Home of the Bengals, Bartels Middle School sits at the entrance to the Live Oak Preserve gated community in the northern reaches of Hillsborough County. Approximately 900 students attend the school, which is named for the late and local counselor/teacher Nancy Bartels.
The school, which threw open its doors in 2005, features both before-school and after-school programs. Its mission statement is: "We will provide an educational experience that will foster community spirit, cultivate confidence, develop academic skills that promote college readiness and ignite a passion for life-long learning."
The principal as of the 2010-11 school year is Nadine Johnson.