The summer is officially over for all of South Florida鈥檚 school districts. Monday marked the first day of classes in Broward County Public Schools, the state鈥檚 second largest district.
When Edith Blondet鈥檚 new students filed into her classroom at Broadview Elementary School in North Lauderdale, the six and seven-year-olds found a place awash in color. An illustrated alphabet rings the white board and colorful posters of vowels, shapes and numbers cover the walls.
There were lots of firsts in Mrs. Blondet鈥檚 classroom on Monday. It was her students鈥� first day of first grade 鈥� and it was Blondet鈥檚 first day teaching first grade.
Blondet led her 19 tiny students in a joyful cheer.
鈥淚t鈥檚 my first day,鈥� she cried, as her students echoed her.
鈥淥f 鈥� first grade!鈥� they cheered together.
Blondet says she鈥檚 had many roles in her nearly three decades in education, including as an ESOL 鈥� English to Speakers of Other Languages 鈥� teacher. Now she鈥檚 leading this Spanish dual-language classroom.
鈥淚 did kindergarten for 鈥� eight years 鈥� and then second grade I did 10 years,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow first grade! But I鈥檓 excited.鈥�
A day full of firsts
Monday was also the first day of school for Broward County鈥檚 new superintendent Peter Licata. He started the day well before sunrise, boarding one of the district鈥檚 brand new electric buses along with students headed for Monarch High School in Coconut Creek.
鈥淲e got to sit in the front seat. The kids walked on and gave us a little weird look, like, 'Why are they on our bus?'鈥� Licata said with a laugh.
A few hours later, he helped out with the morning announcements at Monarch High, with an assist from the school鈥檚 principal, James Cecil.
鈥淕ood morning Monarch High School! This is your proud principal Mr. Cecil,鈥� the principal鈥檚 voice crackled over the PA system. 鈥淲e want to welcome our superintendent Dr. Licata.鈥�
鈥淚 just want to welcome all of you students,鈥� Licata said. 鈥淏e safe. Be smart. And I can鈥檛 say thank you enough, all the teachers and all the staff out here 鈥� Go Monarch!鈥�
Teacher shortages, student absences
Later, Principal Cecil told reporters that Monarch is weathering the teacher shortage fine. Asked about challenges the school is facing, Cecil said he鈥檚 more worried about getting students back in their classrooms.
鈥淲e鈥檝e noticed attendance is something that we all have to work on. Not just a Monarch thing but kind of a nationwide thing. Got to get our students back and back in on time,鈥� Cecil said. 鈥淢any of our proficient kids, our high level kids are missing more school than others, actually.鈥�
He says it鈥檚 one of the many effects of COVID that are still reshaping public education.
Monarch鈥檚 Student Body President Jessenia Almanzar was not going to miss the first day. She sported a decorated paper crown to show off her senior status.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely exciting being back here,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a bittersweet feeling being back at school for my last year. So many emotions running through my head. I saw my parents before I left and I鈥檓 like, 'Oh my God, don鈥檛 make me start crying!鈥�
鈥楶rotect teachers at all costs鈥�
Speaking to reporters as the school day wound down on Monday afternoon, Licata said that overall, there were no major issues.
鈥淔or the most part. I can tell you that there was one hiccup about process and procedure today. It was phenomenal,鈥� he said.
As of Monday afternoon, Broward was still short about 150 teachers 鈥� making up roughly 1% of the district鈥檚 overall teacher workforce. The district is also still trying to hire an additional 792 teacher assistants, 115 facilities service workers and 41 bus attendants.
"We keep hearing this teacher shortage, teacher shortage. Yeah, we would love to have those 146 teachers in seats right now 鈥� but less than 1%? That's phenomenal,鈥� Licata said. 鈥淚t's important. We got to make sure we take care of them. But that's a great number. Little more concerned about our bus drivers.鈥�
Asked about the anxiety that many teachers feel about the flurry of new state restrictions on what they can say and how they can teach, Licata said the district must 鈥減rotect teachers at all costs.鈥�
鈥淲e want to let teachers know 鈥� I鈥檓 going to block and tackle for them every day of the week,鈥� Licata said. 鈥淲e need them. We need to make sure that we鈥檙e protecting them and we鈥檙e letting them do what they do best.鈥�
