Miami Lakes resident Perla Hantman was elected chair of the Miami-Dade County School Board for the 2017-2018 school year, serving an unprecedented 10th time as the leader of the board.
Dr. Martin Karp was elected vice chair, his third time as second in command for the School Board.
“I would like to thank my fellow School Board member for their confidence in electing me, once again, to serve as chair of the School Board,” Hantman said. “It is my privilege and pleasure to serve alongside you, the superintendent and his team in safeguarding the interests of the students, employees, and families of Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
Hantman has served on the School Board since 1996, and became the first Hispanic woman to serve as chair.
During her tenure on the School Board, Hantman spearheaded many educational programs, including the Success Management Academy at Hialeah Miami Lakes Adult Education.
The program offers immigrant teenage students and adults to help them earn their GED in Spanish as well as talking ESOL classes, running concurrent with regular day school hours.
Many students graduated from the program and went on to accomplish their goals of attending college.
But a Mega Magnet program is perhaps Hantman’s biggest initiative to date.
During a Miami Lakes Town Council meeting in October, Hantman announced that Barbara Goleman High School will offer a new Mega Magnet program for the 2018-2019 school year.
The program is aimed at enhancing the quality of education for students in an effort to help them stay consistent with the national standards of learning.
Hantman said she has been trying to bring the program to Miami Lakes for years, and a $15 million federal grant over the next five years made her dream come true.