The #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews Team is taking a short summer break to refresh and recharge our storytelling batteries.
Thank you for joining us this year as we celebrated the students, educators, staff, and families who make Manatee County schools an excellent place to learn and grow! Visit https://www.manateeschools.net/goodnews to learn more.

This week, we were proud to SURPRISE and announce the Quarter 4 recipient of the School District of Manatee County’s Good News Award of Excellence -- Principal Quantas Simmons from Harllee Center!

This award was created to recognize staff members who consistently shine a light on the positive, everyday moments happening in our schools and worksites.

From the start of his new role, the former longtime assistant principal of Palmetto High School has taken the initiative to share #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews from programs such as Access to Education. From learning STEM to graduation day, stories shared by Mr. Simmons have received 6K+ views on social media.

The Good News Award of Excellence (pictured) also highlights the incredible talent of our District students. This trophy was designed and created by Braden River Middle School students, under the guidance of their technology teacher, Ms. Lindberg.

In addition to Mr. Simmons receiving a $100 Amazon gift card, the teacher whose students created the award did, too. Thanks to our partners at the Manatee Education Foundation. What a great year it has been! We're grateful for the support. #GoodNewsAwardofExcellence

What a year it’s been! Under the leadership of Dr. Laurie Breslin—a proud graduate of Manatee County public schools—we’ve Soar-ed and celebrated so much Good News, growth, and excellence in education.

To mark this milestone, she was presented with a special Award of Excellence designed by talented Braden River Middle School student Connor, who will begin 8th grade this August. Congratulations on your first year as Superintendent, Dr. Breslin! #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews

Congratulations to Veterans Elementary School Principal Laura Campbell, Southeast High School Asst. Principal Craig Page, and Director of Secondary Curriculum and Instruction Tiffany Spradling on completing the Florida Department of Education Chancellor’s Leadership Academy!

This year-long leadership journey provided powerful opportunities to learn alongside state leaders, visit schools in nearby counties, and bring back valuable strategies to strengthen teaching and learning in Manatee County classrooms. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews

National recognition for some of Manatee County's brightest students!

On Wednesday, more than 2,500 recipients of National Merit Scholarships sponsored by colleges and universities across the country were announced.

We're proud to share that three of those prestigious scholarship winners are graduates of Manatee County high schools! 👏

Kevin Chen
Probable career field: Chemical Engineering
Braden River High School

Richard M. Lay
Probable career field: Materials Engineering
Manatee High School

Benjamin Barr
Probable career field: Engineering
Palmetto High School

All three scholars earned the National Merit University of Florida Scholarships.

Congratulations on this remarkable achievement. Your hard work, dedication, and academic excellence have earned you a place among the nation's best.

It takes a community! Volunteers of all ages rolled up their sleeves to help beautify the Harllee Support Center campus and SOAR Lab.

Together, they planted a butterfly garden, added landscape enhancements, and created a welcoming outdoor space for students and families to enjoy.

From children to horticulture professionals, every helping hand made a difference—and proved that many hands truly make light work.

A special thank you to the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association and Big Earth Landscape Supply for helping bring this project to life.

Some things change, and some smiles stay the same. At McNeal Elementary School's senior clap out, returning graduates held signs featuring their elementary school photos. A touching reminder of just how far they've come. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews

Thanks to the Bradenton Marauders for taking time out of their busy baseball schedule to hit a home run for Samoset Elementary students on the last day of school! Autographs and smiles... all around ⚾️ #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews

Special thanks to these young innovators from Braden River Middle School for creating trophy prototypes for the Q4 #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews Award of Excellence! We can’t wait to share details about the winning design and who will receive the amazing student creation. Thanks to our generous community business partners for supporting the Good News campaign throughout the year! We were able to thank these engineers and their teacher, Ms. Lindberg.

On Saturday, May 16th, Manatee Elementary School hosted its Centennial Community Beautification morning. With the generosity of Keep Manatee Beautiful, Home Depot on Cortez, The Plant Place, and private donations, the courtyard was filled with volunteers and an ample supply of Florida-friendly, pollinator-attracting plants.

