LAKE COUNTY SCHOOLS 2025-2026 STUDENT CALENDAR (180 Days)

The back-to-school season brings a mix of emotions—excitement, nervousness, and anticipation. For students, it’s an opportunity to reconnect with friends, meet new teachers, and set goals for the year ahead. For parents and caregivers, it’s a return to routine and a chance to support their children’s growth. For educators, it’s a new chapter to inspire and engage young minds.

Schools across Clermont, Minneola, Groveland, Mascotte, and Montverde are welcoming students back with open arms, offering orientation events, updated safety procedures, and refreshed classrooms. District staff and teachers have been hard at work preparing lesson plans and creating welcoming environments where students can thrive academically and socially.

Whether your child is entering kindergarten, transitioning to middle or high school, or navigating their final year before graduation, the start of school marks an important milestone. It’s a time to reflect on past achievements, face new challenges, and embrace the possibilities of what lies ahead.

Here are a few helpful tips for a smooth transition back to school:

• Establish routines early – Gradually reintroduce earlier bedtimes and structured mornings before the first day.

• Create a homework zone – Set up a quiet, clutter-free space for studying and reading.

• Talk about expectations – Open conversations with your child about goals, fears, and what they’re looking forward to.

• Stay involved – Meet your child’s teachers, review school calendars, and attend orientation nights when possible.

The South Lake Tablet wishes all students, teachers, and families a successful and rewarding school year. Let’s make 2025–2026 one to remember—for learning, for growing, and for building a stronger community together.

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Come and hear the plans they are taking to keep your kids safe. The meeting will take place at 6:30 pm at Minneola City of Minneola, 800 N. Hwy 27, Minneola.

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Specifically, in a letter sent today, she asked that the state “provide flexibility on assessment and accountability for graduation requirements for the 2021-22 graduating class, third-grade retention requirements, school grades and improvement ratings, district grades, and the use of test scores to determine teacher evaluations.”

Kornegay said students should still participate in their annual end-of-year exams, but the scores should not be used against them, their teachers, the schools or the district. To support her request, she cited data that shows COVID spikes have led to 31 percent of Lake students missing 10 percent or more of the current school year, a threshold used statewide for chronic absenteeism. Additionally, 55 percent of Lake teachers have missed 5 days or more and 20 percent have missed more than 10 days.

To demonstrate learning losses, she pointed to significant drops in the percentage of students proficient in English Language Arts and Math on the most recent district progress monitoring assessment. The number of sixth-grade students proficient in math, for example, fell by 28 percentage points.

“We have worked tirelessly to provide quality instruction in safe learning environments but our students need more time to make up for the learning losses they are experiencing,” Kornegay wrote. “Rather than using student performance data to sanction schools and subject teachers to evaluations that do not fairly account for all they have encountered the past couple of years, allow us to use that data to strengthen our ability to plan a path forward so we can overcome the impact of this pandemic and meet the expanded needs of our students.”

Other districts, including Orange, Miami-Dade and Hillsborough, have sent letters with similar requests.

The state Board of Education is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 9.

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Woods, a Clermont resident, was announced the winner at last night’s Teacher of the Year celebration, hosted by the Education Foundation of Lake County and presented by Jenkins Auto Group, Duke Energy and Ernie Morris Enterprises.

Woods was named the winner by a panel of judges from outside the district, who reviewed her application, interviewed administrators and peers and observed her in the classroom.

Woods has been working in education for 18 years. Thirteen of those have been in Florida and the last three of those in her current position as the AVID coordinator and literacy coach at Windy Hill Middle. She has changed the attitude and culture towards post-secondary education with her students. She was also instrumental in developing C2Prep throughout the district. In her tenure as an educator, Woods has a proven track record for helping students succeed.

Woods wrote in her application about teaching, “My challenge as an educator is to instill confidence in these students. When I have a student who truly believes they are incapable of successfully completing a task or skill, I am driven to help them. Being a part of the moments when a student gains their confidence and voice in a classroom inspires me as an educator to keep going. When I help a student make a connection or realize they can master something they thought was impossible, I am inspired to continue the work that I do each and every day.”

“Jessica Woods is an exceptional educator and the teacher that every child deserves! She cares deeply for her students, going to great lengths to ensure the success of every child!” said Windy Hill Middle School Principal William Roberts. “Jessica is always asking how she can help, the epitome of our OnePack culture! We could not be prouder of Mrs. Woods! #OnePack”

In addition to the designation as Lake County’s 2023 Teacher of the Year, Woods will receive a 2021 Nissan Rogue from Jenkins Auto Group that she’ll be able to drive for three years. Insight Credit Union has donated a $500 gas card and Jostens will present her with an official Teacher of the Year ring. Woods is pictured at left with Maria Patino and AnthonyGuillaume from Jenkins Auto Group getting the keys to her new Nissan.

