Rec center provides update on facility and programming

The Sanibel Recreation Center reported on the following new and upcoming activities

Indoor pick-up pickleball has resumed. It will take place on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 2 p m

A Thrift & Sift will take place on July 14 Participants will “thrift and sift” their way through local secondhand shops in Fort Myers, with a self-pay lunch along the way; lunch stop to be determined Transportation will be provided via city van, departing from the center at 9:30 a m and returning at 4:30 p m Cost is $5 for members and $7 50 for non-members The van seating is limited; a prepaid registration is required to reserve a space

The center is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7 a m to 5 p m

Daily, weekly, semi-annual and annual memberships are available

For more information, call 239-472-0302 or visit

CITY OF SANIBEL www mysanibel com

The Sanibel Recreation Center is at 3880 SanibelCaptiva Road, Sanibel

City reopens last of beach park locations

The city of Sanibel announced that the bayside parking lot at the Lighthouse Beach Park and the Causeway Beach parking lot, located next to the Sanibel Boat Ramp, reopened on June 30. All public access beach park locations on the island are now open The city noted that the fish- ing pier near the Lighthouse Beach Park remains closed Sanibel beach park locations require a parking permit or hourly paid parking For information about the mobile beach parking system or to apply for a parking permit, visit https://www mysanibel com/government/recreation2 For information about beach parking, visit https://www mysanibel com/government/public-works-department/usefull i n k s / p a r k s - p u b l i c - b e a c h e s / b e a c hparking-faq-s The bayside lot is at 110-153 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel. The Causeway Beach lot is at 888 Sextant Drive, Sanibel

Sanibel Sea School summer camps going strong

M a r k i n g i t s t h i r d w e e k , t h e S a n i b e l S e a S c h o o l i s d e l i g h t i n g c a m p e r s a g e s 4 - 1 7 t h r o u g h i t s i m m e r s i v e summer camp programm i n g R e c e n t l y , i t s y o u n g e s t c a m p e r s enjoyed an adventure to the sandbar in search of s a n d d o l l a r s , t h e n w r a p p e d u p t h e w e e k with some surfing The summer camps will continue through Aug 25, with spaces still open in its final weeks. For more information or to register, v i s i t h t t p s : / / w w w s a n ib e l s e a s c h o o l o r g / c a m ph o m e s t e a d P a r t o f t h e S a n i b e l - C a p t i v a Conservation Foundation family, the Sanibel Sea S c h o o l ’ s m i s s i o n i s t o i m p r o v e t h e o c e a n ’ s future one person at a time

SANIBEL SEA SCHOOL

Interactive guide to open island businesses

The SanCap Chamber has a list available of businesses back in operation after Hurricane Ian on Wander: Maps & Navigation The GPS-enabled interactive map also pinpoints beach accesses that have opened, bike parking areas and the user's relative location Points of interest can be filtered by seven categories Users can download the app from the Apple App Store and Google Play They can also access the map online at tinyurl com/sancapwandermap

Meet-and-greet

Employed by the district since 2006, Gurgal spent the last five and a half years a s t h e a s s i s t a n t p r i n c i p a l a t S k y l i n e Elementary School in Cape Coral Her prior experience includes teaching fifth grade, ESE Resource for grades 1-4 and AVID and math for grades 6-8 Gurgal's husband is also a county educator

“This will also be the first time our families are meeting the new assistant principal,” Lusk said

“I want to ensure that our parents feel c o m f o r t a b l e c o m m u n i c a t i n g w i t h o u r teachers and administration,” she added “This is an opportunity to help families feel at ease throughout the transition of our leadership team.”

During the meet-and-greet, Lusk will provide a brief overview of her vision and h i g h l i g h t w a y s f o r f a m i l i e s t o g e t involved at the school They will also

From page 1 announce some upcoming family events

“The rest of the time will be spent talking with our parents and families, answering questions they may have and giving families the opportunity to sign up for PTA,” she said

Both the Parent Teacher Association and the Sanibel School Fund will have informational booths for families to learn m o r e a b o u t t h e i r o r g a n i z a t i o n s T h e Sanibel Recreation Center will also take part

“Allowing families to sign up for afterschool at the rec center,” Lusk said

The PTA will provide a spread of donuts and coffee

Island school families are encouraged to come out and meet the new team

“As the new principal, I want families to feel welcomed, heard and valued on our campus,” she said “I understand that summer is also a popular time for family vacations and want to emphasize I am only a phone call or email away ”

“We also look forward to many family and community involvement opportunit i e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e s c h o o l y e a r , ” s h e added, noting that the opportunities will be posted on the school's website and social media pages, as well as in the school's newsletter

Families interested in enrolling at the school can schedule a tour by calling the front office at 239-472-1617 or emailing

D o n n a M a r k s a t DonnaMM@leeschools net

“We would love to share what makes our Sanibel school special,” Lusk said.

F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , v i s i t sbl leeschools net

The Sanibel School is at 3840 SanibelCaptiva Road, Sanibel

If you go

What Meet and Greet with the New Administration Team

Who

Principal Jennifer Lusk and Assistant Principal Jill Gurgal

When July 10 starting at 9:30 a m

Where The Sanibel School, 3840 Sanibel-Captiva Road, Sanibel

Details

Free and open to island school families

General Fund is $1,156,204,071; $94,744,982 for debt services; $768,406,058 for capital; $67,694,027 for special revenue grants; $70,363,267 for special revenue food service; and $195,700,333 for internal services

Director of Budget Kelly Letcher said they have a $72,893,529 increase over the fiscal year 2023 budget. The $30 million increase is due to new students, while $10 million of the increase is for state-funded discretionary for Family Empowerment Scholarship

“That leaves about $33 million for new initiatives and inflationary costs,” she said

Chief Financial Officer Dr. Ami Desamours said the challenges include increasing retirement rates from 11 91 percent to 13 57 percent, or $8 3 million, increase in health benefits for employees of $10 9 million, increased dependent care health benefits of $8 3 million and increased property insurance of $12 million

“Just those things together (put us) at $39 million. That is the work that we have ongoing right now We have to determine how we come into balance with the resources that we have and all the things we know we need to do,” she said “We know every year we will balance our budget and we will do that with our priorities in mind ”

Letcher said the preliminary numbers will change between the tentative and final budget and when student counts are done

Desamours said there is much ground to cover between now and when the final budget hearing is set for Sept. 6.

“When we talk about this budget information today we are talking about six different funds,” she said, which include the general fund, debt service fund, capital funds, special revenue fund, internal service fund and food service fund.

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