Education - Lake Wales Daily News

No Trick-or-Treating? No Problem! Here’s 6 Spooktacular Alternatives for Halloween Fun

Allison — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 14:18:53 +0000

No Trick-or-Treating? No Problem! Here’s 6 Spooktacular Alternatives for Halloween Fun

by James Coulter

Can’t go trick-or-treating this Halloween, but still want fun and safe activities to do with your young ones? Whether your little ones are too skittish or you simply don’t have the time and money, here are some fun alternatives to trick-or-treating:

1. Candy Scavenger Hunt. Here’s a fun way for kids to have their fun and candy, too. Hide small candy and other fun trinkets around your house or in your yard. Then give your young ones a checklist of clues on where they can find these sweet treats. Be creative and write riddles for them to solve. (For children still learning to read, use picture clue cards.) Your young ones will have a fun time hunting for their candy, almost like a Halloween Easter egg hunt!

2. Halloween Arts and Crafts. Spend Halloween night making not-so-scary arts and crafts. Turn old toilet paper rolls into funny monsters by sticking on googly eyes, stickers, pom-poms, and pipe cleaners for arms. Or turn paper plates into spiders by painting them, attaching pipe cleaners or streamers for arms, and then applying googly eyes, then use yarn to hang them up (you can even weave a web from white yarn). Or turn your child’s handprint into a unique jack-o-lantern by either tracing their hands on orange paper or having them apply their handprint with orange paint, then coloring in the eyes, leaves, and stem with colored marker.

3. Halloween Fun and Games. Have some fun indoors or out with these simple games. Play monster or ghost freeze in a nice open space with kid-friendly Halloween songs like “Monster Mash” or “Five Little Pumpkins.” Or go Halloween bowling: decorate plastic bottles as ghosts and monsters and have your kids knock them over with a plastic ball or even a small pumpkin. Or try your hand at a pumpkin ring toss. Set up real or faux pumpkins in an open area and have your little ones try their luck at tossing rings onto their stems.

4. Halloween Story Time. Having fun isn’t hard when you have a library card. Check out some Halloween-themed storybooks, then set up a “reading fort” by stacking pillows or going under a table. Add to the “spoopy” ambience by dimming the lights and using glow sticks.

5. Family-Friendly Halloween Movies. Obviously, it’s not a good idea to make your young child watch the latest bloody, gory R-rated slasher flicks. Fortunately, there are plenty of G and PG-rated Halloween-themed movies for young children. Some family-friendly classics include The Nightmare Before Christmas, Hocus Pocus, Casper, Coraline, and Ghostbusters. Many of these movies are available to stream or rent. Be sure to check ratings and content warnings to ensure they’re the right films to show your kids. And be attentive to how your child reacts. If it gets too scary for them, you can always change it to their favorite movie. And be sure to pop some popcorn.

6. Halloween Sensory Bins. Sometimes Halloween can be a little overstimulating with the many spooky sights and sounds, especially for neurodivergent children. Consider Halloween-themed sensory bins to help children relax and unwind from any potential sensory overload, or to simply give them a low-stimulation activity. Fill a plastic bin with your choice of filler, and add themed items like plastic pumpkins, bats, spiders, and bugs. Be sure to add bright and friendly objects, and avoid anything too scary or creepy. Glow-in-the-dark filler and objects are especially ideal for dark, soothing environments with black lights. Be sure to play low-intensity music or white noise.

Photo source Freepik

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No Tricks, Just Treats: Halloween Safety Tips for Polk County Families

Allison — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 12:18:21 +0000

No Tricks, Just Treats: Halloween Safety Tips for Polk County Families

by James Coulter

Halloween is right around the corner. Soon, children of all ages will don their best costumes, go door-to-door, and ask for treats to fill their bags and baskets.

However, this fun yearly “treat” can prove quite tricky if the proper safety precautions are ignored. Here are a few common-sense safety tips to ensure a fun and safe trick-or-treating experience.

1. Select Safe Costumes. A safe Halloween always starts with a safe costume. Choose well-fitting, flame-resistant costumes. Have your children try on their costumes first to ensure they fit properly. Oversized costumes that are too long and loose can pose tripping hazards, especially when navigating stairs or uneven sidewalks.

