Roxanne & Shannon Moore-Realtors, North Port FL

Charleston Park in North Port, Florida ~ Florida Nostalgia at its Best!

Let the serene and peaceful paths and walkways of Charleston Park take you back to a more casual lifestyle. Complete with the natural tranquility that comes with 3 lakes and a nature trail, Charleston Park is truly a sanctuary. In addition to the natural elements, Charleston Park offers sought after amenities such as a heated pool, preserve area, city water and sewer, street lights, sidewalks and a clubhouse.

Charleston Park is a gated community, designed specifically for families and is kid friendly. Charleston Park Villas, which is located across the street, is also gated and has the same refined luxuries, but is a development of only villas.

The builder, Peter Shipps, has succeeded in creating an old fashioned Floridian feel in both communities by building an iconic dream - community gazebo, mossy oak trees, nice front porches and tree-lined sidewalks. This is perfection!

Both communities are located in North Port Florida, close to the interstate, shopping, beaches and more. You'll be living the good life, far away from the hustle and bustle but close to everything you could ever need or want.

For even more information on the Charleston Park communities, or to see homes for sale in Charleston Park, visit Tropical Florida Property!

Bobcat Trail in North Port Florida - An Active Lifestyle in a Peaceful Setting

If you're in search of a top notch community, look no further than Bobcat Trail in North Port, Florida!

Bobcat Trail is a premium golfing community in a great location complete with upscale amenities. Its location on Toledo Blade Boulevard is minutes from the interstate, which has quick and easy access to Sarasota, Tampa, or Ft. Myers. Bobcat Trail is just around the corner from the shopping and activities in North Port itself. The amenities in the community make it a favorite of active couples and families, as it offers a 4.5-star golf course, a state-of-the-art fitness center, tennis courts and a heated swimming pool. Bobcat Trail is known for the frequent and exciting activities and clubs, which vary from sport training to wine tastings. There is something for all ages at Bobcat Trail!

Designed by former PGA champ Bob Tway and architect Lee Singletary, the golf course features a "risk-reward" structure that truly challenges every player, no matter the skill level. This course was given 4.5 stars by Golf Digest, and is a favorite among locals because of it's surrounding beauty and stunning design.

Bobcat Trail is a secured by a guard house that is manned constantly, even nights, weekends and holidays. This maintains your home's safety, even if you're out for the evening! The professional landscaping and sparkling Twin Lakes Waterway separates Bobcat Trail from the surrounding area, ensuring a beautiful and peaceful setting in all parts of the community.

The homes in Bobcat Trail benefit from the community's underground utilities, city water and sewer, deed restrictions and sidewalks. The homes range in size from one-and-two-story maintenance free single family homes to Mediterranean-style villas. Most homes have a beautiful view, whether it is of the lake, the golf course, or the serene nature preserve.

If you've been looking for a community that is prestigious and pristine without being stuffy or boring, Bobcat Trail in North Port, Florida is worth looking into. You can see homes that are currently for sale in this community and other in North Port by checking out our website. You'll find all the information you need, and can even search the North Port MLS!

Located in sunny North Port, Florida, Heron Creek Golf and Country Club is a gated community with a world-class championship golf course. This 27-hole course, designed by Arthur Hills, has a variety of layouts and challenges. But don't think that you've been left out if you don't play golf! You can improve your tennis skills with lessons at one of the FIVE onsite lighted Har-Tru tennis courts; you can even join a league if you want!

The Heron Creek Country Club allows its residents to choose one of several country club packages, giving you the option of having golf privileges or not. This means that you don't pay for something you're not using, which is very nice if you appreciate the golf course lifestyle, but not necessarily the golfing itself!

Nestled into a natural setting, Heron Creek is an astounding 676 acres. 430 of those acres, however, have been designated as a protected preserve, meaning that the presence of the tranquil wildlife that you love about the present-day Heron Creek will still be around in years to come.

Heron Creek is in close proximity to the I-75 interstate, which has quick access to Sarasota and Fort Myers. It's also located within walking (or golf cart!) distance to grocery shopping, tanning, hair and nail salons and casual eateries.

