WEEK OF FEBRUARY 15, 2023
VOLUME 61, NUMBER 13
City council talks post-storm policies, more By TIFFANY REPECKI
trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
Island school reopens more than four months after storm By TIFFANY REPECKI
trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
he islands celebrated another milestone last week on the road to recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. On Feb. 8, The Sanibel School reopened to students and staff more than four months after the near Category 5 storm swept through the region, devastating Sanibel and Captiva in particular
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with several feet of surge and and high force winds and leaving a path of destruction behind for many islanders. “I honestly was amazed that we were going to be back before the end of the school year,” Principal Jamie Reid said. “The fact that we could open as early as Feb. 8 is absolutely astounding.” Excitement and fanfare marked the first day back for the island community. Before opening the school's gates, a rib-
bon cutting — with a confetti machine — took place on the front steps. “The parents were here early, the kids were here, the teachers were here,” she said. See SCHOOL REOPENS, page 10
The Sanibel City Council approved some policy changes after receiving posthurricane recovery updates from city staff during its recent meeting, as well as heard a presentation on the final report for the Recreation Comprehensive Assessment and then reviewed the consultant's recommendations. On Feb. 7, the council acted on proposals brought forward by city department officials during their poststorm updates, including rescinding the city's curfew that was initiated after Hurricane Ian. Sanibel Police Department Police Chief William “Bill” Dalton suggested lifting the curfew, which council last month agreed to change to midnight to 6 a.m., or amending it again to midnight to 5 a.m. He also recommended that the SPD stop with the weekly police blotter that it has been publishing. “I think we'll be fine,” Dalton said of lifting the curfew, adding that it would be a step toward normal and could always be reinstated by proclamation. “I'm confident we can handle things either way.” City Manager Dana Souza agreed, describing the proposal as reasonable. See CITY COUNCIL, page 3
IslanderInsIde
The community celebrated the reopening of The Sanibel School on Feb. 8 with a ribbon cutting. THE SANIBEL SCHOOL PTA
Sanibel educator named on Golden Apple finalist list Another is a Teacher of Distinction By TIFFANY REPECKI
trepecki@breezenewspapers.com
The Foundation for Lee County Public Schools recently announced the 36th Annual Golden Apple Teacher Recognition Program finalists, and an island educator made the list for the first time. Made up of community and business leaders, the foundation's Golden Apple Selection Committee is charged with the task of reviewing and ranking the applications to select 30 finalists. One step in narrowing down the applications is picking 100 educators for recognition as Teachers of Distinction. “The teaching profession is
the most important profession I can think of. Teachers prepare our community's greatest asset, our children, to become productive and positive members of our community,” foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Marshall T. Bower said. “The foundation's board of directors understands that the cornerstone of a thriving economy is a good education. Teachers make that possible.” “After all this community has been through over the past several years with a pandemic and a hugely destructive hurricane, teachers, once again, have been our community heroes,” he added. “These 30
Golden Apple finalists are representative of all our outstanding teachers in the School District of Lee County.” Among the finalists is Stephanie Yanik, who teaches middle-school math at The Sanibel School. In addition, second-grade teacher Alexis Camputaro at the island school is a Teacher of Distinction. “I was truly honored and humbled that I was selected
from such an amazing group of outstanding teachers,” Yanik said of her first time being named a finalist. “Truly, I appreciate this honor.” The 2022-23 school year is her first one working at the Sanibel school. Yanik previously taught math for three years at Lexington Middle School in Fort Myers. It was her first time teaching the subject. “I'm going into my fourth year with the district,” she said of the Lee County school system. Prior to teaching in Florida, Yanik taught art for about six years in Honolulu, Hawaii. See GOLDEN APPLE, page 5
alsOInsIdetOday Guest Commentary........................4 Web Poll.........................................4 Captiva Current..........................6-7 Business......................................8 Preserving Paradise.....................12 Island Living................................14 Sports.........................................15 Classifieds 24