Broward Schools Onboard for the Kinship Cares Initiative
Broward County Public Schools has partnered with Broward Health’s Community Health Services and other stakeholders and organizations to develop the Kinship Cares Initiative – the first of its kind in the country. “Kinship care” is the fastest growing form of in-home living arrangements for children whose parents are unable to care for them. In Broward County, there are more than 2,000 minors living with adults who aren’t their parents or legal guardians. Unlike the foster care system, many of these families don’t receive financial, legal and healthcare benefits necessary to support children in their care. This is where the Kinship Cares Initiative takes effect. The program is administered by Broward Health to improve the health of kinship families. To assist, Broward Health has partnered with the School District, Kids in Distress, Legal Aid of Broward County, ChildNet, Memorial Healthcare System, Children’s Services Council of Broward, United Way of Broward County and Ounce of Prevention Fund of Florida. For more information, contact Nina Hansen, School Social Work & Attendance Department, 754-321-2492.

Stay Informed About Your Privacy Rights
In the District’s continuing commitment to protect the privacy rights of employees and students, the Notices of Privacy Practices have been updated and are available online at (www.browardschools.com). These documents describe how your protected health information may be used or disclosed. The new notices include a specific reference to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), as well as the contact information for the District’s new Privacy Officer. Click on the Privacy Statement link located near the bottom on the Web site’s home page. The Privacy Statement link can be found at the bottom of most District Web pages. You may choose to review the Employee or Student version. The Employee version pertains to privacy practices related to the Health Plan, including medical, dental, vision, and flexible spending accounts. The Student version explains uses and disclosures of the protected health information of students and their family members. If you would like additional information, contact Todd Sussman, Privacy Officer, 754-321-3220.

Flu Shot Free to Employees Enrolled in Humana and Vista Insurance
Each year over 20,000 Americans die as a result of contracting the flu. An additional 140,000 require hospitalization. This does not include the countless number of individuals who are absent from work due to flu symptoms. This year, through the District’s Wellness Program, flu shots are available to District employees at Administrative, Maintenance, Transportation sites, and Innovation Zones. The vaccination is free to School Board employees enrolled in Humana and Vista School Board insurance. Spouses and dependents (18 years of age and over listed as dependents on the employee’s medical plan) will be charged $10. It is not necessary to call for a flu shot appointment. Attached, is a schedule of the time, date and location of the flu shots. Bring your School Board identification and your insurance card. For a complete schedule of times, dates and locations for flu shots, click Flu Shot Schedule.

Last School Year’s Free/Reduced Price Meal Benefits Expired
Free/reduced price meal benefits from last school year expired on October 2. Students can no longer receive meal benefits based on last year’s eligibility status. Families that qualified for benefits last year must complete and submit a new application to continue the benefits for the 2008/09 school year. Free/reduced price meal benefit applications are available at all schools throughout the District. The application is also available online at the Food & Nutrition Services Department’s Web site (www.broward.k12.fl.us/foodservice/). To apply for Free/Reduced Price Meals, households must complete a free/reduced price meals application and return it to school. The information provided on the application will only be used for the purpose of determining eligibility and may be verified at any time during the school year. Applications may be submitted at any time during the year.

Students Can Learn More About Their College Options at the College Fair
As the process of applying to and selecting a college becomes more and more competitive and complex, students and parents need all the help and information they can get. The Broward County National College Fair, a two-day event, held Thursday, October 16 from 5 – 8:30 p.m. and Friday, October 17 from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, provides valuable resources for students and parents attempting to navigate the college-admission process. Sponsored by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) and Broward County Public Schools, both events are free and open to the public.

National School Lunch Week Celebrated October 13 – 17
National School Lunch Week provides the opportunity to celebrate the virtues of “school lunch.” School lunches meet the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, with less than 30 percent of the calories coming from fat. Even students’ favorite foods such as pizza are prepared nutritionally healthy by the Food & Nutrition Services staff. Research has shown that school lunch has a superior nutritional content to bagged lunches including more fruits and vegetables. The Food & Nutrition Services Department serves over 35 million meals annually in school cafeterias. The District will celebrate National School Lunch Week, October 13 – 17 with many activities throughout the week. Civic and community leaders, District officials and administrators, and parents will join students for lunch next week. The celebration will culminate with the Annual School Lunch Poster Contest Award Ceremony at the K.C. Wright Administration Building on Monday, October 27. For additional information, contact Darlene Moppert, Food & Nutrition Services, 754-321-0216.

Journalism Students Descend on Deerfield Beach High Campus
Deerfield Beach High School’s Communications/Broadcast Arts Magnet Program recently hosted the recent host to the annual Florida Scholastic Press Association, District 7 Workshop. Over 1,200 students from middle and high schools and their faculty advisors from Broward, Palm Beach and Martin counties participated in the daylong event. The Florida Scholastic Press Association is comprised of more than 300 student publications, online media teams and broadcast programs. The goal of this organization is to educate, train and support scholastic journalists and their advisers. Students were able to attend sessions relating to journalism including Media Law, Sports Writing, Yearbook Trends and Effective Editorials. Students also competed in individual write-offs and a digital design contest. Dozens of speakers gave their advice, answered questions and spoke about their journalism experience including keynote speaker Jacey Birch, a 1995 graduate of the Deerfield Beach High. After graduation, Birch earned her BA in Political Science and BS in Journalism at the University of Florida. She has spent the last five years reporting and anchoring, as well as covering weather and traffic for WLPG-TV Local 10 News in Miami.

