Latest news with #SchoolDistrict
CBS News
6 days ago
- CBS News
Frisco ISD subpoenaed for student names, records in connection to Karmelo Anthony case
The Frisco Independent School District has been subpoenaed to provide the names of students who were present during the deadly stabbing at a track meet at Kuykendall Stadium on April 2, a spokesperson confirmed with CBS News Texas. The subpoena is in connection to the case of The State of Texas vs Karmelo Anthony, the student accused of fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf, another student at the track meet. The school district notified parents via letter on July 24, as identifying information of students is protected from release without parental consent under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) except when a school is required to release that information under a subpoena. It is not clear how many students were present at the track meet. Anthony, who is facing a first-degree murder charge, has been on house arrest since being released on a reduced bond on April 14. If convicted, Anthony could face a possible sentence of 5-99 years or life in prison. He was indicted for murder by a Collin County grand jury in June. A Collin County judge has set a trial date of June 1, 2026 for Anthony. Subject: Notice of Subpoena for Student Records Dear Parents of 2024-25 Memorial Track & Field Athletes, Pursuant to FERPA requirements found in 34 C.F.R. 99.31 (a)(9)(ii), the District is providing you with notice of a subpoena it received in Cause No. 296-83565-2025. Our records indicate that your student attended, or was scheduled to attend, the track meet at Kuykendall Stadium on April 2, 2025; therefore, a record responsive to the subpoena contains what would be considered your student's personally identifiable information per FERPA. The subpoena is requesting the following records: Please provide a list of all student-athletes from Memorial HS, including their full name, date of birth, address, parents' names and contact information, who attended a track meet at the Kuykendall stadium on 04/02/2025. If you seek protective action against the disclosure of this record, please email a copy of your motion and/or notice of hearing to me at [redacted], on or before July 29, 2025, so that I am aware of the status as to whether the record containing your/your student's information must be released. Otherwise, the District will have to comply with the subpoena pursuant to Texas Code of Criminal 24.06, and release the record on July 29th. Thank you for considering this request.
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Yahoo
Pine Grove Twp. man charged with burglarizing school property
A Pine Grove Twp. man faces burglary and criminal trespass charges after police say he stole various pieces of equipment, food and drinks from the Pine Grove Area School District in two drug-induced incidents. Pine Grove police charged Austin Hall, 28, on Wednesday after they found video surveillance footage of a man removing uniforms and other items from private band trailers and a concession stand on the school property earlier this year. Police said the man, later identified as Hall, was first spotted the morning of April 7 walking around the school grounds. Surveillance footage showed he had entered two band trailers in a fenced-off area around 3 a.m. that morning. He came out of the trailers wearing an approximately $795 band uniform, police said. After further investigation, police found Hall had also taken food, medical supplies, tools and a backpack before leaving the area. On June 23, school district officials notified police that Hall had returned to campus and broken into the concession stand at the football stadium. Footage showed the defendant driving a blue four-wheeler to the area late June 22. Around 12:30 a.m. that night, he was seen walking in front of the garage area at the stadium. He left and returned later, wearing a dress, police said. Hall changed his clothing several times and then climbed into the concession stand through a window, according to police. He was seen trying to cover the cameras inside the stand with duct tape; pictures from said cameras showed the defendant's appearance matched that of the person in the April 7 break-in, police said. Inside the concession stand, Hall took food, drinks and several other items, including medical supplies and towels, police said. He ultimately left the scene on his four-wheeler around 3:45 a.m., police said, but returned to campus near the elementary school later that morning and washed his vehicle with a hose. Police subsequently contacted the defendant. Hall told police that he was the person involved in both incidents and said he has a drug issue. He said when he does drugs, he blacks out and doesn't remember what he does, although he did have a good recollection of both incidents, according to police. Hall said he hid the items from the school district in a wooded area known as the 'Ghost Bridge,' but when he went back for them later, they were no longer there. Hall faces two felony counts each of burglary and criminal trespass, along with two misdemeanor counts each of theft and receiving stolen property. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Yahoo
Alternative school teacher arrested on sex solicitation involving minors, battery charges
