Broward Schools Accolades

Broward County Public Schools Earns Global Education Excellence Award (June 2014)

Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) is being recognized for Global Education Excellence by EF High School Exchange Year. Regional Coordinator Laura Barry recently presented the award to Superintendent of Schools Robert W. Runcie and Ralph Aiello, BCPS Coordinator of Guidance, BRACE & Academic Advisement for the Department of College and Career Readiness. The EF High School Exchange Year Global Education Excellence Award is presented annually to high schools and school districts that demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to international understanding and global awareness.

Dillard High School Girls’ Basketball Coach Marcia Pinder Receives National Hall of Fame Honor (June 2014)

Florida’s all time winningest basketball coach, Dillard High School girls’ basketball coach Marcia Pinder, has earned a place in the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA) Hall of Fame. She will be inducted in the Class of 2014 on June 17, 2014, when the NHSACA holds its national convention in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Since setting Florida’s all-time win record two seasons ago, Pinder finished her 37th year at Dillard with an 854-186 mark. She has taken her team to the Final Four competition 36 times during the past 37 years, and has won eight state championship titles.

Coral Springs High School Business Students Rank Among the Nation’s Best (May 2014)

Coral Springs High School business students ranked among the best in the nation during competitions at the Business Professionals of America 2014 National Leadership Conference. The Conference took place in Indianapolis, Indiana April 30-May 4, 2014. Congratulations to Coral Springs High School student Leonardo Gutierrez for winning first place in the Digital Media Production category. Coral Springs High School’s Computer Animation Team (Lucas Morelli, Lucas Doty, John Grignon and Zachary Pisani) also ranked among the top 10 high school teams in the nation. The National Leadership Conference includes students from across the country competing in a variety of business and technical competition categories.

Dillard Center For The Arts Jazz Band Finishes in Top Three in National Competition (May 2014)

Dillard Center for the Arts finished in the top three at the 19th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival at the Lincoln Center in New York City, May 8-10, 2014. This is the fifth consecutive year that the jazz band has made the national cut as finalist, to compete among the best of the best from more than 100 schools bands from across the country. Dillard was one of the top three bands chosen from the field of 15 finalists to perform on Saturday evening during performances at Frederick P. Rose Hall at the Lincoln Center. The winning bands were chosen by a panel of judges composed of distinguished jazz musicians and historians, including Jazz at Lincoln Center's Artistic Director Wynton Marsalis. The competition was the culminating event during three days of mentoring, jam sessions and workshops.

BCPS High Schools Named Among Best in the Nation by U.S. News & World Report (April 2014)

Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) is home to several Best High Schools in the nation and state, according to rankings by U.S. News & World Report. In all, 13 BCPS high schools received gold, silver or bronze medals in the U.S. News’ Best High Schools 2014 national ranking. Broward’s national gold medal recipients are Cypress Bay High School, Pompano Beach High School and Nova High School. The nine high schools receiving national silver medals are McFatter Technical High School, Somerset Arts Conservatory, Stranahan High School, Fort Lauderdale High School, Atlantic Technical Center and High School, Somerset Academy, Pembroke Pines Charter High School, McArthur High School and Miramar High School. In addition, Broward Virtual School received a bronze medal national ranking. The U.S. News rankings include data on more than 19,400 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia.

J.P. Taravella High School Culinary Students Take Top Honors in Statewide Competition (April 2014)

Students from J.P. Taravella High School in Coral Springs won first place overall in the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association’s Educational Foundation’s 14th Annual ProStart Culinary Team Competition. The competition took place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando in March. A total of 60 schools participated in the competition. Teams competed in four events, which included the Cracker Barrel Management Competition, the Johnson & Wales University Culinary Competition, the Keiser University Edible Centerpiece Competition and the Coca-Cola Company Waiters Relay Competition.

Nova High School Euro Challenge Team Takes First Place Team Advances to Compete for National Title (March 2014)

Nova High School students are making their mark in the world of economics. The Nova Euro Challenge Team won first place in the preliminary rounds of the 2014 Euro Challenge. The competition, which took place at Florida International University on March 13, 2014, included schools from South and Central Florida. The team’s next challenge takes them on an all-expense paid trip to New York for a chance to compete for the national title. The Euro Challenge is an exciting educational opportunity for high school students to learn about the European Union (EU) and the euro.

Broward County Public Schools Teacher Receives State of Florida 2014 Excellence in Teaching About Agriculture Award (February 2014)

Congratulations to Gustavo Junco, Advanced Placement and Honors Chemistry teacher at West Broward High School in Pembroke Pines, who has been named winner of the State of Florida 2014 Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Award. The Florida Agriculture in the Classroom Grants Committee selected Junco the high school winner and overall state winner of its 2014 Excellence in Teaching about Agriculture Award for utilizing innovative, hands-on relatable lessons that intrigue students while teaching core curriculum concepts in science and math, agriculture and nutrition.

Superintendent Runcie Receives Superintendent of the Year, Star Award By The Consortium of Florida Education Foundation (December 2013)

The Consortium of Florida Education Foundations (CFEF) recognized Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) Superintendent Robert W. Runcie with its “Star” Superintendent of the Year Award. The “Star” Superintendent Award for exemplary leadership was presented at the 68th Annual Joint Conference of Florida School Boards Association and Florida Association of District School Superintendents held in Tampa. The award recognizes an outstanding school district superintendent who has made the greatest impact on their local education foundation. Presenting the “Star” award were CFEF President Mary Chance and Katie Scanlan, representing Bank of America, sponsor of this year’s award and longtime supporter of local education foundations.

