bserver O EAST COUNTY FREE • THURSDAY, MAY 29, 2014
YOU. YOUR NEIGHBORS. YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
COMMUNITY
The Food Bank launches summer food drive. PAGE 3
+ Slipstream heads to Abu Dhabi
With approvals from Sarasota County in hand, SMR can begin planning for its Villages of Lakewood Ranch South project.
Scores show improvement for Manatee students Fourth-grade students bested the state average for the first time in years.
Pam Eubanks
Schroeder-Manatee Ranch’s Todd Pokrywa stands in front of the future extension of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard — a project connected with the Villages of Lakewood Ranch South.
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LAKEWOOD RANCH — In a matter of minutes, Todd Pokrywa went from having a vision on paper to a project he and the team at SchroederManatee Ranch could develop after more than a dozen years of uncertainty. Sarasota County commissioners unanimously approved a rezone petition and related ordinances for the Villages of Lakewood Ranch South development May 21. Pokrywa, vice president of strategic affairs for SMR, Lakewood Ranch’s developer, has been working on the project since he joined the company in January 2003. “This is like game seven of the Stanley Cup finals and winning in triple overtime,” said Pokrywa, a hockey enthusiast who grew up in Canada. “It was progress, but slow progress — a lot of turns and curves along the way.” “Until (then), we didn’t have a project because of the obstacles,” he said. “Now, we believe the vision can practically be implemented. We are anxious to get started designing and planning.”
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A nonprofit dedicated to providing an international student exchange needs host families this summer. EF Homestay seeks homes for 60 Spanish and French students this summer. Exchange students will sharpen their English skills by “immersion” with their host families. The students will have field trips twice a week, as well. Spanish students will be in Bradenton July 2 through July 28, while French students will be in the area July 8 through July 28. Host families must be able to provide a bed, meals and welcoming environment, as well as a passion for sharing their American culture. Students in host families also can earn up to 60 hours of community service. For more information on the program or to become a host family, call 284-4529 or EFChela@gmail.com.
From plan to project
by Pam Eubanks | Managing Editor
IN
+ Program seeks host families
EDUCATION
by Pam Eubanks | Managing Editor
LOR R A
East County students took national honors during the F1 in Schools National Championship and now will represent the United States in the world finals in Abu Dhabi this fall. Slipstream — a team composed of East County students Merritt Kendzior, Hannah Figueras, Madalyn Kumar, Domenic Aluise and Victoria Sinclair — won three contingency awards for best engineered car, best portfolio and best pit display. “This has truly been a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” says Merritt, Slipstream’s team manager. “We worked day and night to prepare our team for success and are extremely proud that our hard work paid off. We are pleased to carry on the winning tradition of Manatee County Schools.” Manatee’s Enigma Racing team finished in the top 10, as well.
development
Teams prep for spring football. PAGE 14
D EER D R.
Courtesy photo
East County honors fallen with Memorial Day parade. PAGE 17
O OD R A N CH B LV D.
OUR TOWN
SPORTS
REMEMBRANCE
1 MILE
SMR’s Villages project has been in a holding pattern since 2002, when Sarasota County commissioners adopted the Sarasota 2050 Comprehensive Plan, regulations for future growth. Although the Villages was the first village-style project approved under 2050, it will become only the second project to come to fruition in 13 years under 2050 regulations. The 5,500-acre project, located south and east of the Lakewood Ranch Corporate Park in Sarasota, includes about 5,100 homes — compared with the roughly 8,500 homes already developed in Lakewood Ranch — as well as 390,000 square feet of commercial, office and retail space,
PROJECT BREAK-DOWN • RESIDENTIAL: 5,144 dwelling units in 12 neighborhoods • COMMERCIAL/OFFICE/ RETAIL: 300,000 square feet within two village centers plus an additional 90,000 square feet of additional neighborhood commercial uses • CIVIC/PUBLIC: 90,000 square feet
MANATEE — Students in East County Schools are reaching significant learning gains in reading, writing and math, according to FCAT 2.0 results released Friday by the Florida Department of Education. In third-grade reading, 51% of Manatee’s third-graders scored at the state’s designated level of proficiency, up 2% from 2013. McNeal Elementary led improvement with third-graders improving 23 percentage points in both reading and math, moving from scores of 70 to 93 and from 57 to 80, respectively. In writing, McNeal students improved by 2%, to 83 points. Gullett and Willis elementary schools both increased their proficiency scores in reading by 19 points. In math 54% of Manatee’s thirdgraders scored at the state’s designated level of proficiency, up 5% from 2013. Willis Elementary improved by 23%, from 69 to 92. “We are just really excited that our schools made, what I think is, great improvement,” said Diana Greene, deputy superintendent for instruction. “Our writing score for fourth grade was 1% above the state average. Many of those schools that showed gains were Title I schools.” Greene said the school district invested in training teachers, a move she attributed to improved scores, particularly in Title I schools such as Myakka City Elementary, which improved its proficiency level 52 points in writing, moving from 24% in 2013 to 76% in 2014. “Even in the midst of budget woes, we were allowed to remain
SEE FCAT / PAGE 8
• EDUCATION: One elementary school site
SEE VILLAGES / PAGE 8
INDEX Building Permits...23 Classifieds ...........25
Cops Corner..........12 Neighborhood.......17. Sports...................14 Crossword.............24. Real Estate...........22. Weather................24
Vol. 16, No. 29 | One section YourObserver.com