New Year, New Schools
Massive amounts of dirt turned into beautifully landscaped areas and playing fields, classrooms were furnished and paint has dried. The end result? Two new schools were unveiled and celebrated by Broward County Public School parents and students following the two-week long winter break.

On January 6, 2003, more than 3,000 students began their New Year and became inaugural class members at either Silver Shores Elementary in Miramar Westglades Middle in Parkland. One week later, Rock Island Elementary in Fort Lauderdale also welcomed students into a new replacement school. This brings the total of brand new school facilities opened by the District in the 2002-2003 school year to nine.

	In addition to new schools in communities where they are needed most, the Construction and Facilities Department is meeting the demand and relieving overcrowded schools and classrooms
Silver Shores Principal Ms. Rebecca Brito introduces students to the school's mascot, the eagle.

with numerous phased replacement construction projects underway throughout the District. These include new classroom buildings, auditoriums, administrative offices, cafeterias, kitchens, multipurpose rooms and more. New school building designs incorporate state-of-the-art technology with a large portion of the buildings designed and designated as hurricane shelters.

Stay tuned to The 411 for more information about new school openings, ribbon cutting ceremonies and official dedications.

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Just a Phone Call Away
During times of crisis, communication is vital. A 24-hour security hotline continues to provide a convenient and centralized means to effectively share key information.
By being made aware of potentially dangerous situations, we can prepare and ultimately keep our students and schools safe. Anyone who knows or hears of something potentially dangerous has a responsibility to alert the proper authorities. Keeping silent doesn't help them or anyone else - in fact, it could allow a bad situation to get even worse.

The hotline, which can be reached by calling 954-712-2282, is staffed around the clock
all calls are recorded and caller ID is used to identify the caller. Operators log all important information and then relay it to the proper authorities (either the District's Special Investigative Unit (SIU) and/or local law enforcement agencies) for follow-up. The hotline should not be called in emergency situations. As always, in case of emergency, callers should dial 911.

Mentoring and You!
You probably remember a special person in your life -- a teacher, a relative or an adult friend who provided you with guidance, encouraged you to work hard and make good choices -- someone who made you feel special by always being there to listen when you needed someone to talk to. Today’
s children have the same needs. They need the support and encouragement that can only be provided by a caring adult.

By becoming a mentor you can pass on the care and attention given to you by your mentor, and make life a little easier for a child.
Adult involvement in the lives of youth is a proven strategy for reducing school dropout, drug experimentation, youth violence and crime. Every minute you spend with a child shows positive results. Children with mentors are:

52% less likely to skip school
46% less likely to use drugs
33% less likely to use violence to solve a problem

Any responsible adult who is willing to share time on a consistent basis can be a mentor. You will become a friend and role model to a student who may not otherwise have an adult for guidance.

There are many organizations that recruit mentors for children in Broward County. Some are strictly mentoring programs that recruit, train and match mentors with deserving children. Others are scholarship organizations that have a mentoring component. Ultimately, they all work to improve the lives of children through the strategy of mentoring.

The Broward Schools’
Youth Mentoring Department serves as the umbrella program for any groups and organizations that provide mentors to Broward County School students. Here is a list of the participating mentoring organizations.

Americorps (Broward Reads &
Ft. Lauderdale Reads)
Contact: Beth Seidle or Yvette Ramon
Phone: 954-335-2452

Big Brothers Big Sisters (Big’
s In Schools)
Contact: Alison Catone
Phone: 954-522-7677

Communities in Schools
Contact: Michael Flatley
Phone: 954-334-2452

DeLetis Scholars
(Scholarship Organization)
Contact: Paul Gress or Syd Shermett
Phone: 954-765-6703

Front Porch Initiative
(Governor’
s Mentoring Initiative)
Contact: Sandra Pomares or Shelly Cole
Phone: 954-765-6890

Mental Health Association
( Listen to Children Program)
Contact: Elly Ort
Phone: 954-746-2055

STARS Academy/HANDY
Contact: Heather Webb
Phone: 954-201-6419

Take Stock in Children
(Scholarship Organization)
Contact: Marjori Aloni or Ena Rottblatt
Phone: 954-712-1794

Women of Tomorrow
(Scholarship Organization)
Contact: Syd Shermett
Phone: 954-765-6703

Call the Broward Schools' Youth Mentoring Department, 954-765-6703, to sign up for a Mentor Orientation meeting and begin making a difference for a child. You may choose one of 170 elementary, middle or high schools and be matched with a child of any age. All mentoring is done on the school campus during school hours.

There is a child waiting for you. Make 2003 the year you touch the future and experience the satisfaction of helping a child by becoming a mentor.

Together, we can make a difference, one child at a time!