Superintendent Robert W. Runcie Honored as Superintendent of the Year by Florida Virtual School (October 2013)

Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) Superintendent Robert W. Runcie is being recognized by Florida Virtual School as Superintendent of the Year. Superintendent Runcie shares the honor with Mark Rains, Superintendent of Dixie District Schools. According to Florida Virtual School, the Superintendent of the Year co-recipients were selected based on their leadership, hard work, dedication to providing quality education to students and their commitment to improving the lives of students in pursuit of virtual education.

Nova High School Student Wins National Debate Championship and Two High Schools Honored as Schools of Outstanding Distinction (July 2013)

Congratulations to Nova High School senior Greg Bernstein for being named a National Champion in the Congressional Debate (Senate Division) of the 2013 Lincoln Financial Group/National Forensic League National Speech and Debate Tournament. The competition took place in Birmingham, Alabama June 17 through 21, and included students from more than 1,000 schools across the country, as well as competitors from the U.S. Territory of Guam, China, and Korea. For taking top honors, Bernstein earned $6,000 in college scholarships. Bernstein’s National Championship marks the seventh year that a Nova High School student has won first place during the prestigious National Speech and Debate Tournament.

BCPS High Schools Named Among Best in the Nation by U.S. News & World Report (June 2013)

Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) is home to several Best High Schools in the nation and state, according to rankings by U.S. News & World Report. In all, 13 BCPS high schools received gold, silver or bronze medals in the U.S. News’ Best High Schools 2013 national ranking. American Institutes for Research implemented U.S. News comprehensive rankings methodology, which is based on the key principles that a great high school must serve all of its students well, not just those who are college-bound, and that it must be able to produce measurable academic outcomes to show the school is successfully educating its student body across a range of performance indicators. U.S. News analyzed more than 21,000 public high schools in 49 states and the District of Columbia. This is the total number of public high schools that had 12th grade enrollment and sufficient data from the 2010/11 school year to analyze. Schools were awarded gold, silver or bronze medals based on state proficiency standards, exams, how well students are prepared for college and other factors.

NASA Awards Cypress Bay High Team $5000 Grand Prize for Space Settlement Design Project in International Competition (April 2013)

A six-student team from Cypress Bay High School in Weston won the $5,000 Grand Prize in the 2013 NASA Ames Space Settlement Design Contest. The Cypress Bay team created a space settlement plan, “Maui,” which was selected for the top award from 592 submissions entered by 1,536 students in 20 countries. Cypress Bay physics teachers Jeffrey Rose and Angela Ashley were advisors to the “Maui” team – Robert Gitten, Jackie Linevsky, Zared Schwartz, Jonathan Schiller, Reagan Fuhr and Gabriel Teixeira – that worked on the “Maui” project for six months. This is the second year Cypress Bay has won the Grand Prize in the NASA Ames competition. Three of the students on the 2013 team – Gitten, Linevsky and Schwartz – were also on the 2012 team.

Hollywood Hills High School Military Academy and McArthur High School JROTC Programs Ranked Among the Best Units in the Nation (April 2013)

The Hollywood Hills High School Military Academy and McArthur High School JROTC programs were awarded the coveted Honor Unit with Distinction from the U.S. Army Cadet Command. In March, the schools received formal inspection from the U.S. Army and earned the Honor Unit with Distinction rating, ranking them among the very best units in the nation. The Honor Unit with Distinction, or Gold Star status, is the U.S. Army’s highest award given to the best high school JROTC units in the nation. This is obtained by showing excellence in drill and ceremony, cadet knowledge, vigorous inspections and an overall understanding in the JROTC program.

Atlantic Technical High School Robotics Team Advances to World Championship (April 2013)

The Atlantic Technical High School TechTigers robotic team competed against 45 schools from around the country, Mexico and the Dominican Republic to win the FIRST Robotics Competition South Florida Regional held on March 30, 2013, at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale. FIRST (an acronym meaning For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is designed to inspire young people to become the science and technology leaders of the future by engaging them in exciting mentor-based programs that build science, engineering and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life characteristics including self-confidence, communication and leadership. It is regarded as the "Super Bowl of the Mind,” which challenges participants to build robots in six weeks from a standard kit of parts, without instructions. More than 2,500 teams participate worldwide.

Falcon Cove Middle School Springs Forward Into National Finals (March 2013)

Falcon Cove Middle School in Weston leaped over their competitors to become recent winners of the Space Coast Science Education Alliance Middle School Science Bowl in the National Science Bowl regional competition. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Science Bowl is a nationwide academic competition that tests students' knowledge in all areas of science. High school and middle school students are quizzed in a fast paced question-and-answer format similar to Jeopardy. Competing teams from diverse backgrounds are comprised of four students, one alternate, and a teacher who serves as an advisor and coach. The Department of Energy (DOE) created the National Science Bowl in 1991 to encourage students to excel in mathematics and science and to pursue careers in these fields. More than 225,000 students have participated in the National Science Bowl throughout its 22-year history, and it is one of the nation’s largest science competitions.

Western High School Receives the “2013 Top AFS School” Award (March 2013)

Western High School has been selected to receive the “2013 Top AFS School” award from AFS-USA, a leader in international high school student exchange. Schools honored with this inaugural award have partnered with AFS (formerly the American Field Service), in a variety of ways to foster global citizenship through intercultural learning – both inside and outside of the classroom – from hosting international students, sending students abroad, and working with AFS-USA to incorporate intercultural and experiential learning opportunities in the curriculum. Western High represents Florida nationally in the top 100 schools that support the foreign student exchange experience.

Six BCPS Magnet Schools Receive 2013 National Magnet Schools Merit Awards (February 2013)

Magnet Schools of America, a national organization representing magnet schools/programs, has recognized six Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) Magnet Schools for their excellence in demonstrating student achievement, innovative and engaging instruction and curriculum, community engagement, professional development, and a commitment to diversity. Magnet Schools of Excellence Awards, given to select schools that score the highest marks nation-wide, and Magnet Schools of Distinction Awards recognize the top magnet schools and programs in the United States that consistently deliver quality services to all school stakeholders.

