The School District of Manatee County's Visual & Performing Arts Department presents the inaugural Battle of the Beats Drumline Competition at the Manatee County Fair on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. Participating schools include Buffalo Creek Middle, Lincoln Memorial Middle, Rowlett Academy, Braden River High, Manatee High, Palmetto High and Parrish Community High. The show begins at 6 p.m. on the main stage. Visit https://www.manateecountyfair.com to learn more about the Manatee County Fair.
Mike Y.’s résumé reads like a season of a TV crime drama.
For 20 years, he served the streets of New York City working in street control, housing developments, anti-crime, and plainclothes units. He took on organized crime, narcotics, robberies, and homicides as part of the detective squad. It was intense, meaningful work but eventually, Mike knew it was time. The right time for change.
So he moved to Florida, guided by former NYPD officers who showed him how the skills he learned in the Big Apple could open new doors. Doors that led to protect hallways filled with students.
Now, Guardian Mike is celebrating his first school year as a school safety guardian at Parrish Community High. And while the setting has changed, the mission hasn’t.
“I like communicating with the kids,” he says. “It keeps me grounded and helps me communicate better with my own teenagers.”
As someone who grew up as a teen in the inner city of New York, the respect he receives means everything to him. No badges needed. “A fist pound is more than enough for me," he said.
Thank you, Guardian Mike, for your continued service and for keeping our students safe every single day. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews #GoodNewsGuardians
For 20 years, he served the streets of New York City working in street control, housing developments, anti-crime, and plainclothes units. He took on organized crime, narcotics, robberies, and homicides as part of the detective squad. It was intense, meaningful work but eventually, Mike knew it was time. The right time for change.
So he moved to Florida, guided by former NYPD officers who showed him how the skills he learned in the Big Apple could open new doors. Doors that led to protect hallways filled with students.
Now, Guardian Mike is celebrating his first school year as a school safety guardian at Parrish Community High. And while the setting has changed, the mission hasn’t.
“I like communicating with the kids,” he says. “It keeps me grounded and helps me communicate better with my own teenagers.”
As someone who grew up as a teen in the inner city of New York, the respect he receives means everything to him. No badges needed. “A fist pound is more than enough for me," he said.
Thank you, Guardian Mike, for your continued service and for keeping our students safe every single day. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews #GoodNewsGuardians
Meet Guardian Chris Scardino, now proudly serving his fifth school year at Parrish Community High School. A retired Union City, New Jersey police sergeant with 27 years of service, Chris brings a lifetime of dedication, leadership, and heart to the Bulls community.
At PCHS, Chris goes far beyond his daily duties. He pours his passion into training the Bulls’ JROTC cadets, inspiring the next generation of leaders. He also serves as a girls JV soccer coach, teaching teamwork, discipline, and confidence on and off the field.
You’ll also find Chris at the Soar in 4 Lab, where he’s part of the rotating team supporting this early learning center, which is free for most families with children from infancy through third grade.
His service touches every corner of the campus and beyond. Chris thrives on partnership and connection. “Everybody at PCHS works together,” he says. “They are family.”
Before joining the Bulls, Chris made a lasting mark in New Jersey by designing a memorial and leading the successful renaming of six city streets to honor fallen heroes of his former police department, an accomplishment he holds close to his heart. He continues to stay in touch with many of their families, keeping their legacies alive.
Whether he’s coaching, mentoring, or serving the broader community, Chris leads with purpose. Working with teens and teaching them values (especially the importance of giving back) is his bottom line.
Thank you, Guardian Scardino, for your service, passion, and unwavering commitment to our students and community! #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
At PCHS, Chris goes far beyond his daily duties. He pours his passion into training the Bulls’ JROTC cadets, inspiring the next generation of leaders. He also serves as a girls JV soccer coach, teaching teamwork, discipline, and confidence on and off the field.
You’ll also find Chris at the Soar in 4 Lab, where he’s part of the rotating team supporting this early learning center, which is free for most families with children from infancy through third grade.
His service touches every corner of the campus and beyond. Chris thrives on partnership and connection. “Everybody at PCHS works together,” he says. “They are family.”
