AP disputes attorney’s claims
Friday, May 17, 2013
- Responding to claims of civil rights violations, City Manager Julian Deleon said the city acted properly in its actions with the owners of a downtown building that was being renovated into a boarding house.
SFSC proposes tuition increase
Thursday, May 16, 2013
- Students will see a modest tuition increase and employees will receive a pay increase, according to South Florida State College’s tentative budget.
Attorney claims AP civil rights violations
Thursday, May 16, 2013
- A lawyer claiming the City of Avon Park violated the civil rights of Fernando and Yudith Fernandez is seeking mediation or a settlement from the city prior to filing a lawsuit.
AP not cut out for cemetery mowing
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
- The City of Avon Park took a pass on providing the mowing services for a cemetery in much need of care, but discussion of the issue appears to have sparked community support.
School principals, asst. principals on the move
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
- A score card may be needed to keep track of all the school administrative changes in the works for next year.
AP housing ordinance draws opposition
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
- A Miami lawyer, downtown property owner and community activist oppose the city’s proposed ordinance addressing rooming/boarding houses.
District looking into ninth-grade retention spike
Monday, May 13, 2013
- The question of whatever happened to the Freshmen Foundations leads to another question: what happened to the ninth-grade retention rate, specifically, why 38 percent of the district’s ninth-graders failed to be promoted la...
AP ordinance aimed at overcrowding
Friday, May 10, 2013
- A proposed ordinance addressing housing standards including occupancy levels will be presented for discussion at Monday’s city council meeting.
Children’s Theatre group preps for summer program
Friday, May 10, 2013
- The curtain will go up in July on a “Cinderella” story featuring student actors and student audience participation in the latest production of the Children's Academy of Theatre, Inc.
Hiring Mode
Thursday, May 9, 2013
- It’s hiring time for the School Board of Highlands County, which has a large group of retirees coupled with the addition of nearly 40 new teaching positions to bring back the teacher planning period to the middle and high s...
Technically speaking Fifth-graders try out surgical robot
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
- SEBRING A class of Fred Wild Elementary fifth-graders can tell their parents they played with Legos on Wednesday as part of their studies.
SFSC Commencement
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
- Proud graduates armed with knowledge and potential, and a retiring academic leader with many accomplishments were recognized Monday evening at South Florida State College’s 2013 Commencement Exercises
Scholarship recognition
Monday, May 6, 2013
- The top seniors from the district’s three high schools were lauded Saturday at the 50th Annual Scholarship Recognition Inc. event at the Sebring High School Smith Center.
A world of discovery
Saturday, May 4, 2013
- A remote area in Highlands County is touted as one of the world’s great ecological field stations.
An interview with SFSC’s incoming president
Thursday, May 2, 2013
- Thomas Leitzel believes his role as the fourth president of South Florida State College will be to preserve the college’s well established culture while looking for future progress and great opportunities.
Former teacher faces charges related to student
Friday, May 3, 2013
- A former Hill-Gustat Middle School teacher has been charged by the State Attorney’s Office with contributing to the delinquency of a child and disorderly conduct.
D.A.R.E. celebration
Tuesday, Apr 30, 2013
- It doesn’t seem like it would work, a show with a lineup of songs including: “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “Girl on Fire” and “Do the Funky Chicken.”
Teacher pay raise tied to performance
Tuesday, Apr 30, 2013
- The state House and Senate agreed on a pay raise for teachers, but it won’t be coming until next year and will be tied to performance.
District to add teaching positions
Sunday, Apr 28, 2013
- The School Board of Highlands County aims to add nearly 40 teaching positions for the next school year, according to the first draft of Superintendent Wally Cox’s personnel plan for 2013-14.
District recognizes outstanding volunteers
Friday, Apr 26, 2013
- From the classroom to the lunchroom working with students, helping teachers and staff with a variety of tasks, volunteers contribute a lot with their experience and compassion at every school in the district.
NAACP calls for minority representation
Thursday, Apr 25, 2013
- Highlands County NAACP President Al Hinson told the Avon Park City Council that the City of Charm needs some help to boost its minority representation on city boards and committees.
SFSC board approves Leitzel’s contract
Thursday, Apr 25, 2013
- It’s official now. The Board of Trustees of South Florida State College unanimously approved a three-year contract with Thomas Leitzel who will start serving July 1 as the college’s president.
AP eyes lower garbage rate
Wednesday, Apr 24, 2013
- Residential garbage collection rates may go down, but a tire disposal fee may be imposed along with an additional monthly charge for residents who need another city garbage cart.
AP probes into Anderson, Deleon’s claims
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2013
- Councilman Garrett Anderson leveled another accusation Monday evening at City Manager Julian Deleon as the city council discussed which previous allegations by Anderson and Deleon would be probed by a private investigator.
Longshore selected for district post
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2013
- Superintendent Wally Cox selected Park Elementary Principal Brenda Longshore for the top curriculum position for the School Board of Highlands County.
School rallies for administrator
Tuesday, Apr 23, 2013
- Sebring High School Assistant Principal James “Jim” Howard was looking forward to retiring in two months after 35 years with the School Board of Highlands County.