Million Fathers March Dinner for Dads
The Million Fathers March is a nationwide campaign to engage dads in the education process for their children. Broward County Public Schools has been a vital part of this campaign for the past two years. It starts at the beginning of the school year with the effort to get fathers to accompany their children to school on the first day of classes. And it continues throughout the school year with special events – like the Million Fathers March Dinner for Dads to encourage fathers to continue their active involvement in their children’s lives and educations. The Blanche Ely/Pompano Beach Innovation Zone is holding a Million Fathers March Dinner for Dads on Wednesday, October 22 at 6 p.m. at Blanche Ely High School. All fathers with children attending schools in the Blanche Ely/Pompano Beach Innovation Zone are invited to attend this free event. At this event, dads will learn about the numerous opportunities that are available to them to actively engage in their children’s lives and educations. Fathers who are interested in participating in this free dinner event should call their child’s school to accept this invitation.

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High Band Captures “Best” in Bands Competition
The Marching Eagles of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School recently competed in the 2008 Cavalcade of Bands competition hosted by Boca Raton High School. In all, 17 bands and hundreds of band members from Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County schools were competing for ratings and trophies, and vying for positions at the state competition, which will be held later this fall at the end of the season. The Eagles Regiment, under the direction of John Rusnak, won the categories of: Best Music, Best Visual, Best General Effect, Best Auxiliary, Best Percussion and Best in Class for Class 3A. They placed third overall among the 17 schools and five class categories. The Marching Eagles earned a spot to participate in the State Marching Band Championships on November 22 at the Tropicana Dome in St. Petersburg.

Quest Center Wins Arts Grant
The Quest Center recently won $10,000 Arts in Education grant, which is funded through a partnership between the Broward County Cultural Division and the School Board. The grant will fund a special project entitled “Spreading Our Wings,” which uses live butterflies, along with stories and activities in a musical theater production. The performers, many of whom are nonverbal and confined to wheelchairs, will employ adaptive switches and assistive technology to actively participate in the production, which is scheduled for the first week in December.

Flanagan High School Band Selected for Special Performance
Flanagan High School’s marching band – Falcon Sound Band – has been selected by Disney and ABC television network to perform in the 2008 Walt Disney World Christmas Parade. The band was selected based on a nationwide competition. The event is scheduled to be taped in Orlando in early December and broadcast nationwide Christmas morning on the ABC Television Network.

Martin Luther King Elementary Hosts Jumpstart’s Read For The Record Partners
Martin Luther King Elementary School was one of several schools to participate in the Jumpstart’s Read for the Record Campaign – a national effort to engage hundreds of thousands of children and adults in an effort to break the world record for the largest shared reading experience. Associates of Hyatt Regency Bonaventure, who donated special edition copies of the official campaign book Corduroy to students at the school, were joined by personalities from the National Hockey League to participate in a global effort to highlight the importance of early childhood education. During the visit to Martin Luther King Elementary, personalities from the National Hockey League shared in reading with second-graders. Celebrity readers included Bill Lindsay, Florida Panthers radio analyst and Stanley Cup finalist on the 95-96 Panthers team; Denis Potvin, FSN Florida TV analyst, NHL hall-of-famer, and four-time Stanley Cup Champion with the New York Islanders; and Florida Panthers team mascot Stanley C. Panther.

Teachers Honored In ‘A Day Made Better’ Celebration by Office Max
Eleven Broward teachers were among 79 educators statewide and approximately 1,300 from across the nation, recently honored during “A Day Made Better.” For a second year in a row, Office Max and Adopt-A-Classroom, surprised teachers in classroom ceremonies with donations of over $1,000 in school supplies. According to Office Max officials, the program’s goal is to help eliminate “teacher-funded” classrooms. School Board Chair Robin Bartleman applauded the program for recognizing schools and teachers across the country for their dedication and innovative approaches to education. The winning teachers were surprised in their classrooms by Office Max representatives, who presented them with prizes and certificates in front of their students. Following are teachers who were nominated by their principals to receive the award:

Pennie MacDonald, Banyan Elementary
Leigh Roberts, Central Park Elementary
Amanda Whitney, Colbert Elementary
Evelyn Rivera, Davie Elementary
Linda Baker, Fairway Elementary
Nakitta Bryant, Larkdale Elementary
Jamila Hopkins, Lauderdale Manors Elementary
Carmen Vargas, Pinewood Elementary
Samuel Brown, Sunland Park Elementary
Golda Simon, Tedder Elementary
Earthelene Perry, Village Elementary

Superintendent – Employee Meeting
Superintendent of Schools James F. Notter has scheduled employee meetings in each of the District’s four areas to discuss the District’s current financial situation and future financial challenges; review last year’s student performance and District accolades; and the new anti-bullying policy. The meetings include open discussion and a question and answer session. The North Central Area Superintendent – Employee meeting will take place at Piper High School (mini auditorium) on Wednesday, October 15, 3:30 p.m. For additional information, contact the Communications & Media Relations Department, 754-321-2300.

District Annual Report Released
The District’s annual report was recently published. The report contains vital facts and statistics about the District, based on last school year’s student academic performance and financial transactions and budgeting. Special sections on awards and recognitions, technology integration, health and nutrition, environmental initiatives and strategic planning are also included in the report, developed by the Communications & Media Relations Department. To request a copy of the annual report, call 754-321-2300.

The 411 Newsletter and News & Views Available Online
For environmental and budgetary reasons, The 411 is no longer printed. The quarterly newsletter is now published only online at (www.browardschools.com). Just click on “Employees” and click on “The 411” banner to read current and back issues. News & Views is also available online. Just click on the News & Views banner next to The 411 banner. Both newsletters are in CAB’s District Announcements. If you have any questions or suggestions concerning these publications, contact Communications & Media Relations, 754-321-2300 or (news@browardschools.com).

Submissions for News & Views
Send articles and suggestions for News & Views to (news@browardschools.com) or contact the Communications & Media Relations Department, 754-321-2300.