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SRQ DAILY Feb 18, 2019

Monday Business Edition

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Monday Business Edition

"This is a horrific agreement for the taxpayers, this community and the entire organization."

- Bridget Ziegler, Sarasota School Board
 

[Government]  Contract Talks Expose School Board Divide
Jacob Ogles, jacob.ogles@srqme.com

Negotiations over a long-term employment for Sarasota Superintendent of Schools further exposed a divide on the School Board.

Superintendent Todd Bowden has negotiated a contract with School Board Chair Jane Goodwin that will come up for discussion at a workshop on Tuesday. But School Board Member Bridget Ziegler says the deal looks lopsided and bad for taxpayers.

She takes issue with offering Bowden a four-year contract, and has even greater concern with a requirement of a supermajority vote to terminate Bowden, even with cause. “This is a horrific agreement for the taxpayers, this community and the entire organization,” Ziegler says.

Goodwin says it's important for the superintendent to have a long-term contract, particularly with the divided nature of the School Board. “We needed to make numerous changes to the outdated 20-year-old contract—change date of evaluation, clean up language in severance, board relationship, duties and salary without bonus,” Goodwin says. “So this made sense.”

Bowden earned mixed reviews in evaluations in July. School Board members Goodwin and Caroline Zucker gave him high marks, Ziegler and Eric Robinson gave low ones and Shirley Brown graded him a little above average. Bowden asked for any discussions of a long-term contract to be delayed until after November elections, as a majority of members were up for vote. Goodwin, Ziegler and Brown all won re-election.

Goodwin still considers Ziegler’s low grades for Bowden unwarranted. The criticisms of contracts now continue that trend. “Upset?” Goodwin says of Ziegler’s commentary. “I call reckless!”

Ziegler also says she felt the contract negotiations should not have been done between the board chair and superintendent, and should have occurred more transparently. But Goodwin says that’s common practice, and the board can take issue with any individual items in a public meeting after finer points get negotiated. “With sunshine, all points must be discussed Tuesday. Fine points can be revised and changed,” she says. “Teachers and the public have never weighed in. Until now.”

Ziegler says her concern over the contract reaches beyond Bowden’s performance, and says she praised certain successes under the superintendent. Her concern remains locking the board into a relationship. “This again undermines the voices of members of this board, no matter who the superintendent is,” she says.

Ziegler acknowledges some districts offer multi-year deals to superintendents, but those districts allow for a simple majority to terminate the deal. The fact Sarasota’s board remains politically divided is all the more reason, she says, not to put a supermajority requirement in place. But she also says the district should not treat its head administrator so different from its teachers, who work on annual contracts. 

Pictured: Jane Goodwin, Bridget Ziegler

[Education]  Riverview High, Pine View Announce National Merit Scholarship Finalists

Sarasota County Schools has announced that four students from Riverview High School and 28 students from Pine View School—14% of the senior class—have been named National Merit Scholarship Finalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) and by meeting published program entry and participation requirements. An estimated 1.6 million students enter the program every year, and the 50,000 students with the highest scores qualify for recognition in the National Merit Scholarship Program. All Finalists will be considered for National Merit Scholarships to be offered later in 2019.

Riverview finalists are Colleen Busch, Blake Harper, Madeline Hastie and Michael Medico. Pine View finalists include Alexandra Angeloff, Scott Barcomb II, Eva Bayer, Benjamin Becker, Munir Ben Jemaa, Aitana Burman. Sachit Gali, Lucas Giffard, William Giraldo, Nicholas Gonzalez Yepez, David Griffin, Benjamin Hartvigsen, Ryan Jordan, James Kim.Katie Leung, Winnie Lu, Jordan Marquis, Alexandra Mattia, Zoe McDonald, Julian Mercado, Viktoria Mochnacky, Sarah Moloney, Gabriel Monahan, Elizabeth Moser, Megan Quinn, Alyssa Steinbaum, Michael Waite and Maya Weerasooriya. 

Sarasota County Schools

[Government]  Four Areas of City Named "Opportunity Zones" for Investment

Four economically distressed areas of the City could soon see long-term investment and job creation after being designated as “Qualified Opportunity Zones” under the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The program helps to revitalize low-income communities by providing tax advantages for private individuals and corporations who invest in an Opportunity Zone Fund. It encourages the private sector to reinvest capital gains from other investments into businesses and start-ups located in these Qualified Opportunity Zones. The four zones, outlined on the website below, mirror U.S. Census Tracts and were selected based on poverty rate, family income, unemployment and other factors. The City identified and recommended six Census Tracts in the City limits for consideration by former Florida Gov. Rick Scott. About 8,700 Census Tracts around the country qualified. 

City of Sarasota Opportunity Zones

[Education]  Ringling College VR Program Launches with Flight School Partnership

Ringling College of Art and Design has announced a partnership with Flight School, the creative studio co-founded by Ringling College of Art and Design Illustration graduate and member of the Ringling College Board of Trustees Brandon Oldenburg. Oldenburg also worked with Ringling College faculty to help develop and promote the VR major, which was announced the same year that Flight School released the interactive VR experience “Manifest 99.” The Ringling College Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program in Virtual Reality Development enrolled its first students in the fall of 2018.

