November 2021 - Page 2 of 3

BCPS Educator Named 2021 Toyota Family Teacher of the Year

November 17, 2021

BCPS Educator Named 2021 Toyota Family Teacher of the Year

Broward County Public Schools congratulates Manoucheka Dolcine of Dave Thomas Education Center/Charles Drew Family Resource Center for being named the 2021 Toyota Family Teacher of the Year.

The award, which is a collaboration between Toyota and the National Center for Families Learning, salutes educators who are exceptional at using multigenerational approaches to engage students and their families in education.

Dolcine received the award for her work fostering family learning environments by involving parents and children in her classroom through positive social interactions, sensory and social-emotional activities, soft job skills, workforce and career development, and academic mentorship programs for young adult parents.

Her work is highlighted by the intentionality in her effort to create programming that responds to the needs of families. When she saw a need for an upgraded childcare solution, Dolcine proposed, designed and implemented a licensed preschool program that has tripled the number of students that can be serviced in her school’s community. To combat chronic absenteeism and promote program retention, she initiates weekly home visits and well-being checkups with parents and students. Additionally, she coordinates food and clothing distribution drives to ensure families’ basic needs are met, so they can focus on the core multigenerational education programming.

As the award recipient, Dolcine earned her school a $20,000 grant, which will be used to create a resource room for computer and reading literacy, renovate the playground and athletic area, fund professional development and trainings, and enhance certificate training programs for high school graduates and adult students.

Since 1997, Toyota Family Teacher of the Year winners, runners-up, and their respective organizations have received more than $625,000 and funded 50 innovative teacher-led projects. Learn more about the National Center for Families Learning at www.familieslearning.org.

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ABOUT BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

“Committed to educating all students to reach their highest potential.”

Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) is the sixth largest school district in the nation and the second largest in the state of Florida. BCPS is Florida’s first fully accredited school system since 1962. BCPS has nearly 261,500 students and approximately 110,000 adult students in 241 schools, centers and technical colleges, and 93 charter schools. BCPS serves a diverse student population, with students representing 170 different countries and 147 different languages. To connect with BCPS, visit browardschools.com, follow us on Twitter @browardschools, on Facebook at facebook.com/browardschools and download the free BCPS mobile app.

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Join the Friends of the Library of Congress

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Broward County School Board Elects Laurie Rich Levinson as Chair and Patricia Good as Vice Chair

November 16, 2021

Levinson and Good

On Tuesday, November 16, 2021, The School Board of Broward County, Florida elected Laurie Rich Levinson, District 6, as Chair and Patricia Good, District 2, as Vice Chair.

Chair Levinson was first elected to the School Board in 2010. Ms. Levinson was born and raised in South Florida and earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics from Brandeis University. She has three decades of experience in business and has been a parent-activist for over 20 years.

Vice Chair Good was first elected to the School Board in 2010. She was born in Havana, Cuba and raised in South Florida. Good was the first member of her family to attend college and earned a Bachelor of Public Administration degree from Barry University. She is also a graduate of the University of Miami Good Government Initiative Cultivating Leaders of Excellence Program.

Additional School Board members include Lori Alhadeff, District 4; Debra Hixon, Countywide At-Large, Seat 9; Donna P. Korn, Countywide At-Large, Seat 8; Sarah Leonardi, District 3; Ann Murray, District 1; Dr. Rosalind Osgood, District 5; and Nora Rupert, District 7.

For more information on The School Board of Broward County, visit browardschools.com/schoolboard.

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ABOUT BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

“Committed to educating all students to reach their highest potential.”

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Broward County Public Schools Celebrates “Family Day: Celebration of Diversity” Sunday, November 14, 2 – 5 p.m. at Delevoe Park in Fort Lauderdale

November 12, 2021

Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) celebrates Florida Family Engagement in Education Month in November, recognizing the crucial role parents and families play in their children’s education. When schools work together with families to support learning, children are more motivated to succeed, not just in school, but throughout life.

Families are invited to celebrate Family and Community Engagement Week, November 14 – 19, 2021. The Department of Equity and Diversity’s Office of Family and Community Engagement and BCPS schools will present activities to celebrate and honor parents and caregivers. The quality education students receive is enhanced when families, schools and communities work together.

To kick off the weeklong celebration, BCPS has partnered with Broward County Parks & Recreation to host the inaugural “Family Day: A Celebration of Diversity” on Sunday, November 14, from 2 to 5 p.m. at Delevoe Park, 2520 N.W. 6th Street, Fort Lauderdale. Hosted by Rodney Baltimore from WHQT HOT105 radio, the free family fun day includes performances by students, music, family games and fitness activities, free food from participating local food trucks, and information and resources provided by BCPS and local community organizations. Each child will receive at least two books to add to their home library. Free COVID-19 vaccines will also be available for ages 5 and older.