The homes in Heron Creek have views of natural preserves, sparkling lakes or pristine fairways. You'll enjoy taking a walk or jog down the sidewalks and seeing pristinely manicured lawns and passing friendly neighbors along the way. Heron Creek's utilities are entirely underground; no visible power lines! The homes themselves range from one-and-two-story homes and estates to villas. Complete with tile roofs and harmonic colors, renowned builders Lennar, Ryland and Nohl Crest have created one of the most beautiful places to call home in Southwest Florida.

If you're interested in seeing homes for sale in Heron Creek or anywhere else in North Port, Florida, visit our website to search the MLS!

Pine View School for the Gifted, Osprey FL

Pine View is a special program designed to meet the unique needs of intellectually gifted students in grades two through twelve on a broad-based campus. Pine View is a public school so there is no charge for attending this school. The school is located on a 74 acre campus. Pine View's current campus sports more than a dozen buildings situated around a central lawn and connected by blue open-air porticos. Sarasota architect Carl Abbott patterned his design after Thomas Jefferson's "academical village" at the University of Virginia. Each building is color-coded, with yellow indicating mathematics, purple indicating science, blue indicating foreign language, orange indicating social studies, red indicating elementary, and green indicating English. Each main color-coded building contains eight classrooms.The curriculum is one full grade level ahead. So, if your child is in 2nd grade they will be doing 3rd grade work.

Above all, Pine View prepares students for higher education. All high school courses are honors-level, and many are advanced placement. Ninety percent of the class of 2000 earned scores of 3 or higher on advanced placement tests, and 96 percent went on to four-year colleges and universities. Many students graduate with significantly more than the required 26 credits; graduating with 33 credits is not unheard of. Pine View's curriculum emphasizes rigor, and students who have attended other public schools in the Sarasota area generally report that Pine View's classes require significantly more work than their counterparts at other schools.

I have two children that attend Pine View School and we are extremely satisfied with the education our children are getting. As stated below you will need a psychologist to test your child. This may be done for free by the Sarasota County school district or you can hire a private psychologist to test your child. I chose to have my children tested privately and have a wonderful recommendation for a private psychologist if you would like to contact me.

Pine View was recently rated 6th in the Nation. There are several requirements for attending Pine View school. Here are a few other artilces/websites on Pine View that you might find interesting:

Pine View Website
Duke University Letter
US News-Best High Schools
Genius Denied website
City-Data Wikipedia
Herald Tribune article
Newsweek
Public School Report
Truila Schools

Government recognition
Pine View is among the 35 of Florida's numerous public schools (1.2%) to earn a top grade of "A" on every administration of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) since the program began in 1999

Newsweek's Public Elite High Schools
Due to its average SAT score of 1335 for 2005, Pine View was listed among Newsweek magazine's 21 Public Elite American high schools.^[5] Pine View is the only Public Elite school in Florida.^[6]

US News and World Report
In 2007, Pine View was ranked 6th in the nation among the "Gold Medal Schools" by US News and World Report. This ranking is based on high AP test scores and overall college preparation.

Here are the requirements for attending Pine View:

The School Board of Sarasota County, Florida

Exceptional Student Education (ESE)

1960 Landings Blvd. Sarasota, Florida 34231 (941) 927-9000

Information Required for Gifted Eligibility Determination for Students Moving to Sarasota County
The following items are required by your Sarasota County districted school to determine your child's eligibility for the gifted program at Pine View School. Eligibility will be determined by your districted school upon receipt and approval of:

Proof of residency in Sarasota County
Evaluation reporting IQ and academic achievement test scores by licensed psychologist
Gifted characteristics rating scales
Report card grades spanning one year
Specific details on the required items are given below.

1. Proof of residency in Sarasota County by deadline date (March 25, 2008) for acceptance of files Examples: recent utility bill, lease agreement

2. Evaluation report (by licensed psychologist or school psychologist) that includes both individual IQ and academic achievement testing:

IQ Test

Either of the following IQ tests should be administered:

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV)

Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale-Fifth Edition (SB5) The minimum required IQ score on either test is: Full-Scale IQ of 130

A student with an IQ below 130 will be determined ineligible for gifted. Some partial scores of 130 may be considered with acceptable written justification from the examiner. If your child's IQ score is below 130, further academic achievement testing is not needed.

