Superintendent's Weekly Update

December 9, 2011


Jerry Graziose Receives First Broward County Fire Marshal of the Year Award
Jerry Graziose, BCPS Safety & Chief Fire Official, is recipient of the first Broward County Fire Marshal of the Year Award by the Fire Inspectors Association of Broward County. The announcement of the award came at the recently held annual Fire Inspectors Association of Broward County holiday luncheon and awards program attended by over 200 fire inspectors, fire marshals and fire chiefs from Broward County. "This is a true honor for both me personally and for the School District as a whole," said Graziose. "It demonstrates and recognizes how outstanding the fire safety and fire safety inspection programs are in our schools."

Graziose has conducted fire safety inspections of public schools in Broward County since 1974, first with the Bailey Road Fire Department in North Lauderdale and Margate Fire Department in 1977, and joined BCPS in 1984. "With over 34 years of active service to this District and its communities, and his dedication to insure the life safety of all therein, Jerry well deserves recognition as Fire Safety Inspector of the year 2011," said Victoria Stanford, Safety Specialist, in her nomination of Graziose for the award.


BCPS and FAU Awarded $3.5 Million Grant for School Leadership Program
BCPS Human Resource Development (Division of Professional Learning and Continuing Education) and Florida Atlantic University College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology (ELRM), were recently awarded a $3.5 million Race to the Top Job-embedded Principal Preparation Program grant by the Florida Department of Education. The grant, which is a joint partnership, will provide funding through June 2014 to reform and streamline the school leadership preparation programs. Successful participants would earn dual Level I Educational Leadership Certification and Level II School Principal Certification. By leveraging District and ELRM resources, aspiring school leaders will engage in a full-time residency apprenticeship designed to immerse them in the challenges of administrative practice, including increasing teacher effectiveness and raising academic achievement for all students.

The program promises to deliver a national partnership model between higher education and the School District that strengthens continuing education, professional learning and development. Up to 30 highly qualified educators from BCPS will be selected each year through a rigorous application process to participate in an accelerated program combining the unique design of non-traditional graduate level courses at FAU and intense job-embedded professional learning and mentoring. The program is scheduled to launch in January 2012..


J.P. Taravella High School Students to Set Guinness World Record for Longest Handshake Chain
J.P. Taravella High School DECA students will attempt entrance into the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest handshake chain as part of their "Let's Shake On It!" campaign. Over 1,500 students, teachers and staff are set to participate in the handshake attempt on the school's football field on Friday, December 16 beginning at 12:40 p.m. The driving force behind the project is to promote and encourage "respect, empathy and acceptance" among others, while raising awareness of the school's Exceptional Student Education program. The marketing chapter has already held a Special Needs Field Day and an interactive business handshake activity and tie-tying event for students involved in the Best Buddies Club under the leadership of Taravella High seniors and co-chairs Ricky Cutler and Katie Santangelo.

DECA is a national student marketing association with over 140,000 members across the United States. Students participate in community service projects and compete at the district, state and national levels in various individual and team-oriented marketing competitive events. Students hope to participate in the state competition held in Orlando in March, and the international convention to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, in May of 2012.

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Broward County's Character Trait for December is Kindness:
KINDNESS: Being helpful, thoughtful, caring, compassionate and considerate.

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