Sunday, May 20, 2012
Leonard Johnson, a Clearwater native, was recently signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and insists he hasn't forgotten his humble beginnings.
While the world was spinning for football star Leonard Johnson in May, it wasn't dizzying enough for him to lose sight of his North Greenwood roots. Johnson, who was Largo High School's starting quarterback for four years and later a star cornerback for Iowa State, was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent in early May. "I threw a football camp down in North Greenwood and I had about 300 kids come out. I will throw another one sometime in July," Johnson said to Bucs reporters. "There was a streak of violence in the community, some murders, and we wanted to reach out to the kids in the community, so I reached out to my college teammates and friends I grew up with (to organize the camp). "The message was mostly for the …
27.920313
-82.787639
410 Missouri Ave N, Largo, FL
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Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The passing grade for Florida's standardized writing test has been lowered by an emergency rule, keeping the failure rate basically unchanged, TBO.com reports.
Was this the right call? What are your thoughts on the FCAT? Post your comment below. The passing grade for Florida's standardized writing test has been lowered thanks to an emergency rule instituted Tuesday, keeping the failure rate basically unchanged from a year ago, TBO.com reports. "The State Board of Education unanimously passed the rule today after preliminary results showed only about a third of students would pass this year," according to TBO's story. That would have been down from 80 percent or better on last year's writing portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), TBO reports, a decrease that came after the test was made more difficult. The FCAT writing test is taken by 4th-, 8th- and 10th-graders. Read more …
Educators have proposed reducing the FCAT writing passing score to increase passing rates. A discussion is scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Less than 30 percent of fourth graders in Florida passed the FCAT writing test this year, according to preliminary results released on Monday, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times today. That's a steep dip compared to last year when 81 percent scored a passing 4.0 or better. The plummeting scores have prompted extreme concern among educators and state officials. On Monday, Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson proposed reducing the FCAT writing passing score from 4.0 to 3.5. Under that standard, 48 percent of fourth-graders would have passed the test with a 3.5 or better, along with 52 percent of eighth-graders and 60 percent of 10th-graders, according to the Times story. Florida education officials held an emergency conference call Tuesday…
Friday, May 11, 2012
Lunch prices will go up for students as of July 1. But the universal breakfast will be free next school year for all students.
School lunch prices will increase July 1. The Pinellas County School Board approved the new prices at its May 8 meeting. It's the first time prices have gone up since 2005-06. Elementary students will pay $2, middle and high school students $2.50. Lunches are currently $1.75 for elementary and $2 for middle and high school students. The lunch price increase is because a federal law requires school district to raise full-price lunches to equal the federal reimbursement for free lunches. Currently the federal government pays the county $2.72 per student on free lunch. The schools have until 2015 to be in full compliance, so lunch fees could go up again, according to a news release. Breakfast is free. While lunch prices went up, the universal…
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
A Clearwater woman who worked as a teacher's aide is accused of carrying on a 7-month relationship with a 16-year-old student at Hamilton Disston School in Gulfport.
A Clearwater woman who worked as a teacher's aide was arrested and accused of carrying on a 7-month relationship with a 16-year-old student at Hamilton Disston School in Gulfport. Rumors surfaced about a relationship between Artia Patrice Davis and a disabled student at the school, prompting an investigation by Pinellas County Schools and Child Protection Investigations, according to Clearwater Police. Amid the inquiry, Davis resigned her job as a teacher's aide in March, officials said. On Monday, as part of the investigation, officers went to Davis' Highland Avenue apartment and found the victim in her bed. Davis was arrested and charged with unlawful sexual activity with a minor. She was released from Pinellas County Jail on $10,000 …
A rash of incidents prompted Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies to remind parents dropping off kids at schools and child care facilities to bring valuables inside with them if they leave their care and lock their doors.
