Sarasota Back to School 2023

Back to School 2023

SARASOTA

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BACK TO SCHOOL | JULY 2023

BACK TO SCHOOL!

ENROLL TODAY!!

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

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PROPRIETARY CONNECTIONS CURRICULUM PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES EARLY LEARNING ASSESSMENTS CHILDREN AND FAMILY EVENTS OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES AND MUCH MORE!!

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

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Table of Contents 6 New superintendent 8 Calendar 9 Message from the superintendent 10 New schools 12 Postsecondary challenges 14 Bright Futures 16 Gifted students 20 Arts programs

Booker High School’s Mariah Latter celebrates graduating.

24 Gym class 26 Fun clubs File photos

Wilkinson Elementary School’s Landon Minnis, Geken Farlkin and Cristopher Cardenas gather around the moo-vie star to give it gentle pets.

It’s time to press play.

Fun with NewNew adventures.

Funfriends. with friends. adventures. a difference. ready to Making Making a difference.

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ON THE COVER: Nahaley Matthews and Aria Matthews head into Alta Vista Elementary for their first day of school. File photo.

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Serving Preschool - 8th grade Project-based approach Low student:teacher ratios New 8.8 acre campus Instruction differentiated for each student's needs Outdoor learning and play in every grade Daily fine arts for each student Competitive athletics After-school enrichment and clubs Convenient hours for working families Open minded, studentcentered school community Welcoming of all families, faiths, ethnicities, genders, and gender identities

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Learn more 941-552-2770

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A wholesome approach Terrence Connor uses his previous educational experiences as he takes the helm as the new Sarasota County Schools superintendent.

IAN SWABY STAFF WRITER

T

errence Connor knew he wanted to take the next step in his career.

He had been serving as the deputy superintendent and chief academic officer for Hillsborough County Public Schools since 2020.

He was ready for a new challenge, and he had his eyes on Sarasota County Schools.

What attracted him about the district, he said, was what he called its “tradition of excellence” and “strong community partners.”

But he also saw a need for someone to bring its different ingredients together to realize its full potential.

Connor looks forward to working to bring Sarasota County Schools to the next level as he takes the helm of the district as superintendent.

Connor started as the new superintendent July 17.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to lead a wonderful district like Sarasota, which has a lot of foundation in terms of its academic success over the years but is still striving to be better,” he said.

For Connor, improvement starts with looking at the bigger picture. His first priority is academic excellence but not that alone.

In his first 100 days, Connor wants to address academic excellence as his top priority, while also focusing on stakeholder engagement, operational effectiveness and providing a supportive environment that will allow teachers to promote the wellbeing of students.

He said students must feel safe and welcomed by adults and other students.

“I can’t wait for the fall to get a sense, firsthand, about what

AREAS OF FOCUS IN 100 DAY PLAN Terrence Connor plans to focus on four key areas within schools during his first 100 days as superintendent.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE Connor will focus on creating an engaging learning environment, which allows students to be confident and “take charge of their learning.”

SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT A supportive environment will be created to facilitate academic success, allow students to receive personal attention from teachers and allow staff to give strong guidance and support.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT The district will aim to form partnerships with teachers, support staff, and families to ensure that “all voices are heard and valued.”

OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS The district will establish a diverse workforce and efficient operational structures described as an efficient use of taxpayer resources.

our students are experiencing on a daily basis,” he said.

He said a positive environment enhances the academic aspects, which involve rigorous learning experiences to

Ian Swaby

Terrence Connor talks with Belynda Norton during a June 12 meet-and-greet.

make students into “productive, critical thinkers who can solve real-world problems.”

He emphasized the importance of a rich, multifaceted experience that ropes in sports, arts, clubs, social interactions and learning new skills.

Whether it was teaching middle school science, serving as an assistant principal or principal in Duval County Public Schools or moving onto district-level positions in the School District of Clay County and later Hillsborough County Public Schools, students have always been his focus.

As Connor moved up to the district level, he felt proud of accomplishments that benefited learning, including promoting accelerated learning and career and technical education. He said initiatives associated with these areas led to higher state academic rankings.

Yet despite his experience, he isn’t under any illusions about the challenge posed by the role of superintendent.

“It is a stressful job. There is a lot of scrutiny in the position,” he said. “There is a lot of pressure, and that could be political pressure, it could be different types of pressures.”

