NO TOWER: Hundreds of South Tampa parents and residents protest plans to erect a 100-foot cell phone tower on the Coleman Middle School campus.
BUILDING BOUNDARIES: Pasco raises few concerns in drawing attendance zones for two new schools, but expects greater outcry later this year when it revisits the boundaries of all its western middle and high schools.
STUDENT SCIENTISTS: Bartels Middle School eighth-grader has a mind for science; Budding scientists learn field skills (Chasco Middle)
BAD TEACHER ALERT: Dowdell Middle teacher Mary K. Dwyer faces jail time after being convicted of battery charges for slamming a student's hand in a door.
BUDGET ROUNDUP: The Florida House is scheduled to vote on the budget changes today, AP reports. Lee school leaders warn of major cuts if lawmakers adopt the current budget balancing plan, and urge residents to lobby to protect education funding, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. Volusia begins its cutting, including elimination of JV sports, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports. UCF moves to impose new fees, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
STATE COLLEGE OR BUST: Florida Community College at Jacksonville aims to reorganize itself into a four-year state college by summer despite the tough economy, the Florida Times-Union reports.
USE THE MONEY BETTER: Several Florida education organizations urge lawmakers to cancel the state's school recognition program and put the money toward general education funding, the Stuart News reports.
BIG BOOST? Lottery officials say Powerball could bump interest in the game, generating more money for Florida schools, WBBH in Fort Myers reports.
TAKE THIS CUP ... Palm Beach plans to institute random drug testing on its student athletes, the Sun-Sentinel reports.
Get inside the world of Florida education with St. Petersburg Times staff writer Jeffrey S. Solochek and the rest of the Times education reporting team. We'll bring you up-to-date information about the latest education trends, fads and news and dig deep into Tampa Bay area school issues.
Support teachers' and children.
SAY NO TO CELL TOWERS AT SCHOOLS!
Plant gardens NOT towers!
Posted by: am a teacher and have children | February 16, 2009 at 05:56 PM
Dear voters,
I encourage you to write and contact your lawmakers. Education is being critically cut. This will negatively affect the classroom and the students. We as a state, are constitutionally required to balance our budget. We are also constitutionally required to fund class size amendment at the state level. The lawmakers need to follow all the laws, not just the ones that they want.
Support our children and teachers!
Posted by: | January 08, 2009 at 10:36 AM