New Escambia School District Website Now Online
September 20, 2013
The Escambia County School District’s main website has a new look.
The new site is located at www.escambiaschools.org, but the old address of www.escambia.k12.fl.us should be automatically redirected to the new page.
Changes to the site were made based on recommendations from the district’s Web Site Task Force, which is composed of 13 representatives from district departments and schools as well as the community. One of the goals of the Task Force was to make the district’s web site more user-friendly. As the school district migrates content to the new design, visitors to the web site will see five main improvements:
- New design with common menus on all of the main district web site pages to enable easy navigation
- Expanded, alphabetical listing of resources for Students, Families, Staff, and Community
- Quick Links highlighting the most important information based on site usage statistics and input from district leadership
- Social media (beginning with Facebook and Google Calendar) to expand access to news and events
- Faster access to school web sites and consistent placement of common elements on all school web sites for ease of use
Pictured top: A screenshot of the new Escambia County School District website. The site features rotating photos, including this NorthEscambia.com photo of the recent groundbreaking at Ernest Ward Middle School.
Change Of Address: Bratt House Moved
September 19, 2013
There was a big change of address Wednesday for a home that was located on North Highway 99, just north of Highway 4. The home was moved about 10 miles to its new location by Williams House Movers of Atmore. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Salvation Army Accepting Applications For Christmas Assistance
September 18, 2013
The Salvation Army is currently accepting applications for Christmas assistance in Escambia County.
The applications will be accepted at the Salvation Army office at 1501 North Q Street in Pensacola. Several items are need to apply, including a photo identification or driver’s license for all persons 18 and older, birth certificates for those under 17, social security cards, proof of income and more. For a complete checklist, click here.
Applications will be accepted September 16-20 and September 23-27 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. There will be a special registration period available for working parents only on Monday, September 23 from 5-7 p.m.
The Christmas toys will be distributed December 18-19 at the Salvation Army office.
Sneak Peek: Color Scheme Inside The New Ernest Ward Middle
September 18, 2013
There’s not even a foundation in place for the new Ernest Ward Middle School in Walnut Hill, but we have a sneak peek at the color scheme for the new school. The interior of the school will feature a variety of earth tone colors, the school colors of blue and gold. The building will have a light-colored aluminum roof.
The color scheme has been approved by a school staff committee, and the School Advisory Council signed off on the colors during a meeting Tuesday morning.
Pictured top: The cafeteria design and color scheme for the new Ernest Ward Middle School. Pictured below: The color scheme of a standard classroom. Pictured bottom: the complete color scheme for the new Ernest Ward Middle School. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Free Wi-Fi Now Offered At North Escambia Community Centers
September 18, 2013
Three community centers in the North Escambia area now offering free wireless internet access.
The Wi-Fi access is available for use by those renting the Byrneville, Davisville and Walnut Hill community center for parties, reunions or other events. A password to access the wireless internet is available at the time the rental contract is signed.
“We hope the free Wi-Fi will encourage more use of the community centers, especially for meetings where the internet access is needed,” District 5 Escambia County Commissioner Steven Barry said.
The county is using a Verizon hotspot to provide the internet service at 3G or 4G speeds, depending on location. Free high speed Wi-Fi was already available at the Molino Community Center.
George Stone Adult Academy Offers GED, ESOL Classes
September 16, 2013
The Adult Academy at George Stone Technical Center has several opportunities throughout the community to prepare for the GED test. All of the classes have open entry/open exit, which means you can enroll at anytime and exit when you are ready to take the GED exam.
The first step of enrollment is to take the TABE Assessment (Test of Adult Basic Education) to identify areas where improvement is needed prior to the exam. The assessment is given on Fridays at 8:00 a.m. at the George Stone Technical Center. There is a $10 fee and a photo identification is required. For more information about the TABE test, contact the George Stone Assessment department at (850) 941-6200, ext.2160.
Tuition for all adult education programs is $30 per term for students with verifiable Florida residency for the previous 12 month period or $120 for out-of-state tuition.
Classes are available at the following sites:
- Molino Community Center – (850) 587-5334, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-8 p.m.
- Pathways for Change Family Center – (850) 637-1429, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Sacred Heart Hospital – (850) 416-6361, Thursdays 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- East Brent Baptist Church – (850) 475-7883, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- Frist Baptist Church Warrington – (850) 456-8420, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-8 p.m.
- George Stone Technical Center – (850) 941-6200, ext.2110, Monday – Friday 8-11 a.m. and 11:30-2:30 p.m. and Monday – Thursday 2:30 – 5:30 p.m. and 6-9 p.m.
For online GED preparation, email jwolfe@escambia.k12.fl.us.
An English As a Second Language Class is available at La Costa Latina, Hispanic Resource Center, 5465 N. Pensacola Blvd., (850) 494-7899.
For more information visit www.georgestonecenter.com or contact Lydia Henderson (850) 941-6200, ext. 2121 or lhenderson@escambia.k12.fl.us.
Banana Spiders Make Big Local Comeback
September 16, 2013
The golden orb weavers are back in greater numbers this year. More commonly called banana spiders, they seemed to have taken a break the past few years, only to return to our woods, trails and around homes with a vengeance this summer.