For him, the first challenge to overcome is getting to know

“I’m excited about this opportunity. I think Sarasota is ready to take off and be the destination district that I know everyone wants it to be, and I’m just honored and humbled that I’ll be able to help lead that work.” — Terrence Connor everyone in the community and listening to stakeholders.

Although the opinions of many constituents he meets will differ, he said he understands the process he needs to follow when disagreements arise.

“First off, you’ve got to acknowledge and allow people the opportunity to give you that feedback,” he said. “We are a public institution that serves the community, and they have a right to express themselves in terms of how we do business.”

When arriving at a decision, he said, the key is to consider the best interests of students and choose a path that is common sense, practical and follows the law.

“I try to be a unifier in the decisions I make, but I also know that at the end of the day, you have to make tough decisions, and some people are not going to be happy with that. And that’s OK,” Connor said. “As long as you’ve made the best decision, you can sleep easy at night.”

As he takes on the role of

superintendent, Connor wants to focus on staff retention and the ongoing teacher shortage.

He wants to promote pathways to becoming a teacher through dual enrollment, ensure teachers earn a livable wage, reduce barriers to alternative routes for teachers to be certified while reducing the cost of those routes and pursue growth and leadership opportunities.

Another is ensuring that principals are equipped to support teachers.

“We talk about customer service a lot, but we also need to think about teacher experience and how we can address that so they stay motivated,” he said.

The first 100 days as superintendent, and beyond, will be filled with numerous components to consider, but Connor is eager to become acquainted closely with Sarasota County.

“I think Sarasota is ready to take off and be the destination district that I know everyone wants it to be,” he said. “I’m honored and humbled I’ll be able to help lead that work.”

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Questions?

Email EarlyCollege@SCF.edu Visit SCF.edu/EarlyCollege Call 941-752-5050

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Spring: December 1 Summer/Fall: May 15

SCF Early College programs serve Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte (Lemon Bay) County students. Detailed information regarding SCF Early College can be found at SCF.edu/EarlyCollege. 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, 941-752-5599, 5840 26th St. W., Bradenton, FL 34207.

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BACK TO SCHOOL | JULY 2023

SCHOOL YEAR AT A GLANCE 2023-2024 Sarasota County Schools key dates

AUGUST

DECEMBER

FEBRUARY

3 Staff return

7-15 Hanukkah

10 First day of classes

21 End of second grading period

19 Presidents Day; all district sites closed

SEPTEMBER

25-29 Winter break

4 Labor Day; no classes, all district sites closed

JANUARY

8 Professional day; no classes

15-77 Rosh Hashanah

1-5 Winter break

24-25 Yom Kippur

9 Students return

11-15 Spring break; all district sites closed

OCTOBER

15 Martin Luther King Jr. Day; all district sites closed

12 End of first grading period

MARCH 7 End of third grading period

29 Mini break; no classes APRIL

16 Professional day; no classes

5-13 Passover

NOVEMBER

MAY

20-24 Thanksgiving break; no classes 23-24 Thanksgiving break; all district sites closed

24 Final day for students 27 Memorial Day; all district sites closed 29 Final day for staff

File photos

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Dear Sarasota community, I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as your superintendent to advance the goals of the community and the Board of Sarasota County Schools. My family and I are overjoyed to join the community and become an instrumental part of improving the lives of students.

As a lifelong resident and career educator in Florida, I understand the importance of providing our children with a high-quality education. My passion for education stems from my belief that all children deserve an opportunity to succeed. It is my aim to expand the opportunities for our students to excel academically and reach

their full potential.

I will work daily to make Sarasota County Schools a destination of excellence. I am grateful for the support of this community and look forward to working with everyone as we implement a plan that will propel our district to become the best in the nation.

The goal of an improved educational experience will require involvement from all — students, staff, families, caregivers, business leaders and community partners. To ensure we build on our strengths strategically, I have a structured 100-day transition plan in four phases: listen, explore, analyze and deliver…

This is our time to learn, grow and develop together. Join us on this journey and be a part of our inevitable success.

TERRY CONNOR SUPERINTENDENT, SARASOTA COUNTY SCHOOLS

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New schools on the way

Capacity: 1,500 students Timeline: Scheduled to open in August 2025.

Three new schools are being constructed to address growth in the central and southern part of the county.

