Brevard Public Schools

☀️🌈 Weather fun at Mims Elementary! 🌪️📡 Mims Elementary was thrilled to welcome FOX 35 Orlando Weather team on Friday. Students learned all about weather including discussing topics of forecasting and how cold it would need to get to snow! The highlight? A tour of the weather truck, where students got hands-on with the incredible equipment that keeps us prepared for Mother Nature. One lucky student even joined Meteorologist T.J. Springer to report the morning weather like a pro! 🎤🌦️ Big thanks to Fox 35 for inspiring these future meteorologists! 🌎💜

Last Thursday, a police road closure on A1A (due to an offsite incident) caused a significant delay in releasing students at many beachside schools, including Roosevelt Elementary School. Despite the unexpected situation, these amazing educators and many others stepped up to support our students until the issue was resolved and parents could safely pick them up. 🙏 Thank you to all the teachers, bus drivers, and staff district-wide who helped our children navigate through this tense and confusing moment! The commitment and care of our front-line staff for the students of this county is what truly sets BPS apart. 💖 Roosevelt said it best themselves, "A huge thank you to the front office staff: Mrs. Cathy P, Mrs. Debra, and Officer Sean. Thank you to the teachers who stayed back and watched the kids: Ms. Parker, Mrs. Verduzco, Mr. LaDolce, and Mrs. Smith. One student said, this is the best day ever, it's like a sleepover!" Superintendent Dr. Rendell treated the staff with the small gesture of 🍵 & 🍩 for their heartfelt dedication and adaptability.

We were thrilled to welcome a very special guest to Riviera Elementary School -2025 Florida Teacher of the Year - Jaime Suarez! 🍎👏🌟 Upon arrival, Mrs. Suarez was received warmly by Principal Myers (who had actually coincidentally been a college friend!) and honored Riviera teacher Ms. Price who was the district Teacher of the Year in 2024. After touring classrooms and exchanging ideas with our incredible teachers, Mrs. Suarez spent time with a group of enthusiastic 6th graders interested in becoming teachers themselves. A huge thank you to Mrs. Suarez for visiting BPS and for making such a positive impact on the lives of students across Florida! 💖

BPS is celebrating another GREAT kid! Zy’Ron, a 4th grader at Mims Elementary, was recently awarded Sherriff Wayne Ivey's Great Kid Award for promoting school safety, and for the wonderful caring attitude he consistently portrays to his peers and teachers. His teacher Ms. Lett enthuses, "Zy'Ron is one of the kindest students at Mims Elementary School. He exemplifies all of the behaviors of a model student. If you want to know what "right looks like," take a look at Zy'Ron! He's always doing the right thing, even when no one is looking." Congratulations to this sweet young man! Thank you to Sheriff Wayne Ivey to the Brevard County Sherriff's Department for spending the morning celebrating Zy'Ron, and sharing your knowledge with our students!

💫 Space Coast Jr/Sr High School JROTC is truly reaching for the stars and achieving near perfection. Last month the Cadet Corps successfully completed their Space Force JROTC unit inspection. receiving a score of 98.5 out of 100 💫 Other notable accomplishments from last month alone include: 🚀 Attendance at the Spacepower Conference where they met with active-duty Space Force Guardians and Chief Master Sergeant John F. Bentivegna 🫡 Honoring Veterans by participating in the Wreaths Across America community service event at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery 🧠 The Corps Joint Leadership and Academic Bowl (JLAB) team advancing to Level II competition 🎯 The Marksmanship Team winning a conference title in the Scopos National Sporter Air Rifle League and qualifying two teams to attend the Air and Space Force CMP Service Championships 👨‍🚀 Being chosen as banner bearers of the United States Space Force in the Port Saint John Christmas parade. Talk about impressive! Viper Pride! 💜

