponsors of the Pledge of Allegiance bill say it’s still alive, despite the lack of action in the Senate. The bill would allow schools to post notice of a student’s right not to participate in a student handbook instead of having a sign in every classroom. Pensacola News Journal. TCPalm.

NAACP’s view: The NAACP says it supports Duval County School Board member Constance Hall’s comments about the need to improve school grades. It also discounts Superintendent Nikolai Vitti’s claims of being in a hostile work environment. The tiff started when Hall sent text messages to another school staffer that were critical of Vitti. Florida Times-Union.

Charter school rejected: The Lake County School Board rejects a proposed charter school in Minneola that can’t open by August as it originally said it would. Officials at the Pinecrest Lakes Academy Charter School will have to resubmit an application when they’re ready to open. Daily Commercial.

Religion vs. sports: Coach Zach Gillion watched his Northeast High School girls basketball team from Oakland Park lose the state championship game Saturday on a hotel room TV instead of from the bench. Gillion, a Seventh-day Adventist, observes the Sabbath from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. The game was at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, and the FHSAA couldn’t arrange to move it. USA Today.

Manatee school plans: Manatee County School Superintendent Diana Greene recommends balancing school enrollment by closing three elementary schools and building two new ones. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Consultant suspended: Leon County school officials have suspended a contract with an educational consultant who has drawn criticism in Alachua County. Tallahassee Democrat.

End of an era: Parents are mourning the imminent closure of the state’s last one-room schoolhouse. Duette Elementary School’s principal is retiring and the school’s contract with the Manatee County School District expires in June. Bradenton Herald.

Yahoo blocked: Pasco County school officials are blocking the Yahoo search engine, saying it doesn’t have adequate filters to block inappropriate sites for students. Gradebook.

Teachers honored: Cloris Mobley-Hajdukiewicz, a Springwood Elementary kindergarten teacher, is named Glenn-Howell distinguished educator of the year. The award is given annually to a Leon County minority educator with at least three years’ experience in an instructional position or as an administrator. Tallahassee Democrat. New Smyrna Beach Middle School is considering naming its baseball field after former physical education teacher Eugene Evans, who died in August. Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Teacher supported: Students and parents rally around Michael Maynard, a River Ridge High School teacher who was suspended without pay for a history of derogatory and profane remarks. Gradebook.

High school site: A public meeting will be held Wednesday on the proposed location of a high school in Bonita Springs. Fort Myers News-Press. Naples Daily News.

School pool fix: The pool at Stranahan High School in Fort Lauderdale is getting fixed. The pool was closed in 2014 for safety reasons. Repairs are expected to cost almost $600,000. Sun-Sentinel.

School in mourning: Counselors and psychologists help Waller Elementary students cope with the loss of 10-year-old Izabella Heffernan, who was shot to death last weekend. Her 15-year-old brother is accused of the crime. Panama City News Herald.

School killer resentenced: Michael Hernandez has again been sentenced to life in prison for killing a classmate in a Southwood Middle School bathroom in 2004. The original life sentence had to be reviewed after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that juveniles could not automatically be sentenced to life without chance of parole. Florida Times-Union.

Teachers in trouble: An East Ridge High School social studies teacher accused of having sex with 17-year-old student has resigned. Marshall Jungreis, 41, still faces criminal charges. Orlando Sentinel. A Centennial High School band teacher is arrested and accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl. Gary Anthony Burnette, 26, was fired from the St. Lucie County school. Palm Beach Post. TCPalm.

Testing standards: Florida’s Standards Assessments tests are just as stringent as the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests, according to a survey conducted by the company that handles the state’s testing. Sunshine State News.

Student enrichment:  Jeffrey Lu, a 13-year-old Lincoln Middle School student, was the only one of 3,000 Florida middle schoolers in Florida who got a perfect score in the American Mathematics Competition. Gainesville Sun. Students at Atlantic High School in Port Orange can now use good grades or behavior to earn credits to buy clothes at school. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Creative Learning Academy students win the Northwest Florida Regional Science Olympiad. Pensacola News Journal. Students at Haile Middle School in East Manatee get street hockey instruction and equipment through a program with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bradenton Herald. Students at the AMIKids Panama City Marine Institute share their success stories with members of the community. PCMI gives struggling students a last chance to right themselves. Panama City News Herald. About 2,000 students attend the Florida Bandmasters Association District 19 solo and ensemble festival at Tavares High School. Daily Commercial.