Brevard Public Schools

Brevard Schools Partners in Education (PIE), BPS staff members, and some community partners and friends, all gathered this morning at The Children's Hunger Project and worked diligently to pack 1,100 food packs for local children. These bags are filled with small nutritional meals and snacks and are designed to ensure food security for children who may experience scarcity, when they are not in school. What a fun holiday event! The thought of all of those full bellies really warmed our hearts. Thank you for all you do The Children's Hunger Project 💚❤️🎒❤️💚 Volunteer or donate!: https://thechildrenshungerproject.org/

🌍🎉Enjoy the sights from Mel High Culture Fest 2024! 🍲🎶 Melbourne High School's IB Culture Fest, an annual celebration of diversity, delighted the community, staff, and students recently, with an afternoon of food samplings from around the world. Attendees were able to enjoy a variety of traditional dishes, offering a delicious way to experience different cultures. In addition, participants were treated to exhibits full of information and cultural immersion, including music, art, and more! The event fosters understanding and respect while highlighting the school’s commitment to global awareness through its International Baccalaureate (IB) program. Thank you to MHS IB program and to all who volunteered their time, and shared generously of their culture, with us! 💖

At recent school board meetings, several appointments were announced. Help us congratulate and celebrate: 🥳👏 (From November 19) Barbara Kelly, Assistant Director of Student Services Cathy Gahres, Assistant Principal of Jefferson Middle School Lesley Cosgrove, Assistant Principal of Cocoa Beach Jr/Sr High School Jacob Schweich, Assistant Principal at Melbourne High School Karen Berkowitz, Assistant Principal of Oak Park Elementary School Megan Falcone, Assistant Principal of West Melbourne School of Science (From December 10) Martha McFarland, Assistant Principal of Viera High School Christopher Ault, Director of Projects & Technology Services (not pictured) Amber Smith, Principal of Pinewood Elementary School (not pictured) Kelly Rouse, Principal of Oak Park Elementary School We can't wait to experience all of the positive impacts that are in store for our District because of these incredible educators. 💛💚

Inspiring Change and Overcoming Challenges 💪✨ Recently, high school student athletes from across Brevard County gathered at the Clemente Center for an unforgettable motivational talk by best-selling author Damon West. From promising quarterback to overcoming addiction and a 65-year prison sentence, Damon’s journey is a powerful testament to resilience. 🙌 During his talk, Damon shared his transformative concept of "The Coffee Bean" – a powerful metaphor for personal growth. Just as a coffee bean changes hot water, we can transform our environment through a positive mindset, no matter the challenges we face. 🌱 Damon’s message is making a real impact in Brevard County. Last year, 6th graders took part in a book study of Mr. West's book, The Coffee Bean, leading to a 31% decrease in Suicide Risk Inventory scores among students! This year, the study continues, and Damon will return in the spring to inspire even more young minds. 🙏 Let’s embrace the power of change and always strive to be the coffee bean in our lives! ☕💥

🏆🚗 BPS students take Top Honors at the CFADA Automotive Tech Competition! 🚗🏆 On November 14, 2024, the Central Florida Auto Dealers Association (CFADA) hosted its annual High School Automotive Tech Competition at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, and took home every top honor! 💪 🥇 1st Place: Hunter Reed (Satellite HS) - A senior in the Automotive MLR Program, Hunter earned a $10,000 scholarship and a spot at Universal Technical Institute (UTI) to study Marine Repair! 🥈 2nd Place: Beau Lail (Eau Gallie HS) - Another talented senior in the MLR Program, Beau is an intern at Boniface Hiers in Melbourne and plans to join the US Marine Corps after graduation. 🥉 3rd Place: Decker Bowman (Eau Gallie HS) - Decker, an intern at East Coast Diesel, earned his trophy and scholarship and will be attending UTI next year to continue his automotive journey. Congrats to these future automotive pros and their dedicated instructors! 👏🔧

A little color and joy for your feed ✨🎨 Harbor City Art Club students put their creativity and ingenuity to work to create these entirely custom kites. Once a kite is completed, there is only one thing to do... let it fly 🍃🪁 Click thru to see this art in action 💗 Great work to these artsy Dolphins, and their teacher Ms, Chauncy!

