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East County | Schools

Students from The Out-of-Door Academy volunteer at Mixon Fruit Farms Oct. 3.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • October 8, 2025
Mixon Farms benefits from ODA students' cleanup effort

Out-of-Door Academy seniors volunteered with the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance program Alliance Gives Back.

  • East County
  • Schools
Lakewood Ranch High School seniors Zachariah Kersey, Kylie Scott and Chloe Drapak were the winners of the Rotary Club of Bradenton's essay contest on what the Constitution means to them.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • October 6, 2025
Three Lakewood Ranch High seniors earn Bradenton Rotary essay awards

Kylie Scott, Zachariah Kersey and Chloe Drapak wrote about what the Constitution means to them.

  • East County
  • Schools
Senior Isabelle Harrell begins work on another mural at Lakewood Ranch High School.
  • By Chloe Drapak
  • October 1, 2025
School spirit for this Lakewood Ranch High senior means painting murals

Isabelle Harrell masters the Mustang mascot as she puts her unique stamp on the campus.

  • East County
  • Schools
B. D. Gullett Elementary's Erin Devriendt, Bennett Carney, Michael Serrano and Jackie Stark are kicking off their second year together in a co-teach classroom with two full time teachers.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • September 30, 2025
Co-teach program at Gullett Elementary allows for extra academic support

In each grade level for first to fifth, there is a classroom with two full-time instructors teaching approximately 30 students.

  • East County
  • Schools
Lakewood Ranch's Mary Glass is retiring after an 18 year presidency with the Manatee Education Foundation.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • September 23, 2025
Education Foundation chief steps aside after 18 years of making a difference

Over the course of Mary Glass' presidency at the Manatee Education Foundation, $12 million was given to the School District of Manatee County to fund programs and events.

  • East County
  • Schools
The district makes sure students are served fruit and vegetables along with protein.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • September 17, 2025
Manatee schools try to stay 'on trend' when it comes to student meals

Students are served popular items for breakfast and lunch but with slightly different — and healthier — ingredients.

  • East County
  • Schools
Samantha Biggs, an assistant principal at Lakewood Ranch High School, received the 2025 Yale Educator Award after being nominated by former student Addison Shea, who now attends Yale University.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • September 16, 2025
LRHS instructor nominated for Yale award by former student

Samantha Biggs, now the assistant principal at Lakewood Ranch High School, received the 2025 Yale Educator Award.

  • East County
  • Schools
Laurie Breslin was officially sworn in as the superintendent for the School District of Manatee County on Sept. 9.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • September 12, 2025
Manatee School Board approves $245,000 superintendent contract

Laurie Breslin also has incentives in her contract, a point of contention with two school board members.

  • East County
  • Schools
Mathematics teacher Jeff Hilt and social studies teacher Dan McLean are the last remaining classroom teachers that were there when Braden River High School opened in 2005.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • September 10, 2025
Braden River High celebrates its 20th anniversary in Bradenton

Original staff members reflect on the past 20 years.

  • East County
  • Schools
Lakewood Ranch's Dylan Walker, the captain of the Out-of-Door Academy football team, organized a fundraiser to benefit the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund. It took place during their rivalry game against Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School on Sept. 5.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • September 10, 2025
ODA football captain raises $5,400 to benefit local storm recovery

Dylan Walker draws up the strategy for a fundraiser at a rivalry game in Lakewood Ranch to donate to Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund.

  • East County
  • Schools
B.D. Gullett Elementary front desk clerk and parent Cristina Holland, student Brooke Green and Principal Julie Gierhart are ready to take on the school year with fewer bodies in the school.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • September 8, 2025
New school provides relief for previously overcrowded BD Gullett Elementary

After losing 400 students, the Lakewood Ranch school has a more manageable enrollment of 1,000.

  • East County
  • Schools
DJ Harpole, the band director, and Nohemi Perez, the orchestra director, have worked at Carlos E. Haile Middle School for three years, building their students' passion and motivation for music.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • September 4, 2025
Can't beat the new music teachers at Carlos E. Haile Middle

Orchestra director Nohemi Perez and band director DJ Harpole have rebuilt the program and their students' passion for music.

  • East County
  • Schools
Laurie Breslin has been named the new superintendent for the School District of Manatee County in a unanimous vote on Aug. 26.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • September 1, 2025
Superintendent shares five goals for Manatee County School District

Laurie Breslin graduated from Manatee High School in 1995, and 30 years later, she will run the district.

