Latest reporting from the Education desk.
State College of Florida began spring 2027 registration on Monday, Oct. 5, with classes at the Lakewood Ranch campus starting Jan. 11, and new students able to register starting Oct. 12.
Education
Lakewood Ranch High School is getting a full HVAC overhaul and new LED field lights as the campus approaches its 30th year, with classroom relocations planned after the winter holidays.
Education
Lakewood Ranch High School's Marching Mustangs won the Class 4A Championship and all five class awards at the Naples Outdoor Marching Band Competition on Oct. 3, while eight LRHS orchestra students earned selection to the Manatee All-County Honor's Orchestra.
Education
The School District of Manatee County has activated a first-in-the-nation system connecting staff panic badges to live security cameras at all 62 campuses, including Lakewood Ranch High School, giving deputies real-time video during emergencies.
Education
Lakewood Ranch High School's men's choir joins male singers from across Manatee County for the annual Men's Day event Monday, Oct. 5, at Manatee High School.
Education
Lakewood Ranch High School AP Environmental Science teacher Tana Phelps used the viral Fat Bear Week competition as a classroom lesson on wildlife habitat and ecosystem preservation, as Bear 89 "Backpack" claimed the 2026 title with about 2.5 million votes cast worldwide.
Education
Lakewood Ranch High School art teacher Brianna Augustine-Carter launched an online gallery in September to showcase student artwork and help students build portfolios.
Education
Florida Education Commissioner Henry Mack ordered all school districts, including Manatee and Sarasota counties, to proactively audit library books and remove sexually explicit material within 90 days or face the loss of state funding.
Education
Lakewood Ranch High's freshman and JV volleyball teams topped Sarasota Riverview on Sept. 17, but the varsity fell in straight sets, its second loss to the Rams this season.
Education
The School District of Manatee County became the first in the nation to link staff panic-button badges with live security camera feeds, investing more than $861,000 a year in the Centegix-OpenEye integration that gives first responders real-time video during emergencies.
Education
Construction on the $144 million Rangeland High School campus in Lakewood Ranch has reached 25% completion, with 160 workers on site daily and the project on track to open to about 1,070 freshmen and sophomores in August 2027.
Education
Lakewood Ranch High School replaced its nearly decade-old football stadium lights after testing revealed yellowing and dark spots, with Athletic Director Kent Ringquist saying the brighter, more energy-efficient system will benefit football, soccer and lacrosse athletes ahead of the Mustangs' home game against Dunnellon on Sept. 18.
Education
Lakewood Ranch High School social studies teacher Kyle Steinberg is urging fellow teachers to share the 9/11 Memorial & Museum's annual commemoration video with students ahead of Friday's 25th anniversary, marking his fifth year using the program's first-person survivor accounts.
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