Superintendent Todd Bowden seems poised to continue as chief of the Sarasota County school district, perhaps through at least 2022. But Bowden moves forward with a School Board bitterly divided about direction and in his leadership.

Bowden received a positive evaluation from a majority of School Board members at a meeting Tuesday night, with his overall scores averaging high enough to warrant a $13,000 raise. He got high marks from School Board members Jane Goodwin and Carol Zucker, average ones from Shirley Brown and low marks from Eric Robinson and Bridget Ziegler, reflective of the often at-odds board setting the district agenda.

“As you manage different initiatives, you always need to make sure you have the support of the board,” Bowden tells SRQ. “I’ve become quite adept at counting to three, but would love to be able to count to four or five.”

But he hopes that the public takes greater comfort in scores for the district, the second highest performing in the state of Florida behind St. Johns County. Interestingly, while Robinson did not vote in favor of offering Bowden a raise this year, he did suggest Tuesday night offering a $15,000-bonus to Bowden if the district climbs to the top spot in the state. Bowden declined. “I’m proud of the role I play strategically, but I’m not the one who instructs kids,” he says. Government should be wary of playing with bonuses using tax revenue anyway, he says.

The most controversial part of the evolution process for the superintendent, though, was discussion of extending his contract through June 2022 and eliminating the ability for a board to terminate him without cause. Bowden notes his predecessor, Lori White, operated with a contract that required a cause should she ever have faced termination. And he said that cause, despite discussion at the board meeting, could be something as simple as insubordination. Robinson said, beyond Bowden’s performance, he didn’t see why the board would give up an ability to change direction, something enjoyed by most county commissions and municipal boards in the region.

But with an election soon—Brown, Goodwin and Ziegler all face challenges in the Aug. 28 primary—does he fear working on a board where a majority don’t have faith in his leadership? “That’s a difficult hypothetical,” he says. “If the board came to me and said the five of us would prefer a different person in the superintendent’s position, my first option would be to figure how to make it work and meet their expectations. But that contract can always be broken by mutual consent.”

That said, Bowden says a four-year contract, something with the job security of elected superintendents and Sarasota’s school board members, is as much a commitment on his part as the board’s. He plans to retire here, he says. “I looked at my daughter last night, who is a sophomore in high school, and said a thin majority of the board made a promise that you can graduate from a high school in Sarasota County,” he says. 

Pictured: Superintendent Todd Bowden at the Sarasota County School Board Meeting on July 17.

Escape to a restorative sanctuary, where your cares and troubles will fade like the knots in your shoulders, the tense muscles in your cheeks. At The Skin & Body Bar, let the fragrant aroma of eucalyptus, natural herbs and essential oils relieve your senses of the stresses you carry. Owned and operated by massage therapist, esthetician and brow artist Ileana Buckmaster-Mann, this heavenly oasis specializes in thorough and professional massage therapy and skincare.

Experience the magical wonders of highly trained experts as their fingertips dance across your skin, alleviating pain and leaving you absolutely rejuvenated, from the choice of a deep tissue massage, hot stone massage, aromatherapy massage, Swedish massage, and pregnancy massage for expectant mothers, and more. The Swedish massage aids in circulation and diminishing of tension, starting from the scalp all the way down to the toes. Keep that pretty face healthy and radiant with one of the many provided facials and peels, from an eye contour treatment and European cupping facial, to wrinkle repair treatment, a natural facelift, or even an express facial, for that quick refresher among a hectic schedule.

The spa also supplies its own line of clinical and dermatologist tested skin care products, called Naturopathica, crafted with completely natural and organic ingredients such as aloe vera, L-Absorbic acids, peptides and plant stem cells, friendly to sensitive, aging and weakened skin all alike. Pay a visit to the spa/shop next time you find yourself in need of some serious relaxation, as well as skin and soul repair. The Skin & Body Bar recently moved to its new location this past June:

Photo courtesy of the Skin & Body Bar

The Skin & Body Bar, 3932 Swift Rd. Suite A, Sarasota, 941-343-7459.

Chef Nils Tarantik grew up absorbing diverse cultural backgrounds—born in Enfield, England to a Swedish mother and German father that encouraged him to taste and enjoy the culinary dishes of the world. Growing up watching both his Mormor (grandmother) and mother in awe as they created European classics, he was exposed to novelty cooking styles and embraced various worldly flavors/cuisine. Their motto: "Try it once, and then you can say you don't like it." This saying became the basis for Chef Nils' culinary exploration, taking him to Johnson & Wales University where he honed his skills and his passion to create gourmet food. Upon graduating, Chef Nils worked his way through the ranks at various New England country clubs and local restaurants, ultimately earning the position of Executive Chef at multiple locations. His desire to learn, create, and challenge himself had not dissipated, so this jacketed talent found himself heading south—to Sarasota. He initially joined the team at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse as a Sous Chef, absorbing everything the 'corporate world' of culinary arts had to offer.