“That’s a cause for justifiable arson,” a commenter wrote on a local’s Facebook photo of a banana spider under the eaves of house, blocking a family’s entire kitchen window.
They can grow to several inches across, which can be scary if you don’t know that they really won’t hurt you physically (mentally is perhaps another story).
Because of its size, people sometimes assume that the banana spider is dangerous to people. The body of the female is 1 to 1 ½ inches long, plus an inch or two more when the legs are included in the measurements. The bodies of the males are much smaller, about ¼ inch, and are dark-brown. They are often found in the webs of females.
In reality, it is a shy spider (as nearly all spiders are). Just know this species is considered medically harmless to humans.
There is little danger to a healthy adult from an encounter with the banana spider. It will only bite if held or pinched and the bite itself will produce a localized pain with a slight redness, which quickly goes away. On the whole, the bite is much less severe than a bee string. It is best avoided, but it won’t kill you.
The banana spider preys on a wide variety of small to medium sized flying insects, which include mosquitoes, grasshoppers, stinkbugs, leaf-footed bugs, bees, butterflies, flies, small moths and wasps. Banana spiders have even been seen feeding on beetles and dragonflies.
The banana spider’s other name, the golden orb weaver, stems from the golden yellow color of their strong silk. Their large webs can typically be found in trees, along trails, under the eaves of houses, or other places where they’re likely to catch a lot of insects.
The University of Florida/IFAS Extension Service contributed to this story.
Pictured: A banana spider at a Bratt home. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
CDC: Floridians Should Eat More Fruits And Vegetables
September 16, 2013
According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control, a large number of Floridians can take an important step to improve their overall health simply by changing their dietary habits.
The agency strongly recommends increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables.
Nearly 38 percent of all adults in Florida do not eat at least one fruit serving per day, while nearly 23 percent do not have at least one serving of a vegetable daily. Adolescents in Florida even less vegetables than their parents. About 42 percent do not consume at least one vegetable per day.
A diet rich in such foods, notes the report, “lowers the risk of many chronic diseases and can also help with weight management.”
The average fruit and vegetable consumption here matches that for most of the nation, with the exception that Florida adolescents eat fewer vegetables, on average, than their counterparts in other states.
For the complete report, click here.
Weekend Gardening: What To Do In September Calendar
September 15, 2013
Here’s the September gardening calendar from the UF/IFAS Extension Service.
WHAT TO PLANT
- Bedding Plants — If summer beds need refreshing,try ageratum, celosia, zinnia, and wax begonia for color into fall.
- Bulbs — Add color, texture, and pattern to the garden with the many varieties of Elephant’s Ear (Alocasia) available now. Others to plant now include calla, narcissus, and zephyr lily.
- Herbs — Plant herbs that tolerate the warm temperatures of early fall, such as Mexican tarragon, mint, rosemary, and basil.
- Vegetables — Plant cool season vegetable crops such as radish, carrot, cabbage, and lettuce.
WHAT TO DO IN SEPTEMBER
- Lawn problems — Continue to monitor the lawn for signs of insect damage. Fall armyworms, chinch bugs, mole crickets, and sod webworms are still active this month.
Fertilize lawns — Bahia, Bermudagrass, Zoysia, and St, Augustine lawns should be fertilized this month. Choose one with no or very little phosphorus unless a soil test indicates a need for it. A fertilizer containing controlled-release nitrogen will give longer lasting results. - Lawn Weeds — Healthy grass is the best defense against weeds. Avoid “weed and feed” products; only apply herbicides to areas with weed infestations.
- Flowering perennials — Firebush, firespike, russelia, and other perennials supply nectar for visiting hummingbirds.
- Vegetable gardens — If not done in August, prepare the fall vegetable garden. Using transplants from your local garden center will get the garden off to a fast start, but seeds provide a wider variety from which to choose
WHAT TO DO EVERY MONTH
- Adjust irrigation based on rainfall.
- Deadhead flowers to encourage new blooms.
- Monitor the garden for insects and disease.
- Plant trees, shrubs, and perennials and water until established
Girl’s Orange Juice Stand Benefits Liver Disease Patient
September 14, 2013
Shelby Godwin of Bratt has never met Wyatt Johnson, a 17-month old from Century who is suffering from a chronic liver disease. But she saw a fundraising flyer at CVS with Wyatt’s picture and was so emotionally touched by the young man that she wanted to do something to help him.
Her idea? A fresh orange juice stand along East Highway 4 in Bratt, under the shade trees in front of her house. The 10-year old used her own money to purchase the oranges and supplies for her little business venture and borrowed an old fashioned juicer from a friend of her mom.
Business wasn’t bad at all Friday afternoon.
“There was this man in a big ole pickup truck,” the young entrepreneur said. “He ordered a medium for $2, and he paid with a $20. I told him he didn’t need his change, so he donated it. Wyatt needs it more.”
Shelby’s orange juice stand will be open again next Friday and Saturday afternoons in the 5100 block of West Highway 4, almost directly across from the Bratt Assembly of God. A small fresh squeezed orange juice is $1 and a medium is $2. Donations are welcome and very much encouraged. All proceeds benefit Wyatt Johnson, son of Justin and Nicole Johnson of Century as he battles a liver disease and prepares for a possible transplant.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