"The holidays are the perfect time to celebrate the love and joy we share with others." - Walt Disney A certain magical mouse 🐭✨and his friends from the Disney Cruise Line - Disney Wish surprised our delighted students from Endeavour Elementary A Community Partnership School recently! Disney VoluntEARS kicked off the holiday magic by gifting each student a Disney storybook 📚 After some reading time, our special guest arrived... Mickey Mouse! 💖 Mickey and his friends Trent Hitchcock, Cruise Director of the Disney Wish, and Joshua Newman, Assistant Cruise Director of the Disney Wish, took photos with our students 🤳 Then, Mickey handed out Disney plush toys 🎁 to all the kids! Endeavour was chosen for this special event, and footage aired on the Disney Holiday Special on Good Morning America on Christmas Eve! 🎄🌟 Thank you Disney!!!

💜 BPS is a Florida Purple Star District! 💜 In this state-level program's inaugural year for district designation, BPS was named only 1 of 5 total school districts in Florida (out of 67) selected for this prestigious honor. This dedication is reserved for districts which help military families as they relocate due to a parent's change in duty station. With 91 BPS schools designated as Purple Star Schools, BPS leads Florida in providing resources for military families. This achievement highlights BPS's commitment to ensuring military students feel welcomed and supported. To qualify, districts must meet key criteria such as: ⭐Hosting military recognition events (e.g., Month of the Military Child, Veterans Day, Memorial Day) ⭐Publicizing support for military families ⭐Offering volunteer opportunities for active-duty parents ⭐Engaging in service projects connecting the school to the military community ⭐Providing the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) program Thank you to our educators and staff who have made this honor possible. And thank you to our military and veteran families who have sacrificed so much. Superintendent Dr. Rendell adds, “This recognition reflects our unwavering dedication to the military families in our community. We are committed to ensuring every military-connected student has the support they need to succeed and thrive.” For more information on the Florida Department of Education's Purple Star Schools Program, see their website here: https://www.fldoe.org/schools/family-community/activities-programs/parental-involvement/purple-star.stml?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3VAKcwulR86Tu-Hjl59BqjvB1rjYHgvkxpQoel1XLVMT8LJQu-DZsfBKc_aem_AdQHDdOJ9Qb11wsRTCMzPw

Brevard Schools Partners in Education (PIE), BPS staff members, and some community partners and friends, all gathered this morning at The Children's Hunger Project and worked diligently to pack 1,100 food packs for local children. These bags are filled with small nutritional meals and snacks and are designed to ensure food security for children who may experience scarcity, when they are not in school. What a fun holiday event! The thought of all of those full bellies really warmed our hearts. Thank you for all you do The Children's Hunger Project 💚❤️🎒❤️💚 Volunteer or donate!: https://thechildrenshungerproject.org/

🌍🎉Enjoy the sights from Mel High Culture Fest 2024! 🍲🎶 Melbourne High School's IB Culture Fest, an annual celebration of diversity, delighted the community, staff, and students recently, with an afternoon of food samplings from around the world. Attendees were able to enjoy a variety of traditional dishes, offering a delicious way to experience different cultures. In addition, participants were treated to exhibits full of information and cultural immersion, including music, art, and more! The event fosters understanding and respect while highlighting the school’s commitment to global awareness through its International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Thank you to MHS IB program and to all who volunteered their time, and shared generously of their culture, with us! 💖

At recent school board meetings, several appointments were announced. Help us congratulate and celebrate: 🥳👏 (From November 19) Barbara Kelly, Assistant Director of Student Services Cathy Gahres, Assistant Principal of Jefferson Middle School Lesley Cosgrove, Assistant Principal of Cocoa Beach Jr/Sr High School Jacob Schweich, Assistant Principal at Melbourne High School Karen Berkowitz, Assistant Principal of Oak Park Elementary School Megan Falcone, Assistant Principal of West Melbourne School of Science (From December 10) Martha McFarland, Assistant Principal of Viera High School Christopher Ault, Director of Projects & Technology Services (not pictured) Amber Smith, Principal of Pinewood Elementary School (not pictured) Kelly Rouse, Principal of Oak Park Elementary School We can't wait to experience all of the positive impacts that are in store for our District because of these incredible educators. 💛💚

