Miami-Dade Schools win $15 million federal grant for magnet programs’

Miami-Dade County Public Schools was one of four Florida school districts to win a $15 million grant from The U.S. Education Department’s Magnet Schools Assistance Program to implement magnet schools that increase racial integration, promote academic opportunity and excellence.

The Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant aims to eliminate, reduce, or prevent the isolation of minorities in elementary and secondary schools and strengthening academic achievement. The school board will use this grant to implement new programs at Barbara Goleman High School, Miami Southridge High School, and Pine Lake Elementary School.

Barbara Goleman High will be restructured into a district-wide magnet school with new magnet programs, including information systems technology, digital marketing, financial technology, cybersecurity, and an advanced placement STEM course. Southridge High will be converted into an all-academy magnet school with boundaries, and will include new magnet programs in business and innovation management, design, animation and gaming, and mobile application development. Pine Lake Elementary students will be offered the opportunity to engage in zoology and botany with experiential, hands-on project-based learning.

The students and staff at Cutler Bay High School recently participated in the 2017 Club Rush, an interactive event that encourages student-involvement in 30 school-wide clubs that focus on service, career interest, fundraising and interpersonal dynamics.

Clubs are broken into two categories: state and nationwide organizations, and local clubs.

Miami-Dade County School Board

Miami-Dade County School Board Member Steve Gallon, District 1, received the Benjamin Elijah Mays Lifetime Achievement Award from the National School Boards Association Council of Urban Boards of Education.

The award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated a commitment to the educational needs of urban students through their service as a local school board member. Gallon has spent about 30 years as an educator and, in addition to being a school board member, he has served as a teacher, principal, district administrator, superintendent of schools.

The award was presented to Gallon at a special luncheon last week at the Ritz-Carlton during CUBE’s 50th Annual Conference in New Orleans.

Palmer Trinity Schools

The Theater Department at Palmer Trinity School will present two performances of Dolly Parton’s comedy, “9 to 5: The Musical,” based on the movie, on Oct. 19 and 20 at Pinecrest Gardens, 11000 Red Road.

The musical is set in 1980 and is a journey of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era. Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 for adults, and $10 for children and senior citizens.

Miami-Dade County School Board member Dorothy Bendross-Mindingall, District 2, honored Papa Keith of 103.5 The Beat for his work with Miami-Dade students throughout the year. From left: Anthony Berry, Papa Keith, Bendross-Mindingall and Anthony Blackman from the Circle of Brotherhood. Photo provided to the Miami Herald.