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School
Teachers get all-American pep rally
The likes of JFK, FDR and the Statue of Liberty exhort the faculty on day one at Inverness Middle School.[8/5]

Early graduation at what cost?
Citrus educators say the options to get a diploma in three years have major drawbacks.[8/4]

The school bell beckons
Summer's over and it's time to change that beach bag for a backpack. Preparing for school means more than just buying pencils and notebooks. There are shots to get, clothes to buy and lunches to buy.[8/3]

Charter school signs contract; about 110 enrolled for classes
After months of uncertainty, the county's first charter school signed its contract on Friday, clearing the way for classes to begin in about four weeks. Founders of Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology and the Hernando County School Board had agreed on the terms of the contract on Tuesday. As part of that agreement, the school is scheduled to start on Aug. 27, more than two weeks after the rest of the county's schools open. "All conditions were met, and the contract has been signed," said School Board member Jim Malcolm. "It's done." About 110 students are enrolled in the specialty middle school.[8/2]

New faculty encouraged to conquer fears
Fellow teachers and administrators strive to quell anxiety among newcomers as the school year looms.[8/1]

Agriculture fading from curriculum?
Some School Board members fear changes threaten the program in Crystal River.[8/1]

Three equip needy kids for school
St. Margaret's members go on a shopping spree that puts the heart before the cart. [7/31]

School Board refines job needs
The board wants its computer program specialist to know the Abacus program, and members take a look at the budget.

Five questions with Robert Weiner
The former assistant at perennial power Jesuit, who usually goes by just "Bob," was named the Crystal River baseball coach Tuesday. He takes over a program that went 83-15 during the past three seasons under coach Brent Hall, whose contract was not renewed.

Board snubs safety concerns, okays school near jail
The School Board decides to build a center for disruptive and unsuccessful students in the vicinity of the Citrus County jail.

Middle school will hold registration Aug. 7
CRYSTAL RIVER - Crystal River Middle School will have registration for all grade levels from 1 to 5 p.m. Aug. 7. A parent or guardian must accompany the child being registered. Registration will take about one hour. Parking is available in two places: in front of the two-story building on Crystal Street and in the field behind the tennis courts accessible from Sixth Avenue. School will begin Aug. 11, and the school day for students will be from 8:57 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. Call 795-2116 for information.[7/29]

Educators' study trip is raising questions
With schools cutting costs, the Board wants to know more about the wisdom of sending nine from the district to New York City. [7/27]

Old site for school returns as top choice
A committee again approves a spot next to the county jail for a school for troubled students, despite plans to enlarge the jail. [7/24]

Officials, teacher grilled over trip
School Board members question how nine people were chosen to attend an education conference in New York. [7/23]

School fund shrinks as costs increase
The district's rainy day fund comes up short and leaves board members and the finance director looking to cut costs.

Charter school seeks room to grow
By leasing an old county office, the Academy of Environmental Science could offer a broader program. [7/22]

School spending
The board studies a proposed increase of about $2-million. [7/18]

Delays will intermingle work crews, students
Crystal River High School pupils and faculty will cross paths with construction projects and road building for much of the new school year. [7/17]

Fast-track graduation bumpy
A new law may help motivated students, but holds pitfalls for others. It could also exact a toll from parents and schools.[7/14]

School's photo lab enlarges on legacy
A photographer's widow donates camera and darkroom equipment to Lecanto High. [7/10]

School Board votes to settle death for $725,000
The board waives a cap on damages because the woman killed had three children.

Two schools hold breath, cross fingers
Big improvements to Crystal River High were to have started and have not. And the Renaissance Center may not get new digs.

District renews funds for 28 jobs
The School Board approves spending more than $1-million on personnel, including more faculty to comply with class size policies.

School Board cools to school site near jail
Efforts to secure the Lecanto property for the Renaissance Center have taken more than a year. [7/9]

New principal is steeped in education
Tom Petersen comes with two degrees, as well as college teaching experience. [7/3]

District faces struggle to fit into class size requirements
Administrators are racing with an August deadline to fill additional positions mandated by the law.[6/30]

Tech school will shine, new leader says
Sam Stiteler doesn't want the WTI to be seen as a dumping ground for failed high school students.

38 students surf, snorkel and sing in Hawaii
The Citrus High School chorus traveled to Pearl Harbor to take part in a tribute to veterans. They found some time to explore the islands, too. [6/26]

Principal reprimanded in coach case
The reprimand notes that gifts for the baseball and softball programs should have been reported. [6/24]

Struggling readers get last chance
Teachers and third-grade students work hard at summer reading centers to pass to fourth grade. [6/22]

Schools teach three R's, plus one
Religion is integrated into learning at several local schools, which are still enrolling kids.[6/21]

County school board against pay-for-play
Area programs are not expecting to follow Pasco.

Schools jubilate over grades
Jaw-droppingly good report cards from the state bring on an ecstatic mood and earn $1.5-million. [6/19]

Video puts a celebrity spin on voter education
Registration in high schools comes with a lesson in how to vote and why to vote.

Officials unclear how to spend class-size funds
The state will give Citrus schools money to reduce class sizes, but officials won't budge until they get clear guidance from Tallahassee.[6/18]

Summit targets issues of diversity, tobacco
LECANTO - County residents are invited to attend a special community summit today that Citrus County schools and Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) have organized. [6/17]

Teachers eye ways to boost literacy
More than 100 Citrus County educators reverse roles and weigh workshops to learn how to boost students' reading skills. [6/15]

Classes dip into basics of sketching, calligraphy
Summer visual arts classes offer students professional guidance[6/13].

A sweet celebration
Students at Floral City Elementary who improved their FCAT scores were invited to a feast of pizza and baked ziti for lunch. Scores were up in all categories. [6/5]

More to stay in third grade
Nearly three times as many students won't go on to fourth grade this year because the FCAT is tied to promotion.[6/4]

Lecanto High in the hunt for a new head baseball coach, too
After two losing seasons, the school wants someone else. Meanwhile, Crystal River High is set to advertise its vacancy. [6/3]

Academy graduates mark accomplishments
CITRUS HILLS - Ten students received diplomas and celebrated completion of the three-year Academy of Environmental Science program at the Class of 2003 graduation held recently at Andre's of Citrus Hills.

Center to be constructed on a rich history
A George Washington Carver School graduate envisions carrying on the tradition of honorable values. [6/2]

Question is not will they serve, but which branch
INVERNESS - The first of four Bass family children walked across the Citrus High School graduation stage Tuesday night and began taking steps toward a military career.

Educators apply to runTI vocational school
The director of the Withlacoochee Technical Institute will help renew focus on training students in construction.[5/31]

Teacher rebuked in ethics inquiry
The Citrus High teacher and coach denies inappropriate comments and activities in his dealings with students.[5/31]

Bible schools offer 8 themes
Summer programs aim to engage and entertain children while imparting Christian messages.[5/31]

Even as school lets out, staffer has one final left
HERNANDO - It was the last day of school Thursday and the children had gone home for the summer. Teachers and staff were beginning to filter out of Forest Ridge Elementary School when principal Teretta Charles called those remaining into the conference room. She had a box of roses.[5/30]

School officials will get pay raise
The School Board, initially opposed to the proposal and its timing, approves the package totaling $233,800.

2 Lecanto High grads headed for West Point
LECANTO - Jesse Navarro and Brent Scotty Johnson Jr. will be leaving Citrus County soon for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Both Lecanto High School graduates have won appointments to the renowned school.

Crystal River High School senior essays
Crystal River High School students were invited to write essays about what made the Class of 2003 special or what they thought was the highlight of the year. These are their thoughts. [5/29]

Lessons learned from soldiers' battles
Students at Seven Rivers Christian School mark Memorial Day with speeches and a service.

Clerks, secretaries get pact with schools
A mediator helps forge a tentative agreement as the clock winds down on the school administrators' offer to support workers.[5/28]

The class of 2003: Citrus High School
Citrus High School students were invited to write essays about their time at CHS. Some wrote about their senior years and others reflected on all four years. These are their thoughts. [5/27]

Coach says contract won't be renewed
Crystal River High baseball coach Brent Hall tells School Board member Patience Nave that his contract will not be renewed next year. [5/26]

Lessons in life: Graduates learn to overcome drugs
Eight residents celebrate completion of an alternative drug counseling program. [5/25]

Race brings politics into the schoolhouse
The superintendent contest is shaping up to be one of the county's most interesting as the incumbent squares off with the School Board's chairwoman.

School workers at odds with union
INVERNESS - Concerned that they will lose out on pay raises for the current school year and other benefits, some Citrus school clerks and secretaries have begun a petition opposed to the actions of their union.[5/24]

Three graduate today at Christian school
Two of the grads attended the small West Coast Christian School since prekindergarten.[5/24]

Seven Rivers Christian will send 11 grads into world
LECANTO - Seven Rivers Christian School will celebrate the graduations of 11 students at tonight's ceremony. [5/23]

3 set to graduate from New Testament school
FLORAL CITY - New Testament Christian School has three 2003 graduates: Brittainny Winter, Kyle Ekker and Mark Bloxton. [5/22]

Technically peaking, WTI grads to march tonight
INVERNESS - When Withlacoochee Technical Institute hold its graduation ceremony this evening, it will include not only high school students but also those who took advantage of the school's GED program to earn their Florida high school diplomas.

