December 16, 2022
Dear BPS Families and Staff,
It is hard to believe we are just a few days away from Winter Break. The first semester has flown by, and I want to wish you and your family a restful and safe holiday. As we prepare to take some much-needed time off, there are important updates I want to share with our community.
First, our school board is working diligently to hire an interim superintendent who is expected to begin work on January 1, 2023. The board has held in-person interviews with three finalists, and a candidate could be offered the position as early as next week. Please keep an eye on the District website, www.brevardschools.org, and the BPS social media pages for news regarding the interim superintendent search.
Secondly, this week the school board approved an amended school calendar that impacts second semester. February 20th and April 24th are now regular school days. These are make-up days for class time missed during Hurricane Nicole. Please make a note of the change to avoid any surprises.
Also, student behavior remains a topic of focus for the district, with the goal being to ensure the best possible learning environment. Respect, understanding, and proper behavior are prerequisites to accomplishing our mission of serving every student with excellence. With that in mind, I encourage families and staff to review the three highlighted school board policies. These policies are not new, but I feel it is important we all abide by them to help facilitate a positive learning experience.
• _Policy 5610 - Removal, Out of School Suspension, Disciplinary Placement, and Expulsion of Students
• _Policy 5500 - Student Conduct
• _Policy 5136 - Wireless Communication Devices
In addition, this upcoming Winter Break would be a good time for families to review both the K-12/Adult Registration Form Addendum that students and parents/guardians sign each year and the Student/Parent Cell Phone or Wireless Communication Device (WCD) Contract. You can review the Grades K-12/Adult Registration Form Addendum here and the Cell Phone or Wireless Communication Device (WCD) Contract here. As a reminder, part of the registration addendum states: “Notwithstanding any other provision of Board policy, pursuant to F.S. 1006.13(5), any student found to have committed an act of assault or aggravated assault, or battery or aggravated battery, on any elected official of the School District, teacher, administrator, or other School District personnel, shall be recommended for expulsion or placement in an alternative school setting, as appropriate, for a minimum period of one (1) year.”
The above policies, like all district policies, will continue to be followed in the new year. BPS families and staff help make our school district a top performer in the State and I appreciate all the care each member brings to our schools and our students. I hope you enjoy the final three days of school before Winter Break, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back on January 5, 2023.
Please contact your school’s administration if you have questions about these specific school board policies.
Thank you, and I hope you have a happy and safe holiday season!
Sincerely,
Beth Thedy, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent
Chief Human Resources Officer