A new magnolia was planted in honor of Mr. Ozell Ackerman. His original dedicated magnolia tree was lost during the 2024 hurricane season. An oak tree was added to the playground, and other magnolias were planted near the primary classrooms. Gardens near the music room were completed with pollinator-friendly plants. Two new garden beds were planted adjacent to our covered area and fruit trees.

"This was a true community event with young students, former students, teachers, and community members contributing to this project's success," said Stacy Goode, STEAM Teacher. "We planted with purpose, knowing we are growing the legacy of Manatee Elementary for its next 100 years."

To the graduating class of Bayshore High School — your hard work, resilience, and determination have paved the way for bright futures ahead. Congratulations on this milestone, and best wishes as you begin your next chapter! Go, Bruins 💙✨

This graduating class of Parrish Community High School has shown what it means to lead with determination, spirit, and excellence. Congratulations on all you’ve achieved, and best wishes on the exciting road ahead! Go, Bulls #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews

Braden River High School Pirates, your journey has been filled with growth, achievement, and unforgettable memories. Congratulations to the Class of 2026! Keep chasing your dreams and making your mark #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews

Checkmate! The battle of the boards between the Sea Breeze Elementary Sea Hawks and Anna Maria Elementary School Dolphins was full of strategy, focus, and fun! In the end, the Sea Hawks soared to the top spot with support from fourth grade teachers Coleman Barber and David Warren. 👏 Thanks to volunteer Tom Gresk and AME media specialist Becky Demo for their time and support for talented young chess players. From smart openings to powerful endgames, these fourth and fifth grade Chess Club students proved they’re always thinking several moves ahead. Great job to both schools and supportive families for a tournament that was truly next level! #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews

Congratulations to the Class of 2026 from Lakewood Ranch High School! Your dedication inside and outside the classroom has led to incredible accomplishments and your excellence shines brightly. Go forward with confidence, Mustangs!

Happy Graduation Week! ✨ Superintendent Laurie Breslin has a message for the Class of 2026 and all who have helped them reach this milestone. Watch this video: https://vimeo.com/1191294933/2b0ef8bf2e
#ManateeSchoolsGoodNews

On Thursday, we were invited to Louise R. Johnson K-8 School of International Studies for a one-of-a-kind visual and performing arts showcase. Suzan Abadjian and Angela Faust teamed up to transform the school’s multipurpose room into a magical glow-in-the-dark wonderland.

Families were invited to experience an immersive exhibit where students’ thumbprints and art projects glowed beneath black lights while a recording of whimsical xylophone music played softly in the background.

A forest of trees, mushrooms, owls, sloths, and other joyful creatures seemed to dance throughout the glowing room, creating an atmosphere filled with imagination and wonder.

In the gymnasium, visitors discovered a special collaborative display — a partnership project between the art teachers at Johnson K-8 and Southeast High, including Southeast IB educator Sherie Pierce.
The collaboration was so inspiring that we couldn’t help but photograph every single piece of artwork!

The creativity of the elementary students was brought to life through incredible 3-D works produced by their older peers at the nearby IB-pathway high school.

Princesses, houses, cats, firefighters, and more were reimagined through the lens of emerging young artists, creating meaningful connections between students of different ages and schools.

Kudos to these outstanding arts educators for bringing excellence into their classrooms and for working together to create unforgettable experiences and memorable works of art that families will cherish for years to come.

Adventure took us into wonderful fine arts programs on Thursday, beginning with Kristen Simpson’s art class at Ida M. Stewart Elementary School.

Students were using heat to create stunning 3-D works inspired by renowned glass artist Dale Chihuly.

Others working with fibers proudly shared their handmade creations — tiny pillows they’ll get to take home.

The delightful group welcomed us with open arms into their creative corner of the school, where they were quick to introduce us to their class pet, a bearded dragon named after bearded artist — Bob Ross.

It was a joyful reminder that art classrooms are more than places to learn techniques — they’re spaces where imagination, confidence, and community grow every day.

Unforgettable moments during Tara Elementary School's Pre-K Prom. 👀 Tiny smiles, big personalities, and memories families will cherish forever. 🩷 More heartwarming moments coming soon... 📸 #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews