Stay iNformed and Connected

It’s back to school and back to academic and classroom excellence for Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ teachers and students. The excitement of the new school year is palpable as students, teachers, principals, parents, and the community prepared for the opening day on August 21st.

More than 355,000 students entered schools and classrooms that are brimming with technology and instructional resources to make the school year engaging and exciting. Our team of highly effective and talented teachers and visionary school leaders worked around the clock to ensure a smooth opening of schools for our students and their parents.

While the school year may be new, our focus on student achievement and rigorous instruction is not. We started the school year with a commitment to continue our legacy of inspiring children to reach beyond the familiar and soar to heights of academic excellence, launching 55 new choice/magnet programs and 27 initiatives bringing the total number of choice programs to more than 950.

While we are always optimistic, we know that the 2017-2018 school year will not be without challenges. Recent state legislative action has made that woefully clear. With the passage of HB7069, districts, including Miami-Dade, opened schools potentially facing catastrophic budget shortfalls. In spite of this recent decision, we will continue to urge lawmakers to make funding decisions that do not harm the classroom nor undermine student achievement, but honor the exceptional work of teachers and the steady increase in achievement among students.

This year promises to be another remarkable year of robust and rigorous instruction, increased student achievement, and school success. Parents and students can find a wealth of information about the exciting programs offered in Miami-Dade County Public Schools by browsing the 2017-2018 Back-To-School Toolkit at dadeschools.net or following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Staying connected to the school district 24 hours a day, 7 days a week is just a keypad touch away. Remember to download the Dadeschools mobile app for up-to-the-minute school and district news and information.

Bold New Programs and Initiatives to Continue Academic Success

“We unveiled a wide array of new course offerings and District programs that further cement our position as a school district at the forefront of instructional ingenuity, efficiency, equity and access,” said Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho. “Our students, parents, education partners and community have come to expect vigorous, cutting-edge academic programs that prepare our students for success in and beyond the classroom. Currently, 65.8 percent of Miami-Dade‘s public school students are enrolled in non-traditional programs. Our goal is to achieve 100 percent choice in every zip code by 2020. The future is with us and we are ready.”

Fifty-five new choice/magnet programs and 27 initiatives were created or enhanced for 2017-2018. These new courses bring the total of choice programs to over 950.

In addition, M-DCPS’ students, teachers, schools and programs wrapped up the last school year with an impressive array of honors and achievements. Among M-DCPS’ growing list of accolades are the following:

Record-Breaking Graduation Rate – The 2015-2016 graduation rate reached an all-time high of 84 percent, exceeding the average of other large Florida school districts.

High Schools Among America’s Best – M-DCPS is home to seven of the top 100 high schools in the country and half of the schools in Florida’s Top 20, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

Nationally-Recognized NAF Academies – Academies received more Distinguished and Model designations from the National Academy Foundation (NAF) than any other school district in the nation.

Magnet Programs Shine Nationwide – For the sixth straight year, the District earned more Magnet Schools of America (MSA) Merit Awards than any other school district in the nation, receiving 42 awards.

In order to provide students with seamless, flexible access to educational content as well as instructional continuity, we continued the Digital Convergence initiative, expanding the use of technology to support academic achievement. Over the last year we added approximately 35,000 mobile devices (laptops and tablets) to the 104,000 that were deployed last year, replaced 8,000 teacher desktops, installed 900 additional interactive boards, and sent 500 computers home with our youngest learners through the JumpStart Connect@Home program. We will continue to expand digital convergence throughout 2017-2018.

This access to technology is integral as our District strives to engage students in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) to ensure our community has the next generation of inventors, explorers, innovators, artists and leaders. That is why last year we launched the Betsy Kaplan Music Education Project, providing comprehensive music education to students in underserved communities within the Miami Northwestern feeder pattern in the Central region and the Miami Norland feeder pattern in the North region. An investment of more than $500,000, this initiative has increased music opportunities and strengthened the performing arts programs through a feeder pattern approach. For the 2017-2018 school year, we are expanding this initiative in the south region of our community.

Over the last nine years, M-DCPS has reinvented the schooling experience by putting the classroom at the fingertips of students allowing anytime, anywhere access to curriculum and instruction; while simultaneously providing teachers with almost instant data they may use to help drive more effective instruction.

Miami-Dade as a District, and many of our educators, administrators, and students, have received numerous recognitions and accolades over the past year. This collective success is a strong reflection of the work, passion, sacrifice, and determination of every member of our world-class education family.

Historic Achievement @MDCPS: No ‘F’ Schools

We started the school year with a commitment to continue our legacy of inspiring children to reach beyond the familiar and soar to heights of academic excellence. For the first time since the State issued school performance grades in 1999, there is not a single district-managed “F” school in Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS). More exciting, the 2017-2018 year begins with an astounding 66 percent of schools in the district rated “A” or “B”. A deeper analysis shows that at 39 percent, the percentage of ‘A’ rated schools in Miami-Dade surpasses that of the state. This is an increase of 9 percentage points from last year for the district.

