The 411 - News You Can Use About Broward Schools

The School Board in Action

Board Elects New Office Holders
At the November 18, 2003 School Board Organization Meeting, Carole L. Andrews, District 1, was elected School Board Chair and Stephanie Arma Kraft, Esq., District 4, was elected School Board Vice Chair. On accepting the chair and the gavel, Mrs. Andrews said: "We are all here for the right reasons and more in touch with the community than any other group I know. I'm really pleased to be Chair." To outgoing Board Chair Lois Wexler, Ms. Andrews said: "I am proud of the work that we have done together as a Board. We appreciate your service to this Board." Board Approves Broward Beautiful Awards Agreements
The Board approved 12 new agreements with the Broward County government for Broward Beautiful Awards. Broward Beautiful, the Broward affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and Keep Florida Beautiful, established the Community Grant Program in 1998 to bring practical solutions to the aesthetic and solid waste problems in Broward communities. Under the program, schools and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for matching grants of up to $10,000 for beautification projects that improve, enhance and preserve the natural beauty and environment of Broward County. Grant requests will be matched, dollar for dollar, by in-kind or cash contributions.

Tech Prep Agreement With BCC Approved
The Board approved the submission of a grant application for the Tech Prep Program as part of the Carl Perkins consolidated application for Career and Technical Education funding. Broward Community College (BCC) collaborated with the Board on the Tech Prep Grant application and funding for more than $273,000 has been awarded by the Florida Department of Education. This program integrates rigorous academic and technical courses that begin in high school and lead to a technical certificate, Associate or a Bachelor's degree. Students in the program earn credit in high school that can be applied toward a degree at a post-secondary institution. Over the past five years, the Board has shared Tech Prep funding with BCC. The proposed new contract for 2003-04 awards BCC $87,230 in grant funds to continue Tech Prep activities at the college; the money will be used to fund a full-time Tech Prep Specialist and activities as identified in the Tech Prep Grant. The Tech Prep Specialist at BCC will serve a minimum of 200 Broward County public high school students via presentations, field trips and other Tech Prep activities.

Broward Teacher Corps Funding Continues
Recognizing the need to more effectively recruit, prepare and retain effective teachers, the Board approved submission of an application for Title I revenue for the Broward Teacher Corps in July of 2002. Since then, it has worked with The Broward County Educational Consortium to accomplish that goal. The Broward Teacher Corps initiative will continue to fund the preparation of instructors in critical shortage areas to be placed in Title I and high needs secondary schools in partnership with the Educational Consortium. The program will help the District meet the federal mandate of No Child Left Behind and provide qualified teachers and teacher assistants committed to teach in identified schools. The Broward Teacher Corps has served a total of 191 participants since its inception last year; that breaks down to 90 elementary teachers, 45 middle school teachers and 56 high school teachers.