An extra watch was requested at
15640 Lancelot Ct due to a suspicious incident. Resident awoke to strange
sounds outside her bedroom window. Upon opening the blinds she was face to
face with an unknown person dressed in all black. She could not provide
any further description.
Make sure you keep your doors locked and
your alarm on.
Posted October 29, 2009
It was just reported that the police have arrested three teenagers who
have been going around the neighborhoods vandalizing the cars. Hopefully
this will now cease from happening. But you should continue to lock your
cars up in your driveways.
Posted September 18, 2009
A
car was burglarized on Hawkes Bluff Ave. last night. Someone entered the
car through an unlocked door. Make sure you keep all valuables out of site
and your doors locked. Even if you have an empty gym bag the crooks don't
know its empty and will break your window to get it. They go car to car
pulling door handles most of the time. If you see any suspicious people
walking around at night call 911, you don't even have to leave your name.
Posted May
29, 2009
Suspect In Double Shooting Found Dead
2 Women Gunned Down At Gas Station
DAVIE, Fla. -- Police said a man
whose body was found Friday morning in Davie is the suspect in a double
fatal shooting at a Plantation gas station.
According to the Plantation Police Department, the body of
30-year-old Robert J. Vaughan was found just after 3 a.m. Friday in the
5600 block of Hawks Bluff Avenue in Davie. Police said Vaughan died of a
gunshot wound to the head.
Plantation police said Vaughan was the suspect in the fatal shootings
of two women that happened about two hours before the discovery of his
body.
According to Plantation police spokesman Robert Reddig, at about 1
a.m., the women drove into the Chevron station on Pine Island Road and
Broward Boulevard. Then, the driver of another car following their green
two-door got out and fired at them multiple times, police said.
After the shootings, the bullet-riddled car in which the two women
were riding rolled into another vehicle owned by a couple who were
buying gas. The couple did not want to comment to Local 10.
One of the women died at the scene. The second was rushed to Broward
General Medical Center, where she later died.
Plantation police identified the victims as 27-year-old Jillian Hauck
and 22-year-old Brooke Pazo, both of Plantation.
Plantation police said Hauck was Vaughan's ex-girlfriend, and she had
gotten a restraining order against him in 2007, Local 10's Todd Tongen
reported.
Hauck's family members were too grief stricken to talk about their
loved one on Friday.
Police said they have surveillance video that shows the shootings at
the gas station, but they have not released it.
Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at
954-493-TIPS (8477).
Posted January 28, 2009
Dear
Ivanhoe Residents & Friends,
Below
please find an e-mail from a Hawkes Bluff Resident regarding a robbery
in the neighborhood today. Please be extra vigilant and watch out for
yourselves and your fellow residents. Please report anything that seems
out of the ordinary. Please call the Town of Davie Police Department at
(954) 693-8200 if you see anything suspicious or call 911 for any
emergencies.
There has
also been a rash of identity thefts in the neighborhood recently.
Please make sure to pick-up your mail as soon as possible and to shred
all documents that have critical information before putting them in the
garbage. You might also want to consider a credit monitoring service
like Equifax to monitor your credit activities on a continuous basis.
If anybody
has anything further to report regarding this incident or any other
incidents in the neighborhood, please reply to this e-mail.
Best Regards,
Robert Giordano - Coldwell Banker
Residential Real Estate (Hawkes Bluff of Ivanhoe Crime Watch Co-ordinator)
I wanted to let you know about an incident
today on Huntridge road.
There was a robbery during the day at a
residence just on the west side of the high power lines on Huntridge.
The homeowner had a dog in a room and the
intruders simply avoided that room and robbed the rest of the home.
They took TV's, Laptops, Game Systems,
Jewelry and more from the home.
I wanted to let you know asap as this
occurred during the day today 1/28.
Posted
January 9, 2009
There has been an
alarming number of
incidents of identity theft in our development. Here are some tips
to safeguard your identity:
Online Brokerage Accounts: What You Can Do to Safeguard
Your Money and Your Personal Information
Let's hope this never happens to you: You have a few free minutes so
you decide to go online to check your brokerage account information. Your
account balance is much lower than you expect - and you know that, at
least for today, neither the market nor any of your securities fell in
value. You see that there were several wire transfers of money from your
account to an outside checking account. But you never authorized
those transactions - instead, an identity thief did, and that thief
has now stolen your cash as well as your personal information.
