Mission: Educate All Students for Success
Vision: A Dynamic Educational System of Excellence
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District Administration: Florida District Becomes Trendsetter for In-Person Learning |
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District Administration - The Martin County School District was the first of any of the larger school districts across the state of Florida to open for in-person learning last fall during the COVID-19 pandemic – a bold move during an uneasy and uncertain August in the Sunshine State.
Martin County's administrators, staff and faculty serve a dozen elementary schools, five middle schools, three regional high schools and three alternative schools. The student population in this A-rated school system is diverse, with a growing Hispanic and English language learning base and 52% qualifying for free and reduced-price meals. It provides a range of services, from those in pre-K to those students with disabilities. The District stretches to serve wealthy families along the Treasure Coast to a much less affluent populace in the more remote Indiantown to the west.
Martin County opened its schools on August 11 with robust safety measures put in place led by their “QuaranTeam” – a group that consists of DOH Martin officials, District staff and school staff. For all positive cases of COVID-19 that arose, they would “surgically” contact-trace where that child was by looking at seating charts, bus charts, student activities, lunch schedules, where they sat at lunch and who they were with.
“Everyone was watching us to see how it was going to go,” Chief Academic Officer Tracey Miller said. “I really believe our surrounding districts were looking to see if we were going to have to close schools within the first couple days – somebody’s going to get sick, or we’re going to be the super spreaders that schools were predicted to be. We quickly found out that wasn’t the case.”
Instead, no schools have been shuttered because of coronavirus. Teachers and staff levels have remained strong. Miller says safety protocols were key to staying open, and experiences made the transition to in-person possible.
“We’re still very vigilant. We still follow the CDC guidelines, wear our masks, wash our hands often and sanitize,” she said. “We have extra cleaning, one-way hallways, all of that. But I think the feeling is a little better. We feel a little more at ease, a little more normal and a little bit more like school. The pandemic isn’t constantly in front of our minds all day. It’s something that’s always running in the background.”
Because of that, Martin County has been able to focus more on instruction and the services it typically provides.
“Our mission is to educate all students for success, and we never lost sight of that,” Miller shared. “I think that’s what brought our team together, is understanding our role not just for our students, but really understanding our role as part of the greater community, and how education really is the backbone of the economy and the community here.” Read more...
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TCPalm: More Students Expected Back in School for Second Semester as COVID-19 Precautions Continue |
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TCPalm - Not much will change when Treasure Coast students and their teachers return to school for the second semester.
More students will be on campus — many are expected to switch from remote learning to in-person classes — but they can expect to follow the same health and safety protocols put in place when schools reopened in August.
That's because mitigation efforts such as wearing masks and social distancing have prevented coronavirus outbreaks in schools, said Martin County School District spokesperson Jennifer DeShazo.
Seventy-three percent of Martin County students are expected to attend classes on campus this semester, compared to 63% when the 2020-21 school year began.
Martin County was one of the first districts in the state to reopen the school year and has learned what worked well, such as retaining accurate seating charts across all campuses to better conduct contact tracing, DeShazo said.
"We’ll take what we’ve learned and implement it in the new year," she said. "We know the majority of students perform better when they are physically present, and we do our best to keep them in that environment." Read more...
***If your child is currently enrolled in remote learning and you are interested in having them return to the traditional school setting, please contact their school for assistance.
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Families Invited to Attend Virtual Parent University Workshop on January 7 |
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WHO: Representatives of the Martin County School District's Instructional Services Department, parents/guardians of Martin County students.
WHAT: Virtual Parent University Workshop
WHEN: 6:00 p.m. - Thursday, January 7, 2021
WHERE: Parents/guardians must register for the session by visiting bit.ly/mcsdparentu. The Zoom meeting link will be sent to all registered participants prior to the workshop.
WHY: The Martin County School District is pleased to present informational workshops via Zoom for all parents/guardians to access. A different topic will be shared in English and Spanish each month, with this month's Workshop focused on required programming - courses, topics and content the District is mandated by statute to present to students.
To learn more about our Parent University framework, please click here.
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The Martin County School District is now using an upgraded Zoom account with enhanced security features. Students will continue to access teachers' Zoom links through their Google Classrooms but will be prompted to sign in using ClassLink if they are not already logged in. This will verify their account and will sign them in automatically using their first and last name.