Union halts contract talks with schools
School negotiators' rejection of the latest demands by the support workers union prompts the impasse. A mediator will join the talks.

Top of the class
Dear principal: This is your life
The REACH students surprise the principal of Inverness Primary School by making her the star of the Spring Program

Hungry for learning
Third-graders call upon a year's worth of lessons to run their in-school cafe, which serves, among other things, Flying Saucer Burgers and Habitat Hot Dogs.

Newsmakers
CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION: Lecanto High School student Jennifer Blevins' work in colored pencil titled "Weavings" was named the Fifth District Congressional Art Competition's second-place winner. The contest was hosted by Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite. She received a $100 savings bond from Sun Trust Bank and gift certificates from Wal-Mart and Outback Steakhouse. Blevins is the daughter of Sheryl Reinhart of Dunnellon.

Long road, happy destination: graduation
As a daughter gets her diploma from the CREST School tonight, a mother remembers the steps and decisions along the way. [5/21]

Candidate to seek schools' top spot
The School Board chairwoman says that for many years her vision has included a run for the superintendent's post.[5/16]

FCAT results show progress
Students at every level scored better than the state average in reading and science, while math scores were slightly lower.[5/16]

Board questions top pay raises
While administrators deserve the raises, some School Board members said the package is unfair to lower-level leaders. [5/15]

Life under the sea
An Inverness Middle teacher visits Forest Ridge Elementary for a hands-on exploration of the slimy and prickly, the harmless and the dangerous.
Wacky awards end year with laughs
Lecanto High students dually enrolled in freshman composition are honored for kissing up, whining, and other, serious accomplishments.

Coach case shut: Results unknown
The school district's findings in the case involving coach Brent Hall are sealed for 10 days to give Hall time to respond.

School's ties to league explored
Crystal River High School baseball program's connection with the private Dixie League is the new focus in a continuing investigation. [5/13]

Schools' concerns: pajamas and pay
Dress codes and employee raises are among the hot topics to be discussed at a public hearing and School Board meeting on Tuesday.[5/11]

Students honored for overcoming obstacles
CITRUS HILLS - Students who have overcome tough situations or motivation problems and turned their lives around were honored at a lunch in their honor at Andre's of Citrus Hills last week.[5/10]

4 more seniors to walk at county graduations
At least four Citrus County high school students have received a pleasant surprise: They will graduate with a regular diploma, after all. Earlier this week, the state announced the number of seniors who would not earn a diploma this year because they had not passed one or both sections of the required Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. In Citrus, educators reported that about 53 had not passed the reading test and about 36 failed math. State officials announced Thursday that they had lowered the score to pass the test, allowing a reprieve for about 1,000 students statewide. That number includes two Citrus High School students and one each at Crystal River High School and the Withlacoochee Technical Institute.[5/10]

Veteran educator Donald Faughn, 62
The fifth-grade teacher "will be greatly missed," says the principal of Hernando Elementary, where he taught for the past 14 years.[5/10]

High school says coach violated no rules
Documents submitted to state regulators challenge a newspaper report raising questions about the conduct of baseball coach Brent Hall. [5/8]

High school students dig into learning new skills
Citrus High agriculture students are finding that horticulture classes can help them blossom.

Principal praises software program for learning
The head of a parochial school says the "brain-based" graphics can make a difference.

Board gives lawmaker a wish list
But when asked about state funds for the school district, state Rep. Charles Dean says he is not Santa Claus. "My bag is empty," he said. [5/7]

FCAT troubles continue for some
About 100 high school seniors need to pass all or part of the test to graduate. More than half fail. [5/6]

Online quiz highlights prevention
Health officials hope to snag teens' attention with a campaign during Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month. [5/5]

Teens steer young peers away from sex
High-schoolers give middle-schoolers the lowdown on why they should be abstinent.

More third-graders may be held back
This is the first time that passing the FCAT reading test is required for promotion to the fourth grade. Other test results are expected next week. [5/3]

High school loses grade over sports spending
The softball team at Crystal River hasn't had the equipment or funding the baseball team has received.[5/2]

School Board debates raises
A proposal to increase pay for administrators is questioned in an era of budget cutbacks. The final vote is in two weeks. [4/30]

Do they have the right to walk?
The School Board debates whether seniors short on credits should be allowed to attend graduation. [4/29]

Elementary school damaged by vandals
BEVERLY HILLS - Vandals apparently used two stolen keys to gain access to Forest Ridge Elementary School and ransack portions of the interior.

Latest unauthorized work by boosters is demolished
Volunteerism is appreciated, but district officials say they could be liable for unlicensed projects at Crystal River High.[4/27]

Sports inquiry at school to expand
Adding to Crystal River High's sports controversy is a donation of $3,600 briefly passed off as money earned by the girls softball team.[4/27]

In overcoming, students shine
County students are honored by the S.T.A.R. program for turning things around personally and academically. [4/26]

Reading pays off for children
Linda VanAllen just wanted to do something to help children realize the importance of reading. From that idea came the Rockin' Readers program. [4/24]

Teens' event promotes two agendas
High school students hope to persuade others to learn from other cultures and avoid tobacco use.

Teachers' half-days might be reduced
Although ideal to maximize teacher training, the half-days often cause child care problems for parents. [4/23]

School Board: We'll decide later on pay plan
Members say they don't have all the information they need to come up with a new plan for administrators.

Schools, teachers settle on pay raises
The teachers' union and the school administration agree on a tentative pact, ending their money impasse. [4/17]

Phony fundraiser names phony LHS student group
LECANTO -- Beware of phony fundraising campaigns, warns the Citrus County Sheriff's Office.[4/12]

District, teachers remain split over pay as mediator steps in
INVERNESS -- A federal mediator shuttled back and forth Thursday between Citrus teachers' union representatives and administrators in an attempt to break the deadlock in contract negotiations, but the day ended without a settlement.[4/11]

School Board may pursue tax increase
With a dark forecast from Tallahassee, members consider a spending freeze or sales tax hike to meet a terribly lean year. [4/10]

Upward Bound gives high-fives to students for improvements
CRYSTAL RIVER -- During a special breakfast recently at Rock Crusher Canyon, middle and high school students celebrated the success they have enjoyed in their lives.

Role reversal
Crystal River Middle School sixth-graders take a turn at education young minds.

Rehired teachers: Pay rules are unfair
Teachers who leave the system and then return are upset that they don't get paid according to their level of experience.

Coach's tenure pulled; investigation okayed
The conduct of both Brent Hall and Crystal River principal Steve Myers will be probed on the local and state levels. [4/9]

Board demands inquiry on coach
School officials say they'll ask the School Board attorney to look into the Times' allegations against Crystal River High baseball coach Brent Hall. [4/8]

District reaches near, far for principals
The superintendent recommends Citrus Springs' No. 2, and a West Virginia educator for Lecanto Primary.

Teachers union rejects district's pay proposal
Also, there is no deal yet with teacher aides, clerks and secretaries, but a tentative deal is reached with Teamsters. [4/3]

School presenter stresses character
Jay Banks connects with children to combine fun with learning how to be a good citizen for the rest of their lives.

Playing from the heart
Key Training Center clients and CREST School students give it their all at Crystal River High School on Track and Field Day.

Schools' computer program lacks use
The expensive Abacus system should be helping teachers help students, but its complexities have limited its use, officials say. [4/2]

Union, school district negotiate tentative pact
Blue-collar workers in the schools would get a 40-cent-per-hour pay raise, among other benefits.

Schools urge rekindling of union talks
The sides are deadlocked over salary issues, but the union is skeptical of progress unless new money is put on the table. [3/28]

Students earn prizes as a reward for reading
HERNANDO -- How can a price be placed on an entire package of Snickers candy bars in the eyes of a fifth-grade child actively participating in an auction? [3/27]

Where the wild things were
The Wetland Festival at Citrus Springs Elementary engages kids with real animals and lessons about them and nature.

Old Crystal River school closer to a community center
A dedication ceremony shows that though the city's first black school is long gone, its legacy will live on for all to enjoy.[3/24]

Fifth-grade student takes third in peace poster competition
HERNANDO -- Lorraine Gonzales could hardly wait for Brittany Bolden-Lomosad to get to school one day in February. She had a very strange-looking package for Brittany and it was all she could do to keep from peeking inside. [3/20]

Making news
When four Renaissance Center students decided their school needed a newspaper, they took it upon themselves to make it happen.

State data reveal student life after diploma
Full-time college isn't for everyone, but some kind of further education helps, the numbers show. [3/15]

Crystal River cheerleaders are champions
The middle school squad travels to Orlando, where it takes first place at a national competition. [3/14]

School Board backs plans to remodel former gym
Converting the 50-year-old Citrus High building for agriculture classes would cost more than $1-million. [3/13]

Gifts bestowed on schools, students
One donation is in a former student's memory, another helps a photography program and a third will enable a singer to make a trip.

Teachers don black, press for answers
The School Board faces about 20 disgruntled teachers, whose union chief is promised a quick response about the budget.

Union tells teachers: 'Work to the rule'
Hoping to break a contract impasse, the Citrus County teachers union urged no extra efforts beyond explicitly required duties. [3/8]

Students show off vocational skills
Withlacoochee Technical Institute hosts a regional rewarding leadership and job skills. Winners advance to state, with a shot at a national title in June. [3/6]

Online program helps dropouts earn GED
I was online at 2 o'clock in the morning, says one recent recipient.