Inspiring Change and Overcoming Challenges 💪✨ Recently, high school student athletes from across Brevard County gathered at the Clemente Center for an unforgettable motivational talk by best-selling author Damon West. From promising quarterback to overcoming addiction and a 65-year prison sentence, Damon’s journey is a powerful testament to resilience. 🙌 During his talk, Damon shared his transformative concept of "The Coffee Bean" – a powerful metaphor for personal growth. Just as a coffee bean changes hot water, we can transform our environment through a positive mindset, no matter the challenges we face. 🌱 Damon’s message is making a real impact in Brevard County. Last year, 6th graders took part in a book study of Mr. West's book, The Coffee Bean, leading to a 31% decrease in Suicide Risk Inventory scores among students! This year, the study continues, and Damon will return in the spring to inspire even more young minds. 🙏 Let’s embrace the power of change and always strive to be the coffee bean in our lives! ☕💥

🏆🚗 BPS students take Top Honors at the CFADA Automotive Tech Competition! 🚗🏆 On November 14, 2024, the Central Florida Auto Dealers Association (CFADA) hosted its annual High School Automotive Tech Competition at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, and took home every top honor! 💪 🥇 1st Place: Hunter Reed (Satellite HS) - A senior in the Automotive MLR Program, Hunter earned a $10,000 scholarship and a spot at Universal Technical Institute (UTI) to study Marine Repair! 🥈 2nd Place: Beau Lail (Eau Gallie HS) - Another talented senior in the MLR Program, Beau is an intern at Boniface Hiers in Melbourne and plans to join the US Marine Corps after graduation. 🥉 3rd Place: Decker Bowman (Eau Gallie HS) - Decker, an intern at East Coast Diesel, earned his trophy and scholarship and will be attending UTI next year to continue his automotive journey. Congrats to these future automotive pros and their dedicated instructors! 👏🔧

A little color and joy for your feed ✨🎨 Harbor City Art Club students put their creativity and ingenuity to work to create these entirely custom kites. Once a kite is completed, there is only one thing to do... let it fly 🍃🪁 Click thru to see this art in action 💗 Great work to these artsy Dolphins, and their teacher Ms, Chauncy!

A STEM-inspired day of discovery and challenge delighted students from around the district at our 2024 Innovation Games. Students researched, practiced, and competed in challenges such as: drone races, bridge building, SeaPerch, solar sprint, and escape rooms.⚙️ Some students also showcased videos they produced, used their coding skills, and pitched inventions in a shark tank competition. 🦈 Attending students were also able to get their hands on all kinds of technology - both small and large, with a special thanks to Army, Air Force, and Space Force for their incredible robotic and scientific showcases. 🤖 🎮 Gamers showed off their skills in some friendly competition and inspiration and fun was ignited for all involved. Thank you to Northrop Grumman Corporation and everyone who made this incredible day happen. ❣️🙏

"Freedom is never free" Our district is continuing our "thanks-giving" after receiving a donation from the Brevard Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. In preparation for our nation's 250th Anniversary (in 2026), SAR is donating one copy of David McCullough's book "1776" to each BPS High School. This generosity will enable the education and immersion of the next generation into our nation's most perilous and formative era - the American Revolution. Thank you to Brevard SAR President Christopher Ratzel, to former Captain Donn Weaver and former 1st Lieutenant Doug Bisset (pictured here with Superintendent Dr. Rendell), and all other members of the chapter for this meaningful donation.