2. Choose Face Paint Over Masks. Masks can obstruct your child’s vision. As such, face painting is a much safer alternative. However, if your young ones insist on wearing masks, make sure the eye holes are wide enough to provide proper vision, and that the inside of the masks offers proper ventilation.

3. Plan Ahead. Plan your trick-or-treating route ahead of time. Plan a meeting spot in a well-lit location in case anyone becomes separated. Make sure your child has their home address and phone number memorized. Otherwise, provide them with ID stickers or wristbands with parental contact information. And make sure cell phones are fully charged in case of an emergency.

4. Walk in Groups. Trick-or-treating with friends and family isn’t simply more fun but safer. Have your young children travel in a group supervised by an adult or an older child. And make sure the only strangers they talk to are the ones they meet door-to-door offering candy.

5. Travel in Well-Lit Areas. An hour or two before sunset (around 5 pm) is the best time to go trick-or-treating, as the daylight will ensure safe travels. If you end up trick-or-treating after dark, be sure to walk on well-lit streets and sidewalks and avoid unlit paths and areas, especially alleys. And be sure to wear bright clothing, reflective tape and stickers, or glow sticks to remain visible to automobiles and other pedestrians. Return home around 9 PM.

6. Practice Street Safety. Be as careful walking and crossing streets at night as you are during the day. Only cross at intersections, and avoid busy roads and streets. Walk on the side of the road or on sidewalks, and use crosswalks when crossing. Before crossing, look both ways and listen for oncoming vehicles. Very young children should hold the hands of an adult or older child.

7. Inspect Candy Carefully. Never let your children consume unwrapped candy. Wait until returning home before eating candy. Check wrappers and packaging carefully to ensure the candy is unopened. For children with food allergies, read the list of ingredients for any potential allergens. Homes with teal pumpkins signify allergy-safe non-food treats. Remove and avoid any small candies that can prove to be choking hazards for very young children.

8. Attend Family-Friendly Events. Many cities across Polk County host trunk or treats, indoor and outdoor Halloween parties, and other fun events for children and families. Bartow hosts its Annual Halloween Parade and Carnival on Thurs. Oct. 30, starting at 4 PM. Frostproof will be hosting a street dance with citywide trick or treating on Fri., Oct. 25, starting at 6 PM. Polk State College will be hosting Trick-or-Treat with Sheriff Judd at their Lakeland campus on Sat. Oct. 18, starting at 6 PM. Many local schools and churches host trunk or treat events, and many community centers host Halloween parties. Check city calendars and websites for listings of upcoming events.

Photo source Freepix

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Florida’s Back to School Sales Tax Holiday Runs through August 31

Maria Iannucci — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 03:46:04 +0000

Florida’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday, will run from now through Sunday, August 31, giving families a full month of savings on essential school supplies and more.

The Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday includes exemptions for:

School supplies selling for $50 or less

Binders

Notebooks

Pens and pencils

Lunch boxes

Clothing, footwear, and apparel priced at $100 or less

Backpacks

Pants

Shoes

Shirts

Sweaters

Learning aids selling for $30 or less

Interactive Books

Puzzles

Flashcards

Personal computers and accessories priced at $1,500 or less (for noncommercial home or personal use)

Laptops

Flash drives

Printers

Headphones

For more information and to view lists of qualifying items, visit: FloridaRevenue.com/BackToSchool.

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Firearms Safety Course Offered By PCSO July 12

Maria Iannucci — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 02:42:35 +0000

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is conducting a Firearms Safety Course/Concealed Weapons Class on Saturday, July 12, 2025, from 8:00 am – Noon. If registration for the class fills up, a second afternoon class will be added for 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT NOW for July 12th – CALL 863-298-6242.

Cost of the class is $70; with a portion of the proceeds to go to Polk Sheriff’s Charities, Inc., and the cost is non-refundable. An additional $12.50 will be charged to those who don’t bring their own ammunition.

This class fulfills the requirements by the FL Department of Agriculture need to obtain a concealed weapons permit. Even though permitless-carry in Florida went into effect in 2023, there are still benefits to having a permit (reciprocity in states which don’t allow for concealed carry without a permit, and permit holders are exempt from the 3-day waiting period when purchasing new firearms).