Academic Achievement Test

Either of the following two academic achievement tests should be administered if your child meets the minimum Full-Scale IQ score of 130:

Woodcock-Johnson III: Tests of Achievement (Form A or B; Normative update required effective January 2008)

The evaluation must report standard scores (age based) for:

Reading Comprehension Composite

Broad Math

Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-II Report standard scores (age based) for:

Reading Composite

Math Composite

Note: Psychoeducational evaluations by psychologists in private practice are the financial responsibility of the parents. All evaluations from psychologists in private practice are subject to review and verification by Sarasota County School Board staff prior to gifted eligibility determination. It is recommended that psychologists in private practice review the letter to private practitioners included in the parents' information packet.

Gifted characteristics scales
Renzulli's Scales for Rating the Behavioral Characteristics of Superior Students (revised 1997) are completed by at least one of the student's current academic teachers. Areas rated are learning, creativity, motivation, and leadership. The student must display a majority of characteristics to be considered for a gifted program.

Report card grades
Grades are required for the following subjects: language arts (reading for elementary students), math, science, and social studies. Submit report cards that cover the most recent grading periods that span one year.
Gifted Eligibility Determination

Gifted eligibility encompasses the following three requirements

A full-scale IQ of 130 and
A majority of characteristics on a gifted rating scale and
A need for gifted services as demonstrated by grades and academic achievement
Please refer to the enclosed Gifted Profile sample for further details on ineligibility, gifted resource eligibility, and full-time gifted eligibility. A student may be determined ineligible for gifted, eligible for gifted resource services at his/her district school, or eligible for full-time gifted services.

All files are processed at the Sarasota districted school level by the Exceptional Student Education (ESE)Liaison. Only complete files with proof of residency that are submitted to your district by the deadline date (March 25, 2008 for Pine View consideration) will be accepted for eligibility determination. Gifted eligibility cannot be determined by your districted school prior to meeting these requirements. Pine View will not be an option for any student whose file was submitted after the deadline; however, gifted cluster sites and districted school gifted programs will be options for students determined eligible for gifted services after the deadline.

The School Board of Sarasota County, Florida

Parents: Please give this information to the psychologist who will be evaluating your child.

TO: Psychologist

FROM: Liz Elliott, ESE Specialist

DATE: 2007-2008 school year

RE: District requirements for gifted eligibility determination

Parents who are moving to Sarasota County may, at their own expense, provide psychoeducational evaluations that report both IQ and academic achievement scores necessary for gifted eligibility determination. The following tests are required:

IQ Test

Either of the following IQ tests should be administered:

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV)

Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale-Fifth Edition (SB5) The minimum required IQ score on either test is: Full-Scale IQ of 130 Some partial scores of 130 may be considered with acceptable written justification from the examiner. A student with an IQ below 130 will be determined ineligible for gifted. If the child's score is below 130, further academic achievement testing is not needed.

Academic Achievement Test
Either of the following two academic achievement tests should be administered if you child meets the minimum Full-Scale IQ score of 130:
Woodcock-Johnson III: Tests of Achievement (Form A or B; Normative update required effective January 2008)

The evaluation must report standard scores (age based) for:
Reading Comprehension Composite
Broad Math

Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-II

Report standard scores (age based) for:
Reading Composite
Math Composite

A student must meet the minimum IQ score for consideration for gifted. In addition, he or she must meet the total composite points requirement on the Gifted Profile Worksheet that is completed at the school level prior to final eligibility determination. Points are assigned based on grades, academic achievement scores, and gifted rating scales.

March 25, 2008 is the deadline for parents to submit the psychological evaluation, gifted rating scales and report cards, including proof of residency in Sarasota County, to their Sarasota County districted school for consideration for Pine View. Pine View will not be an option for any student whose file was submitted after the deadline; however, gifted cluster sites and districted school gifted programs will be options for students determined eligible for gifted services after the deadline.

