Wednesday, July 10, 2013

NEWS RELEASE: JUNE 1 - 30, 2013



I apologize for these coming out so late.

June 1-3, 2013

Special needs students learn job skills at local employers
Bright Horizons student Harrison Ragno hums as he puts nuts, bolts and a metal plate in a plastic bag with the help of his teacher, Julie Levelis-Davis. The 14-year-old is a student at the Pompano Beach special needs school, and one of 30 students who are gaining work skills through a partnership with Fort Lauderdale-based Q'Straint, a wheelchair safety and mobility company.

Fundraiser held for boy, 14, run over by county bus
It didn't take much persuasion to get about 300 middle school students to walk under the sweltering heat for almost two hours Friday. In fact, they all paid to have the honor. The students at CrystalLake Middle School in PompanoBeach spent much of Friday circling the school's running track in a walkathon to raise money for the family of fellow classmate Jerry Cunningham, 14, who was run over by a bus three weeks ago.

Students surprised with bikes at school
A group of students recently got a special surprise at GulfstreamMiddle School in HallandaleBeach. The 27 students received new bicycles as recognition for their academic success and their positive impact in the community.

Summer Camps for Children in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties
There are still lots of options for camps during the summer. Whether it's building and programming robots, or learning to design video games, children can do it at
summer camp. Darin Koch, a South Broward High School teacher said: "I'm seeing a bunch of parents that instead of having their kids home, playing a game
during the summer, they want to send their kid to a camp where they can get something out of it."

Author claims yoga calms special-needs kids
Some South Florida children with autism are finding refuge from loud noises, bright lights and stress by learning a new technique to calm themselves: yoga. ….For the past three years, Goldberg has taught yoga to children in the autism program at CoconutCreek Elementary School. She has developed a variety of approaches for finding a pleasing pose for each disabled child she encounters.

Record charter school closings prompt calls for more accountability
When Next Generation Charter School in LauderdaleLakes abruptly closed its doors in April, the Broward School district was left scrambling to find classrooms for the 160 students that suddenly had no place to learn. "They did not inform us of their intent to close," said Jody Perry, director of charter schools support in the district. "It's very disconcerting, children become attached to their environment and to uproot them is hard."

June 4, 2013

Gov. Scott honors prom-bound student heroes
Several students from one local high school were honored by Gov. Rick Scott for stopping on their way to prom to render aid to crash victims. One by one, the 21 students and their limo driver Danny Izzy were handed a Florida Highway Patrol Certification of Appreciation at Western High School in Davie, Monday morning.

Gov. Rick Scott Makes His Way To South~Florida
A group of teens who helped rescue several people from a rolled over van have received a special recognition award from Gov. Rick Scott. Monday morning Gov. Scott stopped at Western High School in Davie and presented the 20 students with the Florida~Highway Patrol Certification of Appreciation.~

Gov. Rick Scott spends day in South Florida
Gov. Rick Scott is spending the day in South Florida for several events. He will visit Western High School in Davie on Monday morning. Scott will present 21 students and limo driver Danny Izzi with the Florida Highway Patrol Certification of Appreciation for helping to save seven people from an overturned vehicle.

Gov. Rick Scott recognizes Western High School students for helping crash victims
Florida Gov. Rick Scott made a very special visit to 21 Western High School students on Monday to recognize them for being prom night heroes.

Good writing leads to good riding
Forget pats on the back. Fifteen Sunrise fourth-graders are getting the red carpet treatment for earning their school's highest FCAT writing scores. The Sawgrass Elementary students will board a stretch limo Tuesday and then ride to Bimini Boatyard, a waterfront restaurant, for lunch.

Manatee Bay Elem. and math equals number~one
Some South Florida 5th graders added a new award to the trophy case, Monday, for being the best in the country at math. Out of six thousand schools around the~United States, Manatee Bay Elementary in Weston placed first in a program called First in Math that credits students and schools for excellence in math.

Robbery puts school in lockdown; hoax bomb threat adds confusion
A Lauderhill teen who had already been suspended from Millennium Middle School in Tamarac told classmates that he put bombs around the school campus, investigators say. But it was a nearby strong-arm robbery, not a bomb threat, that caused the school to go into lockdown Monday.

Student questioned in middle school evacuation
The Broward County Sheriff's Office is reporting that they are questioning a suspended student from Millennium Middle School regarding a suspicious device found on campus that forced the school's evacuation as well as a nearby elementary school.

Broward Schools Evacuated Due To Suspicious~Device
Millennium Middle School and Challenger Elementary School in Tamarac were evacuated Monday afternoon and a student was taken into custody after a suspicious device was found.

