SARASOTA - The City of Sarasota donated 115 gently used computers to a local education program which helps ensure school children have access to a home computer. The Texcellence Computer Donation Program, a collaboration between the Education Foundation of Sarasota County and Sarasota County Schools, will distribute the computers to qualified students from 5 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 2, at Booker Middle School, 2250 Myrtle Street.

“This is a cooperative effort,” said Sarasota City Manager Robert Bartolotta. “The city’s Information Technology Department worked alongside our Purchasing Department, the Newtown Redevelopment Office and the Education Foundation to make this happen. Students in North Sarasota who really need a home computer will receive a refurbished computer. And that’s a tool that will help them succeed,” said Bartolotta.  

The donated computers were refurbished with the help of the Education Foundation, then loaded with educational and home office software. During the upcoming distribution, families will receive a three-hour training session on how to use their new computer and software. Four City of Sarasota employees with the IT Department will help with the distribution.

Since Texcellence was launched in spring 2007, nearly 3,000 families have received recycled computers, training and technical support. “There are thousands more families in our town who are eligible to receive these computers, families that are truly motivated to help their children succeed in the classroom and in life,” said Cindy Kaiser, the Education Foundation’s Executive Director. Donors are needed to underwrite the $250 it costs to refurbish and deliver each family’s computer.

Texcellence is one of many initiatives supported by the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, a not-for-profit organization which works with the community to provide over $1.2 million in gift support for Sarasota County Schools every year. For more information visit www.edfoundation.net.

Sarasota High Athletic Director Clyde Metcalf 

SARASOTA – Longtime Sarasota High School athletic director and head baseball coach Clyde Metcalf will be inducted into the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame at the organization’s annual Hall of Fame Luncheon at noon on Sunday, Dec. 13, at the Hilton Daytona Beach Resort.

The award celebrates Metcalf’s 35 years of coaching high school athletes, including more than 29 years and 700 baseball wins with the Sarasota High Sailors.

“This is a great honor for Coach Metcalf, and he truly deserves it,” said Sarasota High principal Jeff Hradek. “He has guided some of Florida’s best high school athletes to glory and many of them have gone on to play in college and in the major leagues. Along the way, he has helped instill a strong sense of sportsmanship in hundreds of young people. We’re proud that he’s representing Sarasota High and the school district in the Hall of Fame.”   

Current and former SHS athletes and other students, parents, alumni and friends who wish to attend the luncheon and induction ceremony may contact Barbara Gall Winner via e-mail at barbara_winner@sarasota.k12.fl.us, no later than Wednesday, Dec. 2. Tickets are $30 each and must be purchased in advance. The Hilton Daytona Beach resort is located at 100 N. Atlantic Ave. in Daytona Beach.

SARASOTA – The Education Channel has received a 2009 Gold MarCom Award for an episode of the series Your Money @ Work, showcasing the Sarasota County School District’s energy-saving measures. The 30-minute program, which airs regularly on the district’s cable television station (Comcast 20, Verizon 33), looks at the many ways the district is saving money while protecting the environment through its “green” efforts.

“The show allowed us to showcase the idea that going green is a win-win for Sarasota County residents,” said Kimberly Stocker, who produced the program. “Many of these measures the district has put into place have paid off right away with lower energy and operating costs for the school district and taxpayers. In the long run, they also are helping create a cleaner, greener community for everyone. We’re pleased that the MarCom Award for Your Money @ Work is helping focus attention on the district’s efforts.”

The episode features interviews with Scott Lempe, the district’s chief operating officer, and with energy managers and representatives of other district departments. Various segments explore such initiatives as custodians’ use of green-certified products to get a cleaner result at a lower cost; the district’s move to more fuel-efficient school buses; the establishment of low-maintenance, drought-tolerant landscaping; and the launch of the Farm to School program, an effort to bring more locally grown products to school cafeterias.

The program also details the district’s efforts to build and maintain green schools and facilities, including Lamarque Elementary School in North Port and the School Board headquarters complex at The Landings in Sarasota, both of which received the Energy Star rating from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. Commercial buildings that earn the Energy Star label use an average of 40 percent less energy than a typical building and release 35 percent less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Two of the district’s newer schools, Atwater Elementary and Woodland Middle, were built to the standards of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification program (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design); the program details the green aspects of Atwater’s building and grounds. The show points out that students are learning from these examples as they study green principles and their benefits to the community and the planet. 