ANDREW WARFIELD STAFF WRITER

A

s the more than 46,000 Sarasota County Schools students prepare to return to class for the 2023-2024 school year, the district’s construction services division is busy working on construction projects, three of which will relieve crowding and create capacity for anticipated growth.

“I don’t think we’ve ever planned so many new schools all at once,” said Diane Cominotti, the Sarasota County Schools director of planning.

“Where all the growth is happening, that’s where we’re try-

ing to build schools.”

Two new schools in Wellen Park will serve every grade with a new K-8 school and a new high school scheduled to open in 2025.

A second K-8 school at Clark and Lorraine roads will open a year earlier, as will the complete rebuild of Garden Elementary School in Venice. That rebuild will absorb the school’s permanent capacity of 482 plus those in 18 portable classrooms, perhaps more.

“Whether or not Garden Elementary is going to take on more capacity than that is too soon to tell,” Cominotti said.

“We’re evaluating what’s going on in that area to determine if

File photo

Sarasota County Schools plans to rebuild Garden Elementary School in Venice while keeping the current building in operation.

we if we might need to make it bigger.”

NEW WELLEN PARK HIGH SCHOOL The school will accommodate approximately 2,100 students in grades 9-12 on a 130-acre site between River Road and Englewood Road. It is intended to relieve pressure at Venice High plus accommodate a projected increase of nearly 3,400 future students across

all grades from Wellen Park.

Budget: $155 milllion Capacity: 2,100 students Timeline: Scheduled to open August 2025 NEW K-8 SCHOOL IN WELLEN PARK On an adjoining site on River Road with the new Wellen Park High School, the school will provide relief for Taylor Ranch Elementary School.

Budget: $104 million

NEW K-8 SCHOOL AT CLARK AND LORRAINE ROADS This new school will relieve overcrowding at existing schools and respond to growth in central county east of Interstate 75.

Budget: $84.2 million Capacity: 1,500 students Timeline: Scheduled to open in August 2024.

GARDEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL REBUILD The Venice elementary school has reached the end of its useful life. Built on the same site as the current school, students will continue to use the existing facility until the new school is completed.

Budget: $40 million Scope of work: Replace the existing building and 18 portable classrooms Capacity: At least 482 students Timeline: Scheduled to open 2024

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Bumps in the road to higher education Students face more competitive college admissions, shifting career pathways and increased expectations from employers.

JAMES PETER MANAGING EDITOR

T

he road to a higher education has changed.

Students are taking more advanced classes earlier in their education.

Going to college doesn’t always mean being in person on campus every day.

Simply applying to universities let alone earning admission has become a gauntlet. There’s no cruising through the first years of high school anymore.

“You need to start thinking

Courtesy photo

about college in eighth grade,” said Sarah Harding, a student success coach with the Education Foundation of Sarasota County. “It’s unfair, but that’s how it works.”

The Education Foundation of Sarasota County provides free college support and guidance.

Completing advanced level coursework is just one part of the challenge.

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essays and high test scores are required for public universities.

Harding said students are taking the ACT or SAT at least three times in hopes of getting higher scores as admission scores are getting higher.

“To be competitive, you get to take the highest score from each subsection. The scores for all these schools have gone up,” said Cheryl Haller, a college and career advisor at the Student Success Center at Sarasota High School.

JULY 2023 | BACK TO SCHOOL

in-demand field, like computer science, software development, hospitality or nursing, before entering the workforce.

Students are finding alternative ways to fund their postsecondary plans such as tuition reimbursement programs.

“A student working at Starbucks full-time gets the full cost of a B.A. online via (Arizona State University). You can really make it your own,” Harding said. “There’s a lot of hidden knowledge that students aren’t aware of — you have to speak to somebody in the know.

It’s like looking at a main road and not being aware of 100 shortcuts that will take you to the same path.”

rate representation of the work needed to reach that position.

Berris said the reality of long hours of scripting, filming and editing is lost on many students when they watch social media influencers. Others with dreams of emulating social media real estate moguls are surprised to learn about the licensing requirements, dayto-day business and long hours of real estate agents.

“So many students come through the door and say, ‘Well, I saw this on TikTok.’ But It doesn’t represent what paths are really like,” Berris said.

