Summer vacation will officially be over for more than 270,000 students and 15,000 teachers in Broward County Public Schools (BCPS), as they head back to the classroom on Monday, August 21, 2017 – the first day of school.
BCPS Superintendent Robert W. Runcie will visit several schools on opening day to welcome students, parents, teachers and staff to another exciting new school year. Starting his day similar to most students, with a bus ride, the Superintendent will greet District school bus operators before boarding a bus to his first school stop.
“I am excited to welcome our students and families to the new school year,” said Superintendent Runcie. “Across our great District there are incredible learning opportunities ahead, with all of our innovative District schools offering high-quality programs and educational experiences for students.”
South Florida professional sports teams are skipping practice on Monday to go back to school. Teams making stops to motivate students on the first day of school include the Florida Panthers at Broadview Elementary School and the Miami Marlins at Bayview Elementary School.
Following an early practice run of 1,000 routes throughout Broward County, school bus operators are confident of a smooth start on the first day. The District’s massive transportation operation, which includes a fleet of 1,248 school buses and 73,000 student riders, makes it one of the largest school district operated fleets in the country. All buses are equipped with GPS technology to track locations and report any emergencies.
While creating educational opportunities around the historic solar eclipse, which also takes place on the first day of school, the District is taking proactive measures to keep students safe during this event. As a precautionary measure, all outdoor activities at all District schools between the hours of 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. will be moved indoors. Schools will dismiss at the regular time.
BCPS invites students, parents, families and the community to share first day of school photos and messages via social media using #BCPSFirst.
MEDIA ARE INVITED TO COVER THE SUPERINTENDENT’S SCHOOL VISITS (SCHEDULE ATTACHED).
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ABOUT BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
“Committed to educating all students to reach their highest potential.”
Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) is the sixth largest school district in the nation and the second largest in the state of Florida. BCPS is Florida’s first fully accredited school system since 1962. BCPS has over 271,000 students and approximately 175,000 adult students in 236 schools, centers and technical colleges, and 93 charter schools. BCPS serves a diverse student population, with students representing 208 different countries and 181 different languages. To learn more, visit browardschools.com. Follow BCPS on Twitter @browardschools and Facebook at facebook.com/browardschools, and download the free BCPS mobile app.