Like many investors, you may enjoy some of the conveniences of an
online brokerage account, like checking your brokerage account information
at any time of day or night, buying and selling securities, or even
transferring money between your brokerage account and another account. But
if you don't take steps to protect your personal information when you go
online, you could be telling your own story of identity theft.
How Online Identity Theft Can Happen
Many identity thieves use malicious software programs to attack
vulnerable computers of online users. These software programs can monitor
your computer activity and send information back to the thief's computer.
Sometimes, these programs will log your key strokes, which allows identity
thieves to easily obtain username and password information for any of your
online accounts, including your brokerage account.
Other identity thieves "phish"
for your personal information. "Phishing" involves the use of fraudulent
emails and copy-cat websites to trick you into revealing valuable personal
information - such as your account number, your social security number,
and the username and password information you use when accessing your
account. Sometimes fraudsters will use phishing scams to try to get you to
download keystroke logging or other malicious software programs
unsuspectingly.
But not all identity thieves have gone "high tech." Many still use less
sophisticated ways of stealing your personal information, such as looking
over your shoulder when you're typing sensitive information or searching
through your trash for confidential account information.
How to Protect Yourself Online
You'll need to protect yourself against identity thieves, whether
hackers, phishers, or snoops, when you use your online brokerage account.
Here are a few suggestions on ways to keep your personal information and
money more secure when you go online:
Beef Up Your Security. Personal firewalls and security
software packages (with anti-virus, anti-spam, and spyware detection
features) are a must-have for those who engage in online financial
transactions. Make sure your computer has the latest security patches,
and make sure that you access your online brokerage account only on a
secure web page using encryption. The website address of a secure
website connection starts with "https" instead of just "http" and has a
key or closed padlock in the status bar (which typically appears in the
lower right-hand corner of your screen).
Security Tip: Even if a web page starts with "https" and contains
a key or closed padlock, it's still possible that it may not be secure.
Some
phishers, for example, make spoofed websites which appear to have
padlocks. To double-check, click on the padlock icon on the status bar
to see the security certificate for the site. Following the "Issued to"
in the pop-up window you should see the name matching the site you think
you're on. If the name differs, you are probably on a spoofed site.
Use a Security Token (if available). Using a security
token can make it even harder for an identity thief to access your
online brokerage account. That's because these small number-generating
devices offer a second layer of security - a one-time pass-code that
typically changes every 30 or 60 seconds. These unpredictable pass-codes
can frustrate identity thieves. While fraudsters can use keystroke
logging programs to obtain regular username and password information,
they can't use these programs to obtain the security token pass-code.
Ask your brokerage firm if you can protect your online account with a
security token or similar security device.
Be Careful What You Download. When you download a
program or file from an unknown source, you risk loading malicious
software programs on your computer. Fraudsters often hide these programs
within seemingly benign applications. Think twice before you click on a
pop-up advertisement or download a "free" game or gadget.
Use Your Own Computer. It's generally safer to access
your online brokerage account from your own computer than from other
computers. If you use a computer other than your own, for example, you
won't know if it contains viruses or spyware. If you do use another
computer, be sure to delete all of the your "Temporary Internet Files"
and clear all of your "History" after you log off your account.
Don't Respond to Emails Requesting Personal Information.
Legitimate entities will not ask you to provide or verify sensitive
information through a non-secure means, such as email. If you have
reason to believe that your financial institution actually does need
personal information from you, pick up the phone and call the company
yourself - using the number in your rolodex, not the one the email
provides!
Security Tip: Even though a web address in an email may look
legitimate, fraudsters can mask the true destination. Rather than merely
clicking on a link provided in an email, type the web address into your
browser yourself (or use a bookmark you previously created).