Broward Virtual School Wins National Award (September 2012)

Broward Virtual School’s BEST (Bringing Environmentally Sound Transformations) initiative was recently selected one of the 100 most innovative ideas in the nation by the 2012 ING Unsung Heroes Awards Program. Broward Virtual School (BVS) was one of three schools in Florida, and the only Broward School to receive the 2012 award. As a top 100 winner, BVS received a $2,000 grant from ING Unsung Heroes to bring its program to life. Christopher Gates and Dr. Dierdre Wilson developed their winning program, “BEST,” as an 11-month study and conservation initiative on environmental issues and protection. Students in the program at BVS will become advocates in protecting the landscape for birds, fish, animals and wildlife that depend on special habitats.

Westglades Middle School Wins National Math and Engineering Competition for Second Year (July 2012)

A mousetrap car designed by Westglades Middle School’s SECME (South East Consortium for Math and Engineering) Team took first place middle school honors in the national SECME Engineering Design Competition held in late June at the University of Alabama. Westglades Middle School is located in Parkland. This is the second year that a team from Westglades has earned top honors at the annual competition.

BCPS Tops State for Second Time in Algebra End-Of-Course Assessment (June 2012)

The Florida Department of Education released results of the Spring 2012 Algebra End-of-Course (EOC) Assessment State Report of Districts. Results highlight that Broward County Public School (BCPS) again leads the state and the big five school districts. The test was administered to all students enrolled in an Algebra I, Algebra 1B or Algebra I Honors course. The algebra results are provided relative to the state and show that BCPS algebra proficiency (60%) is higher than the state and four other large school districts (Hillsborough, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach at 56% and Orange at 55%). In addition, nearly all students enrolled in middle school algebra courses scored proficient on the test (99% in grade seven and 94% in grade eight).

Atlantic Technical Center Magnet High School Students Win Top Awards in National Leadership Conference (May 2012)

Atlantic Technical Center Magnet High School’s Business Professionals of America (BPA) state-qualifying students attended the BPA National Conference in Chicago April 25-29, along with over 6,000 high school students throughout the nation. Atlantic Technical students earned many awards at this year’s national leadership conference. Most notably were Danielle Coley who achieved first place in the nation in Advanced Spreadsheet Applications and the Global Marketing Team – Treshauna Price, Derica Reed, Angela Ruge, and Dexter Stewart – achieved third place in the nation honors.

Flanagan High School NJROTC Wins National Championship (April 2012)

The Flanagan High School Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) took first place at the National Academic, Athletic and Drill championships at the Pensacola Naval Air Station (NAS) in Pensacola, Florida on April 13 – 14, 2012. Flanagan JROTC earned the right to compete at NAS Pensacola for the national championship after placing second in the Florida regional competition back in March. The NJROTC national competition is designed to showcase the finest all-around units in the nation and provide cadets with an opportunity to compete against the best the Navy has to offer.

William Dandy Middle Named One of America's Best Urban Schools (March 2012)

The National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST) has named Broward County Public Schools William Dandy Middle School in Fort Lauderdale a 2012 NCUST National Excellence in Urban Education Award winner. Through the Excellence in Urban Education Award program, NCUST at San Diego State University awards and celebrates America’s best urban schools.

South Plantation High Selected for National Magnet School of Excellence Award (February 2012)

South Plantation High School has been selected for the Magnet School of Excellence Award. This national award by Magnet Schools of America is based on commitment to high academic standards, curriculum innovation, successful diversity efforts, and the consistent delivery of high quality education to students. Schools with the “Magnet Schools of Excellence” status are also in competition for one of several cash awards at the Magnet Schools of America annual national conference, which will be hosted by Dallas Independent School District, Texas, May 18-21, 2012.

Broward Education Foundation Ranked Among Top 10 in Nation (February 2012)

The Broward Education Foundation (BEF) is number 10 in the nation in supporting public education, according to a recent national study of educational foundations and funds in the 50 largest school districts.

Hunt Elementary School and William Dandy Middle School Finalists for 2012 National Excellence in Urban Education Awards (January 2012)

Broward County Public Schools James S. Hunt Elementary School and William Dandy Middle School have been named finalists for the 2012 National Excellence in Urban Education Awards by the San Diego State University National Center for Urban School Transformation (NCUST). The NCUST National Excellence in Urban Education Award program recognizes and celebrates the talent, dedication and hard work of educators and students in high-achieving urban schools. The award is given to urban schools with a proven track record of closing the achievement gap among all demographics.

Nova High School Students Crowned Champions At 2011 Yale Invitational (October 2011)

The Nova High School Titan debate and speech team competed with more than 140 schools from coast to coast at the recent 2011 Yale Invitational in New Haven, CT taking their first win at the prestigious Ivy League venue in the cumulative team scoring and bringing home the winner’s plaque after being named sweepstake’s champions.

Broward County Public Schools Receive Top National Ranking (July 2011)

The Washington Post named 11 Broward County high schools in its High School Challenge list of top 1,900 public high schools in the nation. Fort Lauderdale (109), Marjory Stoneman Douglas (239), Nova (286), Miramar (355), Cooper City (377), Stranahan (434), J.P. Taravella (511), Flanagan (559), Plantation (747), Coral Springs Charter (1002) and Pembroke Pines Charter (1,130) high schools join an elite group of public high schools nationwide. According to The Washington Post, schools on the list represent only 7% of schools across the country.

