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‘We have a crisis situation:’ Voters in Marion, Orange counties to decide whether to fund school renovations
Read full article: ‘We have a crisis situation:’ Voters in Marion, Orange counties to decide whether to fund school renovationsVoters are heading to the polls in two Central Florida counties to decide whether they want to pay a half-cent sales tax to fund repairs, renovations and maintenance costs for public schools.
Orlando Magic celebrates Orange County students’ reading achievements
Read full article: Orlando Magic celebrates Orange County students’ reading achievementsOver 3,000 Orange County Public School students were at the Kia Center on Monday to celebrate their reading achievements with the Orlando Magic.
‘Severe consequences:’ Orange County schools issue stern warning over student threats
Read full article: ‘Severe consequences:’ Orange County schools issue stern warning over student threatsOrange County Public Schools issued a warning to families of students in grades 6-12 on Thursday regarding potential expulsion.
Advocates for Hungerford in Eatonville argue land should belong to community
Read full article: Advocates for Hungerford in Eatonville argue land should belong to communityAdvocates with the historic Hungerford property are calling for the Orange County School Board to return the land back to the community for their control, adding that the property is sacred to the town of Eatonville.
2 Boone High School students arrested after loaded gun found on campus
Read full article: 2 Boone High School students arrested after loaded gun found on campusOrlando Police Department school resource officers were tipped off about a student carrying a suspected handgun on campus, according to a news release.
Universal Education Center creates unique path to success for Orange County students
Read full article: Universal Education Center creates unique path to success for Orange County studentsSince 1994 , the Universal Education Center has been serving Orange County Public Schools students, offering a unique blend of academic coursework and real-world work experience on the Universal Orlando property.
Orange County high school metal detector pilot fizzles out, but random searches still on the table
Read full article: Orange County high school metal detector pilot fizzles out, but random searches still on the tableOrange County high school students will not need to pass through metal detectors every morning, but the schools themselves and events related to them will still be subject to random searches, according to a district spokesperson.
Orange County school district’s new absence notification policy to start again
Read full article: Orange County school district’s new absence notification policy to start againOrange County Public Schools said its new absent notification system will be up and running again as we head into the second week of classes.
Orange County middle schools clinch certification needed to open by 1st day of classes
Read full article: Orange County middle schools clinch certification needed to open by 1st day of classesHoward Middle and Luminary Middle, two Orange County schools feared to be empty on the first day of classes amid construction delays, have clinched the necessary certification to welcome students back on time.
Orange County school district leaders address difficulties heading into new year of classes
Read full article: Orange County school district leaders address difficulties heading into new year of classesWith students heading back to school soon in Orange County, the district is also facing some challenges to start the new school year.
School buses in Orange County will have new tech to keep track of kids. Here’s how it works
Read full article: School buses in Orange County will have new tech to keep track of kids. Here’s how it worksOrange County students go back to school on Monday, and 53,000 are signed up to ride the school bus.
These 2 schools in Orange County may not be ready for students on the first day of classes
Read full article: These 2 schools in Orange County may not be ready for students on the first day of classesWith only days before the new school year, two schools in Orange County may not be ready for the first day of classes.
Orange County Public Schools holds reunification training following active shooter exercise
Read full article: Orange County Public Schools holds reunification training following active shooter exerciseA reunification exercise took place at East River High School. It comes after last year's active shooter training with Orange County Public Schools.
‘The only solution:’ Orange County State of the Schools address focuses on half-cent sales tax
Read full article: ‘The only solution:’ Orange County State of the Schools address focuses on half-cent sales taxLeaders with Orange County Public Schools push for a continuation of a half-cent sales tax to fund the district’s construction needs and renovations for the next 10 years.
Orange County Commission OKs November referendum on sales tax for schools
Read full article: Orange County Commission OKs November referendum on sales tax for schoolsOrange County commissioners on Tuesday signed off on a plan to put a half-penny sales tax for school construction on the November ballot.
