Education

STAFF REPORT – On Thursday, June 17 everyone is welcome to celebrate graduating Island School students Bradford Boney Jr., David Chatham, Calan Hammond, Elizabeth Hawthorne and Lannie Whitley as they parade through town on golf carts, beginning around 11:45 a.m. The parade will begin on 7th Street, then will turn left onto E. Railroad Avenue. […]

STAFF REPORT – Sarasota architect Carl Abbott’s international architectural recognition began with homes he designed in Boca Grande. The homes he designs are among the most highly awarded in Florida and the Caribbean. Presented by the Boca Grande Historical Society on March 9 at 2 p.m. live via Zoom, Abbott will discuss the Sarasota School […]

BY T MICHELE WALKER – As the sun set on the Lemon Bay High School quad last Thursday evening, the L.A. Ainger Middle School Jazz Band took the stage to perform for the first time this season. “This is the first time our jazz band is performing this year,” said Mr. Tim Ostrow, Director of […]

BY MARGUERITE TREMELIN – Even in troubled times, there are causes for celebration. Five of them are right here at Boca Grande Preschool. Less than one year ago, on March 2, 2020, just before the country started shutting down, the Boca Grande Preschool launched an exuberant new fundraiser: The Beach Ball at The Gasparilla Inn […]

BY MARGUERITE TREMELIN – In the interest of the health and safety of our generous Boca Grande community, the Boca Grande Preschool canceled its spring fundraiser, the 2nd Annual Beach Ball at the Gasparilla Inn Beach Club. In the absence of the Beach Ball, the BGP Board of Directors is working harder than ever to […]

STAFF REPORT – School has already been canceled for Island School students, as well as for Charlotte and Sarasota County students, preceding Tropical Storm/Hurricane Eta. As of 9:20 p.m. Eta was still a tropical storm off the coast of the Florida Keys: There is a probability it could become a hurricane. Projections are still sketchy […]

BY MARCY SHORTUSE- The long-awaited announcement that begins to outline how the 2020-21 Island School academic year will play out was made on Wednesday, July 15 by Head-of-School Jean Thompson, and it appears there will be more options than most parents thought. The long-awaited announcement that begins to outline how the 2020-21 Island School academic […]

BY MARGUERITE TREMELIN- Boca Grande’s littlest learners have returned to preschool.  The pre-kindergarten 4 and 5-year-olds returned on June 16, followed by the 1 to 3-year old children on July 7. Children, teachers and parents are happy to be back.  It was three months ago, on March 16, when the Boca Grande Preschool closed its […]

BY OLIVIA CAMERON- Local high school students who graduated this past school term were looking forward to normalcy, with plans to hold graduation ceremonies this summer. The ceremonies were postponed from their original dates to wait out the COVID-19 outbreak in the hope that they could conduct traditional but safe graduations thereafter. However, all in-person […]