East County Back to School 2022

EAST COUNTY

Observer

2022 BACK TO

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JULY 2022

Back To School

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ENROLL TODAY

AND BECOME A PART OF THE DISCOVERY POINT TWELVE OAKS FAMILY!

Infants, Preschool, VPK, School Age Wrap Around Program

941.200.4250 Proprietary Connections Curriculum Parent/teacher conferences Early Learning Assessments Events for children and families throughout the school year

THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR AT DISCOVERY POINT TWELVE OAKS BEGINS AUGUST 8, 2022

INFANTS - PRESCHOOL We offer Infant, Toddler, Beginner, Early Preschool and Preschool programs for ages 6 weeks to 5 years of age.

PRE - VPK Call and schedule a tour today to learn about this newly designed class for your child.

Outside activities and much more!

VPK Our VPK curriculum will prepare your child with the foundational skills needed for success! Our teachers provide your child with an active & engaging curriculum each day! Child must turn 4 before 9/1/21. Classes start August 8!

ALTERNATIVE VPK We offer alternative VPK programs, both extended day and full day.

SCHOOL AGE PROGRAMS Before & After Care School programs, ages 5-12: We will drop your child off to their school & pick them up after school.

We provide activities, opportunity for school work & a variety of projects each day.

Also Offering School Holiday Breaks: Winter, Spring, Single Day Holiday

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File photos

Maureen Geary, a third grade teacher at Myakka City Elementary School, teaches a vocabulary lesson to Katherine Millan-Pureco and America Carranza-Vazquez.

Table of Contents 4

Letter from the superintendent

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School testing changes

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Calendar

10 School board elections 12 Construction update

We’ve Built Something Amazing!

14 Quiz 15 Transitioning to new schools 18 Meet crossing guard Donald Karn

For nearly a decade, Ovation School of Musical Theatre has been known as the area’s premier dance studio for young performers.

Whether seeking professional instruction, or just enjoying a passion— our students LOVE what they do and who they are becoming!

20 People to know

Ovation offers lessons for all ages in:

22 High School survival guide 26 Easy, healthy meals

Braden River High School’s Rheyana Hamilton celebrates receiving her diploma.

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ON THE COVER: Sofia Oliva, a kindergartner at Braden River Elementary School in August 2021, marks her first day of school with a sign of fun facts about her. Oliva says she wants to be a doctor because she wants to help kids.

Now accepting beginner through advanced students for the 2022-2023 Season.

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A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT CYNTHIA SAUNDERS initiated security measures and protocols to strengthen our schools and we launched a capital plan to address exponential growth, especially in East County.

Current district construction projects in East County: n Braden River Middle Six-classroom addition (near completion). n Freedom Elementary Eight-classroom addition (construction starts in August). n Haile Middle Classroom addition and a campuswide renovation (in planning). n Lakewood Ranch High 20-classroom addition (construction starts in September). n Tara Elementary – Campuswide renovation (in planning). n New East County K-8 School Scheduled to accommodate 1,500 students (in planning).

We have also earned a repu-

tation for being a state leader in introducing innovative educational options and opportunities for our students.

In the last several years we worked with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak to make Palm View K-8 Florida’s first WOZ-Ed Career Pathways School; we turned Manatee Elementary into the Tampa Bay area’s first Community Partnership School; we made Myakka City Elementary home to Florida’s first elementary agriculture program; and introduced dual language programs into elementary schools.

Those innovative programs are now growing and expanding to other schools across the district. This year Daughtrey Elementary will become our second Community Partnership School, and we will now have dual language programs at Braden River, Rogers Garden-Bullock, Myakka City and Palmetto elementary schools.

All fun.

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Girl Scouts.

Fun with friends. New adventures.

Making a difference. You’re ready to go and Girl Scouts is ready for you.

We are working on two other inventive opportunities for students in our district.

Anna Maria Elementary will become home to the firstever Guy Harvey Academy of Arts and Science. The academy, named for the worldrenowned wildlife artist, conservationist and businessman, will focus on marine sciences, conservation and the arts.

In addition, the state legislature and Gov. DeSantis allocated $5.5 million dollars this year to build an Aviation Maintenance Technician School at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.

So, you can see why we are excited and ready to get going.

We look forward to welcoming your students back to school Aug. 10th.

See you then.

CYNTHIA SAUNDERS SUPERINTENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT OF MANATEE COUNTY

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Scan to learn more.

Join us today at www.gsgcf.org or call 941-921-5358 | 800-232-4475

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s we prepare to begin the 2022-2023 school year, I want to thank our students, families, employees and community for keeping our schools open and our kids learning during the ups and downs of COVID-19.

Your devotion, resiliency and support have allowed us to complete each of the last three school years on time and provide our seniors with in-person graduation ceremonies.

In addition, we are extremely grateful to county voters for overwhelmingly approving the

1-mill renewal last November.

The additional mill extends learning time for students 30 minutes each day; keeps teacher and instructional pay equal to or better than surrounding districts; enhances science, engineering, arts and math programs as well as career and technical education; and assists local charter schools.