‘Lack of adequate security’ led to 19-year-old’s death at Orange County high school’s football game, suit claims
Read full article: ‘Lack of adequate security’ led to 19-year-old’s death at Orange County high school’s football game, suit claimsThe family of a 19-year-old man fatally shot outside a Jones High School football game in 2022 is suing Orange County Public Schools because of his death.
Orange County Public Schools push half-cent sales tax to fund maintenance, upgrades
Read full article: Orange County Public Schools push half-cent sales tax to fund maintenance, upgradesThe chief communications officer at Orange County Public Schools, gave our News 6 team a tour of the school to showcase the power of the half-cent sales tax. Orange County's is set to expire late next year.
Trial set in May for main suspect in disappearance, death of Madeline Soto
Read full article: Trial set in May for main suspect in disappearance, death of Madeline SotoA jury trial in Osceola County court will start in May for the main suspect in the disappearance and death of 13-year-old Madeline Soto.
Orange County schools to use new absent notification system after death of 13-year-old Madeline Soto
Read full article: Orange County schools to use new absent notification system after death of 13-year-old Madeline SotoSuperintendent Maria Vazquez announced the upcoming changes during a Tuesday night meeting.
Orange County Public Schools considers change after death of 13-year-old Madeline Soto
Read full article: Orange County Public Schools considers change after death of 13-year-old Madeline SotoOfficials with Orange County Public Schools confirmed that they are considering changes in their student absence notification system after the death of 13-year-old Madeline Soto.
Orange County Public Schools, teachers union reach agreement over new contracts
Read full article: Orange County Public Schools, teachers union reach agreement over new contractsA special impasse hearing on Tuesday regarding a new contract for teachers in the Orange County school district ended with both sides reaching a deal.
‘Agriculture is in everything:’ Why Orange County is expanding agriscience classes
Read full article: ‘Agriculture is in everything:’ Why Orange County is expanding agriscience classesIn 2018, Orange County Public Schools committed to bringing agriscience back into schools. Now every public high school in Orange County offers it as an elective. Agriscience is now in 11 middle schools, with an initiative to expand it to every middle school.
Dozens of Orange County students can’t return to class after failing to answer audit
Read full article: Dozens of Orange County students can’t return to class after failing to answer auditSome parents of students at Timber Creek High School are dealing with their child's schedule being put on pause after Orange County Public Schools asked them to provide proof of address for an enrollment audit.
‘The look of relief:’ Orange County schools helps families with food distributions ahead of winter break
Read full article: ‘The look of relief:’ Orange County schools helps families with food distributions ahead of winter breakAhead of the fall semester coming to a close across Orange County, more than 3400 families received free healthy food options.
Orange County schools release guidelines for restrooms, pronouns and more
Read full article: Orange County schools release guidelines for restrooms, pronouns and moreOn Monday, the district released its new “inclusive support” guidelines to clarify rules regarding restrooms, pronouns and other issues.
Orange County students get opportunity to earn money, learn a trade after high school
Read full article: Orange County students get opportunity to earn money, learn a trade after high schoolFor a lot of high school students, the next step involves college or the military, but for people looking for another path, a registered apprenticeship offers a cost-free way to earn money while learning a skilled trade.
After-school staff weren’t trained to use EpiPens. This Florida mom now wants to change the law
Read full article: After-school staff weren’t trained to use EpiPens. This Florida mom now wants to change the lawA local mom is out with a warning about children with allergies. She says her son could not access his lifesaving EpiPen while in after-care at school.
Orange County middle school teacher fired, arrested amid investigation into child photos
Read full article: Orange County middle school teacher fired, arrested amid investigation into child photosA 22-year-old former employee of an Orange County middle school was arrested in an investigation led in part by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Mystery: Students sickened by odor on Orange County school bus
Read full article: Mystery: Students sickened by odor on Orange County school busAn “unknown substance” on a school bus prompted a hazmat response from Orange County Fire Rescue which resulted in the treatment of 10 patients, according to officials.
Short on bus drivers, Orange County district asks parents to drive kids to first day of school
Read full article: Short on bus drivers, Orange County district asks parents to drive kids to first day of schoolOrange County Public Schools placed a call to student families urging parents to drive their children to their first day of classes Thursday, if they could, in order lessen the local impact of a nationwide bus driver shortage.
