August 2021
Brevard Public Schools Starts Strong
Over the summer and in our first few weeks of school, we have seen some great successes across our school district! Please enjoy some highlights below.

In June, The Astronaut High School War Eagles bowling club traveled to Ohio to compete at nationals. The boys team placed 3rd in the nation, and senior Logan Harvey came in 1st place in the individual competition, earning the title of 2021 United States High School National Bowling Champion!


For the third year in a row, three students representing West Shore Jr./Sr. High School participated in the Monaco Mousetrap Grand Prix. The event is a STEM competition in which students are challenged to build cars powered only by a mousetrap. The competition is traditionally held in Monaco during the week of the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix, but this year, students competed virtually via video submission.

Congratulations to Matt Kish and Aubrey Tegland for winning 1st place overall, and to Abigail Watson, who was awarded "Most Creative" for her video.
Congratulations to Trish Ely, winner of the Florida Association for Media in Education 2021 Administrator Advocacy Award. This award recognizes a district administrator, director, superintendent, or supervisor who has made dynamic and significant contributions to the promotion or effective school library media programs and services.
Tropical Elementary Students Spread Kindness
In 2018, Tropical Elementary kindergarten teacher Barbara Wilcox was teaching a unit on peace when her students decided there was a need for a universal symbol for kindness. What started as a classroom vote turned into worldwide participation in choosing the perfect symbol. Fast forward to July of 2021…

Representative Bill Posey sponsored House Resolution H.Res. 509 - The KIDS Resolution (Kindness is Daily Sunshine) to recognize the kindness symbol and to urge acts of kindness across the United States. The resolution became bipartisan on July 17th, when Representative Darren Soto co-sponsored as the Democratic lead.

House Resolution H.Res. 509 is currently in the Committee of Labor and Education! Ms. Wilcox and her students are asking everyone to contact other U.S. representatives to co-sponsor the resolution, and to encourage Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio to make a companion resolution in the Senate. Additionally, you can sign the petition to make the kindness symbol a national symbol of kindness here.  

NOW HIRING


We are hiring Bus Drivers! If you would like more information about employment with BPS, please visit www.brevardschools.org


Take Stock in Children
Mentors Wanted
The Brevard Schools Foundation Take Stock in Children (TSIC) program is actively seeking mentors to serve middle and high school students in Brevard County. BPS employees are encouraged to participate. Take Stock in Children is a unique dropout prevention, college readiness and mentoring program that provides the opportunity for aspiring low-income Brevard County public school students (in grades 7-9) to earn a college Florida Prepaid plan. Students are matched with a volunteer mentor and must commit to remain drug and crime-free, maintain a 2.5 GPA, and pass mandatory state tests.
 
A mentor is simply a person who takes a vested interest in another person’s life. A mentor can be a friend, confidante, or role model, and provide academic encouragement, tutoring or access to tutors, motivation, support, and fun. Mentors often say that they feel they get more from mentoring than their students! It only takes a 1/2 hour weekly to make a difference. To become a TSIC mentor, you must be 18 or older, submit a mentor application, commit to mentoring, at school and/or virtually, for at least one school year, attend a mentor training class, and select which school(s) you can serve to be matched with a student (by gender). 

To learn more about becoming a mentor with Take Stock in Children please contact Mentor Coordinator, Matthew Corpiel at (321) 633-1000 x 11415 and visit the website here.