Blog: Clearwater High Football - New Coach, New Era

The 2013 Clearwater High School Football season starts "with new Head Coach and former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Donnie Abraham. Our slogan for this year is 'New Era. New Attitude.'"

Countryside High Seniors Tie for Valedictorian

Countryside High is fortunate to have a pair of valedictorians with sky-high grade point averages.

Countryside High is fortunate to have two valedictorians this school year, in addition to a salutatorian. The trio are academic leaders at their high school, with Jenna Luther and John McGovern in a tie for No. 1 – each with a 4.88 GPA. Now that's an achievement. Want to read about other top-notch students? Here's a story on Clearwater High's pair of academic gold medalists: Sign up for the free Clearwater Patch email newsletter to stay connected to your community.

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Police: School Open, Bomb Threat 'Hoax' at Clearwater High

Clearwater Police say a possible bomb threat at Clearwater High School is a hoax but they are taking precautions as school will be open Monday.

Clearwater Police say a possible bomb threat at Clearwater High School is a hoax but they are taking precautions as school will be open Monday. Police received the threat but there is no credible source, according to an autodial message sent out to parents Sunday evening. "CPD received an anonymous tip for a bomb threat tomorrow at the school which is believed to be a hoax," Elizabeth Watts, police spokeswoman, said in an email. "However, as a precaution we have taken certain law enforcement measures which I cannot disclose." A recorded message from Principal Keith Mastorides was sent out to students' parents: “At this time police have not found indication that there is a credible threat and they are continuing to investigate,” Mastorides …

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Countryside High Falls in Regional Baseball Playoff Game to Wiregrass Ranch

The Cougars were looking to advance in the playoffs for the first time in school history, but were done in by a determined Bulls team Saturday.

The Countryside High School baseball team once again failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs, dropping a 5-2 decision to Wiregrass Ranch in a regional quarterfinal game played at home on Saturday afternoon in Clearwater. Both teams scored twice in the first inning, and the Cougars chased Bulls starter Zach Drury from the game with two runs in the bottom of the inning. But Drury bounced back after being replaced on the mound by his brother, Austin, to hit a big two-out, two-RBI single in the second inning to give Wiregrass Ranch (18-9) a 4-2 lead it would never relinquish. Bulls head coach Jeff Swymer said the victory, the first playoff win in the program's history, was a big one for his young team. "It's huge. To me I think …

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What's Tampa Bay Saying?

Paddling in Schools: Would You Support It?

One Florida County has given elementary school principals the green light to paddle misbehaving students. What do you think about this, Tampa Bay?

A trip to the principal’s office in Marion County elementary schools might mean more for misbehaving students than a call to parents and possible detention detail. Principals there have been given the green light to paddle unruly pupils. The county’s school board decided April 23 that it was high time this once banned practice was brought back into the educational system. Citing repeat disciplinary problems with students where nothing else worked to get kids on track, board member Carol Ely, a retired principal, put the idea on the table. While the measure passed, principals don’t have carte blanche to paddle kids. Principals must first obtain standing written permission from parents, and they must get verbal permission before each …

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What? No More Early Release Days?

It's not just a school rumor. Pinellas County Schools will end the practice.

You can almost hear the collective groan in Clearwater classrooms: There will be no more early release days at Pinellas County schools. Starting next school year, the early dismissals on Wednesdays will go away. Pinellas County Schools posted the announcement on its website, along with a listing of bell schedules for campuses across the district. To find out the bell schedules for individual schools, just visit the district’s website. “The new school bell times for 2013-14 reflect minimal changes,” district officials said on the website. “However, next school year, schools will not have early-release Wednesdays.” Students end this school year on Wednesday, June 5. Get the Clearwater Patch newsletter delivered to your email.

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Arrest in Clearwater Hair Salon Robbery at Knifepoint

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office makes an arrest in connection to an armed robbery at Blew Chocolate Hair Salon on Drew Street.

A 45-year-old Pinellas Park man was arrested Tuesday in connection to a robbery at knifepoint at the Blew Chocolate Hair Salon, 2140 Drew St., in Clearwater. Michael R. Bourdeau was taken into custody Tuesday, April 16, after detectives say they spotted a car in Dunedin that witnesses had identified. Bourdeau also is a suspect in a second armed robbery Tuesday at a Sun Country Dry Cleaners in Oldsmar. According to the Tampa Bay Times: Between Monday and Tuesday afternoon, stores in Largo, Clearwater, St. Petersburg and Oldsmar were robbed by a knife-bearing man. Employees described the robber as a white man more than 6 feet tall and 250 pounds, clean-shaven and wielding a long, sharp culinary knife. In the Clearwater incident, the Pinellas…

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Pinellas Releases 2013-14 School Calendar

The new academic year begins Aug. 19 for Clearwater students.

Clearwater parents hoping to get a jump on planning activities around next year's Pinellas County school calendar are in luck. The school district has released its list of important dates for the 2013-14 school year. This school year (2012-13) ends Wednesday, June 5, 2013. Students only have two more days off before the year ends. The first one is Monday, April 29, which is a teacher professional development day. That means kids get to stay home, but teachers have to hit the books. The last holiday off of the school year is Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day, according to the district’s calendar. Here’s a look at the 2013-14 school schedule: Source: Pinellas County Schools

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Pinellas Schools to Revamp Dropout, Behavioral Programs

A district review of dropout prevention and alternative education programs showed there was room for improvement. What changes would you like to see made, Clearwater?

Pinellas County School Board members want to see the district do a better job in handling troubled students. Specifically, board members want the district improve the way it handles disruptive kids and those who are at risk for dropping out. A recent countywide review of programs geared toward troubled kids showed the district’s programs are not used as much as they could be, The Tampa Tribune reported. To remedy that, the district hopes to add programs meant to get students who have fallen off track back on grade level faster. It also wants to boost its technical education programs. Plans are also in the works to revamp programs that target kids who are chronically disruptive in classrooms. School Board Vice Chairwoman Peggy O’Shea said …

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