Polk County Public Schools
May 19 is the deadline for student applications to transfer schools under the federal government’s No Child Left Behind guidelines. Students at some Polk elementary and middle schools are eligible to transfer according to these guidelines. Further information is available by calling individual schools, the school district’s Title I office at (863) 534-0646 or by visiting the school district’s home page at www.polk-fl.net. The link to transfer information is under the announcements section on the home page.
Christopher Lioi, a Winter Haven resident and senior at Bartow International Baccalaureate, will compete as a member of Team Florida during the Panasonic Academic Challenge from Sunday, June 8 to Tuesday, June 10 at the Contemporary Convention Center in Lake Buena Vista.
The Academic Challenge is the national academic championship and state teams will be tested in their knowledge of mathematics, science, language arts, social studies, foreign languages, technology, fine arts and humanities. The public is invited to attend the Academic Challenge and there is no charge to attend. Team Florida finished third in the nation in 2007 and was second in 2006.
The opening rounds are scheduled for June 8, 1:30 to 6 p.m and June 9, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. The national semifinals are Tuesday, June 10, 9 to 11 a.m., followed by the national championship from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on June 10.
For further information on the Panasonic Academic Challenge contact Peggy Harrod or Lisa Rawls at (863) 968-5168.
Winning teams receive scholarships and championship rings and an All-America Academic Team will be named after the event. All-Americans also receive scholarships and medallions.
Lioi, also a National Merit scholarship finalist, was selected for Team Florida based on his performance at the Commissioner’s Academic Challenge held in April at Disney. The Commissioner’s Challenge is the state academic championship and the Polk team composed of students from public and private schools was state runner-up at that event.
Graduated students with a certificate of completion from a Florida public high school needing to retake the communications or mathematics section of the High School Competency Test (HSCT) as their graduation requirement must register for the tests by Monday, June 9. The HSCT test is for graduated students with a certificate of completion prior to the implementation of the FCAT by the state of Florida. The communications section will be given Wednesday, June 18 and the math section on Thursday, June 19. Call Eileen Schofield at (863) 534-0688 to register and for information.