Be Smart About Your Password. The best passwords are
ones that are difficult to guess. Try using a password that consists of
a combination of numbers, letters (both upper case and lower case),
punctuation, and special characters. You should change your password
regularly and use a different password for each of your accounts. Don't
share your password with others and never reply to "phishing"
emails with your password or other sensitive information. You also
shouldn't store your password on your computer. If you need to write
down your password, store it in a secure, private place.
Use Extra Caution with Wireless Connections. Wireless
networks may not provide as much security as wired Internet connections.
In fact, many "hotspots" - wireless networks in public areas like
airports, hotels and restaurants - reduce their security so it's easier
for individuals to access and use these wireless networks. Unless you
use a security token, you may decide that accessing your online
brokerage account through a wireless connection isn't worth the security
risk. You can learn more about security issues relating to wireless
networks on the website of the
Wi-Fi Alliance.
Log Out Completely. Closing or minimizing your browser
or typing in a new web address when you're done using your online
account may not be enough to prevent others from gaining access to your
account information. Instead, click on the "log out" button to terminate
your online session. In addition, you shouldn't permit your browser to
"remember" your username and password information. If this browser
feature is active, anyone using your computer will have access to your
brokerage account information.
How to Know if Your Identity Has Been Stolen
Sometimes, it can be extraordinarily difficult to determine whether
someone has stolen your identity. If you take the steps below, you may be
able to find out whether you've been victim of identity theft and protect
yourself from further harm:
Read Your Statements. Don't toss aside your monthly
account statements! Read them thoroughly as soon as they arrive to make
sure that all transactions shown are ones that you actually made, and
check to see whether all of the transactions that you thought you made
appear as well. Be sure that your brokerage firm has current contact
information for you, including your mailing address and email address.
If you see a mistake on your statement or don't receive a
statement, contact your brokerage firm immediately.
Monitor Your Credit Report. Reviewing your credit
report may alert you to unauthorized activity, and, therefore, can be an
effective way to fight identity theft. You can obtain a free credit
report every 12 months from three different credit bureaus by contacting
the
Annual Credit Report Request Service.
Investor Tip: Read your brokerage account agreement carefully
because many firms take the position that you are responsible for the
security of your account information, such as your username, password,
and account number. In addition, your brokerage account agreement may
provide information about what specific steps you should take if you
notice any unauthorized account activity.
What to Do if You Run into Trouble
Always act quickly when you come face to face with a potential fraud,
especially if you've lost money or believe your identity has been stolen.
Identity Theft. If you think that your personal
information has been stolen, visit the Federal Trade Commission's
Identity Theft Resource Center at
www.consumer.gov/idtheft/index.html for information on how to file a
complaint and control the damage.
Securities Scams. Before you do business with any
investment-related firm or individual, do your own independent research
to check out their background and confirm whether they are legitimate.
For step-by-step tips and links to helpful websites, please read
Check Out Brokers and Advisers and
SIPC Exposes Phony "Look-Alike" Web Site. Report investment-related
scams to the SEC using our online
Complaint
Center.
Phishy Emails. If a
phishing scam rolls into your email box, be sure to tell the company
right away. You can also report the scam to the FBI's Internet Fraud
Complaint Center at
www.IFCCFBI.gov. If the email purports to come from a brokerage firm
or mutual fund company, be sure to pass along that tip to the SEC's
Enforcement Division by forwarding the email to
enforcement@sec.gov.
I received
this letter today from FP&L regarding our power issues along with a lots
of pertinent information to our power outages. Below this letter are
links to some of the brochures he sent me that I attached here. They sent
me quite a few different brochures, I haven't put them all on but from
time to time I'll put more on. -Val
After contacting the Public
Service Commission regarding our constant 1 second power outages in our
entire development, I received the following emails as well as phone calls
from two different specialists at FP&L. I was told that several nurseries
in our area are growing trees directly under the power lines that are
touching the wires and causing our power to go out for a second here and
there and FP&L is doing whatever they can to trim the trees down that are
causing these problems as well as fixing anything else that needs to be
fixed. He explained it in a pretty technical manner regarding the feeders
and multiple feeders and drops in voltage at the substation and I took
notes but I asked him to send me something that I can relay to you that
will make more sense than my scribbled notes. When I receive more
information I will post it here. -Val
Mrs O'Connor,
Below is the information that I promised regarding the correct trees to
plant to prevent outages. Also I will be sending you a brochure that
contains Fpl's Top Tips for Power Disturbance Protection. If you should
have any questions you can contact our customer service department or
visit us on the web at www.FPL.com.
