Broward off to a smooth start on the first day of school

Broward students’ return to school went smoothly Tuesday, even as educators face challenges statewide around staff shortages, school safety and the pandemic.

More than 250,000 students attend Broward County Public Schools. Masked students, in the minority, walked besides unmasked students. Local police cars were parked outside, and school security stayed on alert.

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The day was business as usual. Perhaps the only exception was the convoy of administrators walking through the halls, as Schools Superintendent Vickie Cartwright, school board members, administrators and media personnel visited schools throughout the day, speaking with teachers, staff and students.

At Westpine Middle School in Sunrise, the procession greeted cafeteria workers and took a group photo.

“It’s like a wedding,” School Board member Daniel Foganholi said. Foganholi represents District 5, which includes Westpine Middle.

“We love what you’re doing,” Sherry Resnick, director of food and nutrition services, told Cartwright. “Come back any time.”

Ahead of the first day, schools across the state, including Palm Beach County, have pulled LGBTQ books from their libraries and announced new rules in response to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Parental Rights in Education bill, which went into effect July 1.

Broward has stated that its administrators are receiving training on an ongoing basis regarding the new laws, but have not formally announced how they plan to navigate them. Cartwright had previously voiced concern over the bill and “what the unintended consequences are going to be.” The district received some scrutiny in July for donating LGBTQ books.

But politics were set aside Tuesday as administrators and School Board members sat down to cafeteria lunches of mini Mexican pizzas and baggies of carrots and stepped into classrooms. Their attention was turned toward the children.

“I have nine bosses, can you imagine that?” Cartwright said to one class of bemused middle-schoolers, referring to the nine School Board members. “Ms. Hixon is one of my bosses. Mr. Foganholi is one of my other bosses.”

At Tropical Elementary School, Cartwright and School Board members visited Ms. Marsh’s fourth-grade classroom, where she was in the middle of reading a picture book aloud. A sign on her desk read, “Welcome back Marshketeers!”

“There might be days when you feel nervous about things that are happening in the world,” she read. You may hear or see things on TV that make you feel scared. No matter what happens out there, you need to know that your teacher and your class will always be a safe space for you.”