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — An alternative school teacher has been arrested on charges related to battery and soliciting lewd and lascivious acts from minors. Audley Hewitt, 61, who was named 2022 IR Prep Teacher of the Year, was arrested just before noon July 17, law enforcement and school district records show. His full charges include soliciting a sexual battery act by a custodian with a victim under 18; battery touch or strike; unlawful use of a two-way communication device, according to Indian River County Sheriff's Office records. Arrest records show he was arrested at his residence west of Vero Beach in the 6400 block of 26th Street at 11:51 a.m. A student reported Hewitt's alleged actions saying he was "engaged in inappropriate relationships" and "soliciting a student," according to an Indian River County Sheriff's Office news release. A School District of Indian River County spokesperson provided a statement acknowledging the arrest and 'allegations involving a teacher at IR Prep,' and that both referred to Hewitt. The allegations in the student's report occurred from Jan. 22 through March, Capt. Joe Abollo said. He said the district notified law enforcement of the student's report at a later date. It's unclear at what point between March and the date of Hewitt's arrest the school notified the agency of the matter. 'As soon as the matter was brought to the District's attention, appropriate steps were immediately taken,' district spokesperson Kyra Schafte said in an emailed statement. 'The District conducted an internal investigation and, consistent with its obligations, promptly reported the matter to the Department of Children and Families and to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office.' Superintendent David Moore approved a measure to speed up Hewitt's termination of employment. IR Prep at 1426 18th Street is a secondary school for students in grades six through12. Hewitt was not found among an online list of faculty, however, an Oct. 11, 2022 Facebook picture and caption depicts the school's principal, Dariyall Brown, posing with Hewitt who was awarded as that year's 'Teacher of the Year.' (This story was updated with more information.) More: 2 men indicted in 2024 IRC triple murder accuse each other, court records show More: Law enforcement pursuit on U.S. 1, Wabasso bridge ends in man's arrest after 2 PIT stops Corey Arwood is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreyarwood, or reach him by phone at 772-978-2246. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: IR Prep school teacher arrested on sex solicitation charge involving minors
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
Former Palm Beach County middle school teacher faces charge of sexual battery on a child
A School District of Palm Beach County employee is facing a criminal charge after authorities alleged he sexually assaulted a child who was between the ages of 7 and 14 years old. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office took Miguel Benavente, 57, of Royal Palm Beach into custody July 15 on one count of sexual battery involving a minor. The agency said it is working to determine if there are additional victims. According to the sheriff's statement, Benavente has worked for the school district since 1991, serving in various roles, including as a teacher. Palm Beach Post archives show he was named the district's Hispanic teacher of the year in 2005. His work as a medical sciences teacher also garnered national recognition, with a panel of Hispanic leaders selecting him in 2003 for a national teacher of the year award. At the time, Benavente taught at Roosevelt Middle School in West Palm Beach, where he created a premedical program. Benavente most recently has worked in an administrative position, the sheriff's office said. In a statement released July 16, the district said it placed him on administrative leave pending the outcomes of both the criminal investigation and an internal review. He will not be permitted to have access to a school campus or interact with students, the school district said. During a court hearing at the Palm Beach County Jail, County Judge Marni Bryson ordered that Benavente be held without bail and that he have no contact with minors, school district property or school district employees. An attorney who represented Benavente in court was not immediately available for comment. Python hunt: Florida has dangerous animals that can kill. Here's a list of the deadliest PBSO: Alleged contact with student happened decades ago According to an arrest report, the sheriff's office began investigating in June after being contacted by school district police regarding alleged sexual contact involving a minor that occurred during Benavente's time as a teacher. A person who is now an adult described to authorities being groomed by Benavente as a child during visits to Benavente's home. The accuser described Benavente as a family friend and alleged that the sexual contact began when the accuser was 9 years old and lasted for about five years. The accuser described seeing Benavente bring students from Roosevelt Middle to his home. Investigators said Benavente used school work as an excuse to bring other children to his home. Sheriff's investigators reviewed a 2000 school police case involving another accuser who made sexual assault claims against Benavente. The other accuser described being assaulted at Benavente's home while the accuser was a student at Roosevelt Middle. Investigators said the accusers did not know each other but provided similar accounts of Benavente's behavior. According to a sheriff's statement, Benavente did not face charges in the 2000 case because it had exceeded the statute of limitations. The child was over the age of 12 at the time of the alleged conduct. Under Florida law, there is no statute of limitations on sexual assault crimes involving a victim under the age of 12. In 2020, Florida lawmakers passed "Donna's Law," which removed the statute of limitations on sexual assault cases involving minors on or after July 1 of that year, regardless of age. Anyone with information on other victims is urged to contact Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County at 1-800-458-TIPS (8477), or the School District Police Department at (561) 434-8700. Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@ and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Former middle school teacher faces charge of sexual battery on a child Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The latest school and school district grades are out. How did Okaloosa County fare?
