One of the hallmarks of a good community is one in which the citizens and the police have a healthy relationship. So it was gratifying to see the community come together in the second annual Battle of the DJs event recently at Campbell Park Recreation Center. Theresa "Momma Tee" Lassiter organized the event, which was sponsored Successes Unlimited, the St. Petersburg, Police Department, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Duke Energy and several unnamed donors. There is a great article about it along with several photos in The Weekly Challenger. A nice crowd turned out, and the police officers, as well as Police Chief Anthony Holloway, were part of the festivities. We say bravo! This sort of thing should continue.
With Back-to-School Night and Open House set for Thursday, September 1, Maximo Elementary School is in full swing for the new academic year. We read with interest an article in The Weekly Challenger in which principal LaKisha Falana characterized the school as a learning institution on the rise. She said the school is dedicated to providing quality instruction to all the children with an eye toward 100 percent student success.
This year's focus will be on family participation, especially on the academic side. The staff is planning home visits to all of the families with students at Maximo, a massive task that is expected to yield great benefits in widening the involvement of families in the success of the school. Falana, who is in her third year as principal at Maximo, has built a fine and welcome school atmosphere, where students know what's expected of them and strive to behave as they should in school.
A few weeks before the end of the last academic year, the school posted a video to YouTube (above) showing a kind and caring school environment dedicated to the best education for all students. It is a testimony to the hard work and dedication of Falana and her staff, and depicts a school that is, indeed, on the rise.
Who can forget One-Eyed Willy, the legendary 17th-Century pirate, and the kids from the Goon Docks neighborhood in Astoria, Oregon, and their madcap adventure of a lifetime in the 1985 movie The Goonies? Well, you can enjoy it all over again and take the kids to see it, too. The Skyway Marina District is presenting Skyway Marina Movie Night on Friday, August 26 beginning at 6 p.m. at St. Petersburg City Theatre on 31st Street South. It's free but you should register here. There will be a food truck -- Heavy D's BBQ -- and a concession stand. You can get more information on the Skyway Marina District's Facebook event page. Play the preview above to remind yourself how fun that movie was.
