Spring into STEAM at The Soar Lab!

Looking for something fun and educational to do during Spring Break? The Soar Lab will be OPEN the week of March 16th through 20th while schools are closed, offering hands-on activities designed to spark curiosity and creativity.

Young learners can explore a variety of exciting themes throughout the week, including science, art, space, math, drama, and technology—all through interactive play and discovery.

Best of all, The Soar Lab is free for most families with children from infants through third grade.

Tuesday, March 17 - 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. (Mad Scientist)
Wednesday, March 18 - 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. (Art-a-Palooza)
Thursday, March 19 - 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. (Space)
Friday, March 20 - 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. (Math Mania)
Saturday, March 21 - 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. (Drama & Technology-Coding)

📍 6423 9th Street East, Bradenton

Visit www.soarin4.org for more information.

Bring your little explorers and let them learn, create, and imagine at The Soar Lab this Spring Break!
2 days ago, School District of Manatee County
Schedule for The Soar Lab during the Week of March 17th
🌴☀️ Spring Break Is Almost Here, Manatee County! ☀️🌴

Students and staff in the School District of Manatee County will be enjoying a well-deserved Spring Break March 16–20, 2026. Time to recharge, relax, and maybe soak up a little Florida sunshine!

📅 Reminder: Because of a scheduled Record Day, students will return to school on Tuesday, March 24.

Whether you’re traveling, spending time with family, or simply enjoying a slower week at home, we hope our SDMC families have a safe and fun break!

Need to check important dates? You can always find the full district calendar here:
🔗 https://www.manateeschools.net/page/calendars

#ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
5 days ago, School District of Manatee County
Blue stripes on a flyer with the words "Spring Break: March 16-20, 2026" and "Students return to school on Tuesday, March 24th.
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.
5 days ago, School District of Manatee County
A graphic that says "Enroll in Kindergarten for the 2026-27 school year!"

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.)

13 days ago, School District of Manatee County
Two young kids wearing masks play in a puppet theater.

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.

about 2 months ago, School District of Manatee County
💛 Celebrating World Kindness Day with a Heartfelt Farewell! 💛

In honor of his retirement, Myakka City Elementary's principal, school secretary, and registrar, surprised longtime school district courier Alton Lilly with shirts featuring his likeness! 🎉

For 19 years, Mr. Lilly has traveled nearly 60 miles round-trip from Myakka City to the Matzke complex — and all across Manatee County — keeping our schools connected and receiving the packages, envelopes, and letters they need.

“We couldn’t let Mr. Lilly retire without showing him how much he means to us,” said Principal Carol Ricks. It was an emotional moment filled with gratitude, kindness, and maybe a few tears.

Thank you, Mr. Lilly, for your years of dedication. As you make your last deliveries throughout November, we cheer you on 🎉 and hope you enjoy your well-earned retirement! 💛

#WorldKindnessDay #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
4 months ago, School District of Manatee County
Three women wearing shirts with the face of their beloved courier who is retiring at the end of the month
He may not have a Super Bowl ring, but he’s a campus legend. When Myakka City Elementary’s Mr. S (Joseph Szewczyk) met Tampa Bay Buccaneers Super Bowl champ Martín Gramática at The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature on Thursday, he asked for two autographed footballs 🏈 Not for himself, but for students. His idea? Use them as rewards for those who make the biggest learning gains in reading this year. 🏆 Mr. S isn’t just the bus driver. He’s also the PE teacher, fifth-grade math teacher, and a 21-year Mustang who commutes from North Port because he loves his school that much. He’s not chasing touchdowns, but he’s definitely scoring big for his students. Thank you, Mr. S, for going the extra yard for Myakka City Elementary! #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
5 months ago, School District of Manatee County
A school bus driver and teacher leans up against a truck owned by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Right this very minute, students from Myakka City Elementary are buzzing with excitement after an unforgettable day at Tackling Reading at The Bishop Museum! This inspiring annual event, hosted in partnership with The Mosaic Company and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, aims to show students that a love for reading and learning can lead to big wins in life. Special guest and Super Bowl Champion Martín “Automatica” Gramática, legendary former Buccaneers kicker, brought his championship energy to the event. Joining the fun were Bucs Cheerleaders Brooke, Dante, Paige, and Sarah, who added spirit and enthusiasm to every moment. Kids got to wear replica jerseys of QB Baker Mayfield and Bucky Irving, numbers 6-7 (hmmmmmm....🙃) Enjoy these photos from the special event! A #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews video is coming soon! @topfans
5 months ago, School District of Manatee County
A buck cheerleader with students from Myakka City who are holding pom-poms
two kids wearing Buccaneers jerseys number six and seven
students and teachers join Buccaneers cheerleaders at the bishop museum
A teacher holding pom-poms with a student wearing a buccaneers football helmet
Super Bowl champion Martin Gramatica set up a football for a student to kick
Super Bowl winner, Martin Gramatica, smiling with students from Myakka city
students and cheerleaders do a cheer for the Buccaneers

“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

6 months ago, School District of Manatee County
An interactive wall for children to measure their height
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.
10 months ago, School District of Manatee County
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.
10 months ago, School District of Manatee County
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.
10 months ago, School District of Manatee County