Huge Los Angeles Unified School district hit by cyberattack
A ransomware attack targeting the huge Los Angeles Unified School District over the Labor Day weekend prompted an unprecedented shutdown of the district’s information technology systems as authorities scrambled to trace the perpetrators and restrict potential damage.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools leads comprehensive health education for teens
In October 2021, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) declared a national state of emergency in children’s mental health. For the past 13 years, this mental health crisis has been addressed in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools through a program called Health Information Project (HIP). HIP revolutionizes health education: Unlike traditional high school health classes led by adults, we utilize high school students as health educators. HIP partners with 55 public high schools in Miami-Dade in addition to the private schools Gulliver, Ransom, Riviera and Cushman. The surgeon general’s report outlined a series of recommendations to improve youth mental health, including supporting mental health in school settings.
communitynewspapers.comMasks required for all adults at Miami-Dade public schools; masks highly encouraged for students
All adults will be required to wear face masks inside any Miami-Dade County Public School facility, while students are highly encouraged to wear masks as they return to classes next Monday, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said Thursday.
Miami-Dade School District to modify quarantine period for high school students and faculty
The school district will officially change their mandatory quarantine period following a positive COVID-19 test from 10 days to five days. If you test negative after the fifth day, students can return to school. However, this change only applies to faculty and high school students.
Summer Intern Eric Gavizon becomes part-time employee for Aventura Marketing Council/Chamber of Commerce
AdvertisementAs virtual learning has become the ‘norm’ during these unusual times, there’s something to be said for the hands-on experiences for students. Miami-Dade Public School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho recognized the importance of having students serve as interns over the summer, and partnered with some great sponsors who provided funds to pay summer interns to learn new skills. Each intern worked a total of 150 hours over the summer, gaining valuable skills in the industry of their choice. Hopefully, the businesses that were fortunate enough to have a summer intern from this outstanding Miami-Dade County Public Schools program, would hire the students during the school year, as the Aventura Marketing Council/Chamber of Commerce (AMC) did with student Eric Gavizon, a student from MAST at FIU. “During my summer internship at the Aventura Marketing Council/Chamber of Commerce, I gained valuable experiences and learned many important lessons” said Eric.
communitynewspapers.comMiami-Dade students return to school with masks, school bus driver shortage
We know the start of any school year can be stressful enough. But when you add in the concerns about COVID-19, and now, new concerns over a nationwide bus driver shortage, it’s caused many parents to scramble to make some last minute back-up plans as kids throughout Miami-Dade County head back to class.
Miami-Dade school board member favors Carvalho’s support of face mask mandate
The School Board of Miami-Dade County is likely to side with Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s recommendation to implement a universal face mask mandate with a medical opt-out, a school board member said on Wednesday.
Big Florida school districts defy governor over mask mandate
Students in Florida's Broward County went back to school under a mask mandate Wednesday, even as their school board faced threats of severe penalties for defying Gov. Ron DeSantis. In Miami, Florida's largest school district with 334,000 students, a task force of medical experts recommended students should be required to wear masks when they return to classrooms next week. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho agreed and the school board was expected to meet to discuss the measure Wednesday.
news.yahoo.comAfter hearing from medical advisors, Miami-Dade Schools’ decision on masks is a no-brainer | Editorial
Miami-Dade County Public Schools leaders will need to do a lot of mental and political gymnastics to justify anything other than a mask mandate after spending almost two and a half hours listening to medical advice Monday.
news.yahoo.comFIU to celebrate the real triumphs of summer graduates
AdvertisementFIU will celebrate the graduation of thousands of students in three outdoor ceremonies Aug. 4-6, 2021, including graduates who will be recognized as Real Triumphs Graduates for their achievements in the classroom and in their fields. “We are so proud of them.”More than 5,500 students will graduate – a summer record. Commencement ceremonies will be held at 7 p.m., Aug. 4 – 6 at FIU Stadium on FIU’s MMC campus. Real Triumphs Graduates this summer include:Kazue Orikasa Lopez, who transferred to FIU from Miami Dade College with a full-tuition scholarship, works to invent new materials to transform cardiovascular care and help NASA function better in aerospace. Next, Sanchez plans to continue his research at FIU and is applying to medical school with the hope of conducting research that could save lives.
communitynewspapers.comMiami-Dade to require face masks on public school buses
The school boards of both Miami-Dade and Broward counties have decided to postpone making a decision about whether or not public school administrators will be requiring teachers, students, and staff to wear face masks indoors during the beginning of the 2021-22 school year.
