March 2009
Community Paper
copyright ©2009 by Community Paper College Park, Inc. All rights reserved.



OUR SCHOOLS
by Nancy Robbinson, School Board Member, District 6

College Park Community,
I hope everyone got an opportunity to attend the OCPS Budget Town Hall Meeting that I hosted on February 23rd from 6:30 – 8:00 at Lee Middle School in the Cafeteria. We discussed how OCPS receives its funding and the situation we are currently in to find more than $100 Million to cut from the 2009-2010 school year budget.

Despite the downturn in the economy and the budget crisis OCPS faces we have lots of good news to report for the College Park neighborhood schools.

Edgewater High School is having its Reconstruction Groundbreaking Ceremony on March 4th from 10 – 10:30am at the construction site on Edgewater Drive. Edgewater High School also placed second in a statewide literacy contest promoting the enjoyment of reading through “Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida!” The 26 second Public Service Announcement created and submitted by 12 Edgewater students in their animation class won the school a $500 prize to use for school supplies.

Lee Middle School is quickly heading towards completion of its renovation project, moving into the new buildings in August 2009. The Lee Middle School 8th grade IB students have been designated as O Ambassadors by Oprah Winfrey to encourage young people to become active, global citizens. The students will be hosting an O Ambassador Golf Tournament and Dinner with Silent Auction on April 18th as a service project to raise funds for needed projects in Latin America to learn the importance of assisting our global neighbors in need. Please contact the school to find out more information about this event at 407-245-1800.

Lake Silver Elementary continues to work on its gardens during the winter preparing for beautiful spring gardens of flowers, fresh vegetables and its Florida native garden. Lake Silver will be hosting a Prospective Parent Coffee on March 4th at 9:00am to give families from the neighborhood an up close look at the wonderful things going on at Lake Silver, PTA members and faculty will be on hand to answer questions. There is also a Tiger Tot Tour planned for March 25th from 2:30 – 3:30 at Lake Silver for incoming Kindergarteners and their parents to tour the school and meet faculty.

Princeton Elementary is hosting its annual Moon Party on Friday, March 6th from 6 – 8:00pm and the whole community is invited. There will be telescopes set up on the lawn to look at the stars and moon and the Orlando Science Center will be on campus providing a variety of science activities. Princeton also won first place for the County-wide “Can It For The Planet” program, the students collected more than 14,000 cans during the first semester in an effort to keep reusable aluminum out of landfills and the students learned the importance of recycling and saving our environment.
Thank you for your continued support of our local public schools!

 
Nancy Robbinson
School Board Member District 6
Orange County Public Schools
407-310-9194