Before joining the Bulls, Chris made a lasting mark in New Jersey by designing a memorial and leading the successful renaming of six city streets to honor fallen heroes of his former police department, an accomplishment he holds close to his heart. He continues to stay in touch with many of their families, keeping their legacies alive.
Whether he’s coaching, mentoring, or serving the broader community, Chris leads with purpose. Working with teens and teaching them values (especially the importance of giving back) is his bottom line.
Thank you, Guardian Scardino, for your service, passion, and unwavering commitment to our students and community! #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
The Parrish Community High School Girls’ Golf team achieved their goal of winning the Class 3A FHSAA State Championship for the first time in program history.
Read details from The Bulletin, a student journalism program sharing #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews from PCHS: https://www.manateeschools.net/o/parrish/article/2554405?fbclid=IwY2xjawOK2hZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe1ZIyPjmFvuf1kx8wM9v-GQh2Nfi1Vd0TxVRUpfurMKVWSyNXNNzQk15Q-qc_aem_Kq9uFASK9G1fyeLZkeCydg
Read details from The Bulletin, a student journalism program sharing #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews from PCHS: https://www.manateeschools.net/o/parrish/article/2554405?fbclid=IwY2xjawOK2hZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEe1ZIyPjmFvuf1kx8wM9v-GQh2Nfi1Vd0TxVRUpfurMKVWSyNXNNzQk15Q-qc_aem_Kq9uFASK9G1fyeLZkeCydg
Drumroll, please! 🥁 The results are in for the 2025 Manatee County School Bus Rodeo, and the winning team is The Roadrunnerz (Beep Beep)!
Led by longtime route supervisor Gina Miller, who has dedicated 26 years of service to transportation, this team proved that even our newest drivers can rise to the challenge.
The four drivers who skillfully navigated the challenging obstacle course on Wednesday are all fairly new to our district:
🚌 Edinson and Nicholas – both joined in August
🚌 Don – celebrating one year of
service
🚌 Zeke – proudly driving for five years on and off
All the participating teams were celebrated by Director Jamie Warrington and Asst. Director Melanie Johnson.
We’ve tagged the schools whose routes they drive — please join us in congratulating them and sharing this #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews! 🎉👏
Teen Volunteers in Action: (L-to-R) Meet Conor (Parrish Community High School) and Alessandro (Manatee High School). These high school juniors, who are best friends, have teamed up to serve at The Soar Lab to help inspire passion and help kids develop a love of learning! They’re both involved in service and community organizations at their schools, including Key Club and Student Government. Bright futures ahead!
The Soar Lab
Open Friday, October 10th - 9AM-1PM
FREE for children (infants to 3rd grade) with an adult
📍6413 9th Street East, Bradenton
#ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
On Thursday, Gettel Automotive Group donated an additional $25,000 to the Automotive Maintenance and Light Repair program at Parrish Community High School, raising its total contribution to $100,000.
From turning wrenches to turning dreams into careers, learn how Parrish Community High’s automotive students are gaining real-world skills and inspiration for the future, thanks to strong community partnerships.
Read more: www.manateeschools.net/goodnews
From turning wrenches to turning dreams into careers, learn how Parrish Community High’s automotive students are gaining real-world skills and inspiration for the future, thanks to strong community partnerships.
Read more: www.manateeschools.net/goodnews
Thank you to HCA Florida for inviting Parrish Community High School Allied Health students and their teacher, April Thornton, to the ribbon-cutting of the new ER at North River Ranch!
Accompanied by School Board Member Heather Felton and Assistant Principal Paul Champagne, students toured the facility, explored real medical equipment, and got a firsthand look at their future in healthcare.
We’re also incredibly grateful to HCA Florida and the Manatee Education Foundation for awarding PCHS a grant in December 2024 to support this career pathway.
Partnerships like these make a real difference in preparing our students for success beyond high school. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
Accompanied by School Board Member Heather Felton and Assistant Principal Paul Champagne, students toured the facility, explored real medical equipment, and got a firsthand look at their future in healthcare.
We’re also incredibly grateful to HCA Florida and the Manatee Education Foundation for awarding PCHS a grant in December 2024 to support this career pathway.
Partnerships like these make a real difference in preparing our students for success beyond high school. #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.
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#/entityId=262385.
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.