Eliezer Cueto
Associate Technical Specialist
Power Systems
Florida Power & Light
4000 Davie Rd Ext
Hollywood, Fl 33024
Val,
Many things can cause the power to go out for more than a minute. If a
transformer fuse or a lateral fuse blows this can cause a longer outage,
the lines will have to be patrolled to find the cause of the outage, many
times it can be caused by lightning, birds, animals, vegetation, poles
being hit by vehicles, wires down etc. The breakers at the Substation are
design to prevent the outage, kind of like when a specific breaker goes
off at the house for whatever reason, and all you have to do is reset it.
Well at the substation level the breakers go thru time intervals to allow
the cause of the outage on the lines to clear, if it clears then it
re-closes and you have a momentary for a couple of seconds, if problem
persists on the lines the breaker will open a few more times within about
a minute to clear the fault, if that doesn't happen then it will stay open
and it will be physically inspected. This is just a little piece of the
process that it is followed to prevent outages many other things are
looked at also. I hope this helps.
Eliezer Cueto
Associate Technical Specialist
Power Systems
Florida Power & Light
Posted
October 17, 2008
I attended the
I-75 PD&E Study -
Broward MPO Presentation On October 14th and met the new project manager,
Joshua Salazar and got a chance to talk to several of the FDOT workers
present at the workshop. To see some of the photos I took at the workshop
click PHOTOS. All
these photos and more are on FDOT's website
www.I-75Vision.com.
To see the updates of the I-75 Project Development and Environment Study
see UPDATES. -Val O'Connor
First Posted
September 16, 2008
We appreciate your
continued participation in the I-75 PD&E Study - Broward MPO
Presentation and look forward to seeing you at our upcoming Public
Workshop, scheduled for October 14th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Broward County SW Regional
Library. Additional details on the meeting can be found on our project
website:
www.I-75Vision.com
Thanks again and feel
free to call me or FDOT's Project Manager (Mr. Joshua Salazar,
954-777-4635) with any question on this Study or the upcoming workshop.
Will
Suero,
PE, VP
Senior Project Manager
Posted
October 3, 2008
Ivanhoe residence:
I do not know how many of you
are experiencing the constant power outages on a daily basis? Today, was
another last straw for me, I called FP&L, again to lodge the complaint and
was advised that they have had no complaints from Ivanhoe-Hawkes Bluff or
any other community in Ivanhoe.
That is very hard for me to
believe, since, I know I’ve placed many calls into customer services to
advise FP&L of the continual daily outages. However, they claim not to
have any history of past call ins. Regretfully, I did not document my
calls.
I have spoken to a few
neighbors who have had to replace appliances due to numerous surges and
outages, and were thinking they could put a claim in with FP&L. In
speaking with FP&L, if you lose a major appliance, and you have not
reports these outages they will not be able to reimburse you or contribute
a portion for the replacement appliance. Only if you have history in your
customer records and at that point they would have to submit it for review
of their executive committee.
The representative had stated
they will do an investigation, and will be in touch with us, however, from
the calls I made in the past I never received a follow-up from FP&L.
The number to report outages
or intermittent outages, brown outs, etc, is 1-800-226-3545. If you are
experience the same as us, it would be in your best interest to call in
and report the problem.
Please feel free to pass this
message on to other neighbors of Ivanhoe.