  • East County
  • Schools
Third grader Alexander Muenchow chose to draw an axolotl. He says he enjoys using special tools on the iPad that may not be in the classroom such as a glitter tool and stickers.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 31, 2025
Gene Witt Elementary digital art lab is in full swing with community support

Funds from Neal Communities, The Patterson Foundation and fundraisers paved the way for the elementary school to start a digital lab.

  • East County
  • Schools
Laurie Breslin has been named the new superintendent for the School District of Manatee County in a unanimous vote on Aug. 26.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 27, 2025
Laurie Breslin named as the new Manatee County superintendent

After a two-month superintendent search, the Manatee County School Board decided to hire from within.

  • East County
  • Schools
The two finalists for the superintendent position are Misty Mathis, the executive director of curriculum and instruction for the Nassau County School District, and Laurie Breslin, the executive director of student support and family engagement for the School District of Manatee County.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 20, 2025
Superintendent finalists share their goals for Manatee County School District

Laurie Breslin and Misty Mathis spent Aug. 18 being interviewed by the school board and meeting with community members.

  • East County
  • Schools
The School District of Manatee County proceeds with the full high school option with two academic buildings instead of one, which provides 2,000 student stations.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 18, 2025
New high school will be built in Lakewood Ranch

High School AAA is estimated to cost $200 million with the goal of opening in August 2027.

  • East County
  • Schools
Laurie Breslin of the School District of Manatee County and Misty Mathis of Nassau County School District have been selected as finalists in the superintendent search.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 12, 2025
Manatee School Board selects two finalists for superintendent position

Laurie Breslin and Misty Mathis will meet the public Aug. 18 at Manatee Technical College.

  • East County
  • Schools
Ricardo Vasquez and Monica Rodriguez wish their daughter Kiali Vasquez good luck on her first day with a kiss. Kiali is determined to get straight A's.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 11, 2025
Lake Manatee K-8 opens to students for the first time in Lakewood Ranch

On the first day of school, Principal Todd Richardson was eager to finally have students on campus.

  • East County
  • Schools
Lakewood Ranch's Peter and Athena Hotaling enjoy using their phones to connect with friends and family, play games, use social media and more. With the new phone restrictions, they will have to save those things for after school hours.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 11, 2025
New phone policy will be 'learning curve' for Manatee students

Per House Bill 1105, elementary and middle school students will be required to turn off and stow away electronic devices during school.

  • East County
  • Schools
Lakewood Ranch residents Shaun Ulstad and Andrew Cordani are eager to start their senior year at Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy, which is one step closer to a potential future at MIT.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 8, 2025
One final year for Lakewood Ranch Prep seniors to chase their dreams

Shaun Ulstad and Andrew Cordani hope their work gains them acceptance into MIT.

  • East County
  • Schools
The second option for High School AAA, with a $107,000,000 budget, would provide 1,000 student stations and 139,000 square feet of space. Later additions might include an auditorium, gymnasium and other athletic fields.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • August 5, 2025
School board to decide fate of new high school in Lakewood Ranch

Two options being studied for a high school at Rangeland Parkway and Post Boulevard, along with a possible expansion at Braden River High.

  • East County
  • Schools
Sara Geary, the head of schools at Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy, and Patty Scerbo, a mother to two students who attend the school, look forward to potential improvements that may be funded by their share of the half penny tax.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 30, 2025
Charter schools eager to make use of sales tax dollars

Starting in the 2025-26 school year, Manatee County charters will receive 50% of their proportionate share of anticipated revenue from the half-penny sales tax.

  • East County
  • Schools
Braden River High School students Cameron Brand, Jacob Zinkhan, Kylie Mohamed, Sophi Jo Branscomb and Jacqueline Lopez traveled around Ireland learning about agriculture and Irish culture along the way.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 27, 2025
Braden River FFA students study agriculture in Ireland

Their visits include a dairy farm and an "Irish racehorse experience."

  • East County
  • Schools
Antonella Imperiale, Sebastian Chasey, Naomi Rodriguez and Sarah Arco attended first grade at Braden River Elementary School which was given an A grade for the 2024-2025 school year.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 23, 2025
12 of 17 east Manatee County schools earn overall A grades

The School District of Manatee County receives an overall B rating.

  • East County
  • Schools
Nicole Williams is the new principal for Bashaw Elementary School. She is entering her 30th year in education in Manatee County, eager to make and grow new connections in the school.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 21, 2025
New principal at Bashaw Elementary has high expectations for staff and students

Nicole Williams will begin her 30th year in education in Manatee County.