As the College forges its Virtual Reality Development program, a major component will be the student collaboration with Flight School. Each year, a select group of students will work with the studio to create a playable game. In this inaugural year of the partnership, three Game Art students have been working with Flight School to create a VR game that will be introduced at SXSW 2019. In addition, students in the Business of Art and Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, and Motion Design majors will be working with the team to brand and market the game through the Ringling College Design Center and the Ringling College Collaboratory, which connects businesses to Ringling students. In all, more than two dozen students will tackle the project through multiple immersive workshops. 

Virtual Reality Development at Ringling College of Art and Design

[Real Estate]  Forrest Joins Nautilus Homes as VP of Operations

Ryan Perrone, the owner/founder of Nautilus Homes, recently announced that the company has welcomed Abbie Forrest as vice president of operations. In his new role, Forrest will oversee day-to-day operations to support the growth of the company, while also being responsible for the coordination of Nautilus Home’s strategic goals. A Sarasota native, Forrest formerly served as operation manager for Nautilus, before he stepped away for a year and half to work with a large commercial company, and plans to bring “some of the systematic ways of commercial building into the residential side, while helping grow our commercial side of the business at the same time.” Nautilus Homes is a boutique-style luxury property builder serving the full build-out and refurbishing needs of residential and commercial clients throughout Southwest Florida. 

Nautilus Homes

[Real Estate]  Michael Saunders & Co. Transitions Rental Services to Gulf Coast Property Management

Michael Saunders & Company has announced a transition of its rental leasing and management services to locally-owned and operated Gulf Coast Property Management. Michael Saunders & Company will continue offering the specialized services at IMG Academy and its two Longboat Key timeshares, Veranda Beach Club and White Sands of Longboat Key. Prompted by the brokerage’s aim to focus on its residential, commercial and new homes divisions, the two entities will work together throughout the month of February on a seamless transition for its current customers and team members. 
In its eight years under Michael Saunders & Company, the rental division has grown its seasonal and rental inventory to 360 properties, responding to nearly 5,000 calls every month from current and prospective customers. Gulf Coast Property Management has been operating throughout the Manatee and Sarasota counties since 2003. In focusing on this sector exclusively, the company has developed local expertise, helping thousands of owners navigate the complex rental property market. Gulf Coast Property Management will now have the scale needed in the rental arena with 1,000 rental properties in their portfolio.   

Gulf Coast Property Management



[TODAY]  MUSEUM: Knights , February 3 – April 21

Drawn from the superb collections of the Stibbert Museum in Florence, Italy, this extraordinary exhibition reveals the figure of the knight in the Middle Ages and Renaissance through over 80 exquisite objects, including full suits of armor, helmets, corselets, swords and other weaponry. The exhibition explores the function and craftsmanship of these exquisite objects as well as their historical context, focusing on themes of love and war, jousts and tournaments, and the 19th-century revival of interest in medieval knighthood.

The Ringling Museum of Art, 5401 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota.

[SOON]  THEATER: Sweat , February 8 – April 13

Winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Lynn Nottage’s play looks at life of working America. It’s the year 2000 in Reading, Pennsylvania, and friends Tracey and Cynthia only need their factory jobs and their favorite bar. But when layoffs and picket lines begin to be limited, the friends are pitted against each other. This new play confronts issues of race, class, family and friendship—and the tragic community without opportunity.

[SOON]  THEATER: Finding Neverland , February 19 – February 20

FINDING NEVERLAND tells the incredible story behind one of the world’s most beloved characters: Peter Pan. Playwright J.M. Barrie struggles to find inspiration until he meets four young brothers and their beautiful widowed mother. Spellbound by the boys’ enchanting make-believe adventures, he sets out to write a play that will astound London theatergoers. With a little bit of pixie dust and a lot of faith, Barrie takes this monumental leap, leaving his old world behind for Neverland, where nothing is impossible, and the wonder of childhood lasts forever.

Van Wezel , 777 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota

[SOON]  SCIENCE AND NATURE: Gauguin's Voyage to Paradise , February 10 – June 30

Just as Paul Gauguin left an indelible mark on the post-Impressionist art world, the deep impact of botanical imagery on his work cannot be denied. This exhibition will highlight the essential role of botanicals in achieving the artist’s vision of the savage, primitive and exotic. Together with lush displays of tropical plants in the conservatory and gardens, the show will feature dramatic woodcuts and rarely seen works in other mediums by the artist.

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, 900 South Palm Ave., Sarasota

[SOON]  SEMINAR: The Business of Artificial Intelligence , February 21

Speakers, Dr. Ehsan Sheybani and Sarah Gentry will present a seminar that will introduce different topics in artificial intelligence, including components such as: Wireless mobile applications, A.I. in eco-arts education, pattern recognition or generation, visualization, image processing, video/image editing, audio visual media, data analytics and voice recognition.

