At the School Board Meeting of May 13, 2026, School Board Member Luisa Santos proffered agenda item B-3, recognizing 2026 Academic Scholarship Signing and College and Career Decision Day. Since 2010, Florida has observed the third Tuesday in April as Academic Scholarship Signing Day to honor high-achieving students. Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) has expanded...
Press Release from the Office of School Board Member Luisa Santos, District 9 As Published in South Dade Spotlight March 12, 2026 At the School Board Meeting of March 11, 2026, School Board Member Luisa Santos proffered agenda item B-4, recognizing Mr. Kristian Jose Luciano, 2027 Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DPCS) Rookie Teacher of the...
School districts across the country have filed different lawsuits to try to get the U.S. Department of Education to release funds that had been frozen by the Trump administration. On Monday, Florida finally became a party to one of the cases. The Florida Parent Teacher Association and the Florida Education Association joined a national lawsuit to reverse...
Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) recently unveiled a redesigned, technology-rich, innovation space at Southwood Middle School’s media center. The new space includes virtual reality (VR) headsets, a Makerspace area with robotics for hands-on learning, drones, and a gaming area with new furniture in an open area where students can engage in creative group activities. “This...
At the June 18, 2025, Miami-Dade School Board meeting, Walter C. Hall, principal of Leisure City K-8 Center, was officially recognized as the district’s 2025 Principal of the Year. The honor follows an awards ceremony held on April 17, 2025, by the Dade Association of School Administrators (DASA). With over 23 years of experience in...
Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Coral Reef Elementary to celebrate the unveiling of a $5.3 million renovation project. “We are so grateful for the beautiful, refreshed campus we now get to enjoy every day,” said Coral Reef Elementary School principal Christina L. Guerra. “My administrative team and I strive...
Students explored with wonder inside the reimagined classrooms at Coconut Palm K-8 Academy, excited to learn about hydroponics and reveal a brand-new school mural. Made possible through a STEM Classroom Makeover Grant from Florida Power & Light Company (FPL), the innovative learning space is designed to ignite a passion for science, technology, engineering and mathematics...
Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) unveiled a redesigned, technology-rich, innovation space at Palmetto Middle School’s media center yesterday. The new space includes virtual reality (VR) headsets, a Makerspacearea with robotics for hands-on learning, and new furniture in an open area where students can engage in creative group activities. “These innovation spaces will continue to evolve...
On Saturday, March 15, 2025, Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) Board Member Luisa Santos (District 9) and Arts Access Miami made history with the launch of the inaugural South Dade Youth Music Festival at Losner Park in Homestead. The event was held in tandem with Santos’ signature celebration, the “A Night in D9” Awards Ceremony,...
Rafael Hernandez, Miami Times Contributor – Apr 15, 2025 Updated Apr 16, 2025 miamitimesonline.com While raising awareness about gun violence during a roundtable hosted by Mothers Fighting For Justice on Monday, some participants acknowledged the significant hurdles in their way. Led by local activist and Mothers Fighting For Justice founder Romania Dukes, members of the...