I am aware of two cases
of identity theft that was perpetrated on residents of Waverly Hundred,
both on Hawkes Bluff Ave. Today I went with one of the couples to the
Davie police station to report the crime and to get a police case number
to be able to fill out the bank forms. I am attaching the information that
the police officer gave to them which are instructions of what to do if it
happens to you. If this happened several times in our community it has to
be someone going through the mailboxes or garbage. I told them to get a
paper shredder to shred their documents. This couple are not on a computer
so it has to be something that was on the outside of their home like
garbage or mail. Be careful, don't put mail out the night before and try
to shred your documents that have any pertinent information of them before
putting them into the garbage. Click here to read the instructions
from the police: Identity Theft
-Val
O'Connor, Secretary and Webmaster of Waverly Hundred
Posted
October 1, 2008
To bring you up to date
on the case of the peeping tom in our neighborhood:
My heart goes out to my
husband who from day one has said that he was going to stick with this and
make sure that justice would be served. And he did. When most people
would give up and just say the system doesn’t work – he fought through it
– He would call the State attorney and just stayed with it; voiced his
feelings on what he wanted and what would be best for his family – This
man Giovanni Franceso Pugliese invaded our privacy and not only ours but
our neighbors as well – something we didn’t ask for and put our family
through some tough times – The emotions of our kids, the questions they
would ask and most of all the fear that they have. However, we did get
what we set out for. He is now in jail –
Giovanni Francesco
Pugliese is now at the stockade facility. He was charged with voyeurism
(6 months in jail for this count) and for the battery charge (2 counts –
one year probation for each count) I want everyone to know that even when
his projection sentence ends (3/14/09) he is not permitted in our
neighborhood. If he is seen here that is a violation of his probation and
if he is seen, people should call the police department and give as much
information as possible.
You can view his arrest
record at
www.browardsherriff.com - then on the right side of the screen type
in his name. This will bring up his arrest record and picture.
We want to thank
everyone for their thoughts, support and prayers during this difficult
time. -a resident of Waverly Hundred
Posted
September 16, 2008
We appreciate your
continued participation in the I-75 PD&E Study - Broward MPO
Presentation and look forward to seeing you at our upcoming Public
Workshop, scheduled for October 14th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Broward County SW Regional
Library. Additional details on the meeting can be found on our project
website:
www.I-75Vision.com
Thanks again and feel
free to call me or FDOT's Project Manager (Mr. Joshua Salazar,
954-777-4635) with any question on this Study or the upcoming workshop.
Will
Suero,
PE, VP
Senior Project Manager
Posted
August 28, 2008
Dear
Ivanhoe Residents & Friends,
Many of you
might have noticed increased mosquito activity in your neighborhood. I
know I certainly have. It was brought to my attention by Hawkes Bluff
of Ivanhoe Board Members Terry Coulton & Mo Christie at our HOA meeting
last night that Broward County no longer automatically spays for
mosquitos. You have to request mosquito service from them. The way to
request this service is to go to their website at
www.Broward.org and go to "Request Mosquito Service" on the right
hand side under "Top Online Services". It's very easy to request this
service for your residence. You can also call Mosquito Control at (954)
765-4062 or fax them at (954) 985-1959 to request this service. The
more of us that request this service, the less mosquitos we will have to
deal with in our neighborhood. So please call, fax, or e-mail today.
click here to go directly to the page :
Request Mosquito Service
Best Regards,
Robert Giordano - Coldwell Banker
Residential Real Estate (Hawkes Bluff
of Ivanhoe Treasurer and Crime Watch Co-Ordinator)
Posted
August 27, 2008
Friends and Neighbors,
Our Ivanhoe and
surrounding area cast 567
votes, we gave Beverly Gallagher 392
of these votes (nearly 70%!!!!)
and we represented over 11%
of her winning margin of 1,905 votes in only FOUR voting precincts. This
included a very good early voting and absentee voting! We sent quite a
message, which is…. don’t mess with Ivanhoe!
If you don’t already
know, Beverly Ann Gallagher is our newly re-elected School Board Member.
I am sure she would love to hear from each of you who supported her.
Do not let anyone tell
you that Ivanhoe does not vote! This was a very low turnout election and
we did great job. There are too many individual people to recognize, but
you all know exactly who you are.
This was a very, very
ugly race filled with a load of negative campaigning, but we always kept
it professional and prevailed. We also have to thank the Hawkes Bluff
E-mail guru Bob Giordano, Val O’Connor for the Ivanhoe Civic Association
website and Ken Cimetta from Keep us Rural website for spreading the good
word.
