SEBRING — The school district's state funding will be cut about $3.3 million for the 2008-09 fiscal year, prompting the district to consider cutting teaching and support positions. The two-year teacher contract needs to be funded, and health insurance and electricity and fuel costs are increasing, Mike Averyt, assistant superintendent of business/operations, said Monday. So the budget needs to be cut by about $7 million, he said. ...more

May 12, 2008

Hillsborough County School District officials are shaping new cell phone rules likely to ignite some fiery text messages among students. ...more

May 8, 2008

A Seven Oaks Elementary paraprofessional who was investigated after a parent complained she taped students' mouths shut has resigned, a Pasco County School District official said Wednesday. ...more

May 8, 2008

WESLEY CHAPEL - A Seven Oaks Elementary paraprofessional who was investigated after a parent complained she taped students' mouths shut has resigned, a Pasco County School District official said today. That puts an end to the case because the sheriff's office already determined no crime was committed and the paraprofessional held no certification that state officials would need to review, Assistant Superintendent Renalia DuBose said. ...more

May 7, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - The telephone call that spelled the end of Jim Piculas' career as a substitute teacher in Pasco County came on a January day about a week after he performed the disappearing-toothpick trick for a group of rapt middle school students. ...more

May 6, 2008

SEBRING — Highlands County School Board members said Monday they want to move forward with the Career Academy in some form, even if the first year has a low enrollment. Through the joint venture with South Florida Community College, the Career Academy would allow students to earn a high school diploma and a certificate or associate's degree in a technical discipline such as computer networking, automotive service technology, medical secretary, cosmetology, computer engineering, culinary arts or electronics. ...more

May 5, 2008

Nazdar, The first Sweetheart Dance, sponsored by the Masaryktown Activities Club on Feb. 15, was a success. When folks don't want to go home and want to know when the next one is scheduled - you know it was successful. Approximately 120 folks enjoyed dancing, music for all ages by the deejays Vintage, who are Nick and Rusty. The can be reached at 352-592-9651 for Nick or 352-684-0695 for Rusty. Sweetheart photos were taken by Danunzio Films - Wayne and brother David Danunzio who can be reached at 352-428-8077. Both groups did a superb job. Big "thank yous" to all who attended and to Gladys Badowski, Susan Compton, our BP Store "Richie Rich," Sandra Roach, Becky Evans, Melanie Olson-Arsenault, Dian Stokey, Niki Levesque, and all others who helped set up, take down, shopped, decorated, cleaned, and all the other areas that it took to make this so notable and successful of a dance. ...more

February 24, 2008

The state Board of Education voted Tuesday to add evolution to Florida's standards for teaching science to K-12 students, but defined it as a "scientific theory," a compromise that did little to appease opponents of the plan. ...more

February 20, 2008

SEBRING — Next school year, some high school students will be able to have "safe" e-mail accounts courtesy of the School Board of Highlands County. The school board approved a contract recently with Gaggle.Net, a Web-based hosted e-mail service for K-12 education. "Primarily, we are targeting [grades] nine through 12," Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum Rebecca Fleck said Friday. ...more

February 18, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - The Pasco County School Board, which usually waits until summer before delving into number crunching, is already starting to talk about its 2008-09 budget and pondering plans to buy new buses and land for a high school as well as move ahead on construction projects. ...more

February 14, 2008