http://marconews.com/news/education/?partner=RSSmarconews.com Stories: Education Newsen-useducationhttp://marconews.com/news/2009/jan/06/lee-school-district-braces-50-million-cut-coming-f/?partner=RSSThe Lee County School Board heard the grim forecast for the coming fiscal year Tuesday, as they entered the homestretch of a year marked by a budget $80 million slimmer than the previous. District Budget Director Ami Desamours painted a picture for the board of the possible $40 million to $50 million in reductions the district would be forced to make given the current financial situation surrounding reduced property tax revenue and declining enrollment. LWilliams@marconews.com (LESLIE WILLIAMS)Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:48:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-190099-733413allLESLIE WILLIAMSNAPLESLee school district braces for up to $50 million cut in coming fiscal yearmarconews.comlee-school-district-braces-50-million-cut-coming-furn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-190099-733413Change0Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2009/jan/06/collier-lee-schools-honored-reading/?partner=RSSThe Just Read, Florida! office recognized 13 school districts for being in the top 25 percent of all Reading First districts in the state. The Collier County and Lee County school districts are two of those top performing districts. The districts were honored for increased percentages of students reading at or above grade level and a reduction in the percentage of students with serious reading difficulties. tlaten@naplesnews.com (Naples Daily News staff report)Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:32:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-190082-733413educationNaples Daily News staff reportNAPLESCollier, Lee schools honored for readingmarconews.comcollier-lee-schools-honored-readingurn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-190082-733413Change0Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/dec/11/academically-ineligible-collier-students-can-sign-/?partner=RSSThe Collier County School Board approved a contract that allows academically ineligible students to continue participating in sports and extracurricular activities if they commit to improve their grades. The board voted unanimously to make freshmen and sophomores eligible for the program. Students whose cumulative grade point average falls below a 2.0 at the conclusion of a semester become academically ineligible to participate in sports and extracurricular activities. tmiguel@naplesnews.com (TRACY X. MIGUEL)Fri, 12 Dec 2008 01:36:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-188397-733387localTRACY X. MIGUELNAPLESAcademically ineligible Collier students can sign contracts to keep playing sports marconews.comacademically-ineligible-collier-students-can-sign-urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-188397-733387Change733387Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/dec/07/collier-school-district-proposes-building-solar-fa/?partner=RSSSunshine could help lower the cost to power Palmetto Ridge High School. It could help the Manatee and Marco Island schools, too. The Collier County School District is ready to take its exploration of solar power to the next level. “The idea is to utilize capital dollars while bringing down operational costs,” said Superintendent Dennis Thompson. The idea is viable now, Thompson said, because the state has extended the solar tax credits to 2016. While the school district cannot take advantage of those tax credits, businesses who want to partner with the district can, Thompson said. kalewis@naplesnews.com (KATHERINE ALBERS)Mon, 08 Dec 2008 01:44:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-188034-733383localKATHERINE ALBERSNAPLESCollier school district proposes building solar farms to power several schoolsmarconews.comcollier-school-district-proposes-building-solar-faurn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-188034-733383Change0Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/dec/04/election-winners-marco-island-charter-middle-schoo/?partner=RSSParents of students at Marco Island Charter Middle School elected three new board members on the eight-member Charter school board Wednesday evening. kelfarrell@yahoo.com (KELLY FARRELL)Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:44:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-187757-733380localKELLY FARRELLMARCO ISLANDElection winners: Marco Island Charter Middle School Boardmarconews.comelection-winners-marco-island-charter-middle-schoourn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-187757-733380Change733380Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/dec/02/island-business-reaches-agreement-school-board-ove/?partner=RSSCollier County School District Superintendent Dennis Thompson and the Marco Island based company United Energy Technology (UET), whose president is Gary Elliott, has developed a plan to build a solar demonstration on Tract K on Marco