Thousands of students face a new school year in Manatee County
Parents juggled school supplies and anxious children on Monday morning, the first day of classes in Manatee County.
Susan Melichar gripped a plastic bag full of Goldfish crackers and Cheez-Its as she arrived to Palma Sola Elementary School.
Her son, Jimmie, was ready for his debut as a first grader. He was especially eager for art and gym class, along with a new engineering course.
He is one of approximately 48,600 students enrolled in a Manatee County school. His sister, Ella, was less enthusiastic about the idea of starting a new year.
When asked what made her nervous, she said, “Everything.”
Their mother praised school employees for their hard work. She was confident about the quality of her children’s education, but she had questions about their security.
Dozens of guardians — armed security officers without law enforcement authority — will deploy to elementary schools throughout the district on Aug. 20. Melichar said she would prefer if sheriff’s deputies or police officers guarded the schools.
Detective George Bryant, of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, patrolled the campus on Monday.
“I’m just keeping everybody safe — teachers, kids, everybody,” he said.
The first day of school can be emotional for students and their families. As a girl smiled and embraced her friend, a nearby mother consoled her crying son.
“You cannot come to work with me today,” she said. “This is your job.”
A handful of kids donned neon green “safety patrol” belts, ushering other students to their homeroom classes. The first bell of the year rang at 8:30 a.m., followed by the first Pledge of Allegiance, the first roll call and the first morning announcements.
Sarah Orcutt greeted each of her students by their name and the esteemed title of “first grader.” She had the benefit of knowing each boy and girl from their time in kindergarten.
“One, two, three, eyes on me,” she said.
“One, two, eyes on you,” the students replied.
“You just blew my mind,” Orcutt said. “You remembered that after a whole busy summer.”
About 7,000 district employees worked to make Monday a success. There are 47 traditional schools and 13 charter schools operating in the 2018-2019 school year, along with Manatee Technical College, which operates three campuses.
At a West Manatee Fire and Rescue station, less than a mile from Palma Sola Elementary, firefighters called for safety in the new school year.
They parked a truck and its whirling lights next to the road, and a sign hung from the passenger-side door: “Please slow down, school is back in session.”
Lt. Dan Tackett urged residents to watch for intersections and stopping school buses.
“Especially kids without parents with them,” he said. “They’ll dart across — they don’t even think about it.”
A new year, new expectations
It’s a big year for the School District of Manatee County. After holding a B grade for the last two years, the district is nearing its goal of becoming an A-rated system. The coveted position is often a focal point of school board meetings and community events.
A higher grade was among several topics in a welcome-back video created by the district. The video, featuring Superintendent Cynthia Saunders, was posted on the district’s website.
She greeted county residents and paid tribute to former Superintendent Diana Greene, who left to head the Duval County school system.
“While she is greatly missed professionally and personally, I’m excited about where we are headed as a school district, and our goal this year is to continue to build on our success,” she said.
In the video, Saunders said the district is poised to earn an A grade, citing its financial security, academic success and improvements in transparency and public perception.
Voters approved the extension of a half-cent sales tax for schools in 2016, and residents voted in favor of a one-mill increase on property taxes last March.
The district’s projected budget is $886.7 million, according to a news release.
More money and a rising credit score will help the district build new schools and offer prospective employees a better salary.
The district is facing plenty of obstacles, too. Its deputy superintendent of business and operations, Ron Ciranna, is on paid administrative leave while an internal investigation continues.
The district is reviewing payments made during the implementation a new business management system, and state auditors recently expressed interest in the project.
Ciranna holds one of two deputy positions. The other was held by Saunders, previously the deputy superintendent of instructional services, and that position remains unfilled.
Three school board members are up for re-election, and the board will likely start its search for a new superintendent after the elections. Saunders agreed not to apply for the permanent position.
In a recent statement to the Bradenton Herald, she said the district’s struggles would not overshadow its achievements.
“Like any organization during times of transition or absence, we will draw on the experience and skills of all our team members to accomplish our goals,” she said in an email. “Right now, we are fully focused on getting the new school year off to a strong start and I am fully confident we have the people in place to make that happen.”
This story was originally published August 13, 2018 at 11:09 AM.