Thirty-nine Sarasota County public schools have been awarded the Golden School Award for their community involvement in 2016-17; 17 of those received the Five Star School Award. The Golden School Award has been presented annually for more than three decades to public schools with exemplary volunteer programs. Schools must document volunteer hours equaling twice the student enrollment, train at least 80 percent of their faculty to work with volunteers, designate a volunteer coordinator and formally recognize their volunteers. The Five Star School Award honors schools with exemplary programs that fully integrate comprehensive community involvement toward student achievement through community and business partnerships, family involvement, volunteerism, student community service efforts and initiatives of the school’s advisory council. Two Sarasota County public schools have been Five Star Schools since the award began in 1994: Bay Haven School of Basics Plus in Sarasota and Venice Elementary School.

Sarasota County Schools