Just three minutes from where she graduated high school, Becky Humphrey is inspiring young minds inside a bright and welcoming first grade garden-inspired classroom at Samoset Elementary. A cheerful sign reminds everyone who walks in: “Happiness blooms inside this room.”
Her students are thriving… and so is she. “I love to teach them how to read. They keep me young,” said Humphrey, who is one of the longest-serving educators at Samoset.
A proud 1994 graduate of Southeast Sehseminoles, where she served on student government and was a member of the color guard, she brings that same school spirit to her classroom every day.
Every morning on her way to class, former students greet her with hugs, a testament to the impact she’s made year after year. She is an absolutely heartwarming teacher who brings a spark to her classroom, filling it with joy, encouragement, and a love of learning.
She affectionately calls her students her “silly heads,” but everyone knows they’re really smarties. On Thursday, they were tackling math equations, vibing to Jack Hartmann videos, and celebrating each other with high-fives and fist bumps.
How lucky are we to have such a dedicated, joyful, and kind teachers shaping the future at Samoset Elementary? #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
The day may have ended with rain, but our visit to Samoset Elementary was filled with sunshine from start to finish. 🌟 The smiles, hard work, and joy of students and staff lit up every classroom and hallway. Here are just a few of our favorite moments — and we can’t wait to keep sharing all the amazing things happening at Samoset! ✨ ❤️ #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews
Rain or shine, our bus drivers, bus attendants, and school teams always deliver!
Thank you for your patience and care during Monday's stormy dismissal, making sure every student got home safe and sound. #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.