School bullying: Parents and experts say bullying in schools is a far bigger problem than reported. National figures indicate 1 in 5 students have been bullied during the last school year. In Orange County, the number is 2 in 5, according to the report. But the official Orange County district numbers are 1 in 637. Statewide, the number is 1 in 806. One expert says there’s a “disconnect” between the amount of bullying that’s happening and the number of incidents reported. Orlando Sentinel.
Union election spending: The Florida Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, has spent about $2.7 million on state legislative races. That’s about double the amount spent by those who support tax credit scholarships and voucher plans. FEA president Joanne McCall said: “This is not about Republican versus Democrat. This is about us versus them: public schools versus vouchers [and] for-profit charter schools.” Politico Florida.
Contract negotiations: The Hillsborough County teachers union and the school district reach a tentative agreement on a contract. All teachers would get a $200 cost-of-living payment, and teachers at the top of the pay scale would receive another $200 bonus. About a third of teachers will also get their previously scheduled $4,000 raises. The deal still has to be approved by union members and the school board. Gradebook.
Preschoolers sickened: Twenty-one preschoolers at Ave Marie Friends Preparatory School in Lauderhill are hospitalized with intestinal distress Monday. Food poisoning is suspected. The district is investigating. Sun-Sentinel. Associated Press.
Honor society: Parents and some school officials say the National Society of High School Scholars misleads students on its promise of access to scholarships and to college admissions officials. The NSHSS also charges students $60 for memberships, and is not affiliated with the National Honor Society. Officials warn that paying to join such a group won’t improve a student’s credentials for college admission, and might actually detract from them. WPLG.
New school: Two north Jacksonville Catholic schools are closing at the end of the school year, and will be combined into a new school built by the Diocese of St. Augustine. Closing are St. Pius V and Holy Rosary. The 500 K-8 students from those schools will move to the new Guardian Catholic School when it opens in August. Florida Times-Union.
Charter CEO honored: Terri Roberts, CEO and co-founder of Liza Jackson Preparatory School in Fort Walton Beach, is selected as the 2016 Charter School Champion Governing Board Member at the recent Charter School Conference. Northwest Florida Daily News.
School threat: Dozens of Pine Ridge High School students leave school after rumors of threatened violence spread. School and law enforcement officials say the threats are unfounded. The rumors began spreading on social media last after animated political arguments in the school. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Opinions on schools: New leadership to fight homelessness is an opportunity to address new challenges, and here is one hidden in plain sight: Just more than 71,000 Florida public-school students are homeless. Vann Ellison, Orlando Sentinel. School advisory councils are mandated in state law, but are no longer funded. Are we to take away the message that lawmakers no longer think it’s important for community members to be involved in problem-solving, planning, innovation and excellence in our public schools? Citrus County Chronicle.
Student enrichment: The Ransom Middle School academic team qualifies for the 2017 Middle School National Championship Academic Tournament in Dallas in May. Pensacola News Journal. Hundreds of Florida students are competing in the Junior Orange Bowl VEX Qualifier Robotics Competition. Miami Herald. Hillary Clinton wins a mock election of U.S. students, while Donald Trump won Florida. Orlando Sentinel. Ocala Vanguard High School freshman Leeyu Addisu appears on Jeopardy! Teen Tournament Friday. Ocala Star Banner. Hundreds of students from schools in northeast Florida are taking part in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s “Adopt a Buoy” program, which streams data collected from ocean buoys into classrooms. St. Augustine Record.
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