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.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/crime/fl-kids-walk-for-teen-run-over-20130531,0,1655606.story
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.
http://www.swbrowardforum.com/stories/533508-news-u-s-news-world-report-ranks-broward-schools-highly
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
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
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.
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.