Dunedin Highlanders Perform at Disney 'Coronation' of Princess Merida

The Dunedin High School Scottish Highlander Band took the show on the road for performances at Disney.

The Dunedin High School Scottish Highlander Band gave a performance last weekend fit for a princess. The Highlanders performed at Disney World for the "coronation" of Princess Merida, and then performed again at Epcot. (See YouTube videos.) For those not in the know, the character Merida officially became Disney’s 11th princess in a royal coronation, Disney style, that took place in the Magic Kingdom theme park on Saturday, May 11, 2013. The performance by Dunedin High's Scottish Highlander Band was appreciated by Disney visitors as well as boosters at home who saw the YouTube video, posted to Facebook. Susan Crews Kirkhart wrote on Facebook: "Thank you so much for posting this! I am a DHS band alum and it was great to see them perform!" …

•  5 Comments
• Photos (6)
• Videos (2)

Dunedin Students Advance in Quiz Bowl Challenge

The next round of competition is Thursday, May 16.

Students from Dunedin Highland Middle School have advanced to the next round of the Pinellas County Schools' annual Quiz Bowl. The brainy challenge will be held on Thursday, May 16. Imagine "Jeopardy!" without the big-money prizes or national viewing audience. That pretty much sums up the intensity and difficult questions posed to the kids competing in Quiz Bowl. Last Thursday was the preliminary round and featured teams from Azalea, Bay Point Middle, Carwise, Dunedin Highland, Largo, Morgan Fitzgerald, Palm Harbor, Safety Harbor, Sanderlin, Seminole and Thurgood Marshall. The school teams that advanced on to the next round are: Palm Harbor Middle, Safety Harbor Middle, Bay Point Middle, Seminole Middle, Dunedin Highland Middle, and Azalea…

• Photos (2)

Congratulations to Dunedin High's Top Two Students!

The senior girls have been named valedictorian and salutatorian for the class of 2013. Scholars and super-involved in school activities, the teens are role models in the community.

One girl is Senior Class President. The other is a dancer and thespian. Both of these high-achieving students not only maintain top grade-point averages, they also are engaged in the school community. Here's a look at Dunedin High School valedictorian and salutatorian for 2013, based on a report from TBNWeekly.com. They are: Arleena Rupnaraine and Aubrey Wetzelberg, respectively. Valedictorian Arleena Rupnaraine Arleena moved from her home country of Guyana to Florida when she was 10 years old. Although the move intimidated Arleena, she was able to overcome her fears, make friends and excel at school. Those early lessons in resourcefulness and perseverance have served her well. At Dunedin High School, Arleena has been on the cross country …

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)

Dave Pauley

2:23 pm on Thursday, May 9, 2013

Congratulations to both of you on a job well done. Your hard work is paying off. Good luck in all your future endeavors.   more ›

Good Neighbors

Dunedin Cadet's Volunteerism Instrumental in Zack Shannon Fund

Navy Jr ROTC cadet Dakota Guthrie was publicly praised for logging 300 hours of volunteer hours and his efforts lifting a memorial Spc. Zack Shannon Scholarship fund off the ground.

A whopping 300 volunteer hours in four years. It's more community service than anyone in Dakota Guthrie's 125-member Navy Jr ROTC unit at Dunedin High. City officials publicly lauded Guthrie's dedication to service, his heavy lifiting behind the launch of a scholarship fund honoring Dunedin fallen soldier Zack Shannon and his completion of Florida American Legion Boys State, a rigorous week-long leadership course in local and state government, on May 2. Guthrie's recent volunteer efforts helped catapult the Spc. Zack Shannon Scholarship Fund in the community. Shannon, 21, a 2010 Dunedin NJROTC grad, died March 11 when his helicopter went down during a night vision operation in Afghanistan. "I like to believe that everybody has that same …

• Videos (1)

Dunedin High Baseball Gets Revenge With Playoff Win Over Robinson

The Falcons beat Robinson High in a Class 5A regional quarterfinals rematch Thursday.

Updated, 10:21 a.m. May 3: Dunedin High will host Tampa Jesuit in the Class 5A regional semifinals. Game time is 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, at the Englebert Complex. Earlier: Just like last year, a Class 5A regional baseball quarterfinal between Dunedin High and Robinson High went to extra innings Thursday. But this time, the tables were turned in the Falcons' favor. Dunedin came out on top, beating the visiting Knights 3-2 in eight innings Thursday at the Englebert Complex. The Falcons got revenge on Robinson, which ended their 2012 season by beating them 4-3 in the quarterfinals. Now, Dunedin advances to face the winner of the Tampa Jesuit-St. Petersburg Lakewood game in the next round of the state playoffs. Sign up for the Dunedin Patch …

•  4 Comments
• Photos (1)

Jason Bartolone

1:11 pm on Friday, May 3, 2013

Whoops, thanks for the catch, Denise. The game is indeed Tuesday, May 7.   more ›

What's Tampa Bay Saying?

Paddling in Schools: Would You Support It?

One Florida County has given elementary school principals the green light to paddle misbehaving students. What do you think about this, Tampa Bay?

A trip to the principal’s office in Marion County elementary schools might mean more for misbehaving students than a call to parents and possible detention detail. Principals there have been given the green light to paddle unruly pupils. The county’s school board decided April 23 that it was high time this once banned practice was brought back into the educational system. Citing repeat disciplinary problems with students where nothing else worked to get kids on track, board member Carol Ely, a retired principal, put the idea on the table. While the measure passed, principals don’t have carte blanche to paddle kids. Principals must first obtain standing written permission from parents, and they must get verbal permission before each …

•  89 Comments
• Photos (1)

Fifth Graders Need Your Help to Get to Kennedy Space Center

The San Jose Elementary School fifth graders have launched a fundraising campaign so they can travel as a class to Kennedy Space Center. Donations are tax deductible.

Dunedin High School Cheerleading Try Outs Planned for May

Ready for 2013-14 Dunedin High School Cheerleading Tryouts? Clinics and tryouts are tentatively planned for May.

Pinellas County 2013-14 School Calendar

The new academic year begins Aug. 19 for Dunedin students.

Dunedin parents hoping to get a jump on planning activities around next year's Pinellas County school calendar are in luck. The school district has released its list of important dates for the 2013-14 school year. This school year (2012-13) ends Wednesday, June 5, 2013. Students only have two more days off before the year ends. The first one is Monday, April 29, which is a teacher professional development day. That means kids get to stay home, but teachers have to hit the books. The last holiday off of the school year is Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day, according to the district’s calendar. Here’s a look at the 2013-14 school schedule: Source: Pinellas County Schools

•  1 Comment
• Photos (1)