Southeast High Students have pressing questions for superintendent Mills

Southeast High School student’s show Seminole Teen Talk Live may sound light, but the students involved show serious interest in the issues of the school board, particularly the budget.
Host and creator MacKenzie Yayura interviewed Manatee County school board chairwoman Karen Carpenter and superintendent of schools Rick Mills about the school board’s top issues of the past month, particular the budget shortfall.
According to the show’s producer, junior Gillian Palino, Teen Talk has aired about 10 episodes since Yayura started it this year under the direction of the production teacher Mike Sanders.
The show normally features interviews with other students, and topics addressed include International Baccalaureate versus Advanced Placement, balancing homework and stress and technology’s role in students’ academic lives.
The format allows audience members tuning in from around the community to submit questions via email and Twitter.
Thursdays episode garnered questions from other Southeast High School students, parents in the community and even a fifth grader from Willis Elementary.
Thursday’s episode gave
Carpenter and Mills took the opportunity to visit with students and tell them on a personal level some of the issues the district is facing.
“We need to be more fiscally alert,” Carpenter said on the show. “There is nothing criminal about stupidity, but we didn’t have a comprehensive financial plan.”
Concerns raised included the future of art and athletic departments community’s investment in both high and low performing students and the reimbursement of money to schools.
Yayura also inquired about a possible student advisory for the school board, as well as the possibility of student school board members.
“We need student voices at the school board, policy-making level and in their own schools,” Carpenter said. While she said that it is unlikely, and maybe even against Florida statutes, that a student would be elected to the school board, she still wants to hear student voices.
Yayura is graduating next month, but with younger siblings in the public school system, she said that she has concerns and fears that she would like to see addressed.
“There is too much attention taken away from high performing students,” Yayura said. She added that she would like to see a change in the community’s perception about her soon-to-be alma mater, Southeast High School. “I know I’m biased, but it’s a great school, and I would like to see more community collaboration around it.”
Yayura said that she found Carpenter’s and Mills’ responses reassuring.
“Mills has an action plan, and he is ready to analyze and develop solutions,” she said. “Carpenter supports students and student voices.”
Carpenter and Mills said they enjoyed hearing the interests of students as stakeholders, and they both had broad smiles as they left the Seminole Teen Talk set.
Episodes of Seminole Teen Talk can be viewed any time at www.highschoolcube.com
Erica Earl, education reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7081.


http://www.highschoolcube.com/profiles/setv

New Food Regulations on the horizon for Manatee County Schools

Sandy Ford, the food services director at Gullett Elementary School, is proposing a new food plan for the Manatee County School district at the school board meeting Monday night.
Ford would like to see the plan implemented as early as the 2014-2015 school year, but acknowledges that it probably will not be ready to be implemented until 2015.
Regulations she will be proposing for the school board to consider include:


-50% or more whole grain
- No more than 35% percent calories from sugar and fat
- No more than 200 calories per serving for packaged products
- 200 mg sodium limit per portion
- Limit of 350 calories per entrée
- No beverages except juice, water and milk or products that are less than 50 calories per 8 ounce serving AND not in food service area
- No milk bigger than 8 ounce

Voting on the proposal is not on the school board's agenda for Monday, but they will be listening to the proposal.

Gullet Elementary has been heralded for their efforts in promoting healthy choices. Earlier this month five fifth graders from Gullett were invited to the white house to help plant the White House kitchen garden with Michelle Obama.

SCF offering courses in Homeland Security

MANATEE -- The State College of Florida will offer new bachelor's degree programs in public safety administration and homeland security.

The college Monday released a promotional video about the classes filmed at the Sarasota/Manatee Airport Authority, which features James Carlino, police chief of Sarasota-Manatee Airport Authority and SCF adjunct professor.

Coursework will include crisis and disaster issues, public safety, homeland security, management and terrorism prevention. Homeland security program graduates can find employment opportunities in federal or state government, colleges and universities and the private sector.

Employment for public safety administration includes positions such as fire chief, deputy chief, emergency management coordinator and state trooper.

Carlino said the courses were designed by professionals.

