The School Board has established this site specifically to highlight recognitions, honors and achievements of students, teachers, District administrators, Board members and employees. This site is updated on a regular basis to keep you informed about the many good things that are happening within the Broward County Public Schools. Be sure to check this site regularly to stay up-to-date on the numerous national, state and local recognitions your school system receives on a regular basis throughout the year.
DISTRICT ONE OF FIVE FINALISTS FOR BROAD PRIZE FOR URBAN EDUCATION
Broward County Public Schools was one of five school districts named as a finalist for the 2008 Broad Prize for Urban Education, an annual $1 million award that honors urban school districts across the country that are making the greatest progress in raising student achievement. The Broad Prize for Urban Education honors urban school districts that demonstrate the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among ethnic groups and between high- and low- income students. Other finalists for the award include Aldine Independent School District (TX), Brownsville Independent School District (TX), Long Beach Unified School District (CA) and Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
DISTRICT HONORED FOR SEVENTH STRAIGHT YEAR BY COUNCIL OF THE GREAT CITY SCHOOLS
Broward County Public Schools was recognized by the Council of the Great City Schools for student achievement in each of the last seven years. The Council of the Great City Schools is a coalition of 66 of the nation's largest urban public school systems. The Council works to promote urban education through legislation, research, media relations, instruction, management, technology, and other special projects designed to improve the quality of urban education.
DISTRICT LEADS NATION IN NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS
The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) announced that Broward County Public Schools leads the nation in National Board Certified Teachers. The DistrictÕs current total is over 1,300, as more than 270 new teachers achieved certification prior to the start of the 2007/08 school year. Broward County Public Schools has led the nation in the largest number of newly certified teachers in each of the last three years. The District added approximately 180 new National Board Certified Teachers in 2005, saw an increase of 240 in 2006 and more than 270 for 2007. Since 2002, Broward County Public Schools has added 1,039 new National Board Certified Teachers.
WILLIAM DANDY MIDDLE SCHOOL HONORED
William Dandy Middle School won the 2008 National Excellence in Urban Education Award, an honor established exclusively to recognize public schools or public charter schools serving urban communities. William Dandy Middle was one of 11 schools nationwide to win the award.
NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION HONORS ASHE MIDDLE SCHOOL
The National Education Association and the NEA Foundation honored Arthur Ashe Middle School as a recipient of the 2008 NEAÕs Book Across America Library Award. One of only 50 awards presented to schools across the nation, the $1,000 NEA Book Across America Library Award provides the gift of reading to economically disadvantaged public school students. Arthur Ashe Middle is the lone Broward County Public School and one of only three schools in the state of Florida to receive this award.
DR. LAZ A HALL OF FAME TEACHER
David Lazerson, a music teacher at The Quest Center In Hollywood, was named to the Teachers Hall of Fame in Kansas. Lazerson is one of 80 teachers enshrined in the Hall of Fame and only the ninth Florida teacher (second in Broward county) named since inductions first began in 1992.
Four District Schools Receive Magnet Award
Four District schools have won national honors from the Magnet Schools of America organization for their innovative instructional programs that promote equity, diversity and academic excellence for students. Sawgrass Middle School was named a Magnet School of Excellence for its environmental science and technology program. Atlantic Technical High School won the recognition for its technical programs. Pompano Beach High School was honored for its international affairs with informational technology program. And South Plantation High School was honored for its environmental science program. All three District high schools were honored as Schools of Distinction, which was awarded to only five high schools in Florida this year. All four schools will be honored at the 26th Magnet Schools of America Conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee in April.
District Wins National Budget Award
Broward County Public Schools has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the 2007-2008 fiscal year from the Chicago-based Government Finance Officers Association. The award, which was presented to the District’s Budget Office staff, is considered the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting.
Eagle Point Elementary Receives $10,000 Best Buy Tech Grant
Eagle Point Elementary School’s effort to integrate interactive technology into its curriculum received a big boost on March 7, when Best Buy officials presented the school with a $10,000 award. The grant, which came from Best Buy’s 2008 Teach Awards, is for Eagle Point’s SLEUTh Academy, an acronym for Seek, Learn, Experiment, Understand and Think. The academy is a learning community for interactive science education, combining classroom-guided inquiry with a Web site for home learning (www.sleuthacademy.org). The award makes the District eligible to become one of eight school districts to receive $100,000 each from Best Buy to enhance integrated technology in the learning environment.
Another Honor Bestowed on Broward Employee of the Year Finalist
Christopher Gates, the Arthur Ashe Middle School Community Liaison and a finalist for Broward County Public Schools Employee of the Year, is the first place winner of the Florida Education Association’s Education Support Professional of the Year for 2008. The announcement was made on the last day of February, and a special recognition is being planned for Gates at Arthur Ashe.
Wilton Manors Honored as a State Schools of Character Awardee
Wilton Manors Elementary School is among only five elementary schools in the state to be recognized as a winner of the Character Education Partnership’s State Schools of Character recognition and one of only two of that number to achieve national finalist status. The winning schools will be recognized at the second annual luncheon and award ceremony on May 21, 2008 in Orlando. Wilton Manors is in the running for the national competition, where ten schools from across the country will be awarded the prestigious National Schools of Character title along with a $20,000 grant from The Character Education Partnership in Washington, D.C.
Mandley Among Recipients of First Ever Certification
Frank Mandley, Director of Grants Administration and Government Programs, is among only 170 people across the nation to earn the inaugerial Grant Professional Certification from the Grant Professionals Certification Institute. Mandley has been involved in the development of a certification examination for grant professionals for the past eight years, when he served as Credentialing Committee Chair of the American Association of Grant Professionals.