Reminder…
The
FIRST WEST BROWARD HIGH Parent/ Teacher Student MEETING (PTSA) is TOMORROW
NIGHT ….THURSDAY at 7pm (Media Center) !!!!!!!!
Please go to the West Broward High website to see the new information:
Just
please take the time to show up and see what a great program and school we
will make the best in the county!
We
all have busy schedules, but what is more important than your child’s
education?
Go
Bobcats!
John Pickett
Hawkes Bluff
Posted
August 23, 2008
Friends and Neighbors,
We have a wonderful
new High School in West Broward High, we have an A rated Hawkes Bluff
Elementary and attend a great “A” middle school in Silver Trail. I
believe we have Beverly Gallagher to thank as our incumbent
representative for keeping the quality of education for our students. We
have found ourselves with a credible, honest, effective and dedicated
school board member and we need to re-elect her, so she can continue her
work on our behalf. Please call her with questions or concerns at
954-829-6621.
We
need to remember to vote NEXT TUESDAY August 26th and vote
FOR Bev Gallagher, District 2 School Board.
Countywide, I believe
we need to choose Dee Schroeder, who will listen to our needs and who is
honest.
John Pickett
Hawkes Bluff
Posted
August 16, 2008
Troubles are history, future an open book
at new West Broward High School
New high school to open on edge of the
Everglades
By Kathy Bushouse
| South Florida Sun-Sentinel
August 15, 2008
PEMBROKE
PINES - For several months last spring, no one wanted to go to West
Broward High School.
Parents passionately argued that their children should remain at Cypress
Bay High School in Weston because West Broward, off U.S. 27, was too far
away. Students begged to stay at Cypress Bay, saying they wanted to stay
with their friends and stick with its sports teams and extracurricular
activities.
But the tense, hours-long boundary discussions are history. West Broward
High is ready to open its doors to 1,900 students for the first time
Monday.
New principal Dan Traeger is ready to bring together students from
Cypress Bay and
Everglades high schools to create a new community at the school.
As a follow up to the incident that
happened in Waverly Hundred in February as well as other areas of Ivanhoe,
regarding the guy who was caught hiding in the bushes beneath windows of
houses, the
upcoming court appearance is currently scheduled from July 21 thru July 25
in room 347 at 8:30 a.m. The exact date to appear is not confirmed yet
but will be on the website when it is known. If anyone wants to come out
to the courthouse and show their support it would be greatly appreciated.
This guy needs to be put away and not be allowed to drive around our
neighborhoods and pose a threat to our children. Will keep you posted as
to the exact date of the hearing. The following are the original posts to
remind you of the incidents:
Posted
February 4, 2008
Today, at 6:30 a.m. a man was arrested on Ravenswick Terr. after he was
found hiding behind some bushes, under a homeowners window. The window was
at his daughter's bedroom. After a violent struggle with the homeowner and
then finally some neighbors, he was held until the police arrived. The
suspect is a 34yr. old male that lives in Pembroke Pines. His record has
shown he has done this before. When he was caught this morning, his zipper
was down. Please pass this on to friends, family and/or neighbors and
remind them to keep their doors locked and windows closed. Keep a look out
for each other and don't be afraid to call the police if anything in our
neighborhood look suspicious. Thanks, Al Hollinger
Update
February 8, 2008
When
showing his picture one of the neighbors has recognized this man. He is
posing as a window washer in the neighborhood. He is persistent in
wanting to perform this service. You might want to post the description
of his car to be on the look out in case anyone sees this person in the
neighborhood again. He currently drives a newer model Hyundai Sonata
Limited- Dark Blue - 4 door - Tag number: X60 9R0.
Several
people have seen him in the area - so I think everyone needs to have
their guard up!!
Posted
June 6, 2008
Dear friends & neighbors.
