It's another year of excellence on the hardcourt at Palatka High School.
The PHS girls basketball team heads to North Marion next week for the District 6-5A tournament courtesy of a 63-60 comeback win Tuesday at Orange Park, securing the St. Johns River Athletic Conference championship.
The Panthers go to districts with an eye-popping 21-1 record.
By Amanda Burney
A Financial Aid workshop will be offered on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. in the Palatka High School Panther Den.
Wayne Bodiford and Ginny Yancey from St. Johns River State College will be here to answer any questions about FAFSA, scholarships, and any other financial aid concerns.
Photo by Stephen Thomas
Members of the Crescent City Jr./Sr. High School Wintergaurd and their coach Jennifer Michaels in front of Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando. The team competed Saturday against teams throughout the state.
The Fleming Island High School Future Business Leaders of America stand outside Palatka High School Monday morning. PHS hosts FBLA groups today from high schools throughout the area.
Beasley Middle School 6th graders Diana Manley (left) and Kayla Turner count their currency, preparing to bid on items at Friday's Beasley Bucks Auction. Local sponsors including school employees donate items including basketballs, books and Florida Gator gear that are auctioned then paid for with Beasley Bucks students earn for good behavior.
Auctioneer Len Freeman takes bids for two foam Florida Gator cars held by Beasley Middle School teacher Amy Getchell at the school's Beasley Bucks Auction Friday afternoon.
Beasley Middle School 6th grader Jasmine Miller counts pink money before bidding at Friday's Beasley Bucks Auction. Students earn Beasley Bucks for good behavior, then bid on new items donated by sponsors. The auction is one of the more popular annual events at the school.
Members of PCSD's Custodial Department at a customer appreciation day held by ALL-Brite Sales Company in Jacksonville.
Story by Cissy Brewer, PCSD Maintenance Dept.
The Putnam County School District's Custodial Services assistant managers recently attended a professional training session at the ALL-Brite company in Jacksonville, Fl.
The assistant managers were involved in various activities and given the most updated information ranging from classroom activities, new cleaning techniques including floor care and new equipment service and new chemicals and dispensing systems. Our management team was given the opportunity to compete with other school districts in cleaning games and, yes, our team brought home the "gold."
They competed in the burnisher barrel race, Frisbee pad toss and toilet tissue toss. Managers attending the training were Willie King (PHS), Dorothy Wellon (Moseley), Artis Allen (CH Price) and James Parker (Mellon). Prizes won by managers for their schools were a La mac canister vacuum, cases of ole fashion deodorizers, odor estimator, micro-filmer towels, soft bristle brooms and non-acid restroom cleaner and gift bags.
This was certainly a learning lesson for the custodial services management team.
Children look out from a float in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade Monday in Palatka.
The leader of the modern American civil rights movement, King was assassinated in Memphis, Tenn. in April 1968. He was born in Atlanta Jan. 15, 1929 and in 1957 formed the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with other civil rights leaders.
In 1986, Congress established Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a national holiday.
The Palatka High School Band plays Monday in the city's annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade.
The Beasley Middle School mascot and PCSD Superintendent Tom Townsend share a laugh at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. March Monday morning in Palatka.
Beat the Streets boxer Abner Brito points to his mother in a packed Crescent City Jr./Sr. High School gym Jan. 6 for the program's Fight Night. A crowd of about 400 paid to see student boxers face off in the 21st Century program run with the area Police Athletic League. After his match, Brito thanked the crowd, telling audience members including his mother that he dedicated his fight to his brother, who was killed in a recent traffic accident.
Judges look on as boxers face off during Beat the Street boxing's Fight Night Jan. 6 at CCJSHS.
A program at the scorer's table marked up by Palatka High School 2011 alumna Carrie Roberts. Roberts -- a regular at Fight Nights and daughter of retired Palatka High School coach Gordon Roberts, studies law at Stetson University.
Some of the more than 500 people attending Thursday's PCSD Health Fair walk the booths in the Palatka High School gym. More than 20 vendors were at the fair, giving massages, health tips and more.
Attendance set a record, topping last year's count of 400-plus, as employees and immediate family got blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure checked, then spoke with health experts for a personalized consultation.
PCSD Food Service Director Karen Swartout said plans for next year's fair include more vendors and activity.
A health expert reviews results with a PCSD employee following a health screening.
Jean-Paul Leduc, 84, hangs on a chin-up bar at the USA Fitness booth at Thursday's PCSD Health Fair. Leduc, former skating partner of Olympic figure skating champion and Hollywood star Sonja Henie, says a turn on the bar quickly reveals weak spots in the human body.
He advocates its use to help remain strong and limber.
Members of the Crescent City Jr./Sr. High School Cheerleading Team practice at the high school Thursday afternoon. The girls head tomorrow to Kissimmee for the 2011-12 FHSAA Competitive Cheerleading Championship, having earned a berth in Saturday's regional championship event.
It's not easy fielding a cheerleading team in rural Florida.
Unlike other counties with schools equipped with All-Star gyms and girls whose only sport is cheering, Crescent City Jr./Sr. High School Cheerleading Coach Emily Stroupe has to share her athletes with other sports.
"All-Stars is huge in a lot of places," Stroupe said as she prepared for a Saturday trip with her team to Kissimmee, where the girls will compete in the 2011-12 FHSAA Competitive Cheerleading Championship.
"It's not as big here -- Putnam being such a rural area, the athletic programs don't have a lot of money dedicated to cheering and we share our athletes with other sports."
Despite the challenges, Stroupe has the Raider Cheerleading Team heading to regionals in her first year coaching.
Stroupe said there is both good and bad in having multi-sport athletes on the team. Their time is divided; but strength essential to cheering is enhanced.
Raider cheerleader Mackeryl Mims, who runs track, agrees.
"It definitely helps with conditioning and stamina," Mims said of the benefit from track.
Mims' fellow cheerleaders Katarina Ireland and Kassandra Renwick said there are a few nerves going into Saturday's event, where the 16-girl team will compete in the Small, Non-Tumble division.
"There's always the thought 'What if you mess up'?" Ireland said. "But I think we are going to stay calm and focused."
CCJSHS Athletic Director Pat Lovell said she is proud of what the girls have accomplished in the gym and beyond.
"I'm very proud of these young ladies," Lovell said. "As a group, they've greatly improved, and they are very active in the community with volunteer work. They are a true example of what type of young ladies this country needs today."
Members of the Raider Cheerleading Team practice Thursday at the high school in front of their coach, CCJSHS Assistant Principal Emily Stroupe.
For the first time in the history of Putnam County Schools, two high schools have earned a "B" grade from the state, data released today by the Florida Department of Education shows.
For the 2010-2011 school year, Palatka High School and Crescent City Jr./Sr. High School earned "B's".
PHS scored a "C" in the 2009-2010 school year and CCJSHS scored a "B" last year. Interlachen maintained its "D" from 2009-2010. The grading system was created by then Gov. Jeb Bush in 1999.
Putnam County School District Assistant Superintendent Mary Beth Hedstrom said the two schools earning "B's" validates three years of working to implement local curriculum, and highlights intense focus on standards by local teachers.
PCSD Superintendent Tom Townsend said while the district concentrates on growth at the individual student level, the two "B's" indicate work done in classrooms throughout Putnam schools.
"Our district focuses on the measurement that matters most -- your children's growth," Townsend said. "However, the state measures us by the grading system, and by that standard, our high schools have never performed as well."