Westglades Middle School Design Team Takes First Place in (July 2011)

Westglades Middle School design team – James McLaughlin, Malachi Webb and Kendy Calixte – took first place in the national SECME (Science, Engineering, Communication, Mathematics Enhancement Program) Engineering Design Competition held at the University of Alabama in late June. Earlier in the year, the Westglades design team placed first in the Broward County regional competition. Their strong regional performance entitled them to participate in the final national Engineering Design Competition, held as one of the capstone events at the Annual SECME Summer Institute. The national winner was selected based upon a combination of car performance, engineering drawings, technical reports and group interviews.

NEWSWEEK Names Four BCPS High Schools Among America’s Best (July 2011)

Four Broward County high schools have been named America’s Best High Schools by Newsweek magazine. Listed in the top 500 high schools in the country are Pompano Beach High (201); Marjory Stoneman Douglas (223) Nova High (337); and Cooper City High (383). Newsweek, which has been ranking the top public high schools in America for more than a decade, revamped its methodology this year in hopes of highlighting solutions. Newsweek enlisted a panel of experts to develop a yardstick that fully reflects a school’s success turning out college-ready and life-ready students. To this end, each school’s score is comprised of six components: graduation rate (25%), college matriculation rate (2%), AP tests taken per graduate (25%), average SAT/ACT scores (10%), average AP/IB/AICE scores (10%) and AP courses offered (5%).

BCPS Earns "A" Grade from Florida's Department Of Education for the Fourth Consecutive Year (June 2011)

For the fourth consecutive year, Broward County Public Schools has earned the highest grade of ‘A’ from the Florida Department of Education in the 2010/11 school accountability results under the state’s A+ Plan. This year’s school grade results highlight that 78% of Broward’s elementary and middle schools earned a grade ‘A’ or ‘B’ and 93.8% earned an ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘C’. High school grades, which now include graduation rate, accelerated course enrollments and performance, and readiness for college, will not be computed until December. School grade calculations are based on student performance as measured by the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in reading, mathematics, science and writing.

Plantation High School Rocket Team Wins Ninth in Nation (June 2011)

The Plantation High Rocket Team placed ninth in the nation at the Team America Rocketry Competition (TARC) recently held in Manassas, Virginia. Over 500 teams from around the United States qualified for the competition. This accomplishment qualifies the team for two NASA grants. Plantation has won more NASA grants than any other team in the nation.

South Plantation Magnet Wins Fairchild Challenge (June 2011)

Students in the Environmental Science and Everglades Restoration Magnet program at Broward County Public Schools’ South Plantation High topped off an award-winning year by becoming the overall champion of the Fairchild Challenge, the largest student environmental competition in the world.

Broward County Public Schools Receive Top National Ranking (May 2011)

The Washington Post named 11 Broward County high schools in its High School Challenge list of top 1,900 public high schools in the nation. Fort Lauderdale (109), Marjory Stoneman Douglas (238), Nova (285), Miramar (355), Cooper City (376), Stranahan (431), J.P. Taravella (507), Flanagan (554), Plantation (739), Coral Springs Charter (983) and Pembroke Pines Charter (1,108) high schools join an elite group of public high schools nationwide. According to the Washington Post, schools on the list represent only 7% of schools across the country.

South Plantation High Selected as Finalist for Panasonic National School Change Award (May 2011)

South Plantation High School was selected as one of 20 finalists in the 12th annual Panasonic National School Change Awards process, sponsored by the Panasonic Corporation of North America. The award was created in 1999 to recognize schools that rose from being underperforming to exemplary. In the 12 years of the award, over 800 schools have been nominated from 45 states. South Plantation will be recognized for its tremendous improvement by Panasonic Corporation at the National Awards Ceremony on July 1, 2011, at Lincoln Center in New York City during the National Principals Leadership Institute, being conducted July 9-16, 2011.

Broward County, Miami-Dade County Schools Named Two of the Four Top Urban School Districts in America as Finalists for Broad Prize for Urban Education (April 2011)

Broward County Public Schools and Miami-Dade County Public Schools were named by The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation as two of the four large school districts selected as finalists for the 2011 Broad Prize for Urban Education, guaranteeing both districts a minimum of $150,000 each in college scholarships for their students. Both school districts have previously been Broad Prize finalists.

Broward County Public Schools Receive National 2011 Magnet Schools Awards (March 2011)

Four Broward County Public Schools were named by the Magnet Schools of America as Magnet Schools of Excellence and Magnet Schools of Distinction. Virginia Shuman Young Elementary, Montessori was named a Magnet School of Excellence and is in the running for the title of the nation’s top magnet school. Atlantic Technical High School, Technical; South Plantation High School, Environmental Science; and Stranahan High School, Medical Science; were named Magnet Schools of Distinction.

Cypress Bay High School Helps Florida Lead the Nation in Advanced Placement Participation (February 2011)

Cypress Bay High School is among five Florida high schools that helped the State achieve a number one ranking in the nation for the percentage of 2010 seniors taking Advanced Placement (AP) exams while in high school, according to the 7th Annual AP Report to the Nation by The College Board. Cypress Bay is highlighted in the report for their exemplary programs to increase access to AP courses among traditionally underserved students. No other state has as many recognized schools. Florida's AP progress continues to be largely driven by the solid gains in participation and performance of Florida's African-American and Hispanic students who experienced increases in both the percent taking and the percent passing AP exams.

Atlantic Technical Center's Toyota TTEN Program Earns National Recognition (February 2011)

Atlantic Technical Center’s Director Robert Crawford has once again been notified by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. that the school’s TTEN (Technician Training & Education Network) program is the best in the nation. Toyota established the annual TTEN School Recognition Award to honor the five highest performing schools from among the 42 programs throughout the country. Over the years, Atlantic’s program has consistently been in the top five in this rigorous selection process.