"Not only do they teach but they have done the work on the street," Carlino says in the video. "You are learning from experience."

Homeland security class

es include contemporary issues in public safety administration/homeland security, catastrophic event response planning, critical incident management and intelligence analysis.

Carlino said the program is ideal for high school graduates and adults going back to school.

Carlino said he was an adult learner himself, going back to school and working his way up the ranks to chief.

Course videos can be accessed online at scf.edu/Academics/BaccalaureateDegrees.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2013/04/16/4484304/scf-offers-new-degree-in-homeland.html#storylink=cpy

Attttention! Southeast High's JROTC academic and leadership teams heading to D.C.

After a victory in the regional competition, Southeast High School's JROTC Leadership Academic Bowl (JLAB) battalion will be heading to Washington, D.C. for the national competition.
Southeast was one of the first place teams in their brigade, which consisted of schools from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia and Florida.The competition consisted of online play.
The competition in D.C. will take place at the George Mason University campus and requires the Leadership Academic Bowl cadets on the academic team to answer questions relating to SAT and ACT preparation. Leadership team members answer questions about organizational and professional leadership, such as how to properly treat one's subordinates.
The competition also considers battalions' community service hours and fundraising efforts.
Southeast High will be heading to the nation's capitol June 20. While the trip is paid for by the US Army, battalions are still expected to help raise funds on their own.
"We are expected as a courtesy to pay for as much of the trip as possible through fund raising," said freshman Brittani Sudbury, who competes on the academic team. "that is how we help give back to the army."
At the national competition, Southeast High will compete against several number one teams from around the country in leadership and academic events. One sole army winner will compete with winners from the marines, navy and air force.
Sudbury said that no seniors are allowed in JLAB. The leadership and academic teams each consist of one freshman, one sophomore and two juniors.
"Part of the competition is coming up with questions that may be used against other teams," Sudbury said. "This allows us to see how to come up with the answers."
Sudbury and other members train by studying after school.
"We will be very prepared for the SAT," she said. "The leadership team also gets training in social and working roles that you do not gain in ordinary classes."
Sudbury said the academic teams meets once or twice for two or three hours at a time. The leadership team meets for briefings every other day.
Southeast High School's JROTC also has a drill team and a rifle team that compete in events separately, including obstacle courses and marches.
Those teams will not go to Washington, D.C. as they are not a part of the Leadership Academic Bowl.






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New College names VP of Advancement

New College of Florida, a liberal arts honors college, has seen a fair amount of transition lately. After welcoming the new president Donal O’Shea earlier this year, the institution named Shannon Duvall as the new vice president of advancement and the executive director of the New College Foundation.
Duvall grew up in Winter Park and was accepted into New College out of high school. Although she pursued her education at Michigan State, New College left a favorable impression on Duvall.
Duvall is currently the associate vice president for development at Albion College, a nationally recognized, independent liberal arts college in south-central Michigan, where she has been responsible for prospect management and research, and staff development and training. She was also  responsible for alumni engagement and annual giving for 16 months.
At New College, Duvall will be responsible for all aspects of the College’s fund-raising program, including major and planned giving and the annual fund.
After a national search that started in December, Donal O’Shea, president of New College, and the search committee unanimously chose Duvall for her experience in securing large gifts, developing and managing giving programs and generating a strong return on investment in fund raising.
“The committee members were especially attracted by her professionalism, her impressive track record, her knowledge of all aspects of educational advancement, and her personal warmth,” O’Shea said.
Duvall said that she was more eager to start after meeting  O’Shea, the trustees, and the directors of the foundation.
“I was impressed by O’Shea’s wonderful leadership. The opportunity to be close to family again is a bonus,” Duvall said. “This is a win-win, and I think we will make a great team.”
A major part of Duvall’s position is the New College Promise, a $60 million campaign to provide necessary resources to advance the college. Since its launch in 2010, it has raised $23 million. Money is acquired through major gift giving, planned gifts and event proceeds. The money will be used for increased scholarships, endowment, student and faculty travel research grants, a new building for international studies and items for the library.
Duvall’s says her experience in development at Albion College has prepared her for the advancement position at New College.
“My time at Albion allowed me to stretch my managerial muscles,” Duvall said.
Duvall added that her time at Albion confirmed that her work brings her joy.
The vice president of advancement is a new position at New College that has absorbed the existing position of executive director.
She is replacing Clint Monts de Oca, who is retiring after serving on an interim basis after Andre Walker resigned due to family health issues.
Duvall’s vision for her position at New College is to be able to support O’Shea’s visions and provide necessary resources to keep education affordable.
Her plan is to engage alumni, parents and friends and talk about the importance of investing in college and in the futures of students, faculty and staff.
Duvall believes it is important to lead by example, and she has already given to the New College annual fund.
Duvall equated the task of fund raising to puzzle pieces.
“In one hand we have the needs of the college, and in the other we have alumni and other donors working to figure out what pieces they have to contribute,” Duvall said. “We will help those with philanthropic interests figure out how their interests fit with the needs of the college.”