But thankfully for us local foodies, the creative juices began to flow in his veins again and he decided to walk away from the comforts of corporate restaurants. Fully immersing himself in the experimental/creation process again, Chef Nils joined the team at Duval's Fresh. Local. Seafood. at the end of 2012. The man’s been staying busy and heating up multiple kitchens around town ever since—having developed and expanded the menu at Duval's, while maintaining the focus of sourcing local produce and fish from our region. And most recently, he jumped on the opportunity to expand with his partners of American Dreams Restaurant Group, by hungrily adding PBn'T and then Element to their diverse portfolio. Being able to switch hats from a casual hangout for pizza, burgers and tacos, to the upscale dining of a modern mediterranean grill only emphasizes how multifaceted this versatile flame thrower is.   

“I am excited to introduce Element as the newest addition to the Sarasota restaurant scene. We have worked hard to create a unique experience that encompasses all of the elements of a truly memorable meal. Every dish on the menu has a story and I really wanted to represent how food, like life, is made up of so many individual ingredients. I want to represent how those ingredients are transformed into the food we love and the memories we cherish. Our riffs on classic mediterranean favorites along with our immersive atmosphere, are meant to seduce the senses and entice the palate of all our guests.” -Chef Nils.

Element is a member of Nosh, SRQ Magazine's content marketing program for local restaurants.  

Element, 1413 Main St., Sarasota, 941-724-8585

Carol Kay Brown has been named the new director of leadership at Sarasota County Schools effective July 17. A Hillsborough County Schools educator for 19 years, Brown joins the Sarasota community from Robles Elementary in Tampa, where she served as principal since 2017. Brown’s position with the district was formerly held by Dr. Wendy Katz. Before her role at Robles Elementary, Brown was the principal at MOSI Partnership Elementary from 2013–17 where she was responsible for numerous educational collaborations as well as implementing professional learning communities and procedures for instructional staff. Before that administrative role,. Brown was the principal at Temple Terrace Elementary School from 2010–13, the assistant principal for elementary instruction at Temple Terrace Elementary School from 2005–10 and a second-grade teacher at Temple Terrace Elementary School from 2001–05. 

Sarasota County Schools

Since the Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading's (SCGLR) inception in 2015, the initiative has grown into a four-county effort, spanning Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota. As part of a nationwide network of more than 360 Campaign for Grade-Level Reading communities in 43 states, SCGLR's focus is on five solution areas. Showcasing these efforts is SCGLR's brand-new website. One of the first places to explore is the Initiatives & Projects tab. While hovering the mouse over the tab, see a list of the five pillars: School Readiness, Attendance, Summer Learning, Family Engagement and Health. Each webpage will provide useful information to help guide visitors on their educational journey. Boundary-spanning activities and approaches that benefit all four counties are reflected in the Events Calendar. 

Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading

Marking a new milestone for cancer support, a partnership between JFCS of the Suncoast and Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) that started one year ago has now brought hope and relief to more than 158 people and their families. The services include a variety of gentle exercise, wellness classes and cancer support groups. Workshops are also offered on nutrition, cancer and genetics, lymphedema, and other topics relevant to cancer patients. All services are offered at no cost to adult patients, caregivers, and family affected by a cancer diagnosis. In addition to the SMH-HealthFit location, JFCS offers the Cancer Support program in nine other locations in Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties. In 2016-2017, 964 individuals were served in conjunction with the program. Research findings cite the positive effects exercise has on cancer patients, including improvements in physical stamina, balance, and ability to cope with stress and anxiety, all of which are proven to contribute to a higher quality of life and sense of wellbeing. 

JFCS of the Suncoast

Sarasota-based executive search firm Brooke Chase Associates has announced the successful recruitment of Megan Tassel as Commercial Business Manager – Southern California with Rinnai American Corporation, a leading North American brand in the tankless gas water heater category. Tassel will be responsible for creating and executing commercial programs among the top engineering firms, contractors and distributors in the Southern California regional area to expend Rinnai’s market share. She will coordinate with the Director of Commercial Sales and Manufacturer Representatives to ensure the team is effectively maximizing all opportunities to achieve the corporate objectives at Rinnai. 

Brooke Chase Associates