1,555 KEYS STUDENTS ARE LEARNING ENGLISH

School Board Hears About Teacher Recruitment

Mandy Miles

mandy@keysweekly.com

Two of the three Rs of education — reading, writing and “‘rithmetic,” — pose a bigger challenge to educators when the students don’t yet speak English.

The Monroe County school board on Feb. 14 heard an update about the school district’s current and ever-increasing population of foreignspeaking students, who are labeled “English Learners” in today’s educational parlance.

The countywide school district has more than 1,555 students — about one in five — who speak other languages at home, administrator Natalie Liz reported. Two-thirds of those students were born outside the United States, she said.

Monroe County students hail from 36 countries and speak dozens of languages, she said, adding that the district continues to implement various programs to ensure those students succeed.

The top “countries of origin” for Keys students who are learning English include: United States, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Brazil, Venezuela, Mexico and Uzbekistan, Liz reported.

In keeping with the influx of migrants coming into the Florida Keys, the number of Cuban students has increased by 66 in recent months, while the number of Haitian students has increased by 20 this year.

Currently, Stanley Switlik Elementary School in Marathon and Horace O”Bryant School in Key West have the most Spanish-speaking students, with 121 and 119, respectively, Liz noted.

“We’ve implemented new strategies to guide the initial placement of students in classes, based on their current English proficiency,” Liz said.

Staff Recruitment

The state of Florida is expected to need 6,000 teachers next year, reported Harry Russell, executive director of personnel support and instructional leadership for Monroe County Schools.

Monroe County currently has 62 job openings, including six for teach- ers, but that number always increases at the end of the school year when many teachers decide to retire or move.

Anticipating the increase in departing teachers at the end of the school year, Russell is exploring several avenues for recruitment.

One option is to start accepting student teachers to work alongside certified teachers in classrooms as they complete their training, he said.

“They would be here for four months doing their student teaching requirements,” Russell said. “We’re hoping to develop relationships with them while they fall in love with Monroe County” so they’ll come back when they graduate.

Russell also sees some potential in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ initiative to turn military veterans into teachers by providing a streamlined certification process.

Russell said Monroe County may be in a unique position to capitalize on that initiative, given the number of military personnel, military spouses and others in the Florida Keys.

He’s also working with Florida colleges and universities to get Monroe County School District on their lists of potential employers and is traveling the state to meet with near-future teachers on college campuses.

The most recent school board meeting in Key West also drew the now-typical appearances by conservative speakers from the public — with and without kids in the local school district. Three speakers urged a national search for the next superintendent.

Speaker Christine Miller of Big Pine Key again called for the Ten Commandments to be posted in all classrooms, urged a national search for the next superintendent and encouraged the school board to hire a superintendent who will “ban the LGBTQ and woke agendas in schools.”

Bethany Bartlett of Duck Key warned against children’s “loss of innocence” amid today’s “sexual revolution,” while speaking against critical race theory, which is not taught in any Monroe County schools.

For the record, Superintendent Theresa Axford has not announced her retirement. Although her contract ends July 31, 2024, Axford could seek a contract extension or could apply for the superintendent opening. She has made no decision about retirement, Axford told the Keys Weekly last month.

AAA: Florida gas prices drop 9 cents

Florida gas prices shrugged off upward pressure and sank another 9 cents per gallon last week. The state average has now declined for three consecutive weeks, falling a total of 28 cents per gallon since late January.

On Feb. 19, Florida gas prices averaged $3.31 per gallon. That’s the lowest daily average price since mid-January. It’s a nickel more than this year’s low of $3.24 per gallon, and well below the 2023 high of $3.58.

“The fuel market is on a downward trend due to a combination of rising global oil supplies and renewed concerns that the U.S. Federal Reserve will pass another interest rate hike in effort to curb inflation,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA - The Auto Club Group. “ Free tax service available in the Keys Tax season is officially here, and the United Way of Collier and the Keys’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is a way for individuals making less than $66,000 a year to have their federal tax returns filed for free by IRS-certified volunteers.

“This program is essential for those living on limited incomes,” said UWCK Keys Area president Leah Stockton. “Tax laws are complex, and many people miss out on tax credits that would greatly benefit them, like the Earned Income or Child Tax Credit. Our outstanding VITA volunteers make sure everyone gets the best service possible to maximize their potential refund.”

VITA volunteers are certified through a 12-hour IRS training program and are kept up to date on recent tax law changes. In Monroe County, VITA has been running for 8 years. Last year, the VITA program helped 161 UWCK clients receive over $246,268 in refunds.

“VITA is a program that can help so many people,’ said VITA program coordinator Loretta Geotis.“Nearly everyone in Monroe County needs to file taxes each year, but there are many who don’t fully understand their individual tax situation. This often leads to tax credits being missed. VITA can help them get every dollar they deserve.”

This year, VITA will be conducting in-person and virtual tax preparation sessions. For virtual tax return preparation, Monroe County residents should call 305-563-1470. Please have your name, address, phone number, social security num- ber and email address ready.

More information is available at 305-563-1470 or via email to vita@ keysunitedway.org.

Keys bicentennial celebration includes concerts, drone show

Florida Keys visitors and residents can celebrate the bicentennial of the subtropical island chain throughout 2023, starting with the “200 Years of Paradise Kick-off Concert” that includes a drone show Saturday, March 25, in Key West.

The concert and other activities salute the 200th anniversary of the Florida legislature’s founding of Monroe County, which contains the entire Florida Keys, on July 3, 1823. From Key Largo to Key West, events in the coming months will recognize the historic anniversary and recall the Keys’ two centuries of rich and vibrant history.

March 25 festivities will begin at 6 p.m. at Key West’s Coffee Butler Amphitheater in Truman Waterfront Park with a program combining live music, Keys history presentations and drone “fireworks.” Gates open at 5 p.m. and admission is free.

Plans call for 250 drones illuminating the sky over Truman Waterfront Park with imagery highlighting the Keys and their bicentennial.

Art Guild exhibit on display at Tassell Building

Among the many art shows and exhibits offered annually by the Art Guild of the Purples Isles (AGPI) is the Tassell Building exhibit on the second floor of the Medical Arts Building at Mariners Hospital, MM 91.5 in Tavernier. According to this year’s show chairperson, Mary Bonde, there are 19 new pieces of original fine art now hanging in the Tassell Building exhibit. This is a revolving display of art created by AGPI members and is changed each year.

The works represent a broad array of media and some are available for purchase.

Natalie Dorf Tassell Building Exhibit celebrates and recognizes a long-time board member and her contributions to AGPI. In 2015 Natalie Dorf successfully negotiated the agreement with the Mariner’s Hospital Board for a permanent artin-public-space exhibit to be managed by the Guild. An AGPI “Best in Show” winner in 2014, Natalie passed away in November 2018. In 2019, the AGPI board unanimously voted to dedicate this public space venue in Tavernier in honor of her memory.