Mills gets packed agenda at first Manatee school board meeting

MANATEE-- The new superintendent of Manatee schools Rick Mills will have a lot on his plate over the next few weeks. The school board met Monday to discuss issues such as the audit committee recommendations, school staff allocations, and charter schools.

Audit committee chair Bobbie Windham announced Monday that the committee approved the processes to follow up on the recommendations made by external auditors that were released March 7.

Recommendations include reviewing textbook expenditures over the past five years and confirming those numbers and meeting more often to monitor budgeting processes.

The audit committee has also approved improvements to the charter to clarify the committee's independence and function, Windham said. One improvement is making the audit committee independent from the school board, meaning that no school board members will serve on the audit committee. Other changes include meeting bimonthly rather than quarterly, clarifying terminology in the current charter, and providing an orientation to committee members to ensure that everyone understands the committee's functions.

Interim superintendent Dave Gayler even proposed that the audit committee change its name to the independent oversight committee.

These proposed changes will move on to be reviewed by the CFO of Manatee schools Michael Boyer.

External findings will be reported at the April 8 school board meeting.

"This time the guidelines will be specific and adhered to," said school board chair Karen Carpenter.

Boyer said that there are still findings to address, although the school board has reached the end of their deadline to submit a report on the findings and approve the audit committee report from June 2012.

"I feel like every time I think we can't get any lower, new levels are reached," said school board vice chair Julie Aranibar. "This is the last year we do this."

The movement to approve the budget amendments for Jan. 2013, which certified that the numbers were correct, carried 5-0. Mills is hoping to have a 2.2 percent fund balance by next year, believing that under his guidance the school board can climb out of its financial shortfall. School board members hope that he is right.

The school board also discussed the March 11 Central Coalition that brought together superintendents, school board members, and finance people from around the state in Tallahassee to talk about public education and public policy.

School board member Dave "Watchdog" Miner attended the coalition and represented Manatee County in the education appropriation committee. Miner said that it is important to get face time with legislators.

During Miner's time in the capitol, legislators unanimously passed opposition for the bill that would allow teachers and school personnel to be armed. The bill was proposed by state representative Greg Steube and called for principals in Florida public schools to designated one or more persons to carry concealed weapons while they fill their normal school duties.

Carpenter has commented previously that she feels the bill would burden school staff with responsibilities meant for law enforcement.

The school board also unanimously passed that the new student to teacher ratio be a standard of 18:1. At a school board workshop Monday, Boyer also proposed that teaching aids be cut back to one aid per every 15 teachers, ESE classroom ratios be raised from 15:1 to 18:1, and that the number of speech therapists be reduced. Boyer said that the total savings from these new allocations would measure up to about $10 million for the 2013-2014 school year.

"I do not plan on sitting here having this same conversation next year," Aranibar said.

Another topic at the board meeting concerned charter schools. The school board unanimously passed the non-renewal for Bradenton Charter school.

Part of the school board's duty is to monitor the performance of charter schools with which they make agreements. This includes a renewal and review process. A review team comprised of 32 members of completed the review of Bradenton Charter School in January and found performance to be unsatisfactory. Some findings were a matter of concern five years ago that never got resolved. According to the school board, the charter school will have 14 days to ask for a hearing and will be given an opportunity to present information on why there was a failure to meet the requirements for student performance.