Island. The 11.6 acre parcel of land commonly known as Tract K is located adjacent to Tigertail Court., and is owned by the Collier County School Board. kelfarrell@yahoo.com (KELLY FARRELL)Tue, 02 Dec 2008 18:34:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-187563-733378localKELLY FARRELLMARCO ISLANDIsland business reaches agreement with school board over development of Tract K marconews.comisland-business-reaches-agreement-school-board-oveurn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-187563-733378Change733378Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/dec/02/lely-high-hosts-basketball-shootout/?partner=RSSLely High School will host the Pepsi Shootout this weekend. Eight teams from south Florida will compete at the school, 1 Lely High School Blvd. tlaten@naplesnews.com (Naples Daily News staff report)Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:49:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-187573-733378play/lely-highNaples Daily News staff reportNAPLESLely High hosts basketball shootoutmarconews.comlely-high-hosts-basketball-shootouturn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-187573-733378Change733378Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/nov/25/rice-challenge-leads-volleyball-victory/?partner=RSSStudents and teachers at Marco Island Charter Middle School found creative ways to be generous this Thanksgiving. kelfarrell@yahoo.com (KELLY FARRELL)Wed, 26 Nov 2008 01:12:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-187188-733371localKELLY FARRELLMARCO ISLANDRice challenge leads to volleyball victorymarconews.comrice-challenge-leads-volleyball-victoryurn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-187188-733371Change733371Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/nov/25/marco-educators-named-teachers-distinction/?partner=RSSMarco Island and Lely teachers make the short list of the best teachers in Collier County, according to the Education Foundation. The Foundation named 40 Teachers of Distinction Tuesday, including Jonathon Mundorf and Lisa Braren of Tommie Barfield Elementary and Jacqueline Williams and Gregory Foote of Lely High. kelfarrell@yahoo.com (KELLY FARRELL, ROGER LALONDE)Tue, 25 Nov 2008 23:53:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-187179-733371localKELLY FARRELLROGER LALONDEMARCO ISLANDMarco educators named Teachers of Distinctionmarconews.commarco-educators-named-teachers-distinctionurn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-187179-733371Change733371Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/nov/18/thanksgiving-islanders-serve-food-tennis-balls/?partner=RSSMarco Island is serving up a canned food drive and a team tennis match for Thanksgiving this year. Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:25:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-186551-733364play/local-recMarco Eagle StaffMARCO ISLANDThanksgiving: Islanders serve food, tennis balls marconews.comthanksgiving-islanders-serve-food-tennis-ballsurn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-186551-733364Change733364Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/nov/18/pat-carroll-named-new-chair-collier-school-board/?partner=RSSPat Carroll has been named the new chair of the Collier County School Board. webninjas@naplesnews.com (VIA PRESS RELEASE )Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:29:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-186531-733364educationVIA PRESS RELEASE NAPLESPat Carroll named new chair of Collier School Boardmarconews.compat-carroll-named-new-chair-collier-school-boardurn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-186531-733364Change733364Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/nov/13/island-youth-contributing-holiday-spirit/?partner=RSSWhether stuffing shoeboxes for children in need or designing ornaments for the community’s holiday celebration, Island youth seem to be in the Christmas spirit. kelfarrell@yahoo.com (KELLY FARRELL)Thu, 13 Nov 2008 22:14:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-186226-733359localKELLY FARRELLMARCO ISLANDIsland youth contributing to the holiday spirit marconews.comisland-youth-contributing-holiday-spiriturn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-186226-733359Change733359Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/nov/08/minus-zero-collier-elementary-schools-make-50-lowe/?partner=RSSFifty is the new zero — if you are a Collier County elementary school student, that is. That’s because the Collier County School District is taking a different approach to help kids succeed. In an attempt to help students learn while making it easier for them to succeed, district teachers will issue a score no lower than 50. The district’s executive director for elementary school programs said zeros are rarely an adequate reflection of what a student is able to do. Instead, they are used as punishment for not doing what they are capable of. kalewis@naplesnews.com (KATHERINE ALBERS)Sat, 08 Nov 2008 