School-based Partnership of the Year Award Winners
Partners In Education, Inc. (PIE), the District’s premier school/business partnership program, began in 1983 and this year celebrated the 25th anniversary of this award presentation. Although the PIE program is now integrated into the District’s Parents, Business and Community Partners Department, the not-for-profit organization remains a guiding force. Janna Lhota, President of the PIE Board of Directors presented the awards to this year’s school-based winning partnerships.
Elementary Level
Coconut Palm Elementary with Florida Atlantic University Men’s Basketball Team
Formed in the summer of 2008, the partnership with FAU Men’s Basketball Team is dedicated to motivating and mentoring students. Coach Mike Jarvis and his players form the centerpiece of the partnership and activities include motivational talks, setting academic goals, spotlighting high achieving students, and acting as designated readers for students. During the course of this partnership, readership in the school’s Accelerated Reader Program increased 20 percent.
Cooper City Zone with the City of Cooper City
The combined schools of the Cooper City Zone are proud to have the city of Cooper City as a valued partner. The city of Cooper City constantly provides initiatives to heighten the awareness of health and safety among students, their parents and the general population. An example is when the city commissioners and Mayor Debby Eisinger actively assisted in the Walk Your Child to School Safety Program. The collective dignitaries stood in the parking lot to greet arriving students and parents and handed-out goodie bags filled with safety awareness material.
Indian Trace Elementary with Multiple Partners
The Math-a-Magician program is Indian Trace’s business component of a math curriculum initiative. Partners met with school staff to discuss academically appropriate lessons for each grade level and then worked with their employees to develop a lesson plan based on the Sunshine State Standards that were presented to students. The guest Math-a-Magician delivered a total of 19 twenty-minute lessons over a two-day period.
Larkdale Elementary with World Avenue
The World Avenue / Larkdale partnership is geared toward increasing academic achievement and attaining benchmark goals for targeted students. The program, called World Avenue’s World Of Difference, offers financial and motivational support to students, teachers, families and administrators. World Avenue employees supported children with a backpack and school supply drive. Employees raised $7,500 in one week. World Avenue employees also volunteered their time to mentor third, fourth, and fifth grade students. Employees were paired with students who assisted them in achieving benchmark academic goals.
Middle School Level
New River Middle, Sawgrass Springs Middle and Westglades Middle with Wheelabrator Technologies Inc.
Each of Wheelabrator’s middle school partners selects approximately 20 seventh and eighth grade students to participate in the Wheelabrator Symposium. Student teams identify and research a single environmental concern or challenge in their local communities. Every year, Wheelabrator invites their middle school partners to participate in the culminating event, the National Environmental Science Symposium. More than 100 seventh and eighth grade students from around the country are brought to the Symposium along with families, chaperons and school staff.
High School Level
Northeast High School with EDSA
EDSA is an internationally recognized firm that is a pioneer in landscape, urban, and graphic designs. They have established a mentoring program and have also developed a curriculum for college students who wish to pursue careers in landscape architecture. Through EDSA’s curriculum, Northeast students learned basic planning and design principles of landscape architecture. EDSA also shares their real-life experiences and practice in interacting with other consultants on large-scale designs.
Adult, Technical and Special Student Centers Level
Bright Horizons School with Publix Super Market at Lighthouse Point
Bright Horizons School is a center for students with moderate to severe disabilities. The school’s primary focus and dedicated mission is to increase students’ independence and assist them in preparing for the future. A central part of the curriculum is Community Based Instruction (CBI), in which students are taught functional job skills in real life situations. Publix has participated in Bright Horizons’ CBI program since 1992. Publix opened their doors to Bright Horizon students and offered to give students jobs at their Lighthouse Point location.
District Level Outstanding Partnerships of the Year Awards
Broward County Public Schools with All County Music
When the band director at Westglades Middle School suffered a stroke and was absent for several weeks, school staff and All County Music mapped out a strategy to insure that beginning band students reached the appropriate level of competency by winter break. They also work with the Music Department and various band and music teachers in Jazz Clinics, with instrument fittings. All County also winterized all of the Taravella Marching Band’s mouthpieces to prevent injury while marching in the Presidential Inauguration Parade.
Food and Nutrition Services with the Junior League of Greater Fort Lauderdale
In an effort to combat the childhood obesity epidemic in our community, the Junior League, working with Food and Nutrition Services, developed a nutrition education program for second grade children. At the inception of this program, students learn the importance of eating a variety of foods based on the five food groups. Additionally, the Junior League developed a resource kit with tools to promote healthy lifestyles and reduce the risks associated with childhood obesity. This kit contains a food pyramid chart and measuring cups and spoons, as well as a collection of books. The literacy-based activities reinforce the Sunshine State Standards.
