Around the state: Leon High recently wrapped up its annual Positively Post-It Week, Pasco county students could be expelled for fighting, and Casey DeSantis, wife of Gov. Ron DeSantis, is spearheading a campaign to bring awareness to Florida’s school children about the effects of drug and substance abuse. Here are details about those stories and other developments from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities.
Broward: A school board seat vacated by Rosalind Osgood has yet to be filled, and Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office is not guaranteed to pick one of the four candidates. The appointed term expires in November, with an election scheduled for Aug. 23 and a runoff on Nov. 8, if needed. South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Hillsborough: The school district here is closer to evening out enrollment at its more than 200 campuses. The school board on Tuesday agreed to hire a consulting firm that will spend a year examining school boundaries and looking at socioeconomic diversity and efficiency. The school will also identify under-used schools for “repurposing.” Tampa Bay Times.
Pinellas: The Pinellas County school district’s chief academic officer, Kevin Hendrick, is among the most mentioned names to replace retiring superintendent Mike Grego, The Largo High graduate has worked in the district office for the past five years. Tampa Bay Times.
Brevard: A school board meeting on Tuesday night grew tense as members discussed changes to district library book policies after a request from a conservative parent’s group to remove 19 titles from high school and middle school libraries. Moms for Liberty formed a library book committee to read books and ask the district to remove works that contain material they think is unfit for minors from school libraries. Florida Today.
Pasco: Superintendent Kurt Browning instructed principals here to recommend expulsion of children involved in fights and other “serious misbehaviors.” Browning addressed parents and school administrators in a video message this week. School districts across the state and the nation have reported an increase in student misbehavior this year, with experts saying part of the problem is that children did not interact with others for long periods of time during the pandemic and didn’t return to classrooms with the same self-control they had in the past. Tampa Bay Times. ABC Action News.
Manatee: The school district superintendent here is being disciplined for inflating graduation rates, and the NAACP is calling for her resignation. Cynthia Saunders was accused of directing her staff to improperly code dropout students between 2014-16. The Education Practices Commission accepted a settlement agreement between Saunders and the Florida Department of Education to resolve the pending case in an order that was dated March 8.
Leon: Leon High recently wrapped up its annual Positively Post-It Week. Sticky notes blanketed the school in a variety of colors. Leon has done this at least half a dozen times over the years, with school organizations and clubs lining the walls with positive affirmations. Students also made friendship bracelets and painted their faces. WFSU.
St. Johns: School administrators here are contemplating how to create an attendance zone for the district’s newest K-8 school. Known as “School NN,” it won’t open until the 2023-24 school year, and will be located in the Shearwater development off County Road 210. St. Augustine Record.
Early literacy: Miss Lakeland 2022, Lindsey Franxman, promoted early literacy by reading to children this week. Lakeland Ledger.
Anti-drug campaign: Casey DeSantis, wife of Gov. Ron DeSantis, is spearheading a campaign to bring awareness to the effects of drug and substance abuse to Florida’s school children. A website was launched this week to expand resources to help schools, teachers and parents deter kids from drug use. Florida Phoenix.
Daylight Saving Time: As Congress considers making Daylight Saving Time permanent, sleep researchers agree that ending the biannual clock adjustment makes sense, but they disagree on how. Some say adolescents need more daylight in the morning and not the evening, for example. The 74th.
University and college news: Southern Living has recognized Leon County as one of the South’s Best College Towns, marking the third time the county has been mentioned. Tallahassee ranked 13th among Southern Living’s 20 Best College Towns. Leon County is home to three major educational institutions: Florida A&M University, Florida State University and Tallahassee Community College. Tallahassee Democrat. President Christopher F. Roellke announced that Stetson University will be providing immediate relief for employees who were impacted by inflation and rising gas prices. The university is providing a dollar-per-hour increase for all eligible bi-weekly, non-exempt, full and part-time employees, and an across-the-board annual pay increase of $1,800 for eligible full-time, monthly, exempt employees. Flagler Live. Florida’s universities may be subject to stricter tenure reviews thanks to an amendment to a statewide bill. The provision would allow the Florida Board of Governors adopt a uniform standard post-tenure reviews that would be done every five years. It was added in the final days of this year’s session to a bill that would also require the state’s public universities to change accreditors every cycle. WUSF.
Opinions on schools: Doug Tuthill, president of Step Up for Students, interviewed Marty Leuken, co-author of a new study on the spending habits of families that use Florida’s education savings account program for students with unique abilities. Doug Tuthill, reimaginED.
