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East County | Schools

Kara Kimes strokes Squinty the screech owl . Squinty lost an eye in an accident but now he visits schools.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • May 4, 2016
McNeal Elementary visits with the wild side

Sarasota Jungle Gardens zookeeper visits students.

  • East County
  • Schools
Nine McNeal students' posters went on to the state contest.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • May 4, 2016
McNeal Elementary student art is a drop in the bucket

Students earned the grand prize for water conservation art in a state competition.

  • East County
  • Schools
Tasha Muhammad got a bar for now and for later.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • May 3, 2016
Willis Elementary staff screams for ice cream

Faculty and staff got free ice cream Tuesday, May 3, as part of teacher appreciation week.

  • East County
  • Schools
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • April 29, 2016
Fairytale prom delights

Lakewood Ranch High School students celebrated prom April 29.

  • East County
  • Neighbors
Crewe Captain Paul Webb draws his sword, to the delight of the third-grade class.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • April 22, 2016
Crewe of De Soto conquers Bashaw Elementary

Students tried to collect as many necklaces as possible.

  • East County
  • Schools
Ty Dearing sings during a musical theater selection from Hairspray.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • April 19, 2016
Lakewood Ranch High School students get artisanal

Students showcased their best work in fine arts classes.

  • East County
  • Schools
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • April 11, 2016
Lakewood gears up for coed summer hoops camp

Lakewood Ranch High will hold its annual summer basketball camp for four weeks.

  • East County
  • Sports
Cameron Blanco, 15 months, thoroughly enjoyed his first gymnastics class.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • March 30, 2016
Hit or Miss: Jen Blanco

At 15 months, my son, Cameron, already has learned the art of the balance beam.

  • East County
  • Sports
The top two teams played an exhibition game for all the students who participated in the fundraiser.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • March 18, 2016
Haile Middle School raises $2,250 for Hoops for Heart

The school held a 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

  • East County
  • Schools
EJ "Glitch Master" Davis performs an original dance to dubstep remix "Permanent."
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • March 10, 2016
Haile Middle School students show off skills

The East County school held a talent show Thursday, March 10.

  • East County
  • Schools
Justin Curtis, Trevor Losada and Cody Hendrickson with the Goons and Grads team get some crowd support.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • March 3, 2016
Lakewood Ranch High students dodge for charity

The Student Government Association held a dodgeball tournament to fundraise for Project Heart.

  • East County
  • Schools
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • February 27, 2016
Braden River Elementary School students explore science

The school held its annual Science Night Thursday, Feb. 25

  • East County
  • Schools
Audrey and Samantha Haney examine a plant.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • February 25, 2016
Braden River Elementary students get creative with science

Students tried different experiments during the school's science night.

  • East County
  • Schools
Jason, Izzy and Shelley Merritt, PTO president
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • February 19, 2016
Freedom Elementary PTO hosts high-class hoe-down

The father daughter dance was held Friday, Feb. 19.

  • East County
  • Schools
Brian Hastreiter brought his two daughters and their friends in his party bus. Hastreiter owns 941 Luxury Limos.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • February 19, 2016
Gene Witt Elementary dads and daughters dress up for dance

The elementary PTO hosted a dance Friday, Feb. 19.

  • East County
  • Schools
Jeremy Fisher and Diego Castellanos find their families out in the audience.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • February 12, 2016
Gullett Elementary students wow families with performance

First and fourth grade students sang for a standing-room-only audience.

  • East County
  • Schools
Kindergarten teacher Gail Garger's favorite, The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak, has a page of "word sounds."
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • February 10, 2016
Event gets read on Witt teachers

Literacy night shares teachers’ favorite books with students.

  • East County
  • Schools
Kallie Granquist leads the pack.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • February 8, 2016
Sprouts students cycle for St. Jude's

Harvest United Methodist Church's preschool held its annual trike-a-thon.

  • East County
  • Schools
Moms, grandmothers and students filled the Willis cafeteria for Moms and Muffins.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • February 4, 2016
Willis Elementary cafeteria fills with Moms and Muffins

The school's PTO organized the annual event.