  • East County
  • Schools
Interim superintendent Kevin Chapman's contract was finalized in a special board meeting May 29. He will be interim until January 5, 2026 or whenever the school board hires someone in his place.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 18, 2025
Exciting school year ahead for Manatee schools

Interim Superintendent Kevin Chapman says new schools, student achievement strides spark enthusiasm in the new school year.

  • East County
  • Schools
Richard Tatem
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 18, 2025
Hiring superintendent tops District 5 school board member's goals

Richard Tatem says increasing vocational opportunities, increasing on-time bus routes important goals in 2025-26.

  • East County
  • Schools
Madison Bierl is the education and community reporter at the East County Observer.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 18, 2025
Letter from your education reporter: There's a lot to look forward to in the 2025-26 school year

Manatee County schools provides a much larger district to cover than she grew up with in Iowa.

  • East County
  • Schools
Lake Manatee K-8 is the first K-8 school in the School District of Manatee County to be built from the ground up with the purpose of serving elementary and middle school kids.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 16, 2025
Lake Manatee K-8 school readies for opening day in Lakewood Ranch

Administrators, teachers and students are all beginning their voyage at the new school together.

  • East County
  • Schools
Daniel Bradshaw, the principal of Parrish Community High School, and Carol Ricks, the principal of Myakka City Elementary School, man the registration desk at Myakka City Elementary as it serves as a shelter during Hurricane Milton.
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • July 15, 2025
What does it take to use Manatee schools as hurricane shelters?

In the midst of a severe storm, no one is turned away from the Manatee County schools that serve as shelters.

  • East County
  • Schools
Lakewood ranch resident Mackenzie Shin, 10 and Sarasota resident Tyler Hover, 8, explore their love for marine biology at a camp presented by Little Medical School-Suncoast.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 15, 2025
ODA hosts Little Medical School-Suncoast marine biology camp

Campers learned about pollution, tracking turtles, the layers of the ocean and more.

  • East County
  • Schools
The School District of Manatee County owns and utilizes 4 electric buses: 2 that can go 130 miles on a charge and 2 that can go up to 200. Jamie Warrington, director of transportation for the district, says there are pros and cons in terms of the environment and efficiency.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 14, 2025
Manatee needs more testing on electric school buses

Cost and the ability to serve open areas are just some of the areas that need more exploration before the School District of Manatee County purchases additional electric buses.

  • East County
  • Schools
Lake Manatee K-8 is the biggest and most well known construction project. The elementary part of the school will open in August, with the middle school set to open the following school year.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 13, 2025
3 major construction projects are almost finished for Manatee schools

Along with the new Lake Manatee K-8, the other two projects will increase capacity for students and help with overcrowding.

  • East County
  • Schools
Tim and Lauren Macri, co-owners of Beef 'O' Brady's Braden River, want the community's support to achieve their goal of providing gifts to Tara Elementary School teachers to help ease the burden of digging into their own pockets to provide for their students.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 12, 2025
Beef 'O' Brady's hosts second supply drive for Tara Elementary teachers

Community members can participate until July 31 to help ease the burden of teachers spending their own money for supplies.

  • East County
  • Schools
The Manatee County Tax Collector's Office east branch at 10705 Technology Terrace, Bradenton.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • July 9, 2025
Tax collector charges Manatee County schools $1.5M

The Manatee County tax collector decides to take a $1.5 million commission from the school district's referendum funds.

  • East County
  • Schools
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Latest in East County

1
Work has either started or will begin soon on four roundabouts on University Parkway, east of Lakewood Ranch Boulevard. University Parkway also is being widened from Lorraine Road to Bourneside Boulevard.
  • July 8, 2026
Necessary construction will snarl University Parkway in Lakewood Ranch
2
FoodTrukt, a new app, aims to bring together food truck owners and customers through making locations, schedules and menus more accessible.
  • July 8, 2026
Find nearby food trucks with new app
3
Deborah Callahan-Stratton, Joy Stone, Barbara Najmy and Jennifer Alokeh are collecting sneakers for the fifth annual Sneakin Back to School Sneaker Drive to benefit The Twig.
  • July 8, 2026
The Lake Club Women's Giving Circle transitions to a nonprofit
4
Avery Banfill (left) and Phoenix Scanlan (right) grew up on the same junior golf circuit. Their respective journeys converged at Parrish Community High and will converge once again at Memphis next fall.
  • July 8, 2026
Stars align for local golfers who are headed for the University of Memphis
5
The Manatee County Property Appraiser is located at 915 4th Ave. W. in downtown Bradenton.
  • July 8, 2026
How your home is appraised in Manatee County

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