For some kids, FCATs matter more this year
Third-graders who fail the reading portion might be kept back. Seniors who don't pass risk not getting a diploma. [3/3]

Teachers declare an impasse in pay talks
A mediator is scheduled to meet with union and school district officials in April. [3/2]

New program grants dropouts second chance
Students who regret leaving high school can take online courses to earn a diploma. [2/27]

School Board considers changing rules
Student codes might be revised to include bans on pajamas, house slippers and wallet chains. [2/26]

Vote on class size hits home
INVERNESS -- Ever since Florida voters approved the class size reduction amendment, local school officials have hoped their longstanding efforts to keep class sizes small would protect the Citrus schools from a major financial hit.

Schools will change districts
Citrus, Crystal River, Lecanto and Seven Rivers Christian are being shuffled in different sports.

Kids' truancy gets parents jailed
The get-tough policy on school attendance appears to have dramatically reduced absences. [2/24]

Report: Letter about school untrue
After an investigation, the district dismisses the 10 anonymous allegations of misconduct at Crystal River High School as unfounded. [2/21]

Deputies visit school to give lesson on law
LECANTO -- It is difficult to say which attention-getter captured its audience better: the Citrus County Sheriff's Office communication officer dressed in a colorful shirt and a dreadlock wig, or the loud music that accompanied the PowerPoint presentation.

Tales of high wire acts, a super game
One third-grader writes about a day at the circus. Another tells of birthday surprises. [2/20]

'Geobears' return lost library book
The Citrus library system comes into contact with a Louisiana teacher's project to teach children geography.[2/19]

Country music, Citrus style
The production showcases local talent and raises money for Homosassa Elementary School. [2/14]

Hickey pledges to beef up middle school sports
INVERNESS -- While shortages in athletic facilities and coaches stymied the school district's efforts to expand middle school sports this year, superintendent David Hickey told the School Board on Tuesday that promised improvements would happen during the next school year. [2/13]

A different kind of building blocks
Elementary school teams learn what it takes to plan a city. And you need more than a McDonald's.

Junior Journalists
These are the fourth grade Junior Journalist stories. The Junior Journalist Club is a partnership between the Citrus County School District and the Citrus Times to promote excellence in writing.

Student services personnel honored
LECANTO -- Director of student services Renna Jablonskis and coordinator of student services, equity and compliance Rich Hilgert flipped eggs and pancakes last week for student services personnel who were celebrating Student Services Week at the Family Action Center in Lecanto.

Citrus Slices: Top teacher no slouch when it comes to funny
Burdines 2003 Florida Teacher of the Year Randy Scott is a middle school teacher from Gainesville, but he could easily be just as successful as a comedian. He illustrated this skill recently during the Citrus School District Teacher/Support Person of the Year dinner and celebration. [2/10]

Screeners for pre-K vow to be more alert
After a foulup, the School Readiness Coalition, which distributes state money, will adopt clearer standards. [2/6]

Top of the Class: Into the wilds
Young writers let their imaginations roam in an appropriate setting: the ancient, mysterious forest.

Top of the Class: Junior journalists
These are the fifth-grade Junior Journalist essays. The students chose between these two topics: being in a deep cave or a noisy birthday package from crazy Uncle Ted in Africa. The Junior Journalist Club is a partnership between the Citrus County School District and the Citrus Times to promote excellence in writing.

Science fair sends seasoned scholars
Both students going to the international level are no strangers to science fair competition. [2/5]

School reaps two awards at ceremony
Forest Ridge Elementary gets double thrill with awards for teacher and support person. [2/2]

Elementaries face tough test
Strict new FCAT rules might dramatically boost the number of third-graders being held back. Schools focus on the test, but must be ready to handle a glut of students who fail.

Teachers, district head to mediation
For the first time in six years, the union declares an impasse, which automatically halts contract negotiations. [1/31]

A lot of lessons show students 100 is a lot
LECANTO -- Gallon-sized plastic bags were tacked onto a large bulletin board in Debra Roopani's Lecanto Primary School classroom. The bags each held 100 of something. [1/30]

School makes nature a classroom
After a year on the job, the director of the Marine Science Station hopes to expand its camp-like programs and even draw paying, out-of-state students. [1/29]

School locked down after fox is sighted
INVERNESS -- Students and staffers could not leave buildings of the Renaissance Center in Inverness for a half hour Tuesday when a fox was discovered loose on campus. About 10:30 a.m., a student told the school resource officer, Citrus County Sheriff's Deputy Joseph Faherty, about the fox. By the time animal control officers arrived, the fox had gone in the woods, a sheriff's spokeswoman said. Officials decided to lock down the school, which is a series of portable units at Montgomery Avenue and Highland Boulevard. Officials at neighboring Withlacoochee Technical Institute and Citrus High School were notified about the fox. Police planned to set up a trap at Renaissance overnight and remove the animal before students arrived this morning.

Schools offer staff 30 more per hour
INVERNESS -- Citrus school administrators have offered the district's approximately 900 support workers pay raises of 30 cents per hour and a promise of help with increasing health insurance costs during the next school year. [1/25]

Certification teaches teachers a new lesson
INVERNESS -- Six more teachers have joined the ranks of Citrus County educators who have earned National Board Certification. [1/23]

Inverness Primary students bid principal special farewell
Inverness Primary School students recently stood in the school yard and assembled a human "I love you" message for the benefit of departing principal Teretta Charles, who was flying above in an aircraft and looked down to see the kind words. [1/20]

School land deal passes by 4-1 vote
Board Chairwoman Sandra Himmel remains unconvinced that the county needs as much acreage as was approved. [1/16]

Spotlight on ...: School bus driver spreads his painting talents around
LECANTO -- Leslie Snyder has illustrations, lettering or murals displayed in every Citrus County public school and some of the school system's other buildings, as well.

Artistic statement
Young artists from Lecanto and Citrus high undergo rigorous judging to have their work displayed at the Florida State Fair Youth Art Exhibition in Tampa.

When is a junior really a senior?
The School Board will reconsider a system that determines which students should advance to the next level. [1/12]

At Inverness Primary, No. 2 to be new chief
INVERNESS -- Marlise Bushman had practiced over and over the answer to the question she knew the interviewers would ask. [1/11]

Junior journalist winners
EDITOR'S NOTE: These are the seventh-grade Junior Journalist winners. The topic choices for the students were: "It would be strange to be mistaken for someone else" or "You are eating at a Chinese restaurant. Your fortune cookie reads, 'There is a trip in your future'." The Junior Journalist Club is a cooperative effort between Citrus County Schools and the Citrus Times to encourage writing. [1/9]

Mock trial climaxes lessons in law
The Hernando Elementary students showed they weren't too young to learn how the legal system works.

Teaching reading in all classes
Educators at a literacy conference learn how to help struggling readers, no matter what the subject. [1/7]

'The greatest gift you can give'
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Citrus High School raises $6,250 to buy 148 leather Bibles for staffers, each personally engraved. [1/4]

Committee picks site for high school
The district's site selection group will recommend an area near Citrus Springs Middle School for the county's fourth high school, which is not yet planned. [1/3/03]

2002: The Year in Review: What's the state of education?
We provide a primer for what happened in the school system in the past year, from FCATs to land hunts and the bumps in the road to progress. [12/26]

Pupils give principal loving send-off
Teretta Charles is honored by students and staff of Inverness Primary School who wish her well at her new school. [12/21]

Educator retires after 37 years of loving kids
LECANTO -- The partly closed blinds covering the windows to the Family Resource Center room offered little opportunity to see the co-workers, family and friends waiting inside. So when Bonnie Hardiman, retiring director of student services, returned from lunch she was completely unaware of the retirement reception awaiting her. [12/19]

Pyrotechnics of chemistry entice students
Inverness Primary pupils visit a Citrus High class for a demonstration of the magic of science.

Family fun meets science
Inverness Primary School teachers team up with the Museum of Science and Industry to offer a kids and parents a variety of activities.

Environmental science academy wants you
Sure, the school is great, but where are the students, School Board members ask. The director says her school is nice the size it is. [12/18]

Board alters plans for 2 school projects
Cutbacks are approved for construction at Crystal River High, while additional investments are okayed for work at Homosassa Elementary. [12/12]

Safety concerns delay board decision
The site selected for the Renaissance Center would border the county jail and a forest frequented by hunters.

Inverness teachers share ideas from trip
INVERNESS -- Nine Inverness Middle School teachers and administrators traveled to Portland, Ore., in late October and early November to attend the National Middle School Association's 29th Annual National Conference and exhibit.

School Board votes to raise its salaries
INVERNESS -- Without discussion, School Board members on unanimously agreed Tuesday to set their annual salaries at $28,147, a 2.8 percent increase over the $27,375 salaries they previously earned.

Armed with science, students solve 'crime'
Given four suspects in a staged graffiti incident, students at the Academy of Environmental Science get to the bottom of things.

A slimey fundraiser
HOMOSASSA -- Slime seems to be popular stuff among the elementary school set, so it stands to reason that it would be a good fundraiser. After all, what child doesn't want to hold and play with oozing, slippery green goop? And so it was.

