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Last month, Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) hit a school year milestone - 100 days of innovative instruction and continuous student learning for the 2015-2016 academic year. Reaching this milestone, however, has not slowed our momentum. In fact, M-DCPS students, teachers, and employees are moving at full speed seizing opportunities, outperforming other school districts, breaking records, and supporting economic development in Miami-Dade.

This issue of iNews gives you a view of the momentum that consistently elevates our world-class educational programs, initiatives, and community partnerships as well as the standard of excellence that has come to define Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Read about the many ways students benefit from the work of the Foundation for New Education Initiatives. Get the latest news about our cutting-edge magnet and choice programs in Trade & Logistics and Cyber Security. Learn more about the many business opportunity access points for small and minority/women-owned firms through the work of the District’s economic opportunity office. Be inspired by Miami-Dade’s Teacher of the Year Precious Symonette, and share our excitement about record-breaking number of applications for our District magnet programs.

Although exciting, breaking records and leading the state in school and district academic performance are not necessarily new to M-DCPS. We have steadily outpaced similar school districts and the state as a whole on high-stakes, standardized tests. Recently, the Florida Department of Education released the preliminary 2014-2015 School Performance Grades for all schools. Despite the challenges surrounding the Florida Standards Assessments, Miami-Dade’s school performance grades continue to demonstrate the instructional rigor and curriculum development ingenuity of our educators and administrators as well as the academic focus and competency of our students.

As you will read in the stories that follow, M-DCPS is a story of success and achievement, and as remarkable as it may seem, the M-DCPS story just keeps getting better.

Foundation for New Education Initiatives – Giving Our Students the World

More than 73 percent of students attending Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) are registered for free/reduced price lunch. There are currently over 4,000 M-DCPS students not living in permanent housing, all needing personal and family assistance. By the end of the school year, we estimate that number will exceed 6,000. To ensure ALL students benefit from world-class educational opportunities, the Foundation for New Education Initiatives (FNEI) was founded. Created by the Miami-Dade County School Board in 2008, FNEI aims to enhance student achievement and community engagement in support of the school system’s various initiatives and programs.

Among the initiatives supported by FNEI is Project UP-START, M-DCPS’ homeless education program which assists homeless students with school enrollment, transportation, and meals. Through donations and support, students also receive school uniforms, gift cards, and payment for senior events such as prom and Grad Bash. Other donated items are placed in the “UP-START Shop” where students can pick out free clothes, and toiletries.

Cultural Passport Program provides students with equal access to the arts by introducing them to field experiences in partnership with South Florida’s finest cultural organizations and venues. This year alone, more than 55,000 K-12 students have been exposed to the arts through this Foundation-supported program. Combining field experiences with classroom instruction allows students to make meaningful connections that further develop literacy and problem-solving skills, improving their overall student academic performance.

The Foundation has secured hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships for students who otherwise might not have the chance to attend college. Through partnerships with several local charities, merit-based scholarships have been made available to dozens of deserving students.

FNEI also supports the school District’s celebrated Parent Academy, a year-round initiative providing free classes and workshops at more than 200 sites throughout the county. The Parent Academy engages parents by allowing them to become full partners in their children’s education.

As a public/private enterprise, the Foundation can only succeed with the involvement and resources from all sectors of the community. Throughout the year, the Foundation hosts several events to raise funds to support its mission. Last month, the inaugural “For the Love of Learning Gala,” an elegant, black-tie evening with dinner and live entertainment, was held and raised over $580,000. On April 2nd, the Superintendent's Challenge, a 5K run/walk promoting health and wellness within M-DCPS and the community at large, will take place at Museum Park in Downtown Miami. The race looks to draw over 2,000 participants in its first year. Tickets are $30 for adults and $10 for students. We hope you can join us.

For more information about FNEI or upcoming events, please visit: www.giveourstudentstheworld.org

Magnet Enrollment Skyrockets!

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) ended its open enrollment period for magnet programs on January 15th and received a record number of applications. This year’s applications outnumbered the previous year by thousands, indicating that parents are recognizing the value and quality of the school district’s diverse magnet programs.

