NEWS BRIEFS

+ Synagogue council will hold open houses in both counties
The Synagogue Council of Sarasota-Manatee has coordinated open houses at nine of its 10 congregation members. Synagogues from Bradenton to North Port will be welcoming prospective members from 1 to 4 p.m. Aug. 25. Attendees can tour the facilities and meet staff and synagogue members.

The nine participating congregations, representing various denominations and sizes, are part of the Synagogue Council of Sarasota-Manatee.

The event is free, and no reservations are required. Refreshments will be provided.

Participating congregations include: Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, Congregation Kol HaNeshama (Reconstructionist), Congregation Ner Tamid (Non-affiliated), Jewish Congregation of Venice (Independent), Temple Beth El, Bradenton (Reform), Temple Beth El, North Port (Conservative), Temple Beth Sholom (Conservative), Temple Emanu-El (Reform) and Temple Sinai (Reform).

+ School district adds to its senior leadership team
The Manatee County School Board approved a new communications director Aug. 12.

Stephen Valley, most recently the senior communications officer and media analyst for Consolidated Analysis Centers Inc., will be the Manatee County School District’s director of communications and family and community engagement.

Since 2009, Valley has worked for Consolidated Analysis Centers Inc., out of Tampa, as a liaison among strategic communication leaders at its headquarters in Arlington, Va., and Afghanistan, Pakistan and Baghdad and U.S. embassy public affairs staff in the Middle East and Central Asia.

In his new role, Valley will be responsible for district marketing and informing parents and community members about district activities.

The school board also approved Dean Borysiewicz, chief technology officer for Northrop Grumman Corp. in Tampa, to be the district’s new chief information officer.

Meetings & Agendas
• Manatee County School Board Meeting — 5:45 p.m. Aug. 26, at 215 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton
• Manatee County School Board Master Training — All day Aug. 27 and Aug. 28, at Stuart Learning Center, 1050 E. 10th St., Stuart
• Manatee County Board of County Commissioners Meeting — 9 a.m. Aug. 27, at the Manatee County Government Administrative Center, 1112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton