Science Olympiad teams will get supplement from school district
PAM BRANNON Gulf Breeze News pam@gulfbreezenews.com

Gulf Breeze Science Olympiad teams from the high school and middle school will get some financial help from the county school board toward attending the national competition May 30-31 at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The two schools will split $15,000 this year, with about $10,000 of that going to the high school team because it is the largest.

Santa Rosa School District Superintendent John Rogers recommended the school board give the teams 75 percent of what the board gave them last year when the Science Olympiad teams attended Nationals. Last year the teams received $18, 260 to split, and in 2006 they received $20,242.

Rogers started the regular board agenda last Thursday saying, "Before we get involved in any of this other important business, I feel this is one of the most important. I know we have a cutback on all schoolbased budgets and funding for all groups and travel since we got notice earlier this about the state cutbacks, but I am recommending that we give the Science Olympiad teams 75 percent of what we gave them last year when they went to National competition."

The board unanimously agreed.

Rogers said in January the district was informed by the state that all school districts had to send back monies to the state by June 30 from this year's budget. For Santa Rosa County that amount adds up to just over $2 million.

"We took a hard hit, and everything had to be re evaluated and put on hold or cut back," he said.

School Board member Ed Gray III of Gulf Breeze said the money will be pro-rated per student to help with each student's cost. That means the high school team will get the largest amount because they have more students involved in the Olympiad.

"We feel this is a very important group to support," he said.