Mackenzie Scott donates $110M to 3 Florida colleges and universities
Mackenzie Scott, the former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, donated $40 million each to UCF in Orlando and FIU in Miami, and $30 million to Broward College in Fort Lauderdale. The gifts were part of her $2.7 billion in donations to hundreds of organizations on Tuesday.
DeSantis signs bill mandating moment of silence in schools
Touting the measure as a way of allowing students to “reflect and be able to pray as they see fit,” Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill that will require public schools to hold moments of silence at the beginning of each day.
Tarpon Springs High School band to perform at 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Tarpon Springs High School Outdoor Performance Ensemble will represent the state of Florida at the 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®.
New Jersey school district removes names of all holidays from school calendar
After an outcry at a raucous public meeting over a previous decision to rename Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples Day, the board of education at a New Jersey school district decided to strip all holiday names off of the school calendar.
TCU replaces 'freshman' title with 'first-year student'
TCU will now call freshman, first year students, in an effort to be more gender inclusive.
Performing arts program at Pepin Academies helps students overcome obstacles
Drama classes can help kids express themselves creatively. For students in one program, that training can go a lot further to help them with other aspects of their lives.
Florida Board of Education approves language effectively banning critical race theory from classrooms
Critical race theory is a decades-old concept that delves into how racism has shaped public policy, legal systems, and American society. But some conservatives, including Governor DeSantis, say it sows division.
Parents honor son’s memory by giving others a ‘fresh start’ through scholarship program
Terrence and Kim Brett lost their son in a tragic accident. They decided to keep his memory alive by helping others fulfill their dreams of going to college.
Drobots drone camps let kids take flight this summer
With school out, many summer camps are officially launching this week across the Tampa Bay area. If you’re looking for a fun STEM camp, or if your child enjoys drones or robotics, Drobots is worth checking out.
Polk County school board members votes to end face coverings policy for fall
The new Polk County superintendent and school board members are set to vote on whether to continue the district’s mask mandate.
Students reenact George Floyd killing in photo, principal resigns
A high school principal in Colorado has announced she is resigning a couple weeks after a photo of three students reenacting the killing of George Floyd in the school parking lot was shared on social media.
Ohio school district to pay parents $3M after bullied child's suicide
Cincinnati Public Schools entered a $3 million settlement with the parents of an 8-year-old student who killed himself after being bullied.
Masks now optional for some Bay Area summer school students, teachers say it’s a quick turnaround
On Friday, the Hillsborough County School District announced that beginning Monday, masks would be optional in schools, which means students enrolling in summer school classes will not have to wear a mask, but not all teachers are on board.
Middle school drops Confederate soldier’s name to take NASA’s Katherine Johnson’s
A Virginia school board held a naming ceremony where they removed the name of a Confederate soldier from a middle school and replaced it with Katherine Johnson — the NASA legend.
Masks optional, e-learning dropped in Hillsborough schools
In two big decisions announced Friday, Hillsborough County schools say face coverings will no longer be required for students and staff, while any parents who want their kids to continue remote learning next year will have one less option.
Wilberforce University cancels student debt for 2020 and 2021 graduates
Wilberforce University, the nation’s oldest private, historically Black university owned and operated by African Americans, announced that it will forgive student debt owed by its 2020 and 2021 graduates.
Denver Public Schools to begin cooking all school meals from scratch
Denver Public Schools is aiming to cook 100% of its school meals from scratch for the more than 90,000 students its serves in a partnership with Brigaid, a startup that brings in professional chefs to work with existing staff.
Phone flashlights save the day when power goes out during Texas graduation
A power outage threatened to derail a Texas high school commencement ceremony Friday evening, but attendees saved the day just by reaching into their pockets.
Baltimore students who failed classes this year will still pass, school board says
Baltimore students who failed classes during the 2020-2021 school year will still pass on to the next grade level, the city's school board announced this week.
Retiring principal gets flash-mob sendoff
Tim Ducker is retiring from Mulrennan Middle School after working for 36 years, 15 as the principal.