Suspects are targeting valuables in parked cars, especially at schools and child care centers lately, Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies said in a news release. The suspects have been seen parking next to parents' vehicles while they are dropping kids off at schools and child care facilities, then waiting to grab purses and other valuables left in plain sight when the parent leaves the area. Sheriff's say that soon after, the suspects are using the victim's identification to cash stolen checks. In some cases, the victims' cars were left unlocked. In other cases, windows have been smashed. A rash of burglaries over the past two weeks prompted deputies to issue a warning to many local schools and child care centers earlier this week. …
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Lacrosse is not recognized by any school, public or private, as a varsity sport in Pinellas County, despite the FHSAA hosting a high school state tournament. A group of lacrosse advocates will meet tonight in a grassroots effort to change that.
In Florida, football is king and there is no sport that comes remotely close. However, that is not stopping lacrosse enthusiasts from trying to land a foothold in the Sunshine State, and specifically in Pinellas County. The sport, which is wildly popular on the amateur level in the Mid-Atlantic states, the northeast, the Carolinas and in pockets of the Midwest, is slowly gaining ground in Florida. Small clubs have popped up throughout the Tampa Bay area, and some municipalities offer the sport. Lacrosse is also gaining some, albeit limited, interest in high schools. Recently, lacrosse was elevated on a state level from a club sport to a varsity sport by the Florida High School Athletics Association. Club sports, such as hockey, are not …
27.96062
-82.72875
2630 Gulf to Bay Blvd, Clearwater, FL
/articles/group-wants-to-add-lacrosse-as-a-varsity-sport
/locations/6932187
The single mom walked outside her office Monday to greetings from Bucs players and cheerleaders. She also got a new Ford Focus.
Diana Rose is a role model working hard to help others improve their lives. She knows what it means to struggle and to prevail against the odds. The single mother of four lives in Clearwater and works for the State of Florida in downtown St. Petersburg as a public assistance eligibility specialist for the Department of Children and Families. She helps those in need, whether with funds for food or Medicare. Where does Rose find the time and energy for her compassionate determination to help others? She also volunteers at her children's schools. She is a student mentor at Clearwater High School, and a math tutor at Belleair Elementary School. Rose also has developed a poetry lesson plan at Largo Middle School. Rose can relate to some of the …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
The annual college scholarship for the arts features a handful of students from Clearwater schools.
Five of the 25 finalists for Walker's Rising Stars come from Clearwater schools. The college scholarship is offered to juniors and seniors in Pinellas County Schools for solo performances in dance, drama, vocal music, instrumental music, visual and video arts, according to the Pinellas Education Foundation. Applicants who make it to the final round will show off their stuff at the Walker's Rising Stars Scholarship Awards Show on May 24 at Ruth Eckerd Hall. Vote for your "fan favorite" through May 16. Here are the Clearwater area students to vote for, as quoted on the Pinellas Education Foundation website: Emma Foroutan, senior, Clearwater High School: "The arts play such a huge role in my life. Every morning I wake up with one thing on my…
Friday, April 27, 2012
One student complained of headaches and ringing in her ears after the chemical mixture exploded in a hallway garbage can Friday afternoon.
A chemical concoction in a bottle brought Clearwater Police to Countryside High School on Friday afternoon. About 12:20 p.m., Jordan Xavier Freemon, 16, threw a "pressure bomb" created from chemicals he got in chemistry class into a garbage can in a hallway that leads to the parking lot, according to investigators. "At no time did the school go into lockdown, and classes were not affected," said Elizabeth Watts, police spokeswoman. An 18-year-old female student was taken to the hospital for evaluation after complaining about a headache and ringing in her ears. There were no other injuries. Freemon was arrested and charged with making or discharging a destructive device, a felony, and disruption of school, a misdemeanor. *updated 4:24 p.m. …
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-82.711469
Countryside High School
3000 State Road 580, Clearwater, FL
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932849
/locations/6895241
Lynda
12:17 pm on Sunday, May 20, 2012
Thank you for putting into words the reality of a teacher's work. Many of us who chose to teach and then left the profession did so because a teacher's work stopped being valued by the community. You are a real hero to me for staying with the profession. More teachers need to speak out when they can to correct all the hateful comments directed at them and the work they do. And more of the rest of… more ›