As a youngster, Frank Gibbs believed he would be content with a life on the farm, but his parent's priorities changed and he pursued education, which offered many opportunities for the Hardee County native. ...more

December 13, 2008

Frank Gibbs, executor director of the Heartland Educational Consortium (HEC), has received the Lamp of Knowledge Award, given each year to one person in the state who has made an outstanding contribution to public education. ...more

August 18, 2008

SEBRING — Highlands County teachers are learning a new way to teach reading. About 325 teachers are picking up new strategies at Hill-Gustat Middle School this week. The Florida Reading Initiative is "providing us not just philosophy and theory, but taking us through the steps of actually instructing quality reading," said District Director of Elementary Programs Joyce McClelland. "It's incredible; I cannot wait to implement everything that we've learned in my classroom," Park Elementary fourth-grade teacher Scott King said. ...more

June 17, 2008

An issue that apparently has baffled educators in the Heartland is going to be addressed. The high schools in Highlands, Hardee, Okeechobee, Glades, DeSoto and Hendry counties have posted numerous "C" and "D" accountability grades for the past nine years, but few "B" grades and no "A" grades. There is an apparent disparity in the performance of middle school and elementary students compared to high school students, according to the Heartland Educational Consortium. In one recent year, while the elementary and middle schools received primarily "A, B or C" grades, about one-fourth of the high schools received "D" or "F" grades. ...more

January 2, 2008

LAKE PLACID — School superintendents in the six-county Heartland area agree there is a need to review educational practices at the high school level. ...more

January 1, 2008