For more than 50 years, M-DCPS has been at the forefront of the choice movement in education, having established Henry S. West Laboratory School in 1954, as an experimental school of choice associated with the School of Education at the University of Miami. Magnet programs began in 1973 with the opening of a center for the Expressive Arts in the heart of the urban core.

M-DCPS offers the most educational choices in Florida. As of the 2015-16 school year more than 60% of the students in Miami-Dade select a choice option. That is more than 215,000 students.

The District offers more than 500 choice programs, including 375 innovative magnets personalized to meet students’ interests, talents and individualized needs. This school year, the new offerings include 16 new magnet programs in 12 schools in the areas of Sciences, Mathematics, Multimedia Entertainment Technology, Legal Studies, and Visual Arts and new offerings are expected next year.

Two of these new offerings aim to help the next generation of local workers prepare for high demand jobs. JPMorgan Chase has invested $230,000 to support two innovative NAF Career and Technical Education career academy programs in Global Trade & Logistics and Cybersecurity, two of the seven targeted industries identified by the Beacon Council as top growth sectors in Miami. Participating students will earn industry certifications to open paths for immediate workforce readiness or postsecondary education.

For additional information on any of our exciting programs, call 305-995-1922 or visit www.miamimagnets.org.

Beating the Odds of the FSA

Every year, Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) waits with anticipation for the release of the schools report card from the Florida Department of Education (FDOE). The schools report card is critical for our community, as it is the indicator of how our education system is performing. For the 2014-2015 schools year, the State of Florida implemented new Florida Standards Assessments (FSA) which caused confusion, conflict, and controversy leading to lower school grades across the state. However, Miami-Dade County Public Schools teachers and students did well in comparison to the rest of the state.

The implementation of the FSA in our schools was no easy task. There were numerous computer glitches; students were assessed against much higher standards and time constraints made it impossible for educators to adequately prepare through staff and professional development. Although confident in our students and teachers’ capabilities, the expectation was that schools would not fare well in this testing cycle. Despite many challenges, M-DCPS performed much better than the state regarding A-rated schools. In fact, statewide only 36 percent of schools were A-rated, compared to 39 percent in Miami-Dade.

The State and neighboring school districts also witnessed an increase in F-rated schools. Six percent of schools in the state were rated “F”, and in districts adjacent to M-DCPS, the percentage rate was as high as 10 to 12 percent. There was no increase in the number of F-rated schools in Miami-Dade. Despite the changes and difficulties surrounding the administration of the new FSA, M-DCPS improved in student and school performance. Just one point away from being an A-rated school district, the M-DCPS family has reason to celebrate. Unlike other Florida school districts, Miami-Dade’s poverty and diversity are unparalleled and one would expect a lower performance due to these additional challenges. Nearly 77,000 of our students were required to sit for an exam while still learning how to speak English. These are challenges not felt in other districts, which make our FSA results even more impressive. Our teachers, students, parents, and employees should take great pride in this extraordinary accomplishment - beating the odds of the FSA.

Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Wins Prestigious Education Prize

Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho was recently named winner of the 2016 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education. Carvalho will receive the U.S. K-12 prize for his “exemplary leadership in raising standards and improving graduation rates in a complex urban district, which is an outstanding model for others.”

Carvalho has served as Miami-Dade’s Superintendent since 2008, shepherding the nation’s fourth largest school district with remarkable success in what has become known as “the Miami Miracle”--Significantly increased graduation rates, a narrowing of the achievement gap, and a return to fiscal health. Dozens of new programs, including Carvalho’s own iPrep Academy, are offered to students each year. Carvalho has dedicated himself not only to ensuring student success in the classroom, but also to finding solutions to the community violence that has been claiming student lives. Carvalho was named National Superintendent of the Year in 2014. Born in Portugal, he was the first person in his family to graduate from high school, and arrived in the U.S. at age 17 speaking no English.

The Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education honors innovation and has become one of the most prestigious educational awards since its founding in 1988. The Prize recognizes outstanding individuals who have dedicated themselves to improving education through new approaches and whose accomplishments are making a difference today. Honorees receive an award of $50,000 and a bronze sculpture.

The Prize ceremony will be held at the ASU GSV Education Innovation Summit in San Diego in April.