A STEM-inspired day of discovery and challenge delighted students from around the district at our 2024 Innovation Games. Students researched, practiced, and competed in challenges such as: drone races, bridge building, SeaPerch, solar sprint, and escape rooms.⚙️ Some students also showcased videos they produced, used their coding skills, and pitched inventions in a shark tank competition. 🦈 Attending students were also able to get their hands on all kinds of technology - both small and large, with a special thanks to Army, Air Force, and Space Force for their incredible robotic and scientific showcases. 🤖 🎮 Gamers showed off their skills in some friendly competition and inspiration and fun was ignited for all involved. Thank you to Northrop Grumman Corporation and everyone who made this incredible day happen. ❣️🙏

"Freedom is never free" Our district is continuing our "thanks-giving" after receiving a donation from the Brevard Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution. In preparation for our nation's 250th Anniversary (in 2026), SAR is donating one copy of David McCullough's book "1776" to each BPS High School. This generosity will enable the education and immersion of the next generation into our nation's most perilous and formative era - the American Revolution. Thank you to Brevard SAR President Christopher Ratzel, to former Captain Donn Weaver and former 1st Lieutenant Doug Bisset (pictured here with Superintendent Dr. Rendell), and all other members of the chapter for this meaningful donation.

Brevard Public Schools is pleased to announce that Maggie Shunnarah, a senior at Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School, has been selected as the Brevard nominee for the 2024-2025 U.S. Presidential Scholar Academic Award, as announced by Brevard Public Schools’ Office of Secondary Programs. Maggie emerged as the district nominee from an impressive pool of candidates. Maggie’s accomplishments include maintaining a stellar 4.5 GPA, serving as Captain of Varsity Track and Field, serving as Co-Founder and Co-President of Cocoa Beach’s International Food Club, and coaching at Harbor City Gymnastics. She also spends time volunteering at the Ascension Catholic Thrift Shop. Additionally, Brevard Public Schools selected Runner-Up is Canon Fleming, also a senior at Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High. Canon’s accomplishments include maintaining a stellar 4.6 GPA, serving as Academic Team Captain, Volunteer Tutor, and M3 Math Modeling Team Leader. We would also like to spotlight our school-level semi-finalists: Gabriel Focht- Astronaut High, Serenity Graham - Astronaut High, Aiden Higgs - Bayside High, Alexander Tungol - Bayside High, Taylor Harris - Brevard Virtual Instruction, Mark Bernal - Cocoa High, Autumn Hill - Cocoa High, Haley Logsdon - Eau Gallie High, Aneesha Guna - Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Brian Wolfe - Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Kai Boyd - Heritage High, Blake Lee - Heritage High, Riley Blum - Melbourne High, Dan Pham - Melbourne High, Kylie Wellman - Merritt Island High, Angela Feliciano - Palm Bay Magnet High, Chantel Nance - Palm Bay Magnet High, Logan Carr - Satellite High, Sarah Miller - Satellite High, Hayden LaMaster - Space Coast Jr/Sr High, Caitlyn Sexton - Space Coast Jr/Sr High, Richard Speeler - Titusville High, Hannah Keller - Viera High, Eliza Hicks - West Shore Jr/Sr High, Nicholas Miles - West Shore Jr/Sr High

Our Astronaut High Cheerleaders had the privilege of joining the Spirit of America Production in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City!

We’re thrilled to announce that James Madison Middle School's Guidance Clerk, Kimberly White, has been named the 2025 Brevard Public Schools Employee of the Year! 🎉👏🎉👏🎉👏🎉👏🎉 Kimberly has been an invaluable part of our district for the past seven years, and her positive impact on both students and staff is clear to everyone who has the privilege of interacting with her. 💗 While she juggles many responsibilities, her true passion lies in building a strong sense of community and fostering a positive, welcoming school culture. Congratulations Kimberly, your honor is truly deserved!

⚽The 2024 school year is bringing a game-changing initiative to Brevard Public Schools: Elementary School Sports! 🏆✨⚽ Thanks to the dedication of community members, coaches, and educators, students in grades 3-6 had the chance to participate in organized sports as part of their public-school experience—no try-outs and no transportation hassles. Kicking off with Soccer, thirty-six schools formed teams, with the first-ever Jamborees held on November 16. The impact? Improved mental health, physical fitness, teamwork, and academic success. 💪 Next up this spring: Flag Football! 🏈 Get ready for another round of fun, friendship, and fitness! 🙏🌟

Zeke Bruton, a second grader at Freedom 7 Elementary School, was honored with the much-deserved recognition of Sheriff Wayne Ivey’s “Great Kid” Award! One school day, during lunch, Zeke’s quick thinking and bravery saved the day when his friend started to choke. Without hesitation, Zeke urgently signaled for help. When this action wasn't noticed, recognizing the seriousness of the situation, he raced to Counselor Kathleen Lucas, who sprang into action and assisted the child in clearing the obstruction. We couldn’t be more grateful for the happy ending to this scary moment, thanks to Zeke’s heroism and Ms. Lucas’ quick response. Zeke was presented this honor surrounded by his classmates, teachers, administrators, family, Sheriff Ivey and members of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Department, Board Member Gene Trent, and Freedom 7 SRO Corporal Kent Guttebo. A special thank you was also given to Ms. Lucas for her life saving intervention.

