Florida / School Districts / HIGHLANDS
Dozens of students, alumni, parents and teachers told the Highlands County School Board that proposed changes to Highlands Career Institute's delivery model and district transportation would remove access to vocational training for many students and urged the district to preserve on-site instruction and buses.
Florida / School Districts / HIGHLANDS
VPK teachers and parents at the Highlands County workshop argued that eliminating optional VPK classrooms would widen readiness gaps, harm kindergarten outcomes and disproportionately affect children from low-income families; board members requested data on kindergarten readiness to inform decisions.
Florida / School Districts / HIGHLANDS
Superintendent Dr. Longshore presented a draft fiscal recovery plan after falling below the 3% statutory fund-balance target, proposing shifting the alternative academy to virtual instruction, returning core classes for Highlands Career Institute students to home high schools while preserving vocational offerings, and eliminating optional VPK classrooms; the measures aim to recapture roughly $4 million in the near term.
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.