Suspended Student Detained in Tamarac Hoax Device Incident: Authorities
About 1,750 students from two schools were evacuated after what looked like an explosive device was found, authorities said.
June 5, 2013

Good writing leads to good riding
Forget pats on the back. Fifteen Sunrise fourth-graders are getting the red carpet treatment for earning their school's highest FCAT writing scores. The Sawgrass Elementary students will board a stretch limo Tuesday and then ride to Bimini Boatyard, a waterfront restaurant, for lunch.
It's really the last day as 3 schools shut down
When the dismissal bell rings Thursday, it literally will be the last day of classes at three Fort Lauderdale schools. They will be converted to other uses as part of the district's plan to overhaul low-performing and underenrolled schools. There'll be no more congregating in the courtyard of Arthur Ashe Middle before class, no more kickball and flag football on the grounds of Lauderdale Manors Elementary and no circus or underwater-themed proms inside the auditorium at Sunset, a K-12 special needs center.
June 6, 2013

Tequesta Trace middle-schoolers create artwork for Sheriff's Office
Acrylic on 18 canvases form a colorful scene of alligators, owls and a panther roaming the Florida Everglades — artwork commissioned by the Broward Sheriff'sOffice from the hands of seventh- and eighth-graders. The 7-by-4 mosaic mural, created by Tequesta Trace Middle School students in Weston,was unveiled Wednesday, and hangs from the lobby of BSO's headquarters on Broward Boulevard.

Sun Sentinel names Broward All-County athletes for spring
A special section honoring the top athletes in high school spring sports.
Players of the Year talk about who they'd like to take a picture with in the photo booth.
June 8 -10, 2013

Margate Middle Students Say Goodbye to a Teacher they Love
Some say she’s their second mom. Others wrote songs and told her how much they appreciate what she has done for them. One thing is certain, the Margate Middle School Chorus will miss Sylvia Williamson.

Cooper City High student to receive Best in Class Attendance Award
Cooper City High School senior Eugene Cho will receive Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) Best in Class Attendance Award for his near perfect attendance from kindergarten to 12th grade. Eugene will be honored for his attendance achievement throughout his 13 years of school at the School Board meeting on Tuesday, June 11 at 1:45 p.m. at the Kathleen C. Wright Administration Center, 600 SE Third Avenue, Fort Lauderdale.

Florida test scores rise or plateau, but school grades likely to drop
South Florida’s students performed as well or better than last year in most every field tested in 2013 by the state. But schools, and by extension teachers, are likely to be judged more harshly in the coming months as Florida implements more rigorous standards….Broward Superintendent Robert Runcie said scores were “stable.”

U.S. News & World Report ranks Broward schools highly
U.S. News & World Report has ranked several Broward County high schools among the best in the nation. According to a Broward County Public Schools news release, the magazine awarded schools gold, silver or bronze medals based on state proficiency standards, exams, how well students are prepared for college and other factors.

Schools close, but the kitchen stays open
Classes closed for the summer last week, but the cafeteria is still open at dozens of South Florida schools. Kitchens in Miami-Dade and Broward counties begin serving breakfast and lunch Monday as part of a USDA-funded summer meals program that aims to keep children from going hungry while school is out.

17 Broward Schools make statistically significant improvements in FCAT scores
Today, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) released the 2012-13 Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test 2.0 (FCAT 2.0) Reading, Mathematics, and Science results.

Broward FCAT math scores disappoint
State test scores proved to be a mixed bag for Broward schools, with big gains on algebra exams, but disappointing middle school FCAT math results.

More scores for FCAT, end-of-course exams released
The state Department of Education on Friday released the rest of the FCAT scores along with end-of-course assessments.

Broward debate: What to do with old portables?
Getting rid of the old comes at a price. And for the Broward School District, its growing fleet of aging portables is proving to be a costly problem. The School Board on Monday will discuss a plan to remove 1,180 portables older than 20 years.

Pines asks charter school teachers to take pay cut
An A-rated charter school system with a 96 percent graduation rate is struggling to keep its doors open and to adequately pay its high-quality teachers. The Pembroke Pines Charter School System is projecting a $2.4 million budget shortfall for the 2013-14 school year and has no money to pay the 330 school teachers their contracted raises — despite getting more money from the state, say city officials.
 June 12, 2013

Nova Southeastern University names Broward Public Schools as Outstanding Community Partner of the Year
Nova Southeastern University (NSU) President and CEO George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D., along with Kimberly Durham, Psy.D., chairperson, NSU’s Quality of Life Council (QOL), recently recognized Broward County Public Schools as recipient of the university’s “Outstanding Community Partner of the Year.”

Teachers learn about Holocaust at summer institute
One teacher was interested in the connection between music and the Holocaust. Another learned about the Holocaust from Jewish friends when they were growing up in Miami and wanted to learn more. And another teacher wanted to expand his knowledge about the Holocaust after taking a March of the Living trip to Poland last summer.

Some Broward schools will change start, dismissal times
Some BrowardCounty students will get to sleep in for more than two hours after the School Board approved changes to start and dismissal times Tuesday. The board approved changes at 23 schools to streamline bus routes and save the transportation department roughly $550,000 next year.

Complete list of schools, time changes
The Broward School Board voted Tuesday to change start and dismissal times for 23 schools.