21:20:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-185819-733354localKATHERINE ALBERSNAPLESMinus zero: Collier elementary schools make 50 the lowest possible scoremarconews.comminus-zero-collier-elementary-schools-make-50-loweurn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-185819-733354Change733354Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/nov/06/south-lee-schools-boast-most-major-offerings/?partner=RSSThey may not mean a whole lot, but they add up on paper. Estero High School and South Fort Myers High School both offer significantly more majors to their students than the average number of majors offered at Lee County high schools. The average is 41 majors. South High offers 66 majors and Estero offers 68 majors, which makes it the school with more available majors than any other in the county. mclark@bonitanews.com (MATT CLARK)Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:10:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-185679-733352allMATT CLARKBONITA SPRINGSSouth Lee schools boast most major offeringsmarconews.comsouth-lee-schools-boast-most-major-offeringsurn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-185679-733352Change733352Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/nov/04/school-teacher-sprague-wins-seat-collier-school-bo/?partner=RSSTuesday night was bittersweet for Julie Sprague. After months of hard work, the Gulf Coast High School teacher became the newest member of the Collier County School Board. But, as a School Board member, she will have to leave behind her teaching career, which has spanned 30 years, 20 of them in Collier County. Sprague said she used the word “bittersweet” twice Tuesday night, but said she hasn’t fully processed what it will mean. kalewis@naplesnews.com (KATHERINE ALBERS, JENNA BUZZACCO)Wed, 05 Nov 2008 04:57:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-185476-733350localKATHERINE ALBERSJENNA BUZZACCONAPLESSchool teacher Sprague wins seat on Collier school boardmarconews.comschool-teacher-sprague-wins-seat-collier-school-bourn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-185476-733350Change733350Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/nov/04/financial-aid-night-scheduled-collier/?partner=RSSHigh School students looking ahead to their college years need to explore all possible avenues of financial assistant to help offset the cost of attending college. tlaten@naplesnews.com (Naples Daily News staff report)Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:05:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-185398-733350localNaples Daily News staff reportNAPLESFinancial Aid Night scheduled in Colliermarconews.comfinancial-aid-night-scheduled-collierurn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-185398-733350Change733350Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/nov/04/collier-school-funding-referendum-passes/?partner=RSSCollier County School Board member Kathleen Curatolo could not help but be elated Tuesday night after it was clear a referendum to fund schools passed. “The referendum represents what a team of people can really do if they put their mind to it,” she said. “This is the very first thing that this School Board and superintendent ought to be proud of. It is going to make a huge difference in the education of our children.” kalewis@naplesnews.com (KATHERINE ALBERS, TRACY X. MIGUEL)Wed, 05 Nov 2008 02:04:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-185452-733350educationKATHERINE ALBERSTRACY X. MIGUELNAPLESReferendum’s passage gives needed money to Collier school boardmarconews.comcollier-school-funding-referendum-passesurn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-185452-733350Change733350Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/oct/19/lely-high-tournament-bands-built-teamwork-among-14/?partner=RSSDuring a Saturday night about music and the camaraderie it builds, Lely High School’s 19th annual Tournament of Bands fell silent just once. Wearing outfits ranging from Estero High School’s all-Americans to Immokalee High School’s ancient Egyptians, leaders of each of the 14 competing bands stood at attention on the football field at the end of the night, waiting silently to hear who won what. TGiratikanon@Naplesnews.com (TOM GIRATIKANON)Sun, 19 Oct 2008 16:43:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-184146-733334play/lely-highTOM GIRATIKANONNAPLESVIDEO/PHOTOS: Lely High tournament of bands built teamwork among 14 competing marconews.comlely-high-tournament-bands-built-teamwork-among-14urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-184146-733334Change733334Usablehttp://marconews.com/news/2008/oct/16/island-arts-color-your-day-pretty/?partner=RSSColor, “the property causing visual sensation.” Thu, 16 Oct 2008 20:06:00 -0000urn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-183948-733331localCHRISTINE NEALBonita Springs, FLIsland Arts: Color your day prettymarconews.comisland-arts-color-your-day-prettyurn:publicid:marconews.com:news-Story-183948-733331Change0Usable