Thanks to the generosity of the Broward Center for Performing Arts and American Express, families will have the opportunity to win prizes by participating in activities and events hosted by schools throughout Family and Community Engagement Week.

For more information about Family and Community Engagement Week events and activities, contact the Office of Family and Community Engagement, at 754-321-1599 or 754-321-1600; email face@browardschools.com or visit browardschools.com/face.

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ABOUT BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

“Committed to educating all students to reach their highest potential.”

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School Choice Application Window for 2022/23 School Year Opens Wednesday, December 1, 2021, at 8 a.m.

School Choice logo

Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) is excited to announce the School Choice application window for the 2022/23 school year takes place Wednesday, December 1, 2021 – February 1, 2022.

BCPS is a national leader for offering innovative, personalized learning programs to meet students’ interests and prepare them for college and careers. During the School Choice application window, families can apply for magnet programs, Nova schools and school reassignments (which allow students to attend schools other than their assigned schools).

Parents and guardians are encouraged to explore the District’s School Choice options by visiting browardschools.com/schoolchoice and clicking on the “Explore Your Options” icon. Families can access information by student interest, grade level and individual school name.

This year, parents and guardians will use a new School Choice application system to create a School Choice Family Dashboard prior to applying. The School Choice Family Dashboard will be available as of Wednesday, November 17, 2021. Visit browardschools.com/schoolchoice and click the “Create Family Dashboard” icon.

Once a dashboard is created, families will be able to submit their School Choice applications, beginning on December 1, at 8 a.m.

Please note: The 2022/23 application window for the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES) for Students with Unique Abilities (formerly known as the John M. McKay Scholarship for Students with Disabilities) for public schools begins May 2, 2022.

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ABOUT BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

“Committed to educating all students to reach their highest potential.”

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Madison Square Garden formally opens with NHL game

On December 15, 1925, the New York Americans lose to the Montreal Canadiens, 3-1, in the formal opening of New York’s Madison Square Garden, which becomes one of the world’s most famous sporting venues. The game, played before 17,000 fans, is also the first NHL game played at the arena. “Garden Is Opened in a Blaze of Color,” read the headline for a story about the debut in the New York Times.

Madison Square Garden’s owner, Tex Rickard, a boxing promoter, wanted the arena’s first big sports event to be important. He insisted the Americans play host to the Canadiens, the second-best team in the league that season.

For opening night at the new arena, the lower bowl was filled with men in tuxedos and women in furs and evening gowns, according to the NHL website.

“The evening started at 8:30,” wrote the Times in 2015, “with the Canadiens and the Americans skating to center ice, accompanied by the 44-piece Governor General’s Foot Guard regimental band from Ottawa and the 35-piece drum and bugle corps from West Point. They played “God Save the King” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

The Americans, who ceased to exist after 1942, were the first NHL team in New York. They were supplanted by the Rangers, who began play in 1926.

Over the years, Madison Square Garden was home of the New York Knicks, Rangers, college basketball, boxing matches, professional wrestling and other sporting events, dogs shows, the circus and more. A new Madison Square Garden opened nearby in 1968. The old structure was demolished.

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Broward County School Board Approves Face Coverings as Optional, but Strongly Encouraged for All Grade Levels

The safety of students and staff are the highest priorities of Broward County Public Schools (BCPS). District staff remain vigilant in monitoring local COVID-19 data and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics and local public health experts to inform the District’s COVID-19 mitigation strategies.

Based on the continued improvement of local COVID-19 conditions across Broward County, on Tuesday, November 9, 2021, The School Board of Broward County, Florida approved amending its Face Covering Policy to include the use of face coverings as optional, but strongly encouraged for students, staff, visitors and vendors at all schools and District sites effective Saturday, November 20. A formal opt out process will not be utilized.

The District will also follow the Florida Department of Health guidelines for quarantining.

This action follows a previous School Board decision on October 26, 2021, allowing face coverings at high schools and technical colleges to be strongly encouraged.

The approved amendments to the Face Covering Policy will go into effect on Saturday, November 20, 2021.

Following the School Board’s decision, School Board Chair Dr. Rosalind Osgood and BCPS Interim Superintendent Dr. Vickie L. Cartwright discussed the changes during a media briefing.

Watch the video of the news briefing through this link https://www.eduvision.tv/l?eAALyeO

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ABOUT BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

“Committed to educating all students to reach their highest potential.” Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) is the sixth largest school district in the nation and the second largest in the state of Florida. BCPS is Florida’s first fully accredited school system since 1962. BCPS has nearly 261,500 students and approximately 110,000 adult students in 241 schools, centers and technical colleges, and 93 charter schools. BCPS serves a diverse student population, with students representing 170 different countries and 147 different languages. To connect with BCPS, visit browardschools.com, follow us on Twitter @browardschools, on Facebook at facebook.com/browardschools and download the free BCPS mobile app.

