Latest news with #K-8
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Six Pinellas schools to get new principals, with more to come
Six Pinellas County schools are getting new principals for the upcoming academic year. Parents from one of those schools on Tuesday urged the school board not to make the change. Saying their school had endured enough turmoil during the past year, parents from Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8 called on the board not to replace Christopher Ateek, who has led the school for the past 16 years. Madeira Beach Fundamental, which sits on the gulf, was displaced for several months after Hurricane Helene flooded its buildings. Ateek's removal after 'this crazy year' is 'ill placed,' parent Amy Stanton told the board during its special meeting. A handful of others spoke of how Ateek was the school's heart and soul, while many emailed board members to share the sentiment. Board members, who met Tuesday to confirm the appointments before the current year ends, said they appreciated the parents' concerns about school leadership. 'These changes really matter,' chairperson Laura Hine said, calling principals the 'captains of their ships.' At the same time, they said, superintendent Kevin Hendrick has the district's best interest at heart, and they trusted him to make appropriate personnel changes. Still, board member Katie Blaxberg and others suggested that in the future, the district do a better job of explaining principal shifts. 'An email on a Thursday to say, 'I'm not going to be back next year' and not give an explanation, it sends everyone into a bit of chaos,' Blaxberg said. The board ultimately approved the shifts, including: Ateek will transfer from Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8 to Pasadena Fundamental Elementary. Mary Athanson will transfer from Meadowlawn Middle to Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8. Athanson has been a district educator since 2006. Carmela Haley will transfer from Pinellas Gulf Coast Academy to Nina Harris Exceptional Student Education Center. Haley has been with Pinellas schools since 1994. Carlmon Jones will transfer from John Hopkins Middle to Bay Vista Fundamental Elementary. Jones has worked in the district since 1999. Donita Moody will transfer from Pasadena Fundamental Elementary to Azalea Elementary. Moody joined the district in 2003. Michael Rebman will transfer from Azalea Elementary to North Shore Elementary. Rebman came to the district in 2005. New principals have not yet been named for John Hopkins Middle or Meadowlawn Middle. Nicole Wilson, the principal of Southern Oak Elementary, will transfer to assistant administrator of Pinellas Technical College. Southern Oak is merging with Walsingham Elementary to become a K-8 campus in the fall. The board also approved 10 assistant principal shifts during its meeting Tuesday. Over three springs, Hendrick has replaced more than three dozen principals.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Talk About Woodville: Drama club prepares for musical
I had the opportunity last week to watch the Woodmore Drama Club in action, practicing their lines for their upcoming musical, 'Once Upon a Mattress.' Those youths were definitely having a good time. In this humorous adaptation of 'The Princess and the Pea,' Queen Agravain (Savannah Plantz) has declared a marriage ban in the kingdom, not allowing anyone to marry until the prince does. Determined to prevent her son, Prince Dauntless (Justin Kigar), from marrying, the queen devises impossible challenges for all potential princesses. When Princess Winnifred the Woebegone (Stella Strong) arrives, by swimming across a moat no less, she must pass the Queen's latest challenge — the 'Sensitivity Test' — where she must feel a single pea hidden under dozens of mattresses and in doing so, prove that she truly is a princess. 'I chose this musical based on the talent that I have,' said Marcia Busdeker, who has been directing the school plays at Woodmore for twelve years. 'I also thought it was time to do something whimsical and silly.' 'It has been a pleasure working with all of the students this year. Woodmore has so much talent and it is fun fostering it,' Busdeker said. As for next year's play, she said, 'The only hint I can give is … it will be something brand new for the community.' Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on March 20, 21 and 22, and at 2 p.m. on March 23 at Woodmore's K-8 building, 708 W. Main St. Tickets are $8 for students and seniors, $10 for adults and $15 for preferred seating. Tickets may be purchased in person at the K-8 building in Woodville on Monday and Thursday evenings from 6-9 p.m. or can be reserved by calling 419-704-7807. The Woodville Fire Department's last pancake breakfast of the season is 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 9. Breakfast includes scrambled eggs, chunky applesauce, homemade pork sausage and pancakes. Cost is $9 for adults and $8 for seniors and children under 12. Drive-thru and dine-in options are available. In hopes of making it easier for more people to participate in planning, the Woodville 4th of July Committee has changed its meeting nights to the third Tuesday of the month. The next meeting is at 7 p.m. on March 18 at the Woodville Public Library. New faces are welcome. With spring approaching, Woodmore SAY Soccer is recruiting referees for the upcoming soccer season. Referees must be at least 14 years old, complete the SAY online referee training course and attend a 2025 Spring ESSL Referee Clinic. Clinics will be held on March 22 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Oregon Recreation Center, 5330 Seaman Road, Oregon and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Bellevue High School, 200 Oakland Ave., Bellevue. Each trainee will receive a whistle, flip coin and notepad with cards. The fee to attend is $10. For more information, contact Frank Sirse, Referee Coordinator at franksirse@ Screening for the 2025-26 kindergarten class is scheduled for April 30 to May 1. Parents are asked to fill out a pre-registration form and call the elementary secretary at 419-862-1060, ext. 2030 to schedule an in-person screening. The form and more information can be found at Children must be age 5 prior to Aug. 1, 2025 to be eligible. The annual Woodmore PTO Flower Sale with Bench's Greenhouse and Nursery is open online until April 1. Flowers will be available for pickup in time for Mother's Day. More information is available at Contact Rene Dix at 419-307-0914 or via email at This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Woodmore youth to present 'Once Upon a Mattress'
