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Schools

Lakewood Ranch's Everett Wyckoff, a 12-year-old with autism, plays the cajon alongside volunteer Jules Whittemore at Gulf Coast Music Therapy.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • October 28, 2025
ODA students use their musical talent to help kids with autism

Jules Whittemore leads a group of six students who volunteer their time at Gulf Coast Music Therapy.

  • East County
  • Schools
Gene Witt Elementary School pre-K student Daniel Gordon was joined by his mother Christina Gordon for the field trip to the Soar Lab on Oct. 21. The manatee sensory wall provides children an opportunity to feel different textures.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • October 25, 2025
Manatee County students can soar at new early-learning skills lab

The Soar Lab is geared for children in Pre-K to third grade and offers an abundance of learning activities.

  • East County
  • Schools
Director of Manatee Technical College Law Enforcement Academy retires
    By
  • Lesley Dwyer
  • October 23, 2025
Director of Manatee Technical College Law Enforcement Academy retires

Jay Romine served 33 years in law enforcement and over 12 years as a director at MTC in Lakewood Ranch.

  • East County
  • Schools
Paige Hernandez leads students.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • October 22, 2025
Tuttle Elementary gets moving with hip-hop educational theater

Performing artists and educator Paige Hernandez, the current artist in residence with Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation, visited the school.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Darian Sanders uses his passion and experience of performing to inspire students at Lakewood Ranch High School.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • October 22, 2025
'Lion King' star inspires Lakewood Ranch High students

Darian Sanders spent five years traveling on the Broadway tour of "The Lion King" and uses his experience to inspire students.

  • East County
  • Schools
Sarasota school bus driver charged with sexual misconduct
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • October 15, 2025
Sarasota school bus driver charged with sexual misconduct

Authorities in Manatee County were alerted by Sarasota County Schools' in-house police department in August.

  • Sarasota
  • News
Makenzie Legg, Zachary McClellan and Isabella Rubal are teaching at Gilbert W. McNeal Elementary, which is the very elementary school they attended as children.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • October 15, 2025
Three former McNeal Elementary students return as educators

Zachary McClellan, Bella Rubal and Makenzie Legg once walked the halls of McNeal as students, but now they are taking inspiration from previous teachers to make a difference for students of their own.

  • East County
  • Schools
Brookside Middle School is one of three campuses upon which space has been requested by a South Florida charter school company under the provisions of Florida's Schools of Hope program.
    By
  • Eric Garwood
  • October 9, 2025
Charter school claims space in Manatee, Sarasota county schools

Mater Academy names under-capacity Booker Elementary, Brookside Middle and Oak Park in a request to co-locate. Space in Bradenton and Palmetto also sought, Manatee district tells parents.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Mote's Brad Tanner, the manager of school programs, is ready to coordinate visits from students to the aquarium's teaching labs.
    By
  • Madison Bierl
  • October 9, 2025
Manatee educators plan to capitalize on new Mote aquarium

Educators say they will arrange field trips and virtual tours and will take advantage of Mote's outreach teams.

  • 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
Leo Biter enters the pep rally.
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • September 28, 2025
Southside Elementary hosts Go Gold Day rally

The initiative, which involves students helping to raise awareness and support for children facing pediatric cancer, has grown in size since it began in 2017.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
Chief Tim Enos
    By
  • Ian Swaby
  • September 24, 2025
Tim Enos returns as schools police chief

Enos is back in the role of chief of police of Sarasota County Schools following his Aug. 24 resignation from the school board.

  • Sarasota
  • Schools
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1
A single-family residence at 3515 Gulf of Mexico Drive has been under construction for years and is nearing completion.
  • May 6, 2026
Application tweaks aim to streamline permitting process
2
Caroline Bartlomiejczuk, Sage Alcorn and Sofia Ortega are members of the orchestra at Lakewood Ranch High School.
  • May 6, 2026
Lakewood Ranch High music department earns national recognition
3
Alannis Peterson of Prism Artistry "eats" fire at Agave Bandido for its Cinco de Mayo Celebration May 5.
  • May 6, 2026
Agave Bandido hosts Cinco de Mayo party in Waterside of Lakewood Ranch
4
Circus Trail currently runs along the east side of Circus Boulevard before crossing over the road to the east and then back again.
  • May 6, 2026
Circus Trail envisioned to connect Fruitville to 17th Street Park
5
Woman smells a scam with fake nude photos threat
  • May 6, 2026
Woman smells a scam with fake nude photos threat

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