FCAT headed to week 2
Monday, Apr 22, 2013
- After five days of testing, schools are gearing up for week two of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test as principals note the challenges of more computerized testing.
Thomas Leitzel picked as SFSC’s 4th president
Friday, Apr 19, 2013
- Thomas Leitzel will become the fourth president of South Florida State College.
Platters/Coasters singers team for show at SFSC
Friday, Apr 19, 2013
- Myles Savage lead singer from The Platters will present his Last Original Stars for an evening of classic hits Saturday from The Coasters, The Drifters, The Temptations and The Platters.
Position will focus on Highlands truancy
Thursday, Apr 18, 2013
- Highlands County is on track to get a full-time counselor to work toward reducing school truancy, which has been a longtime concern of area educators and officials.
Highlands Technical school still remains a mystery
Tuesday, Apr 16, 2013
- Highlands Technical Institute offers academics, athletics, arts, graduate and undergraduate programs, and much more, according to its new website, but currently doesn’t have a working phone number or any students.
Board expects to pick next SFSC president on Friday
Tuesday, Apr 16, 2013
- The next president of South Florida State College will likely be selected Friday at a special meeting of the college’s Board of Trustees.
2 vie for assistant superintendent position
Monday, Apr 15, 2013
- Superintendent Wally Cox will choose between two district administrators to fill the position of Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction.
District, LP face school growth challenges
Saturday, Apr 13, 2013
- More portable classrooms, more money and solutions to alleviate traffic congestion are needed to help the Highlands County School District cope with enrollment growth in Lake Placid.
IB program headed for growth
Friday, Apr 12, 2013
- The school district’s second class of International Baccalaureate seniors will be graduating soon while the program is headed for growth and new course offerings next year.
School Board Secretary Scobey to retire
Friday, Apr 12, 2013
- After more than 20 years as the School Board of Highlands County’s secretary, Connie Scobey announced recently that she will be retiring in June.
Sebring High student vying for state FFA presidency
Thursday, Apr 11, 2013
- Sebring High School senior Megan Stein’s love and interest in agriculture and animals prompted her to join FFA in sixth-grade where she admits she started slowly exhibiting rabbits.
AP High’s Thayer named Teacher of the Year
Tuesday, Apr 9, 2013
- It was an Avon Park sweep at the Summit Awards 2013 with Avon Park High’s Jessica Thayer being named Teacher of the Year and Park Elementary’s James Brown being named the School Related Employee of the Year.
District, students prep for FCAT
Monday, Apr 8, 2013
- Three teams of Woodlawn Elementary third-graders competed after school Monday in a game-show-like exercise, answering geometry and math questions.
AP grad describes tense moments in military deployments
Friday, Apr 5, 2013
- U.S. Army Sgt. Albert Moses told Avon Park High School students Thursday to pay attention in school because it’s hard once you get in the “real word.”
Woman wants to cleanup AP’s ‘Beachfront’
Tuesday, Apr 2, 2013
- Seeing blight and crime in the “Beachfront” area of the city, Barbara Robinson hopes to bring life back to the community and make it safe for the young and old.
Tax crunch looms as deadline nears
Monday, Apr 1, 2013
- SEBRING It’s income tax crunch time for tax preparers and individuals working toward the April 15 deadline, and that crunch is heightened this year with the delay in the opening of the filing season.
SUCCESS IN MATH IS elementary
Sunday, Mar 31, 2013
- A class of elementary students quickly sort small, colored plastic tiles on their desks into an arrangement that will help them visualize a math problem.
SFSC presidential candidates to visit campuses
Friday, Mar 29, 2013
- The search for the next president of South Florida State College will get up close and personal with each of the four finalists vying for the position scheduled for two-day visits to the campuses for interviews and communit...
Deleon says ethics complaint was ‘fabricated’
Thursday, Mar 28, 2013
- At a press conference at City Hall Thursday morning, City Manager Julian Deleon said Councilman Garrett Anderson has “blatantly fabricated and falsely filed charges with the ethics commission.”
AP approves new fire assessment study
Wednesday, Mar 27, 2013
- City Manager Julian Deleon believes the fire assessment could be lowered and city council approved to pay for a new study to assure that residents and businesses pay their fair share in supporting the fire department.
Bill Cosby offers advice and laughs
Tuesday, Mar 26, 2013
- AVON PARK Funnyman Bill Cosby showed his serious side, but also provided many laughs Monday afternoon at South Florida State College while stressing the importance of education.
AP council seeks investigation on ethics complaints
Tuesday, Mar 26, 2013
- The city council voted Monday for an independent investigation into Councilman Garrett Anderson’s ethics complaints against City Manager Julian Deleon, who has countered with ethics issues concerning Anderson.
AP councilor files ethics complaint against city manager
Monday, Mar 25, 2013
- Councilman Garrett Anderson has filed an ethics complaint against City Manager Julian Deleon, claiming he has been “the victim of a vicious attack from a city official.”
Heavy hitters step up to rehab AP baseball fields
Thursday, Mar 21, 2013
- A new baseball movie, a national retailer, the Thomas Gordon Foundation, the Avon Park Champions Club and other entities have teamed up for a grand slam of a project for the youth of Avon Park.