It's Back to School!
The 2002-03 school year is off to a great start! Everything went smoothly
on the first day of school as 239,540 students, with lunchboxes and backpacks
in tow, eagerly poured into Broward County Public Schools. As in past
years, enrollment is expected to increase as the 20th day of the school
year approaches, eventually reaching a projected 270,296 students - an
increase of over 9,000 students from the 2001-02 school year.
Enrollment is not the only record to be broken. The District is opening
a record eleven new schools this school year. Seven new schools opened
on the first day, and four others are scheduled to open during the year.
The addition of four new charter schools brings the District's total
number of schools, centers and charters to 238.
During the past year, the District has awarded $450 million in total
building projects that will provide approximately 31,000 seats when all
projects are opened. These include new schools, additions, renovations
and reconstruction projects, opening this year and throughout next year.
Approximately 14,000 of those seats are now ready. One hundred twenty-eight
portables are in place and 56 new modulars will be open by the end of
September.
This school year, 1,177 new teachers have been hired. On the first day
of school, 214 more teachers were in Broward classrooms than the first
day of the 2001-02 school year.
Superintendent Frank Till toured several schools on opening
day including a stop to enjoy lunch with Coral Springs
Middle School students. During
an end of the day press conference held at the District's new high
school, Cypress Bay, he said, "We had an excellent
opening day. It was wonderful to see all the young, smiling
faces, especially at the seven new schools
that opened their doors today."
