https://www.yourobserver.com/news/east-county/schools/www.yourobserver.com stories: Schoolsen-usFri, 12 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/12/manatee-school-board-superintendent-contract/Madison BierlFri, 12 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/12/manatee-school-board-superintendent-contract/Laurie Breslin was officially sworn in as the superintendent for the School District of Manatee County on Sept. 9.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/10/braden-river-high-anniversary/Madison BierlWed, 10 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/10/braden-river-high-anniversary/Mathematics teacher Jeff Hilt and social studies teacher Dan McLean are the last remaining classroom teachers that were there when Braden River High School opened in 2005.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/10/oda-football-captain-fundraiser/Madison BierlWed, 10 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/10/oda-football-captain-fundraiser/Lakewood Ranch's Dylan Walker, the captain of the Out-of-Door Academy football team, organized a fundraiser to benefit the Suncoast Disaster Recovery Fund. It took place during their rivalry game against Saint Stephen’s Episcopal School on Sept. 5.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/08/school-relief-overcrowded-gullett-elementary/Madison BierlMon, 08 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/08/school-relief-overcrowded-gullett-elementary/B.D. Gullett Elementary front desk clerk and parent Cristina Holland, student Brooke Green and Principal Julie Gierhart are ready to take on the school year with fewer bodies in the school.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/04/new-music-teachers-haile-middle/Madison BierlThu, 04 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/04/new-music-teachers-haile-middle/DJ Harpole, the band director, and Nohemi Perez, the orchestra director, have worked at Carlos E. Haile Middle School for three years, building their students' passion and motivation for music.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/01/superintendent-goals-manatee-county-school-district/Madison BierlMon, 01 Sep 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/sep/01/superintendent-goals-manatee-county-school-district/Laurie Breslin has been named the new superintendent for the School District of Manatee County in a unanimous vote on Aug. 26.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/31/witt-elementary-digital-art-lab/Madison BierlSun, 31 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/31/witt-elementary-digital-art-lab/Third grader Alexander Muenchow chose to draw an axolotl. He says he enjoys using special tools on the iPad that may not be in the classroom such as a glitter tool and stickers.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/27/manatee-superintendent-decision/Madison BierlWed, 27 Aug 2025 06:37:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/27/manatee-superintendent-decision/Laurie Breslin has been named the new superintendent for the School District of Manatee County in a unanimous vote on Aug. 26.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/20/superintendent-finalists-share-goals/Madison BierlWed, 20 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/20/superintendent-finalists-share-goals/The two finalists for the superintendent position are Misty Mathis, the executive director of curriculum and instruction for the Nassau County School District, and Laurie Breslin, the executive director of student support and family engagement for the School District of Manatee County.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/18/new-high-school-lakewood-ranch/Madison BierlMon, 18 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/18/new-high-school-lakewood-ranch/The School District of Manatee County proceeds with the full high school option with two academic buildings instead of one, which provides 2,000 student stations.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/12/manatee-superintendent-candidates/Madison BierlTue, 12 Aug 2025 12:15:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/12/manatee-superintendent-candidates/Laurie Breslin of the School District of Manatee County and Misty Mathis of Nassau County School District have been selected as finalists in the superintendent search.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/11/lake-manatee-opens-lakewood-ranch/Madison BierlMon, 11 Aug 2025 15:45:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/11/lake-manatee-opens-lakewood-ranch/https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/11/no-phone-policy/Madison BierlMon, 11 Aug 2025 11:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/11/no-phone-policy/Lakewood Ranch's Peter and Athena Hotaling enjoy using their phones to connect with friends and family, play games, use social media and more. With the new phone restrictions, they will have to save those things for after school hours.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/08/manatee-high-school-seniors-chase-dreams/Madison BierlFri, 08 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/08/manatee-high-school-seniors-chase-dreams/Lakewood Ranch residents Shaun Ulstad and Andrew Cordani are eager to start their senior year at Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy, which is one step closer to a potential future at MIT.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/05/new-high-school-lakewood-ranch/Madison BierlTue, 05 Aug 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/aug/05/new-high-school-lakewood-ranch/The second option for High School AAA, with a $107,000,000 budget, would provide 1,000 student stations and 139,000 square feet of space. Later additions might include an auditorium, gymnasium and other athletic fields.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/30/charter-schools-sales-tax-dollars/Madison BierlWed, 30 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/30/charter-schools-sales-tax-dollars/Sara Geary, the head of schools at Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy, and Patty Scerbo, a mother to two students who attend the school, look forward to potential improvements that may be funded by their share of the half penny tax.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/27/braden-river-ffa-ireland/Madison BierlSun, 27 Jul 2025 10:30:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/27/braden-river-ffa-ireland/Braden River High School students Cameron Brand, Jacob Zinkhan, Kylie Mohamed, Sophi Jo Branscomb and Jacqueline Lopez traveled around Ireland learning about agriculture and Irish culture along the way.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/23/east-county-school-grades/Madison BierlWed, 23 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/23/east-county-school-grades/Antonella Imperiale, Sebastian Chasey, Naomi Rodriguez and Sarah Arco attended first grade at Braden River Elementary School which was given an A grade for the 2024-2025 school year.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/21/bashaw-elementary-has-a-new-principal/Madison BierlMon, 21 Jul 2025 09:45:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/21/bashaw-elementary-has-a-new-principal/Nicole Williams is the new principal for Bashaw Elementary School. She is entering her 30th year in education in Manatee County, eager to make and grow new connections in the school.https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/18/back-to-school-superintendent-letter/Madison BierlFri, 18 Jul 2025 06:00:00 -0400https://www.yourobserver.com/news/2025/jul/18/back-to-school-superintendent-letter/Interim superintendent Kevin Chapman's contract was finalized in a special board meeting May 29. He will be interim until January 5, 2026 or whenever the school board hires someone in his place.