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Evening of Excellence raises $258,000 for schools | | |
BEST OF SHOW: Phoenix Academy ninth-grade student Rachel Tuffland displays her winning artwork, "Chicken Comb-Over," which fetched $15,000 at the 17th Annual Evening of Excellence Feb. 24 at Michael's On East in Sarasota. Photo courtesy of Prestige Portraits by Lifetouch.
SARASOTA - The Education Foundation of Sarasota County's 17th annual Evening of Excellence grossed over $258,000 in cash and in-kind support for Sarasota County Schools. The event was held Feb. 24 at Michael's on East.
The top bid of the $45,450 auction of student art was $15,000 for Rachel Tuffland's "Chicken Comb-Over." The Phoenix Academy ninth-grader was thrilled to hear that the piece would be donated back for display at her school in her honor.
Education Foundation Executive Director Susan Scott and Foundation Board Chairman Mike Bryant thanked the 410 guests for attending. Chris Cremer and Meg Mahoney, co-chairs of the event committee, recognized this year's 25 award-winning high school artists, their parents and art teachers. Read more...
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Principals named for four elementary schools | | |
ADMINISTRATORS IN NEW ROLES: Four experienced Sarasota County School District administrators were named to lead elementary schools in Sarasota, Venice and North Port. Pictured clockwise from top left are Eric Jackson, Jennifer Dolciotto, Bill Bolander and Chris Renouf.
SARASOTA COUNTY - The Sarasota County School District has selected new principals for four elementary schools. The appointments are effective July 1.
Chris Renouf, current principal of Toledo Blade Elementary, will return to Ashton Elementary in Sarasota, where he previously served as principal. Read more...
Bill Bolander, principal of Heron Creek Middle School, will move to Taylor Ranch Elementary in Venice. Read more...
Eric Jackson, an assistant principal at Sarasota High School, and Jennifer Dolciotto, assistant principal at Toledo Blade Elementary, will serve as principals of Tatum Ridge and Toledo Blade elementary schools in Sarasota and North Port, respectively. Read more...
"We are pleased to welcome these outstanding administrators to new roles," said John Zoretich, executive director of Elementary Schools.
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Dr. Seuss is 108, Fruitville students celebrate! | | |
COOL CAT AND FRIENDS: Fruitville Elementary teacher Laurie Butler celebrates Dr. Seuss' birthday with students March 2. Pictured left to right are Maria Gonzalez, Toni Pannell, Butler (as The Cat in the Hat), Luke Graber and Mariana Rojas. Photo courtesy of the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and correspondent Aimee Chouinard; click here to see more photos from the event.
SARASOTA - Students and staff at Fruitville Elementary School celebrated two national events March 2: Dr. Seuss' birthday and the National Education Association's annual Read Across America campaign.
As part of this year's campaign goal of having every elementary school student in the U.S read a book by Dr. Seuss, 48 volunteers from the Junior League of Sarasota read the 1971 book "The Lorax" to students in each Fruitville classroom to encourage interest in reading. The JLS, a women's service organization which supports a variety of initiatives in the community, also donated 48 copies of the popular book to the school so each classroom would have a copy.
The Dr. Seuss theme continued into the evening as the Dad's Club at Fruitville sponsored a family movie night at the school with a showing of "Horton Hears a Who." Read more... |
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Woodland Middle students tutor at library | | |
STORY TIME: Five-year-old beginning reader Barath Balaji, at left, hears a story from Woodland Middle School eighth-grade student Kelsey McRae during a Celebrate Reading event at the North Port Public Library. McRae is president of the school's chapter of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America, whose members volunteer at the library most Saturdays to tutor younger readers.
NORTH PORT - Ten students from Woodland Middle School have been volunteering some of their weekend time to help get younger children interested in reading. The students are among the 34 members of the school's chapter of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America.
In a program known as Celebrate Reading, the FCCLA members organize a variety of reading activities they present during a three-hour period most Saturdays to elementary school students at the North Port Public Library. As part of that program, the Woodland Middle students will participate in the Beginner Reading Carnival, 11 a.m.-1 p.m, Saturday, March 24. The event will include a fishing booth, bean bag toss, bingo and other games. The younger children can earn tickets at the games toward reading-related prizes.
The Woodland Middle students are developing presentations to showcase the success of their library reading program for local and statewide presentations. They also hope to present their ideas to the FCCLA National Leadership Conference, which will be held July 8-12 in Orlando. Read more...
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Booker High exhibit showcases student art | | |
A SHOWCASE FOR STUDENT TALENT: "Untitled," an acrylic painting by Booker High student Yajaira Urzua, is among the creations featured in the All VPA Art Exhibit through Saturday, April 14, during school and theater performance hours in the VPA Theater lobby at Booker High School. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
SARASOTA - The Art Department of the Booker High School Visual and Performing Arts Program is hosting the All VPA Art Exhibit through Saturday, April 14, during school and theater performance hours, in the VPA Theater lobby, 3201 N. Orange Ave. The exhibit is free and open to the public.
VPA Art Department Chairwoman Julie Felts said that she is excited about this show because it will present the eclectic media that the young artists master as VPA students, including two-dimensional work that ranges from photography to painting to pen-and-ink, and three-dimensional work that includes soft sculpture, clay, wood, ceramic, plastic and mixed media. Read more... |
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Sarasota County Schools News Briefs
A recent independent study of the school district by MGT of America, a Tallahassee-based consulting firm that has conducted efficiency studies of public school systems throughout the U.S., concluded that "The Sarasota County School District is one of the best-run systems that MGT has reviewed. Morale and performance, including innovative practices, are unusually high. MGT typically finds 50 or fewer commendations, while Sarasota County Schools garnered 73." Click here to read more about the study.
The PALS Partners in Education Community Advisory Board produces a newsletter about volunteer activities and opportunities in Sarasota County schools. Click here for the latest edition of the newsletter.
McIntosh Middle School in Sarasota is honoring the memory of Carlie Brucia, a McIntosh student who died tragically in 2004, with Carlie's Garden, a place for remembrance and reflection at the school. Brucia would have turned 20 on March 16. Read more...
The School Board of Sarasota County prohibits discrimination in its educational programs, services or activities, or employment conditions or practices. To read the full text of the School Board's nondiscrimination statement, click here.
The Highlighter is produced by the Communications and Community Relations Department of Sarasota County Schools. |
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