Mark of Excellence – Superintendent Letter
As educational leaders, the School Board, secondary school principals and my staff have been spending a lot of time during the past year engaging in a comprehensive review to determine the future of our secondary schools.  The world is changing rapidly and as a school district we want to be on the cutting edge of education, especially when it comes to graduating students prepared for the world of work and post-secondary education.  In this ever changing environment, we must plan for the next generation of students and that is why we are working so hard to create a plan that will build Secondary Schools of National Prominence.

The plan to create Secondary Schools of National Prominence is not an effort to dismantle everything that we have created in our high schools. In fact, our high schools and middle schools currently have an excellent track record. If you analyze the data closely, Brevard is first in ninth grade mathematics on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), fifth in ninth grade reading, seventh in tenth grade reading and mathematics, and first in eleventh grade Science.  Moreover, Brevard is second in graduation rate, first in dropout rate, and first in dual enrollment at the community college. Out of 67 school districts in the state there are only 65 A high schools, eight of which are in Brevard, with no other district having more than six.  And all of our middle schools in Brevard have been an A in one of the last two years.

The question we are asking then is “How can we continue to improve on our secondary schools’ success?”  Well, we have already thoroughly engaged our high school principals and middle school principals to gain some great insight, but the final question will be answered when we engage you, the community, in helping us to prepare all our students for the future. 

At the February 14^th School Board meeting, I will be unveiling a draft Secondary Schools of National Prominence proposal to the School Board designed to improve our secondary schools to carry us through the next two decades.  This proposal is intended to be discussed openly for the next few months and we want you to be involved in the process. Our goal is to have as much parental involvement as possible in creating the final plan. There will be School Advisory Council meetings, feeder chain meetings, community meetings in each of the areas, as well as presentations to rotary clubs, chambers of commerce, meetings with our post-secondary education counterparts, and others to gain insight from all our stakeholders. 

The Secondary Schools of National Prominence proposal will be framed to be implemented over the next few years and ultimately affect the class of 2012 and beyond –from current sixth grade students all the way down to pre-kindergarten students.   All elementary school parents should pay particularly close attention to the details as it will affect all children attending our schools.  Each of our elementary principals will be able to answer questions about the proposal and will seek your input toward making the final plan work for you and your children. 

We want all teachers, students and parents to become engaged by providing their input. I can assure you that when we come with a plan at the end of April, it will have changed from the original proposal.  A final recommendation based on the input is expected to be voted on by the School Board on April 25.

Our goal with this plan is that when a high school senior graduates from one of our schools he/she will be ready to either pursue post-secondary education or attain certification to enter the workforce prepared and armed with a marketable skill.  Secondary Schools of National Prominence means more than just being an award-winning district. It transcends any of the usual elite status given by top educational magazines. Creating Secondary Schools of National Prominence means that every child has been given the opportunity to succeed at the highest levels and can do so if they are willing to put forth the effort.

This initiative will take several years. The important part of this plan is to leave a legacy to our children, a legacy that will truly set a course to allow them to be the best they can be and will continue to focus on leaving no child behind.  Will it be difficult? Yes. Will the curriculum be more rigorous? Yes. Will they have the power to make great choices and succeed? Yes.  We should expect no less from our children. That is why we are aiming for the stars by creating Secondary Schools of National Prominence.

We need your support for this initiative. It won’t happen without your input and comments. You will have numerous opportunities to voice your opinions about the proposal via our website, community meetings, through the Mark of Excellence and our BPS-TV television station programming.  Be sure to make your voice heard by sending your input to our customer service center at csc@brevard.k12.fl.us.