Happy Fri-Yay 🎉 Meet Guardian Thomas, known as “Biggie” to his R. H. Prine Elementary School family. From transporting fugitives near St. Louis to turning frowns upside down in Bradenton, this School Safety Guardian has done it all.
A retired Jefferson County, Missouri sheriff’s deputy, he is now serving his third school year keeping the Patriots safe. A proud grandfather, he finds true joy in making sure students leave school happy, safe, and worry-free — “knowing at school they can just be a kid.”
The caring school community has embraced him as one of their own and you can see it in the hallways, where students and staff greet him fondly and jokingly during his daily rounds.
As he puts it, “If I can come to work every day and make a kid smile, I know I’ve done my job.” Thanks to Biggie and all our guardian heroes for protecting our schools. #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
Thank you to ABC7's Linda Carson for inviting Derek Jensen, Deputy Superintendent of Instruction, and Debra Estes, Director of ESOL, Migrant, and Dual Language programs to celebrate #HispanicHeritageMonth on Suncoast View.
They discussed how the dual language programs are preparing students for a successful future, and thanked the educators who are involved in such impactful work every day.
The dual language programs are available at Braden River Elementary, Daughtrey Elementary, Palmetto Elementary and Prine Elementary Schools.
You can watch the segment at this link: https://www.mysuncoast.com/2025/09/17/manatee-countys-dual-language-programs
Bradenton Police Chief Josh Cramer joined Mayor Gene Brown and members of the department on Wednesday to officially pin badges on Rogers Garden-Bullock Elementary’s school safety patrols.
“May this be the first of many badges you wear in your lifetime,” said Chief Cramer.
As their peers watched proudly on, these fifth grade leaders took the pledge to promote safety and lead by example.
What made the moment even more special? Many of the leaders doing the pinning once wore those very same badges as students:
⭐ Mayor Gene Brown – Bayshore Elementary
⭐ Assistant Chief Brian Thiers – Stewart Elementary
⭐ Captain Dennis Stahley – Prine Elementary
We're proud of these fifth-grade leaders, and all Manatee County safety patrols, who show up every day to keep their classmates safe. Your service matters! 🙌🚸 #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
Surprise Ticket Drop
You did it!
To celebrate a fantastic first week of school, the Bradenton Marauders and the School District of Manatee County are treating the amazing students, teachers, staff and families of the School District to a night out at the ballpark!
Let’s keep the momentum going!
See you at the stadium!
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.