As Lake County’s Teacher of the Year, Woods moves on to the statewide competition and will be reviewed by a Florida Department of Education state selection committee. The Florida Teacher of the Year finalists will be announced in May and the 2023 Florida Department of Education Teacher of the Year will be named in July 2022.

“Congratulations to Jessica Woods, our Teacher of the Year. This has been yet another year of challenges for our teachers. All of those honored tonight have responded with grace, flexibility and care.” said Superintendent Diane Kornegay. “Jessica stands out for exceptional achievement in spite of the challenges, representing the best of the best. I am excited for her and for what her continued commitment means for our students and our district as a whole.”

Courtney Stokes, a science teacher at Tavares High; Patrick Kelly, a science teacher at Leesburg High, and Danielle Newton, a 3^rdgrade teacher at Leesburg Elementary, were District finalists along with Woods. Forty-nine teachers were celebrated by 300 plus of our closest friends in education for excellence in teaching.

As the district liaison to the Florida Department of Education, the Education Foundation of Lake County coordinates all awards and recognition events, including the annual Lake County Schools Teacher of the Year Awards program.

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About the Education Foundation of Lake County

Established in 1987, Education Foundation of Lake County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and designated direct support organization for Lake County Schools. Our mission is to serve as the connection between our community and public education, evaluating needs and securing resources to enhance the quality of education. The Education Foundation of Lake County operates for the benefit of students and teachers in Lake County Public Schools.

Education Foundation of Lake County is ranked among the Top 50 Education Foundations in the United States by the Caruthers Institute. For more info, please visit EdFoundationLake.com.

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The district also reached a tentative agreement with the Service Employee International Union (SEIU), which represents classified non-instructional employees. It proposes a retention bonus for those employees as well.

“These agreements are the result of collaborative and important work conducted by the district and both unions for our employees, who have exhibited immense professionalism, flexibility and compassion during an extremely challenging time for educators and school employees everywhere,” Superintendent Diane Kornegay said. “I want to thank everyone who participated in this process to help us recruit and retain the best teachers and support staff for our students.”

“This is not everything we would love to have for teachers, but it is a wonderful beginning,” LCEA President Kathy Smith said. “It’s not enough for how much our teachers have worked, especially during a pandemic, but it was important for us to get something done as soon as possible, knowing that we will come back in the spring to work on many more things at that point. There was a lot of give and take, and a lot of hard work, but we worked together to provide the best we could for teachers at the time.”

If ratified when the teachers union votes on a date to be scheduled soon and then approved by the School Board when it is scheduled for their consideration on Feb. 17, instructional personnel will receive an initial $2,000 shortly after the board approval and an additional $1,000 in the fall of the 2022-23 school year.

The same timing of the $3,000 bonus payments would apply to classified non-instructional employees if their agreement is ratified and approved.

“I’m not sure if you realize what this is going to do for some of your employees,” Kim Cronin, SEIU president, said to School Board members in a discussion of their agreement on Monday night. “Some of your employees probably would never have that much money in their hand at one time, and I know some of them are probably crying tonight.  I want to thank you for your generosity. It is appreciated.”

The School Board intends to use $18,676,507 from federal funding for employee retention bonuses, an expenditure prioritized by participants in a community survey conducted late last year to help the district determine how to spend money from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER).

Instructional personnel also will receive a recurring pay raise based on their performance evaluation results from last year. Those on the pay-for-performance schedule will receive $812.50 for a highly effective rating and $406.25 for an effective rating. Teachers on the grandfathered pay schedule will receive a $650 increase for a highly effective rating and a $406.25 increase for an effective rating. State law mandates the difference in pay between the two pay scales.

Additionally, the agreement increases the beginning teacher salary in Lake from $44,750 to $45,725. The district continues to strive toward the goal of $47,500 for beginning teachers established by state law. Until that goal is reached, state law caps the annual pay increases available to existing teachers.

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Educational Choice gives families the flexibility to send their children to any traditional public school, regardless of where in Florida they live, as long as the school has capacity and the family can provide transportation.

If an open school (one with capacity to take additional students) receives more applications than open seats, a random, computerized lottery will be held and selected applicants will be contacted in the order determined by the lottery. Other applicants will be placed on a waiting list and notified.

Applications to schools with closed capacity – no room for out-of-zone students – also will be placed on a waiting list in an order determined by a random, computerized lottery. In the event of openings, applicants will be notified in the order determined by the computerized list. Waiting lists expire on the Friday after Labor Day of the new school year.

Learn more about Open Enrollment for Lake County Schools at www.lake.k12.fl.us/EducationalChoice.