Additional information for private practitioners is attached to this memorandum. Please call Liz Elliott, ESE Specialist, (941) 927-9000, for general questions regarding gifted program eligibility. Specific questions related to the administration of the test instruments or preparation of the written report should be addressed to Tim Gissal, Chairperson, School Psychology Department, (941) 927-9000.

THE SCHOOL BOARD OF SARASOTA COUNTY

PUPIL SUPPORT SERVICES

1960 Landings Boulevard Sarasota, FL 34231 (941) 927-9000

Dear Private Practitioner,

This letter has been prepared to make you aware of changes in the procedures for the identification and staffing of children into Gifted Programs in Sarasota County. These changes were put into effect in August of 2004. In June of 1996 a similar letter was distributed outlining changes that at that time were new. Several of these changes are included in this letter as policy reminders.

ADOPTION OF WISC-IV AND SB5 AS INSTRUMENTS FOR ASSESSING INTELLIGENCE

Beginning with the first day of school (August 9) in 2004 the Sarasota County Public Schools transitioned to the updated version of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) and the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (SB5) for gifted evaluations. Therefore, all evaluations for determining the eligibility for gifted programming beginning in the 2004-2005 school year must utilize the most current measure of intellectual functioning. Intellectual results from outdated versions of either scale (the WISC-III or SB: FE) that were obtained prior to August 9, 2004 may still be considered. WISC-III and/or SB: FE scores obtained after August 9, 2004 will not be considered.

ACCEPTANCE OF PARTIAL SCORES FROM WISC-IV AND SB-5

In some situations, part scores from the WISC-IV and SB5 may be a better indicator of a students functioning than the global score. When using the WISC-IV, the publishers suggest that it is appropriate to use the VCI, PRI, or GAI scores for part score interpretation. Publishers of the SB5 state that the VIQ and NVIQ scores are acceptable to use for part score interpretation. Written, clinical justification for using a part score must be provided within the psychoeducational report. For additional information, please reference the 2005-9 Technical Assistance Paper issued by the Florida Department of Education at the following website: http://www.firn.edu/doe/commhome/pdf/y2005-9.pdf

SELECTING AGE APPROPRIATE INSTRUMENTS

Sarasota County Public Schools will not accept scores from measures that do not include a child's chronological age within the normative sample. For example, a child under the age of six should not be given the WISC-IV, as that instrument contains normative data for children aged six-years, zero-months to 16-years, 11-months. Although it may be an intuitively correct assumption that a five-year-old child scoring above 130 on the WISC-IV would be able to maintain and/or improve on that score at age six, there remains no standardized population to compare the child to at the time the test was administered. This lack of standardized comparison sample renders the WISC-IV invalid. A separate, age-appropriate measure (such as the SB5 or WPPSI-III) should be considered.

STANDARD ERROR OF MEASURE (SEM) NOT CONSIDERED IN PLACEMENT PURPOSES

As first discussed in 1996, the Standard Error of Measure (SEM) will not be considered in the eligibility determination of students in the Gifted Program. This decision was informed by a technical assistance paper form the Florida Department of Education and met Sarasota School Board approval.

TO AVOID SUPERIOUSLY HIGH SCORES DUE TO A PRACTICE EFFECT, A PARTICULAR INTELLECTUAL MEASURE WILL ONLY BE CONSIDERED IF IT HAS NOT BEEN ADMINISTERED WITHIN 12 MONTHS.

To avoid any potential difficulties in this area, the Sarasota County Public Schools District strongly recommends private practitioners query their clients regarding any previous evaluations conducted with the child. Regarding standardized academic tests such as the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement-Third Edition (WJ III ACH), examiners may administer "Form B" if "Form A" has been administered within in 12 months. However, if two "Form A" or "Form B" measures are administered within 12-months of each other, the second administration of the same form will be considered invalid. Note: Normative update required starting January 2008 for WJ III ACH.

