PEP scholarships maxed out: The state scholarship program that offers education savings accounts of about $8,000 a year to K-12 students who don’t attend school fulltime has reached its statutory limit of 60,000 students this year. Parents may continue to apply, said a spokesperson for Step Up for Students, which administers the Personalized Education Program scholarship program and hosts this blog. SUFS will review capacity regularly to see if more scholarships become available. Next year the program’s cap is 100,000 students. NextSteps.
Around the state: Damages from hurricanes Helene and Milton have permanently closed a Pinellas County Catholic school, a settlement between the Nassau County School District and a group that sued it over its removal of three-dozen books from school libraries has been approved by a federal judge, Alachua’s school board approves a contract for its interim superintendent, Orange County officials are considering suing the supervisor of elections over his decision to spend $2.1 million in public funds for scholarships in his name, and Manatee schools announce their principal and assistant principal of the year. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Orange: Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said county commissioners will be asked to consider suing Supervisor of Elections Glen Gilzean over his decision to give $2.1 million in college scholarships to high school students who preregister to vote. Only students from Evans and Jones high schools would be eligible for the scholarships, which Gilzean named after himself. Demings said he doesn’t consider the program a legitimate use of public funds, and that unspent money by the office is traditionally returned to the county. Gilzean defended the spending, saying it encourages civic engagement in “voting deserts.” Meanwhile, pep rallies scheduled at Evans and Jones to announce the scholarships have been postponed. “In an effort to avoid disappointing our students, we have decided not to move forward with the events on Friday,” said district spokesman Michael Ollendorff. “Once it is determined that the funds donated for the scholarship are appropriate we will work to reschedule the events.” Orlando Sentinel. Florida Politics. WFTV.
Duval: An independent investigation into allegations that Superintendent Christopher Bernier mistreated his staff in his last job as superintendent in Lee County concluded that he was sometimes demeaning, derogatory and “dehumanizing” in his comments to employees, but that he didn’t discriminate by race. Bernier left the Lee district in April and was hired as Duval’s superintendent in June. “The report clears Dr. Bernier of the most serious allegations pressed against him by a cabinet-level officer in Lee County,” Duval Schools spokesperson Tracy Pierce said. “Dr. Bernier acknowledges that the report reflects areas in which he can improve, particularly with interpersonal interactions with senior leaders. He is committed to that improvement.” Jacksonville Today. WJXT.
Pinellas: A preK-8 Catholic school in St. Pete Beach that was severely damaged by hurricanes Helene and Milton has decided to close after 73 years. St. John Vianney Catholic School had damage to its electrical, HVAC, roofing and structural systems. Its students have been attending Cathedral School of St. Jude, the Pastoral Center, and St. Petersburg Catholic High School, and will merge into Cathedral School next year. WFLA. WTSP. WFTS.
Manatee: Kimberlain Zenon of Braden River Middle School has been named the school district’s principal of the year, and the assistant principal of the year is Craig Page of Southeast High, the district announced this week. Both are now eligible for the statewide awards. Manatee County School District.
Lake: Leesburg High School principal Michael Randolph has resigned nearly three weeks after he was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence, a school system spokesperson announced this week. Umatilla High principal Andrea Pyatt will take over at Leesburg High, starting Dec. 2. Randolph will look for a new job in the district, the spokesperson said. WESH.
Okaloosa: A K-8 school under construction in Crestview will be named the Pineview School, district officials decided this week. The winning nomination is a nod to the area’s pine trees and rolling hills. “Truly, the view is the Pineview,” said school board member Linda Evanchyk. “Being in the location in North Crestview, that kind of pulls from that, and we just thought that it fit.” It will accommodate 1,100 students and relieve overcrowding at nearby schools, says Superintendent Marcus Chambers. Expected opening is in the fall of 2026. Northwest Florida Daily News.
Alachua: A contract for interim superintendent Kamela Patton was finalized and approved Wednesday by the school board. Patton, who is replacing the fired Shane Andrew, will be paid $19,500 per month, $2,000 per month for temporary living expenses, a $600 car allowance and a $175 cellphone stipend from Nov. 18 through June 30, 2025. Ending or extending the conduct must be by mutual agreement between Patton and the board. Gainesville Sun. Mainstreet Daily News.
Citrus: School board members approved a five-year plan for projects at district schools that includes no new construction, and also bid farewell at this week’s meeting to colleague Ginger Bryant and longtime Superintendent Sandra Himmel, who are retiring. Citrus County Chronicle.
Nassau: A settlement between the school district and a group that sued it over its removal of three-dozen books from school libraries has been approved by a federal judge. District officials agreed to return the books to the libraries and acknowledge that one of them, And Tango Makes Three, about two male penguins that raise a chick in a zoo, “contains no obscene material in violation of the obscenity statute, is appropriate for students of all ages, and has pedagogical value.” A district review committee will also be appointed to review 12 other books that are being made available only to students 18 or older who have a parent’s consent. News Service of Florida.
DeSoto: District officials are investigating a complaint that a DeSoto Middle School teacher made a racist joke to an 11-year-old girl during school. Olivia Jones said her daughter was being bullied by classmates over his skin tone when the teacher, Taylor Wiley, joined in with a racially demeaning comment. “We are aware of the concerns that have been raised, and our administration takes any allegation involving inappropriate or insensitive conduct very seriously,” said district human relations director Gina Stafford. Charlotte Sun.
Colleges and universities: A former University of Florida research employee has been sentenced to five years of probation for diverting biomedical drugs, toxins, and research supplies from UF to China over seven years. Jonathan Rok Thyng worked in the stockroom of one of UF’s research labs. Fresh Take Florida. Researchers and professors from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Bethune-Cookman University and the University of Central Florida are creating a team to come up with ideas for “living seawalls” or “shorelines” to help protect Volusia County’s coastline from storm surge and beach erosion. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Senate committee chairs: Incoming Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, has announced chairs of seven budgeting committees for the 60-day legislative session that begins March 4 and is scheduled to end May 2. Sen. Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, will serve as chair of the Higher Education Appropriations Committee, and Sen. Danny Burgess, R-Zephyrhills, will chair the Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Committee. News Service of Florida. Florida Politics.