Based on that background, we enter this coming school year with a spirit of energy and confidence.

Part of that confidence is built upon the fact that we will embark on a new strategic plan this year to chart a course forward for us academically, financially and operationally through 2026.

The previous strategic plan was approved by the school board in September 2020 to take us through 2022. During that time span we made major technological advances in our classrooms, we installed and

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JULY 2022

EXAMS FOR THE YEAR Here’s what students can expect to be tested on throughout the school year.

FLORIDA ASSESSMENT OF STUDENT THINKING This is a progress monitoring assessment based on the Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking. It will be administered as a computer-based assessment three times per year. n Pre-K through 10th grade in English Language Arts n Pre-K through eighth grade in math.

STATEWIDE SCIENCE ASSESSMENTS n Fifth grade and eighth grade

Courtesy photo

END-OF-COURSE ASSESSMENTS n Algebra 1 n Geometry n Biology 1 n U.S. History n Civics

Eli Bailey, a third grader at Myakka City Elementary School, practices math on a computer.

New assessments on the way With the new Florida Assessment of Student Thinking, students will be tested three times per year.

LIZ RAMOS STAFF WRITER

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one are the days of taking Florida Standard Assessments for English language arts and math at the end of every school year.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that eliminated the FSAs for English language arts and math and replaced them with a progress monitoring assessment, which is called Florida Assessment of Student Thinking.

Progress monitoring will take place three times per year in August and Septem-

ber, January and May to show how a student has progressed throughout the year.

Laurie Breslin, the executive director of curriculum and assessments for the School District of Manatee County, said the results of the progress monitoring assessments should be available within a week after the assessment.

“We can use those results to drive our instruction moving forward,” she said. “The positive side is we should have better access to the data, faster results, so that if something that we’re doing in the class-

room or as a district isn’t proving to be best for students, we have an opportunity to change that mid-stride so that we are bringing the best resources, the best instruction to our students.”

Breslin said teachers have been reacting positively to the new Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking, or BEST, standards as they provide more clarity in expectations.

The School District of Manatee County rolled out the BEST standards for English language arts in kindergarten through second grade last school year

and will roll out the BEST standards in English language arts for grades three through 12 and math for kindergarten through 12 this school year.

These are the standards students will be tested on in the progress monitoring assessment.

“Teachers are enjoying the way the standards have been written,” Breslin said. “They’re clear and concise, which is exactly what our teachers have been asking for. That allows us to bring that clarity down to the classroom level for students and allows us to bring that clarity forward for parents.”

Breslin said the assessments are designed to be single-day assessments taking half the school day, but the state hasn’t said exactly how long the exams will be.

“It will benefit students who are sitting to take that assessment because they will be required to sit for the assessment for a shorter length of

time, which is important, especially when you’re talking about the younger students,” Breslin said.

Breslin said the progress monitoring assessments also will allow for more communication between teachers and families as teachers can present the data to parents.

“When we’re able to give parents data on their child and then they’re able to talk to their child about what they see in the data, you just end up with a better system of communication, a better system of what the expectations are and what we need to do to support the student to reach those expectations,” she said.

Kelsey Whealy with Sarasota County Schools said the district is unable to speculate on the impact of the state’s new progress monitoring assessments, but the district already utilizes progress monitoring, among other tools, to track and guide students’ learning, growth and achievement.

In an April 12 Sarasota County School Board workshop, Amy Beechy, who focuses on instructional strategies and interventions for the district, demonstrated how the district uses its progress monitoring at the elementary level. Teachers are able to track a student’s performance for each foundational skill in subjects such as reading.

“With this progress monitoring tool, we are able to look at various (subjects) and see how students are performing to ensure we are seeing the full picture of the child and to be able to respond in the way that will best meet the needs,” Beechy said.

The tool allows for teachers to see whether students are meeting expectations, performing in an area that is not quite needing intervention but should be watched or needing interventions.

Breslin said the School District of Manatee County already has been doing benchmark assessments to “provide the best instruction” for students.

The benchmark assessments were conducted throughout the year similarly to how the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking will be conducted.

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Earn tuition-free college credits while still in high school.

Access campus libraries and academic support.

Take classes at SCF Bradenton, Venice, Lakewood Ranch or Online.

Start College ahead of the herd with dual enrollment at SCF SCF.edu/EarlyCollege Application deadlines

State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota does not discriminate on the basis of sex, pregnancy, race, religion, age, national origin/ethnicity, color, marital status, disability, genetic information or sexual orientation in any of its educational programs, services and activities, including admission and employment. Direct inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies to: Equity Officer, 941-752-5323, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton, FL 34207.