Small grants feed big goals
INVERNESS -- The Citrus County Education Foundation, an independent, nonprofit organization representing an active partnership among business, the community and education, recently awarded 32 minigrants, totaling $13,000, to local teachers with classroom needs or projects that need funding.
Union unveils its plan for teacher pay raises
School officials say the proposal would leave little for other issues involved in negotiations. [12/10]

Volunteer gives wisdom, time to Inverness Primary students
INVERNESS -- For eight years Robert Greene has been volunteering at Inverness Primary School as a mentor or tutor. At age 92, he is still active and giving to the community. [12/5]

Author shares tricks of trade
Students at Crystal River Middle School get to attend workshops with writer Kathy Feeney, who has written 25 nonfiction books..

For the seriously artistic
A Lecanto Middle School art teacher offers a yearlong art class for eighth-graders who are considering the arts high school.

Suit: Brown Schools allowed assault
A mother accuses a school worker of raping her daughter and says the facility had an "atmosphere of promiscuity." [12/3]

School volunteer aims to give back
Retired from Eastman Kodak, Chuck Judd now volunteers at Inverness Primary School and Citrus Memorial Hospital. [11/28]

Just push the 'Turkey' button
First-graders offer advice for cooking a Thanksgiving dinner. Some tips: Cook the turkey for 39 seconds. Or five minutes. Or 12 hours. With a potato in its mouth.

School site's safety questioned
Residents say felons and hunters near one of the proposed locations for the Renaissance Center make it unsafe. [11/26]

Hurricanes win state finals
The Citrus High Hurricanes Marching Band finishes first in the 2A division at the state competition and is 14th overall. [11/25]

Middle schools to let more play
District officials back the expansion of athletic programs to include options such as intramural sports.

Teachers' raise could pay other costs
INVERNESS -- Removing a roadblock that hampers the earning power of 132 Citrus teachers will cost the school system nearly $1-million, the teachers union learned Thursday. [11/22]

Salaries on School Board may even out
Also, the board approves a controversial choice for principal at Forest Ridge Elementary School. [11/21]

Butterfly garden blooms with lessons
Citrus Springs Elementary students tend plants that attract butterflies. They follow the life cycle and see their work take wing.

Citrus High singers raise funds for Hawaii performance
The first major effort to raise $70,000 for the Pearl Harbor concert begins Saturday with a Quarter Mile of Quarters.

Superintendent picks principal
Currently principal at Inverness Primary, Teretta Charles is tapped to head Forest Ridge Elementary. [11/19]

Looking back, without regrets
A departing School Board member reflects on her short tenure and the prayer controversy she quickly sparked upon taking office. [11/17]

Quest for principal arouses concern
Messages to the School Board and administration show that some fear the wrong person will become Forest Ridge Elementary's new leader. [11/15]

Brown Schools to close Friday
More than 90 employees lose their jobs, and kids are shifted. Black Diamond says good riddance, but mental health advocates bemoan the loss. [11/14]

District panel to study middle school sports
School officials respond to two mothers who question a policy of cutting children from middle school teams.

Caution to slow school plans
The board cools to a gym renovation proposal as it frets that recently passed amendments will affect capital spending projects.

Students' manatee swim splashes into 'Ranger Rick'
The pictures of Crystal River Middle School students were taken a year ago. They're now printed in the nature-themed magazine.

Today's lesson provided by owl stomachs
Fourth-graders at Forest Ridge Elementary recoil, then revel during a science project on owl pellets.

Students pay tribute to veterans
In their own way, with songs and spirit, pupils at Inverness Primary School say "thank you" to veterans.

Lancaster takes over state's top PTA job
Pat Lancaster estimates she has been involved with PTA in one capacity or another for about 20 years. She is now in the PTA's top spot in the state as the new Florida PTA president.

Caution governs school projects
Officials agree to go forward with construction plans but want to see how recently passed state amendments will affect county schools. [11/13]

Parents call for kinder sports
While a few parents want a program that wouldn't cut students, others say that's part of the game. [11/11]

Kids learn how to master their personal safety
LECANTO -- Lecanto Elementary School students recently received a lesson in safety that better equipped them to deal with menacing strangers. [11/8]

Schools grapple with amendments
INVERNESS -- David Hickey wishes he could answer the questions, but he can't. [11/7]

Youthful scholars
The University of Bright Futures lets third-graders at Inverness Primary sign up for different classes -- from horticulture and science to photojournalism and women in sports.

A school's recipe for success on the FCAT
It has the largest percentage of students from poor families in the district. Yet Homosassa Elementary has gotten A's three years in a row. [11/4]

Students help teach about sea cows
The PBS show DragonflyTV comes to town and gets a helping hand from two Crystal River Middle School students. [11/2]

Crystal River High crowns royal pair
Both the homecoming king and queen are involved, sociable and athletic. [10/31]

Young audience grills candidates at forum
Students, most too young to vote, ask tough questions on such topics as the Suncoast Parkway, abortion, Iraq, even pot. [10/30]

Schools receive cash reward
Improved grades and FCAT scores earn county schools some substantial recognition money from the state. [10/28]

School Board salaries draw spotlight
A change in law means three School Board members will have their raises set by their own board. But, they say, they'll vote for the recommended $28,147. [10/24]

Kids, adults show veterans that they care
CRYSTAL RIVER -- The Citrus County School District purchasing, warehousing and distribution department is a small branch of the school system, but it wanted to do its part to remember Sept. 11, 2001.

New program rewards students for bus safety
A school bus driver proposes a program that allows parents, businesses or organizations to "Adopt-a-Bus" or donate toward rewarding students for safe bus behavior.

Teachers, district disagree on raises
The school district says it has $2.78-million to spend for all employees. The union says: Find more. [10/23]

In the schools, mixed reactions to amendments
Much-hyped ballot measures about class sizes and prekindergarten are examined closely by county education leaders. [10/22]

Board dilemma: Abandon gym to get new classrooms
INVERNESS -- School officials will not be able to use state construction dollars to build another wing of classrooms at Citrus High School if they continue to use the school's former gymnasium as classroom space. [10/19]

Investigating bland fries, nutritious doughnuts
Everything you ever wanted to know about school cafeterias but were afraid to ask. [10/17]

Brown Schools to shut down
The Lecanto facility for troubled kids hasn't become profitable in its two years, officials say. [10/15]

Questions swirl over school computer system
The School Board wants to make sure that the $500,000 ABACUS program is helping improve teacher efficiency. [10/10]

District: Farming programs are safe
School Board members answer critics who express fear that recent proposals appear to devalue agriculture education.

Time in a bottle
Inverness eighth-graders are still waiting for some of their seventh-grade science project to come to fruition.

Forest Ridge principal to leave
Renna Jablonskis will become director of student services for the district after the Christmas break. [10/8]

School renovation is a lesson in patience
The 12-year renovation of Crystal River Middle School will near its end when Building 100 is torn down and rebuilt in 2003. [10/6]

Schools to rein in ugly side of sports
The Athletic Programs Protocol will establish the district's guidelines for the behavior of athletes, coaches and spectators.

Schools pin hopes on pre-FCAT test
Officials say results from a FCAT-like test will help teachers better prepare students for the real thing. [10/5]

Citrus High's chorus part of national salute
INVERNESS -- Ten choirs and 10 bands from across the United States have been selected to perform in June in the "American Musical Salute" to the United States veterans of World War II at Pearl Harbor. The Citrus High School chorus, under the direction of John Edel, is one of them. [10/3]

A lesson in waste
Students tour the county's solid waste facility, learning about recycling -- and the odors that come with it.

Core knowledge
Learning about time, temperature and measurement, students produce and can applesauce.

Ranchers, farmers fret about ag classes
They oppose School Board members' suggestions that the high schools' agriculture programs be consolidated. [10/2]

Antismoking at its biggest
Students at Citrus Springs Middle turn out in record numbers for the SWAT club and let the fervor show. [9/28]

Online dangers to kids exposed
School Board members are introduced to Child Lures, a Sheriff's Office project that teaches students and parents how to thwart online predators. [9/25]

For students, YES means opportunity
Funding from a corporate program is finding its way to parents to help pay for their child's education. [9/19]

Teachers union seeks $2,000 raise
Citing the School Board's large contingency fund, the Citrus County Education Association on Monday proposed $2,000 across-the-board raises for teachers for the 2002-03 school year. The proposal also seeks to immediately end the policy that limits the financial rewards some teachers receive for their years of service. [9/17]

School Board ogles plump reserve
INVERNESS -- The time had come Tuesday to close the books on the past fiscal year and complete a spending plan for the current fiscal year. Suddenly, School Board members were presented a memo that announced unexpected good news. [9/12]

The heroes of Pleasant Grove
Heroes -- and how to be one -- is the elementary school's theme this year, from featuring heroes on the school's morning news show to filling out hero postcards.

2 schools are planning to play
Crystal River and Citrus have events on anniversary of attacks. [9/10]

In School Board race, a fresh face and an old hand square off
INVERNESS -- For voters choosing a District 3 School Board member on Tuesday, the decision comes down to one issue. [9/8]

Two potential school sites eliminated
No longer under consideration for a proposed high school is a controversial 73-acre parcel in Beverly Hills and acreage at Holder Park. [9/5]

Culprits beware: Smart students are on the case
High school students take a crack at solving a mystery at Homosassa Wildlife State Park where each, in his own way, is a suspect.

