Manatee Review

Manatee County School District issued the following announcement.

School District of Manatee County Superintendent Cynthia Saunders was named the 2020 STAR Superintendent of the Year today by the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations for her strong support and dedication of the Manatee Education Foundation. Superintendent Saunders was announced as the award winner during the 75th Annual Joint Conference of the Florida School Boards Association and the Florida Association of District School Superintendents, which was held virtually this year due to COVID-19.

Like other education foundations, the Manatee Education Foundation (MEF) is a not-for-profit organization which provides indirect support to the local school district through a variety of programs that benefit students and teachers. Some of the programs made possible or supported through MEF funding include Teacher Impact Grants, Arts Alive, the Excellence in Education Awards and Soar In 4. The MEF nominated Superintendent Saunders for the award.

Using Soar in 4 as an example, MEF President Mary Glass said Superintendent Saunders was deserving of the award because of her creativity and foresight in dealing with educational challenges.

“Soar in 4 is designed to give four-year-old students and their families the help they need to make sure their students are reading proficient by the end of third grade,” Glass said. “Superintendent Saunders not only embraced the idea, she designated two high level district leaders, Dr. Sheila Halpin and Dr. Robin Thompson, to work directly with Soar in 4 the last two years. When the MEF recently garnered $270,000 in CARES Act Funding for Soar in 4, drive-thru events for families were organized at each of the district’s 15 Title I Schools so these educational opportunities could continue even during the pandemic. These special educational opportunities are made possible through the leadership of Superintendent Saunders.”

Ms. Saunders was watching the joint conference in her office today when she heard her name announced as Superintendent of the Year.

“To receive an award like this is very meaningful and humbling,” Ms. Saunders said. “It’s hard to believe that there is an education foundation that means more to its community than the Manatee Education Foundation. Mary Glass has been a phenomenal president and their Board of Directors has always been filled with community leaders who love and support our students and schools.”

Original source can be found here.