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Spring 2023: December 1, 2022 | Summer and Fall 2023: May 15, 2023

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JULY 2022

SCHOOL YEAR AT A GLANCE 2022-2023 Manatee County public schools key dates

AUGUST 2022 2

3 4-8 9 10

Teachers return/ in-service District in-service Teacher work days District in-service First day of classes

SEPTEMBER 2022 9

Labor Day; no classes, all district sites closed 25-27 Rosh Hashanah

OCTOBER 2022 4-5 6 7

Yom Kippur End of first grading period Record Day; no classes

11

Veterans Day; all district sites closed 21-23 Hurricane make-up days if needed 21-25 Thanksgiving break 24 Thanksgiving Day; all district sites closed

9

DECEMBER 2022

5-13 9

18-26 Hanukkah 14-22 Middle and high school exams 20-22 High school early release End of second 22 grading period 23-30 Winter break; all district sites closed

NOVEMBER 2022

JANUARY 2023

2

2-5

Professional learning; early release

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Winter break; all district sites closed Teachers return;

End of third grading period 10 Record day; no classes 13-17 Spring break; all district sites closed

APRIL 2023 7

Good Friday; all district sites closed Passover Easter

MAY 2023 File photo

9 10 16

record day; no classes District in-service day; no classes Students return Martin Luther King Jr. Day; all district sites closed

Is Your Child Prepared for Tomorrow for the Challenges and Opportunities That Await Them?

FEBRUARY 2023 20

Presidents’ Day; all district sites closed

MARCH 2023 1

Professional learning; early release

19-26 Middle and high school exams (tentative) 24-26 All schools early release 26 Final day for students 29 Memorial Day; all district sites closed 30 Record Day; final day for teachers

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New district voting format begins East County residents differ on whether new voting system will benefit their child’s education.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

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s school board elections approach Aug. 23, East County residents only will be voting for those running in their own district.

The new format was the result of a referendum passed

by Manatee County voters in 2018. The format previously allowed any Manatee County resident who was voter eligible to vote for candidates running in any of the five districts.

The Observer spoke with various members of the voting community about the change.

SOME DISAPPROVAL

A majority of residents interviewed expressed a preference

for the previous method, and several of those were unaware the change had taken place.

Lakewood Ranch’s Beth Ruyle said she favored a system where she could vote on candidates in any district. Ruyle is a former city manager from Illinois, as well as a former governmental relations coordinator from the Atlanta Regional Commission in Georgia.

“To me, that’s quite unusual,” she said of the new system. “You’re going to just have (candidates) interested in their own little thing, pleasing their own people, not looking after the county’s education. I like where everybody votes on everything.”

While she said people have a better knowledge of their own

Photos by Ian Swaby

Lakewood Ranch’s Beth Ruyle says voters should be able to an impact on elections for all district representatives.

district’s needs, she said the stakes are too high not to have a voice in electing all the candidates.

“We’re dependent on these kids for our productivity,” she said. “The kids that we produce are going to impact all our lives,

and so you need to think about everybody.”

Lakewood Ranch’s Lynn McSwaine said she wanted to return to the former system.

She was disenchanted with the entire district and that caused her to move her son Daniel McSwaine to a private school in Sarasota when he was 7.

She said school choice means that a student can attend a School District of Manatee County school outside the district where that student resides, so that should be an important factor when it comes to elections.

Lakewood Ranch’s Sarah Osbourne agreed, saying that all the school board members have a direct influence on every student’s education and therefore residents should be able to vote for all candidates.

Palm Aire’s Veronica Bender had mixed feelings, saying she thought people should be vot-

ing for services they are going to receive in their particular area. However, she also noted some parents are sending their children to a school in a different district from the one where they reside.

KNOW YOUR DISTRICT

Other residents felt the elections would be better off prioritizing local interests, allowing people to vote for their particular areas about which they were most knowledgeable.

Lakewood Ranch’s Caden Dehoff, whose 5-year-old daughter is preparing to join Robert E. Willis Elementary School, said he favored voting only for one’s own district.

“I think the immediate area should be voting for what they receive at that location,” he said.

Lakewood Ranch’s Shea Osbourne said voting should be locally focused. He said it would compare to voting for a House Representative in a different state.

“That’s how it works in all of government,” he said.

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ABOUT THE ELECTION IN DISTRICT 5

Lakewood Ranch’s Sarah Osbourne and Shea Osbourne disagreed, with Sarah Osbourne stating members should be elected by the whole county, and Shea Osbourne saying voting should be by single districts.

Chris Walker, who is moving into Braden Woods in Lakewood Ranch from Sarasota, expressed a preference for a single-district election.

“My concern is that you can have a situation where one area has dominant rule over the whole thing, and you have no control,” she said.

She also said with the popu-

The election will be held on Aug. 23, and the deadline to register to vote is July 25.

For more information and to confirm your polling location, visit VoteManatee.com.

Three out of the five representatives on the School Board of Manatee County are up for election this year. Charlie Kennedy, who represents District 2, is not running for re-election. Chad Choate, the District 4 representative, is running after being appointed to the board in 2021. James Golden, who represents District 5, is running for re-election.

Here are the candidates for the District 5 representative for the School Board of Manatee County: n James Golden- incumbent n Richard Tatem n Chantal Wilford

lation growing, she was concerned about certain districts having authority over others to set policies against what most parents wish for in a particular district.

She said voter turnout was likely to remain the same, regardless of the new system.

