The big news: To improve its football facilities, another Florida university is requesting millions of dollars.
To repair Doak Campbell Stadium, Florida State University, which is about to begin a highly anticipated season, is considering taking on $285 million in debt.
It is the third significant public university to look into stadium upgrades as a method to improve its football program in the future. A $340 million on-campus stadium has been requested by the University of South Florida, while the University of Florida will soon undergo renovations estimated to cost $400 million. This week, the State University System Board of Governors will discuss the USF proposal.
The FSU plan will be reviewed by the university’s trustees on Friday. Discussions regarding the plan’s financial viability are anticipated as concerns abound about whether the Seminoles can afford to stay in the ACC.
Virtual school: According to The Independent Florida Alligator, Alachua County’s online eSchool has reduced the number of teaching members by half due to a drop in enrolment.
Golf times: According to the Sun-Sentinel, the Broward County School District has requested a state exception from the new rule requiring high schools to begin courses no earlier than 8:30 a.m. beginning in 2026. The mandate, according to Broward officials, would cost more to implement.
Elections for the school board: According to the Herald-Tribune, Karen Rose, a Sarasota County school board member who ran a campaign to unseat former Superintendent Brennan Asplen, has filed to run again. Rose has been threatened with legal action by far-right organizations for refusing to back a superintendent candidate with a conservative background.
Nicknames: According to the Naples Daily News, more than 10,000 Collier County families have signed paperwork enabling instructors to refer to their children by nicknames. It’s unclear if the parents need to submit a fresh form each year.
Classroom materials: According to CNN, teachers in Florida and other states are finding it more expensive to have additional supplies like pencils and paper on hand in their classrooms.
Black history: According to WLRN, a high school history teacher in Miami-Dade County resigned because she would not comply with a new Florida legislation by lying about Black history. For the 2022 Teacher of the Year awards in the district, Renee O’Connor was a finalist.
According to a state audit, the Lake County School District delayed reporting staff complaints to the Department of Education. According to Centre Square, the Auditor General advised the district to adhere to the legislation mandating reports to be submitted within 30 days.
A high school administrator in Martin County was fired following a professional standards inquiry. The Sheriff’s Office has looked into the principal for “inappropriate behavior,” according to TC Palm.
There is a new, permanent superintendent for the Flagler County education system. LaShakia Moore, who had been filling the position temporarily, was chosen by the School Board with unanimous consent, according to Flagler Live.
Due to claims of inappropriate touching, a Duval County teacher was dismissed from the classroom for a second time. According to WJXT, the alleged misbehavior occurred in 2013 and 2014.
After a violent threat was made against teachers at an elementary school in Sarasota County, parents there are seeking assurance. Members of the School Board made an effort to allay their worries while emphasizing the need to respect privacy laws, according to The Herald-Tribune.
Before leaving… Jimmy Buffett embodied the laid-back lifestyle of South Florida, and he will be sorely missed. How many people can you name who saw his 1997 musical “Don’t Stop the Carnival,” which had its debut at the Coconut Grove Playhouse?
