Groundhog Job Shadowing
Dates Set

The Broward County School District will celebrate job shadowing January 29 through February 2, 2007. For hundreds of Broward County students, the traditional Groundhog Job Shadow Day will allow them to take a close look at possible career paths that will enrich them throughout their lives. Job shadowing immerses each student in the world of work, where they can get firsthand information about job skills and careers. By bringing students into the workplace to see different careers, real and tangible options come alive for them. Job shadowing provides exciting reasons why students should stay in school, creating a critical link between education and success. Research proves that students who job shadow are more positive about their future, more likely to complete high school, more likely to attend and graduate from college and more likely to be productively employed as adults. The annual event pairs students with workplace mentors for a full or half-day of “shadowing” in the workplace. It can occur on any day, however, there are a few special days when a national effort is made to make people aware of job shadowing.

Job Shadowing benefits both students and educators by providing an answer to the question, “Why do I have to learn this?” Shadowing demonstrates the importance of academics in reaching college and career goals and motivating students to learn by demonstrating the tangible applications of classroom lessons.

Students must provide their own transportation, which limits the involvement of middle schools. However, a field trip is offered for six middle schools that are interested in participating (60 students per school). Middle and high schools interested in participating in Groundhog Job Shadowing should E-mail Deborah Wells (via CAB) by November 17, 2006.

Sheridan Technical Center
Automotive Program Earns
National Certification

The automotive training program at Sheridan Technical Center in Hollywood has received certification by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) and The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). The school’s automotive training program was measured against nationally accepted standards of excellence in areas including instruction, facilities and equipment. Sheridan Technical Center’s automotive training program prepares students for an exciting and excellent paying career as an auto mechanic or automotive service technician. Additional information is available at (www.sheridantechnical.com).

Regular school attendance is vitally important to a student’s academic achievement. For that reason, and in order to meet a requirement set by the state that school districts establish a definition of a “pattern of non-attendance”, a major change to the District’s attendance policy was approved by the School Board.

Effective at the beginning of the 2006/07 school year, both excused and unexcused absences, along with tardiness and early sign-outs, will be counted when determining a student’s pattern of non-attendance. This is a change from previous years when excused absences had no impact on a student’s attendance record.

A student will have 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.

If it is determined by a school that a student has developed “pattern of non-attendance”, sanctions may be imposed.

It is important for parents receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) payments from the state to know that if their child has a pattern of non-attendance, payments may be suspended.

The School Board has also adopted other changes to the attendance policy, so it is important for parents to carefully review and sign the copy of the Code of Student Conduct they received at the beginning of the school year. Information regarding attendance policy changes is posted on the District’s Web site (www.browardschools.com). Additional information can be found on the School Social Work and Attendance Department’s Web site
(www.broward.k12.fl.us/studentsupport/school_social_work_services/contacts.html).
Parents with questions about the policy changes should contact their home school or the School Social Work and Attendance Department at 754-321-2490.