The MarCom Awards, which recognize creative achievement in a variety of media and categories, are judged and administered internationally by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, an organization of marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, media production and freelance professionals. This year there were almost 5,000 entries from throughout the United States and several foreign countries.

SARASOTA – Beginning Monday (Nov. 23), eligible students may register for the 2009-10 second semester of the Sarasota County School District’s online learning option known as Sarasota Virtual School. The registration period for students in grades K-8 ends Friday, Dec. 18. Students in grades 9-12 may register through Friday, Jan. 15, 2010. The second semester for all grades of Sarasota Virtual School begins that same day. Students who attended the school for the first semester are able to continue without taking any action. Eligible new students may register for the second semester.

“Students and their parents who have signed up for Sarasota Virtual School are finding that the school meets their needs,” said Deborrah Metheny, supervisor of School Choice programs for the district. “They have lots of different reasons, but they’re all happy to have this online option.” 

School districts are now required by the Florida Department of Education to offer a virtual-school online learning option for students in grades K-12. In accordance with this state requirement, Sarasota Virtual School is an interactive learning environment created through technology, in which the student and teacher are separated by time, space or both.

The school uses a state-approved curriculum with instructional materials that include a computer, Internet access and printed materials. Computers and Internet access may be provided at no charge to eligible students who meet family income requirements. Instructors are highly qualified and/or certified teachers, as defined by the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law.

The Sarasota County School District contracts with outside vendors approved by the School Board. A company known as K12 provides the district with online learning services for students in grades K-8; Florida Virtual School serves students in grades 9-12.

Eligible students for the 2009-10 school year are those who are in grades K-12 and were enrolled in a Florida public school (traditional, charter or alternative) since Oct. 1, 2008, are dependents of a member of the U.S. military transferred to the state within the last year, or were enrolled in 2008-09 in a school district virtual instruction or an approved K-8 virtual school program. According to Florida Statute, students who were home-schooled during the 2008-09 school year are not eligible. Students who already have begun this school year in another district school or program and who meet all the requirements for eligibility may apply for the virtual school option for the remainder of the school year.

Sarasota Virtual School will be graded, just as all schools in Florida receive a grade each year. Teachers monitor student progress and give assignments online and through physical materials shipped to and from students. Students, parents and teachers communicate via e-mail and telephone. Student attendance will be monitored, based on online activity. Textbooks and traditional instructional materials are used, but much of the content is delivered via the providers’ Web sites, www.k12.com/flvp (grades K-8) and www.flvs.net (grades 9-12).

The Sarasota Virtual School office may be reached at 941-927-9000, ext. 32171, or via e-mail at SVS@sarasota.k12.fl.us.        

More information, including Frequently Asked Questions about Sarasota Virtual School, is available by clicking on the following link:         

Sarasota Virtual School Web page            

SARASOTA – An independent committee of business advisors reported to the School Board of Sarasota County on Nov. 17 that the district has done an outstanding job of managing the revenue from a local voted millage in effect since 2002 and should seek its renewal in 2010.

The Financial Advisory Committee originally was formed to provide community oversight of the revenue raised from the millage. The FAC currently meets monthly to advise the superintendent on good business practices and a range of financial issues, including the operating budget, capital projects, cost-reduction initiatives, revenue streams and communication of the district’s financial practices.

Committee vice chairman John Cranor said the conclusions of the committee regarding the performance of the district in managing its resources was based on an analysis of return on investment. “It’s a value proposition,” he said. “What do we get for what we spend?”

The committee used a variety of measures to assess the quality of education being delivered by the Sarasota County Schools. They noted that the district is designated by the state as an “A” district, its SAT scores are much higher than state and national averages, it has a record high graduation rate (86 percent) and a record low dropout rate (2.1 percent), student achievement is steadily improving and strong progress is being made in narrowing the achievement gap between white and black students.

