Teachers at 37 Brevard Public Schools Eligible for State’s
Best & Brightest Retention Bonuses
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Classroom teachers in 37 Brevard County public schools will be eligible for the Florida Department of Education’s new Best & Brightest retention bonuses of up to $2,500.
Classroom teachers rated “highly effective” could receive retention bonuses of $2,500, while teachers rated “effective” could receive $1,000. The purpose of the 2019 Best & Brightest Teacher Program is “to recruit, retain, and recognize teachers who meet the needs of this state and have achieved success in the classroom,” says the
2019 Florida law creating the retention bonuses
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The Best & Brightest retention-bonus program replaces a former program that tied bonuses to teachers’ past scores on their college entrance exams such as the SAT and ACT.
Details on how Brevard Public Schools will determine eligibility and distribute Best & Brightest bonuses will be announced soon.
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School Board Approves Policy Changes to Mandate
Heart Screenings for All Student Athletes
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Last Tuesday night, the school board finalized policy changes approving the mandating of
heart screenings to assist in identifying any students who may be at risk of a cardiac condition.
- Any student who wishes to participate in middle school and/or high school athletics must now have an electrocardiogram (ECG) screening prior to participating in his/her first athletic sport in middle school and again prior to participating in his/her first athletic sport in high school.
- Parents and students must submit a signed consent form that calls for one of three steps: Give Who We Play For consent to administer an ECG at one of numerous school-based screening events; or, state that testing has been done by a private health provider; or acknowledge and accepts the risk of sudden cardiac arrest and not being tested while the family opts-out for personal reasons. Schools will not encourage opting out for convenience.
- The ECG Consent/Opt Out form must be completed each year as part of the student’s athletic packet.
Brevard Public Schools signed a Memorandum of Understanding last spring with local nonprofit
Who We Play For
(WWPF), to facilitate student heart screenings. The organization has since screened some 4,000 students and confirmed six with potentially life-threatening conditions.
WWPF was established by the teammates of 15-year-old Rafe Maccarone, of Cocoa Beach High School, after Rafe passed away a day after experiencing sudden cardiac arrest during warm up for soccer practice in 2007.
District 4 board representative Matt Susin said, "Tonight, I'm proud to stand together with so many amazing people who are committed to saving the lives of our students and to give the Maccarone family one more instance of why their child did not pass in vain."
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LifeStyle Homes Offering Monthly Grants for Teachers
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Lifestyle Homes wants to help teachers improve their students’ learning experiences by offering monthly grant opportunities of up to $1,000 through its “Education Renovation” program.
- Nominations for grants may be submitted by teachers, parents, students, or administrators.
- Requests may be made for new classroom tools, or funds to make a special project come to life.
- Nominations only need to be roughly 100 words, including the teacher’s name, school, and grade level, as well as a description of how the funds will be used and why the teacher is deserving of the grant.
- Requests may range from big-ticket technology items, to a laundry list of small items, to ideas to fund an idea for a project that is financially out of reach.
- A new winning teacher is announced each month.
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When Hurricane Dorian devastated the Bahamas, art educator, Heather Moore at Suntree Elementay challenged her students to create art that would help those affected in the Bahamas. Students created heart shaped pins that were sold and the money collected was used to support relief efforts. Each pin is handmade and unique.
“It is important for my students to understand that art has the potential to create change. Art is powerful and it as the ability to bring people together. I am incredibly proud of my students for working so hard. More important than the money raised is the learning that took place. This project inspired students to take action and I hope they always remember they are never too young to make a difference."
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Know a teacher, administrator, BPS staff member or Partner in Education making a difference in the lives of the children they serve? We want to hear
about them! Tell us their story
HERE.
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Freedom 7 Elementary
Fifth grade students at Freedom 7 Elementary are learning how environmental factors foster one’s cultural identity as the central idea of their current unit of inquiry. Through research gathered on the regions of the United States, students are recognizing the similarities and differences among the cultures within these regions, and learning that weather and climate affect daily life, depending on one’s geographical location. A Skype interaction was organized with Devron Hellings, president of the council for the native village of Napaumute in Bethel, Alaska. Students learned about the native culture of living in Alaska, deepening their understanding of the connection between resources and geographical location. The inquiry was deepened through student questions and conversation with Ms. Hellings via Skype.
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BPS HEADLINES is a publication of Brevard Public Schools.
2700 Judge Fran Jamieson Way * Melbourne, FL 32940 * 321-633-1000
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