About a year and a half ago, Alexandre Antanaitis moved from Brazil to the United States with his family. They settled in south Florida and he enrolled in South Broward High School. As his teachers describe it, it was the school’s computer science program that gave him direction in a “literal foreign land.” Not only […]
When It Storms On Education: A Teacher’s View
Nothing signals a return to normal as taking our kids back to school after a hurricane. But, the truth is what happens between the time we all secure our homes and when our kids return to school (and even after return) often goes unseen. We forget teachers are parents too, and schools never really close. […]
Deadline Is Closing To Add Our Touch To The Master Plan. Chime In!
The master plan which governs the way Florida handles its education issues is currently under construction. The plan is in the phase where we, as citizens and parents, get to chime in before it moves forward. This is our chance!! We only have until July 31. Why should you care? Whether or not your have school-age children, education […]
Letter From Broward Superintendent: All-Call To Governor Rick Scott
In a conversation with Superintendent Runcie a few weeks ago, he said Tallahassee is where the real action happens, not the federal level. He was right in the fact that the decisions made in our state capital are the ones that hit us hardest… and the latest one is a doozy! A letter from the Superintendent hit every […]
Focus on Kids, Not Adults, To Build 21st Century Learning: Superintendent Robert Runcie
It’s not easy to get an audience with the person holding the highest office in the school district, so when we do we take full advantage. We get the parent-insider on big ticket items from the superintendent of Broward County Public Schools, Robert Runcie. In our first conversation last month Runcie was serious about staying focused on our schools and […]
The Littlest Lady Wins the Biggest Prize- Elaine Saef, Broward Principal of the Year 2017
The leadership of a principal permeates the school building. Elaine Saef pours her heart and soul into Panther Run Elementary. And, when she finaled for 2017 Principal of the Year, about a third of the over 1000 guests came just to support her. Her win was a raucous celebration of love. “This school is family. Everyone is […]
The Virtual Leadership of Christopher McGuire Is Changing School Choice
I’m not sure which I found more intriguing: the fact that a virtual school principal has made finalist for the prestigious Principal of the Year award, or that virtual schools are a real school choice for families in Florida. I met Christopher McGuire at his finalist interview. He leads Broward Virtual Schools (BVS), one of the […]
Choice Goes Virtual And May Never Go Back
17 year old Micah is a transplant from Trinidad. She’s in the 11th grade, a member of the National Honors Society and the President of Key Club. And, she attends Broward Virtual Schools (BVS) full time. Virtual school is just as it sounds; classrooms are transported virtually through the power of software and the internet […]
Using Twitter To Connect Students- Ty Thompson, Principal of Broward’s 2nd Largest High School
Stoneman Douglas High has over 3500 students, yet Principal Ty Thompson has managed to create a community where students feel connected to him AND their school. His use of Twitter has transformed the way he communicates with students, staff and parents alike. Up for 2017 Principal of the Year, Thompson shares his hopes for changes in testing, and the future of Stoneman […]
On The Way To School Choice the DOE Just Kicked Over All The Signs Parents Need To Choose Schools
The Department of Education (DOE) no longer requires each school to report one overall score or rating of their performance, and as a parent I feel cheated. Why? Because there was no replacement offered to give parents an easy way of knowing how our schools are doing. It’s fine if the new DOE administration doesn’t feel the method of single-rating is useful to […]