“Frankly, unless it’s a big issue, I don’t think it affects people,” she said. “People have

to get upset about something, and then they show up.”

TERM LIMITS

This election also marks the first time term limits of 12 years are in place.

In March 2022, the bill HB 1467 was passed by Florida lawmakers and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, imposing the limit as well as other changes.

With each election cycle being four years, the limit covers three school board terms.

Opinions were mainly favorable toward this change, with residents, regardless of whether they said they preferred longer or shorter terms, tending to state that the number set a reasonable limit.

However, Dehoff said board members should be able to stay “as long as the public wants them.”

Walker said, “When you have fresh, new people coming in, new ideas, that helps.”

“For someone like a school board member, I would be OK with no term limits,” Wilkinson said. “It’s not like they’re wielding a tremendous amount of power, and if we don’t like them, we can vote them out.”

Ruyle thought getting new blood and fresh ideas would overcome the loss of experience with many-term board members.

“A lot of our people in government have stayed too long,” she said.

Osbourne said he approved

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of a 12-year limit.

“We need younger minds,” he said. “We don’t want somebody born in the 1970s deciding what goes on in the school board today.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Regardless of how the school board will ultimately be decided, residents had various concerns they hope to see addressed.

McSwain said subjects are often taught in an overly complex manner.

She said curriculums make math too confusing by adding unnecessary formulas.

“I’d like to see us go back to the basics, so that the parents have more understanding when the work comes home as to what the children are doing, because it is very complicated if you aren’t the teacher,” she said.

Walker said it’s important for people with kids in school to serve on the board.

“It’s good to have input that way,” she said.

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the foundational tenets of western heritage.

Bradenton Classical is applying for affiliation with Hillsdale College for its proven curriculum and support in Classical Education.

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SHOP TAX FREE JULY 25 - AUGUST 7*

File photos

Tara Elementary School students will have a newly renovated school. The project begins in the 2022-2023 school year.

EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT GOING BACK TO SCHOOL...

WE HAVE SHOES FOR YOU!

Six projects highlight upgrades Renovations, additions and new construction highlight School District of Manatee’s planned upgrades.

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he School District of Manatee County is moving forward with construction projects on six East County schools in the 2022-2023 school year.

The projects include renovations at Braden River and Carlos E. Haile middle schools and Tara Elementary School, additions at Lakewood Ranch High School, Freedom Elementary School and Braden River and Haile middle schools and a new school.

Bill Horton, director of construction services for the School District of Manatee County, said the district is experiencing inflation in construction costs as well as material supply chain shortages and issues with material lead times.

As a result, the district is having difficulty announcing budgets and start and finish dates for construction projects.

LAKEWOOD RANCH HIGH SCHOOL

n 20-classroom, two-story addition n Adds 400 students to 1,818 student capacity. n The addition will be constructed behind Building 5 with covered walkways connecting the two buildings. A courtyard will be created with cross sidewalks with benches and planters to give students an area to gather. n The new building will include two bathrooms, two science labs, teacher planning and storage rooms, mechanical rooms and an elevator. n Construction begins in September but a planned completion date is not determined due to issues with procuring materials for construction.

FREEDOM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

n Eight-classroom addition n Adds 160 students to 746

student capacity. n Contracts for architectural and construction manager services have been executed. n Construction will start in August, but the project does not have a planned completion date due to material supply chain issues, procurement of

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JULY 2022

material lead times and cost of construction inflation.

n Campuswide renovation n Agreements for an archi-

Rendering courtesy of Hepner Architects and the School District of Manatee County

The new addition will connect to Building 5, which will allow for a new courtyard to be created for students to gather.

ceilings, ductwork, lighting, paint, flooring and technology as well as upgraded restrooms, an enlarged cafeteria, enhanced campus security and the reconfiguration of the media center and administration area. n Construction crews con-

tinue to work on Building 3 and Building 4, which are the last buildings needing renovations on campus. n The renovation and construction of the addition began in March 2021, and the sixclassroom addition was completed in November 2021. The

completion of the project is scheduled for Dec. 31.

CARLOS E. HAILE MIDDLE SCHOOL

n Campuswide renovation and 10-classroom, two-story addition n Agreements for an archi-

tect and construction manager are up for approval at the School Board of Manatee County’s July 26 regular board meeting. n Once approved, notices to proceed will be issued July 27 to start design phase work. n The start date for construction is projected to be in the second quarter of 2023 while the completion date is projected for the second quarter of 2025.

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Renovation and six-classroom addition n The addition adds 132 students to its capacity of 1,086 students. n The scope of work includes a comprehensive campuswide renovation that includes new n

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TARA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

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BRADEN RIVER MIDDLE SCHOOL

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tect and construction manager are up for approval at the School Board of Manatee County’s July 26 regular board meeting. n Once approved, notices to proceed will be issued July 27 to start design phase work. n The start date for construction is projected to be in the second quarter of 2023 while the completion date is projected for the second quarter of 2025.

