News Briefs

+ School District to open enrollment period
Parents of students who want to attend a Manatee County public school, other than the one to which they are assigned for the 2013-2014 school year, will need to apply to do so during the School Choice Open Enrollment Period.The period will run from Tuesday, Jan. 22 to Friday, Feb. 8.

The School Choice Open Enrollment period is the only time during the school year when parents can apply to have their child attend another school without giving a specified reason for the move.

Approval of School Choice applications is subject to enrollment capacities and other demographic criteria.
Information about School Choice can be obtained at the School District’s Parent Information Center, located at 234 Manatee Ave. E., in Bradenton. The phone number for the Parent Information Center is 708-4971. Information is also available at Manateeschools.net (Click on Departments; Parent Information Center; Choice).

+ Stoneybrook Rec Center has new hours
The recreation center in the Stoneybrook community in Heritage Harbour changed its hours of operation beginning Jan. 2.

Hours of operation are now:

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; and closed Sunday.

The Rec Center still will be available for rentals as needed during non-business hours. It also will be open the second Friday night of every month for a potluck and the third Monday night of every month for bingo.

+ Retirement home names new public relations director
Kobernick-Anchin Retirement Community has named Carlene Cobb as its director of public relations.
Cobb has more than a decade of experience in health-care communications, publishing, marketing and media relations.

Working in print, broadcast and digital formats, Cobb served as communications coordinator for six years with Tidewell Hospice. 

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) recognized Cobb with an award of excellence for the patient and family resource guide she and her team developed. 

Cobb also authored “Coping with an Abusive Relationship,” which presents coping tools for teens facing abusive relationships. Cobb was a web content author and editor for Care2Learn.com, a staff writer for Florida Health Care News and a correspondent for Tampa Bay Metro Magazine, in Tampa.

+ SCFCS holds fall 2013 information sessions
State College of Florida Collegiate School (SCFCS) will hold information sessions for parents interested in enrolling their children entering sixth through 11th grades in fall 2013.

Information sessions will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16; Wednesday, Jan. 23 and Thursday, Jan. 31, at SCF Bradenton, 5840 26th St. W., SCFCS, building 19.

SCFCS is a tuition-free public charter school.

Students can attend college classes at SCF Bradenton beginning in 11th grade with an opportunity to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and an associate’s degree. A partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University provides a scholarship program for SCFCS students to continue to FGCU for a baccalaureate degree after graduating from SCFCS.

Applications must be submitted in person and will be available at the information sessions. For more information, call 752-5494 or visit scf.edu/SCFCS. Maps and directions are online at scf.edu/maps.

+ MTI opens new campus
Manatee Technical Institute’s new campus opened Jan. 7, off State Road 70. The $44 million facility features 210,000 square feet of space for about a dozen programs, including architecture and construction, culinary arts, information and technology and tourism.

Manatee Technical Institute’s campus on 34th Street West in Bradenton will continue to offer some classes.
Its East County campus — for medical, dental and law enforcement/allied health students — will stay open as will its fire-science facility.

The new campus’ formal grand opening will occur Feb. 14.

+ Manatee high schools improve FCAT scores
Manatee County high schools improved their Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test scores, according to High School Accountability Grades released by the Florida Department of Education in late December.

East County high schools — Braden River and Lakewood Ranch high schools — were two of three Manatee high schools to earn a preliminary A grade for the 2012 school year. Manatee High also earned an A.
Four of seven high schools raised their grades from the previous year and for the first time in five years, all Manatee District high schools earned a C grade or better.

The FCAT scores are based on student performance on the test itself, as well as on the school’s ability to graduate students, increase student participation and performance in advanced coursework and better prepare students for college and career.

Meetings & Agendas
• Manatee County Board of County Commissioners Planning Commission meeting — 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 10, Manatee County Administration Building, 112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton
• Manatee County School Board meeting — 5:45 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14, 215 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
• Manatee County Superintendent Search Citizens Advisory Group meeting — 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, SSC Branscomb Room, 215 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.
• Manatee County Board of County Commissioners Work Session — 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, Manatee County Administration Building, 112 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.