The trend over the past few years demonstrates the improvement made by M-DCPS:

• 2014-15 – 16 “F” schools
• 2015-16 – 7 “F”’ schools
• 2016-17 – 0 “F” schools

Higher percentages of M-DCPS schools received “A” ratings in 2017 than those in all other large Florida districts, including Broward, Hillsborough, Duval, Palm Beach and Orange. M-DCPS also received higher ratings than the state and these counties when examining the percentage of schools scoring “A” and “B”; and when combined across “A” and “B” ratings.

While we will never label nor limit students’ ability and potential to excel, we must celebrate this remarkable achievement and the steady gains in student academic progress.

Real-World Experience for our Future Leaders

Over the summer break, juniors and seniors at Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) gained new skills and work experience. The Summer Youth Internship Program opened the doors of opportunity to more than 1,700 high school students who were ready to jumpstart their professional journey with leading businesses and institutions in our community.

M-DCPS interns are now well-prepared for the new school year. Many of the students participating in this unique enrichment program already possess some experience in the field in which they are interning for by being part of their school’s magnet or career academy programs. For businesses and students, this is a win-win situation. Our interns bring fresh ideas and new perspectives that help companies grow a competitive advantage, and at the same time, business leaders are grooming our students to become the future leaders of our community.

Whether you are passionate about the arts, engineering, political science, or the culinary arts, there are internship options for every student. Through community partnerships, M-DCPS enabled students to gain new experiences and pursue their career goals early on. At M-DCPS, our students never stop learning.

To learn more about the Summer Youth Internship Program, visit https://miami.getmyinterns.org/.

Your Bond Dollars at Work

In our favorite movies, it was Bond - James Bond - who saved the day. In Miami-Dade’s public schools, it’s Bond - General Obligation Bond (GOB) - that is modernizing schools for our students.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) students have benefitted greatly from extensive work made possible by the $1.2 billion General Obligation Bond passed by voters in 2012. This year brings the completion of several highly-anticipated projects that will provide students with safe, comfortable learning environments to help them succeed in their studies.

In central Miami-Dade County, a new Frederick Douglass Elementary School, a $9.7 million investment, opened its doors along with the rest of M-DCPS on Monday, August 21st. The school features 280 student stations in 16 classrooms, top-of-the-line technology, art and music labs, a dining area, and a covered physical education facility with basketball courts.

In the north end of the district, we put the finishing touches on the new Bunche Park Elementary School, representing a $10.2 million investment in the community. The 388-student stations will feature state-of-the-art technology, an Exceptional Student Education classroom wing, plus an additional 19 pre-K through Intermediate and supplementary classrooms, art and music labs, a new kitchen and dining area, a primary play area, a covered physical education area and office spaces for parent visits.

To the west, in Doral, the new Dr. Toni Bilbao Preparatory Academy will offer 750 student stations in more than 40 learning areas, including art, music and language arts labs, as well as a media center filled with resources. The $15.1 million facility incorporates 59,000 square feet in a two-story building. The Academy is named after a beloved educator whose early demise left many hearts broken. Dr. Bilbao’s many admirers should be delighted with the new educational facility.

These three facilities totaling $35 million are just some of the many renovation and replacement projects, made possible by the GOB. Since the approval of the bond in 2012, more than $600 million dollars have been invested in our schools, further strengthening our communities.

iNspiration @MDCPS

Having spent the summer studying at Harvard, this rising senior is ready to change the world.

Name: Grethel Aguila

School: 12th grade student at Miami Springs Senior High School

Accomplishments: Grethel has received superior honors in all her classes. She is involved in various extracurricular activities, serving as an officer for the Model UN, HOSA, Medical Hawks (medical club), and the Debate Club. Grethel also serves a District 6 Youth Commissioner for the Miami-Dade County Youth Commission.

Fun facts About Grethel:

• Grethel loves to travel.
• She speaks three languages: English, Spanish, and German. She hopes to learn Arabic and Mandarin.
• Grethel wants to become a doctor specializing in Infectious Disease with a major in International Relations (concentrated in the Middle East) with the goal of working as a traveling doctor.

iNspiration @MDCPS

A motivated, passionate, and enthusiastic educator, meet Dontricia Jones, M-DCPS’ 2018 Rookie Teacher of the Year.

Name: Dontricia Jones

Occupation: 5th grade Reading Teacher at Norland Elementary School

Accomplishments: For Dontricia Jones teaching is not just a job, but a way of life. Entering into her second year at Norland Elementary, Jones has found a unique way of keeping her students engaged in the classroom… through music and media learning tools. She also formed the Girls of Tomorrow group where she teaches young girls about etiquette, self-motivation, and leadership skills.

Fun facts About Dontricia:

• Her parents both work for the public school system in Palm Beach County.
• She loves to shop!
• She is a huge sports fan and loves coaching. She has played basketball and flag football all of her life and is currently the assistant Girls Flag Football Coach at Miami Carol City Senior High School.

iNfact

iChoose M-DCPS