Another common career interest of late is criminology, seemingly inspired by true crime Netflix shows, YouTube channels and podcasts. “(Students say) ‘I want to do forensics.’ Are you strong in math and science? They just don’t realize the amount of education required for certain positions they see on TV,” Berris said.

RESOURCES

The Education Foundation of Sarasota County provides free college and career advising services to area students. For more information, visit EdFoundationSRQ.org.

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ALTERNATE ROUTES

The competitiveness of university admissions, along with the increasing costs of tuition, books and housing, have more students pursuing alternative routes of advancement. For some that means a blended model or fully remote degree.

“Some students are going that route to stay at home and save money,” Harding said.

More students are either starting at State College of Florida and transferring to a four-year institution or earning an associate’s degree in an

MEDIA INFLUENCE

Students’ job interests are diverse as ever, but with a new variable — social media. Anecdotally, it’s encouraging high school students to think more like entrepreneurs.

But social media also has the damaging effect of showing students extraordinary achievements without an accu-

SKILLS TO PAY BILLS

Employers demand candidates

with soft skills. Written and verbal communication are still at the top of the list, said Desh Bagley, director of IT/Coding Academy at State College of Florida.

“Employers are expecting more independence (and that they’re) capable of doing the initial research on their own.

And knowing what questions

13

to ask,” Bagley said.

That might mean using online platforms to troubleshoot problems and find answers and solutions as well as how to use generative artificial intelligence.

That’s in addition to other expectations employers have of young hires.

“Students are expected to know how to do the job faster,” Bagley said. “A four-year degree is good, but what industry partners are looking for is computer science degrees to look more like nursing — hands-on experience and a practicum.”

That’s opened another path to high schoolers looking to get a foothold in the workforce — coding bootcamps, which along with online learning have gained in credibility in recent years, according to Bagley.

With the rapid pace of software development and innovation, it’s more important than ever, Bagley explained, that students are prepared for a lifetime of learning.

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BACK TO SCHOOL | JULY 2023

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very student in the state has the opportunity to go to college for free in Florida if they choose.

The Florida Department of Education’s Bright Futures Scholarship program gives students the opportunity to receive four types of scholarships, which are funded through the state lottery.

Each scholarship has its own requirements.

As of the 2022-2023 school year, students are eligible if they complete a set number of paid work hours instead of service hours. As of July 1, students can combine volunteer hours and work hours to meet the requirements.

Shannon Fleming, the director of secondary curriculum for the School District of Manatee County, said the new option

allows more students to be eligible.

“It’s probably the most helpful for our students who have other obligations,” Fleming said. “Anytime we can remove barriers for our students to be able to be eligible for scholarships, I think that’s huge.”

Fleming said students who plan to attend a private Florida institution can also reap the benefits of the porgram and receive a comparable amount.

Here are the scholarships: FLORIDA ACADEMIC SCHOLARS

This scholarship covers 100% tuition for students who attend a public Florida institution.

Requirements: n 3.5 weighted GPA n 100 volunteer hours, 100 work hours or 100 hours combined n 16 high school course credit n Minimum ACT score of 29 or

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This scholarship covers 75% of tuition to a public Florida institution.

If a student is in an associate’s degree at a state college, the student could receive full tuition coverage.

Requirements: n 3.0 weighted GPA n 75 volunteer hours, 100 work hours or 100 hours combined n 16 high school course credits n Minimum ACT score of 25 or SAT score of 1200 by June 30 of the student’s graduation year GOLD SEAL VOCATIONAL SCHOLARS

This scholarship is for students in a career education or certificate program.

Requirements: n Weighted minimum 3.0 GPA in non-elective high school courses n Take at least three full credits in a single career and technical education program

n Achieve minimum scores: n ACT scores of 19 in reading,

17 in English and 19 in math n SAT scores of 24 on the reading test, 25 on the writing and language test and 24 on the math test n Florida Postsecondary Education Readiness Test scores of 106 in reading, 103 in writing and 114 in math n Complete 30 volunteer hours, 100 work hours or 100 hours combined GOLD SEAL CAPE SCHOLARS

This scholarship is for students enrolled in a career education or certificate program.

Students could receive an award for a minimum of 60 credit hours toward a bachelor of science degree program.

Requirements: n Earn a minimum of five postsecondary credit hours through CAPE industry certifications n Complete 30 volunteer hours, 100 paid work hours or 100 hours combined

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ing programs and educational plans for those students.