As recipients of the 2010 award, Ken Bergmann, TTEN program coordinator, Tom Keller and Ken Williams, TTEN teachers and students will have a corporate-sponsored celebration where Toyota executives will present a plaque and special gift of a Techstream diagnostic computer for the program.

The Toyota TTEN program is a partnership between Toyota and selected technical schools across the United States to identify and train the highly skilled technicians needed at Toyota/Lexus/Scion dealerships. The two-year program teaches advanced automotive theory, practical hands-on applications and provides direct dealership experience working alongside Toyota/Lexus/Scion technicians. Instruction aligns with the eight ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certifications, and graduates must earn a minimum of two ASEs prior to completion of the program. Moreover, they can earn an excellent job at a local dealership and exceptional opportunities for corporate advancement.

BCPS Principal Named Top in the State (January 2010)

Broward County Public Schools Principal James Griffin has received the state’s top principal honor – Principal Achievement
Award for Outstanding Leadership. The announcement came this month at the Florida Department of Education
Commissioner’s Summit for Principals in Orlando. Griffin was named Broward’s Principal of the Year 2010 while at Rock
Island Elementary School last year. He beat out two other finalists for the state’s top award and will receive a check for
$5,000. Rock Island Elementary will also receive $1,000 as part of the recognition.

Florida Among Top States in New National Report on Education (January 2010)

Broward Virtual School (BVS) was selected as the 2010 winner of the iNACOL (International Association for K12 Online Learning) Online Learning Innovator Award for Outstanding/Innovative Online Learning Practice for an Individual/Team/Program. BVS was one of only five programs in the country recognized for the honor. The award was announced at the Virtual School Symposium on November 14, 2010, at the Annual iNACOL membership meeting held in Glendale, AZ.

Virginia Shuman Young Elementary Honored as a Blue Ribbon School at Ceremony in Washington, D.C. (November 2010)

Virginia Shuman Young Elementary School was one of only four Florida public schools recognized during a ceremony on November 16 in Washington, D.C. for their selection into the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Blue Ribbon Schools program.

The Blue Ribbon Schools program recognizes schools that were either academically superior or demonstrated dramatic gains in overall student achievement in both reading and mathematics. Principal Dr. Mark Strauss, representing Virginia Shuman Young, was presented with a plaque and a flag signifying his school’s NCLB Blue Ribbon School status.

“My most sincere congratulations go out to each of these schools for earning this national honor,” said Education Commissioner Dr. Eric J. Smith. “There is no doubt that they have put forth tremendous effort to create a culture of learning filled with opportunities for all students to reach their full potential.”

The Blue Ribbon Schools program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education, selected schools based on one of two criteria: schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that dramatically improve student performance to high levels on state tests; and schools whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests.

Parkside Elementary School Teacher Recognized as Florida's ABCTE State Teacher the Year (September 2010)

Parkside Elementary School special education teacher Danny Davis was recently recognized as the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) State Teacher of the Year for Florida in a ceremony at Parkside. In nominating Davis for the award, Parkside Parkside Elementary School Principal Susan Colton wrote, “Mr. Davis came from the private sector and not only has become a highly successful teacher, but has also received his Autism Endorsement through the University of Florida Graduate School of Education. I highly recommend Mr. Danny Davis as the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence Teacher of the Year. He exemplifies what alternative certification in education should look like and is all about!” Davis was also recognized by name last month by Dr. Carl Harris, Deputy Assistant Secretary with the U.S. Department of Education Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, in a ceremony in Washington D.C.

Sheridan Park Elementary School Recognized for Outstanding Professional Learning Communities (September 2010)

The Florida Association for Staff Development (FASD) recently recognized Sheridan Park Elementary School for its model implementation of professional learning communities at an awards luncheon during the FASD Fall Leadership Conference. The 2010 FASD Award Review Committee chose the school's application for school-wide implementation of professional learning communities. This staff development initiative, which included yearlong documentation and logging of student work and progress, will be recognized for “Outstanding Staff Development Practices.” The FASD promotes student achievement by providing and supporting effective professional learning opportunities for educators.

Virginia Shuman Young Elementary School Named Blue Ribbon School (September 2010)

Virginia Shuman Young Montessori Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale is one of only 304 schools in the nation to be named as a 2010 Blue Ribbon School. The announcement was recently made by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan at a press conference held at a Blue Ribbon School in Washington, D.C.

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either high performing or have improved student achievement to high levels, especially among disadvantaged students. The program is part of a larger Department of Education effort to identify and disseminate knowledge about best school leadership and teaching practices. Each year since 1982, the U.S. Department of Education has sought out schools where students attain and maintain high academic goals, including those that beat the odds.

In the past 28 years, approximately 6,000 of America's schools have received this coveted award. Eagle Point Elementary School received the honor in 2007 and, in 2009, both Pompano Beach High School and William T. McFatter Technical Center were named as Blue Ribbon Schools. This year 254 public and 50 private schools were selected.

Broward County Public School District a Finalist for Council of Urban Boards of Education’s Top Honor (September 2010)

The National School Boards Association (NSBA) has announced that four urban school districts – Maryland’s Baltimore City Public Schools, Broward County Public Schools, Texas’ Houston Independent School District, and Virginia’s Portsmouth Public Schools – have been named finalists for the 2010 Council of Urban Boards of Education (CUBE) Annual Award for Urban School Board Excellence.

“These finalists demonstrate the innovative efforts that are occurring in urban education,” said NSBA’s Executive Director Anne L. Bryant. “Too often we hear about the failures in our urban schools, yet these school districts are successful in helping children reach great academic heights.”