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Lake’s graduation rate was 77.8 percent in 2017, when Kornegay was chosen to lead the district. At that time, she said one of her primary goals was to help the district reach and exceed a 90 percent graduation rate. The district reached that goal in 2020 when the graduation rate reached 91.2 percent, and it stayed above the goal in 2021 despite a minuscule drop of 0.6 percentage points.

Seven of the district’s eight traditionally operated high schools either maintained a rate above 90 percent or saw an increase.

The largest increases were at Leesburg High School and Mount Dora High School, where the graduation rates at both schools jumped 4.9 percentage points. Leesburg High’s rate increased from 82.4 percent in 2020 to 87.3 percent in 2021, and Mount Dora High’s rate rose from 92.1 percent in 2020 to 97 percent in 2021.

Umatilla High missed the 90 percent mark by only 1.7 percentage points, slipping from 90.6 percent in 2020 to 88.9 percent in 2021.

Lake Virtual School saw an influx of new students enroll at various points throughout last school year because of the pandemic. Some students completed graduation requirements at a later date and were not included in the state’s count for 2021. As a result, the graduation rate dropped 26.1 percentage points, falling from 97.1 percent in 2020 to 71 percent in 2021.

“Our students continue to excel in spite of all the challenges they have faced over the last couple of years,” Kornegay said. “Their diligence and focus coupled with the professionalism and dedication of their teachers, administrators and support staff have produced an outcome we all can celebrate. Our No. 1 goal as a district is to make sure our students graduate ready for college and/or a career, and I’m proud to say that’s happening for more and more students each year here in Lake.”

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Lake County Schools has convened a committee of community stakeholders to identify projects that could benefit from federal funds recently allocated through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) for Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER). The community at large is also invited to provide input through surveys posted on the district website.

The deadline for survey participation is 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14.

ARP ESSER funds were provided to state educational agencies and school districts to help safely reopen and sustain the safe operation of schools and to address the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic on the nation’s students.

The state was asked to distribute the funds in three major installments — ESSER I, ESSER II and ESSER III. Recipients are given rules on how the money can and cannot be spent. Lake County Schools spent ESSER I funding on Chromebooks, software for classroom and distance learning, personal protective equipment, additional cleaning services, temperature scanners for schools, and extra nurses, among other expenses. The district spent ESSER II funding on summer programs and preparations for the beginning of the current school year, software to keep students connected, additional instructional support, additional VPK classrooms, custodial supplies, cleaning services and more.

The stakeholder committee, which includes parents, students and district employees, met earlier this month to brainstorm the best ways to spend ESSER III funding, the largest distribution, which totals about $88 million. About $15 million will go to charter schools and about $73 million is earmarked for traditional public schools. Private schools receive funding separately.

The committee developed a list of proposed projects. Those expenditures are now on the survey. They include several items to address learning losses such as expanding tutoring for underperforming students, hiring additional teacher assistants for grades 3-5, and adding more social workers to the staff. The committee also listed many facility improvements including HVAC unit replacements, replacing carpet with mold-resistant flooring, replacing old playground equipment and increasing and repairing covered walkways to portables. Other suggestions include technology needs, recruitment and retention bonuses, and additional technology support positions at all schools.

The suggestions are included in a three-part survey on the district’s website at www.lake.k12.fl.us/ESSER3Funding. Parents, employees, students and other stakeholders are invited to take the survey and prioritize each suggestion by 6 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 14.

The information gathered will be used to develop a proposed spending plan that will be shared with School Board members at a workshop on Nov. 29.

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Randolph, a former English Language Arts teacher and assistant principal, came to Leesburg High as principal in 2017 having established a track record for being a data-driven, research-based, successful school leader. Under his leadership, Leesburg High launched the district’s first Construction Academy, established the Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) program, and increased the graduation rate from 71.6 percent in 2017-18 to 82.4 percent in 2019-20.

As the district’s Principal of the Year, Randolph can now enter the statewide competition for the Principal Achievement Award for Outstanding Leadership, which honors principals who have spearheaded initiatives to increase student performance, promote safe learning environments and establish partnerships with parents and community members.

Werner joined the district in 2014 as an instructional coach. She later served as a curriculum resource teacher at Treadway Elementary and was appointed assistant principal at Beverly Shores Elementary in 2019. She oversees Title I events and is an administrator for 4th grade, 5th grade, 1st grade, Exceptional Student Education and academic coaches. She is the school’s safety and health coordinator and the administrative liaison for the School Advisory Council.

As the district’s Assistant Principal of the Year, Werner can now compete for the statewide Outstanding Assistant Principal Achievement Award, which honors assistant principals who have used teamwork and leadership skills to increase student performance, promote safe learning environments, and establish partnerships with parents and community members.

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