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
More than a dozen teachers, staff, and both administrators from Palma Sola Elementary School are waking up with fresh ink. Their new “tattoos” feature everything from sea creatures and puppies to monster trucks and unicorns. All for a good cause, of course. Students who reached a fundraising goal got to #TattooATeacher ✨ Total raised for United Way Suncoast = $900+ #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
3 days ago, School District of Manatee County
A man laughs as students surround him while holding temporary tattoos
kids sitting in a school courtyard smiling and laughing
A teacher and student wearing green smile for the camera
Two school administrators wearing green and smiling while showing off their temporary tattoos
A male teacher holds out his arm while a student applies a temporary tattoo
🌴☀️ 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!"

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

6 days ago, School District of Manatee County
School District of Manatee County logo with "All County Elementary Music Festival 2026" in white letters.

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
Meet Shawn, one of our dedicated School Safety Guardians in Manatee County. A proud local, Shawn’s roots run deep in this community. He attended Oneco Elementary School, Harllee Middle, and graduated from Bayshore High School.

After an impressive 30-year law enforcement career, beginning with the Bradenton Police Department and concluding with the Tampa Police Department, Shawn returned home two years ago to continue serving—this time, protecting students and staff.

Every morning, Shawn can be found at Palma Sola Elementary School, greeting students with high-fives and smiles during drop-off. It’s his favorite part of the day, and it shows. His caring nature and connection with students make a lasting impact, especially on those who need a little extra support.

When asked about the best part of being a guardian, Shawn shared a story that speaks volumes about his heart:

“The other day, I helped a little boy put his shoe on, and he remembered me from about a month ago. You don’t often get a lot of responses out of children with special needs. After I put his shoe on, he grabbed me by the hand and led me to the swing because he remembered me pushing him before. It’s little stuff like that.”

Outside of school, Shawn is eagerly expecting his first grandchild in January, and it’s clear that family means everything to him. In fact, education runs in the family; his brother is a PE teacher at another elementary school in the district.

Thank you, Shawn, for your dedication, compassion, and commitment to keeping our students and staff safe. You are a true hometown hero! #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews #GoodNewsGuardians
4 months ago, School District of Manatee County
A school safety guardian smiling on a school campus.
Being a school principal is sometimes a dirty job, but somebody AWESOME has to do it! On Friday, Principal Jennie Grimes (front left) and Asst. Principal Heather Sills became human ice cream sundaes in the spirit of school fundraising.

A member of the Palma Sola Elementary School family recently wrote this about Jennie Grimes:

“Mrs. Grimes is the heartbeat of our little community school. She wants the best for all of her students, supports her staff, created an environment where they’re thriving with active construction on campus, and is always willing to be fun and goofy for the students! She keeps parents informed, is a great communicator, and exemplary leader on campus.

She is accessible, kind, and innovative - always striving towards improvement and new ideas for our PSE community. So lucky to be a Panther! 🐾 💙 💛”

We couldn’t agree more! Thank for all you do, Mrs. Grimes. #NationalPrincipalsMonth #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
5 months ago, School District of Manatee County
Elementary school administrators, get covered in ice cream and Sunday toppings for the sake of school fundraising rewards
On Friday, Palma Sola Elementary pulled out all the stops to celebrate their beloved crossing guard, Maggie Pappa, on her 92nd birthday! 🎂💐 The devoted matriarch and lifelong Pittsburgh fan also stays active and healthy by being a fixture at LECOM Park during Pirates’ spring training and the Bradenton Marauders’ baseball season. More than two decades and running! See how the community came together to honor her kindness and spirit at https://www.manateeschools.net/goodnews We love you too, Ms. Maggie! 💛🖤
5 months ago, School District of Manatee County
A kindergarten student stops to deliver a dozen roses and a happy birthday balloon to her school crossing guard

“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
✨ A perfect day to celebrate Grandmas and Pop Pops, Nanas and Abuelos! ✨ Palma Sola Elementary School held their annual Grandparents Day luncheon on Monday, bringing families together from Michigan to Lakewood Ranch. This heartwarming tradition is a beautiful opportunity for grandparents to spend quality time with their grandchildren #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
6 months ago, School District of Manatee County
Two women smiling with a young boy at a school event.
A man behind the wheel of a golf cart.
A man and boy smiling at a school.
A woman has her arm around her grandchild.
An adult and child sitting at a table in the school courtyard
Three generations smile inside a school media center.
A sign that reads Happy Grandparents Day
Families enjoying a special lunch in the cafeteria .
A man and a boy smile while standing in a school courtyard.
grandparents smiling while having lunch with grandchild.
Palma Sola Elementary is celebrating Color Days all month long in support of our pre-K and kindergarten students learning their colors! On Wednesday, the whole campus was decked out in red. This year’s school theme ties in with campus construction: “Building Memories, One Brick at a Time!” 🧱✨
7 months ago, School District of Manatee County
A boy wearing red gives a thumbs up while walking to school
School office staff wearing red in support of color days
A young girl smiles while wearing red
Two children wearing red waves to the camera
Two staff members smile while wearing red
A class of young students and their teacher showing off their outfit
Two food service workers wearing red
A class of student students, and their teacher wearing red
The principal and assistant principal of a school, smiling shoulder to shoulder
A class of kindergarten students and their teacher all wearing red
Shoutout to Paul (right) and D (left), a pair of dedicated school district plumbers with nearly 60 years of service combined! They were hard at work at Palma Sola Elementary School on Wednesday, keeping things running for students and staff. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
7 months ago, School District of Manatee County
two men wearing blue shirts, jeans, and boots at a school working to fix a plumbing issue.
Messages may come as "Potential Spam" and we don’t want you to miss any important updates! You can view the messages in your Focus app or in the Focus Parent Portal.

Please let us know if you have any questions - we’re looking forward to seeing you soon!

https://www.manateeschools.net/o/sdmc/page/mysdmc-focus-app
8 months ago, Palma Sola Elementary School
The school district has just launched Focus Communications—a one-stop platform designed to make school communication easier, safer, and more connected for families and staff! What to Expect: One Trusted Platform – All district and school communication and updates in one place. Stronger Data Privacy – Student and staff information stays secure within a district-managed system. Mobile-Friendly Access - Stay connected anytime, anywhere! This change will replace ClassTag/SchoolStatus, bringing everything into one simple, reliable communication hub.
Registration for Palma Sola Elementary School’s Panther Care (EDEP Program) will be on Wednesday, July 30th from 9:00 – 11:00 AM. Registration requires completion of the registration packet by the enrolling parent/guardian (all items must be initialed and signed). Payment of the nonrefundable registration fee is required plus the first week’s payment.

Space is limited per grade level, and we will place your child’s name on a waitlist on a first come first served basis once all seats are filled. For more information, please visit https://www.manateeschools.net/o/palmasola/page/panther-care-extended-day-program
8 months ago, Palma Sola Elementary School
PSE 25-26 logo
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