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Pinellas school news: Pinellas offers a second shot at choice programs; art students are honored, and more

 
The Pinellas County school system’s Book Bus will show up at Summer Bridge sites and community centers as part of the district’s summer reading initiative.
The Pinellas County school system’s Book Bus will show up at Summer Bridge sites and community centers as part of the district’s summer reading initiative.
Published March 29, 2017

Late Application Period offers students another shot at choice programs

Nearly 50 choice programs in the Pinellas County school system still have open seats available for the 2017-18 academic year. Students can apply during the annual Late Application Period, now under way, using the Student Reservation System. The seats remain open after the initial application process that took place in January and February. The district has lifted geographic restrictions for the programs, so students can apply from throughout the county. However, families will have to provide their own transportation if they live outside a program's initial application area. The programs with open seats include: the Center for Computer Technologies at Countryside High; the Center for Culinary Arts at Dixie Hollins High; the Institute for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics at Countryside High; the Jacobson Culinary Arts Academy at Tarpon Springs High; Azalea Middle School's Middle Grades Engineering Gateway to Technology; the Center for Gifted Studies at Morgan Fitzgerald Middle; the Pre-Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) program at Pinellas Park Middle; the Leadership Conservatory/Pre Cambridge AICE program at Tarpon Springs Middle; and Montessori Academy at Gulfport Elementary School. For a full list of programs with openings and more information about Pinellas school choice programs and how to apply, visit pcsb.org/choice.

Students, teachers recognized for art accomplishments

Thirteen Pinellas students have been honored in the annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, the nation's longest-running recognition program for creative teens in grades 7 through 12. Here is a list of the students, with their art teachers in parentheses: Nina Tran, Boca Ciega High (Erin John Sullivan); Seren Strassenreither, Clearwater Fundamental Middle (Karen Santangelo); Mikaela-Rose Piotrowski, Dixie Hollins High; (Kristen Pineda); Arianna DeJesus, Angelica Hartman, Marica James and Aidan Schaffert, Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High (Steve Beverage, Yoko Nogami); Amelia Beatty and Savanah Smith, John Hopkins Middle (Julie Smith); Kiara Rivera, Lakewood High (Jayce Ganchou); Aeriel Callahan and Brooke Hoenstine, Seminole High (Blaine Barden); Mia Pineda, Thurgood Marshall Fundamental Middle (Peter Hynes).

Pinellas seeks donations for 'Fill the Bus' reading campaign

The Pinellas school district is again working with other organizations on a summer reading initiative that puts donated books into the hands of students, tracks their progress and provides incentives to increase their engagement in reading. The "Fill the Bus" campaign seeks donations of books and money to buy books. Funds can be donated online at pcsb.org/fillthebus, or from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday, April 6 at the Pinellas County Schools Administration Building, 301 Fourth Street SW in Largo. Opportunities to donate by check or at Barnes & Noble stores also will be available.

Honors and awards

Three 11th-grade STEM students from Pinellas County schools will take part this May in the 2017 Sunshine State Scholars Program, a partnership between the Florida Department of Education and Lockheed Martin. They are Andrew Whigham of Seminole High, Virginia Weaver of Boca Ciega High and Jacob Siegel of Countryside High. … Resource teacher David Haines, who has served as director of Special Olympics Pinellas for 17 years, was inducted into the Special Olympics Florida Hall of Fame. … Pinellas Schools K-5 math specialist Lukas Hefty is one of three Florida educators to receive the Governor's Shine Award, presented to teachers and administrators across the state who make significant contributions to education. Earlier this year, Hefty was the only educator from Florida and one of only 35 honorees nationwide to receive the prestigious Milken Educator Award.

Elementary school lunch menus

Monday: Crispy chicken sandwich, cheese pizza crunchers, chef salad with deli turkey, turkey and cheese hoagie, baked crinkle cut fries, fresh veggie dippers, fresh or canned fruit.

Tuesday: Corn dog, farmer's meatless salad, grape or strawberry Jamwich Kit, oven-baked beans, romaine side salad, fresh or canned fruit.

Wednesday: Teriyaki beef dippers over rice, stuffed shells with marinara sauce, fruit and yogurt salad plate, ham and cheese croissant, steamed broccoli, sliced cucumbers with dressing, fresh or canned fruit.

Thursday: Popcorn chicken and Dutch waffle, toasted cheese sandwich, chicken cobb salad, grilled chicken caesar wrap, tomato soup, mixed or tossed side salad, fresh or canned fruit.

Friday: Potato-crusted fish sticks with corn bread muffin loaf, pizza, chicken popper salad, Italian sub, steamed green beans, fresh veggie dippers, fresh or canned fruit.