http://naplesnews.com/news/education/naplesnews.com Stories: Education Newsen-useducationhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/24/collier-superintendent-hot-seat-school-board-candi/Superintendent Dennis Thompson took center stage at a Collier County School Board candidate forum Thursday evening. And he wasn’t even there. During the forum, sponsored by The League of Women Voters of Collier County, moderator Chris Straton asked the candidates what they would tell Thompson their first priority for him would be. Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:55:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/24/collier-superintendent-hot-seat-school-board-candi/citizen/schoolshttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/23/collier-school-board-candidates-get-grilled-voters/They all want to make the Collier County School District a better place for students, teachers and parents. They all want the community to vote for the candidate that will make the most difference. They all think they are the right person for that job. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:36:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/23/collier-school-board-candidates-get-grilled-voters/localhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/23/collier-schools-oppose-amendment-cut-taxes/The Collier County School District hopes citizens vote against a proposed amendment that could mean a 25 percent reduction in property taxes. The amendment to Florida’s Constitution, which is referred to as Amendment 5, will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:28:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/23/collier-schools-oppose-amendment-cut-taxes/localhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/23/just-2-texas-high-school-athletes-test-positive-st/First-year results in the nation's largest steroid-testing program caught only two Texas high school athletes cheating. Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:50:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/23/just-2-texas-high-school-athletes-test-positive-st/educationhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/22/collier-school-district-fires-45-employees/School is not in session yet, but 45 Collier County School District employees will not be working by the new school year. The district confirmed it will layoff 20 bus drivers and 25 bus attendants. The district confirmed it will layoff 20 bus drivers and 25 bus attendants. Chief Operations Officer Michele LaBute said in an e-mail that the district determined it could reduce the number of bus routes for the 2008-09 school year during an annual efficiency review of the routes and occupancy. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 16:23:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/22/collier-school-district-fires-45-employees/citizen/schoolshttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/21/collier-teachers-union-starts-discussions-district/Collier County school officials are not quite prepared to make, or accept, any offers regarding teachers’ salaries for the coming school year. But that hasn’t stopped union officials from putting an offer on the table. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 01:14:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/21/collier-teachers-union-starts-discussions-district/citizen/schoolshttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/21/lee-elementary-school-finds-unique-way-get-more-pa/Parents are tuning in to Three Oaks Elementary School. Earlier this year, the school’s version of FOX’s “Are You Smarter Than a Fifth-Grader?” drew a large crowd, which was staged in conjunction with a Parent Teacher Organization meeting. Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:41:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/21/lee-elementary-school-finds-unique-way-get-more-pa/educationhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/21/collier-school-district-accreditation-status-recei/The Collier County School District has been warned — again. Several members of the Collier County School Board said it was time the board gets its act together before something worse happens. A report released by a four-person Quality Assurance Review Team recommends that the district’s accreditation remain on the warned status, and that a follow-up visit should be scheduled between Jan. 1 and March 31. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 20:21:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/21/collier-school-district-accreditation-status-recei/localhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/20/abbott-seek-another-term-collier-school-board/After the year she’s had, one would wonder why School Board Chairwoman Linda Abbott would seek reelection to the Collier County School Board. “That’s a good question,” she said with a laugh. In the past year, Abbott has cast the deciding vote to fire former Superintendent Ray Baker and dealt with the loss of more than $10 million in school district money as a result of state cutbacks. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 01:11:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/20/abbott-seek-another-term-collier-school-board/citizen/schoolshttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/20/lagging-economy-means-adults-attending-college-tec/When the economy is low, enrollment at higher education schools tends to shoot up. And that is the case across Southwest Florida and technical schools. Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology and Edison College have seen an increase in enrollment in its adult population from people who may be looking to get into a second job, either because they were laid off or fired, or because they may need supplemental income so they want to do another job. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:48:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/20/lagging-economy-means-adults-attending-college-tec/educationhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/20/michigan-state-attracts-immokalee-students-migrant/Jessica Gonzalez walks into Southwest Florida International Airport a little excited and a little nervous. “I have never been on a plane. And I am going to Michigan, which is far away from home,” she said. “But I am excited to go somewhere and see other things, meet new people.” Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:46:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/20/michigan-state-attracts-immokalee-students-migrant/educationhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/20/four-collier-schools-looking-upgrade-grades/The Collier County School District is looking for a do-over. District officials have confirmed that they are working on appeals of the school grades of four Collier County schools. The schools — Big Cypress and Veterans Memorial Elementary schools, Golden Gate Middle School and Golden Gate High School — were all one point away from moving up a letter grade. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 00:41:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/20/four-collier-schools-looking-upgrade-grades/localhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/19/religious-camp-seagate-elementary-offers-students-/You’ve sent Johnny away to baseball camp, space camp and math camp. Why not add a religious camp to the list? How about a camp centered around pride in the Jewish faith? Sun, 20 Jul 2008 02:36:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/19/religious-camp-seagate-elementary-offers-students-/localhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/19/trimmed-lee-school-budget-gets-lift-pe-grant/The Lee County School District’s physical education program just got fatter. Flush with cash from a new three-year, $500,000 federal grant, the district plans to improve all of its students’ physical health and wellness education through a variety of approaches. Sat, 19 Jul 2008 21:00:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/19/trimmed-lee-school-budget-gets-lift-pe-grant/educationhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/17/lee-school-board-candidates-debate-school-choice-p/The race for two seats on the Lee County School Board has led to a raucous debate over the district’s school-choice program. One candidate couldn’t contain her laughter when asked about the other’s plan. Fri, 18 Jul 2008 00:55:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/17/lee-school-board-candidates-debate-school-choice-p/educationhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/17/boys-girls-club-visits-edison-higher-education-ans/Woody Seraphin doesn’t know exactly what he wants to be when he grows up. But the 15-year-old Golden Gate High School sophomore does know that he wants to go to college. Woody, whose parents didn’t attend college, says he wants to go to college “so that I can get a better education for my life.” Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:29:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/17/boys-girls-club-visits-edison-higher-education-ans/localhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/16/collier-schools-finances-be-focus-blue-ribbon-comm/Are Collier County schools in financial trouble? The answer lies in what a team of seven community members discover as they examine the Collier County School District’s books. The team is a blue ribbon committee named to determine if the district has the financial need for a referendum that will be placed on the ballot in November. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:23:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/16/collier-schools-finances-be-focus-blue-ribbon-comm/localhttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/15/ave-maria-sells-campus-holdings-michigan/Ave Maria University divested itself of its Michigan campus holdings with the closing of a $1.325 million deal this week, the university’s chief financial officer said. Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:04:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/15/ave-maria-sells-campus-holdings-michigan/ave_mariahttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/15/teen-accused-may-chemical-scare-lee-school/A 14-year-old boy is facing criminal charges of spreading a chemical spray through his Lee County high school, a stunt that sent more than 50 students and employees to the hospital. Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:01:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/15/teen-accused-may-chemical-scare-lee-school/crimehttp://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/14/lee-schools-expected-lose-students-starting-2009/It’s just a projection. But a new state estimate projects that the Lee County School District will lose more than 800 students during a two-year period beginning in 2009. If it holds true, it may be the first time the district’s year-to-year student head count has dropped. Tue, 15 Jul 2008 01:10:00 -0000http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/14/lee-schools-expected-lose-students-starting-2009/education