IDENTIFYING GIFTED STUDENTS

JAY HEATER MANAGING EDITOR

E

very parent knows his or her child has special gifts.

Whether those gifts qualify a student for a gifted student program is another story, often requiring an extensive evaluation by school personnel.

The school districts in Manatee and Sarasota counties focus resources on identifying gifted students and develop-

The School District of Manatee County has a form in which teachers, parents and students can nominate a student for the gifted program.

Cheryl Hughes, the exceptional student education gifted coordinator for Manatee, said the district is constantly training teachers so they identify students who would be a good fit for a gifted program.

In Sarasota County Schools, referrals should be made by “teachers or parents’ request.”

State guidelines also have requirements for placing students in a gifted program.

At the top of the list is IQ.

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We Take Your Child’s Vision Seriously

Jay Heater

Cheryl Hughes is the Exceptional Student Education Gifted Coordinator while Nicole Cox heads Exceptional Student Education for the School District of Manatee County.

and great grades doesn’t mean a student automatically is enrolled in a gifted program.

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Nicole Cox, the head of the exceptional student education program, said the School District of Manatee County requires a 130 IQ for a student to be part of a gifted program.

Some students with a slightly lower IQ are accepted depending on socioeconomic concerns.

Cox said having a high IQ

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BACK TO SCHOOL | JULY 2023

GIFTED, FROM PAGE 17

counselor in Manatee County.

After a screening in Sarasota, students are referred to a school psychologist for an evaluation.

In Sarasota, all gifted evaluations are performed at a student’s zoned district.

Motivation, leadership and critical skills are examined.

A psych examination is performed to see if the student is a good fit for the program. An IQ test is performed. A consultation with the parents is scheduled.

When all the information is gathered, teams meet to discuss the student and the possibilities.

The process has nothing to do with exclusion but rather finding ways to allow students to reach their full potential.

“Entering a student in a gifted program gives them the opportunity to interact with their like-minded peers,” Cox said. “It challenges them. These students often look at things differently than other stu-

dents. When they are together, they challenge each other. ...

But we don’t want to pull those students out of their (regular) class all the time. They have to live in the real world.”

ENTERING THE GIFTED PROGRAM

If the student appears ready in Manatee County, a parental consent form needs to be signed. Then an education plan is developed. The plan might be implemented with the student only being taken out of a regular class once or twice per week.

When they do come out of a regular class, they might get together with gifted peers to delve more deeply into a subject.

Sarasota has a gifted or accelerated magnet program where students meet in a classroom on a daily basis with all gifted students, taught by a teacher qualified to work with gifted students. The program “focuses on accelerated curriculum — grade-ahead instruction in English, language arts and

GIFTED 101

From the National Association for Gifted Children The characteristics that parents often notice first include: ■ Advanced vocabulary, heightened sensitivity, remarkable memory and rapid learning ■ Gifted and talented children are constantly learning from their environment, seeming to know things without the effort required to learn it How do I support my child at home?

■ Collect resources on your child’s topics of interests.

■ Make time to talk to your child every day and encourage active questioning.

Find peers or groups who share similar interests.

■ It can be easy to forget your child is just a child because the child might be able to have adult conversations about advanced topics.

■ Allow your child the freedoms or responsibilities appropriate for his or her individual emotional or social development.

■ Gifted children are often highly observant and sensitive to social issues and fairness. Model the behavior and respect of others you expect of your child.

■ Find opportunities for your child to participate in acts of service.

■ Provide challenges outside of school. Enrichment is incredibly beneficial whether it supplements school content or explores interests or passions.

■ Encourage your child to take risks.

■ Celebrate mistakes as learning opportunities.

When you make mistakes, model positive ways to problem-solve and grow.

math.”

Gifted magnet schools are Fruitville, Venice and Toledo Blade elementary schools; Booker, Sarasota and Woodland middle schools; and Pine View School and Laurel Nokomis School.

Traditional schools in Sarasota can offer a class where gifted students are placed in a classroom with other gifted children and a qualified teacher. At this level, Sarasota County Schools will allow a student who doesn’t meet the gifted requirements, but who has excelled academically, to be paired with gifted students. The program focuses on enrichment activities and instruction on a grade-level curriculum.

Other programs pull gifted students from a classroom to receive specialized instruction from a qualified teacher.