The finalists were selected based on the following four criteria:

•Excellence in school board governance •Building civic capacity •Closing the achievement gap—equity in education •Demonstrated success of academic excellence

28 Broward County Public School District High School Seniors Receive Awards Presented by National Merit Scholarship Corporation (May 2010)

A total of 28 Broward County Public Schools high school seniors received awards presented by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) in 2010. The awards include National Merit $2,500 Scholarships, corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarships and National Achievement Scholarships.

Two Broward County Public School District Elementary Schools Honored as Distinguished Title I Schools (May 2010)

Watkins Elementary School in Pembroke Park and Palmview Elementary School in Pompano Beach have each been identified as a 2008/09 Florida Distinguished School.

The recognition of Florida's Title I Distinguished School is being awarded to only 17 schools inthe state. The honor shows the strong commitment of the District and school staff to the highest quality education for all students. Broward County Public Schools' Dillard Center of the Arts Jazz Ensemble takes Second Place at National Competition in New York

Dillard High School's Center of the Arts jazz ensemble placed second in this year's Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Competition and Festival in New York City. Dillard was among 15 finalist bands from throughout the country chosen to compete in the nation's most prestigious high school jazz competition.

William Dandy Middle School Receives National Recognition (April 2010)

Casandra D. Robinson, principal at William Dandy Middle School, and her staff are the recipient of the 2008 National Excellence in Urban Education Award sponsored by (NCUST) National Center for Urban School Transformation of San Diego State University.

To compete for this prestigious award, the school had to demonstrate a three-year trend of making Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) in specific sub-groups and outline academic strategies for sustaining an "A" in an urban/inner city school. Broward County Public School administrators recently accepted the award at the 2010 NCUST Conference in San Diego.

Cypress Bay High School Recognized In AP Report To The Nation (April 2010)

Cypress Bay High School was recognized in the 6th Annual AP (Advanced Placement) Report to the Nation, published by the College Board. The report highlights schools with the largest numbers of African-American and/or Hispanic students from the Class of 2009 scoring a 3 or above on specific AP exams.

Cypress Bay High was recognized seven times, the most of any school mentioned in the publication. The school had the largest number of Hispanic students scoring a 3 or higher in Calculus BC, Government and Politics: United States, Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Psychology, Statistics and United States History.

Overall, students at Cypress Bay High took more AP tests than students at any other Broward County Public School in 2009. 2,159 AP exams were administered to 1,187 AP students (all grade levels) at the school.

Overall, the state of Florida ranked fifth in the nation with the greatest percent of seniors scoring a 3 or higher on AP exams (21.3%), behind only Maryland (24.8%), New York (23.8%), Virginia (22.9%) and Massachusetts (22.1%).

A robust educational system provides an important foundation for the high quality of life in Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County, while building a skilled workforce for today and tomorrow. Broward County Public Schools and its faculty have been recognized for educational excellence in a number of ways. Following are examples of outstanding education accomplishments and rankings in Broward County and the State of Florida. To view a report from Broward County Public Schools superintendent James Notter on Educational Excellence, please click here.

Florida Ties for Fifth in Advanced Placement Scores (February 2010)

Florida has tied for fifth in the nation in the percentage of 2009 graduating seniors who passed an Advanced Placement exam in high school. The state jumped five spots from last year and took the top spot in the percentage (40.2 percent) of 2009 graduating seniors who took an AP exam in high school. That translates to 58,394 students.

Five Broward County High Schools Named Among Best in Nation (December 2009)

U.S. News & World Report has released its 2010 list of America's Best High Schools, and five Broward County schools (out of 21,786 schools analyzed) were awarded silver medals:

Atlantic Technical Center, Margate

Fort Lauderdale High School, Fort Lauderdale

Nova High School, Davie

Pompano Beach High School, Pompano Beach

William T. McFatter Technical High School, Davie

District Earns 'A' Grade From Florida Department Of Education (June 2009)

For the second consecutive year and third time in four years, Broward County Public Schools has earned an ‘A' grade from the Florida Department of Education, as Governor Charlie Crist and Education Commissioner Eric Smith released the 2008/09 school accountability results under the state's A++ Plan for Education.

One hundred sixty-two District schools earned ‘A' grades this year (117 elementary, 36 middle and nine high schools), accounting for almost 66 percent of public schools in Broward county. The 66 percent of ‘A' schools is the second-best mark in District history, behind only the 2005/06 year, when 68 percent of Broward schools earned ‘A' grades. The 2005/06 year marked the first time Broward County Public Schools earned an ‘A' grade from the state of Florida.

The total number of ‘A' schools in 2008/09 is an increase of 21 from one year ago and 39 from two years ago. Overall, 80.5% of Broward County Public Schools earned ‘A' or ‘B' grades in 2008/09, compared to 74.4% last year and 68.6% in 2006/07. The proportion of ‘A' and ‘B' schools this year also represents the second-best mark in District history, behind only 2005/06.

Broward County Public Schools is the largest district in Florida to earn an ‘A' grade in 2008/09.

10 Broward School District High Schools, One Charter Named Among Newsweek's Top High Schools (June, 2009)

Ten Broward County Public Schools high schools and one charter high school were recognized among Newsweek magazine's top high schools in the nation in 2009. The District high schools honored include Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Parkland), Nova (Davie), Fort Lauderdale, Stranahan (Fort Lauderdale), Miramar, Cooper City, Cypress Bay (Weston), J.P. Taravella (Coral Springs), Flanagan (Pembroke Pines) and Plantation. The Pembroke Pines Charter High School was also listed.

Broward Named Two-Time Finalist for $2 Million Broad Prize (April 2009)

Broward County Public Schools is one of five urban school districts selected as a finalist for the 2009 Broad Prize for Urban Education, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation announced. This is the second consecutive year Broward County Public Schools has been a finalist for the country's largest education prize.