The Okaloosa County School District has again scored an A on its report card for what it calls its 'unwavering commitment to academic excellence across all grade levels.' Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on July 7 that improvements were registered in K-12 school performance across all school types statewide. In fact, 71% of all graded schools (2,461 schools) earned either an A or B grade, compared to 64% (2,215) of schools last year. Florida charter schools are also thriving, with 77% earning A or B grades. The Okaloosa district scored a total of 793 points, up from 772 in 2023–2024. Additionally, 92% of Okaloosa schools earned an A or B, an increase from 86% the previous year. The district also maintained an 88% graduation rate and made gains in English language arts, mathematics, and science, as well as civics. Okaloosa is one of only three districts in Florida to earn an A grade every year school grades have been issued since 2014. In a news release announcing the 2024-25 district and school grades, Okaloosa Superintendent Marcus Chambers said, 'Once again, Okaloosa County has demonstrated what is possible when students, teachers, families and school leaders work together toward a common goal. "Earning an A rating is a reflection of the high standards we hold ourselves to as a district and our shared belief in continuous improvement. I'm deeply grateful for the dedication and hard work of our teachers, staff and administrators, whose efforts continue to make a difference in the lives of our students.' In the news release, the district touted the following statistics: Schools earning an A increased from 15 to 19 Schools earning a B decreased from 17 to 15 Schools earning a C decreased from 5 to 3 Baker School, Bruner Middle, Davidson Middle and Walker Elementary improved from B in 2023-24 to A in 2024-25. Choctawhatchee High School, Edwins Elementary and Shalimar Elementary improved from C to B. Fort Walton Beach High School, Meigs Middle and Northwood Elementary were 1 point away from earning A grades. For a full listing of school and district grades, for this year and past years, visit the Daily News' data site at This tool also allows readers to check how all other Florida districts and schools fared in 2024-25 and in past years. Likewise, full information for Walton County, whose school district also maintained its A grade, can be found at In an email statement received July 8, Chambers said Okaloosa's high rating is the result of a 'collective effort by passionate educators, strong leadership, and a shared commitment to meeting students where they are.' The district has emphasized ongoing professional development of teachers, used specific strategies to focus on English language arts and civics, and adjusted instruction in real time to make sure students grow and meet the goals. 'By integrating innovative technologies — such as virtual reality goggles and Clear Touch panels — we're enhancing instruction in subjects like biology, geometry, and algebra, making learning more engaging and accessible. We've also prioritized acceleration opportunities in middle school and expanded college and career readiness initiatives,' Chambers said. 'I couldn't be more proud of the incredible efforts of our students, educators, and school communities — and what we've accomplished together.' 'Florida's use of statewide progress monitoring is yet another example of how Florida leads on education,' DeSantis said in a news release announcing the grades. 'Providing more opportunities for parents and teachers to intervene in a child's performance in school leads to better outcomes and a higher quality education.' Statewide, 71% of graded schools (2,461 schools) earned an A or B in 2025 compared to 64% (2,215 schools) in 2024. And 44% of all schools earned an A, up from 38% in 2024. The number of schools earning a D or F decreased from 117 in 2024 to 71 in 2025. As for school districts statewide: For 2024-25, 28 districts received an A, 31 districts received a B, eight districts received a C. No districts received a D or F. Our story from 2024: Okaloosa and Walton counties retain A ratings in new Florida school district ratings Among Florida's charter schools, 77 percent (480) of graded charter schools earned an A or B, and 68% (412 schools) either increased their grade or maintained an A. Jim Ross contributed This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Okaloosa County, Florida reflects on 2024-25 school and district grades