There also is a “consultation” program where a teacher who is certified to work with the gifted students works with the general education teacher to meet students’ needs.

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Tune up arts education After arts programs saw lower involvement as a result of the pandemic, schools are boosting their offerings.

MONICA ROMAN GAGNIER A+E EDITOR

W

404870-1

hile schools were closed for summer break, some halls and classrooms were filled with music.

Manatee County students were hard at work developing their musical abilities during the School District of Manatee County’s first visual and performing arts camp.

The camp was a part of the district’s plan to revitalize its visual and performing arts programs after involvement in the programs throughout the district dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic, schools throughout Manatee and Sarasota counties adjusted the way they taught visual and performing arts due to the districts having to accommodate the move to a remote or hybrid learning model as well as not having the resources needed to ensure students could learn and perform safely.

Angela Hartvigsen, a fine arts program specialist for Sarasota County Schools, said online and even hybrid arts education does not accomplish the same results as in-person programs, she said.

Since the pandemic, the districts have been working to boost their programs and get more students involved.

Manatee’s two-week camp, with sections for band, choir, theater, orchestra and art, was attended by 331 students entering sixth grade through

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Courtesy photo

Ballet students at Booker High School in Sarasota.

ninth grade. It contained two tracks — intermediate/ advanced for students with previous experience and beginner for kids dipping a toe into the arts pool for the first time.

The camp’s finale was a summer showcase held at Parrish Community High School. The theater group performed “Finding Nemo Jr.” while the band, choir and orchestra sections put on recitals. An art exhibit was on display in the cafeteria.

“It was an awesome showcase,” said Jeramiah Bowman, the curriculum and instructional specialist for visual and performing arts for the School District of Manatee County. “We had kids performing after seven days of instruction. All the kids were really supportive of each other.

The staff were fabulous.”

Bowman’s hope is the campers will bring their excitement back to school in August. He wants beginners to

continue their arts education in the upcoming school year and then come back to another free arts camp next summer.

But Bowman is a realist. He knows two weeks of playing the clarinet or painting watercolors isn’t going to erase the learning gaps and emotional trauma students suffered because of school closures and remote learning.

But an arts boot camp can get students jazzed, Bowman believes, and that can carry over into learning in general and improve mental health.

Part of the push for arts education in Manatee County comes from the district’s expansion from Science, Technology, Engineering and Math to include arts, thanks to a voter referendum.

In March 2018, Manatee voters approved a 1-mill property tax referendum, which called for more instructional time SEE ARTS, PAGE 22

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Arts FROM PAGE 21

for students, pay increases for teachers and staff and the expansion of STEM and career and technical education programs. In November 2021, voters renewed the referendum and included funding for visual and performing arts programs.

The referendum, grants and other funding sources helped underwrite the summer camp, restore arts staff positions cut during the pandemic, provide transportation to see performances at area arts venues and other schools and more.

The deterioration in a student’s vocal or musical ability isn’t measured with the same rigor at the secondary level as proficiency in math or reading. But there is no doubt that this year’s artistic performances showed marked improvement over the 20212022 year, according to

Courtesy photos

Students practice guitar in music class at Booker High School in Sarasota.

Hartvigsen. “ L i s te n i n g to m u s i c performances or looking at artwork in our spring art show, it’s clear the quality is coming back,” she said.

In Sarasota schools, teachers have brought in adjuncts to work with students. Young students are paired with older students who act as mentors to encourage their artistic

progress, Hartvigsen said.

One sign of the improvement in Sarasota’s arts education, Hartvigsen said, is the number of arts instructors nominated as the 2023 Teacher of the Year. Among 40 nominees, five taught either dance or music.

The winner of Teacher of the Year was Tim Ferguson, a music teacher at Garden Elementary School in Venice.

Gocio Elementary School student Jailyn Panigua won “Best of the Best” at the Sarasota County Schools North County exhibit at Art Center Sarasota in May.

The districts are working with community partners to showcase student work and host performances around Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Sarasota County Schools collaborates with some of the area’s arts institutions including Art Center Sarasota, Venice Art Center, Sarasota O rc h e s t ra a n d Ve n i ce Symphony.

In May, Sarasota students displayed their artwork in the North County K-12 Spring Art Show at Art Center Sarasota, and the Venice Art Center hosted the district’s South County Art Show.