Teacher of the Year 2010 (January 2009)

Each year, individual schools across the District honor one of their teachers as the school's Teacher of the Year. These teachers are entered into the District's Teacher of the Year program. The top eight teachers in the District are then interviewed by a District-based committee composed of past Teachers of the Year, District administrators, union representatives, parent leaders and community members - and it's that committee that selects Broward's top teacher. For more information on this year's Teacher of the Year and other finalists, please click here.

Broward Schools Continues to Lead the Nation in The Number of National Board Certified Teachers (December 2008)

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has announced that Broward County Public Schools continues to lead the nation in the number of National Board Certified Teachers. The District's current total is 1,633, with more than 320 teachers achieving certification prior to the start of the 2008/09 school year. Broward County Public Schools has also led the nation in the number of newly certified teachers in each of the last four years. National Board Certification is a voluntary program designed to recognize and reward already great teachers - and make them better. While state licensing officials set basic requirements to teach in each state, National Board Certified Teachers have successfully demonstrated advanced teaching knowledge, skills and practices. Certification is achieved through a rigorous, performance-based process that typically takes one to three years to complete.

Five Broward County High Schools Among Best in Nation (December 2008)

U.S. News & World Report has released its second annual list of America's Best High Schools, and five Broward County schools are on the list. These include Atlantic Technical Center, Nova High, Pompano Beach High, Stranahan High and William T. McFatter Technical Center. For more information about the report, please click here, or see the December 2008 issue of the magazine.

Three Broward Schools Nominated For National Blue Ribbon Program (December 2008)

Three Broward County Public Schools have been selected as the 2008/09 Florida Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence: McFatter Technical High School, City of Pembroke Pines Charter Middle and Pompano Beach High School. The names of the three schools were submitted by the Florida Department of Education for the federal No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon Schools Awards Program. The federal program honors K-12 schools that either demonstrate academically superiority in their states or make dramatic gains in student achievement. It is the highest national honor that a school can receive. States are invited to nominate schools for the program.

Broward County Public School District Wins $250,000 in Scholarships for 2009 Graduating Seniors District Recognized Nationally as Finalist for The Broad Prize (October 2008)

The Broward County Public School District has been recognized as among the most improved urban school districts in the country. As a finalist for the 2008 Broad Prize for Urban Education, the district receives $250,000 in scholarships for graduating high school seniors next year. The $2 million Broad Prize is an annual award that honors large urban school districts that demonstrate the strongest student achievement and improvement while narrowing achievement gaps between income and ethnic groups.

Broward County School Board Wins Financial Management Award (October 2008)

The Council of the Great City Schools has announced that the School Board of Broward County has received the Award for Excellence in Financial Management. Broward County Public Schools is the first district in the nation to win this award. The award represents a significant achievement by the school district's Board of Education, Superintendent and administrative staff who support the highest standards in financial accountability and controls that are needed to safeguard and protect the financial integrity of the district. Their efforts reflect an extraordinary dedication to excellence in financial management and demonstrate outstanding stewardship of taxpayer dollars, with the ultimate beneficiaries being the children of Broward County Public Schools.

70 Broward Public Schools Earn Five Star School Award from Florida Department Of Education (September 2008)

The Florida Department of Education has designated 70 Broward County schools as Five Star School Award recipients for 2007/2008. These schools are among 905 statewide that will share Florida's most prestigious award for community involvement. To meet the award's rigorous demands, each school must document 100% fulfillment of 29 criteria that requires the full engagement of business partners, volunteers, students, families and the School Advisory Council in the educational process. In addition, qualifying schools must have a school grade of "C" or above and have received the Department of Education's Golden School Award for excellence in school volunteer programs.

District Earns 'A' Grade From Florida Department Of Education (July 2008)

For the second time in three years, Broward County Public Schools has earned an 'A' grade from the Florida Department of Education, as Governor Charlie Crist and Education Commissioner Eric Smith released the 2007/08 school accountability results under the state's A++ Plan for Education.

One hundred forty-one District schools earned 'A' grades this year (99 elementary, 29 middle and 13 high schools), accounting for more than 58 percent of public schools in Broward county. The total number of 'A' schools in 2007/08 is an increase of 18 (two elementary, nine middle and seven high schools) from one year ago. Overall, 74.4% of Broward County Public Schools earned 'A' or 'B' grades in 2007/08, compared to 68.6% last year.

Broward County Public Schools is the largest district in Florida to earn an 'A' grade in 2007/08 and produced the second-highest proportions of 'A' schools and 'A' and 'B' schools among the state's five largest school districts.

Broward High Schools Among the Best (May 2008)

Eight Broward County Public Schools high schools and one charter high school have been recognized among Newsweek magazines' top high schools in the nation. The District high schools honored include Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Parkland), Nova (Davie), Stranahan (Fort Lauderdale), Fort Lauderdale, J.P. Taravella (Coral Springs), Cypress Bay (Weston), Flanagan (Pembroke Pines) and Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes). The Pembroke Pines Charter High School was also recognized.

BCPS Third-Grade Students Top Largest School Districts on FCAT Reading and Mathematics Tests (May 2008)

Broward County Public School third-grade students produced the top FCAT results among the five largest Florida school districts in overall reading and math performance. These results included decreases in students performing at the lower end of the scale (Achievement Levels 1 and 2) and increases in students scoring at the higher achievement levels (Levels 3 and above). Level 3 is considered proficient. Among the five largest school districts in the state, Broward produced the top results in Achievement Levels 1-4 in reading and all five Achievement Levels in mathematics (smaller percentages in Levels 1 and 2 and larger percentages in Levels 3, 4 and 5).

