The summer is officially over for all of South Florida’s school districts. Monday marked the first day of classes in Broward County Public Schools, the state’s second largest district.
When Edith Blondet’s 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’s classroom on Monday. It was her students’ first day of first grade – and it was Blondet’s first day teaching first grade.
Blondet led her 19 tiny students in a joyful cheer.
“It’s my first day,” she cried, as her students echoed her.
“Of … first grade!” they cheered together.
Blondet says she’s had many roles in her nearly three decades in education, including as an ESOL — English to Speakers of Other Languages — teacher. Now she’s leading this Spanish dual-language classroom.
“I did kindergarten for … eight years … and then second grade I did 10 years,” she said. “Now first grade! But I’m excited.”
A day full of firsts
Monday was also the first day of school for Broward County’s new superintendent Peter Licata. He started the day well before sunrise, boarding one of the district’s brand new electric buses along with students headed for Monarch High School in Coconut Creek.
“We 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?'” 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’s principal, James Cecil.
“Good morning Monarch High School! This is your proud principal Mr. Cecil,” the principal’s voice crackled over the PA system. “We want to welcome our superintendent Dr. Licata.”
“I just want to welcome all of you students,” Licata said. “Be safe. Be smart. And I can’t say thank you enough, all the teachers and all the staff out here … Go Monarch!”
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’s more worried about getting students back in their classrooms.
“We’ve 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,” Cecil said. “Many of our proficient kids, our high level kids are missing more school than others, actually.”
He says it’s one of the many effects of COVID that are still reshaping public education.
Monarch’s 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.
“It’s definitely exciting being back here,” she said. “It’s 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’m like, 'Oh my God, don’t make me start crying!”
‘Protect teachers at all costs’
Speaking to reporters as the school day wound down on Monday afternoon, Licata said that overall, there were no major issues.
“For the most part. I can tell you that there was one hiccup about process and procedure today. It was phenomenal,” he said.
As of Monday afternoon, Broward was still short about 150 teachers — making up roughly 1% of the district’s 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 … but less than 1%? That's phenomenal,” Licata said. “It'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.”
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 “protect teachers at all costs.”
“We want to let teachers know — I’m going to block and tackle for them every day of the week,” Licata said. “We need them. We need to make sure that we’re protecting them and we’re letting them do what they do best.”
