Dress code protest: A student protest of Ridgewood High School’s new, stricter dress code results in more than 60 referrals for violations on Tuesday. Students and parents say the code is taking students out of class for sometimes minor infractions, such as logos being too large. Tampa Bay Times. WTSP. A student is turned away from the Braden River High School homecoming because he wasn’t wearing a tie. The student’s mother says the boy has breathing problems caused by spina bifida. Bradenton Herald.
Academic goals: The Duval County School Board approves Superintendent Nikolai Vitti’s revised academic goals for the school year, though not without opposition. Florida Times-Union.
Teacher evaluations: More than 23 percent of Lake County’s teachers are given a rating of “highly efficient,” the highest evaluation a teacher can receive. That’s an increase over last year’s 11 percent, but pales to the 78 percent of teachers who received that rating in neighboring Orange and Seminole counties. Orlando Sentinel. Daily Commercial.
Superintendent protest: Dozens of people storm out of the Sarasota County School Board meeting after new Superintendent Todd Bowden’s four-year contract is ratified. They were protesting the board dismissal of claims of sexual harassment against Bowden by three women who worked for him at Suncoast Technical College. Bowden will make $185,000 a year, and the board’s vote to approve the contract was unanimous. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Superintendent search: Monroe County School Superintendent Mark Porter withdraws as a finalist for the St. Johns County superintendent’s job. He says he intends to fulfill his contract in Monroe, which runs through July 17, 2017. Keynoter.
Falling test scores: Lake County school officials are concerned about falling scores for their students on the Algebra I Florida Standards Assessments tests. Just 23 percent of 9th-through-12th grade students scored a 3 or higher, down from 29 percent a year ago. Around the state, 36 percent of students posted a score of 3 or higher. Daily Commercial.
Contract negotiations: Hillsborough County teachers are frustrated by the lack of progress in contract negotiations with the district. It’s been more than a month since the two sides have met, and teachers continue to work under last year’s contract. Many are still waiting for bonus money, previously scheduled raises and other supplements. The district is trying to cut $130 million out of its budget, mostly through a reduction in its work force. Tampa Bay Times. Manatee County teachers reject a proposed agreement with the school district. Their biggest concern was an increase in health insurance premiums. Bradenton Herald.
Teacher shortage: The Citrus County School District still has openings for 30 teachers. Citrus County Chronicle.
Student fights: Some Florida school districts are seeing an increase in students fighting, and are exploring options to deal with student behavior. WKMG.
Students and recovery: Duval County students with alcohol or drug problems can now get help through the district’s partnership with Florida Recovery Schools. It’s the first program of its kind in the state. WJAX.
GED program: The Bay County School District reaches an agreement to have the Haney Technical Center work with jailed juveniles to earn GED degrees. Panama City News Herald.
Growing school enrollment: A push to boost enrollment at St. Petersburg’s neighborhood schools is having mixed success. Gradebook.
Choice applications: More than 20,000 students are expected to apply for one of 11,000 seats in Palm Beach County School District choice programs. Some of the applications are due next month. Palm Beach Post.
Homeless students: More than 1,000 homeless children attend Duval County schools, and district officials expect the number to more than double by the end of the school year. Florida Times-Union.
School start times: A survey on Orange County high school starting times goes out Monday to students, employees and parents. They will be asked if they prefer the current starting times, starting and ending all school 20 minutes later, or start times in high schools no earlier than 8 a.m. Orlando Sentinel.
New schools proposed: New schools will be needed to ease overcrowding in Viera and West Melbourne, Brevard County school officials tell parents at a community meeting. Florida Today.
New school names: The Pasco County School Board approves names for two schools opening next fall: Cypress Creek High and Bexley Elementary. Gradebook.
School repairs: The Broward County School District hires two companies to start repairs at three high schools that need new air-conditioning, roofs and more. Stranahan, Northeast and Blanche Ely high schools are the first to have work scheduled from an $800 million bond approved by voters. Sun-Sentinel.
