Scholastic Art Awards showcase student creativity

Best of Show: Scott McWhinnie's
"Don't Mess with Me"

SARASOTA – An awards ceremony recognizing the best in student art from Sarasota County Schools will take place Jan. 30 at Ringling College of Art and Design’s Crossley Gallery. One hundred original works of art by students in grades seven through 12 — chosen from among 250 entries as winners of the Regional Scholastic Arts Competition — will be on display from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 30 and by appointment through Thursday, Feb. 7.

Sarasota County Schools and Ringling College of Art and Design sponsor the competition, and tonight’s ceremony is open to students, parents and the general public.

The purpose of the competition and the awards are to encourage and support the next generation of artists. The competition is open to the county’s public, private, charter and home schools. Seven schools participated in the current competition — Booker, Riverview and Sarasota high schools, middle school students from Laurel Nokomis and Pine View schools and high school students from Pine View.

Thirteen of the 250 entries received the Gold Key Award, making them eligible to travel to New York for the national competition. Five works received the American Visions Award. The Best of Show was awarded to Scott McWhinnie of Sarasota High School.

More information and gallery appointments are available by calling Ringling College of Art and Design at 941-351-5100 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

Phoenix Academy helps 'Focus the Nation' on global warming

SARASOTA – Students at Phoenix Academy, a Sarasota County public school that helps refocus eighth- through tenth-graders who have been struggling academically, will themselves help “Focus the Nation” by taking part in a national teach-in on global warming, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday (Jan. 31). More than 1,000 universities and colleges and in all 50 states, as well as several K-12 public schools, will engage in this national discussion.

Focus The Nation centers on the three most essential pillars for today’s youth to embrace solutions to global warming: education, civic engagement and leadership. Phoenix Academy students, teachers and administrators have embraced all three of these solutions and will showcase each of them during their day-long participation in the teach-in.

On Thursday morning, students in all three grades will rotate classrooms for various presentations and discussions about climate change, its impacts and potential solutions. Phoenix Academy teachers and other staff members will moderate the discussions. Guest speakers will include experts from Sarasota County Extension Services and Sarasota County Environmental Services.

From 1:15 to 3 p.m., the school’s ninth-graders will host 25 educational booths for other Phoenix students and visitors. Booths will focus on concrete solutions that will help individuals focus on solutions to the challenge of global warming.

From 3 to 3:50 p.m. the school will host a panel on “Green Democracy.” Guest speakers from state and local government, including former Sarasota City Commissioner Danny Bilyeu, now with U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan’s office, will help students appreciate the important role each of us in a free society plays in finding and implementing solutions to difficult problems. The event will culminate at in a group pledge at 3:50 p.m. by all participants to work toward global warming solutions.

"Our students and staff are excited about joining other schools, colleges, universities and organizations throughout the country to help focus on solutions to this international issue,” said Rachel Shelley, principal of Phoenix Academy. “Along with Sarasota County government, the city of Sarasota, New College and other local institutions, our school saw this event as a great opportunity to make a difference in our community, our nation and our planet.”

District appoints Michael Jones new HR chief

SARASOTA – Veteran human resources professional Michael Jones has joined Sarasota County Schools as executive director of human resources and labor relations. Jones is a veteran of school district and corporate human resources departments. His public sector positions include director of human resources for Rockford Public Schools in Rockford, Ill., and the Seattle Public Schools. He also served as superintendent of the East Valley School District in Spokane, Wash., and the Port Huron Area School District in Port Huron, Mich.

Jones’ corporate experience includes positions with Pillsbury, Honeywell and Tektronix. He holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree from Emporia State University, Kansas, and a Juris Doctorate from Northwestern Law School in Chicago.

“Michael brings a depth of expertise to Sarasota County Schools,” said Gary Norris, superintendent. “We are pleased that he is here to help us continue to attract and retain the highest quality teachers, administrators and support staff for the students and families we serve.”

Jones said he already is enjoying working in Sarasota County. “The people I’ve met here have first and foremost the well-being of children in mind,” said Jones. “We want to provide the leadership and the environment to continue to make that a priority. That includes closing the achievement gap where it exists, and doing it with urgency.”

He adds that his experience “dropping out, then catching up” with his education and his time spent teaching in a community college have given him empathy for students and the teachers who serve them.

A devoted fisherman and avid reader, Jones particularly enjoys biographies and has a collection of books about Thomas Jefferson. “I prefer non-fiction to fiction,” Jones said, adding that he likes to read true stories of great Americans who have promoted and benefited from education.

“Thanks in large part to our system of public education for everyone, we are unique even among free countries,” said Jones. “If you want to improve yourself, this is the greatest place in the world to do it.”

School Board meetings are now broadcast live

SARASOTA – Regular meetings and workshops of the School Board of Sarasota County are scheduled to be televised live from the School Board Chambers on The Education Channel, beginning with a Budget Workshop (1-2:30 p.m.) followed by a regular School Board meeting (3 p.m.), Tuesday, Jan. 22.

Most meetings that take place in the School Board Chambers, 1980 Landings Blvd., will air live on the cable TV channel, which is available on Comcast 20 and Verizon 33.

“Live broadcasts of our meetings will provide viewers with real-time access to the public business of the School Board,” said Kathy Kleinlein, board chair. “We are pleased to join the Sarasota County Commission, the Sarasota City Commission and many other counties, cities and school boards around the nation by offering live telecasts of our meetings.”

In addition to the new live broadcasts, the meetings will be rebroadcast on The Education Channel as follows:

Regular school board meetings:
8 p.m. Wednesdays
Noon Thursdays
10 a.m. Saturdays

Workshops:
7 p.m. Fridays
5 p.m. Saturdays
4 p.m. Sundays

A list of upcoming School Board meetings is available on the district’s Web site at www.SarasotaCountySchools.net by clicking on the School Board link in the alphabetical list on the left side of the home page. On the School Board page, Web visitors may click on the Meetings & Workshops link on the right. A complete schedule of live meetings, rebroadcasts and other station programming is available on http://www.theedchannel.net/.

Board approves 'Woodland Middle School' name

NORTH PORT – North Port’s newest middle school is set to open in August 2008 as Woodland Middle School. The name, approved by the School Board of Sarasota County Tuesday (Jan. 8) at its regular board meeting, was recommended by a committee led by Kristine Lawrence, who will be principal of the new school. Teachers, administrators, parents and students at Heron Creek Middle School and Toledo Blade Elementary School on the committee reviewed a number of suggestions before recommending the name based on a vote of the ideas received.

“The name ‘Woodland’ represents Florida’s natural surroundings,” said Lawrence, “including many wooded and wetland areas which provide the boundaries for the school.”

The school is located near a subdivision with a similar name — the Woodlands. The working title for Woodland Middle School, located at 2700 Panacea Blvd., North Port, was Middle School EE. It is being built to accommodate the growing student population in the Heron Creek and Toledo Blade attendance areas.

Sarasota County School Board policy states that schools should be named after the street, city or area where they are located, or in honor of a person who has made a significant contribution to the county, state or nation. Schools also may be named for individuals who provide major financial subsidies for their construction.

School names are recommended by a committee and selected by the school board. The board may choose a name that is not in strict adherence to the naming guidelines if they think it is appropriate, as in the case of the Phoenix Academy in Sarasota.

Information about Sarasota County Schools is available on the district’s Web site at www.SarasotaCountySchools.net.