Brevard Public Schools is pleased to announce that Maggie Shunnarah, a senior at Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School, has been selected as the Brevard nominee for the 2024-2025 U.S. Presidential Scholar Academic Award, as announced by Brevard Public Schools’ Office of Secondary Programs. Maggie emerged as the district nominee from an impressive pool of candidates. Maggie’s accomplishments include maintaining a stellar 4.5 GPA, serving as Captain of Varsity Track and Field, serving as Co-Founder and Co-President of Cocoa Beach’s International Food Club, and coaching at Harbor City Gymnastics. She also spends time volunteering at the Ascension Catholic Thrift Shop. Additionally, Brevard Public Schools selected Runner-Up is Canon Fleming, also a senior at Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High. Canon’s accomplishments include maintaining a stellar 4.6 GPA, serving as Academic Team Captain, Volunteer Tutor, and M3 Math Modeling Team Leader. We would also like to spotlight our school-level semi-finalists: Gabriel Focht- Astronaut High, Serenity Graham - Astronaut High, Aiden Higgs - Bayside High, Alexander Tungol - Bayside High, Taylor Harris - Brevard Virtual Instruction, Mark Bernal - Cocoa High, Autumn Hill - Cocoa High, Haley Logsdon - Eau Gallie High, Aneesha Guna - Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Brian Wolfe - Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Kai Boyd - Heritage High, Blake Lee - Heritage High, Riley Blum - Melbourne High, Dan Pham - Melbourne High, Kylie Wellman - Merritt Island High, Angela Feliciano - Palm Bay Magnet High, Chantel Nance - Palm Bay Magnet High, Logan Carr - Satellite High, Sarah Miller - Satellite High, Hayden LaMaster - Space Coast Jr/Sr High, Caitlyn Sexton - Space Coast Jr/Sr High, Richard Speeler - Titusville High, Hannah Keller - Viera High, Eliza Hicks - West Shore Jr/Sr High, Nicholas Miles - West Shore Jr/Sr High

Our Astronaut High Cheerleaders had the privilege of joining the Spirit of America Production in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City!

We’re thrilled to announce that James Madison Middle School's Guidance Clerk, Kimberly White, has been named the 2025 Brevard Public Schools Employee of the Year! 🎉👏🎉👏🎉👏🎉👏🎉 Kimberly has been an invaluable part of our district for the past seven years, and her positive impact on both students and staff is clear to everyone who has the privilege of interacting with her. 💗 While she juggles many responsibilities, her true passion lies in building a strong sense of community and fostering a positive, welcoming school culture. Congratulations Kimberly, your honor is truly deserved!

⚽The 2024 school year is bringing a game-changing initiative to Brevard Public Schools: Elementary School Sports! 🏆✨⚽ Thanks to the dedication of community members, coaches, and educators, students in grades 3-6 had the chance to participate in organized sports as part of their public-school experience—no try-outs and no transportation hassles. Kicking off with Soccer, thirty-six schools formed teams, with the first-ever Jamborees held on November 16. The impact? Improved mental health, physical fitness, teamwork, and academic success. 💪 Next up this spring: Flag Football! 🏈 Get ready for another round of fun, friendship, and fitness! 🙏🌟

Zeke Bruton, a second grader at Freedom 7 Elementary School, was honored with the much-deserved recognition of Sheriff Wayne Ivey’s “Great Kid” Award! One school day, during lunch, Zeke’s quick thinking and bravery saved the day when his friend started to choke. Without hesitation, Zeke urgently signaled for help. When this action wasn't noticed, recognizing the seriousness of the situation, he raced to Counselor Kathleen Lucas, who sprang into action and assisted the child in clearing the obstruction. We couldn’t be more grateful for the happy ending to this scary moment, thanks to Zeke’s heroism and Ms. Lucas’ quick response. Zeke was presented this honor surrounded by his classmates, teachers, administrators, family, Sheriff Ivey and members of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Department, Board Member Gene Trent, and Freedom 7 SRO Corporal Kent Guttebo. A special thank you was also given to Ms. Lucas for her life saving intervention.