The summer break is officially over for Broward public school students as the new year gets underway Monday.
More than 247,000 students are returning to the classroom in the country’s sixth largest school district.
School safety is front and center once again for the district.
Staffers will have panic buttons
This year, all staff members have been given CrisisAlert panic button badges. About 30,000 badges have been distributed at 250 school sites. The badges alert administrators and first responders when there’s an emergency on campus.
When a staff member presses the button three times, it lets administrators know there’s a medical emergency or something suspicious. If the button is pressed eight times, it triggers a lockdown and a 911 notification with emergency responders getting a map that pinpoints the exact location.
The CrisisAlert badges are the result of Alyssa’s Law, named for Alyssa Alhadeff, one of the 17 who died at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School.
The new security measure is in addition to a SaferWatch app that staff can download on their phones to provide even more details of an emergency.
New this year for Broward schools
This year, the district will utilize artificial intelligence to help teachers, students and staff with everything from lesson plans to real-time feedback for students.
This year, two new health and resource hubs will be opening. They will be located at Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach and William Dandy Middle School in Fort Lauderdale.
The hubs will offer affordable primary care health services through an on-site nurse practitioner, according to the Sun-Sentinel. The services are open to everyone. The grand openings are set for next month.
This year, all students will continue to get free breakfast, but families must apply to determine if their student is eligible for free or reduced-price lunches.
Miami-Dade public school students will begin their new year on Thursday, Aug. 14.
