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
🌴☀️ 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
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
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
The Soar Lab welcomed new friends from Braden River Elementary and Palm View K - 8 School on Thursday!
Visit
https://www.soarin4.org to learn how this amazing learning space is amplifying early childhood education in Manatee County with little to no cost for most families. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
24 days ago, School District of Manatee County
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
Holiday spirit week is the gift that keeps on giving.
Thank you to bus driver Tinysha Holmes (on right) who is seen celebrating the season with Palm View K - 8 School Principal Jessica Kane 🎄 and bus aide Shanna Robinson.
#ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
3 months ago, School District of Manatee County
Palm View K-8 8th Graders Dive into Ocean Discovery
What a fin-tastic field trip! On Wednesday, October 15, Palm View 8th graders set sail for a day of discovery at the Florida Institute of Oceanography in St. Petersburg.
Students had the rare opportunity to board and tour two research vessels, guided by none other than the ships’ captains themselves — an unforgettable experience for our future scientists and explorers!
The excitement continued as students gathered around the ship’s moon pool — a large opening in the vessel’s hull that allows scientists to lower tools, instruments, and even submersibles directly into the ocean.
They also got a close-up look at a remote operated vehicle (ROV), and each student even had the chance to pilot a $200,000 mini-ROV using a controller that looked surprisingly like an Xbox game controller!
Two presenters shared insight into the many careers connected to marine research, from ship operations to ocean science and environmental studies, inspiring students to think about future possibilities on (and under) the water.
Docked alongside the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and a U.S. Coast Guard Station, the research vessels are surrounded by incredible real-world learning opportunities. Students even watched planes take off at Albert Whitted Airport, adding another layer of excitement to the day.
As a Woz Ed Career Pathways school, Palm View K-8 encourages students to explore STEM careers and future-ready skills through hands-on experiences just like this one. From technology to teamwork, the day reinforced how curiosity, creativity, and innovation open the door to endless opportunities. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
5 months ago, School District of Manatee County
The results and moments captured during Saturday’s Middle School XC meet are in…
Girls - Teams and Individuals
🥇 Dr. Mona Jain Middle School
🥈 R. Dan Nolan Middle School
🥉 Martha B. King Middle School
🥇 Tatum B., Dr. Mona Jain MS
🥈 Katelyn M., Nolan MS
🥉 Emma V., Nolan MS
Boys - Teams and Individuals
🥇 Buffalo Creek Middle School
🥈 Dr. Mona Jain Middle School
🥉 Haile Middle School
🥇 Maddox R., Buffalo Creek MS
🥈 Rafe T., King MS
🥉 Mitchell F., Dr. Mona Jain MS
Congratulations to ALL the runners from Manatee County middle schools and their families for finishing the race and supporting your teams! #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
5 months ago, School District of Manatee County
“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
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
