McNeal Elementary
Home of the Wildcats
2026 Back-to-School Jam!
FREE Family Event presented by the Bradenton Marauders and the School District of Manatee County.
Saturday, August 8
LECOM Park
Gates open at 5:00 PM.
Game starts at 6:30 PM.
Thank you to our sponsors!
Grand Slam Sponsor: SKANSKA
Fireworks Sponsor: SRQ Sarasota Bradenton International Airport
Backpack Sponsors: Arsenault Dermatology, Bradenton Marauders, Chase Bank, MidFlorida Credit Union, United Data Technologies, United Way, Gulf Shore Cooling, The Carlton at Robinson Gateway, Blue Collar Roofing, B&I Contractors, Stoneybrook Neighborhood, and Del Webb Neighborhood
Students, Families and Staff - Let’s start the school year strong!
Celebrate, connect, and get ready for a great school year at this high-energy community kickoff event!
• Grab a FREE backpack filled with school essentials (while supplies last)
• Enjoy complimentary game ticket and meal voucher per person
• Explore resources from local community partners
• Experience the fun at LECOM Park with your family
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
Last week, four outstanding robotics teams from our schools competed at the VEX Robotics World Championship in St. Louis, earning international recognition and showcasing the very best of our community.
Against teams from around the globe, our students demonstrated elite communication, resilience through challenging matches, and true collaboration with international alliance partners. This is what excellence looks like!
Behind every great team? Incredible support. Families traveled, cheered, encouraged, and stood beside these students every step of the way — proving that success like this is truly a community effort.
Celebrating our world competitors:
The Thunderbolts | McNeal Elementary School
Coached by Vic Kolomiychenko, with proud support from Principal Sheila Waid, who attended to cheer them on. Their positivity was unmatched, and they embraced every moment of learning on the world stage.
Whiteout Geckos | Willis Elementary
Coached by Hanna Cuervo & Jennifer Hubley
Winners of the Energy Award (Engineering Division) — an incredible honor at the WORLD level!
The Sesame Squad | Willis Elementary School
Also coached by Cuervo & Hubley, these students represented with heart, teamwork, and determination.
The Pibblers | Nolan Middle School
Led by Dominique Bagunu with assistant coach Hanna Cuervo
Placed 24th out of 83 teams in the Design Division — competing with excellence and showing respect and positivity throughout.
We are beyond proud of these students, their educators, and their families for representing Manatee County on the international stage.
The future is bright and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish next with the new VEX game, Level Up!
Shout out to STEM Coordinator Lynne Johnston for sharing this #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews!
Against teams from around the globe, our students demonstrated elite communication, resilience through challenging matches, and true collaboration with international alliance partners. This is what excellence looks like!
Behind every great team? Incredible support. Families traveled, cheered, encouraged, and stood beside these students every step of the way — proving that success like this is truly a community effort.
Celebrating our world competitors:
The Thunderbolts | McNeal Elementary School
Coached by Vic Kolomiychenko, with proud support from Principal Sheila Waid, who attended to cheer them on. Their positivity was unmatched, and they embraced every moment of learning on the world stage.
Whiteout Geckos | Willis Elementary
Coached by Hanna Cuervo & Jennifer Hubley
Winners of the Energy Award (Engineering Division) — an incredible honor at the WORLD level!
The Sesame Squad | Willis Elementary School
Also coached by Cuervo & Hubley, these students represented with heart, teamwork, and determination.
The Pibblers | Nolan Middle School
Led by Dominique Bagunu with assistant coach Hanna Cuervo
Placed 24th out of 83 teams in the Design Division — competing with excellence and showing respect and positivity throughout.
We are beyond proud of these students, their educators, and their families for representing Manatee County on the international stage.
The future is bright and we can’t wait to see what they accomplish next with the new VEX game, Level Up!
Shout out to STEM Coordinator Lynne Johnston for sharing this #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews!
Dear Teachers, Here's a special message from Dr. Laurie Breslin regarding Teacher Appreciation Week.
https://vimeo.com/1184919879/fdb68f2a7f
#ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
The VEX Robotics World Championships in St. Louis is officially underway! ✨
We’re so proud to have FOUR amazing teams representing Manatee County on the world stage, including two from Willis Elementary, one from McNeal Elementary, and one from Nolan Middle School!
Wishing all of our teams the best of luck as they compete, learn, and make unforgettable memories.
You’re representing our community with excellence — go show the world what Manatee County can do! #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
McNeal Elementary School celebrated Earth Day on April 22nd with a fun and meaningful Book Swap! Students brought in a gently loved book from home and traded with classmates, giving stories a second life while discovering something “new” to enjoy. A simple, sustainable way to share the joy of reading and care for our planet! #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
Throughout our kindergarten program, we aim to build six key skills in our students, setting them up for success on the rest of their educational journey:
⭐ Resilience
⭐ Integrity
⭐ Critical Thinking
⭐ Communication
⭐ Awareness
⭐ Adaptability
Enroll your child in Manatee County kindergarten and give them the strong start they deserve!