Class notes
SPLASH! MINI-GRANT PROGRAM: Public and private school K-12 teachers are invited to apply for Southwest Florida Water Management District's 2002-03 Splash! Mini-Grant Program. The funding can be used to help teachers with hands-on, interactive water resources education projects allowing students to become stewards to their watersheds. For information, call toll free 1-800-423-1476 or visit the district's Web site (WaterMatters.org.).

Say it
High school students at New Testament Christian School were asked: "If you were running for Citrus County Mosquito Control Board, what would you offer to voters as ways to help control mosquitoes?"

Lessons learned on Costa Rican land
A group of teachers and students spend time in the Central American country studying rain and cloud forests. [9/3]

Sparse use limits teaching aid
The School Board wants more teachers to utilize the ABACUS computer program that grades tests and tracks student achievement.

5-year plan postpones saving for new high school
Under the proposal the School Board won't begin putting aside funding for the project until 2005-06.

Citrus High coach Sharon Bomse, 'team mom,' dies at 43
INVERNESS -- Six days after suffering a massive stroke, popular teacher and coach Sharon Bomse died at 1 p.m. Sunday (Sept. 1, 2002) at Citrus Memorial Hospital, where she had been in critical condition since Aug. 26. [9/2]

Schools to divvy up FCAT money
CRYSTAL RIVER -- The morale boost principal Sandra Kennedy got in June when she learned her Crystal River Primary School had jumped from a "C" school to a "B" school got 60,868 times better on Friday. [8/31]

Teacher's condition still critical after stroke
INVERNESS -- Sharon Bomse, a Renaissance Center language arts teacher and assistant girls basketball coach at Citrus High School, remained in critical condition Wednesday at Citrus Memorial Hospital. [8/29]

Hands-on learning in forests of Costa Rica
A group of teachers and students spend time in the Central American country studying rain and cloud forests.

Teacher and coach, 43, suffers stroke
Renaissance Center instructor Sharon Bomse is in critical condition. A Citrus High graduate, she now is assistant girls basketball coach. [8/28]

Gym plan warnings are shrugged off
Some drawbacks are pointed out to School Board members, but none of them back off an idea to convert Citrus High's gymnasium to a community facility.

Deputies to crash drinking parties
As part of a crackdown on drug and alcohol abuse, school resource officers will inspect cars during games and break up postgame bashes. [8/26]

County schools will pass on girls flag football
High schools interested in competing in the inaugural FHSAA state series have until Friday, but don't expect to see girls flag football at a field near you. [8/25]

New board member hooked on education
Lou Miele hopes his desire to help students and a passion for teaching outshine his winning the seat by default.

New leader at Brown emphasizes training
The Air Force veteran says security at the residential treatment center also will be a priority. [8/24]

Two for the road
An English teacher at the Academy of Environmental Science set out to cross the country with his bike and a stuffed crane. [8/22]

Teacher returns to nomadic ways
An art teacher uses his bicycle to explore the southeast United States and finds kindness in strangers.

Lone candidate ready for board
When Don Bates officially resigns, a surprised Lou Miele will become the District 1 member of the School Board. [8/20]

Class teaches kids state of the art
A special program lets kids learn alongside professional artists as they see a project through, from creation to exhibition. [8/16]

6 Citrus High teachers dress for excess
Their comical fashion show offers students a lesson in how not to dress for classes. [8/14]

First day brings tears, cheer
Parents part with their kindergarteners, and high school seniors greet their final year. Administrators juggle buses, chaos and rain. [8/13]

Dunnellon High remembers coach and a life cut short
Mike Payne, who coached the baseball team for six seasons, once played for the Braves. [8/12]

High schools brace for surge in student ranks
Principals have been planning for the "bubble" for years, but classrooms and parking spaces are increasingly scarce.

Shined, organized district poised for students' return
Looking to the big day, officials finish up summer construction projects and complete their plans for educational programs.

School Board to examine pay issues
Proposals expected to be considered Tuesday call for raises for some administrators and nonunion workers. [8/9]

New teachers gather for district orientation
CITRUS HILLS -- Sixty-six new teachers gathered at Andre's of Citrus Hills last Friday to learn the ropes of the Citrus County School District. [8/8]

Practical prototypes
Kids hardly notice all the learning going on as they create engineers' study package.

Students and teachers, I've got you covered
Welcome back to Top of the Class! School starts Monday, but teachers are already back and preparing their classrooms for their new students. My job is to let you know what's going on in those classrooms.

Back at the ranch
Teachers return for a new school year and get cowboy hats reminding them they are "Pioneers of Knowledge." [8/6]

Back to school August 4, 2002 2002-2003 Citrus school bus schedules It's that time again Can you believe summer's almost over? It is. But don't worry -- this special section is packed with the information you need. More than just music At Citrus High's band camp, teens take on the sweltering heat and a physical workout rivaling that of a sports team in their five-day push toward perfection. Teachers like to set good tone on first day Nervous, worried and mischievous students make the first impression important. Extended Day Care The Withlacoochee Technical Institute offers Extended Day Care Services at nine elementary and primary schools. Opening time is 6:30 a.m. Closing time is 6 p.m. Registration is during each school's orientation. Uniform policies Updates to the school district's uniforms policy have changed little. Five schools have uniform policies and five do not. Three of the schools with uniforms, Inverness Primary, Hernando Elementary and Rock Crusher Elementary, encourage their students to wear uniforms, although they remain optional. Student dress code The Citrus County School Board recognizes that clothing fashions change and that fads come and go, but distinctions still need to be made as to what is acceptable attire for educational purposes. School Board Members Citrus County Schools General Facts Citrus County School Meal Prices Free or Reduced price meals Orientations 2002-2003 Citrus County Public Schools' District Calendar Help and information Public schools health services Bus information Citrus County public schools and service centers

New chief at helm of school bus fleet
INVERNESS -- When the big, yellow buses, all 150 of them, roll Aug. 12 delivering children to schools across the county, a new leader will be directing the whole complex system. [8/3]

School Board spares money for preschool
"If children don't have a good start in school, it really impedes their progress," a board member notes. [8/1]

Lost pre-K funds spark debate about priorities
The superintendent wants to keep a program for at-risk kids. Others worry about meeting K-12 needs first. [7/28]

Deputy may go to schools
The county likes the idea of one school resource officer serving three elementary schools. Now the School Board will consider it. [7/26]

School Board members admit: We talk too much
Finding some discussions untolerably long and tiresome, some members are asking about what can be done to cut meetings short. [7/25]

School Board leafs through policies in 2-day meeting
The group addressed a wide range of topics, including cell phones, medication and paddling.

School Board approves bigger budget
INVERNESS -- The School Board has given initial approval to a $162.5-million budget for the coming year that is larger than the current budget while carrying a slightly lower tax rate.

Board okays thermometers
The School Board will spend $1,000 on special thermometers to help coaches decide if it's too hot to practice. [7/24]

Brown Schools hires new CEO
The company delays releasing the name of who will lead its Florida operations, but it does name an interim director. [7/22]

Citrus continues searching for coaches to fill vacancies
Citrus still has four head coaching vacancies to fill for the 2002-03 school year. But athletic director Vicki Overman doesn't have the luxury of flying in prospective candidates from all over the country to interview for the positions. [7/18]

Plan pays good teachers more
The School Board will set aside $190,000 to reward tenured teachers for outstanding performance. [7/15]

Computers dominate surplus sale
As technology becomes outdated, the school district ends up selling hundreds of items for a fraction of their original cost. [7/14]

Longtime WTI employee moving on
Former director Steve Kinard, who became a recruiter two years ago, will take a job at Citrus High when the school year begins. [7/12]

Plan to save gym would be costly
Building Citrus High a new wing instead of using its old gym for an agriculture program raises serious issues, a consultant tells the board.

Mom urges mold-free classrooms
The Morelli family was stricken by toxic mold at home. Now the mother asks the Citrus County School Board to ensure schools are safe.

Mom urges mold-free classrooms
The Morelli family was stricken by toxic mold at home. Now the mother asks the School Board to ensure schools are safe. [7/11]

Coaches to remain heat gauge for now
Parents prompt the School Board to favor buying weather thermometers, but insurance concerns stall the move.

Summer arts program taps talent
In its second year the Summer Arts at the Lecanto School of Art, or SALSA, program, under the direction of Lecanto High School art teachers Dave Brown and Alicia Sumner, has been a sizzling success. About 100 students participated in this summer's first camp or the one taking place this week.