Any questions about the CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION, please call Sergeant Bennett or Sergeant Caratsole at the PCSO Training Section at 863-534-7200, during normal office hours.

YOU MUST CALL 863-298-6242, during normal business hours (Mon-Fri, 8-5) to reserve your seat. When you call, you will be given further instruction about where to go for the training.

Any questions about this course? Please call 863-534-7200 during normal office hours and ask to speak with Sergeant Daniel Bennett or Sergeant Keith Caratsole.

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Lake Wales Charter Schools Names Teachers and Support Persons of the Year

Maria Iannucci — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 15:14:03 +0000

The Lake Wales Charter Schools Foundation held the annual Teacher and Support Staff of the Year Celebration on Monday, April 21, 2025. This award acknowledges the personnel that went above and beyond their respective calls of duty to enrich students lives and education during the 2024-2025 school year.

This year’s winners are as follows:

Image provided by LWCS

Image provided by LWCS. Correct spelling of her first name is Lynne.

Image provided by LWCS

Image provided by LWCS. Correct spelling of her first name is Lynne.

LWCS Overall Support Person of the Year is Arianne Seidel, Athletic Director at Lake Wales High School.

LWCS Overall Teacher of the Year is Lynn Gramlich, Reading Department Chair at Bok Academy S.

The post Lake Wales Charter Schools Names Teachers and Support Persons of the Year first appeared on Lake Wales Daily News.

Registration Opening Soon for Polk State College “Kids at College” in Lake Wales This Summer

Maria Iannucci — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 19:02:30 +0000

Kids in Lake Wales have a new option this year for a great summer experience.

Polk State College, JD Alexander Center, in Lake Wales is offering a week of “Kids in College” July 21-25 2025. Each daily session will run from 8:15 AM to 12:25 PM for kids aged 5 to 13.

While the program has been offered at PSC’s Lakeland and Winter Haven campuses, this is the first year that it will be offered in Lake Wales. The JD Alexander Center is located at 152 E. Central Ave.

The program offers kids the opportunity to experience several exciting classes, such as 3D printing, balloon twisting, and science club, to name a few.

To find out more about a summer full of discovery, or for more information on this program, please visit https://www.polk.edu/kids-at-college/.

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Ridge Beekeepers Offers Beekeeping Seminar April 26

Maria Iannucci — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 23:40:49 +0000

The Ridge Beekeepers Association invites you to participate in the 2025 Ridge Beekeepers Beekeeping Seminar.

Saturday, April 26 · 8am – 3:30pm EDT

UF/IFAS Polk County Extension Service. 1702 S. Holland Pkwy, Bartow, FL 33830

This is a family event where you can learn everything about the Western Honey Bee.

The Western Honey Bee is responsible for pollinating approximately 85% of all of the crops we eat today. Join us and learn important topics beekeepers should know to be able to keep bees in Florida.

The seminar is composed of 10 stations where participants will rotate every 25 min. to learn a different topic of beekeeping. Topics will include:

Looking inside the hive/Honey Bee Biology.
Pest and diseases of Honey Bees.
Queen Bees management.
Nectar sources for Honey Bees.
Starting a Hive.
Beekeeping Tools.
Honey Extraction.
Wax Rendering.
Honey Bee Transport.
Hive Construction.

A giveaway of beekeeping items will be held at the end of the seminar.

Lunch is included with ticket purchase.

*Walk-ins are welcome to register and purchase tickets on the day of the event.

For tickets, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-ridge-beekeepers-beekeeping-seminar-tickets-1105700151919?aff=oddtdtcreator

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Bok Academy North Principal Gregory Lewis Arrested for Theft

carl — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 12:09:13 +0000

WINTER HAVEN, FL – Gregory Lewis, the recently appointed principal of Bok Academy North, has been arrested by the Winter Haven Police Department on a charge of petit theft, first offense.

Lewis, who was unanimously selected by the Lake Wales Charter School Board of Trustees as principal, has a long career in education spanning over two decades. He previously served as an assistant principal at Ridge Community High School before taking on his new role.