PROCEDURE FOR SUBMISSION OF PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL REPORTS

It is the parent's responsibility to submit a private evaluator's evaluation to the child's district school during the school year. The ESE Liaison at the district school will coordinate the collection and submission of all data required for gifted program eligibility determination. To assist in this process, the private evaluator is encouraged to include (on the first page of the report) basic information such as the date of evaluation, the child's date of birth, the chronological age of the child at the time of evaluation, and the school the child attends.

NOTE

Gifted Program eligibility is based on a number of factors, including the standardized scores described in a psychoeducational report. In addition to these scores students must demonstrate a need for gifted services as evidenced by outstanding grades and teacher recommendation. All evaluations must include a statement of the examiner's professional judgment as to the reliability/validity of results. In the case of re-evaluations (within 12-months) the report must include a statement of the examiner's professional judgment as to the validity of the need for a second evaluation.

So, what's so great about North Port, Florida, anyway?

If you're looking for a city in sunny Florida that doesn't have the hustle and bustle of a metropolis, look no further than North Port, Florida. Located in Sarasota County on the west coast of Florida, North Port is a city ahead of the curve. Close to some of the most active cities in the state such as Ft. Myers, Tampa, Sarasota, St. Petersburg and Naples, North Port holds its own by being a friendly, clean and spacious place to be. Very few incorporated cities remain as natural; North Port is only 18% developed. 18% may not sound like a lot, but when you consider that North Port is the second largest city in the state of Florida, you begin to realize that North Port has the perfect combination of natural forests, parks and waterways combined with strategically located urban sprawl.

You'll find that North Port is close to everything that makes Florida great; a three-hour drive will put you on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, but less than 25 minutes away and your cheeks will be kissed by the salty breeze of the Gulf of Mexico. Manasota Key, 20 minutes West of North Port has, in my opinion, the most beautiful beaches in the United States. If you don't want to have to drive at all to reach your Floridian paradise, why not buy a home on one of the many canals, waterways or lakes in North Port? Keep your boat in your back yard and relax on your lanai while watching the birds glide by. Speaking of relaxing on your lanai, this is something that can be done year round! One of the many advantages of living in southwest Florida is that the average temperatures are mild - A crisp 63 degrees is the average in January, and a tropical 82.5 is the average in August. We have some of the best and most comfortable weather in the state due to a consistent, cool breeze coming in from the Gulf.

North Port has been a city since 1959, and it's one of the fastest growing cities in Florida. The current population is just under 50,000 but current growth projections show the population escalating to 250,000 in the next 10 to 25 years. The city management of North Port is one of the reasons for the success of the city itself; they have worked to extend and improve sidewalks, have built and are planning smaller neighborhoods within the city, and are constantly improving the aesthetics of the city by maintaining impeccable roadside landscaping. When you drive into North Port from the interstate, you can tell that it's a city that is well maintained friendly and beautiful city. But don't let the luxurious brick crosswalks and lush tropical greenery fool you - North Port is one of few places in southwest Florida where you can actually afford the good life. With an expansive new home inventory and plenty of homes and land for resale, you are sure to get the most bang for your buck.

With the aforementioned 18% development as its cornerstone, North Port boasts 12 parks and recreation areas! Whether you are an experienced bird watcher, a beginning canoeist, or a skateboarder looking for a concrete jungle to grind on, North Port has a park for you. There are plenty of community events to be a part of too, including the Freedom Festival on Independence Day and a Christmas Parade in December. North Port has a new library, a new performance arts center, a new high school, and several new elementary schools...for a city that's been around since the 50's, there is a lot of new things around!

There really is something for everyone in North Port, Florida. Would you prefer a home in a gated community? How about something on the water? How about looking out over a golf course? Or perhaps a quiet 55-and-up community would suit you better? Or even acreage where you can keep and ride your horses? No matter what your dream home is, it can be found in North Port, Florida.

Roxanne & Shannon Moore are a mother-daughter team selling real estate in Charlotte and Sarasota Counties including-North Port, Port Charlotte, Englewood, Venice, Osprey, Nokomis, Sarasota, Punta Gorda and Boca Grande. To search the MLS or find a list of SW Florida communities, visit www.TropicalFloridaProperty.com!