New world requires new maps at schools
The district is spending $35,000 a year over three years on new maps, globes and atlases to reflect the world's changes. [7/5]

Kids' art illustrates voter guide
A drawing by Citrus High student Maria Delfin is one of those chosen for the county's booklet, "I Can Vote." [7/4]

Merit pay outlined, details critiqued
Teachers in the district will be able to apply for a 5 percent bonus. But the School Board closely examines the particulars. [7/3]

Agency gets a new start in old school
The Family Resource Center is one of five nonprofits that will move into the old Hernando Elementary School. [7/1]

Old school's supporters flush with success
To celebrate the new facilities in the old building they saved, they plan a Pop and Flush ceremony. [6/28]

Lecanto Primary students surpass reading goals
LECANTO -- From Jan. 8 to May 3, Lecanto Primary School students read and read and read. At the end of the four-month reading effort, they were rewarded with a visit from 4-Paws 4-H Dog Club members, directed by Janie Coy, and treated to dogs demonstrating obedience drills and agility skills. [6/27]

Budget plan leads to questions on priorities
INVERNESS -- The School Board got its first detailed look at the proposed budget for the coming year on Tuesday and questioned what kinds of expenses should be the district's priority. [6/26]

School gyms are open this summer
Gymnasiums at Crystal River, Citrus Springs and Lecanto middle schools and Citrus High School are open during the summer vacation. Supervisors, who will be at the schools during operating hours, have first aid and CPR training and have passed state and local background checks. The target age range is 13 to 17 and parents will be required to register all participants. After the initial registration, teens will simply have to show up and sign in at the school.

Safety tips kids need to know
School is out for the summer and that translates into more children being home alone during the day. Following are safety tips and emergency procedures compiled by the National Propane Gas Association to help area parents keep their children safe at home.

Citrus digest
School personnel get raises

Pre-K program to continue
The school district will provide the funding for the program designed for disadvantaged students. [6/20]

Possible school site discussed
Officials field questions from concerned Beverly Hills residents. [6/19]

Students, find your nearest bus stop
Lecanto High could lose park parking because of "minor vandalism."

School pay deal spurs dispute
Some support workers say their interests weren't protected in the negotiations to fix a discrepancy. [6/18]

Online courses offer new tool for training prospective teachers
The alternative certification method approved by the School Board may help fill teaching vacancies. [6/17]

Student club asks schools to punish smoking
Students Working Against Tobacco advocates mandatory suspension or expulsion for use of tobacco on campus. [6/14]

County schools make the grade
Six earn A's, seven get B's (including the first high school), and the rest score C's. [6/13]

Camp E-Nini-Hassee group tidies center
Ten students and three counselors from Camp E-Nini-Hassee spent six hours in the drizzling rain pulling weeds, picking up dead branches and digging a shallow ditch around Floral City Elementary School's nature center on a recent Saturday. The girls raked, trimmed and planned the project. The area is near the new playground, where students, teachers and staff can enjoy the outdoors during lunch or recess.

Proposed calendar for schools rejected
The School Board finds fault with the number of half days and the scheduling of the spring break.

Schools to unify athletics policy
Faced with parents' complaints about workouts that injure students, the School Board wants a code of conduct to ensure player safety as well as govern behavior. [6/12]

Union, school district settle pay dispute
If ratified, the contract will bring retroactive raises to school support employees.

School gyms are open this summer
Gymnasiums at Crystal River, Citrus Springs and Lecanto middle schools and Citrus High School are open during the summer vacation. Supervisors, who will be at the schools during operating hours, have first aid and CPR training and have passed state and local background checks. The target age range is 13 to 17 and parents will be required to register all participants. After the initial registration, teens will simply have to show up and sign in at the school. [6/11]

District scrambles to keep pre-K classes
Reallocation of funds to other programs, along with new eligibility criteria, are jeopardizing the county's prekindergarten programs. [6/9]

School Board approves pay raises, new staffing plan
Members voted on raising administrators' salaries and on adding deans and assessment specialists to some schools. [6/5]

Coaches' code of conduct outlined
The father of a student athlete says the behavior of coaches has gotten "out of hand." [6/4]

School Board weighs pay of administrators
The board votes Tuesday on a raise package that includes larger increases for the assistant superintendent, high school principals and WTI's director. [6/2]

Newsmakers
STUDENT MUSICIAN: Shannon Lowe, a Crystal River High School 2000 graduate, has been accepted to the Sarasota Music Festival in Sarasota, which plays host to student musicians who win their spots by audition. For more than three weeks in June, festival participants will be engaged in intense chamber music studies, rehearsals, master classes and performances. They will be coached by top professional players of their instruments. [5/30]

Teachers show off fruits of grant money
17 county educators take part in the First Annual Teacher Mini-Grant Expo.

Say it
Citrus High School students were asked: "What are your plans for the summer?"

Sophomores get to be teacher-for-a-day
CRYSTAL RIVER -- Crystal River High School Health Academy students taking sophomore English honors needed leadership experience. It is part of the requirements, said academy director Judy Powell. So she recently took her students to Crystal River Primary School, where they spent a day teaching kindergarteners and first-graders.

Camp, school district consider an alliance
Camp E-Nini-Hassee and school officials may work together to offer a program for troubled public school students. [5/29]

Charter school fights for autonomy
The academy and the School Board both insist they control the school's employees. The state is asked how to resolve the dispute.

Schools mull new positions
The board is concerned about the cost of the superintendent's proposal for county high schools. [5/26]

FCAT results arrive as kids are departing
The individual scores go home with many of the students who ended the school year Friday. The rest will be mailed. [5/25]

Air Force Academy awaits 2 seniors
Both students, who will graduate tonight from Citrus High School, want to fly. [5/24]

School's 3rd senior class to graduate
Commencement will be held tonight for a class of 13 seniors at Seven Rivers Christian School in Lecanto.

Citrus High School tribute
Honor graduates -- Citrus High School Class of 2002

The drive for perfect attendance
Attending class every day pays off in a big way for Lecanto High School junior James Willet as he wins a Jeep Liberty Sport. [5/23]

School works to hang onto its own reins
The Academy of Environmental Science, a charter school, will try to persuade the School Board that district officials should not be in charge of the school's operations.

Plebe life beckons Crystal River student
After Annapolis and five years in the service, Christopher Grillo hopes to work in business.

Crystal River not retaining coach
Norris Lightsey is out after 10 years in charge of girls basketball program.

Crystal River High School tribute
Honor graduates -- Crystal River High School Class of 2002

5 graduates appreciate small school's spirit
Their plans range from attending several Christian colleges in the Southeast to joining the Air Force.

Elementary students dish it up
Parents and educators enjoy a meal at a restaurant run by third-graders.

Teacher's tall tale adds drama to class
A different take on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is just what the teacher ordered for this group of students.

Newsmakers
IPS SCIENCE FAIR WINNERS: Inverness Primary School announces its school science fair winners.

Class notes
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Students seeking an opportunity for community service are welcome at the West Coast Community Center, 8940 W Veteran's Drive, Homosassa. During the summer, volunteers are needed to help deliver programs and activities to the community of Citrus County. For information, call 795-3831.

Say it
Students from Bonnie Warner's Homosassa Elementary School exceptional student education class were asked: "What did you learn from the Coast Guard members during their visit to your school?"

Students step up to make event a success
INVERNESS -- ComeUnity Montessori School students began months ago to prepare for their Spring Fling Thing, held May 9. They practiced dance steps weekly. They learned basic etiquette. They learned to waltz.

Critic: Best substitutes slighted
Schools too often opt to save money by hiring nondegreed substitute teachers, a policy that shortchanges qualified people, an advocate says. [5/21]

Teen joins college honor society
The 15-year-old is a home-schooled student taking community college classes.

WTI graduation set for tonight
INVERNESS -- At tonight's Withlacoochee Technical Institute graduation, 28 high school students will receive diplomas while another 57 will be recognized for passing the GED.

First Academy class graduates
Seven of the nine graduates have been at the Academy of Environmental Science since it opened three years ago. [5/20]

Academy honors its top achievers
Academy of Environmental Science students recently had their Academy Awards for achievements throughout the year.

Deciphering FCAT highs, lows
As results trigger celebrations and frustration across the county, administrators consider how lesson plans might change. [5/19]

West Coast Christian students to graduate tonight
CRYSTAL RIVER -- Six students will end their high school years tonight at the West Coast Christian School graduation ceremony. Michael Herbert, Shannon Snyder, Gary Pringle, Laree Daniel, Larry Houck and Danielle Hancock are the entire senior class at the small private school. [5/18]

They're graduates, just a little bit late
The Horizon program, which is not a GED, lets students who came up short on credits finish high school. [5/17]

Sites for new high school narrowed to 3
Once the top site is selected, the School Board will receive a recommendation to begin the purchase negotiations. [5/15]

Students rewarded for good attendance
Students with four or fewer absences could win on May 21 a new car or $1,000 runnerup awards. [5/11]

School holds annual science research fair
The Environmental Science Research Fair being held today at the Academy of Environmental Science will give people a chance to learn about the wildlife that inhabits the coastal gulf waters and see students' ongoing research projects.

Class notes
SALSA CAMP: The Lecanto School of Art invites elementary, middle and high school students to participate in two weeklong visual arts camps this summer. The camps will provide an opportunity for a quality arts experience. A choice of visual arts or drama is available during each camp. Cost is $100 per camp. Registration forms are available at local elementary and middle schools, and at Lecanto High School. Space is limited. For information, call the SALSA HOT LINE at 746-3782 and leave a message. [5/9]

Say it
Fifth-graders at Crystal River Primary School who will attend Crystal River Middle School in August were asked: "How will the middle school be different from the elementary school?"

Flight of fancy
Lecanto third-graders learn about Hawaii as they prepare for a fantasy plane ride.

