Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) is pleased to welcome James S. Rickards Middle School seventh and eighth grade students, teachers and staff back on the school’s campus in Oakland Park on Tuesday, January 18, 2022. The on-site modular portable campus will serve as the school’s temporary home while a new building is built following a structural roof failure on March 5, 2021.
Following the school closure, Broward College immediately opened its North Campus doors to welcome Rickards Middle students who had been attending face-to-face classes during the pandemic. The students remained at Broward College until the end of the school year.
At the start of the 2021/22 school year, sixth grade students began classes at William Dandy Middle School, returning to Rickards Middle in October. Seventh grade students began classes at Lauderdale Lakes Middle School and eighth grade students have been at Northeast High School. The returning students are attending classes in 33 modular portables until the new building is completed.
“Throughout this process, our School Board listened to parents, guardians, students and staff of the Rickards Middle community. Board approval of the modular portables enabled the District to bring Rickards Middle students back on campus together as quickly as possible,” said Laurie Rich Levinson, School Board Chair.
“We are thrilled that our seventh and eighth grade students are returning to the Rickards Middle campus,” said Sarah Leonardi, District 3 School Board member. “By providing the modular portables, all of our students can be together again.”
“During the past year, our teachers have been flexible as they educated students in various locations, and our parents, guardians and caregivers have been patient and understanding as we worked to provide continuity for their child’s learning,” said BCPS Interim Superintendent Dr. Vickie L. Cartwright. “We are grateful to Broward College for partnering with us and making it possible for our students to continue face-to-face learning at its beautiful North Campus.”
“On behalf of the teachers and support staff of Rickards Middle, we are happy to welcome our students back home to continue to serve their educational, social and emotional needs,” said Principal Washington Collado, Rickards Middle. “We want to concentrate on maximizing their learning opportunities.”
James S. Rickards Middle School Information
- School hours are 9:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. Breakfast starts at 8:30 a.m. (free for all students).
- Student drop off and pick up: Cars enter via Northeast 9th Avenue from the south gate and loop around the track.
- Bus loop is now located in the north parking lot.
Visitors enter the campus through a portable in the north parking lot that provides a single-point-of-entry into the school campus.
For questions, call Rickards Middle at 754-322-4400.
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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 92 charter schools. BCPS serves a diverse student population, with students representing 177 different countries and 151 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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