SUNCOAST NEWS STAFF This week, a small group of elementary students made music. At a practice session at Tarpon Springs High School, some elementary schoolers began by assembling their orffs, instruments resembling xylophones. By the end of the practice, they had put together lessons about rhythm and chord progressions into a mini concert for their moms. ...more

June 21, 2008

More Florida students performed at or above grade level in reading and math on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test this year compared with any year since 2001, state education officials said Tuesday. ...more

June 11, 2008

When Wimauma Elementary improved its school grade from a C to an A two years ago, a lot of the credit went to the school's third-graders. ...more

June 7, 2008

SEBRING — With the whole school assembled at the bus loop at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, something special had to be in store for the Woodlawn Elementary students and teachers. Cheers and applause erupted when they spotted a horse-drawn carriage with three special passengers – retiring teachers Carol Todd and Freda Hoffman and Assistant Principal Laura Waldon, who is departing to be principal of Fred Wild Elementary School. "Isn't this exciting," Woodlawn Elementary Principal Kaye Bowers said as the retirees and Waldon prepared for the carriage ride around the school. ...more

June 4, 2008

Some Witter Elementary students rode to lunch in style last week in celebration of their FCAT scores. ...more

May 31, 2008

TEMPLE TERRACE - Some Witter Elementary students rode to lunch in style last week in celebration of their FCAT scores. Sixty-five students were treated to a limousine ride and lunch at the Golden Corral as part of the school's Four or More Club. Students who scored a 4 or 5, the highest scores possible, on the writing portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test are part of the club. ...more

May 27, 2008

Results reflect significant increases for third-graders. ...more

May 21, 2008

Somewhere during my formative years my educational growth stumbled. At least in the opinion of some legislatures and political correctiveists. Somehow the concept of evolution not only didn't appear contrary to my religious upbringing it seemed logical and rational. ...more

May 17, 2008

Call it a hall monitor's holiday: Cypress Elementary students walked or ran around during a mostly outdoors school day to raise money for an open-air classroom. ...more

May 7, 2008

SEBRING — High gas and diesel prices have not only strained family budgets, but are challenging the school district's Food Service Department, which is trying to the hold the line on food costs and lunch prices. Food costs for the district have increased about 8 to 12 percent, said Martha Brown, food service coordinator. The district will have to seriously consider raising lunch prices, she said. Last year, the school board tentatively said lunch prices could be raised 25 cents in the fall, but the board would have to review the food service budget to make that decision, Brown added. ...more

May 4, 2008