Shortcomings included a governing board that "did not appear to be stable," according to the findings presented.

"They did a great job with things like parent relations and insurance," Gause said. "But from the curriculum side, the wheels were falling off."

The school board also unanimously approved the contract for the 2013-2018 school years for the all-boys' charter school Visible Men, whose application was approved in September. The school was founded by Neil Phillips and Lewis Parker.

School board member Barbara Harvey said that she is thrilled about this contract as she sees it as a sign of moving forward.

"I'm on a cloud," Harvey said.

Smaller, but still important, topics of the school board meeting included approving the revision of policy 2.5, which states that school board members must maintain residency in their school board member area from which they were elected throughout their whole term. These five residence areas, are different from the Manatee County commission district. The revision passed 3:2, as schools board members Barbara Harvey and Bob Gause found the change to policy unnecessary and confusing, but Mills recommended the change. Additional changes may be made to the policy regarding the five residence areas, but only in odd-numbered years. The school board also approved the calendar for the 2013-2914 school year.

The meeting Monday was Mills' first has superintendent.

"I have never felt so graciously welcomed," Mills said, adding that he believes that as a team the school board can make great things happen.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2013/03/26/4453694/new-supt-mills-gets-packed-agenda.html#storylink=cpy

Manatee County students get lesson in finance and business

BRADENTON -- Developing marketing strategies, scheduling appointments with clients, and printing auto insurance quotes has become part of the daily school routine for Manatee High students.

And it's a routine that could reap rewards for the students who take their "jobs" seriously.

The students, most of them seniors in an on-the-job training curriculum, are participating in an eight-week program designed to educate them about insurance plans, coverage, deductibles, and policy rating. InVest (insurance vocational education student training) is in its eighth year of teaching Manatee County high schoolers about personal finances and the insurance trade.

During the course, students are charged with creating their own auto insurance companies, complete with distinct logos and business cards. They are responsible for scheduling appointment times with other students and adult community members to rate insurance policies and print out quotes.

They also learned the factors that affect the cost of premiums.

They are required to come to class in proper business attire.

Phillip Baker, vice president of Boyd Insurance, said their classroom experience is a realistic snapshot of the jobs in the field. Progressive Insurance gave students an Agents Only sign-in code for their website that students can use in class. "They are working with real numbers that are live," Baker said. "This is real world experience."

The program is integrated into both Manatee and Palmetto high schools accounting classes and is sponsored by the Manatee County Independent Insurance Agents, including Boyd Insurance and BB&T Wyman Green and Blalock.

It is incorporated into an accounting class made up of on-the-job training students who divide their schedule between school and a job.

"This is one of the most practical things the school has been involved in," said accounting teacher Dennis Stallard.

The students will take a field trip to the commercial insurance group FCCI in Lakewood Ranch to get a closer look at how an agency is run.

"They will be dealing with insurance for the rest of their lives, so it is important that they know how to make educated decisions about it," said Christiaan Huth, vice president of insurance services at BB&T.

Manatee County Independent Insurance Agencies raised $9,000 to offer the programs free to students at Palmetto and Manatee high schools.

Part of the budget includes team and individual cash awards givens to students at a breakfast at the end of the program.

The cash awards are based on the companies the students' create and the creativity behind the and the students' cohesiveness and business success, There also will be awards for the top producing "agents."

"It is great to see them embracing it. They have really taken hold of this program and owned it," Huth said.

Huth also said that the ability to understand and explain the insurance process has given students confidence.

Senior Daniel Morrison said that this class has made him more conscious of his spending.

The class included a portion dedicated to making personal budget plans, calculating take-home pay, and practicing job interviews.

"It is important to know where your money is going and where it is coming from," said student Trey Horne.

Friday was the last simulation day of the course. By the end of the semester, students will present their final portfolios and spreadsheets before completing the course with the agency tour. Students also will be required to write a 500-word essay about the program.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2013/03/02/4416380/manatee-high-students-get-a-lesson.html#storylink=cpy