Newsmakers
ROTC FIELD DAY: Crystal River High School hosted and competed in the annual Citrus County Junior ROTC Field Day on April 25 with Lecanto and Citrus Junior ROTC units. Final results were: Crystal River High School, first place; Citrus High School, second place; and Lecanto High School, third place. Events consisted of military activities (color guard, drill team, academic and inspection) and athletics (sit-ups, pull-ups, push-ups, standing long jump, 20 X 100 yard relay, 21/2-mile relay and tug of war).

School Board questions proposal for pay raises
Members challenge a plan to add administrative positions and give some administrators hefty raises. [5/8]

Plan gives some principals a salary bump
Some administrators would receive more than the typical 2 percent raises under the superintendent's proposal. [5/7]

Teens learn to combat tobacco
At the Youth Leadership Summit, students and adults hone tactics to discourage smoking among youths.

Charter school: We'll make our own decisions
CRYSTAL RIVER -- The governing board of the county's only charter school last week sent a very clear message to the Citrus school district: Hands off. [5/3]

School abandons microsociety project
Some at Inverness Primary School complained that stressing real-world activities came at the expense of academic subjects. [5/1]

New safety program pedals into schoolyard
A DOT grant helps pay for bikes for hands-on lessons, and schools sell low-cost helmets. Bus and pedestrian safety are also taught.

For generations, this gentle soul was called 'teacher'
CRYSTAL RIVER -- Ethyl Winn is a gentle, white-haired 90-year-old who has deep roots in Citrus County.

Bass are calling to principal Halcomb
After 21 years, he leaves Lecanto Middle today, but hopes to stay active in the community and along the waterways. [4/30]

Red tape mires plans to convert old gym
INVERNESS -- In some ways, the hulking brick building that houses a few makeshift classrooms and storage space for large agricultural equipment is providing a real sense of deja vu to the School Board. [4/28]

Feud brews over charter school
Concerns at the Academy of Environmental Science center on how much it can be controlled by the district, which employs the staff. [4/26]

School district agrees to buy property
District officials will buy 150 acres adjacent to Crystal River High School for $1.2-million. The sale is expected to close by June 30. [4/24]

School Board weighs pleas for more help
Principal, teacher and staffer requests get favorable responses tempered by concern over how student numbers will affect the district's finances.

Questions pile up over school land deal
The site the School Board wants could be dropped from a complex agreement. But that could cause other problems. [4/20]

Class notes
PRE-K NIGHT AT FCE: Parents of children who will be 4 years old by Sept. 1 are invited to attend an open house with their children at Floral City Elementary School from 6 to 7:30 p.m. April 23 in the cafeteria. Parents will receive information about the pre-kindergarten program and tips about inexpensive things to do at home to help prepare children for school. There will be pizza, door prizes and activities. [4/18]

From books to bagpipes
Crystal River Middle School students experience cultures from around the world at a Multicultural Fair.

Summit to help youth map out quality lives
HOMOSASSA -- Citrus County's Citrus 20/20 and Citrus County's Tobacco-Free Partnership will sponsor SWAT's Youth Community Leadership Initiative beginning with registration at 12:30 p.m. on May 4 at the Homosassa Lions Club.

Class news
HONOR ROLL ADDITION: Pope John Paul II Catholic School recognizes fifth-grader Michelle Canete for achieving the A/B honor roll for the third marking period.

Say it
Citrus County Academic Team members were asked: "What is your opinion of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict?"

\Perplexed board peers into land deal
School Board members look for help in assessing the red tape attached to a $1.2-million plot beside Crystal River High School. [4/17]

Red carpet unfurls for new learning center
Local dignitaries celebrate the facility, which already has been drawing patrons.

Science and engineering fair results
Citrus Regional Science Fair winners competed at the 47th annual State Science and Engineering Fair in Lakeland on April 10-12.

Do schools ignore off-campus incidents?
Athletes seem to receive stiffer punishments for on-campus transgressions than those that occur away from school. [4/16]

Planner to help sort out land buy
The revelation that Betz Farm land they plan to buy would remain in a DRI area prompts alarmed School Board members to hire a consultant to clarify how the designation might affect their plans. [4/14]

Schools recognize achievers
The Walt Disney Dreamer and Doer awards go to 19 students, many of whom overcame tough odds to succeed in school. [4/13]

School Board sticks with cell phone rule
INVERNESS -- The change in the school rules sounded simple to accomplish. [4/11]

School gymnasium may get a new life
The School Board wants to study the idea of refurbishing an old brick structure at Citrus High into the gym it once was.

Sprint to publish kids' works in Yellow Pages
Citrus County children in grades 1-3 were invited to participate in the Sprint Yellow Pages Creative Kids program. The children drew pictures which will be published in the 2002 Citrus Countywide Sprint Yellow Pages.
Schools to review students' cell rules
The School Board asked its attorney to draft a rule allowing students to have cell phones, while prohibiting their use [4/10]

Cell phone rules may be settled
School Board members are likely to take up the ban on electronic devices and enforcing it as they finalize the Student Code of Conduct. [4/9]

Teachers likely to get 2 percent raise
Under the agreement, a beginning teacher would make $26,400 a year and the most senior teacher with a bachelor's degree would earn $41,623. [4/5]

Union, schools disagree over distribution of raises
The union for the clerical staff and aides approves $125,000 in raise money, but negotiations stumble over how it will be used. [4/4]

Their reading improves, they roll on the river
HOMOSASSA -- Students in Donna McLeod's Homosassa Elementary School reading lab not only learned that it's a good idea to try hard to improve their reading, but also what kinds of critters live in the waterways close to their school.

Read some books, vote on a favorite
An Accu-vote machine will tabulate results. The goal is to promote reading and voting.

Student projects a science primer
Kids match creativity with focus to develop research projects and experience the joys and frustrations of science. [3/29]

Reconstructing Rosewood
Students study a town destroyed by racism in 1923. They even pay a visit. But they don't want it to end there. [3/28]

Decision aids school expansion
A planning board decision simplifies the process of buying land to relieve overcrowding at Crystal River High School. [3/22]

Seven teachers earn national certification
INVERNESS -- The cake and balloons were clear indications that the gathering in the conference room at the school District Services Office was not just another meeting. It was a celebration of the seven newest national board certified teachers in Citrus County. [3/21]

Crystal River sits alone at top of the class
As much as I hated report card day as a kid, I enjoy giving them out as an adult. [3/20]

Inmate classes may help recovery
A new jail program offers education, including life skills, for inmates in the hope of lowering the rate of repeat offenses. [3/15]

Cost cripples public gym plan
School Board members differ about what should be done with the old Citrus High gymnasium.

Punishment may rise for drugs at school
The School Board favors longer expulsions for possession of felony-level drugs. It also takes up rules on paddling and cell phones. [3/14]

Students' new rules are specific
A proposed new Student Code of Conduct aims to be more precise about issues such as biological agents, hair color and skirt lengths. [3/10]

Citrus Springs seventh-grader Australia bound
He is named a student ambassador in a program launched in 1956 to help build world peace. [3/9]

Treats help students aim to ace the FCAT
To encourage students to stay calm and do their best, schools rely on an old and reliable motivator: food. [3/5]

Educators mark PTA Founders' Day
INVERNESS -- During a quick visit to the Citrus County School District, Florida PTA president Patty Hightower celebrated PTA Founders' Day at a small, comfortable dinner at Withlacoochee Technical Institute. The dinner was prepared and served by the school's culinary students.

Talks stall over school raises
District negotiators make a "last best offer," but the education union says the school district can afford more. [3/1]

District takes steps to improve reading
One part of the game plan is to teach reading through a new required course in high school geography. [2/27]

New letters on pupils' weight spur complaints
The School Board, parents and pediatricians again question wording of the notices, now being mailed to homes. [2/19]

Citrus High cracks down on fighting
INVERNESS -- A schoolwide announcement at Citrus High School last week was a far cry from the typical news about upcoming athletic events or extra-curricular club meetings. [2/17]

Schools dip into reserves to cover cuts
INVERNESS -- Siphoning the majority from reserves and finding additional dollars in monies rolled over from various funds ranging from technology to transportation salaries, the School Board this week agreed to slash $2.9-million from its budget. [2/15]

Missing bear puppet a school mystery
Last week, Pleasant Grove Elementary had a whodunit and suspects? In the end the school custodian saves the day.

State grant targets reading scores
INVERNESS -- Citrus County's three high schools are getting extra money from the state to help staffers improve students' reading scores, district officials learned Monday. [2/12]

School Board to define center's uses
INVERNESS -- For months, school district planners have been looking for the right spot to build a permanent structure for the Renaissance Center. They expect to bring their recommendations to the board later this spring.

Science and Engineering Fair winners chosen
CRYSTAL RIVER -- Superintendent of Schools Dave Hickey equated Friday night's Science and Engineering Fair awards ceremony with a graduation night, there was such an air of success about it.

Ex-coach chides board about job
CRYSTAL RIVER -- In his letter withdrawing himself from consideration for the job of assistant principal at Crystal River High School, Earl Bramlett this week criticized School Board members who questioned whether he was up to the job. [2/8]

Parents: Teacher made son sit on floor
Lecanto Primary says pupils often sit on the floor. The parents say their fifth-grader went without a desk for four months as a punishment. [2/6]

Brown on course for changes
LECANTO -- This month, the Brown Schools operation has received some good news, some bad news and some news that could be interpreted either way. [2/2]

Hickey defends coach's selection
The superintendent says it is up to his principals to know what is best for their schools. He says he'll make a formal recommendation next week.