M-DCPS OEO: Providing Opportunities for Our Community

One thing is certain, business-to-business relationships are booming as a result of the work of Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ (M-DCPS) Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO). The OEO was created to promote the economic development and growth of Small/Micro Business Enterprises and Minority/Women Business Enterprises through its certification program, community outreach, contract review and monitoring activities. It strives to ensure that local SBEs, MBEs, and M/WBEs have the maximum opportunity to do business with the school district, ensuring equal opportunity for all segments of the contracting community. Since 2013, OEO has certified over 760 businesses in both construction and non-construction areas.

In order to reinforce the school district’s commitment to equity and allow for greater Minority/Women Business Enterprise participation, the School Board recently voted to amend the policy to include Broward and Palm Beach counties as a “principal place of business eligibility requirement” for construction and construction-related firms.

Any construction company seeking to work with M-DCPS as a prime contractor on capital or maintenance construction projects must be prequalified by the District. To assist firms seeking guidance with the prequalification process, the OEO holds an annual Prequalification Workshop. Last year’s workshop was attended by more than 65 participants. The Prequalification Application may be completed online at prequalification.dadeschools.net.

The OEO Compliance Section certifies that prime contractors are fulfilling the small business goals set on the contract awarded. This section monitors the level of Small, Micro and M/WBE utilization by vendors with applicable goals established by the Goal Setting Committee. Site visits are often completed by Compliance to determine adherence to established goals.

The OEO participates in many community outreach events to assist firms who want to know how to do business with M-DCPS. The District hosted a local workforce event at Miami Central Senior High School that focused on employment, doing business with M-DCPS, small business and minority certification, and technical training opportunities with M-DCPS local vocational adult education programs.

We are addressing past disparities and ensuring inclusion of historically underrepresented businesses through innovation and with the development of new programs. A pilot program in the selection process for architects and contractors has resulted in increased participation of M/WBE firms

Another important goal of the OEO is to promote employment opportunities for local residents. OEO staff has revised contracts to establish local workforce goals for residents living in the vicinity of construction projects. In addition to the recent event at Miami Central Senior High, the OEO has hosted workforce events at Miami Norland Senior High School and at Miami Northwestern Senior High School.

M-DCPS and OEO will continue to lead the way empowering local businesses and providing opportunities for Minority/Women-owned businesses. The OEO team has an open door policy and welcomes your visits, questions and input. OEO staff can be reached at 305-995-1307 Monday through Friday from 8:00 am- 4:30 pm or at oeo.dadeschools.net.

iNspiration @MDCPS

A shining example of perseverance and determination, Sterling has not allowed obstacles stop him from achieving his goals.

Name: Sterling Velazquez

School: 12th grade student at School for Advanced Studies (Kendall Campus)

Accomplishments: Despite a serious medical diagnosis when he was 15, Sterling Velazquez continues to achieve at the School for Advanced Studies, where his weighted GPA of 5.04 places him in the top group of high school seniors graduating in this year. He will graduate from Miami Dade College in May with an Associate of Arts degree, more than a month before he graduates from high school.

Fun facts About Sterling:

• Sterling has applied to Stanford and MIT and would like to major in Computer Engineering and Computer Science. His dream is to one day work as a technological innovator with a company such as Cisco, Intel, or Apple.
• For fun, Sterling plays the piano.
• He is an accomplished math student and tutors children at Coral Park Elementary School.
• He is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society at Miami Dade College.

iNspiration @MDCPS

A tireless educator, transformer, and leader, meet the 2017 Francisco R. Walker Teacher of the Year.

Name: Precious Symonette

Occupation: Creative Writing Teacher at Miami Norland Senior High School

Accomplishments: Precious has been teaching students for ten years. She is the co-founder of the academic cohort “Knowledge is Connected” at Miami Norland Senior High School. Precious launched the Freedom Writers Writing Gala when she taught at Charles R. Drew Middle School and continues the tradition at Miami Norland, where she also launched the Viking Freedom Writers Creative Writing Club in 2013. She is an official Freedom Writers Teacher.

Fun facts About Precious:

• After graduating from Clark Atlanta University, she became a world traveler, living in Costa Rica, Ghana, and the British Virgin Islands.
• She once worked as a travel writer.
• Precious is one of only two Freedom Writers Teachers in South Florida.

iNfact

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