Wintry weather closing districts, bill targets later start times, teachers reject contract, and more

Weather closing schools: School districts across north Florida are closing today and tomorrow in anticipation of cold weather conditions that is forecast to include snow and ice. Closed today and tomorrow are the Bay, Calhoun, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton and Washington school districts. Also closing Wednesday are the Dixie, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Lafayette, Levy, Madison and Taylor districts. Florida Department of Education. Pensacola News Journal. Tallahassee Democrat. Northwest Florida Daily News. WCTV. WJHG. WMBB. Mainstreet Daily News. WCJB.

Around the state: A bill filed for the legislative session would repeal a 2023 law requiring later school start times for middle and high school students, Alachua’s teachers reject a proposed contract agreement with the district, Broward school board members will consider proposals to close or repurpose schools, a Duval County high school student was struck and killed by a car last week while walking to a school bus stop, and teachers of the year are named in Orange, Duval and Charlotte counties. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:

Miami-Dade: A substitute teacher at Kinloch Park Middle School in Miami was arrested last week and accused of making “sexually explicit and suggestive comments to several female students” and soliciting “sexual acts and favors from multiple students.” Police said Jeffrey Vergara, 23, face charges of offenses against students by authority figures, lewd and lascivious conduct on a child under 16 and contributing to the delinquency of a child. WFOR. WSVN. WPLG. WTVJ.

Broward: School board members meet Wednesday to consider two proposals to close or repurpose schools. Superintendent Howard Hepburn is recommending that Broward Estates Elementary in Lauderhill be closed and converted into an early learning center, and converting Coconut Creek, Hollywood Central and Coral Cove in Miramar into K-8 schools, Pines Middle in Pembroke Pines into a 6-12 collegiate academy and Silver Shores Elementary in Miramar from a neighborhood school to a choice school. But school board member Allen Zeman is proposing closing Broward Estates and four other unnamed schools. Sun Sentinel.

Orange: Cherese Fussner, a geometry teacher at Winter Park 9th Grade Center, was named the school district’s teacher of the year at a banquet Saturday. Other winners were principal Myrlene Jackson-Kimble of Tangelo Park Elementary; assistant principal Taylor Boyer of Colonial High; Danielle MacKay of Lake Sybelia Elementary, support employee of the year; and Jessie Outing of human resources as administrator of the year. WESH. Orange County School District. Orange Center Elementary in Orlando is one of 37 U.S. schools to receive balance bicycles to help kindergarten students learn how to ride. Orlando Sentinel.

Duval: Vincent Taylor, a math instructor at Cedar Hills Elementary School in Jacksonville, has been chosen as the school district’s teacher of the year. WJAX. A 16-year-old Atlantic Coast High School student was killed Friday when she was hit by a car as she tried to cross the road to a school bus stop. The driver stopped after hitting Alondra Martinez, and took her to a hospital. WJXT. WTLV. Jacksonville Today.

Polk: George Jenkins High School had the highest graduation rate among the district’s traditional schools in 2024 at 98.1%, while Tenoroc High’s was the lowest at 78.1%, according to state data. The average for the district was 82.2%, well below the state average of 89.7%. Lakeland Ledger. School board members are beginning their second attempt to find a new general counsel. Former counsel Wes Bridges retired in September, but the first search yielded just five applicants and only one who met the minimum requirements. Lakeland Ledger.

Lee: Almost 70 percent of the employees at Oasis Charter Schools are being paid less than the stated goal compensation, according to a report presented last week to the Cape Coral Charter School Authority governing board. Superintendent Jacquelin Collins said it’s the organization’s intent to “come up with a plan that the board will adopt for salaries. Everybody will be bumped up this year with the new starting salary.” Cape Coral Breeze.

Volusia, Flagler: Parents who have children with disabilities are increasingly turning to home-schooling because they say they can better control what their kids learn and more closely monitor their movements. Home-schooling proliferated nationwide during the pandemic and continues to rise steadily. For Shawna Dean of Port Orange, home-schooling her two ADHD sons came down to “The Three B’s: the bullies, the bathrooms and the boredom.” Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Marion: A former assistant football coach at West Port High School in Ocala was arrested last week and accused of having a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old student. Police said James Edward Ford III, 43, is charged with unlawful sexual activity with certain minors, offenses against students by authority figures, travel to meet a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity, and use of two-way communication device to facility felony. Ocala Star-Banner. Orlando Sentinel. WESH. WCJB. WKMG.

Alachua: Teachers have rejected a tentative contract with the district that would have given them a 1.6% salary increase on top of the average 1% pay raise most received in August. Support employees ratified the proposal, and it now goes to the school board for a vote. Teachers and the district will now reopen negotiations. Gainesville Sun. WCJB. Mainstreet Daily News.

Indian River: Fellsmere Elementary and the Osceola and Rosewood magnet schools could join Pelican Island Elementary in expanding to include 6th grade in the fall and eventually becoming K-8 schools. Superintendent David Moore said if the proposal is approved, school boundaries might have to be redrawn if enough elementary students choose to stay in their schools through 8th grade. TCPalm.

Charlotte: Addison Montgomery, a 1st-grade teacher at Deep Creek Elementary School in Port Charlotte, has been named the school district’s teacher of the year. Amanda Clyatt of Sallie Jones Elementary was also named the support employee of the year. Charlotte Sun.

In the Legislature: Later school start times for middle and high school students approved by the Legislature in 2023 would be repealed under a bill filed for the 60-day session that begins March 4. SB 296, filed by state Sen. Jennifer Bradley, R-Fleming Island, would free districts from being required to start middle schools no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools at or after 8:30 a.m. The bill was passed after supporters pointed to studies showing students would perform better academically with more sleep. But many district officials have complained that the required changes are causing transportation issues. News Service of Florida. WFLA. Florida Politics.

Uncertified teachers: The number of open teaching positions in Florida is down significantly this school year, but the number of teachers who aren’t certified in the subjects they’re teaching is up 16% in the past three years, according to the most recent count by the Florida Education Association. Central Florida Public Media.

Cybersecurity pilot: Seven Florida school districts are taking part in a federal pilot program to study what technology tools can best deter cybercriminals. Columbia, Lafayette, Putnam, Madison, Alachua, Charlotte and Okeechobee are among the 700 U.S. school districts and libraries participating. WCTV.

Opinions on schools: Specialized private schools can dramatically change children’s educational trajectories. That’s why I reject pitting district schools vs. charter schools and private schools that accept state education choice scholarships. It’s not either/or, us vs. them. It’s everything and everyone. And it is working in Florida. Pam Tapley, Orlando Sentinel. Once again, the Seminole and Brevard school districts are ranked first and second in preparing high school students for college STEM opportunities. Paul Cottle, Bridge to Tomorrow.


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BY NextSteps staff