Orange County Public Schools sending gun storage message to families
Read full article: Orange County Public Schools sending gun storage message to familiesOrange County Public Schools, the fourth largest school district in Florida with more than 200,000 students, is sending a safety message to parents via email focusing on gun safety and gun storage.
School librarians inspect ‘over a million books’ to comply with new Florida law
Read full article: School librarians inspect ‘over a million books’ to comply with new Florida lawMedia specialists have been working through the summer to make sure school and classroom libraries are up to new state standards.
Seminole County school district explains why it can’t offer free meals to all students
Read full article: Seminole County school district explains why it can’t offer free meals to all studentsDays after one Central Florida school district said that all students will receive free meals for the upcoming school year, Seminole County Public Schools announced why it is not eligible to do the same.
Orange County schools prepare for new year with active shooter training
Read full article: Orange County schools prepare for new year with active shooter trainingOrange County Public Schools hosted a full-scale training exercise for active shooters on a school campus Thursday ahead of a new school year.
Orange County schools consider whether to let students put cellphones in pockets
Read full article: Orange County schools consider whether to let students put cellphones in pocketsWith about three weeks until the start of school, school board members for Orange County Public Schools met Tuesday for a workshop to discuss the student code of conduct.
Riverdale Elementary School set to reopen after hurricane flooding
Read full article: Riverdale Elementary School set to reopen after hurricane floodingOrange County Public Schools said the district is on track for Riverdale Elementary School to re-open for the start of the school year, which is about a month away.
Historic preservation group in Eatonville pushes funding proposal for museum, STEM center
Read full article: Historic preservation group in Eatonville pushes funding proposal for museum, STEM centerA historical preservation group is looking to get results for the community and generate more economic growth as the group discusses why it should be chosen to receive funding from an Orange County task force.
‘Walkout 2 Learn’ student rallies to protest Florida education policies
Read full article: ‘Walkout 2 Learn’ student rallies to protest Florida education policiesState legislators and community leaders say there will be classroom walkouts and rallies taking place across Florida on Friday in protest of the state’s education policies.
Florida teacher accused of using students as ‘political props’ will keep job, school board says
Read full article: Florida teacher accused of using students as ‘political props’ will keep job, school board saysA Central Florida middle school teacher suspended earlier this year, accused by his school district of using students as ‘political props’ in TikTok skits referencing current events, will not be fired after all.
Orange County info session teaches parents about warning signs of children joining gangs
Read full article: Orange County info session teaches parents about warning signs of children joining gangsOrange County Public Schools is working with the Orange County Sheriff's Office and parents to prevent students from going down the wrong path.
SPLC files complaint against OCPS, pushes to preserve historic Eatonville property
Read full article: SPLC files complaint against OCPS, pushes to preserve historic Eatonville propertyOrange County Public Schools is considering selling historic Robert Hungerford Preparatory High School property in Eatonville to developers.
18 students treated, 2 hospitalized for heat exhaustion after threat prompts evacuation at Colonial High School
Read full article: 18 students treated, 2 hospitalized for heat exhaustion after threat prompts evacuation at Colonial High SchoolTwenty students total were treated for heat exhaustion after being evacuated outside Colonial High School following a “situation” Thursday, according to Orange County Fire Rescue.
Florida mom ‘devastated’ she can’t volunteer at school because of OnlyFans account, lawsuit says
Read full article: Florida mom ‘devastated’ she can’t volunteer at school because of OnlyFans account, lawsuit saysVictoria Triece is suing Orange County Public Schools because she says the district banned her from volunteering in her child’s classroom due to her participation on adult websites.
Orange County schools forms disciplinary task force over student behavioral issues
Read full article: Orange County schools forms disciplinary task force over student behavioral issuesOrange County Public Schools are addressing what they say is a growing problem in the classroom — poor student behavior.