EAST COUNTY K-8 SCHOOL

n This is a new K-8 school located on a 40-acre site a quarter-mile east of Uihlein Road and south of Academic Avenue in Lakewood Ranch. n The total capacity will be 1,500 students with 500 in elementary school and 1,000 in middle school. n The district is in the planning stage for the school with the advertisements for architectural and construction manager services expected to occur in fiscal year 2022-2023. n The total budget for the project has yet to be determined.

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JULY 2022

Get to know your school When it comes to your local school, can you pass the test?

LIZ RAMOS

File photo

STAFF WRITER

Knowing about the school you are attending is important before the first day of school.

Take this quiz to see how much you know about your school.

(All answers can be found on your school’s website.)

When is the first day of school? ____________________ What is the name of your school? ____________________ Who is your principal? ______

What is your school’s mascot? ___________________ What is your school’s address? ___________________ What is your school’s phone number? ___________________ What is your school’s mission statement? ________________ What is one activity your school offers? ______________

Chompy, B.D. Gullett Elementary School’s mascot, and Principal Todd Richardson look at each other after Chompy pours slime on Richardson’s head.

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SCHOOL

FUEL.

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Moving on up Students and parents reflect on moving into middle school and high school.

HARRY SAYER STAFF WRITER

S

Courtesy photo

Jace Bakert recently finished his grade school years at Lakeview Elementary School.

chool, at any time and age, can be an uncertain experience.

Young children are already doing their best to learn and adapt, and each new grade can bring with it new challenges, fears and opportunities.

That push and pull of life is exacerbated when the student moves up to a whole new ecosystem — going from elementary school to middle school and middle to high school.

Local parents and children are grappling with that big transition as the new school

year approaches.

Jace Bakert, an 11-year-old Lakeview Elementary School student who’s headed to Sarasota Middle School, is definitely feeling some of that anxiety.

The young student has some head start in what to expect in that he spent many grades at Southside Elementary before making the move to Lakeview for the last three quarters of the his last elementary school year.

“I didn’t think (my mom) would actually move me,” Bakert said. “I thought ‘What the heck?’”

The move between schools was easy enough, and Bakert has made friends over a shared love of assembling Lego figures and YouTube videos. But the idea of making a jump to middle school has been intimidating for Bakert.

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Transition

Alex and Melissa Kitcher have been preparing for his jump to ninth grade.

FROM PAGE 15

The idea of having several additional classes throughout the day, and a locker of his own to boot, has been a lot to take in. He feels confident in math and science, but juggling it all at once is a different matter entirely.

“I’m nervous about meeting new kids,” Bakert said. “And the new classes. I used to have like four subjects.”

Bakert is an only child and his mother, Jess, shares his nervousness about the big transition. Jess Bakert was a military child and was used to going to new schools and going with the flow, but like any mother she worries that her son will be OK. “We’ve talked about how it’ll be different but everyone is going into sixth grade from different elementary schools,” Jess Bakert said. “He might even get to see some of his friends from (Southside); we’ll

Harry Sayer

find out who’s there.”

Jess Bakert feels it might be a tough transition at first — simply having to manage several classes and managing his own time throughout the day will be a new challenge — but that her son will get used to the swing of things.

“Elementary school and

middle school are very different,” Jess Bakert said. “Last year he was with students who were 5, now he’ll be with students who are 13. It’s a big difference for him.”

She’s spoken with other parents with kids who have recently moved into middle school and gets the sense that

the initial shock gives way to being comfortable with the situation.

Bakert does have something of a plan when entering his middle school and trying to make new friends.

“I’m going to say hi (to people) a bunch of times,” Bakert said. “Eventually it should work out.”

Alex Kitcher, 13, on the other hand, feels somewhat more confident as he moves from middle school to high school when he joins Sarasota Polytechnical High School.

His transition from elementary to middle was all within Sarasota Suncoast Academy, with students he’d already known and grown up with.

That move was familiar, but heading to a brand new school offers plenty of opportunities.

Kitcher is aiming for a career in video game design and often plays multiplayer with friends.

He had a small but close friend group at Sarasota Suncoast Academy and the group would often head to the library together.

To his relief, several are joining him at Sarasota Polytechnical School.

“It makes me feel good, knowing there are friends I know and can talk to (going in) instead of being a lonely outcast,” Kitcher said.

Kitcher’s mother Melissa grew up in Queens and walked to elementary school before making a big move to high school. She remembers losing touch with friends as she went on, so she’s happy that her son will hang onto his core of friends as they start their new chapter.

“These are kids he’s been in class with since kindergarten,” Melissa Kitcher said. “It’s going to be good for him.”

There’s some small amount of nerves going in, but Alex Kitcher is excited for what the future will hold.

“I’ve been wanting to get ready and just jump into it,” Alex Kitcher said.

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Indigo’s Donald Karn held a bag filled with cards and notes from the families he sees every day during the school year.

Karn, who is a crossing guard at the intersection of 44th Avenue East and Wood Fern Trail outside B.D. Gullett Elementary School and down the street from Dr. Mona Jain Middle School, treasures every one of those cards.

He smiled as he read one from a young student that said, ‘Ty For Krooseg us and HiFa good liF.” Another note read, “Thanks for keeping us safe every day Mr. Don. Merry Christmas. The Lo family.”

