SEBRING — Superintendent Wally Cox said Friday that "very few" students have contracted the staph infection, but he did not know the exact number or what schools the students attended. A district office secretary said reports of 10 infected students at one school is not even close to being true. Students received a letter in school Friday, to be taken home to their parents, about the staph infection. ...more

October 28, 2007

SEBRING — In honor of the county's veterans, the School Board of Highlands County unanimously approved naming its new elementary school "Memorial Elementary." The school is under construction on the west side of Memorial Drive, just north of Lakeview Memorial Gardens. The school district has a preference for naming schools with a geographic element in the name, Superintendent Wally Cox said at Tuesday's school board meeting. ...more

October 25, 2007

SEBRING — The district's newest elementary school is being built on Memorial Drive a short distance north and across the road from a memorial garden, so "Memorial Elementary" would be an obvious name choice. Superintendent Wally Cox has another reason for the "Memorial" moniker for the district's 17th school, which is currently designated as Elementary "A." "I would like to dedicate Memorial Elementary in honor of our veterans," Cox stated in a memo to the school board members. "I believe it would be a great honor to the many veterans who live in Highlands County and to all veterans who have sacrificed much to give us the freedoms that we enjoy each and every day. ...more

October 19, 2007

SEBRING — The Highlands County School District and the teachers union reached a tentative agreement Wednesday on an 18-month teachers contract. ...more

October 10, 2007

SEBRING — Please check back soon for the 2007/2008 Instructional Salary Schedule, the School Board of Highlands County's Web site states on its salary page. Unable to reach a tentative contract agreement during the summer, the school district and teachers union are hoping to break the impasse with a second attempt at mediation on Oct. 10. ...more

October 6, 2007

SEBRING — Elected versus appointed schools superintendent – it's an issue with a lot of interest around the state in various districts, according to Florida School Boards Association Executive Director Wayne Blanton. Prompted by a citizen request, the School Board of Highlands County will look into the issue of changing from an elected to an appointed schools chief. Blanton will come from Tallahassee to inform the board and public on the issue at a school board workshop, which is scheduled at 4 p.m., Oct. 23 in the Garland Boggus Board Room at the district office. ...more

September 29, 2007

Nearly a dozen district office administrators have new job titles, but two school board members voted against the revised job descriptions. ...more

September 21, 2007

The Highlands County School Board is on to a great idea. They want to "workshop" the possibility of changing the way we hire school superintendents in our district. We like the idea of considering whether the board appoints school superintendents or whether they are elected. As most folks know, in Highlands County we elect our school superintendent. It's done that way in some smaller districts around the state, but the majority of districts hire superintendents. For many people moving here from other areas, it seems strange that the school superintendent is an elected office. No special education is necessary to land this important post, and no experience is necessary. If you get enough people to vote for you, and have the money to run for office, you have as good of a chance as someone who has spent his or her entire life administering and teaching. Having someone unqualified in that position is scary to a lot of people. ...more

September 16, 2007

This letter is in response to Mr. Royce's comments in regard to an appointed superintendent instead of an elected superintendent. By the tone of your comments, Mr. Royce, it sounds as though you might be vying for Wally Cox's job. You are sure quick to give your misinformed opinion. All of Highlands County's schools are not "D" schools. Our school educators and employees take a lot of pride in the hard work it takes to educate this county's children. Frankly, I think people are sick and tired of hearing misinformed people such as yourself spout false accusations. Although Mr. Cox has quite the impressive credentials, excellent reputation, years of experience in the system and apparently the support of Highlands County schools and families, you and your coffee buddy Mr. Tuck sound like two wanna-bes running for the CEO of the Highlands County School District. ...more

September 16, 2007