Area high school "Peers as Partners in Learning" recently joined together to learn and bond over their mission of making our schools an inclusive place for all learners! 🫸🫷 🧩💗 "Peers as Partners" is an elective course which teaches students how to support peers with academic and social skills, both in self-contained and general education settings. The day held many interesting challenges and much entertainment. Students got hands-on with activities like creating visual aids, exploring accessibility tools on iPads, and even trying out braille! ✍️They also heard from experts like Speech Pathologists, OT/PTs, and Assistive Tech specialists. The program has grown rapidly since its start in 2021 and includes representatives from Astronaut High School, Bayside High School, Cocoa High School, Eau Gallie High School, Heritage High School, Melbourne High School, Merritt Island High School, Space Coast Jr/Sr High School, Titusville High School, and Viera High School.

These are the faces of positive change, help, and support! 🤝 This School Psychology Week, we want to thank the BPS team of over thirty school psychologists, for their dedication and impact. We are so thankful to have these resourceful staff members; to help our students overcome challenges, embrace new ideas, and reach their full potential. Together with our wonderful teachers, administrators, and support staff, these heroes are creating a stronger, more resilient Brevard. Thank you for all you do to support our students and expand their horizons! 🗻✨

Introducing, the Brevard Public Schools 2025 Teacher of the Year (TOY) finalists! ⭐🍎👏 Cindy Pegion - Science, Johnson Middle School Janean Knight - Resource Teacher, Psychological Services (district-wide) Jennifer Laham - ESE, Bayside High School Laura Negi - 3rd Grade, Sabal Elementary Lindsey Andryc - 3rd Grade, Saturn Elementary Teresa Huskisson - Science, Andrew Jackson Middle School Let's all help celebrate the care, creativity, and unwavering commitment these educators devote each day to the children they serve. Your efforts have immeasurable impact, thank you all!! 🥳💚

Bayside High School's Ayla Gordon has been chosen as the BPS representative for the prestigious National Presidential Scholar Program for CTE! 🌟👏 The mission of this program, established in 1964, is to recognize and honor superior high school seniors. Ayla was selected from a talented pool of BPS CTE students for her exceptional academic achievements, technical expertise, and remarkable creativity and innovation. Her Engineering Instructor, Mr. Mitchell enthuses, "Ayla has proven to be a mature and driven student, responsible for her own learning and constantly strives to challenge herself in her studies and extracurricular activities." Congratulations, Ayla! We are proud to have you representing Career & Technical Education at Brevard Public Schools 💚

BPS Alumni Pride! 💚👏💛 2024 graduates of Merritt Island High School, Zach Huseman and Jackson Shaffer are making a name for themselves at Tulsa Welding School - Jacksonville Campus. Zach is the first student in the state of Florida to be ranked in the top 25% of students at the college. Jackson recently received 24th place out of 267 student competitors a school competition. Due to the extent of their succusses, Tulsa Welding School has donated two new welders and welding gear to the Merritt Island Automotive Career & Technical Education at Brevard Public Schools. Way to go Zach and Jackson, as well as Mr. Warren and his department at Merritt Island High!

Happy spooky season Brevard! Our friends at Palm Bay Elementary School recently proved that STEM learning doesn't scare our Li'l Pirates! 🎃👻🏴‍☠️ Enjoy some photos from their recent educational trick-or-treat event, where students explored different stations filled with fun facts and engaging activities. From math monsters to science spells, every stop was a chance to uncover something new and exciting and earn some sweet treats in the process. ✨🍬

Fridays aren’t just for football for these Commodores! Every home game Friday, football players from Eau Gallie High School volunteer at Dr. WJ Creel Elementary to read to a lucky classroom of students. At least one team member each week had attended Creel when in elementary. Our Creel Eagles certainly can find positive role models in these exemplary student athletes, who must qualify for this opportunity by maintaining good grades and behavior. ❤️⚓️📚🏈