It takes more than great teachers and engaged students to make a successful school. It takes an entire community - and that doesn’t just mean parents. Many times even without a family connection to a school, our local businesses offer support in various ways, some obvious, others not so. "Thank You" signs like these can be found all over East Orange schools that have been helped by local businesses. They do so through Orange County Public Schools’ Partners in Education program, which pairs businesses with schools. Relationships between businesses, organizations and schools enhance student learning and promote school improvement.... [Read more]
If students choose to attend college, there are literally hundreds of programs available to help them pay for and succeed in the secondary education program of their choice. One such opportunity available locally to students attending Valencia College is the Bridges to Success (BTS) program, which offers a wide range of support services to minority and socio-economically disadvantaged students who need assistance getting through college. Students accepted to the BTS program are offered a two year scholarship to Valencia College and presented with numerous leadership and teambuilding opportunities. One such opportunity is joining the Men of Success... [Read more]
As students enter middle school they are faced with an entire new set of social and educational challenges. Local experts say it’s up to the parents to get involved and help the child navigate the new experiences. Making the transition into middle school can be a tough time in a child’s life. He or she is not a kid anymore, yet not quite a teenager, either. Fears of getting lost and bullied by the eighth-graders are just some of the worries plaguing your child, and as a parent, it may be difficult to know just how to ease those worries. Jody Bernier, the sixth-grade guidance counselor at Avalon Middle School, contends that there are many... [Read more]
Orange County students, teachers and parents can rest assured that the quality education they came to know this past school year will again be provided, even with the large cuts in federal funding for the school system. Orlando-area schools will not see a change in the budget for this year, while neighboring districts will be harboring steep cuts. The budget remaining flat is thanks to the county voters who approved a millage increase of one-mil to prevent the cuts this past November. Millage is a rate of taxation expressed in mills - short for millions - per dollar. The budget remaining flat is thanks to the county voters who approved a millage... [Read more]
It’s not a surprise to say the economy is still not doing great. It’s not a surprise to say that even though we’re making strides, there are still holes that need patching. But it may be a surprise to say that for our local schools, there are people in the community who are doing everything they can to alleviate some of the school’s (and its staff’s) financial shortcomings. One such organization is Fuel My School, and for them failure is not an option. It all started with football helmets. Lisa Hilgenfeldt, co-founder of Fuel My School, is a mother of four, all of which attend Orange County Public Schools. In other... [Read more]