U.S. News & World Report has released its first-ever list of America's Best High Schools, and six Broward County schools are on the list. These include Atlantic Technical Center, Coconut Creek; Fort Lauderdale High School, Fort Lauderdale; Nova High School, Davie; Pompano Beach High School Institute, Pompano Beach; Stranahan High School, Fort Lauderdale; and William T. McFatter Technical Center, Davie. To see the entire list, visit www.usnews.com/highschools, or see the December 3 issue of the magazine.

Tradewinds Elementary School Teacher Named To USA Today's 2007 All-USA Teacher Team (October 2007)

Jill Putney, a fourth and fifth grade teacher at Tradewinds Elementary in Coconut Creek, was one of 20 teachers selected to the USA Today's 2007 All-USA Teacher Team. The All-USA Teacher Team recognizes teachers who excel in a variety of teaching situations.

Six Broward County High Schools Among Best in Nation (December, 2007)

U.S. News & World Report has released its first-ever list of America's Best High Schools, and six Broward County schools are on the list. These include Atlantic Technical Center, Coconut Creek; Fort Lauderdale High School, Fort Lauderdale; Nova High School, Davie; Pompano Beach High School Institute, Pompano Beach; Stranahan High School, Fort Lauderdale; and William T. McFatter Technical Center, Davie.

18,790 schools were analyzed by the School Evaluation Services, with 100 schools in the nation meeting the criteria and having the highest college readiness index scores. These schools were then ranked numerically and received the Gold Medal Award status. The next 405 top-performing high schools nationwide based on the same criteria received the Silver Medal Award. And 1,086 schools that passed the first two steps were recognized as Bronze Medal Schools. The Gold and Silver Medal Schools consisted of 3% of the total number of schools analyzed. All six of the Broward County Schools were rated Silver Medal Schools.

To see the entire list, visit www.usnews.com/highschools, or see the December 3 issue of the magazine.

Record Number of Broward County Public Schools Earn Five Star School Award from Florida Department of Education (October 2007)

The Florida Department of Education has designated 77 Broward County schools as Five Star School Award recipients for 2006/2007. These schools are among 820 statewide that will share Florida's most prestigious award for community involvement. To meet the award's rigorous demands, each school must document 100% fulfillment of 29 criteria that requires the full engagement of business partners, volunteers, students, families and the School Advisory Council in the educational process. In addition, qualifying schools must have a school grade of "C" or above and have received the Department of Education's Golden School Award for excellence in school volunteer programs.

126 High-Performing Broward County Public Schools Receive Over $12 Million In Recognition Funding (September, 2007)

One hundred twenty-six Broward County Public Schools received a combined $12,608,296 in funding, in recognition of their academic achievement and improvement during the 2006/07 school year. Broward's recognition total from the 2006/07 year marks the largest single District award in the state. Over $129.3 million was presented to 1,612 Florida schools as part of the state's School Recognition Program. Schools that achieved an "A" based on the school grading criteria or improved at least one grade from the previous year were awarded $100 per student.

Plantation and Flanagan High School Rocketry Teams Place in Top 10 at Team American Rocketry Challenge 2007 (July 2007)

Plantation and Charles W. Flanagan High Schools earned top honors at the Aerospace Industries Association-sponsored 5th Annual Team America Rocketry Challenge National Finals Fly-Off, held at the Great Meadow Outdoor Center in The Plains, Virginia on Saturday, May 19. The event challenge was to design and build a model rocket carrying one hen egg that will fly to exactly 850 feet, stay aloft for exactly 45 seconds and return to the ground with the egg uncracked. Plantation High School's teams placed sixth (team two) and 16th (team one) overall in the competition, while the team from Charles W. Flanagan High School finished 10th. No other state had two high schools place in the top 10 in the competition. One hundred teams from across the nation participated in the event.

Broward Schools Receive Newsweek Magazine National Recognition (May 2007)

Seven Broward County Public Schools high schools and one charter high school have been recognized among Newsweek magazine's top high schools in the nation. The District high schools honored include Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes), Marjory Stoneman Douglas (Parkland), Nova (Davie), Stranahan (Fort Lauderdale), Fort Lauderdale, Flanagan (Pembroke Pines) and Plantation. The Pembroke Pines Charter High School was also on the list. The ranking takes into account the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Cambridge tests given at a school in May, divided by the number of seniors graduating in May or June. All of the schools on the list have an index of at least 1.000, meaning they are in the top five percent of public schools, based on this specific calculation.

Broward County Public Schools Post Largest Number of New Certified Teachers (January 2007)

The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) announced that Broward County Public Schools produced the largest number of newly certified teachers in the nation in 2006. Broward County Public Schools had 240 teachers achieve the certification, 54 more than the second-place district. Broward's 2006 total marks the second straight year the District led the nation in newly certified teachers. In 2005, Broward County Public Schools produced more than 180 new certified teachers. The total number of National Board Certified Teachers in Broward County currently stands at 1,036, the second-highest mark in the country. Last year, Broward County had 796 National Board Certified Teachers, ranking second in the state of Florida and fourth in the nation.

In a continuation of its movement up the national ranks in education, Florida has been ranked fifth in a new national report on education quality released this month. The annual "Quality Counts" report grades the 50 states and the District of Columbia on their education policies and performance. Florida earned its fifth-in-the-nation showing propelled by strong academic standards and school-accountability rules and by big improvements — on national tests and in high-school-graduation rates — that its students posted this decade, according to ,mnthe annual report published by Education Week.

"I am very, very pleased with the results," said Education Commissioner Eric Smith. "I think it does speak volumes about the kind of work that's going on in our schools."

For example, Florida was among top-tier states when it came to fourth- and eighth-graders' gains on the National Assessment of Education progress tests, while high-schoolers improved their scores on Advanced Placement exams. The state also earned top marks for closing the gap between the performance of students from poor and more affluent families.