Carvalho once again refutes Miami-Dade teaching Critical Race Theory, requiring masks
For the second time this summer, about 20 people used the public comment period during Wednesday’s Miami-Dade County School Board meeting to lambaste the district for teaching critical race theory and requiring students and teachers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 when they return to class next month and to wear a mask while on campus.
news.yahoo.comCarvalho: We don’t teach critical race theory, wearing masks and vaccinations are optional
About a dozen people blasted the Miami-Dade school district for teaching critical race theory, mandating students to wear masks in the classroom in the upcoming school year and forcing them to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
news.yahoo.comMiami kids are ‘resilient.’ Miami-Dade Schools ends 2020-2021 with high graduation rate
Students, parents and teachers across Miami-Dade County on Wednesday celebrated the last day of a challenging and disruptive school year that began with a rocky start to online classes and ended with mask-wearing students graduating in socially distanced ceremonies.
news.yahoo.comReunited after a year, Miami celebrates the Class of 2021 with in-person graduations
The Class of 2021 has never known life without “Finding Nemo” or “SpongeBob SquarePants.” They’ve never had to rewind a VHS tape or contend with text message limits. They are as old as the first Apple iTunes store.
news.yahoo.comG.W. Carver Elementary School Honored by PTA for Fight Against WAWA Gas Station
Carver Elementary School were honored by the Miami Dade County PTA for their galvanizing, against-the-odds campaign to stop a WAWA gas station from being built just 300 feet from classrooms. Two other Coral Gables-area PTAs — from Ponce de Leon Middle and Coral Gables High School — were also recognized. “Advocacy is a daily commitment that happens one conversation at a time,” said Carver PTA president Estelle Lockhart. Thank you to the Miami Dade Council County PTA for recognizing our advocacy efforts regarding commercial developments around schools. WAWA and the developer similarly ignored parents and hired a lobbyist, who did not register with Coral Gables, to move forward with plans to bulldoze two decades-old Oak trees to make way for the gas station.
communitynewspapers.comMiami-Dade County Schools plan best use of $1.1 billion stimulus
Miami-Dade County Schools plan best use of $1.1 billion stimulusWritten by Jesse Scheckner on March 23, 2021AdvertisementRoughly $1.1 billion in new federal stimulus funds is likely to come to Miami-Dade Public Schools, and the district this time wants to do a better job spending the money – and accounting for that spending – than it did with prior pandemic aid. Last week, the county School Board directed Superintendent Alberto Carvalho to start planning for the funding infusion, part of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act President that Joe Biden signed into law this month. The meeting will also include a review of earlier allocations to the school through the March 2020 Cares Act and December 2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Florida will receive $7.4 billion in schools-specific funding, and Miami-Dade Public Schools – the largest school district in the state – is expected to get about 15% of that. “Sometimes we get so busy that we don’t [follow the money],” School Board member Dr. Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall said.
miamitodaynews.comSuperintendent’s 6th annual Challenge Virtual 5K Run/Walk
This year, for the first time, the 6th annual Superintendent’s Challenge 5K Run/Walk will be held virtually beginning at 7am on Saturday, March 6th and ending at midnight on Saturday, March 13th. Superintendent Carvalho said, “The COVID-19 pandemic may have transformed the way we attend large gatherings and special events, but that will not stop us from hosting the 6th annual Superintendent’s Race for Education. Race options include a 5K run/walk or a 1-mile run for elementary and middle school students with a portion of event proceeds benefiting participating school teams. Participants are encouraged to choose and run for a school team, so FNEI can enhance school fund-raising totals. Participant fees for the virtual race are $35 for adults, plus a $2.74 registration fee, and $15 for students, plus a $1.58 registration fee.
communitynewspapers.comMiami-Dade Chamber of Commerce to Virtually Host its 15th Annual Holiday Gala
[MIAMI] – The Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce will virtually host its 15th Annual Holiday Gala on Saturday, December 12, 2020, at 6 p.m. The virtual experience’s theme is To Miami With Love: Our City, Our Time, Our Business, and is a black-tie affair. “This year, the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce is hosting its first virtual Annual Holiday Gala. Going virtual for our Annual Holiday Gala is vital to ensure we continue to celebrate our businesses’ excellence and our future. Alberto Carvalho, Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, will serve as this year’s Gala Honorary Chairman.
sflcn.comAfter 29-Hour Meeting, Miami-Dade School Board Delays Reopening
At a school board meeting that began Monday, Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho laid out a detailed reopening plan that would have put students back in school by early next week. "If it feels rushed, it doesn't feel right," said Steve Gallon, the vice-chair of the school board. The following week, the remaining elementary school students, as well as children in grades six, nine, and ten, will head back. School board members pushed to delay the in-person reopening after posing questions to Carvalho and his staff over the course of five hours on Monday afternoon. Gallon expressed skepticism that the district would be able to prepare if the number of students wanting in-person learning increases.