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First Thanksgiving college football game played

On November 30, 1876, Yale defeats Princeton, 2-0, in Hoboken, New Jersey in the first collegiate football game played on Thanksgiving. Nearly 1,000 fans attend the game, played in cold, rainy weather. “The friends of both colleges mustered in good force,” the New York Times reports. “Several carriages containing ladies were on the ground, and a goodly number of Alumni were there to cheer the contestants.”

The football was oval and made of leather, the Times noted, “similar to those used in Rugby Union rules.” The game resembled rugby more than a present-day football game.

READ MORE: Who Invented Football?

Playing conditions were not ideal. “[T]he ground was so hard that terrific thumps and bruises were the rule and not the exception,” the New York Daily Herald reported. But each team was superbly outfitted.

“The Yale team wore blue skullcaps, shirts, stockings of the same color and white flannel trowsers,” the Daily Herald reported. “The Princeton lads were gorgeous in their orange and black uniforms.”

Play became ragged, with the game reportedly resembling Greco-Roman wrestling. Perhaps the first example of college football trash talk was noted by the Daily Herald. “Just wait awhile, and we will show these fellows something,” a Princeton player was quoted.

The Yale-Princeton Thanksgiving game started a collegiate tradition. Later in the 19th century, the universities of Kansas, Missouri, Michigan and others began playing football on the holiday.

On November 6, 1869, a little more than four years after the end of the Civil War, Rutgers defeated Princeton, 6-4, in the first college football game.

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BCPS High Schools Receive College Success Award – Gold Level

November 8, 2021

Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) is home to several high schools receiving the prestigious 2021 College Success Award – Gold Level from GreatSchools.org, a national nonprofit organization empowering parents to unlock educational opportunities for their children.

Launched in 2018, the College Success Award recognizes and celebrates public high schools across the country that excel in helping students enroll and succeed in college. In 2021, 11 BCPS high schools are among the 18,838 schools from 25 states honored with the annual College Success Award.

This unique award, based on high school and postsecondary data provided by state education agencies, offers a snapshot of how well a high school prepares its students to enroll in college, succeed with college-level coursework, and continue into their second year.

“Our schools have made great strides in preparing our students for future success in college and beyond,” said BCPS Interim Superintendent Dr. Vickie L. Cartwright. “We congratulate our school leaders and teachers for their dedication and commitment to our students that has earned each school this outstanding recognition.”

In 2021, the College Success Award added the Gold Level distinction to honor schools with a multiyear track record of success preparing students for college. Gold awardees have won two or more College Success Awards since the program began, with at least one win in 2020 or 2021.

Congratulations to the following 11 BCPS high schools recognized with the 2021 College Success Award – Gold:

Atlantic Technical College & High School

Broward Virtual School

College Academy at Broward College

Cypress Bay High School

Everglades High School

Fort Lauderdale High School

Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Nova High School

Pompano Beach Institute of International Studies

West Broward High School

Western High School

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ABOUT BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

“Committed to educating all students to reach their highest potential.”

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First basketball game played

On December 21, 1891, 30-year-old James Naismith introduces the first game of basketball. Based on 13 rules created by Naismith, the game is tested by 18 students at the International Young Men’s Christian Association Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. Two teams of nine players each compete against each other, with the objective to throw a soccer ball into a peach basket attached to a balcony 10 feet above the floor.

READ MORE: How a Canadian Invented Basketball

In the early 1890s, Naismith—who was born in Canada—moved on from his job in Montreal as McGill University’s athletic director to become a physical education teacher at the YMCA International Training School. Bored and unruly students needed an activity during difficult New England winters. So, Naismith took up another teacher’s challenge to keep students in line.

“I called the boys to the gym, divided them up into teams of nine and gave them a little soccer ball,” Naismith recalled in a 1939 radio interview that aired on WOR-AM in New York City. “I showed them two peach baskets I’d nailed up at each end of the gym, and I told them the idea was to throw the ball into the opposing team’s peach basket. I blew the whistle, and the first game of basketball began.”

A jump ball was held after each made basket.

“The invention of basketball was not an accident,” Naismith said. “It was developed to meet a need. Those boys simply would not play ‘Drop the Handkerchief.'”

Under two different sets of rules, the first organized collegiate basketball games were played in the mid-1890s.

Naismith, who died in 1939, became the first basketball coach at Kansas University, where he led the Jayhawks from 1898-1907.

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