Manatee Ba y Messenger - Manatee Bay Elementary School

Manatee Bay Messenger
Principal’s Message
Greetings and Welcome to one of our Favorite Months,
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VOLUME IV
FEBRUARY 2015
February represents a month of health, leadership and love!
Dental Health Month reminds us to have those needed check
ups for the entire family and the importance of overall health and
wellness – how we care for our bodies! Presidents Day reminds
us of the freedom we have in this amazing country and that
leadership makes a difference. We are all leaders in many ways
and bear responsibility. Valuing that responsibility builds trust
and creates a healthy culture around us. Lastly, Valentines Day,
moments are not to take for granted. For we know that when
you put first things first everything works itself out in the most
wonderful way!
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As you know we have already reached the mark of 100th day of
school, camps and clubs are in session and going very well!
Now we are in crunch time for our new test called FSA. All Third,
Fourth, and Fifth Graders will be taking this assessment (see
testing schedule). This test is very different and more
challenging for our students as the focus is on critical thinking,
problem solving and application. Please keep in close contact
and communication with your child’s teacher on how your child is
progressing with their grade level standards. As always, we
know we can count on your support for success and together we
can accomplish more!
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Mission Statement
We, the Manatee Bay Elementary
School Community, pledge to
provide a quality education that
focuses on high expectations and
achievement for all stakeholders
in a safe and supportive learning
environment.
Vision Statement
The vision of Manatee Bay
Elementary School is to be a
community of lifelong learners who
value quality and integrity as we strive
to create a nurturing environment in
which children will develop selfesteem and respect for themselves
and others.
Last month we hosted visitors from a school in Brazil. I have to
say they were very impressed with our programs and particularly
the amount of coding our students were doing in class.
Speaking of coding check out the latest article in the Sunsentinel about our coding success: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
local/broward/weston/fl-cn-robots-0201-20150129-story.html.
Follow us on Twitter to keep up to date on what is new at the
Bay!
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Let me take this moment during the month of February to
express our love and devotion to your precious children. Life is
so important. Join us in making this a most special month of
expressing your heartfelt feelings for those that matter most!
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Sincerely,
Heather Hedman-­DeVaughn & Marie-­Dominique Price-­Dumervil
Principal
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Assistant Principal
February
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2/2-5 BAFS Testing Gr 3-5
2/5 FSA Parent University at 6:00 pm
2/9-12 KG Water Safety Lessons
2/10 SAC Meeting at 2:15 pm
2/12 Duffy’s Family Night
2/16 President’s Day No School
2/24 Dentist Visits Kindergarten
2/26 Early Release - kids go home at noon
2/27 Dr. Seuss’ Birthday - Kindergarten
Saludos y Bienvenidos a uno de nuestros meses favoritos,
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Febrero representa el mes de la salud, el liderazgo y el
amor! El mes de salud dental nos recuerda tener esos
chequeos necesarios para toda la familia y la importancia
de la salud y el bienestar general - cómo cuidamos nuestros
cuerpos! El día de los Presidentes nos recuerda la libertad
que tenemos en este país increíble y que el liderazgo hace
la diferencia. Todos somos líderes en muchos sentidos y
tenemos parte de la responsabilidad. Valorando que la
responsabilidad se basa en la confianza y crea una cultura
saludable alrededor de nosotros. Por último, Día de San
Valentín, nor recuerda valorar los momentos especiales.
Porque sabemos que cuando se le da prioridad a las cosas
importantes todo funciona por sí solo de la manera más
maravillosa!
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How are we SURFING?
Please take a few minutes to participate in our
Annual Survey for parents. To access the
survey, visit the District's website,
browardschools.com, and click on the Annual
Survey icon. The survey window is open until
Friday, February 13th, 2015, and is your
opportunity to share your opinions and ideas
about your child's educational experience at
Manatee Bay Elementary. We are at 21%
participation rate and need your help to reach
our goal of 80%.
Como ustedes saben que ya hemos alcanzado la marca de
100 días de escuela, los campamentos y los clubes están
en sesión y van muy bien! Ahora estamos en la hora de la
verdad para nuestra nueva prueba llamada FSA. Todo el
Tercero, Cuarto y Quinto grado tomarán esta evaluación
(véase el calendario de pruebas). Esta prueba es muy
diferente y más difícil para nuestros estudiantes porque
enfatiza el pensamiento crítico, resolución de problemas y
aplicación practica. Por favor, manténgase en comunicación
con el maestro sobre cómo está progresando su hijo con
sus estándares de nivel de grado. Como siempre, sabemos
que podemos contar con su apoyo para el éxito y juntos
podemos lograr más!
