Manatee County School Board to discuss East County school improvements

The wear East County schools take as student counts continue to grow each year has caught the Manatee County School Board's attention.

Three schools might be approved for projects or renovations at the school board's meeting at 5:45 p.m. tonight.

William H. Bashaw Elementary is already in the process of receiving a more than $10 million renovation, but it needs approval to enter the permitting and inspection phases. Freedom Elementary needs a new chiller, and Braden River Elementary has traffic congestion issues in its parking lot and on River Club Boulevard — the road that leads in and out of the school.

In other news: the school board is hosting a workshop from 2 to 5 p.m. Oct. 28 at the School Support Center, 215 Manatee Ave. W., to discuss two hot button issues for county students and parents: substitute teachers and the 2016-2017 school year calendar.

The proposed calendar has students starting classes two weeks earlier than the 2015-2016 school year, thanks to legislation that allows schools to start as early as Aug. 10, the school board's website said.

The calendar hasn't been approved, yet.

The workshop will also address the "utilization of substitute teachers" and whether board members will approve pay raises or other benefits for the on-call teachers.

To view the school board's meeting agenda, click here.

To view the workshop agenda, click here.

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].