Their report on district performance concluded the following: “These various measures all indicate that Sarasota County delivers education that is demonstrably superior to most other districts in the state. The ‘What do we get?’ aspect seems sound.”

The committee also reported on the use of the funding from the voted millage approved in 2002 and renewed in 2006. The funds have been used for the purposes originally designated: to provide a longer school day; improve teacher compensation; reduce class sizes; preserve art, music, honors and athletic programs; enhance dropout prevention and improve counseling services.

The report also noted that while the School Board met community expectations to enhance the quality of educational services, it also demonstrated good business sense by holding some referendum funding in reserve. The reserve has provided a cushion against some of the worst effects of an economic downturn that has forced many Florida school districts to impose far deeper cuts in service than have been necessary in Sarasota.

“The voted millage enabled quality enhancements and the decision to maintain a strong reserve provided critical funding in a period of reduced revenue,” Cranor said. “We laud the school board for that.”

The FAC also reported that the district has made prudent use of its borrowing capacity to move forward with construction of new school facilities while construction and borrowing costs are low.

Cranor said the Financial Advisory Committee strongly endorses the district’s proposal to seek voter approval of a continuation of the current voted millage. “In our judgment, this funding is responsible, in large measure, for the significant and strongly positive differential performance of Sarasota County Schools and students. This funding allows the district to get on with its primary mission of teaching and learning.”

The committee offered some recommendations for the district to pursue as the economy recovers. They said the district needs to restore its budget reserve and to find the means to replace federal stimulus funds that will expire after 2011. They also suggested that the district explore “pay for performance” options for instructional staff and seek greater flexibility on negotiating contracts for outsourcing support services.

The report concluded that although the district has performed well over the past four years, both in terms of academic progress and fiscal responsibility, it should take a “not satisfied” approach in its continuing pursuit of excellence in educational programs, financial reserves and facilities needs.

The full Financial Advisory Committee report, including profiles of the committee members, and an accompanying PowerPoint presentation are available at the links below: 
                                                                     
Financial Advisory Committee Report Nov 2009  

FAC Presentation to School Board-PDF file  

SARASOTA – At the annual reorganization meeting of the School Board of Sarasota County Nov. 17, members of the board elected Shirley Brown as chairwoman. Brown succeeds Caroline Zucker and will serve until the board’s next annual election of the chair in November 2010. Frank Kovach was elected vice chair for the same term.

“I am privileged to chair the School Board for the next year,” said Brown. “These are difficult times for school districts across Florida and throughout the nation, but we are fortunate to have so many strong supporters of public education in Sarasota County.”

Brown was elected to the School Board in November 2006. She served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1992 to 2000, representing District 69 as a Democrat. Brown currently serves on the board of the Sarasota chapter of the American Cancer Society, attends Church of the Palms and is a member of many local civic organizations.

SARASOTA — The Sarasota County School District presented a Parent Institute for parents in all county public and private schools on Nov. 14 at Phillippi Shores Elementary School in Sarasota. The institute was created to give parents and guardians a variety of tools and information to help students succeed in school. The event included 18 workshops on subjects ranging from study skills and homework to health and safety to improving behavior.*

A free breakfast was provided. More than 20 support service agencies exhibited materials and had staff on hand to explain their programs.

Interpreters were available for parents whose first language is Spanish or Russian. Bus transportation was provided from south and north county locations. Child care also was available.

Many of the 90 parents who attended the district’s first district Parent Institute in March said the experience was valuable. Parent Nancy Capece said, “I learned about technology resources I didn’t know existed: new web sites, new research tools. It was a very good way to spend a morning.”

Diane Ulloa said she and her husband learned how much children need to know just to start kindergarten and what to do to prepare their children for school.

Jeff Gavette learned how to create flash cards and memory games and how to communicate with his children more effectively. “I learned how important it is to clearly state your expectations and to follow through,” he said.

Alissa Perry from North Port said the program was better than she expected. “This information was very applicable,” she said. “I learned things I can take home and use today.”

She said she enjoyed engaging in conversation with the presenter in her session. “I didn’t feel rushed or pushed aside,” she said. “I loved that.”

*Click here for complete list of workshop titles and descriptions:

 Institute Session Descriptions 

March, 2009 Parent Institute

• Audio Stories