Get started at https://www.manateeschools.net/o/sdmc/page/registration.
⭐ Resilience
⭐ Integrity
⭐ Critical Thinking
⭐ Communication
⭐ Awareness
⭐ Adaptability
Enroll your child in Manatee County kindergarten and give them the strong start they deserve!
Get started at https://www.manateeschools.net/o/sdmc/page/registration.
Young performers, music educators, and families from approximately 30 schools came together on February 26, 2026, at Braden River High School for the All County Elementary Music Festival.
Manatee Schools Television was there for the rehearsals held at Johnson K-8: https://vimeo.com/1168251040/b4292df969
Watch the entire 2026 All County Elementary Music Festival at this link: https://vimeo.com/1168251040
Looking for something meaningful and fun to do with your children, ages infant through third grade, this week?
The Soar in 4 Soar Lab is more than a place to visit. It’s a place where families learn how to play together.
Through hands-on activities, interactive learning stations, and guided exploration, parents and caregivers discover simple ways to spark curiosity, build confidence, and turn everyday moments into powerful learning experiences.
Come explore! Create. Laugh. Learn.
Visit www.soarin4.org to plan your experience.
6423 9th Street East, Bradenton 34203
Free for most families.
This week's schedule:
Tuesday, March 3rd - Open 3 p.m.-7 p.m. (Musical Motion, Artist Spotlight, Ms. Luanne's Front Porch)
Wednesday, March 4th - Open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (Nursery Rhyme Scavenger Hunt, Artist Spotlight)
Thursday, March 5th - Open 3 p.m.-7 p.m. (Nature Detectives, 3D Printing)
Friday, March 6th - Open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (Storytime, Bubbles & Trikes, Little Explorers)
Saturday, March 7th - Open 9 a.m.-1 p.m. (Mighty Machines & Special Guest: Teacher Author Kelly Kolomiychenko with Slime @ 11 a.m.)
The Florida Department of Education released the Florida Value Added Model (VAM) Fiscal Transparency Tool, a web-based fiscal transparency tool that identifies public schools and districts with high academic achievement based on the ratio of classroom expenditures to total expenditures. VAM is intended to help taxpayers evaluate the financial efficiency of a school district with other similarly situated school districts. View the VAM for the School District of Manatee County at https://floridavam.org/e/vamPublic.html?w4=54#/entity/262385.
“How Tall Are You... in Spoons?” 📏🖐️🥄
The Soar Lab is growing, and so are our students!
It's the perfect place for families with infants and kids through third grade. Admission is free for qualifying families.
Stop by during our NEW extended hours to see just how tall you are (measured in spoons, hands, or blocks).
Soar Lab Hours:
Tuesday: 3 – 7 PM
Wednesday: 9 AM – 1 PM
Thursday: 3 – 7 PM
Friday: 9 AM – 1 PM
Saturday: 9 AM – 1 PM
📍 6413 9th Street East, Bradenton
🔗 https://www.soarin4.org/soar-lab
Come for the measurements. Stay for the momentum. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
Security Screening at Secondary Schools – Beginning Monday, August 11, 2025, all students and visitors at district middle and high schools will be screened each school day using a high-tech security scanner system.
For more information on this enhanced security screening procedure, visit https://www.manateeschools.net/securityscreening.
School Board Seeks Civic-Minded Citizens to Join Audit Committee –
The School Board of Manatee County is seeking civic-minded citizens to serve as members of the Audit Committee. The Committee, which meets six times a year, recommends the appointment of the internal and external auditors; reviews the scope, plan and reports of the internal and external auditors; and assists in maintaining open communications between the selected auditors, the School Board and the District’s financial management. The Committee also reviews the collection and proper use of the funds raised through the one-half cent sales surtax for school capital outlay expenditures. Membership on the Committee requires an average of five-to-eight hours per month, with meetings scheduled every other month for three hours. The term is approximately three years.
Those interested in serving must:
• Live in Manatee County.
• Be a CPA (active or retired) or had employment experience in school district financial operations.
• Submit a letter expressing interest, provide contact information and provide a brief summary of their work experience.
Responses must be sent to the Manatee County School District, Attention: School Board Agency Clerk, P.O. Box 9069, Bradenton, Florida 34206-9069.
Interested individuals may obtain additional information about the Committee by emailing the School Board Agency Administrative Associate at cox3l@manateeschools.net.
Family Empowerment Scholarship – Parents interested in applying for either FES-EO or FES-UA may review the eligibility requirements and application instructions at https://www.manateeschools.net/FES.