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El mes pasado fuimos anfitriones de los visitantes de una
escuela en Brasil. Tengo que decir que fueron muy
impresionados con nuestros programas y en particular la
cantidad de codificación de informática que nuestros
estudiantes están haciendo en clase. Hablando de
codificación, visiten el último artículo en el Sun-Sentinel
acerca de nuestro éxito con el tema de codificación: http://
www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/weston/fl-cnrobots-0201-0150129-story.html. Síguenos en Twitter para
estar al día en lo que es nuevo en la bahía!
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Quiero aprovechar este momento durante el mes de febrero
para expresar nuestro amor y devoción a sus preciosos
hijos. La vida es tan importante; únase a nosotros para
hacer este mes especial y expresar su amor sincero a sus
seres queridos!
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Atentamente,
participate in this important survey and for
Heather Hedman-­DeVaughn y
Marie Dominique Price-­Dumervil Thank you in advance for taking the time to
partnering with us in your child's education.
Kindergarten
January was a busy month for Kindergarten. We came back
from Winter Break and went right back to learning.
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In science, we studied penguins and their habitats, and
also learned to help the earth by making our own paper at
Young at Art.
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In math we put together addition and subtraction number
sentences. We worked diligently on reading and preparing for the 100th
Day of School!
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First Grade
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The bustling first graders of Manatee Bay took a
rapid start to the year after returning from winter
break. In the past weeks this energetic bunch has
partaken in various scholastic activities including a
field trip to Young at Art where they had the
opportunity of showing their artistic capabilities
while creating silk screens. Along with their field trip
they participated in mid-year testing, and had an
eventful field day. !
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This month the adventurous group plans to make
their way to Flamingo Gardens with the intent of
learning about the native animals to their state. In
addition to these cultural events we encourage that
you continue to check your students agendas,
emphasize daily reading, and continue the use of Iready. As always, thank you for your support in
making this an exciting school year.!
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Math Corner
Students and teachers have been
working hard getting ready for BAFS
2 which will take place during the
week of February 2nd. Parents of
students in grades 3-5 can go to
http://www.fsassessments.org/
resources/?section=2-educatorsgeneral to learn more about the FSA
assessments and view practice
questions. This resource is constantly
being updated and should be visited
often.
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All grades should be working on
iReady Math. In order for the students
to receive credit for working on it, they
need to complete an entire lesson,
including the mini test.
Second Grade
Our Second Grade Team is very excited to announce that we are going on a fantastic field trip
to Zoo Miami. Dates for this trip will be forthcoming.
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All Second Grade classes will begin learning about Immigration in the coming weeks. Students
will have the opportunity to experience what real immigrants went through so many years ago
when they arrived at Ellis Island in New York.
Students will be dressing up and participating in an
Immigration Rotation to help the events come to
life. We look forward to this fun and memorable
experience.
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PTA is starting to collect pictures for the yearbook.
If you have pictures you would like considered for
the yearbook, please go to
www.pictavocommunity.com. Create an account and
upload up to 40 pictures.
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We wish all of our Second Grade families a Happy Valentines Day!!
Field Day Fun!
ESE NEWS
When Life Gives You Lemons….Make Lemonade!
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The InD Clusters are making lemonade this month to expand on the STEM
(Science Technology Engineering and Math) unit “Lemonade Stand”. This
STEM unit studies coins, counting money, buying and selling, presents,
lemonade, and lemonade stands. Students made lemonade from scratch
using a juicer to juice the lemons. They then practiced measuring using
measuring cups to scoop out sugar and water. They poured ice into the
pitcher and all took turns stirring it up! At the end of the month some of our
4th and 5th grade Bay Buddies will be coming over to “buy” lemonade to
simulate a real lemonade stand.
Third Grade
Hello Third Grade Families - In the month of February, the students
participate in the second round of BAFS testing to check for what
progress they have made in both Reading and Mathematics. Those scores
will be available for your information so you can contact your child's
teacher. We will be enjoying an off campus field trip to the Museum of
Discovery and Science. Included in the trip will be a movie presentation in the
IMAX theater, a special live science presentation in the museum's theater, and a tour
of the current exhibits on display. Hopefully it will be a memorable trip for all students that
attend."
