A:No one wants to see the teaching and learning processes interrupted. For that reason, rules have been established concerning cell phone use to prevent any interruption to teaching, learning, or any other part of the school day.

The Code of Student Conduct, a copy of which is provided to every Broward student, outlines the required progressive discipline that will be administered in response to cell phone violations.

During the school day, students must keep their phones turned off and out of sight. The definition of the school day includes all hours school is in session, detention, Saturday School and extended learning opportunities. Additionally, students may not use phones during lunch, in hallways or restrooms or on field trips or buses in the absence of a safety-to-life issue.

The only times students may use cell phones are:
• while attending after school events such as athletic competitions;
• before the first bell or after the last bell - as long as the student is not in a classroom, media center, etc. where others would be disturbed; and
• while waiting for the school bus or to be picked-up, after the last bell.

Do your students want to create a class multimedia project using iMovie? Would you like to create a graphic organizer as a brainstorming activity with your students using Inspiration software? Are you a parent who wants to help your child with a PowerPoint presentation for class? Or, are you a staff member who needs to create a formula in Excel, but can’t remember how to do it? All of these questions illustrate how useful the District’s new online training resource dubbed Atomic Learning can be.

Atomic Learning offers fast-loading online video tutorials on how to use both productivity and curriculum software. You play the tutorials right over the Internet wherever and whenever you need it. To take advantage of this amazing resource, just log onto
http://broward.atomiclearning.com and use your CAB username and broward as the password. Parents who want to access Atomic Learning can contact their child’s school for account information.

Broward's New Driver's Education Program

Learning to drive a car while actually in a car in Driver's Education class is, of course, the best way to learn. But, Broward County school students have not had that opportunity since 1995 due to cost concerns, increased enrollment and a lack of space. As a result, the program became a computerized learning experience for students.

But now - through the efforts of Representative Irving Slosberg and the Dori Slosberg Driver Education Safety Act passed by the State legislature - Broward students are once again getting behind the wheels of real automobiles to learn driving skills. The legislation authorizes county governments to enact an ordinance requiring clerks of court to collect an additional three dollars for each civil traffic penalty, and authorizes the monies to be used to fund traffic education programs.

During a two-session pilot program held this past summer at Plantation High School, 281 students gained valuable training and driving experience in real cars. The first course of the 2003/04 school year began earlier this month. All classes are held on Saturdays at Plantation High, although plans call for the program to expand to three additional sites for the Summer 2004 sessions.

The course is free and open to any high school student who attends a public or private high school in Broward County, is at least 15 years of age and is eligible to obtain a Florida learner's permit. For more information, contact Linda Harper in the Driver's Education Curriculum Department at (954) 765-6860.