Florida / School Districts / HIGHLANDS
Students from Hill Gustat Middle School presented on tolerance and extracurriculars; public commenter Larry Orfield urged the board to seek changes to instructional standards and criticized exclusive teaching of evolution.
Florida / School Districts / HIGHLANDS
The Highlands County School Board adopted its revised agenda, approved an agreement with the Sebring Police Department for school resource officers, approved personnel recommendations, accepted monthly financials, and awarded several technology and HVAC contracts in a series of roll-call votes.
Florida / School Districts / HIGHLANDS
District technology director Ian Bellinger told the School Board that the district is emphasizing guided, tutor-like uses of AI for students, supported by teacher consent, professional development, and security measures tied to managed Google accounts and Gemini for Education.
Florida / School Districts / HIGHLANDS
Administrators reviewed proposed code-of-conduct edits for the Highlands academy that formalize a 90% attendance threshold for early-release eligibility, a nine-week review cycle, procedures to expedite hearings, and new food-and-drink safety language; officials asked for a follow-up workshop to refine wording.
Florida / School Districts / HIGHLANDS
Students from Memorial Elementary School presented the character trait 'resilience' at the Highlands County School Board meeting, with their vice principal introducing brief student remarks and examples. Board members praised the presentation.
Florida / School Districts / HIGHLANDS
The Highlands County School Board approved revisions to grouped policies (5a–5jj), accepted the superintendent's personnel recommendations, adopted a revised 2025–26 salary schedule, approved expulsions for academy placements, and authorized Lake Placid and Avon Park high schools to join the Sunshine State Athletic Association for football. Actions were approved as presented.
Florida / School Districts / HIGHLANDS
Lake Placid and Avon Park officials asked the Highlands County School Board to place a membership item on the next meeting agenda to join the Sunshine State Athletic Association for football, citing reduced travel and better competitive balance. Sebring coaches warned the move could change schedules, raise transfer risks and shift transportation costs.
Florida / School Districts / HIGHLANDS
At a Highlands County School Board meeting, public commenter Larry Overfield said he contacted the Florida Department of Education and a state work group updating CPALM standards and urged that creationism be taught alongside evolution so students would have 'a choice.' Board members expressed interest in reviewing the materials he receives.
Florida / School Districts / HIGHLANDS
The Highlands County School Board adopted the revised agenda and approved consent items including personnel recommendations, expulsions/placements, an amendment to the Blue Cross administrative services agreement, ratification of a 2025–2028 support-staff contract, and an agreement with Abbot Center; the Office of Safe Schools reported zero compliance findings for the quarter.
Florida / School Districts / HIGHLANDS
DeBarge 'Dee' Gordon told the Highlands County School Board of plans to turn Headfield into a baseball hub and to use a 40-acre hydroponics farm for student field trips and curriculum ties; he asked the board to support a petition to the city to sell the field and noted a large private contribution claim tied to Major League Baseball.