Personnel changes: T.G. Taylor is dismissed as communications director for the Hillsborough County School District after less than six months on the job. Taylor says members of the school board were behind Superintendent Jeff Eakins’ decision. Gradebook. A Chiles High School hall monitor and assistant baseball coach resigns during an investigation of his relationship with female students. Derek Vail, 22, was accused of inappropriate correspondence with one or more female students over the social media program Snapchat. Tallahassee Democrat.
Board member sidelined: Palm Beach County School Board chairman Chuck Shaw will miss meetings for several weeks after undergoing major surgery. Palm Beach Post.
Teacher arrested: An Apopka Memorial Middle School teacher is arrested and accused of sending sexual messages to a 14-year-old student over social media. Alyson Nicole London, 44, is a physical education teacher. Orlando Sentinel.
Substitute problems: A substitute teacher at the Crenshaw School in Gotha is arrested after she allegedly had sex with a 16-year-old student. Alicia Bromfield, 28, also got the student drunk, police say. Orlando Sentinel. A substitute teacher is suspended after being accused of hitting a Big Cypress Elementary School student in the face. Naples Daily News.
Students arrested: A student brings an unloaded gun to North Andrews Garden Elementary in Oakland Park. It was confiscated by school officials, who say no threats were made. No one was injured. Sun-Sentinel. A 13-year-old student is arrested for bringing a knife to Stuart Middle School. The boy was expecting to get into a fight with another student. TCPalm. A 14-year-old boy is arrested and several others face expulsion after they were found with cocaine at Buffalo Creek Middle School. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Arrest at school: A 41-year-old man is arrested after allegedly trying to get into Bartow Elementary Academy through locked doors during school hours. A teacher saw Don Stephens trying to open a door and asked for his credentials. Stephens ran, and was arrested about six blocks from the school. Lakeland Ledger.
Opinions on schools: For too long, policymakers and many in education have turned a blind eye to the reality that gifted students exist in all populations and communities and that giftedness is not determined by one’s skin color, native language or ZIP code. M. Rene Islas and Rudy Crew, Orlando Sentinel. Stricter standards imposed by legislators on Bright Futures scholarships are shortchanging black and Hispanic students. Sun-Sentinel. In 1894, the Orange Park Normal and Industrial School dared to do the unthinkable. “We do not refuse anyone on account of race,” principal Amos W. Farnham declared. Today, few know of its valiant fight. But the struggle to educate disadvantaged students is alive and well. Patrick Gibbons, Florida Times-Union. While calling for a $60 million high school may sound like a solution to all the challenges we face in our south side schools, I’m afraid it’s another empty promise. Claudette Farmer, Tallahassee Democrat.
Student enrichment: Lincoln High School junior Graham O’Donnell is one of just three students in the world to post a perfect score on the Advanced Placement Physics C: Mechanics Exam. Tallahassee Democrat. A Coral Gables Senior High School student is developing a website and smartphone app called Find or Found, to help people find their lost pets. Khareem Oliver, 18, is now trying to raise money to market his idea. Miami Herald. Woodlawn Beach Middle School, Seaside Neighborhood School, and Gulf Breeze and Pace high schools win in the ninth annual BEST Robotics competition at the University of West Florida. The schools move on to the Auburn University for the South’s BEST Regional Championship. Santa Rosa Press Gazette. Crystal River Primary School is one of 28 in the state cited for improved Florida Standards Assessments test scores. Citrus County Chronicle. A Lee County School District self-accountability plan, Choosing Excellence, is helping narrow the achievement gap between white, higher income students and minority, lower income ones. Fort Myers News-Press. The Everglades Foundation’s 12-day, 22-city tour takes a message of conservation to students in Lee County. Fort Myers News-Press. Famed principal Joe Clark, whose story was told in the movie Lean on Me, tells students at MYcroSchool Gainesville to never give up. Gainesville Sun. Florida elementary school students purchase fresh produce at small farmer’s markets during a program marking National Farm-to-School month. Panama City News Herald. Citrus County students vote for Donald Trump in a mock election. Citrus County Chronicle.