“You can’t put a price on that,” said Karn, who has been a crossing guard for three years.

He said those notes makes him “melt on the inside.”

One day Karn was at his post when a motorist called him over to his car.

“I thought, ‘I’m going to get screamed at for something,’” Karn said.

The man presented Karn with a police officer challenge coin, which is a reward given to someone, usually a member of the military or a first responder, who performs their duties extremely well.

“It was beautiful,” Karn said.

“I thought, ‘Wow, I’m going to put that in with my special cards.’”

It all makes him love his job.

Although he doesn’t remember all the names of the dozens of students who cross the street, he does remember their faces.

He loves seeing the little boy in his Spider-Man suit every day or the three sisters who give him a high five. He loves

Photos by Liz Ramos

saying good morning or good afternoon, giving fist bumps or having a quick chat.

“There’s one guy who comes by every morning, and I always have the whistle in my mouth,” Karn said. “He always says, ‘You can’t talk with your mouth full.’ So I spit the whistle out, and I say, ‘Good morning’ to him. He laughs at me every single morning because I do it every morning, and he knows that. That’s a great moment.”

Karn retired and moved to Lakewood Ranch from Ohio three years ago, but he found his days in retirement to be filled with boredom.

“I wanted to find something to do that was worthwhile and would help people,” Karn said.

“I heard about the crossing guards from a friend of mine who said I would really like it. I said OK, and I went and applied.”

Karn was first assigned to White Eagle Boulevard and 44th Avenue East until a traffic light replaced the fourway stop at the intersection in 2020. He was then moved to

Indigo’s Donald Karn has been a crossing guard for three years and loves interacting with the students and parents.

YourObserver.com

Here are tips to keep in mind when walking or driving to school: n Always use a crosswalk n If riding a bike, walk your bike

across the road n Walk, don’t run across the street n Crossing guards blow a whistle to stop traffic, not to signal a pedestrian to cross n Crossing guards will verbally tell pedestrians when it’s safe to cross n Abide by the school zone n Pay attention to the road and sidewalks as students can be coming from any direction n Be patient n Make eye contact with the crossing guard n Don’t block the crosswalk because crossing guards can’t let anyone cross if the crosswalk is blocked

Indigo’s Donald Karn, a crossing guard at the intersection of 44th Avenue East and Wood Fern Trail, has received dozens of notes and cards from students and families.

the intersection of 44th Avenue East and Wood Fern Trail.

“I feel like I’m accomplishing something,” Karn said.

Since he began working, he has noticed a difference in the elementary and middle schoolers who pass his way.

“It’s funny because there’s a difference between the elementary schoolers and middle schoolers,” he said. “The middle schoolers are all nice but they’re in a different world sometimes, but they always say ‘hi’ and ‘nice to see you’ but

they’re busy talking on their cell phones or talking to each other.”

Safety is his top priority. He always ensures students who are riding bikes get off their bikes and walk across the road so there isn’t a risk of them falling in front of traffic.

When Karn is in the intersection stopping traffic, his fellow crossing guard assigned to the intersection, Joni Munns, will say, “Corner,” to let Karn know there is someone waiting to cross Wood Fern Trail.

Due to the shortage of crossing guards, Karn has to help pedestrians cross 44th Avenue East and Wood Fern Trail because there isn’t a guard available to cover Wood Fern Trail.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office needs to hire at least 15 crossing guards on top of the already 86 on staff to have a full staff across the county.

Although there is a school zone that limits drivers to 20 miles per hour, Karn still has to be wary of drivers going over the speed limit or turning when it is not allowed.

“Any day you don’t get hit is a good day,” Karn said. “The kids’ safety definitely comes first.

I’m important because I stop the traffic and let the kids cross safely. Honestly, if it comes between me and a child getting hit, it’d be me. No doubt in my mind, I would jump in front of a car.”

Karn said the first few weeks of school are absolute chaos on the road as parents are trying to figure out how to drop their children off at school and families haven’t developed their routines yet.

“Have you ever been in the middle of a tornado?” Karn said with a laugh when asked what it’s like on the first day of school. “You just grab ahold and hang on. You do everything at a slower pace because you have to make sure they understand (how to cross or drive safely at the intersection).”

By the last day of school, the walk or drive to or from school is a breeze.

“The kids are all happy, the parents all thank you,” Karn said. “They all expect you to come back, and I see no reason why I won’t be back next year.”

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People to know in the School District of Manatee County A

s the new school year begins, families get to know the principal of their student’s school as well as their student’s teachers.

But there are other people in the School District of Manatee County families should get to know as well.

The superintendent, deputy superintendents and members of the School Board of Manatee County have an impact on the education of every student in the School District of Manatee County.

CYNTHIA SAUNDERS SUPERINTENDENT Cynthia Saunders has been with the School District of Manatee County since 2013.

Saunders has been serving as superintendent of the School District of Manatee County since June 2018 when she was appointed to the position.

Her contract expires June 30, 2023.