Volunteers of the Year
Adult: Rosa Vasquez, Palm Cove Elementary
Rosa Vasquez is a parent that willingly assumes an active role in the learning experience at Palm Cove Elementary. She has dedicated her time for three consecutive years as a member of the PTA and active volunteer. Vasquez is a single mother of two children, one in the seventh grade and a second child in third grade. Despite the difficulties of raising two children alone, she has managed to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources and maintained a full time job.
Outstanding Voluneteer Organizer: Renee Herman, Western High
Renee Herman has been part of the Western High School family for well over a decade. As a parent, she was always involved in her children’s education, whether she was supporting their school activities or working as a school volunteer.
While Herman has volunteered in many capacities at the school, from assisting at the front desk to hearing and vision screening and selling cookies for the PTA, she is undoubtedly known for one thing --- the Harvest Drive. This program feeds, cloths and provides toys and household items to over 300 families.
Senior: Peter Kennedy, Everglades Elementary
As an electrical and bio-medical engineer, Peter Kennedy has shared his expertise with students in the science lab by assisting with experiments for every grade level. He creates innovative lessons that require much preparation at home. He and his wife, Audrey, prepare all of the materials and supplies for the classroom teachers. He has done presentations on static electricity, wind vanes, using a plasma ball and balloons, and numerous ways to use recyclable materials. Kennedy, who is semi-retired, has spent countless hours assisting in the media center, on field days, and with many day-to-day activities in classrooms and with teachers.
Student: Clarke Bowman
Clarke Bowman, a student at Pompano Beach High School who volunteers each Friday at Cresthaven Elementary School. He has investigated and presented science experiments, initiated organized play at recess and set-up a weekly craft project for 40 students. At the end of each Friday afternoon, Clarke assigns a job to each child for the next week and chronicles his list both on the board for the children to read and on a card for the teacher to have at her fingertips. Having Clarke work with kindergarten classes has been a joy for both students and teachers. He has added youthful energy and enthusiasm and the children and adults relish his visits every Friday. Cresthaven is thrilled that Clarke will be there for yet another year before he graduates from Pompano Beach High.
Volunteer Service Lapel Pin Awards
During the event, volunteer service lapel pins were presented to individuals who have contributed 200 or more hours of documented service each year, for 10 or 15 years. In the 29-year history of the Broward County Public Schools Volunteer Program, only eleven individuals have ever received the pinnacle of volunteer service awards --- the 15-year lapel pin. This year, one honoree was added to that list, while another honoree reached the 20-year lapel pin level.
- Nancy Munson, Silver Trail Middle,
15-year lapel pin honoree - Maryann Cockerille, Harbordale Elementary, 20-year lapel pin honoree
Mentors of the Year
Elementory: Dr. Arnold Miller, Nova Blanche Foreman Elementary
Conscientious and amiable, Dr. Arnold Miller enjoys working with students and, of course, that is the secret to his success and perhaps the most essential quality of any mentor. All of the children he mentors have shown positive gains socially and academically thanks to his constructive influence. This mentor is creative in his approach to identifying and responding to the individual needs of the students he mentors and his efforts are a true reflection of what mentoring is all about.
Secondary: Dr. Daniel Austin, Piper High
Dr. Daniel Austin has tutored and guided his mentee for the past two years. Thanks to his involvement, his student has demonstrated a greater capacity for recognizing and overcoming social obstacles and academic challenges. While Dr. Austin has supported this young man’s growth in math and reading, he has also encouraged him in drama and chorus to such an extent that recently this student was selected for the lead role in the Piper High annual play.
Co-Mentor Team: Iris Kauffman and Dr. Phyllis Schiffer-Simon, McFatter Technical High
For the past five years, McFatter High has been exceptionally fortunate to have the talents of Iris Kauffman and Dr. Phyllis Schiffer-Simon working with 21 young women who are participating in the Women of Tomorrow Mentor and Scholarship Program. Both Kauffman and Dr. Schiffer-Simon have had a great influence on the girls’ development by providing opportunities for them to experience real-life career experiences, fun projects, post-secondary education visits, and a spirit of volunteerism, all designed to build the girls’ self-confidence, social adjustment and academic excellence.