Assistant principal selection raises stir
Several School Board members say being Crystal River High's assistant principal and activities director would be too much for Earl Bramlett. [2/1]

Windfall will help struggling students
Elementary schools will get an increase in funding for economically and academically needy pupils.

2 teens arrested in bomb scares
INVERNESS -- False bomb threats at local high schools have prompted the arrest of two Citrus County teenagers. [1/29]

Station may see changes to protect its future
CRYSTAL RIVER -- Last week, the School Board was brainstorming about ways to cut future budgets in case the state's financial news doesn't get better soon. [1/27]

Love for wild spans career
CRYSTAL RIVER -- Growing up in California, Pat Purcell explored the coastal caves around Pismo Beach but he never found the gold doubloons pirates were rumored to have stashed there.

Students to compete in nature know-how
High school students will vie for scholarship money in the Nature Coast Regional Envirothon. [1/26]

School district blunts blow from state cuts
By trimming a bit here and saving a bit there, classrooms won't be directly affected, officials say. Contingency funds are the key. [1/23]

Board to scrutinize schools' finances
INVERNESS -- In late September school officials did something unprecedented: They gathered representatives of all the district's employee unions, which negotiate for nearly 2,000 workers, and laid out the realities of a tight budget. [1/22]

Vocational school shops for students
WTI instructors and students visit the county's high schools to sell their programs. [1/20]

3 schools make room for teens
All three of the county's public high schools are dealing with overcrowding this year as an enrollment "bubble" passes through the upper grades. [1/15]

School trip ratio policy is examined
INVERNESS -- How many adults does it take to make sure that children on a field trip are safe? [1/11]

FCAT's reading standards faulted
With two-thirds of the high school students at risk of failing, district officials question the test as a graduation requirement. [1/9]

District looks at students at risk
INVERNESS -- Two-thirds of Citrus County's high school students are at risk for failing the reading portion of the important Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test in their first try. They must pass the test to earn a diploma. [1/1/2002]

School's task: take sadness out of holiday
BEVERLY HILLS -- To the 17-year-old girl, this Christmas would be a time of anguish. The holiday season marks the first anniversary of her mother's sudden death from pneumonia. [12/23]

Official revisits religion issues
INVERNESS -- As public school classes wound down for 2001 and students across the district participated in a variety of social and extracurricular activities Thursday, a familiar set of questions surfaced at Inverness Middle School. [1/21]

Citrus High teacher resigns
INVERNESS -- A Citrus High School teacher resigned earlier this month after school officials accused him of having an inappropriate relationship with a student. Officials said he had made more than 40 calls to the girl on his cell phone over five weeks, wrote a personal note to her and let her spend her free time in his classroom. [12/18]

Four hurt as school bus is hit by car
HOMOSASSA -- Three children suffered minor injuries and a woman was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital Friday, following a morning rush-hour collision between a school bus and a car. [12/15]

Schools preparing for $2.8-million in cuts
The board will discuss cuts in January, but the bigger issue could be the 2002-2003 school budget. [12/13]

Walking with nature
CITRUS SPRINGS -- It was a good day for a hike. Cool, clear, slightly breezy.

2 juice boxes end 10-year career
INVERNESS -- On any given day, Rose Henry would end her workday as a lunchroom assistant at Hernando Elementary School swigging down a milk with some cookies or drinking some orange juice in her vehicle before heading out. [12/11]

Schools to mull emergency plans
CRYSTAL RIVER -- When the devastating news hit of the September terrorist attacks, some parents reacted in a fairly predictable way: They rushed to school to gather their children so they could be safe together. [11/18]

Letters about pupils' weight worry parents, School Board
The district has received angry calls, and even the School Board questions the state-mandated program. [11/15]

Brown Schools gets top marks
Monitors find the facility compliant with rules on treatment plans, physical exams and therapeutic records. [11/2]

Facilities for kids praised this time
Leaders of the Brown Schools look forward to a state report card and the general effects of a makeover. [11/1]

November is a good month for celebrating
With lots of declarations,from American Indian Heritage Month to Peanut Butter Lover's Month, it could be fun.

School threat taken seriously
A 15-year-old who typed a sentence about anthrax in a Citrus High classroom could face a felony charge. [10/24]

Keep zero tolerance, principals tell board
Some administrators have questions about the policy, but overall they support it. So do the students who address the board.

Citrus kids
Editor's note: After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, local students became involved in a variety of fundraising campaigns for the victims of the attacks. It was also a way of helping students deal with their feelings about the events. Here are some of their stories.

Case pits compassion, rules
A standout student under lots of pressure at home misses a deadline to show her steer. She asks for an exception. The fair says rules are rules. [10/9]

Schools ponder reduced funding
With the state possibly providing less money, Citrus administrators have started cutting costs. [10/2]

School bus drivers step up with idea on student safety
The two women, who also volunteer at school, want to create a booklet for students that teaches them about bus safety. [9/27]

School Board tests video technology
Members try using video conference equipment and are told that they should be leaders in the use of new technologies.

Schools, unions review budget
The schools' chief negotiator says all of the employee unions gathered at the same time to receive an overview of the district's financial status. [9/25]

School official at home in new role
Lee Mulder, one of two new assistant principals at Citrus Springs Middle, moved here when he was a child. [9/20]

A feast fit for seniors
Crystal River High School principal Stephen Myers thinks his seniors deserve a monthly treat.

School Board wants budget process altered
Despite workshops, members say they still have lots of questions days after the budget was adopted. [9/15]

Disaster intensifies desire to serve
Two high school students say Tuesday's terrorist attacks were deciding factors in their decision to enlist in the Marines. [9/14]

Assistant principal is Citrus High grad
William J. Nelson came back to the county as assistant principal at Citrus Springs Middle School this year.

Schools work to get students back on track
Teachers throughout the county were able to put Tuesday's tragic events into historic and social focus. [9/13]

Science academy visits wildlife park
Students at the Academy of Environmental Science go to the Homosassa Wildlife Park to study the animals and plants.

Events unfold into powerful civics lesson
The national tragedy becomes a difficult but essential subject for teachers to explain to their students. [9/11]

School Board poised to raise tax
Board members anticipate a property tax increase of 2.4 percent. [9/11]

Brown Schools wants advisers to be advocates
School leaders envision a volunteer council that educates the public and highlights the school's good works. [9/7]

School likes the sweet sound of cash registers
INVERNESS -- Attention, Kmart shoppers: When you spend, keep Inverness Middle School in mind. [9/6]

Student enrollment 'on target'
Tuesday's number, 15,223 enrolled, is up from the 14,531 students who arrived on Aug. 13, the first day of school this year. [9/5]

School vote could have ripple effect
A decision on the Renaissance Center could affect the district's options for other schools. [9/2]

Citrus considers AIDS, HIV programs
The presentations by a nationally known speaker would be offered to about 8,000 middle and high school students. [8/31]

Five schools to split $330,000 windfall
The state money recognizes the schools' good performance. Now comes a pleasant task: deciding how to spend it. [8/30]

September's special days
This is the month to eat a blueberry Popsicle, sign up for a library card or play the piano. (Not all at once, of course.)

School Board wrestles with center's mission
When the Renaissance Center is expanded, should it educate students who are expelled? Should it accept elementary students? [8/29]

Board to discuss expanding center
The Renaissance Center serves chronically disruptive kids. Should it also serve those who are suspended or expelled? [8/26]

It's timeliness or 'Tardy Tank'
At Crystal River High, students who are late to class must spend 90 minutes studying in silence. The idea: Make them take tardiness seriously. [8/24]

Principals seek clarity on zero tolerance
They say School Board members have sent conflicting messages about the policy, which has led to many suspensions and expulsions. [8/22]

Parent: Put tolerance in policy
His 13-year-old daughter was arrested in May at school, performed community service and was punished at home. He thinks expelling her for nine weeks is too much. [8/19]

Hernando star Mosby gives up senior season
Bernice Mosby says she would rather spend the time finding a college for her basketball career.

Students have room to stretch -- for a decade
A consultant's report says the county's elementary schools will have enough space for 10 years or more. And middle schools are good until 2020. [8/15]

Staff handle tears, fears and mix-ups
Principals, some of whom were new on the job, say the hectic matching of kids, buses and classes was going well. [8/14]

School mourns 2nd-grade teacher
Henry Mueller, 35, a teacher at Mittye P. Locke Elementary School, dies of a blood clot. [8/10]

She's thrilled to help lead a school
The second-in-command at Floral City Elementary finds comfort in one coincidence and in shaping a whole school. [8/9]

Cafeteria staff may get pay incentive
The School Board will consider a plan next week to give a $100 quarterly bonus to each cafeteria worker with perfect attendance. [8/8]

Teachers return to a safari at school
Cardboard cruisers and animals signal the start of the school year at Inverness Middle. [8/7]

School audit details errors
The Citrus district is challenging the findings in an effort to reduce the amount of funding that could be lost.

Back to school guide
Student overload taxes ingenuity at 3 high schools
The crunch's arrival forces principals to adopt novel approaches: parking bans, juggled lunch times, floating teachers, shared classrooms and one-way halls. [8/5]