Back to school: It’s back to school day for students in 38 of Florida’s 67 counties. Dixie and Washington counties also were supposed to start, but heavy rains have canceled the first day of classes. TCPalm. Florida Today. Fort Myers News-Press. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Gainesville Sun. Ocala Star Banner. Northwest Florida Daily News. St. Augustine Record. Citrus County Chronicle. Highlands Today. WFLA. WFTV. WTVY.
Mid-year promotions: State education officials are reminding school districts that third-grade students held back by low Florida Standards Assessments scores are eligible for early promotion if they show they can read at or above the level expected at the end of third grade. Gradebook.
Prayer in schools: The Hillsborough County School District warns a principal to stop leading prayers among employees in the school. District Chief of Staff Alberto Vazquez reminded Anthony Montoto, principal at Frost Elementary School, that “the principal of a public school should never lead or direct an activity that advocates for a particular doctrine of faith/non faith while performing his/her official duties.” Tampa Bay Times.
Teachers union pay: Forty-three of the 113 people employed by the Florida Education Association are paid more than $100,000 a year, according to records filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. The FEA is the largest labor union in the state, with more than 128,000 members. Florida Watchdog.org.
Discipline policies: About two-thirds of Hillsborough County’s teachers feel the district’s new discipline policy is not making schools more orderly. The policy calls for fewer suspensions and referrals, in order to keep students in class instead of at home. District officials, however, say the new policy is working. Total days missed to suspension fell 23 percent between the 2014-2015 school year and the 2015-2016 year. Tampa Bay Times.
Opportunity to leave: More than 11,000 Polk County students are eligible to transfer from 16 under-performing schools. The Florida Department of Education’s Opportunity Scholarship Program allows students to transfer from schools that received a state grade of F, or three consecutive D’s. Friday is the deadline for applications Lakeland Ledger.
Program dispute: A majority of the Duval County School Board disagrees with Superintendent Nikolai Vitti’s plan to place the Young Man’s Leadership Academy at Northwestern Middle School. The board also questioned Vitti about his plans to narrow the achievement gaps between white and minority students. Florida Times-Union.
School budgeting: The average Manatee County homeowner will pay about $45 more in taxes for the school system this year. The tentative operating budget is $608 million. Final approved by the school board is expected Sept. 6 . Bradenton Herald.
Telehealth test: A Florida company is partnering with the Los Angeles County Unified School District to test the placement of telemedicine carts in five schools. The carts from LifeMD of Boynton Beach include videoconferencing capabilities with pediatricians within minutes and integration with electronic health records. The cost, between $25,000 to $60,000 per cart, is being absorbed by LifeMD. mHealthIntelligence.
School meals: Schools in the Tampa Bay area are using a free state app to stay informed about school menus. Nutrislice also offers nutritional advice. Schools in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee Sarasota and Polk are using the app. Patch. Palm Beach County schools will have several new lunch items that are meant to improve nutrition and reflect the diversity of students. Palm Beach Post. Alachua County is extending its free meals to four more schools, bringing the total to 31. The program is paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Eligibility Provision. Gainesville Sun.
Contract agreements: The Volusia County School Board and the three unions representing school employees overwhelmingly approve contract agreements. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Superintendent search: The search for a new St. Johns County school superintendent narrows to nine candidates. St. Augustine Record.
State elections: A state Senate candidate’s claim that he has fought to abolish Common Core educational standards is being disputed by several anti-Common Core groups. Representatives from several groups say former Rep. Doug Holder, R-Sarasota, has done nothing more than vote against the standards. Sunshine State News. Ten of the 11 Polk County School Board candidates answer questions from the League of Women Voters. Lakeland Ledger. Manatee County School Board candidates discuss issues at a Kiwanis forum. Bradenton Herald.
Connecting schools: OneWeb, a company based in Merritt Island, has plans to launch satellites that will broaden Internet access and connect schools around the world. Florida Today.
School construction: Students at Beachland Elementary School in Vero Beach will spend the year in portables as their school undergoes an $8 million renovation. TCPalm.
Charter school: Charter Schools USA is applying to build a school in Four Corners in Lake County. The company manages more than 70 schools in Florida and six other states. Daily Commercial.
Happy birthday: Cocoa High School is celebrating its 100th birthday. Florida Today.
Ex-principal’s plea: Former Spessard Holland Elementary principal Ricky Sheppard pleads guilty to child pornography charges. His sentence could be anywhere from 5 to 20 years with a fine of up to $250,000. Florida Today.
Opinions on schools: One crisis facing Florida’s schools that gets little attention is the condition of the state’s public school buildings. The simple fact is they are in bad shape physically. Ocala Star Banner. Why am I leaving the teaching profession? I am being forced to make a decision between the absolute love of teaching and living up to my potential to support myself. Megan Webb, Palm Beach Post. Despite some progressive changes to student discipline policies in Pinellas County, significant racial disparities persist and there is fresh evidence that decisions about punishment remain too arbitrary. Tampa Bay Times. The state can make choice easier on parents and districts by getting school grades out earlier and giving both more time to comply. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Student enrichment: The Music Within, a film made by students in the MoCheri Artist Development program, premieres today at the PGA Cinema in Palm Beach Gardens. The program is for students 5-18. Palm Beach Post. Four Naples High School students are interviewing veterans to record their stories as part of the Veterans History Project. Naples Daily News.