Contact: SaundersC@ManateeSchools.net GINA MESSENGER DISTRICT 1 REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MANATEE COUNTY Gina Messenger was elected in November 2016. Her current term ends November 2024.

Contact: MessengerG@ ManateeSchools.net CHARLIE KENNEDY DISTRICT 2 REPRESENTATIVE

FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MANATEE COUNTY Charlie Kennedy was elected in November 2014. His current term ends November 2022, and he is not running for reelection.

Contact: Kennedy2C@ManateeSchools.net MARY FOREMAN DISTRICT 3 REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MANATEE COUNTY Mary Foreman was elected in November 2020. Her current term ends November 2024.

Contact: ForemanM@ManateeSchools.net

JAMES GOLDEN DISTRICT 5 REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MANATEE COUNTY James Golden was elected in August 2018. His current term ends November 2022, and he is running for reelection in August 2022.

Contact: Golden2J@ManateeSchools.net

CHAD CHOATE DISTRICT 4 REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MANATEE COUNTY Chad Choate was appointed to the board in August 2021

by Gov. Ron DeSantis after

TIM BARGERON DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF BUSINESS SERVICES Tim Bargeron has 32 years of experience in educational finance in Florida school districts, and he started with

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High school survival tips Students offer tips on avoiding high school pitfalls.

LIZ RAMOS | STAFF WRITER

H

igh school is not always easy.

Students can be adjusting to a new campus,

teachers and classes all while trying to figure out

who they are as a person.

But even though the four years of high school can be daunting, some high school students have learned how to make the most out of their experience.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

Nathan Walmsley, a rising junior at Braden River High School, came from a small middle school before he started as a freshman at Braden River.

He was overwhelmed with being on a campus with more than 1,700 students, but he made new friends and joined the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp to help adjust to his new environment.

Students interviewed said freshmen should step out of their comfort zones and make new friends.

“It’s a big jump from middle school to high school,” said Samantha Malcolm, a 2022 graduate of the Outof-Door Academy.

“Be welcoming to other people knowing they are going through the same thing you’re going through. Be as kind and generous as you would want to be treated.”

Students said freshman year is an opportunity to experiment with extracurriculars.

“Get involved with sports or anything in general,” Liz Ramos Walmsley said. “You don’t

File photo

want to just be going home after school every day because that’s boring.”

High school academic rigor is higher than what students might expect.

Johnny Robinson, a rising senior at ODA, said it’s important for students to find tricks that make them more productive and focused on school work. When he gets home after school, Robinson said remaining in the clothes he wore to school and keeping his shoes on helps him remain in the school mindset while working on his assignments.

GETTING OVER THE SOPHOMORE SLUMP

The excitement of being in high school ends after freshman year. Often sophomores find themselves in a slump with a long way remaining until graduation.

Robinson said sophomore year can be more enjoyable if students keep a day-to-day perspective.

“Look for the best things every day,” he said. “I’ll wake up and think, ‘Oh, I have this cool thing to do today’ or ‘we get to watch a movie in class today.’”

To adjust to the academic rigors of Advanced Placement courses, Malcolm depended on her teachers more, meeting with them each morning and going over material she didn’t understand. She formed study groups with classmates.

In sophomore year, students tend to know whether the extracurricular activities they chose as freshman fit them.

“If you tried something your freshman year and you think you aren’t that interested in it, don’t be afraid to just go and move onto something new,” said Adanna Wharton, a rising junior at Braden River High School. “You don’t want to stick yourself into something you’re not going to be interested in all four years.”

Stuart Macaulay, a rising senior at Braden River High, first joined JROTC his freshman year but in his sophomore year, he decided to leave JROTC to pursue wrestling. Then in his junior year, Macaulay returned to JROTC because he thought it was a good activity for him.

JUNIOR YEAR: YEAR OF STRESS

Elayna Andrews, a 2022 Braden River High graduate, spent her junior year focused on academics, extracurriculars and her job.

She wishes she spent more time researching colleges because her senior year was fast approaching.

“Then senior year, you can get applications done before the first day of school,” she said.

Students suggested visiting campuses and doing research SEE SURVIVAL GUIDE, PAGE 24

Above: Braden River High senior JT Wright, junior Ty Moore, junior Jackie Sanchez and senior Liam Tvenstrup plan a bootcamp to bring Technology Student Association members together.

Left: Johnny Robinson, a rising senior at the Out-of Door Academy, reviews his yearbook from junior year.

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Survival guide FROM PAGE 22

on the colleges they were interested in attending.

“Going to the (college or university) gives you a deep understanding if you really like it or not,” Robinson said. “I thought I would love Rollins College, but I went there and I didn’t like it as much as I thought I would.”

Malcolm said junior year gives students an opportunity to take classes that help them pursue their interests.

But Christian Bell, a rising senior at Braden River High, said not to feel pressured to take advanced courses if that isn’t the right decision for that student.

In his junior year, Bell took five AP classes. He was told by several other students AP Seminar was an easy class, so he decided to take it. He later regretted his decision.