Broward teachers say they were shut out of selection process for new principals
The Broward school district’s plan to shuffle low-performing principals — a strategy that angered principals when it was unveiled earlier this year — has now sparked outrage among some parents and teachers.  Their complaint: Once the district removed the principals it deemed underperforming, it allowed some of them to fill the same positions elsewhere, and in at least two cases it appears the district guided the hiring process so that displaced principals were the favored candidates for the job.
Nova Southeastern University names Broward Public Schools as Outstanding Community Partner of the Year
Nova Southeastern University (NSU) President and CEO George L. Hanbury II, Ph.D., along with Kimberly Durham, Psy.D., chairperson, NSU’s Quality of Life Council (QOL), recently recognized Broward County Public Schools as recipient of the university’s “Outstanding Community Partner of the Year.”

Teachers learn about Holocaust at summer institute
One teacher was interested in the connection between music and the Holocaust. Another learned about the Holocaust from Jewish friends when they were growing up in Miami and wanted to learn more. And another teacher wanted to expand his knowledge about the Holocaust after taking a March of the Living trip to Poland last summer.

Some Broward schools will change start, dismissal times
Some BrowardCounty students will get to sleep in for more than two hours after the School Board approved changes to start and dismissal times Tuesday. The board approved changes at 23 schools to streamline bus routes and save the transportation department roughly $550,000 next year.

Complete list of schools, time changes
The Broward School Board voted Tuesday to change start and dismissal times for 23 schools.

Broward teachers say they were shut out of selection process for new principals
The Broward school district’s plan to shuffle low-performing principals — a strategy that angered principals when it was unveiled earlier this year — has now sparked outrage among some parents and teachers.  Their complaint: Once the district removed the principals it deemed underperforming, it allowed some of them to fill the same positions elsewhere, and in at least two cases it appears the district guided the hiring process so that displaced principals were the favored candidates for the job.
 June 19, 2013
Broward County Public Schools and Broward Teachers Union reach tentative agreement for the 2012/13 school year
On Friday, June 7, 2013, Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) and the Broward Teachers Union – Technical Support Professionals (BTU-TSP) unit reached a tentative agreement for the 2012/13 school year. BCPS and BTU agreed to a 2% salary increase for approximately 462 employees, represented by the BTU, effective April 1, 2013.

(Same story as above)
Broward Schools, Broward Teachers Union – technical, supervisory and professional employees reach tentative agreement for the 2012/13 school year

Broward County solid waste and recycling services and partner cities remove nearly a ton of litter during “Great American Cleanup 2013”
Approximately 2,000 pounds of litter were removed from Broward County school grounds as part of the Great American Cleanup (GAC) 2013. Between March 1 and May 31, Solid Waste and Recycling Services worked with “Keep Broward Beautiful” partner cities and volunteer students to coordinate the drive. Horizon Elementary School in Sunrise picked up the greatest amount of litter, removing 240 pounds in just two hours. In Hollywood, Driftwood Middle School students removed 234 pounds of litter, with Atlantic Tech in Coconut Creek close behind with 233 pounds.
 
June 20, 2013

A high note: McArthur High wins 46 new instruments
It was music to their ears: a classroom project turned profitable to the tune of $38,000. Now students at McArthur High in Hollywood won't have to share instruments or play on battered brass.

Five Broward County Public Schools (BCPS)
Five Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) students are members of an elite class of 2013 Gates Millennium Scholars

City of Lauderdale Lakes announces recycling logo/slogan winners
The City of Lauderdale Lakes announces the winners of the City’s Logo/Slogan contest for Earth Day, made possible through a grant from the Broward County Solid Waste and Recycling Services Division. As part of the City’s Earth Day events, Lauderdale Lakes Middle School eighth graders participated in a design contest related to sustainability and the environment.

Broward schools face major technology crisis
Broward schools are falling behind when it comes to technology and there's not much they can do about it.  On Tuesday, the School Board discussed its capital budget, that pays for technology, transportation and large construction projects.

C. H. A. N. G. E.
The schools in District 5 are facing some major changes this upcoming 2013-2014 school year. On Monday, June 3, District 5 School Board Representative Dr. Rosalind Osgood along with Superintendent Robert Runcie hosted an information session at Arthur Ashe Middle School.
 June 26, 2013

School wins national math contest
A Weston school took the top spot against more than 6,000 schools across the United States in the First in Math online program. Fifth-graders from Manatee Bay Elementary School worked hard honing their math skills through game-style activities, solving close to 3.8 million problems in all.

Youngster helps the hard of hearing
Rachel Friedman marked an important milestone in Jewish life with a fundraising effort that generated more than $4,000. The student at Falcon Cove Middle School in Weston took the money raised from her bat mitzvah project and donated it to the Dr. Jack Mills Scholarship Fund, which helps provide hearing aids and other services to those who wouldn't be able to afford them otherwise.
School wins national math contest
A Weston school took the top spot against more than 6,000 schools across the United States in the First in Math online program. Fifth-graders from Manatee Bay Elementary School worked hard honing their math skills through game-style activities, solving close to 3.8 million problems in all.

Youngster helps the hard of hearing
Rachel Friedman marked an important milestone in Jewish life with a fundraising effort that generated more than $4,000. The student at Falcon Cove Middle School in Weston took the money raised from her bat mitzvah project and donated it to the Dr. Jack Mills Scholarship Fund, which helps provide hearing aids and other services to those who wouldn't be able to afford them otherwise.
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