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Tag: Manatee County Schools

AME welcomes new principal

AME welcomes new principal

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Anna Maria Island, Community News.

HOLMES BEACH – Anna Maria Elementary School (AME) Principal Mike Masiello announced his retirement earlier this month, and Willis Elementary School Assistant Principal Katie Fradley has accepted the job.

The Sun recently spoke to her regarding her new position.

“My career spans 34 years. Thirty of those years were spent right here in Manatee County and four of them in Hawaii,” she said. “I hold a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from FSU, a master’s degree in reading from USF and a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from USF. I’m a teacher at heart and was a teacher for 21 years at Braden River, Sea Breeze and Rowlett. When I left the classroom, I served as a reading coach at Moody Elementary, a literary coach at a private school in Hawaii, and an instructional specialist with the school district. I then moved into administration in 2020 when Mr. Masiello hired me as assistant principal at Ballard Elementary School. After working at Ballard for two years, I moved to Willis Elementary School, a large school in Lakewood Ranch with tremendous family involvement, as assistant principal.

“I look forward to bringing my own passion and excitement for teaching and learning to AME, as well as carrying on the traditions that have been established throughout the years,” Fradley said. “As I settle into the role, I look forward to seeing how I can maintain the unique historical qualities of the AME experience while ensuring that the students are also provided with opportunities for growth and success.

“AME is magical!” she said. “I love its charm, starting with its traditions, small student body, family-like atmosphere and community involvement. The partnership with the Guy Harvey Foundation has so much potential to have a major impact on our community, and I look forward to being very involved. I am so excited to get to know each of the families and to support and nurture every child as they move through the AME experience.”

Principal Masiello, who has been at AME since 2020, said he was retiring to spend more time with his family, and requires surgery in the coming months with a lengthy recovery time and felt it was the right time to step down.

“I love AME and it’s been an amazing time here at this special school,” Masiello said, adding that he believes the school is in very good hands.

“Getting to be involved in the Guy Harvey Academy has been a highlight of my time here, and I know the school will continue to grow and provide a learning experience like no other. I wish the new principal the best,” said Masiello, whose retirement wraps up an almost 30-year career in the Manatee County School system.

No COVID-positive students in Manatee County schools

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Schools.

HOLMES BEACH – For the first time since the start of the school year, Manatee County is reporting no new student COVID-19 cases and only one staff case at Ballard Elementary.

COVID in Manatee County

Oct. 29

Cases 210

% Positivity 2.57%

Deaths 161

% Eligible population vaccinated 62.9%

New hospital admissions 19

 

Nov. 7

Cases 155 (-26.19%)

% Positivity 2.16%  (-0.21%)

Deaths 96 (-40.37%)

% Eligible population vaccinated 63.2% (+.02%)

New hospital admissions 13 (-31.58%)

 

Source: Centers for Disease Control

The 2021-22 school year started with none of the restrictions that had kept students and staff from close contact in 2020-21. This quickly changed when the Delta variant of COVID-19 swept the county and the debate over mask mandates and other COVID-related restrictions quickly began. 

At the peak of the Delta variant during late August and early September, county schools were seeing more than 300 new cases in a single week. Cases are now at the lowest since the start of the pandemic in 2020 – zero.

The total COVID-19 cases in Manatee County schools for the year are 2,580 students and 375 staff. At Anna Maria Elementary, there have been a total of 13 student COVID cases this year, – among the lowest in the county – and no staff cases. Only AME and Jain Middle School have had no staff cases this year.

The county mask mandate has expired, and it is unlikely it will return unless COVID returns to AME and other county schools. Other school districts such as Sarasota and Hillsborough counties that had stricter mask mandates that did not include an opt-out clause like Manatee County also have allowed those mandates to expire and show no signs of bringing them back. 

 

More COVID cases at Anna Maria Elementary

More COVID cases at Anna Maria Elementary

Written by Jason Schaffer on . Posted in Community News, Featured, Schools.

HOLMES BEACH – Manatee County schools, including Anna Maria Elementary School, continue to see a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases.

AME reports two coronavirus cases among students and two students quarantined as of Sept. 3, with 10 total cases since the school year began last month.

No confirmed cases have been reported among staff. Of the 52 schools in Manatee County, AME is one of only five that has seen no staff cases.

The county had 49 student cases and five staff members testing positive, with 178 students quarantined as of Sept. 3. There have been 1,820 COVID-19 student cases countywide and 274 staff cases countywide since Aug. 10.

Manatee County has a mask mandate in place for schools, but it has an opt-out clause that allows parents to send their children to school without a mask if they fill out an online form. While the state outlaws mask mandates and can withhold funds from county school systems that violate the law, Manatee County’s school system is unlikely to lose funding because of the opt-out clause.

COVID-19 procedures in Manatee County schools

  • All students and employees who are sick or who have symptoms will be sent home until they are symptom-free.
  • Temperature checks will be taken daily for all employees and randomly for students.
  • Reinforce and practice proper handwashing techniques among students and staff.
  • Provide and encourage the use of hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • Deep clean and disinfect schools and school buses daily, or in between uses as needed.
  • Make every effort to social distance as much as possible in schools.
  • District employees visiting schools, other than their own, must wear masks during the school day.
  • Provide plastic shields in elementary classrooms and cafeterias where possible.
  • All employees will answer COVID-related questions daily upon arriving at work.
  • Limit non-essential visitors and volunteers to school campuses.
  • Everyone eligible to be vaccinated is strongly encouraged to get vaccinated.