Southeast High

In a heartfelt tribute to the heroes who serve and protect our community, Buffalo Creek Middle School hosted their annual event to commemorate the events of September 11th and to honor local first responders and veterans. The reception, led entirely by students, highlighted the power of remembrance, gratitude, and community connection. Mr. Baker's Global Perspectives students paid tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and military veterans. The event featured speeches, handmade thank-you cards, goodie bags, and the installation of 2,977 flags near the school marquee, to honor those who lost their lives in the attacks 24 years ago. It's more than just a history lesson. It’s an opportunity for our students to engage with the real heroes of our community and to say thank you in their own words and actions. Students had the unique opportunity to speak directly with first responders and veterans to learn more about their lives, experiences, and careers. Mr. Baker's students unknowingly extended their gratitude beyond Buffalo Creek. We surprised a few school safety guardians, many of whom served in NYC and police departments nationwide, with their heartfelt thank you cards and care packages. These heroes, now protecting our schools in retirement, were truly touched by the unexpected show of appreciation today. Pictured are guardians from Lakewood Ranch and Southeast High Schools. A huge shoutout to our Hawks for leading with kindness and inspiring us all to do the same! 💫

MSTV Game of the Week :

Get ready for Friday night lights as the Southeast Seminoles take on the Manatee Hurricanes in a can't-miss showdown!

📅 Friday, August 29, 2025
🕢 Kickoff at 7:30 PM
📺 Watch LIVE: https://youtube.com/live/APvFIDaGV8E?feature=share

Tune in to Manatee Schools Television for all the action and big plays as these two powerhouse teams battle it out under the lights. Don’t miss it!

Sherry Freeman-Douglas, a beloved "lunch lady" at Southeast High is in quite the pickle. She LOVES her Seminoles. Serves them smiles and salads every day. But we had to ask… if Southeast is facing off against her alma mater, Palmetto High School: "Sherry, who are you cheering for?" Without missing a beat, she grinned and said: “I’m a Tiger to the bone!” 🐅 followed by a roar of laughter. We still love you, Sherry — even if you're cheering for the "other" team. Thanks for feeding bellies and hearts every day! 🧡💙 #ManateeSchoolsGoodNews #ViralLunchLadies

HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS & FAMILIES : Is your student planning to attend college or technical school? Not sure where to start with the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)?

Join us for a free FAFSA Information Workshop designed to guide families through the process of applying for financial aid.

📅 Date: Thursday, August 28, 2025
🕕 Time: 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
📍 Location: Manatee Technical College - 6305 State Road 70 East, Bradenton 34203

During this workshop, you'll learn:
✅ What the FAFSA is and why it’s important
✅ Key deadlines and documents you’ll need
✅ Where to get help if you need it

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.