This last Wednesday, supposedly, the “Staff” at the Town of Davie put an
ordinance on the Town Council agenda:
increasing the distance for adult
establishments to 1000 feet vs the current ordinance of 450feet…..
from certain areas, like school, daycares, churches, etc… What this
ordinance would do is increase certain locations within Davie. One of
those areas would add a piece of Regency Square (Publix/Outback/)
shopping center as a POSSIBLE future location for an adult
establishment. Obviously, we do not believe an adult establishment is
appropriate for this shopping center.
At The Last Minute, in the afternoon of the meeting date, this ordinance
motion was WITHDRAWN, so a vote was NOT made on it.
Why
was this added to the Davie agenda in the first place? There is a
Federal lawsuit with Eden Club (on University Drive in Davie) vs. Town
of Davie being heard this month asking for additional opportunities for
these establishments to have more opportunities to start a business. The
current 450 foot rule effectively stops establishments of adult
businesses in most areas of Davie.
Nobody seems to want to take responsibility on who wanted this on the
agenda at the Town or how it was placed on the docket. All we know is
there was less than full and timely disclosure and a load of people
(Forest Ridge, Ivanhoe) were put into an uproar over something this
important to our community.
This is typical for our town, not knowing “who’s is on first”…etc… To
complicate matters, Mr. Marlon Luis, our council representative for the
Town was out of town on vacation. Anyway,
THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL FOR OUR AREA!
If we are NOT aware of what is going on it is our own fault. Do
NOT think you will be informed of such dealings by the Town. This seems
like someone in the Davie Staff wanted to slip this by us. I do not
think this was ill intentioned, it was just not disclosed to the Public
very well.
Keep cards and letters and e-mails going to the Town and let the TOWN
know how you feel. By writing our Town Council and Town Administrator,
at least they know our opinions.
If
you have ANY problem, the people in the CC area (above) are who we need
to contact. The Town also has a website for input, which is accessed
easily and a link is on all our HOA’s websites.
John Pickett
Ivanhoe Civic Association
Posted
June 4, 2008
You're Invited to Join us
Endorsed
by:
Broward
Teachers Union, Education, Technical Support and Charter Schools
AFL-CIO,
Police Benevolent Association,Broward
Principals and Assistant Principals,
Broward
Community College, Broward
Para-Professionals Association,
BTU-Retire Chapter
as we kick-off
Beverly "Bev " Gallagher's
Campaign for Re-Election to the Broward County School Board District 2
Monday, June 9, 2008
From 5:30 pm- 7:30 pm
At the Grand Palms Country Club
110 Grand Palms Dr., Pembroke Pines, FL 33027
Refreshments, entertainment and lots of fun for
the entire family! Bring the kids!
Directions: Take I-75 South
towards Miami Merge onto West
Pines Boulevard via Exit 9 B Turn Left onto Grand
Palms Drive/ SW 150th Ave Make your first
Right to end at 110 Grand Palms Dr
Posted
May 31, 2008
Dear friends,
I am thinking about
speaking at the Town Council meeting during the OPEN Forum next week,
being the first council meeting of the month. Residents will have three
minutes to express opinions and I intend to inform them of the outcome of
the high school boundary issue and the apparent and probable elimination
of the MMM construction project. Davie opposed any consideration to build
MMM in Davie and did NOT feel compelled (until the very last second) to
support our area (Ivanhoe/south of Griffin) to help us in this boundary
concern. As a county we will certainly have more MEGA schools, with more
additions vs. any new schools to address overcrowding. Many believe the
school board is no longer in the business of building any new schools
after this last round of workshops and boundary decisions. We will have to
drive much, much farther to our designated school, West Broward High but
we as a community have embraced the school as evidenced by the majority of
participation in the PT(S)A and SAF coming from Ivanhoe and Southwest
Ranches.
As a FACT, Marlon Luis,
who represents us here in Ivanhoe has endorsed Beverly Gallagher, who as
our district member was the ONLY School Board member fighting for our
needs here in Ivanhoe. Other Davie elected officials, who do not represent
us, are non-committal or are siding with Bev’s opponent, who has not been
representing our needs.