Hartvigsen and Bowman want to encourage students to get involved in the arts as early as sixth grade, which is students’ first opportunity to dive into arts programs.

“When students get to sixth grade, they decide whether they want to pursue the arts. In music, you can pick from band or orchestra. You can have art class every day instead of once a week. It’s the entry way into what will become a seven-year experience,” Hartvigsen said.

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less interested in being active and more interested in sedentary activities. He’s made it his goal to get his students to see the importance of consistent exercise.

“This is one of the only classes where the goal is to have fun,” Mason said. “They get to try sports they haven’t tried before. The hope is something will hit a nerve and they’re like, ‘I actually love doing this.’”

Some of Mason’s more outthere experiments include table tennis, lacrosse, ultimate frisbee and spikeball. They also play traditional sports like basketball and soccer.

Spikeball is a sport that is essentially volleyball, but instead of hitting a large ball over a net, players stand in a circle and hit a tiny ball off a trampoline placed in the middle of the circle.

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teacher Andrea-don Griffin said. That includes completing a unit of instruction on dancing, which requires students to break into teams and complete a dance as a unit.

While that was happening, Griffin said, students were reviewing field sports they learned throughout the year and updating their overall fitness data. The well-rounded mix of activities makes sure eve ryo n e i s interested in something.

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teachers use Fridays for general fitness training such as running a mile, doing push-ups or completing a PACER test.

Brent Skogen, another Booker teacher, said the PACER tests, which are designed to measure aerobic capacity, work more or less the same as they always have: kids run back and forth across a 30-meter space, with the time they have to complete the run decreasing every minute.

Skogen said students are encouraged to remember their scores from previous tests so they can improve on them throughout the year.

“You would think they hate it, but we actually get good participation,” Skogen said.

Teachers are dedicated to getting as much effort out of students as they can up to the last day of school.

At Dr. Mona Jain Middle School, sixth graders spent their final week of the year completing key tasks,

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Something for everyone With differing interests amongst students, faculty are introducing new clubs and activities.

LESLEY DWYER STAFF WRITER

T

he thought of extracurricular activities might conjure up images of students hovered over a chess board or choosing photos for a yearbook, but extracurricular activities have undergone a major evolution over the past few decades.

Not only are there quadruple the options, there are activities children of the 1970s and ’80s could have never imagined— gamer clubs, for one.

Minecraft has become a popular video game amongst elementary and middle school students. It’s a game that can be played and coded, so students’ grow with the game as their computer skills develop.

Minecraft Club is one of an

array of options offered to students at Wilkinson Elementary School in Sarasota. The school offers six to 10 clubs per semester and more than half of its students access clubs at least once during the school year.

Media Relations Specialist for Sarasota County Schools Kelsey Whealy said clubs are created based on student interest and the availability and interest of teachers and staff members because all clubs must have a faculty sponsor.

Clubs appease a multitude of interests from providing service opportunities to playing esports to helping students learn more about career fields.

The list goes on.

For students looking for hands-on activities, Wilkinson offers RC Car Club. Students

Courtesy photo

Members of the Riverview High School Mock Trial Club simulate a murder trial at the Sarasota Bar Association’s 12th Judicial Circuit High School Mock Trial Competition.

design, build and race remote controlled cars.

“Most of our clubs are handson and students thrive. They get to develop new skills and interests when they are participating in a club,” RC Car Club Leader Shannon Quinn said.

“After-school clubs encourage positive behaviors among the

students. They want to be there and are excited.”

RC Car Club members must commit to attending the annual RC Custom Car Open at the Suncoast Science Center. Two tracks are set up behind the facility for students to test their designs.

Another extracurricular

requiring community involvement is the Mock Trial Club, offered at high schools across Sarasota and Manatee counties. Club members prepare for a mock trial before a real judge.

Students learn critical thinking, debate, public speaking, ethics, professionalism and teamwork.

But those are just a few of the clubs offered by local schools.

Riverview High offers the Crochet Club and the Better Together Club that make a point to include students with special needs in social activities. Sarasota High School offers the Helping Hands Photography Club that assists local nonprofit organizations by taking photos for their publications. Braden River High offers a Dungeons and Dragons Club.

“It’s important to offer a variety of clubs because students have different interests.

Some may love to sing and others may love to run; others may want to learn art,” Quinn said. “They get to develop new skills and interests when they participate in a club.”

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