First day of school in South Florida brings innovation
BY KATHLEEN MCGRORY, CHRISTINA VEIGA, JULIE BROWN AND CARLI TEPROFF
CTEPROFF@MIAMIHERALD.COM
School kicked off in some unconventional ways across Miami-Dade and Broward counties, as more than 600,000 students went back to classes Monday.
A group of tech savvy teens in Miami-Dade were greeted with iBooks and pop music, and elementary kids in Miramar received backpacks from Miami Heat players. Some students in both counties met in temporary quarters, as they await their new schools to be built.
``In this day and age of public education, we have to be flexible,'' said Broward Public Schools Superintendent Jim Notter. ``There is no cookie-cutter model to education.''
So when buildings aren't ready or students need some extra attention, it is up to the schools to meet the needs, Notter said.
This year, students who attend Hollywood's newest school, Beachside Montessori Village K-8, are temporarily being housed at the two existing schools -- pre-k through fourth at Bethune Elementary and fifth through eighth at Attucks Middle -- until the Montessori building can be completed.
At Bethune, Beachside parents brought their children in one door; Bethune parents the other. Although it's all at one location, the district is treating them like separate schools.
``It's a little crazy, but I think they're doing the best they can,'' said Kim Heller, whose two children are enrolled in the new Montessori, dropping them off at Bethune.
For Charter Schools USA, finding temporary digs for Renaissance Charter Middle School in Doral was the only way the students could start on time.
The company found space at the Miami Hilton Airport Hotel.
Jon Hage, president and CEO of Charter Schools USA, said the hotel has been used by other Miami-Dade public schools needing a temporary location.
``It's secure. It's isolated. There are classrooms set up,'' Hage said. ``It allows for learning to take place just as well as in a school.''
For 18 Miami-Dade teenagers starting at the iPrep Academy in downtown Miami, their new digs are anything but ordinary.
``When I walked into the room, my friend and I literally said that it looks like an Ikea,'' said Keisey Fumero, 16. ``It's cozy. It's going to be a fun environment.''
The walls are painted shades of yellow, blue and magenta. The classrooms are furnished with plush leather couches and decorated with large mirrors, retro lamps and colorful throw pillows.
It sounds different, too. There are no bells. Music from artists like Coldplay and Adam Lambert plays in the background. The students will eventually be able to upload their own playlists.
The new magnet school seeks to reinvent high school by making it relevant to today's tech-savvy teenagers. Each student receives an iBook.
The teens will meet for group classes in the morning, but will spend the afternoon working independently on Advanced Placement and honors classes via the Internet. Like college students, they'll be allowed to take classes that interest them.
``We'll get to work at our own pace,'' said Christopher Barnes, 16. ``It's a way to prove that we can do things on our own.''
Throughout the day, the teens have access to the school iCafe, where they can purchase wraps, smoothies and powerbars. There's a Wii hooked up to a large flatscreen TV, too.
``This is a school for you,'' said Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, who is also the school's principal. ``It was designed and conceptualized with you in mind.''
The school is still accepting applications from interested 11th-graders.
At Miramar Elementary, 6-year-old Robert Childs stood between his parents, his tiny arms outstretched as both his mother and father held his hand.
The tiny first-grader stood in a snaking line, waiting for Miami Heat players -- including Patrick Beverley, Kenny Hasbrouck and Dexter Pittman, dancers and team mascot Burnie -- to hand out backpacks filled with pens, notebooks and crayons.
Robert gave a grin, showing missing front teeth.
``I want to play basketball!'' he told his parents.
Also getting a new backpack was first-grader Emmanuel Jason Rodriguez. Emmanuel just moved to South Florida from North Carolina and was going to school for the first time since being home-schooled.
Having basketball players on hand to help get Emmanuel excited was ``a blessing,'' said his mom, Carmen Rodriguez.
``He said, `Oh, Mom, now I wonder what they're going to do tomorrow!' ''
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/08/23/1788900/first-day-of-school-brings-innovation.html#ixzz14HVxRFfk
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