‘Kind and beautiful young girl:’ 9-year-old killed in shooting was student at Pine Hills Elementary School
Read full article: ‘Kind and beautiful young girl:’ 9-year-old killed in shooting was student at Pine Hills Elementary SchoolA 9-year-old girl was one of three killed, including a News 13 reporter and 38-year-old woman, in Pine Hills shootings on Wednesday, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Orange County teacher receives support, backlash over controversial TikTok videos
Read full article: Orange County teacher receives support, backlash over controversial TikTok videosThe videos featured students in a variety of skits, including one satirizing alleged attempts at book bans by the state and another that features several students bowing down a trio of Black students for Black History Month.
Orange County school district rolling out electric buses
Read full article: Orange County school district rolling out electric busesOrange County Public Schools is rolling out all-electric school buses and testing the viability of using the vehicles to meet transportation needs, the district announced Monday.
Florida officials investigate criminal activity reporting in Orange County Public Schools
Read full article: Florida officials investigate criminal activity reporting in Orange County Public SchoolsOCPS Superintendent Maria Vazquez said that information regarding disciplinary referrals will be released to the state before March 17.
Orange County teacher accused of using students as ‘political props’ in videos, district says
Read full article: Orange County teacher accused of using students as ‘political props’ in videos, district saysA teacher was placed on administrative leave after “using his students as political props” in videos posted to social media, according to Orange County Public Schools.
‘Inflammatory and sexualized:’ Florida pushes school districts to drop CDC youth risk survey
Read full article: ‘Inflammatory and sexualized:’ Florida pushes school districts to drop CDC youth risk surveyOrange County Public Schools will no longer participate in an annual national study charting risky behaviors in students, according to correspondence from the Florida Department of Education thanking the district for the change and criticizing the survey.
Florida mother sues school district over OnlyFans controversy
Read full article: Florida mother sues school district over OnlyFans controversyA lawsuit has been filed against a Florida school district, claiming the district banned a mother from volunteering in her child’s classroom due to her participation on adult websites.
Orange County schools to assemble task force to tackle disciplinary issues
Read full article: Orange County schools to assemble task force to tackle disciplinary issuesOrange County Public Schools is looking at a new task force aimed at finding solutions to disciplinary issues throughout the district.
‘This helps me a lot:’ 2,500 families receive meals during Orange County schools winter break
Read full article: ‘This helps me a lot:’ 2,500 families receive meals during Orange County schools winter breakOrange County Public Schools and Second Harvest Food Bank teamed up Saturday to make sure students and their families would have food during the two-week winter break.
Jones High School to hold football game in Orlando 1 week after deadly shooting
Read full article: Jones High School to hold football game in Orlando 1 week after deadly shootingJones High School is prepping for another football match at the school just one week after a deadly shooting near their last home game.
Orange County school buses running normal after concerns of driver shortage, district says
Read full article: Orange County school buses running normal after concerns of driver shortage, district saysOrange County Public Schools issued a recorded message Thursday, warning parents that the district expected a school bus driver shortage on Friday.
Students from hurricane-damaged Riverdale Elementary resume classes at high school
Read full article: Students from hurricane-damaged Riverdale Elementary resume classes at high schoolRiverdale Elementary students will return to class Thursday morning at a high school seven miles away because officials with Orange County Public Schools believe the building, which sustained significant flood damage from Hurricane Ian, is still unsafe.
Crews tackle Orlando elementary school flood ahead of expected reopening
Read full article: Crews tackle Orlando elementary school flood ahead of expected reopeningAfter Riverdale Elementary School flooded due to heavy rainfall from Hurricane Ian, cleaning crews went to work to get it back in order ahead of the district's expected opening date.
Orange County Public Schools superintendent calls for end to prank threat trend
Read full article: Orange County Public Schools superintendent calls for end to prank threat trendParents of students in the Orange County Public Schools district heard from superintendent Dr. Maria Vasquez, who marked an increase in student-made threats against schools and called for an end to the trend.
West Orange High on ‘hold’ as law enforcement investigates possible threat to school
Read full article: West Orange High on ‘hold’ as law enforcement investigates possible threat to schoolA written message containing a possible threat to West Orange High School has put the school on "hold" while law enforcement investigates, according to Orange County Public Schools.