“It’s just been dreadful to

Liz Ramos

Samantha Malcolm, a 2022 graduate of the Out-of-Door Academy, can’t wait to attend the University of Michigan after four years of hard work and dedication in high school.

get through the class,” Bell said. “Unless you’re dead set that you want that AP class for yourself, not anybody else, don’t do it.”

Andrews, Malcolm and Robinson all suggested starting

to prepare for the PSAT and ACT early, whether that means joining a study group, getting a tutor, doing practice tests or all of the above. Preparing early will help alleviate the stress that can come with these exams.

“Putting a little bit (of studying in) each weekend will definitely go a long way,” Malcolm said. “Create a study plan on your calendar because those testing dates will come at you before you know it.”

As important as those junior year tests are, Malcolm said students need to find a balance between their academics and enjoying their junior year.

“The key to minimizing stress and still enjoying yourself your junior year is doing your best where you still are enjoying life, having fun with friends and doing what you want,” Malcolm said.

SENIOR YEAR: THE LAST HURRAH

Senior year comes with the excitement of finishing high school along with dreams of

the future.

Malcolm spent the first half of her senior year putting together college applications.

She said students should start start putting together college applications the summer before senior year.

“It’s honing down your college list, where are you going to apply, seeing what the application requirements are and the different essays you’re going to have to write,” Malcolm said.

“It’s about planning.”

Malcolm and Andrews both said time management is key when trying to juggle school assignments and extracurricular activities along with college applications and essays.

“I had to limit how much I would research my specific college because I’d be doing an assignment and get bored so I would start doing stuff for my university,” Andrews said. “I’d have to stop myself because my mindset would completely shift. I was like, ‘I can’t be focusing on my future. I have to focus on finishing this exam for this class so I can have the

credits I need to move onto that stuff.’”

When it comes to writing college admission essays, Malcolm said students should focus on something meaningful to them because it makes it easier.

Malcolm chose to write about her experiences with Manatee County Teen Court and the impact it had.

While preparing for the future is important and exciting, seniors said not to forget it’s the last year of high school.

They wanted to take advantage of all the events and opportunities that brings.

For Malcolm, the prom, senior night and other final big moments were fun and important, but they weren’t as important as the smaller, precious moments she spent with her friends and teachers.

“It’s a time to enjoy the person you became, the people you’ve met, the connections you’ve made and the things you’ve gotten involved in,” Malcolm said.

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Meals take early prep work Here are some tips for low-stress meal preparation as your child heads to school.

RYAN KOHN SPORTS EDITOR

I

n the tug-of-war between getting kids to school on time and preparing healthy breakfasts and lunches, punctuality often wins.

Erin Gennocro, a nurse practitioner with Weiss Pediatric Care in Sarasota, said preparation can sway that equation the other direction.

Many healthy breakfast foods can be prepared the previous night. It is easy to dip a banana in yogurt and coat it with a low-sugar cereal such as Cheerios before freezing.

This provides a child with fruit, dairy and grains while taking no time in the morning.

Other items, like a healthy take on banana pancakes, can be prepared on a Sunday and served throughout the week.

Mash bananas together with a few eggs and cook them like pancakes, serving them with applesauce instead of syrup to cut down on sugar.

Lunches can be handled in a similar fashion, Gennocro said.

If parents prepare a base meal for the week in advance, like chicken salad, they can throw in different sides each day to add variety, like carrots and celery sticks with hummus, or a container of yogurt.

Changing sides each day ensures kids are getting different minerals and antioxidants.

The most important thing, Gennocro said, is that kids are getting some sort of vegetable

PLAN AHEAD

with their lunch since breakfasts usually lack one.

Sometimes, offering many smaller items of food can be faster and easier than preparing a meal — while remaining just as delicious and healthy.

Lakewood Ranch’s Amy Hammon, whose children attend Pinnacle Academy, said she likes to prepare a “charcuterie board” for them, which they enjoy and Hammon can make whenever she has free time.

“I pre-cut fruit and spray it with lemon juice to preserve it,” Hammon said. “I then cut all the meats and cheeses for the week. That way, it’s all ready to go.”

Hammon said her “boards” — which are really bento boxes — typically consist of a mix of apples with Nutella, salami, turkey, grapes, berries, crackers, mini Mozzarella/tomato

No matter what parents decide to make their children for breakfast or lunch, there should be certain elements present in each, according to Erin Gennocro.

Photo courtesy of Ello

If parents prepare a base meal for the week in advance, they can throw in different sides each day to add variety, like carrots and celery stick with hummus, a container of yogurt, or strawberries.

stacks and cucumbers with ranch dressing for dipping.

Hammon said the process is similar for breakfast. She preboils eggs and offers them with mini bagels with cream cheese, berries, apple slices and more.

BREAKFAST: n Foods high in protein such as eggs or yogurt n Whole grains like toast, an English muffin or whole-grain cereal n Foods with healthy fat like avocado or a nut butter LUNCH: Gennocro urges parents to always include a vegetable because children likely will not get one with their breakfast. If a child will eat salad, that is a great option, but so are carrot or celery sticks with hummus or ranch dressing.

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