FHSAA Warns Bill Would Make High School Athletes 'Free Agents'
The organization said the bill would be 'dangerous' and 'damaging' to high school athletics.
School News
Monday, March 25, 2013
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Largo Police Officer of the Year: Mark Dakoski
Officer Mark Dakoski is honored as the 2012 Officer of the Year because of his professionalism, leadership, dedication and commitment, according to Largo Police.
Officer Mark Dakoski spent time off duty learning how to use social media to investigate crime. After all, he is the school resource officer at Largo High School, where he is responsible for the safety and security of more than 2,000 students and staff. Using these methods Dakoski was prepared for several criminal events including gang fights and drug activities. For those efforts and his professionalism, leadership, dedication and commitment he is honored as the 2012 Officer of the Year by Largo Police. "Dakoski personally knows and interacts with his students, keeping them on task and out of trouble. He deals with many different situations from minor behavioral issues and mental health counseling, to criminal complaints. By getting …
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Long-Term Sub in Hot Water for Flowchart
"Does the teacher look ready to kill the class?” is the question the teacher posed on a flowchart. Do you think it was inappropriate?
Aleece Quiroz, a 24-year-old long-term substitute teacher at Largo High School, is drawing criticism for a flowchart that she created that posed the question, "Does the teacher look ready to kill the class?” Quiroz defended her teaching in an interview with Bay News 9. "My intentions are not to scare my students,” Quiroz told Bay News 9. “The most scary thing I do is give them a look." Quiroz placed the flowchart in her 9th grade classroom on Monday. It begins with the question, “Am I allowed to not be doing work?” If the person answers ‘no’ to that question and several more questions, they are led to the one question that asks, “Does the teacher look ready to kill the class?” To view the flowchart, which she posted to Facebook, and see…
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Bike for Books Program Rewards Students for Reading
For every five books a student reads they are given an entry to the bike drawing at 17 participating Pinellas County Schools including a few in the Largo area.
A few lucky students at 17 schools throughout Pinellas County including a few in Largo were given bikes today as part of the Horace Mann Insurance 'Bike for Books' program. The program, according to a news release from the Pinellas County School District, encourages reading by giving student an opportunity to win a bike. For every five books a student reads, they are given an entry to the bike drawing. There is a drawing for each semester at participating schools with one bike for a girl and one bike for a boy, according to a release. Starting at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, representatives from Horace Mann Insurance and the school district visited 17 Pinellas County schools including: Sign up for the Largo Patch email newsletter to get our top…
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Osceola Middle School Teacher Adjusts To Life As A Celebrity
After being named ‘America’s Most Hilarious Teacher’ by “The View”, Mike Rivera is trying to balance his career with his newfound fame.
You’ll have to forgive Mike Rivera if he looks a little bleary-eyed these days. After all, the Osceola Middle School teacher has been making frequent trips from Pinellas County to New York City to appear on the daytime talk show “The View” the past couple of weeks. Rivera was just named ‘America’s most hilarious teacher’ by the program on Monday, and his ascension from local civics teacher to national television star has been a blur of airports, classrooms and celebrities. “A month ago someone sent me a link to enter the contest. Nine days ago they told me I was one of five finalists, and yesterday I found out I was the winner,” he said from his Seminole classroom. “I’m flying to New York three times in six days. It’s been a whirlwind…
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Monday, March 4, 2013
Osceola Middle Teacher Named 'Most Hilarious' by 'The View'
Largo teacher Mike Rivera was named the winner Monday of a comedy competition on ABC's "The View."
The country's "most hilarious teacher" is from Largo. That's according to the ABC show "The View," which picked Osceola Middle School civics teacher Mike Rivera on Monday as the winner in its contest to find the funniest teacher. Rivera, who performs standup on weekends, got to do some of his act on last Friday's episode. As the contest winner, he'll get to take the stage again this Friday in co-host Joy Behar's comedy segment, "Joy's Comedy Corner" — which he said doesn't worry him. "I teach seventh-grade middle school, so pretty much nothing makes me nervous nowadays, OK?" he said on the show Friday. The View airs locally at 11 a.m. on WFTS Channel 28. Related Coverage Sign up for the Largo Patch email newsletter to get our top headlines…
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WATCH: Largo Teacher Does Standup on 'The View'
Osceola Middle School teacher Mike Rivera performed as part of the ABC show's "hilarious teachers" contest. The winner will be announced on Monday morning's episode.
Osceola Middle School seventh-grade teacher Mike Rivera performed his standup routine last week on ABC's "The View" as part of its "hilarious teachers" contest. Check out the attached video to see his routine. The winner of the weeklong contest will be announced in Monday morning's episode, which airs locally at 11 a.m. on WFTS Channel 28. Related Coverage Sign up for the Largo Patch email newsletter to get our top headlines delivered straight to your inbox so you won't miss a thing!
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Friday, March 1, 2013
Largo Teacher to Appear on 'The View' Friday Morning
Mike Rivera, seventh-grade teacher at Osceola Middle School, is appearing on the ABC show as part of its contest to find the most hilarious teacher.
A Largo teacher is set to appear on ABC's "The View" on Friday morning, as part of its weeklong contest to find the most hilarious teacher, the Tampa Bay Times reports. Mike Rivera, a seventh-grade teacher at Osceola Middle School, flew to New York on Thursday to film a segment that airs today, the Times reports. "The View" can be seen locally at 11 a.m. on WFTS Channel 28. The winner will be announced Monday and appear on the show's "Joy's Comedy Corner" segment. Rivera, 51, is a former comedian who turned to teaching 13 years ago, according to the Times. He still performs regularly on the weekends at area clubs like McCurdy's Comedy Theatre in Sarasota, but he performs some of his best material in the classroom. "Sometimes you have to …
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Largo High Teacher Accused of Drinking, Smoking Pot With Students
According to the Pinellas School District, Joelle Bishop drank alcohol and smoked marijuana with students while she drove in a car with them Jan. 3. Bishop has denied the accusations and requested a hearing.
A Largo High teacher could be fired after she was accused of smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol with students. According to documents presented at Tuesday's Pinellas County School Board meeting, Joelle Bishop allowed a male student to drive her in her car to pick up two other female students and go to a friend's house. Witnesses said Bishop was drinking alcohol and offered it to the two girls; she also smoked marijuana with them in the Jan. 3 incident, the documents state. Superintendent Michael Grego recommended in a memorandum to the board that Bishop be fired after a district investigation found she had violated five school board policies, including committing a misdemeanor criminal act, having an inappropriate relationship with a …
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Friday, February 22, 2013
Largo High Hoops Team Advances to 6A Regional Finals
The boys basketball squad defeated Sickles, 54-51, Tuesday night to earn a date at Winter Haven on Saturday.
When you think Largo Packers athletics, football is normally the first thing that comes to mind. But this year the boys basketball program is making some noise in the county as well. The Packers hoops team defeated Sickles, 54-51, in the Class 6A regional semifinals at home on Tuesday night; they will now travel to Winter Haven for the 6A regional final game Saturday night at 7 p.m. According to the Tampa Bay Times, sophomore Donovan Hale, son of former Largo and Florida State standout Ron Hale, led the Packers with 27 points, including six three-pointers. Hale hit two threes and four free throws in the final two minutes to help seal the victory for Largo. If Largo were to beat Winter Haven on Saturday night, it would advance to the FHSAA …
