CONNECTIONA Newsletter for Miami-Dade County Public Schools Parents

news.dadeschools.netKeeping Parents Connected and Informed

SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS TO HOST TWITTER CHATSuperintendent of Schools Alberto M. Carvalho will host a live Twitter Chat on Monday, February 22, from 4 - 5 p.m. You can submit your questions ahead of time or join the conversation the day of the event by using the hashtag #AskMiamiSup.

DEADLINE APPROACHING FOR OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR VOLUNTARY PREKINDERGARTEN (VPK) PROGRAM

M-DCPS is accepting applications for children four years of age by September 1, 2016 to participate in the VPK Program for the 2016-2017 school year. The open enrollment period runs through February 25, 2016 for parents who would like to submit their child’s name for the lottery at their local attendance boundary school. The VPK Program lottery will be held on Friday, February 26, 2016 at 9 a.m. at a designated area at each school. Families are encouraged to contact their local school for registration requirements and apply early. If the child is not selected in the local school lottery, parents may contact the Office of Early Childhood Programs at (305) 995-7632 for information about open slots in neighboring schools.

The VPK Program is a state funded, early learning program serving 4-year-old children and their families. Parents need a State of Florida Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to register a child in VPK. The COE may be obtained online at www.vpkhelp.org. For more information, please visit earlychildhood.dadeschools.net or call (305) 995-7632.

DATES TO REMEMBER

February 21 - National College Fair

March 21 - 25 - Spring Recess

April 8 - Teacher Planning Day

UPCOMING SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS

March 9 11:00 a.m. Regular Meeting

April 13 10:00 a.m. Conference Session: Attendance Zones for 2016-2017 11:00 a.m. Regular Meeting (Initial Reading - Attendance Zones for 2016-2017)

M-DCPS ANNOUNCES 2016 GRADUATION SCHEDULEMiami-Dade County Public Schools released its 2016 graduation dates, locations and times. Graduation ceremonies this year run June 1st through June 9th. To download the schedule, visit http://pdfs.dadeschools.net/students/grad_schd_16.pdf.

The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida

Perla Tabares Hantman, Chair Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall, Vice Chair

Susie V. CastilloDr. Lawrence S. Feldman

Dr. Wilbert “Tee” HollowayDr. Martin KarpLubby Navarro

Raquel A. RegaladoDr. Marta Pérez Wurtz

Alberto M. CarvalhoSuperintendent of Schools

Logan Schroeder-StephensStudent Advisor to the School Board

Produced by the Office of CommunicationsDaisy Gonzalez-Diego

Chief Communications Officer

Volume 7, Issue 21 Winter 2016

PRECIOUS SYMONETTE NAMED M-DCPS TEACHER OF THE YEAR, MIA ESPOSITO IS ROOKIE TEACHER

Precious Symonette, a Creative Writing teacher at Miami Norland Senior High, was named the 2017 Francisco R. Walker Miami-Dade County Teacher of the Year. Four finalists vied for the coveted title this year, which included one nominee from each of the District’s three regions, and one from Alternative/Adult Education.

Symonette teaches 10th and 12th grade students. The decade-long teaching veteran is no stranger to top teaching honors. She has been Miami Norland’s Teacher of the Year two years in a row. Symonette loves the journaling process that is part of her Creative Writing classes because it provides her with an opportunity to learn about joys, fears and predicaments that her students live through on a daily basis while helping her to discover the writer which exists within each of her students. The runner-up was Lema Gilliard from MAST @ Homestead.

Also recognized at the event were top rookie teachers. Mia Esposito, a teacher at Lenora B. Smith Elementary, was named Rookie Teacher of the Year. Rachael Taryn Kraemer, a teacher at Robert Morgan Educational Center was the Rookie Teacher of the Year runner-up.

The 2017 Francisco R. Walker Teacher of the Year Precious Symonette, Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho, and the 2016 Rookie Teacher of the Year Mia Esposito.

FOUNDATION FOR NEW EDUCATION INITIATIVES, INC. HOSTSSUPERINTENDENT’S 5K CHALLENGE - A RACE FOR EDUCATION

The Superintendent’s Challenge is a 5K run/walk promoting health and wellness within M-DCPS and the community at large. The race will be held on Saturday, April 2, 2016, 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at Museum Park, located at 1075 Biscayne Blvd. Schools are encouraged to have teams and raise money for their school. Schools will receive 80% of the funds raised, and the remaining 20% will go to the Foundation for New Education Initiatives, Inc. All proceeds raised by administrative offices will fund District initiatives such as the Parent Academy, Cultural Passport, Project UP-START, and the purchase of portable electronic devices with Internet access for students.

Participants must register individually and must designate a team to represent. Participant fees are $30.00 (plus a $2.64 registration fee) for adults and $10.00 (plus a $1.54 registration fee) for students.

The Superintendent’s Challenge

Benefiting theFOUNDATION for

NEWEDUCATIONINITIATIVES, Inc.

Scan to register!SupportMiami-Dade County Public Schools

Race for Education #MiamiSup5K

The inaugural Superintendent’s Challenge is a 5K Run/Walk to promote health and wellness in our schools and in our community. Schools are encouraged to register teams. A portion of event proceeds will benefit registered school teams.

Awards to top adult female and male, top student male and female, top school team, and top mixed team.

Select a Miami-Dade County public school,

and run for its team!!

Order your 5K T-shirt during registration!

GO...GO...GO...GO...

Race Start Time - 7:30 a.m.

Saturday, April 2, 2016Museum Park

1075 Biscayne Blvd.

Register online by March 25, 2016http://alturl.com/kik5p

$30 (+$2.64 service fee) per adult team member$10 (+$1.54 service fee) per student team member

All teams must identify a team captain, and email the captain’s contact info to

jcaeventplan@gmail.com

Register now at:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-superintendents-5k-challenge-a-race-for-education-tickets-19020182879?aff=es2