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How can you help your child succeed? Please ensure
that your child continues to study their times tables to
mastery and reads independently nightly, keeping up
with their AR quizzes. They should be logging on to
iReady to practice both reading and math. It's a great
program that works with your child at their level to
help them progress through mastery of required 3rd
grade standards. We will continue to work very hard in
preparation of the upcoming FSA testing in April."
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Thank you so much for all of your continued support in
your child's education."
VOLUNTEER PROCEDURES!
Keeping students safe is a priority. The STAR System (Security Tracking And Response) continues to be used
at all schools. The STAR System provides schools with high-speed security checks against local, state and
national sex offender databases and against state and local law enforcement files. When parents, visitors,
and volunteers come to school, the office staff will swipe their driver’s license into a bar code reader, verify
the name, take a photo and print a badge with this picture. All visitors are asked to check out in the office
when leaving school. !
Volunteers must complete the on-line volunteer/mentor application before helping in school. Go to
www.browardschools.com/getinvolved to complete the on-line application. The first time volunteers come to
assist, the front office staff will ask for their social security number and driver’s license. All returning
volunteers must complete the on-line application.
If you do not have access to a computer or you need
assistance, please contact the school. Students of the Month for January
NonDiscrimination
Statement
Fourth Grade
The School Board of Broward County,
Florida, prohibits any policy or procedure
which results in discrimination on the
basis of age, color, disability, gender,
national origin, marital status, race,
religion, or sexual orientation.
Individuals who wish to file a
discrimination and/or harassment
complaint may call Equal Educational
Opportunities (EEO) at 754-321-2150 or
Teletype Machine TTY 754-321-2158.
We're off to the races in the third quarter! Most students
are working hard learning how to support their opinion
on a topic in writing. This is new for fourth grade and
students are rising to the challenge. They're comparing
multiple reading passages and pulling support from both
in reading while working on those tough fractions in
math! Classes are having fun with social studies and
science, too!
Reasonable Accommodation
Statement
We just had an in-house lesson on magnets and are
looking forward to another in-house mid-March. St.
Augustine plans are also well underway, so we have a
LOT going on in the fourth grade hallway! As we work
toward the writing testing in early March and ELA/Math
testing late March, we would ask that you please ensure
that your child eats healthy and gets lots of rest. We
need to keep well so we can all be in school!
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Individuals with disabilities requesting
accommodations under the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) may call
Equal Educational Opportunities (EEO)
at 754-321-2150 or Teletype Machine
TTY 754-321-2158.
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Evaluation Input
Per state statute, parents have the right
to be provided input into the annual
performance assessment of their child’s
teachers and administrators. To provide
such input regarding any Manatee Bay
employee, please address your
comments in writing to Mrs. Heather
Hedman-DeVaughn, Principal. To
provide such input regarding your
principal’s evaluation, please address
your comments in writing to, Dr. Mark
Strauss, at the Office of School
Performance and Accountability.
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The opinions expressed in this
publication are not necessarily those of
Manatee Bay Elementary School or
Broward County Public Schools.
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School Public Accountability Report
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Florida's School Public Accountability
Reports have been generated to comply with
federal legislation that requires annual report
cards on the educational progress of schools,
school districts, and the state.
Click on the link to access the reports:
School Public Accountability Reports (SPAR)
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MAGNET SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Broward County Magnet Schools programs are now accepting applications for next
year. Visit www.browardschoolsinnovativeprograms.com or call 754-321-2480 or
more information. The website also has a comprehensive list of all schools and
programs available. The application deadline is February 11, 2015. If you would like
to see a Magnet School packet, please call Geri Norris, our guidance counselor at
754-323-6450. !
Fifth Grade After a restful Winter Break our 5th Graders are back and have begun the third quarter. There are many
exciting, fun-filled, and educational activities that took place in the month of January. We will continue
as a Grade level in preparing the students for the upcoming Florida State Assessment (FSA). The
Writing Test will be March 4th, Reading, Listening, and Math April 13-May 8, 2015. With that in mind
the students will be taking the Middle of the Year Test for
Science and Math during January."
