The former Lakeland Leads executive director will serve one year, filling a vacancy left after Rick Nolte’s death.
Category: Schools
Posted inSchools
‘We’re Going to Embrace Change’: Lakeland Responds to High School Rezoning
Town halls draw questions but little pushback, as families weigh in on new boundary maps.
Posted inSchools
Help Wanted: 1 in 8 Polk Classrooms Lacks a Certified Full-Time Teacher
Many Florida counties had big decreases in teacher vacancies this year, but not Polk.
Posted inSchools
Parents Have Six Weeks to Weigh in on New Polk County High School Maps
Enrollment at George Jenkins and Lake Gibson would decrease. Lakeland could get 643 more students and Tenoroc could add 1,142.
Posted inPeople
Polk County School Board Member Rick Nolte Has Died at 69
Nolte, on medical leave since January, was in his first term serving District 3.
Posted inSchools
Polk School Board Unveils 1 Mill Tax Proposal for Teacher Pay Raises
The question about a four-year property tax increase would be on the 2026 general election ballot.
Posted inInsight Polk
ReadingPals Aims to Spark a Lifelong Love of Literacy
ReadingPals program pairs local volunteers with young students to build vocabulary, confidence, and trust — all in just an hour a week.
Posted inSchools
School is Back in Session: What You Need to Know
Catch up on all the changes that will affect Polk County students, parents and commuters this year.
Posted inBusiness
Florida Southern Student Has DNA-Based Skin Care Startup
Brooke Sommers, founder of Dermagenous, is using genetic testing to personalize skin care, with funding and support from Catapult Lakeland.
Posted inBusiness
Lakeland Barber Opens Beauty School, Expanding ‘High Class’ Brand
After Hurricane Maria changed his path, Angel Maldonado built a thriving barbering business in Florida. Now he’s training the next generation of beauty professionals.