Bureau of Standards & Instructional Support News
Tobacco Prevention Training Supports the State Substance Use and Abuse Health Education Rule
Tobacco Prevention Professional Development courses are sponsored by the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Department of Health. Participants are required to teach tobacco prevention lessons and build the capacity for ongoing instruction in substance use prevention. Teachers may choose to take a 60-hour comprehensive course, a 30-hour course, a 10-hour EVP (Electronic Vapor Products) course, or a 3-hour SUA (Substance Use and Abuse) course that focuses on vaping. The 10-hour EVP and 20-hour courses are also available for school nurses. Since youth vaping is an epidemic and research shows tobacco prevention education is effective, educators may take the 10 - hour EVP course and the 60-hour comprehensive course, or the 30-hour course. Registration is available at http://tobaccopreventiontraining.org.
For further information, please contact Jakiera Gosa at jakiera.gosa@palmbeachschools.org or TobaccoPrevention@palmbeachschools.org.
Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST)
The Nation's Highest Honors for Teachers of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM, including Computer Science)
The 2023-2024 cycle honors science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teachers working in kindergarten-6. Nominations begin in August of each year. Up to six state finalists are announced on the PAEMST webpage in March.
Each cycle, up to 108 STEM teachers are announced as national recipients of the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching, two from each state and the U.S. Territories.
Florida’s most recent finalists include:
2024 Elementary Science: Sara Berge Lowry Elementary Hillsborough County Public Schools, Lainie Clowers-Gwynne Dream Lake Elementary Orange County Public Schools, Kaye Ebelt The Greene School Palm Beach
2024 Elementary Math: Nicolette Barone Oak Park Elementary Hillsborough County Public Schools, Stephanie Roehm Plumosa School of the Arts Palm Beach County School District, Cynthia Tennell Rawlings Elementary Alachua County Public Schools
2023 Secondary Science: Amy Herman Minneola Charter School Lake County Schools and Alicia Pressel Creekside High School St. John’s County School District
2023 Secondary Math: Jacqueline Sheffield Fort Walton Beach High School Okaloosa County School District
2022 Elementary Science: Madge Nanney Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts Duval County Public Schools
2022 Elementary Math: Montana Lowe Everglades Elementary School Palm Beach County School District
2021 Secondary Science: Euan Hunter Vanguard High School Marion County Public Schools, Michael Mury All Saints Academy and Yung Romano Strawberry Crest High School Hillsborough County Public Schools
2021 Secondary Math: Benjamin “Corey” Ellis Seminole High School Seminole County Public Schools and Laszlo Nagy Cypress Bay High School Broward County Public Schools
For further information, please contact Alicia Foy at Alicia.Foy@fldoe.org.
Art in the Capitol Competition
Each year, middle school students, from sixth grade to eighth grade, enter their artwork in their respective school district’s Art in the Capitol Competition, judged by a panel of art teachers; winning pieces are delivered and displayed at the capitol in a coordinated effort with their sponsoring legislator.
https://www.floridacapitol.myflorida.com/the_capitol/art
Instructional Materials
The 2023-2024 Social Studies state adoption review of instructional materials is underway. The Bureau of Standards and Instructional Support will soon be seeking qualified district reviewers for these materials. Please keep an eye out for the Call For Distrit Reviewers on the Instructional Materials webpage, https://www.fldoe.org/academics/standards/instructional-materials, for qualifications and how to apply to be a district reviewer for the state. Additionally, materials will soon open for guest review. Please visit the Instructional Materials website for more information to be posted in December.
Fostering Civic Literacy in Florida
Please visit Florida’s Civic Literacy webpage.
Required Instruction
The Florida Required Instruction Portal is now open to districts for planning and reporting.
Section 1003.42, Florida Statutes
Rule: 6A-1.094124 Required Instruction Reporting
Florida Required Instruction Portal
Professional Learning Events
The standards-based content taught and learned in the arts, computer science, gifted, health education, instructional technology, library media and physical education contribute to a student’s well-rounded education. Integrating content from these courses leads to the following benefits: increased motivation, improved academic achievement, communication and collaboration skills. Please contact the following program specialists for assistance.
Arts Education - Amanda El Shemi - Amanda.ElShemi@fldoe.org
Gifted Education Program – Alicia Foy – Alicia.Foy@fldoe.org
K-12 Science – Steve Walker – Steve.Walker@fldoe.org
Instructional Materials Specialist – Caroline Palmer – Caroline.Palmer@fldoe.org
The Bureau of Standards and Instruction support webpage can be accessed at https://www.fldoe.org/academics/standards/.