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Manatee Bay Elementary continues to lead the State and
Nation in First In Math. The students have taken on the
responsibility and are keeping us proud each and every week.
Grade 5 is using the I-Ready computer based program for Math
and Reading and there will be a Mid-Year Assessment January
26-February 26, 2015."
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Spelling Bee Winner and Alternate We look forward to a very successful month of February!"
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PARTNERS IN EDUCATION
January was a busy month for
Fundraising!
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Tasty Papa John's night was a huge
success. We look forward to next
month's!
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Melting Pot Week recently ended.
Parents and staff - thank you for all your
support! It was a delicious success as
well.
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Mathnasium of Weston sent an email
to teachers offering students 2 free tutor
sessions for FSA review in the Weston
Office. Contact them for any additional
information.
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Congratula:ons!!
Upcoming event will be DUFFY'S NIGHT
which is February 12th… see you there!!
READING NOOK
Celebrate Literacy Week, Florida!
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We built excitement for Celebrate
Literacy Week, Florida! that was held
January 26-30, 2015! We took the
opportunity during this week to
encourage all of your students to keep
reading and improving their skills.
Every student in grades K-5
participated in our school's reading
challenge, 100 AR books read and
passed in 1 week. Each class that met
their AR challenge was entered in to
win an ice cream party.
We will continue to make strides in
increasing student achievement in
literary, and through experiences like
the AR Challenge, student will be
challenged to read every day.
Principal’s Honor Roll
Breakfast
with Mrs. DeVaughn
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FSA DATES
Below are the dates for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade FSA testing. !
Paper
Paper
Paper
Paper
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Based
Based
Based
Based
FSA ELA Writing- March 4, 2015 (Grades 4-5)
FSA ELA Reading and Listening- March 31 & April 1 (Grades 3-4) FSA Math- April 7 & 8 (Grades 3-4)
Science- April 14 & 15 (Grade 5)
Computer Based FSA Testing Windows: April 13- May 8 (Grade 5 ELA and Math)
Specials
Greetings from the Art corner, !
We are now in the busiest time of the year preparing for three art shows, the K.C.W. art show beginning on March 16th, the Weston Art Show in April, and of course our own Manatee Bay student Art Show on April 30th, The Night of the Arts . !
Students are all now moving on to another project. This time with clay. I don't know who is more excited the kids or me. Everyone loves clay, right !! I would like to thank the volunteers that have already been coming in to help prepare for the upcoming Art Shows and the clay projects. I would not be able to get all this work done without your help ! !
Looking forward to seeing parents and friends on "The Night Of The Arts " April 30, 2015. Keep that date open ! !
Sincerely, Mrs. Bramhall, Art Teacher
ATTENDANCE POLICY
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School Board Policy 5.5, Attendance, states both excused and unexcused absences along with tardiness
and early sign-outs will continue to be counted when determining a student’s pattern of non-attendance. A
student has a “pattern of non-attendance” if he or she is absent from school a total of 30 hours (5 days) in
any one marking period or 60 hours (10 days) within 90 days.
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The attendance policy is available online in the four major languages and can be accessed at
www.broward.k12.fl.us/studentsupport/sswad/HTML/ap.htm. Parents are required to maintain current
contact information at the school. If you have any questions, please call Geri Norris, Guidance Counselor.
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Students absences may be reported 24 hours a day by calling our Attendance Line 754-323-6452 and
leaving a message, or by sending an e-mail to us at manateebayattendance@browardschools.com. Please
remember to provide student name, teacher, date of absence, and reason for absence. For prolonged
absences, please be sure to provide appropriate documentation.
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*Any calls received after 2:30 will be updated the following school day. Calls are encouraged before 12:00
noon.* Thank you.
Test Taking Tips for Parents
The following tips will provide suggestions for parents on how to approach test taking with
their kids.
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Make sure that your child does all their homework and reading assignments, this will help
make sure your child is prepared for the test.
Encourage your child to space out their studying and homework assignments so that they
won't be forced to cram on the night before the test.
If you are anxious about your child's test, it's ok but try to keep cool around your child, you
don't want them to get anxious about their tests too.
Encourage your child to do well but don't pressure him/her. You may stress him/her out. It
is important for your child to stay relaxed for the test.
Keep a positive attitude about tests.
Provide a quiet, well lighted area with little distractions to help your child study efficiently.
Mark down test days on your calendar so you and your child are both aware of testing
dates.
