Some schools still closed: Communities along Florida’s east coast are recovering from the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew last week, and schools in several districts remain closed today. Florida Times-Union. WJCT. WJXT. WJAX. Florida Today. Palm Beach Post. WFTV. St. Augustine Record. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Fernandina Beach News-Leader. TCPalm. Palm Coast Observer. WWSB. The National Guard is helping get schools ready for the return of students. Associated Press. Palm Beach County School Superintendent Robert Avossa says the district will come up with a new half-day plan for possible use in future emergencies. Avossa drew some criticism last week when he declined to cancel the scheduled half-day Wednesday as Matthew was approaching the coast. Avossa said the logistics of arranging for buses would have been impossible. Palm Beach Post. Miami-Dade students are helping with hurricane relief efforts for Haiti. WSVN.
Makeup days: Some students may not have to make up the days lost when Hurricane Matthew struck last week. The state requires schools to have 180 days of classes, but that can be cut to as few as 170 if school districts have enough extra time built into their days. Sun-Sentinel. In several central Florida counties, makeup days are already scheduled. Orlando Sentinel.
Rookie teachers: Hillsborough County school officials are struggling to correct the longstanding problem of low-income schools having the least experienced teachers. An analysis shows that the district’s seven designated “Elevate” schools have low-income rates of 88 percent or higher, and 11 percent to 47 percent of the teachers are starting their first year. At several other schools with low-income rates ranging from 11 percent to 24 percent, first-year teachers make up 5 percent or less of all teachers. Tampa Bay Times. The Pinellas teachers union and the school district collaborate to provide mentoring to first-year teachers. Tampa Bay Times. Twelve percent of all public school teachers are in their first or second year, according to an analysis of U.S. Department of Education data. Education Week.
Pay raises: Escambia County teachers will be getting a small raise, 1 percent, but union officials are happy considering the district started negotiations with a proposal of no raises. Pensacola News Journal.
Closed meetings: The Florida Coalition of School Board Members is holding a webinar session about school districts’ construction spending that is open to school board members or candidates but closed to the general public. State law requires meetings between any two members of a government board discussing anything the board might consider for action must be open to the public. Politico Florida.
Partnership expands: The STEAM partnership between the University of West Florida and the Santa Rosa County School District expands into five middle schools this year. The STEAM Innovate! program is a five-year plan to introduce more science, technology, engineering, arts and math into the curriculum. Pensacola News Journal.
Charter schools: The Polk County School Board will discuss three charter school applications and a $12 million grant for magnet programs at Tuesday’s workshop meeting. Lakeland Ledger.
New schools: A new private high school will be going up soon in Santa Rosa County. Lighthouse Private Christian Academy is closing on property Oct. 31 and intends to build its fourth school, which will focus on technology, music and the arts. Pensacola News Journal. The North Bay Haven Elementary School gets tentative approval from the Lynn Haven Planning Commission. The city commission will make the final decision on the application this week. Panama City News Herald.
Tourism courses: The hospitality industry is undergoing an educational boom in the Miami area as job opportunities are on the rise. Miami Herald.
Superintendent finalists: The three finalists to succeed Sarasota School Superintendent Lori White are profiled. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Notable deaths: Deborah Ann Sunshine, a special education teacher in Miami-Dade for more than 30 years, has died at age 64. Miami Herald.
School threats: A 14-year-old St. Petersburg High School freshman is arrested and accused of threatening to shoot anyone not wearing red at the school Friday. Tampa Bay Times. Sarasota County school officials are making counselors available to students worried about clown sightings. WFLA.
Opinions on schools: It’s time the Orange County School Board wakes up to the need for sleep for high school students. Orlando Sentinel. We must use our vote to elect leaders in state legislatures and governors’ offices, in Congress and in the White House, who are committed to investing in programs and policies that keep our children, families and communities safe and healthy. Dr. Shannon Brockman, Orlando Sentinel. Schools should stop selling expensive trips to low-income students. Gary Dop, Washington Post. Charter schools in Florida need more oversight, not more federal funding. Brian Washington, Education Votes. Sarasota School Superintendent Lori White was right to have ordered an investigation into rumored inappropriate behavior by Todd Bowden, an administrator and one of three finalists to succeed White. Tom Tryon, Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Student enrichment: Thirteen Rotary clubs are donating dictionaries to all 6,700-plus third-graders in Lee County. Fort Myers News-Press. The Vanguard School, which focuses on personalized instruction for students who learn differently, celebrates its 50th anniversary in Lake Wales. Lakeland Ledger. Champions for Learning begins to hand out grants to Collier County schools for the 26th year. Naples Daily News. Five years after it opened, the STEMM Academy in Valparaiso is giving middle school students the opportunity to earn high school credits. Northwest Florida Daily News. Trouper the blind raccoon visits the Marco Island Library to help schoolchildren understand about respecting wildlife. Naples Daily News. Allison Segard, a senior in the International Baccalaureate program at Gulf High School, is awarded the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross, one of the top recognitions awarded to Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets. Tampa Bay Times. Debora Cordero, a junior at Osceola High School in Kissimmee, wins the Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s “Best In Show” national fine arts competition. Orlando Sentinel. Alicia Huggins, an eighth-grader at Stambaugh Middle School in Auburndale, is one of eight U.S. students taking part in the Channel One News’ Team OneVote. Lakeland Ledger.
