WEEK OF JANUARY 31, 2024 FLIER INSIDE
Today’s feature Pine Island Business Card & Service Directory for 2024 published — INSIDE PINEISLAND-EAGLE.COM
VOLUME 47, NUMBER 39
County schools see bump in graduation rates By MEGHAN BRADBURY
news@breezenewspapers.com
The School District of Lee County saw an increase of 2.6 percentage points in its graduation rate, compared to an increase of 0.7 percentage points for Florida for the Class of 2023. “Our 2.6% increase from 2022 is the largest gain among the top 10 largest school districts in Florida and our neighbors in Charlotte and Collier County,” district spokesper-
son Rob Spicker said. The Class of 2023 rose to 85.1% which, according to the district, tied the mark set two years ago for the second highest graduation rate in district history. Last year, the graduation rate was 82.5%. According to the district, the only other higher graduation rate was in 2019-20 at 88.5% — when the graduating classes were exempt from statewide, standardized assessment requirements. Neighboring school districts such as Collier had
a 91.5% graduation rate, the same as the previous year, and Charlotte had a 85.9% graduation rate, a decrease from 87.9% the previous year. The Florida graduation rate was 88%, a jump from 87.3% the prior year. “Most importantly it means we are setting up our students for success after graduation. Whether they are entering the workforce, the military or college, we have prepared them to succeed. Second, it means our systems are working. We credit our principals for aligning to this See GRADUATION RATES, page 11
Celebrating Pine Islanders:
Community pulls together for 43rd annual Junior OIympics
DJ Ruscik By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
By PAULETTE LeBLANC
pleblanc@breezenewspapers.com
On Saturday, Jan. 27, Pine Island’s Junior Olympic games were held at Phillips Park, in Bokeelia. By now, these games have become an annual experience, led, in part, by those who once competed themselves. According to Kiwanian Mike Shevlin, the Junior Olympic Tradition began in 1981, never ceasing to become catalyst for camaraderie amongst islanders. Thus year, he said, was not different. “This was a good year. There was so much help from everybody. We teamed up with the county from day one—Lee County Parks and Rec, but primarily the Matlacha Pine Island group. We also had parents who brought their kids who worked for park and rec that came out here,” Shevlin said. Due to inclement weather, the event had to be postponed a week, which, Shevlin said, may have affected the final tally on attendees, and yet, so many stalwart islanders committed to show up for the kids. The Kiwanis Club and the county teamed up, he explained, with a lasting bond, that has seen the grown up children, become parents of the current Junior Olympians. “It’s a community event. It’s nice to see the kids play and really play hard at it—trying to win. It’s
PAULETTE LEBLANC
See JUNIOR OLYMPICS, page 10
One of the competitors gets ready to make her toss.
Bokeelia resident Donna Jo (DJ) Ruscik has a heart for Pine Island. She said, for her and husband, Tom Ruscik, it began while vacationing here. “My parents had a condo they purchased in the mid 80s at Captain’s Cove. We were married in 1988 and started coming down in January of 1989. An overnight trip turned into a weekend, turned into three days, turned into a week to 10 days…We bought a boat that could go out into the Gulf of Mexico. We fell in love with the place and it became the only place we wanted to vacation,” Ruscik DJ Ruscik said. Recently retired from a 35+ year career in financial services, now Ruscik is able to focus on beloved island organizations in which she always taken part. In addition to being a Matlacha Hooker (Madame for 10 out of the 25 years served) she is also involved, she said, in the Food Pantry, The Pine Island Community Church, Pine Island Elementary School, the VFW, the Moose, the American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, and Legion Riders. The Calusa Land Trust and the Elks Club have also had a hand in shaping her years as an islander, in fact, in her time on Pine Island, Ruscik said her leadSee DJ RUSCIK, page 11
insidetoday Bridge Beat........................7 Island Mahjongg...............2 On the Water......................8 Classifieds & Obituaries Athletes of the Week.......14
Cribbage Corner................7
Obituaries..........................8