Make sure that your child gets enough sleep on the night before the test.
Ensure that your child eats a healthy breakfast and avoid heavy foods that may make him/
her groggy and avoid high sugar foods that may make him/her hyper.
Make sure that your child gets up early enough so that he/she will be on time to school.
Let your child relax for a few hours before bedtime, it can be stressful for a child to study all
night.
Talking about the test with your child can relieve stress about test taking.
If your child is struggling on their tests, talk to them about it and meet with their teacher to
find out the best way to help your child.
Praise/reward your child when they do well on a test or for their hard work preparing for a
test.
Encourage them to do better if they don't do well.
Review the test with your child after they have taken it and go over any mistakes they have
made and make sure that they understand what they did wrong and how they can improve
for the next test.
2014 -15
For
AnnualSurvey
Parents
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the survey?
Now - February 13, 2015
What is on the survey?
The survey asks parents questions about their
child’s school. It asks questions about:
computers, etc.)
Will responses affect student grades?
Their responses in no way impact their child’s
How do parents access the survey?
The survey is online and can be accessed at
What do parents need to take the survey?
Parents only need their child’s student number and
number, their school will be happy to help. This
How is this information used?
resources and support are needed. In the past,
parents only take the survey one time.
How many times can parents take the survey?
school in which they have children.
Why do some parents take different surveys?
our traditional parent survey. The new survey will be
In what languages are the surveys available?
Click Here!
Annual Survey
When will the results be available?
We anticipate the results will be available by April,
2015.
Where can I see prior year’s results?
Broward County Public Schools
browardschools.com
SMART INVESTMENTS LEAD TO SMART STUDENTS.
SMART Futures January 2015 Information Update
Background
As part of the SMART Initiative, the School Board
of Broward County, Florida (SBBC) and
Superintendent Robert W. Runcie committed to
allocating $100,000 towards school choice
enhancement (capital-related) projects at
each District school. This document provides
information about the school choice
enhancements process.
About School Choice
Enhancements Projects
School choice enhancement ($100,000) funding
will be allocated to every District school for a
school-based, school-choice project to improve
the condition of an instructional or educational
space at the school. The District’s Facilities and
Construction Management Department
(Facilities) is working with schools to develop
and execute a project that meets each
school’s needs within the $100,000 budget
allocation. The year each school’s project is
scheduled, is available on individual School
Summary pages, located at
browardschools.com/Web/Smart-Needs.
What types of projects are eligible?
The School Choice Enhancement project
selected by each school community must be
“capital eligible.” “Capital eligible” is defined
as improvements to the physical building and
instructional environments that
have a useful life greater than 5
years. For example, art supplies
are consumable and have no
useful life, and, therefore, are not
eligible as a capital project.
However, a kiln, exhaust and a
separate room would be eligible
as capital projects. Another
example is a photography
darkroom and the required
furniture, fixtures and equipment.
These are eligible capital
projects, but the photography
materials needed to produce
photos would be consumables
and, therefore, are not eligible.
School Choice Enhancements Project
Selection Options
1. A school can select a project from
its School Summary Report that is
currently not funded, totaling less than
$100,000. The list of unfunded needs for
each school can be found on its School
Detail report, located at
browardschools.com/Web/Smart-Needs.
2. A school can choose to select frequently
requested projects, such as:
a. Elementary and middle schools:
playground equipment, shade
structure, hard scape play courts,
STEM lab build out, music or art room
renovation.
b. High schools: band or choral room
renovation, new outdoor bleacher
seating, hardwiring spaces into a
computer lab, art studio renovation,
new dance studio.
3. A school can select a unique facility or
instructional need, which has been
identified by its school community.
About Technology Considerations
In an effort to ensure the appropriate level of
infrastructure and professional development
support for technology in our schools, school
communities considering technology purchases
for their school choice enhancement ($100,000)
project funds will require the approval of the
Office of School Performance & Accountability,
the Office of Academics, the Facilities
Department and the Information & Technology
Division. More information will be provided in
late February/early March 2015 regarding the
approval process.
School choice enhancement funded
projects must align with the approved
SMART projects, as outlined in the School
Summary and/or School Detail reports,
which are located on the District website at
browardschools.com/Web/Smart-Needs. As a
reminder, every District school is receiving
technology in the initial phases of the SMART
program.