USFSM - Selby Auditorium, 8350 North Tamiami Trl.,Sarasota

[SOON]  GALA: Starry Night Soiree , February 23, 6:00PM

Celebrate the wonder and magic of the cosmos, accompanied by a gourmet dinner, live auctions, dancing and more!

Funds raised at this special event help make a local impact and support essential American Cancer Society programs, services and extensive research for all cancers in all stages of life. The American Cancer Society’s Starry Night Soiree will be held on Saturday, February 23, 2019 at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota. Festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. with a pre-event reception which includes a silent auction followed by an elegant dinner, a live auction, and incredible entertainment. 

The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota, 1111 Ritz Carlton Dr, Sarasota

[SOON]  GALLERY: Fine Arts Festival of Manatee County , February 23

This annual festival celebrates its 18th annual Festival featuring local and regional artists. All media. Held at Bradenton Rivewalk in the pavilion area.

[SOON]  FILM: African Diaspora Film Festival – Tongues United by Marlon Riggs , February 26

Filmmaker Marlon Riggs, winner of the Los Angeles Film Critics Award, and Best Documentary prize at the Berlin Film Festival, is as relevant as ever. The film gives a voice to communities of gay black men, presenting their cultures and perspectives on the world as they confront racism, homophobia and marginalization.

Academic Center – ACE 115, 5800 Bay Shore Rd.,Sarasota

[SOON]  PERFORMANCE: The Sleeping Beauty , February 27

The Sleeping Beauty, a crowning jewel of Marius Petipa’s career, is often considered the finest achievement of the Classical ballet. It is a grandiose and refined blending of the traditional mime, expressive pas d’action and spectacular divertissements in a lavish theatrical setting and set to Tchaikovsky’s glorious score. 

Van Wezel, 777 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota,

[SOON]  PERFORMANCE: Russian Folk Music and Dance , February 28

This interactive program of popular Russian and folk songs from the Barynya Russian Balalaika Duo incorporates colorful costumes and dance into a full experience. Highlights include “Tara’s Theme” from Dr. Zhivago, the Russian Gypsy dance “Two Guitars,” the “Cossack Dance,” “Moscow Nights,” “Kalinka” a charming “Tongue Twister Medley” and more. Instrument highlights include the balalaika, garmoshka and contrabass.

Michael's on East ballroom, 1212 South East Ave., Sarasota

[SOON]  PERFORMANCE: Black Literature Read-In , February 28

The read-in is an event where members of the NCF community read aloud inspirational texts written by Black authors. Wes Bellamy is the youngest person to ever be elected to the Charlottesville City Council and was involved with the initiative to move the Confederate statue.

Jane Bancroft Cook Library , 5800 Bay Shore Rd., Sarasota

[SOON]  GRAB BAG: SRQ Media's ProjecTHINK Conference , March 1 – March 2, March 1, 5:30-7pm — March 2, 8:30am-1pm

Join SRQ MEDIA for PROJECTHINK, a collaborative community initiative designed to explore the world of innovation and creativity in learning. PROJECTHINK is a two-day conference hosted at the Ringling College of Art and Design on March 1-2, 2019. The conference kicks off on Friday March 1 from 5:30-7pm with celebrated TEDx keynote speaker and global education innovator Ismet Mamnoon, followed by presentations from Dr. Larry Thompson, Ringling College of Art and Design; Jennifer Vigne, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County, and Chris Laney, CareerSource Suncoast. On Saturday March 2 from 8:30am to 1pm, PROJECTHINK opens the world of creativity through hands-on engagement through creativity workshops and immersive workshops that transform the creative process facilitated by Ringling College faculty. The conference concludes with Lunch on the Lawn from 1-2pm, featuring local food trucks. PROJECTHINK is produced by SRQ MEDIA in partnership with the Ringling College of Art + Design, the Education Foundation of Sarasota, and CareerSource Suncoast.

Ringling College of Art and Design Campus, 2700 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota

[SOON]  PERFORMANCE: Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles , March 5

In celebration of the anniversary of Abbey Road, Rain will bring the greatest hits of this epic recording to life, in addition to all your early Beatles favorites. This performance takes you back in time with the legendary foursome delivering a note-for-note theatrical event that is “the next best thing to seeing the Beatles” (Associated Press). Experience the worlds’ most iconic band and come celebrate the best of Abbey Road with Rain – A Tribute to the Beatles.

Van Wezel, 777 North Tamiami Trl., Sarasota

SRQ Media Group

SRQ DAILY is produced by SRQ | The Magazine. Note: The views and opinions expressed in the Saturday Perspectives Edition and in the Letters department of SRQ DAILY are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by SRQ Media. Senior Editor Jacob Ogles edits the Saturday Perspective Edition, Letters and Guest Contributor columns.In the CocoTele department, SRQ DAILY is providing excerpts from news releases as a public service. Reference to any specific product or entity does not constitute an endorsement or recommendation by SRQ DAILY. The views expressed by individuals are their own and their appearance in this section does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. For rates on SRQ DAILY banner advertising and sponsored content opportunities, please contact Ashley Ryan Cannon at 941-365-7702 x211 or via email

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