Times are changing and Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS) are changing right along with them. This year has ushered in new technology, new construction and new ways of learning.
The General Obligation (GO) Bond Referendum 222 was voted in back in 2012 as a plan to enhance school facilities. A total of $1.2 billion dollars is being used through the GO bond in schools throughout Dade County. Facets of the bond enhancements include a heavy push for updated technology, construction to bring to code various schools that were built in the 1950’s and ‘60’s, and to stimulate the local economy by employing small business owners in the community to complete the aforementioned changes.
How fitting that one of the very projects that were completed from the GO Bond Referendum was the same location that the first Town Hall meeting addressing the progress was held.
On Thursday, August 29, at the Miami Lakes Educational Center (MLEC) auditorium, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and a slew of officials from MDCPS including School Board chair and District 4 representative Perla Tabares Hantman, presented the timeline of projects that have been completed and those that are scheduled for completion within the next 5 years. The MLEC auditorium was one of the first projects completed.
“The future is bright,” said Carvalho, “inside of this auditorium is but an example of the brilliance rising in Miami-Dade County.”
The bond, which was originally scheduled for a 7 year timeline and included a voter-approved tax increase has been carried out on a stricter 5 year plan and progressed with decreased taxes due to effective budgeting. Additionally, all ninth and seventh grade students in Dade County are now using Hewlett Packard (HP) tablets in place of textbooks, which are compatible with the 11,000 promethean boards installed in classrooms. Remaining grade levels will receive their tablets in the coming years.
“A promise we made was very important,” said Carvalho. “Every single zip code in every single community would be touched equitably by this investment.”
Providing WiFi hotspots is also a large project currently underway, one of the largest in regards to WiFi locations and bandwidth in the nation.
District 4 schools are already seeing the promises of the GO bond come to fruition, including the Miami Lakes area where American Senior High, MLEC, Barbara Goleman, and Miami Lakes K-8 Center are undergoing various stages of renovations, many years ahead of schedule.
American High renovations include air conditioning and heating repairs, roof replacement, plumbing renovations, window replacements and repairs, lighting upgrades, interior and exterior improvements, fire protection enhancement and removal of portables in addition to technology upgrades.
Similar renovations are being done or are slated to be completed in area schools including Barbara Goleman Senior High, Bob Graham Education Center, Country Club Middle School, Hialeah Gardens Elementary, Hialeah Gardens Middle School, Hialeah Gardens Senior High, Hialeah Miami Lakes Senior High, Jose Marti MAST Academy, Lawton Chiles Middle School, Miami Lakes K-8 Center, Miami Lakes Middle School, Palm Spring North Elementary School, and Spanish Lake Elementary.
The objective of the GO bond is to holistically improve the way MDCPS students learn by not only improving the environment in which they learn, but also the communities in which they reside.
“We want to make sure our schools are being built by the people who live in the community,” said Brian Williams, Economic Development officer for MDCPS.
“One of the goals of the school district has not typically been to worry about economic development, however, our board and our superintendent had the vision to recognize that with the $1.2 billion dollar bond referendum came a lot of economic opportunity for residents of the Miami-Dade County community,” said Williams.
The extensive construction and upgrades made to the fourth largest school district in the nation are at the forefront of a technological frontier being explored. The School Board of Miami-Dade County is eager for the successful completion of the GO bond, and for the future of students.
Carvalho concluded his speech by saying, “Promise made, promise kept and we are just getting started.”
Detailed information about the funds and renovations for District 4 schools can be found online at www.bondsforschools.dadeschools.net/Files/District4_PLDetail.pdf.