  • East County
  • Schools
Sirisha Kandepi slides with her son, Rishi Talluru.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • January 29, 2016
East County school gets snowed in

The Tabernacle Christian School held a snow day for students.

  • East County
  • Schools
Proceeds from the For the Love of the Game event will benefit Braden River's athletic programs.
    By
  • Jen Blanco
  • January 26, 2016
For the Love of the Game to benefit Pirate athletics

Braden River High will hold its For the Love of the Game dinner and auction Feb. 27.

  • East County
  • Sports
One team made a butterfly from a strawberry and apple slices.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • January 22, 2016
Freedom Elementary students build with broccoli

Technology Student Association members create scenes from fruits and vegetable

  • East County
  • Schools
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • January 21, 2016
Mermaids makes splash at ODA

ODA students bring 'Little Mermaid' to life.

  • East County
  • Schools
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • January 20, 2016
McNeal Elementary ESOL program helps students learn English

From Hungarian to Portuguese, Kelly Smart helps students of all languages succeed.

  • East County
  • Schools
The chorus, grades three through five, performed for the school Thursday morning.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • December 17, 2015
Bashaw Elementary chorus sing holiday tunes

The chorus performed for the school Thursday morning.

  • East County
  • Schools
Amelia Villa Mosqueda and Chiara Diaz play Ralph the Reindeer and the Candy Cane Kid.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • December 11, 2015
Willis Elementary hosts holiday hoedown

The school's Western-themed winter play was held Thursday, Nov. 10.

  • East County
  • Schools
Santa greets Tara students.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • December 5, 2015
Tara Elementary School hosts dinner with Santa

Students danced and ate dinner with their families.

  • East County
  • Schools
Susana and Timmy Abell perform for the kindergarten, first-grade and second-grade classes.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • December 1, 2015
Willis Elementary School students sing along with Timmy Abell

The North Carolina musician is traveling to several Manatee County schools this week.

  • East County
  • Schools
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • November 25, 2015
Lakewood Ranch kids talk about Thanksgiving

Students at Kiddie Academy list their favorite feast foods.

  • East County
  • Schools
Doug Kovatch, a parent, volunteered to help Kristi Dyer, third-grade teacher, make the cotton candy. Kovatch said he used to work at a baseball stadium, so he was familiar with the proper cotton-candy-making technique.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • November 14, 2015
McNeal Elementary PTO hosts fall festival

The proceeds raise money for classrooms.

  • East County
  • Schools
Louis Jackson, a teacher's aide at Haile, was the MC for assembly. Jackson is a Navy veteran.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • November 11, 2015
Haile students listen to local veteran

The school held a special program for Veteran's Day.

  • East County
  • Schools
Alexandria Williams talks about the meaning of patriotism during the assembly.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • November 10, 2015
Tara students honor veterans

Tara Elementary School held its first program for Veteran's Day.

  • East County
  • Schools
Carrie Dutting and Laura Rodriguez dressed up as pirates. Dutting even has a book of piratology, which she incorporated into her costume.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • November 6, 2015
Pirates commandeer Braden River High School for spirit day

Every day of the week featured a different theme.

  • East County
  • Schools
Thais Fernandes applies fake blood to her fake cut.
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • October 28, 2015
How to have a horrific Halloween

Lakewood Ranch High School’s Mustang Players get dead-on tips for scary makeup.

  • East County
  • Schools
Coy Mahan, Jayden Vilayvong, Nathan Parker and Dylan Martorano sport orange Oct. 21 to offer visible support for the stand against bullying.
    By
  • Pam Eubanks
  • October 28, 2015
Braden River Middle School takes stand against bullying

October is National Bullying Prevention Month.

  • East County
  • Schools
Dana Towell, Brooklyn McCutchan and Matt Stamos
    By
  • Jessica Salmond
  • October 24, 2015
Tara Elementary holds annual fall festival

The festival helps raise money for classroom budgets.

  • East County
  • Schools
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