The start of a school year is an exciting time. It brings new possibilities, but this year it is also bringing deep logistical and safety concerns given COVID-19.
I am Shannon del Prado and I am running for Village Council Seat #3. This is a crucial issue to me; I have two children who are current students at Palmetto High School and a third who is an MPSH graduate. I know that many of you share my interest in being informed and after reading a Miami Herald article Monday night, I decided to address three key questions on many of our minds and provide some updates.
QUESTION #1: What developments have happened recently?
MDCPS opened with virtual learning in late August and early September. It was a trying time for the entire system, with multiple cyberattacks and the School Board ultimately voting unanimously to cut ties with K12, the company that powered the online learning. Teachers have had to adjust to new methods of teaching, and there has remained a huge floating question of when in person instruction could resume and what safety protocols would be needed.
This week, the School Board held a meeting that featured 18.5 hours (that was not a typo) of public commentary. The vote is expected to be this morning at 11:30am on whether to re-open our public schools fully on Wednesday, October 7.
Teachers will likely either be teaching 100% virtually or 100% in person, with some exceptions being made. Students can return in person, an option 51% have selected, or continue with virtual learning.
What is certain is that some big changes are coming, and they are going to affect countless people in Pinecrest who have children in schools or who work in schools themselves.
QUESTION #2: What is the role of the Pinecrest Village Council compared to the Miami-Dade County School Board?
The Miami-Dade County School system is actually its own government entity, chartered by the State of Florida and separate from our local government. It is the fourth largest school system in the United States, with nearly 600,000 total combined students and employees. MDCPS’ budget is $5.6 billion, which is approaching the amount of the entire County Commission budget of $9 billion! All Miami-Dade County Public Schools are ultimately governed by the School Board, including ours such as Palmetto and Pinecrest Elementary, Palmetto Middle and Palmetto Senior.
As a local municipality, the Pinecrest Village Council does not oversee the daily affairs or decide questions like school re-opening. Ideally, Council Members would have good working relationships with the School Board and be in regular contact to advocate Pinecrest residents’ concerns.
QUESTION #3: How can Village Council approach local education issues?
In our Village, we have many students in our public schools and many others in local private schools. Whichever options families have selected, you deserve to be listened to and taken seriously in this unprecedented moment by your Village Council. Because the Pinecrest Village Council does not officially govern our public schools (and of course not our private ones) this is exactly why I believe so strongly in partnerships between different levels of government. I would draw on my decades of experience volunteering in and advocating for our schools, and work with community groups, faith-based groups, the PTSA, businesses and all levels of government. Education does not happen in a vacuum, and in this moment locally elected leaders need to keep students and families top of mind in seeking creative and community-based solutions.
Government should be focused on serving you, and I believe our Village Council needs to have positive, informed working relationships with all relevant stakeholders and knowledge of the issues affecting school re-opening.
WHAT IS NEXT?
Please feel free to share any thoughts with me! Like many of you, I am a parent. Like many of you, I am a concerned resident. Keeping our community safe and healthy is a top priority for my campaign, and it is on us to support our local schools however we can. The vision of Pinecrest’s founders has persisted for nearly three decades. The tight-knit and supportive community they imagined is still here to carry us through this trying moment and ensure all our children get the opportunity to succeed.
Committed to our Community,
Shannon del Prado