Please continue to follow the remote learning reminders outlined below and contact your child's school with any questions.
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TCPalm: 12 Days of Christmas - Does That Turtle Bite? Environmental Studies Center Signs Would Say |
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Students enjoy getting to know Joey, the Environmental Studies Center's resident alligator. Operated by the Martin County School District, the Center provides students with a unique opportunity to learn about our local ecosystem and environment.
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TCPalm - Don't you wish you knew more about snapping turtles? Especially if you were face-to-face with one?
You can help everyone who visits the Environmental Studies Center — students and adults — learn more about snapping turtles, mangroves and an alligator named "Joey."
For their "12 Days of Christmas" wish, the Center's teachers and staff are asking for informational signs for their snapping turtle habitat, alligator tiki and mangrove display.
Located on Indian River Drive in Jensen Beach, the Center is a division of the Martin County School District, where students learn about the local environment and the Indian River Lagoon.
Once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, the center will go back to its practice of opening for adults from 2-3 p.m. on weekday afternoons for self-guided tours.
"The signs will help people taking the self-guided tours know a lot more about the species they're looking at," said Coordinator Valerie Gaynor. "If you're looking at the snapping turtle, everything you'd want to know about snapping turtles will be right there. And when kids get a guided tour, the teacher can refer to the signs for information."
Last year, the Center's "12 Days of Christmas" wish was for native Florida plants to spread throughout the 5-acre campus and signs to identify each species. Audubon Florida, through its Florida Power & Light Co. grant, donated $500 in plants; and another $295 in donations allowed the Center to buy more plants and the identification signs.
"The signs on the native Florida plants have been very educational for visitors," Gaynor said. "We think the signs on the displays will be, too."
How to help
- WHO: Environmental Studies Center
- WISH: Informational signs for the snapping turtle, alligator and mangrove displays
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South Fork High School Welcomes Students Home |
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While families will continue to retain their choice of flexible learning options this semester, the Martin County School District is encouraging students to resume attending school in person and on campus as they are able.
"We know that the majority of students perform best when they are physically present in classrooms receiving instruction from highly-qualified teachers," Superintendent John D. Millay said. "Our schools remain safe, nurturing places for learning, and we encourage our students to begin returning to campuses as they feel comfortable doing so."
As we move into a new calendar year, South Fork High School's message to students is simple - there is no South Fork without "U!" Click to watch...
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Monday Mornings With Millay |
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Join Superintendent John D. Millay live every Monday morning on the WSTU 1450 Morning Show to hear the latest news and information from throughout the District!
If you missed yesterday's episode, click here to listen as Dr. Millay shares what families can expect in the new semester.
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Principal Smith and Ms. Thomas of Warfield Elementary School hosted Preschool Story Time on December 18, 2020. Families of toddlers and preschoolers enjoyed listening to How to Catch an Elf in English and Spanish.
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As Dr. Seuss famously shared, "You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read to a child." Guest readers throughout the Martin County School District are doing just that as part of a new early childhood story time initiative.
Families of toddlers and preschool-aged children are invited to join us on Facebook Live each Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. for story time. Principals and other District staff will read an engaging story to your child while also sharing an activity for the two of you to complete together. It's a great way for toddlers, preschoolers and their families to get to know the administration at their home-zoned school before they start VPK or kindergarten!
For families zoned to attend Crystal Lake Elementary School, Friday's guest reader will be Principal Watkins. Click here to tune in live at 9:30 on Friday morning to listen to the story in English and Spanish!
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If your child or anyone in the household is symptomatic, awaiting test results or has tested positive for COVID-19, your child must stay home from school and refrain from participating in activities (sports, clubs, gatherings, etc.) outside of your home. Please continue to monitor your child's symptoms each day using one of the screening tools shown below.
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Students are eligible to participate in remote learning only in the following scenarios:
· A parent/guardian has registered them for the remote learning option with their school and they are successfully making adequate progress
· They are currently following quarantine or isolation protocols at the direction of DOH Martin or a healthcare professional
· They are sick and staying home due to symptoms, but are well enough to participate in remote learning from home temporarily. Students must provide a note from their parent or physician if they will be temporarily participating in remote learning due to illness
· They or a member of the household is awaiting testing results or has tested positive for COVID-19
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Connect with us! Follow @MCSDFlorida on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and information about the Martin County School District.
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