Dr. Maria Vazquez: Hello, we're on the road for the first day of school coming up on Mondays with Maria, what you need to know about school safety, transportation, food service, and facilities for the 24-25 school year.
Announcer: Welcome to Mondays with Maria, presented by Addition Financial Credit Union. Here's OCPS Superintendent Dr. Maria Vazquez.
Dr. Maria Vazquez: Hi everyone. It's the first day of school. Such an exciting day, and in case you missed it, we held a news conference to bring you up to date on what you need to know for the start of the 24-25 school year. Here are some highlights.
School Board Chair Teresa Jacobs: I can't help but brag every chance we get. Once again, we are an A school district. And before I turn this over to our superintendent, Dr. Maria Vazquez. I just want to take a few minutes to say how incredibly fortunate our students are, our staff is, and this whole community is to have her at the helm.
Dr. Maria Vazquez: We're here at Winter Park High School to show you how progress can be made when we have the support of Orange County voters Once again. This year we're asking for voters to decide whether to continue the half-cent sales tax. The funding is crucial since OCPS has experienced high growth since 2011. And keeping our buildings maintained is extremely important. We now have 213 schools. I want to thank each and every one of our employees, teachers, support staff, and administrators for all that they have done to get ready to open the doors for our students. Our code of conduct for the upcoming year has been updated. It does still, however, include the district cell phone use policy, which prohibits the use of cell phones from bell to bell. The cell phones must be kept in backpacks or purses from the arrival bell until the dismissal bell. Please watch out for our students. If you're near a school, assume children are in the area. So extra caution is needed.
Bill Wen, Director of Transportation: We still have a challenge of finding school bus drivers. Again, this year, we'll be starting with the two runs and the high school trips in the morning. New this year, to help us become more efficient, we have implemented a bus rider student registration form that's part of the parent portal in Skyward. Also, this year we'll be implementing district-wide a bus rider ID card where students will tap on the card reader as they enter the bus and as they exit the bus. A couple of reminders for elementary students, but in particular in their backpacks, please provide current information, their name and address, and a good phone number for you in the event they don't remember their bus or remember their address so that we can call to help you find them. Also, if your child is going to be using the bus in elementary, please have them ride the bus to school and back as well. That way it'll allow them to see where their bus stop is. The driver can see them when they enter, and then also the students will know where to exit the bus as well.
Mark Watson, FNS Senior Director: Orange County Public Schools is excited to continue serving our students meals at no charge this coming up school year. The “Community Eligibility Provision,” better known as CEP, allows us to provide nutritional meals to our students. This provision helps families save money in this challenging financial time. As I would like to always thank the managers and staff of Food Nutrition Services for always making sure that OCPS students have a chance to receive great nutritional meals while at school and during the summer months.
Roy Salimbene, Chief Facilities Officer: So, all three of the schools that were opening this year are brand new prototypes, the first-of-a-kind design for Orange County Public Schools. We have four other large campus-wide projects underway. And one of those includes a repeat of an elementary school that will open next year right next to Luminary Middle School. And then also renovations at Howard, which has been mentioned. Lakeview Middle School and here at Winter Park High School. Dr. Vazquez also mentioned a new technical college. We're actually in the middle of a transformation of our technical college's campuses. But that's not all that the sales tax funds. We have capital renewal projects under construction at 105 other schools, upgrading roofs, air conditioning, and other systems.
Chief Bryan Holmes: Providing safe schools is important work. Due to recent changes in the law, the district had to adopt new security and safety procedures for the 2024-25 school year. These measures will be effective on the first day of school and classroom doors must be locked and not propped or standing open. As this is strictly prohibited. Securing unsupervised exterior doors to all school buildings, all perimeter gates must be closed and locked. The district will continue using the standard response protocols that we have in place and have had for years. They are hold, secure, lockdown, evacuate, or shelter.
Chief Eric Smith: OPD is committed to protecting your loved ones at every school throughout our area. Each campus has been assigned at least one SRO and there are two at every high school. This year, I'm adding more officers in a relief unit that can address any additional issues that may arise at any of our schools. All SROs have just completed a two-week-long practical training exercise where they receive hands-on scenario training for the response to critical incidents that may arise at all of our schools.
Sheriff John Mina: And I just want to reassure our parents that the safety, health, and wellbeing of our kids in school is our top priority.
Dr. Maria Vazquez: I hope everyone has a great first day of school. Stay tuned to our social media pages to see who I visited to kick off the new school year, and be sure to like, follow, and subscribe for more. I'll be back next week for another Mondays with Maria
Announcer: Mondays with Maria's presented by EDITION Financial Credit Union. Count us in for every step of your financial journey. Learn [emailprotected]. For more OCPS news and information, visit the slice ocps.net. I'm your announcer, Kaleb Priester, a senior at Jones High School. Thanks for watching and have a great week.