miaminewtimes.comMIT students co-teach to inspire STEAM careers
MIT students co-teach to inspire STEAM careersWritten by Jesse Scheckner on March 25, 2020AdvertisementMost students hoping to learn about science, technology, engineering and mathematics from world-class academics must first score well on standardized tests to earn a seat in a college classroom. Their goal: to foster and boost interest in science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics and, in doing so, inspire elementary, junior and high school students to pursue educations in those fields and become future innovators. We do it person-by-person, and whoever wants to contribute to this effort and the mission of the Global Co-Creation Lab research and innovation through education is valuable, she said. Oddly, she said, the Global Co-Creation Lab and its educational programming are the first such projects MIT has undertaken stateside outside of its Boston headquarters. The next round of engagements between MIT students and local classrooms was to occur next month, but school closures here due to the coronavirus have delayed things.
miamitodaynews.comFood-Insecure Miamians Could Be Pushed to the Brink Amid Coronavirus Shutdowns
Each month, the family receives about $200 from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, as well as assistance in the form of free school lunches for their 7-year-old first-grader, Emmett. "We've seen it go up to as many as seven meals enough meals for a week served in a meal-service period. Though the move to provide takeaway lunches has earned praise, danger might await the following week spring break when free lunches aren't usually provided. "We've never done this during spring break, but it's not a loss to me that needy parents face a challenge whether it's spring break or not," Carvalho says. "We have a giant pork shoulder, and we'll have enough pasta as long as we don't eat a full box a day," Danielle says.
miaminewtimes.comMiami-Dade High-School Football Teams Dominated State Championship Games
Last week, South Florida high-school football teams claimed seven of eight state titles, beating the crap out of teams from Central and North Florida. What's even sweeter is three of those championships were won by Miami-Dade inner-city public schools: Miami Northwestern, Miami Central, and Booker T. Washington. It didn't work, because three inner-city schools still made it to the playoffs and won titles. None of the Miami-Dade public school teams had to travel all the way to the state capital, but conditions at Daytona Stadium were a disaster. Next year, the FHSAA will surely find more ways to make the state playoffs an uncomfortable experience for Miami-Dade high-school football teams.
miaminewtimes.comLet us help care for the detained children
There are 2,500 children being held like prisoners in a camp in our own backyard and, regardless of how you feel about immigration policy, we have an obligation to treat these children with dignity and humanity. Today we have children as young as 8 years old living in a tent city where they are ushered around like inmates. Nearly a month ago, the Trump administration decided to eliminate recess time for soccer games and education of children sitting in camps near the border. Let the politicians argue in Congress and let us, the United Teachers of Dade, step in and help. We want to see these children get a proper education and be treated with respect and dignity.
communitynewspapers.comMiami-Dade School Board Wants More Racial Transparency in Student Arrest Data
Nevertheless, during the school board meeting, other board members brought up a letter from Carvalho in which he pointed out computational errors in the ACLU report. "I dont have to research the narrative about the challenges and obstacles and discrimination and disparate treatment that comes with being black," Gallon said at the meeting. The newly passed measure calls for the board to annually review arrest data for students in the public school system. This all begins, though, with recognizing the implicit bias present in the school system and striking at the heart of the problem. The push within Miami-Dade comes at a time when many school districts are looking for ways to close the racial gap in student discipline.
miaminewtimes.comLet Us Help Care For The Detained Children
Today we have children as young as 8 years old living in a tent city where they are ushered around like inmates. Which is very telling about how our government lacks empathy for these children, since even our most hardened criminals have access to such activities. Nearly a month ago, the Trump administration decided to eliminate recess time for soccer games and education of children sitting in camps near the border. Let the politicians argue in congress and let us the United Teachers of Dade step in and help. We want to see these children get a proper education and be treated with respect and dignity.
communitynewspapers.comHere's How You Can Help Kids at the Homestead Migrant Camp
The stories coming out of the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Children are difficult to hear. When Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho offered his district's help in teaching the kids, he received no response. Outside the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Children. "We could use support to help get those kids out of adult detention," says Michelle Ortiz, deputy director of Americans for Immigrant Justice. Let your elected officials know how you feel about the detention of children in Homestead.
miaminewtimes.comMichelle DesJardins of Allstate Insurance has summer intern working and learning Miami's Community News
Michelle DesJardins of Allstate Insurance signed up and was delighted when Jennifer Padilla, a senior at Krop Senior High, sent her resume for consideration. Jennifer was hired immediately, and today, you can find her assisting the sales team with their customer follow-up phone calls, helping Michelle with her Youtube channel and telemarketing for leads. Jennifer has been a great asset to our agency and is already helping us increase our sales by helping my sales team with administrative duties. She is very intelligent and sincere, and appreciates the opportunity we are giving her. We truly appreciate her and this outstanding grant program!
communitynewspapers.com