In the face of state budgets cuts and a faltering economy, the School Board of Highlands County is boosting its usual annual presence at the legislative session in Tallahassee. ...more

March 20, 2009

For the past eight years, and at least the next four years, one person has been and will continue at the helm of the Highlands County School District - Superintendent of Schools Wally Cox. ...more

December 21, 2008

Even a struggling economy couldn't keep the caring people in the Heartland from turning out to support the second annual Handicapped American's Love of Life Organization charity golf tournament. ...more

December 16, 2008

Following its tradition of electing a new chairman each year, the School Board of Highlands County approved Andy Tuck to head the board for the next 12 months. ...more

November 22, 2008

Next time you're driving around Highlands County, look around. There are signs everywhere of Bert Harris and the late Sam Polston, said their friends, Don Bates and Claude Howerton. But those signs are subtle. ...more

November 14, 2008

Preliminary numbers show it will take a $169 million budget to operate the Highlands County School District for the 2008-'09 fiscal year. ...more

July 14, 2008

A review of the engineering report on the Memorial Elementary School roof prompted the School Board of Highlands County to call a special meeting to discuss concerns noted in the report. ...more

July 10, 2008

SEBRING — With the Career Academy opening in August at South Florida Community College, the School Board of Highlands County is working to fill its position of coordinator of career and technical education. After serving as the district's career/tech coordinator for about two years, John Rousch has decided to return to his former position in the classroom at Lake Placid High as a drafting/construction technology teacher. The possibility of freezing or not filling the position was discussed, but with the school board's focus on getting the Career Academy started this year it was decided that the position needs to be filled, district Human Resources Director Vivianne Waldron said. The closing date for applications is Monday, June 16. ...more

June 14, 2008

AVON PARK — After receiving a preliminary engineering report on the roof concerns at Memorial Elementary School, Highlands County School Board members toured the school's construction site Tuesday for a first-hand look. Prior to the walk-through at the construction site, School Board Member Donna Howerton noted that the report stated there were no immediate concerns, but then the next paragraph indicated there does indeed appear to have been notable issues with improper expansion and contraction mechanisms. Expansion in the metal roof caused cracks a few months ago in cement blocks at the school. Expansion joints were added to the roof system to correct the problem. ...more

June 10, 2008

SEBRING — Here are six things you probably don't know about Carl Cool, who is retiring from his post as Highlands County administrator after decades of service. ONE: Late-Night Lonely At about 1 a.m., Christy Reed, the director of Highlands County's recycling program, was in the loneliest, saddest place she could be. She was standing in a deserted hospital hallway and had just received the news from a nurse that her father had passed away. Reed said in the minutes after she learned that her father's long battle with illness had ended with his death, she felt more lonely than she thought a person could feel. "Suddenly," Reed said, "I turned and saw two people there, standing, waiting for me. One was Carl Cool, and the other was Claude Howerton (then a county commissioner)." Reed said both men gave her a hug and helped tremendously in easing the pain of that night. Howerton and Cool had driven to the hospital separately after getting phone calls reporting that Reed's father was close to passing away. Both men drove to the hospital and waited to see if they could give any comfort or help to Reed if her father did pass away. ...more

May 31, 2008