Bok Academy North Principal Placed on Administrative Leave Following Arrest

According to the arrest affidavit Lewis allegedly admits to the theft:

“I made contact with the Asset Protection Officer, REDACTED, in the AP office, where the defendant, Gregory Eugene Lewis 08/11/1970, was present. REDACTED stated that the defendant was utilizing the self-checkout kiosk when he committed the act of skip-scanning by placing a bag of disposable foam plates between items of higher value, claiming only the value of the foam plates. REDACTED stated the defendant bagged the items, paid for certain merchandise, and then proceeded to the exit. REDACTED confronted the defendant after passing the final point of sale.

I spoke to the defendant after Miranda Rights were read. The defendant admitted to performing the act of skip-scanning. The defendant advised while sitting around with some friends, the friends stated they had stolen from stores, using the same method and the defendant claimed he thought he would give it a try as well. The defendant also admitted to doing this at the same store in the past.”

This development comes just months after Lewis expressed his enthusiasm for leading Bok Academy North, emphasizing goals of fostering a supportive school climate and improving student engagement. It is currently unknown how this arrest will impact his position at the school.

Lake Wales Charter School officials have not yet released a statement regarding the arrest.

Frostproof Native Selected As New Bok Academy North Principal

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Lake Wales Arts Council Offering Weekly Classes to Get You Strumming and Singing

Maria Iannucci — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 16:50:18 +0000

Ready to make music and explore your vocal talents? Lake Wales Arts Council offers a variety of fun and engaging classes at the Lake Wales Arts Center! Whether you’re strumming a ukulele or working on your singing skills, there’s something for everyone:

Adult & Teens Ukulele Class
Tuesdays, 6:15 – 7:15 pm
All levels welcome! Learn technique, strumming styles, and fun songs in a relaxed, supportive environment. Perfect for beginners or seasoned strummers!

Voice Lessons for Adults & Teens
Saturdays, 12:00 – 1:00 pm
Whether you’re preparing for an audition, brushing up your skills, or just want to sing for fun, this workshop offers a supportive space to learn and grow!

No matter your age or experience, these classes are designed to nurture your creative expression and help you reach your musical goals!

For more information, visit: https://www.lakewalesartscouncil.org/

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Join ReadingPals and Be Part of the Magic of Learning

Maria Iannucci — Wed, 12 Feb 2025 01:17:38 +0000

Reading opens doors and other worlds to those who indulge in the love of reading. Children who learn to love reading often have greater academic and life success. Wouldn’t you like to introduce Lake Wales kids to the magic of reading?

Become a ReadingPal, read to children for 1 hour a week, and watch them grow.

ReadingPals is a program of the United Way of Central Florida:

About one third of public school students in Florida cannot read on grade level by the end of third grade. This milestone is a strong predictor of graduation rates as it ultimately translates to more than 60 percent of public school 10th graders struggling, unable to read at grade level.

ReadingPals is a statewide early literacy initiative that provides volunteer mentors for students from Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) to 3rd grade who may need extra help, utilizing one-on-one or small group settings. Just an hour a week can make big difference for struggling children. That’s why United Way of Central Florida’s Early Literacy Initiative is seeking 200+ volunteers interested in helping children succeed academically. The initiative, sponsored by the Carol and Barney Barnett fund within the GiveWell Community Foundation, focuses on engaging, training and deploying volunteer “ReadingPals” to increase the number of students reading at grade level by the end of third grade.

In conjunction with local school districts, Early Learning Coalitions, Children’s Services Councils and The Children’s Movement of Florida, this initiative, which began in 2012, has expanded to 15 Florida United Way and other nonprofits servicing the state.

Volunteers interested in becoming a ReadingPal will receive training and will be matched with kindergarten children across 15 area schools who can benefit from this focused reading time. Teaching experience is not required.

ReadingPals are asked to volunteer for one hour, one day a week using a curriculum designed by Polk County Schools. Activities complement the core competencies five and six year old students are required to master. Under the supervision of classroom teacher and initiative trainers, ReadingPals will be asked to provide two 30-minute/back-to-back tutoring sessions weekly.

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