Many of us living here
or having businesses in Ivanhoe have the overall feeling that Davie (as a
town council and government body) does not participate or have much of an
interest in assisting our area, unless they feel it can politically help
them out or somebody complains about something. They seem to be reactive,
not proactive. I heard last week a resident state that we are
“step-children of Davie, not real residents”. One council member has
referred to us as “non-horse residents”. I wonder what they call
Imagination Farms, Long Lake Estates and Shenandoah? The fact is we out
here have a HUGE commercial base of tax money that supports the entire
town and we need more attention as citizens. Unless we speak up, we will
continue to be ignored. As many say, no participation means there are no
problems or needs.
Here are a list of
issues that many residents feel need attention and participation from our
Davie elected officials. We need a few
more Ivanhoe residents to participate in this opportunity to speak on
issues they feel need to be “pointed out” to the council. My
three minutes will be used up by the education issue unless we can get a
member of the PTSA to speak at the meeting...
ÞI-75 wall issue (funding
or assistance to get a better wall built, maybe extension of the existing
wood fence)
ÞParticipation of
possible construction of multi-use path over I-75 on Stirling, between 148th
and Dykes Road. Where are the plans? Meetings?
ÞNO indoor gym or youth
sports programs on the west side, we have outside facilities: tennis
courts, sand volleyball, basketball and racquetball at Waverly 100 and
Waterford – do we want to look into having built an indoor gym or better
indoor facility at Waverly Park where there is room? Many of us feel the
outside facilities are underused, because of the heat issues and an inside
gym facility would be better utilized. Where do our kids go to participate
in sports? Weston or Pembroke Pines?
ÞRoads have not been
recoated or repaved since inception of the community and many sidewalks
are cracked and broken.
ÞGreenway areas are in
poor shape and are mostly weeds, just mowed occasionally with no
irrigation. Because of our communities “manicured look” should we have
upgraded landscaping and better maintained in the medians? (Stirling Road
/ around parks)
ÞPolice presence – Most
of the HOA’s PAY separately for extra detail patrols and a question is why
do other areas get better coverage from our Police Department? We have had
too many break-ins and crime
ÞOther issues:?????
Please keep
communicating our needs to Davie, as these are all important issues and
you all know the adage; the squeaky wheel…..
John Pickett
Hawkes Bluff
(Ivanhoe Civic
Association)
Posted
May 31, 2008
Plan scrapped for new high school in SW Broward
Superintendent says prices for Davie and Weston sites
too steep to consider
By Kathy Bushouse
| South Florida
Sun-Sentinel,
May 27, 2008
FORT LAUDERDALE - A new high school
for southwest
Broward County set to be approved this year has been delayed, with
School Board members Tuesday backing Superintendent
James Notter's recommendation to shelve the campus.
Prices were too high for sites in Weston and Davie for the school dubbed
MMM, Notter told the board. With enrollment down and economic times
uncertain, board members opted to follow Notter's recommendation and
perform a study of empty seats in the district rather than buy land for
the new school.
Board Chairwoman Robin Bartleman took it one step further: If the
district is going to examine whether MMM still is needed to relieve
crowding at nearby Cypress Bay High School, she wants the district also
to look at construction plans for new schools or classroom additions
throughout the county.
"What's good for one is good for all," Bartleman said. "If we're going
to do this with MMM, then everything else in the capital plan needs to
be looked at. ... If we're really talking about doing this, then you do
it across the board."
Tuesday's workshop discussion was the latest in more than two years of
debate over where to put a school in southwest Broward. The district has
spent more than $450,000 in analysis, appraisals, studies and consultant
costs during its search for a new site.
Weston parent Byron Jaffe was upset by the board's decision to further
delay a decision on MMM. "Are they saying they're out of the business of
building new schools out in west Broward?" Jaffe said after the
workshop.
Each board member spoke at Tuesday's workshop and generally agreed with
Notter.
What was clear: The board wasn't willing to pay the asking prices for
the parcels. Land developer Ron Bergeron wants $19.8 million for his
30-acre site in Weston, 108 percent more than the average appraisal
value of $9.5 million. Brothers Daniel, Troy and Wayne Weekley want $13
million for their roughly 30 acres in Davie, nearly 73 percent more than
the average appraised value of $7.6 million.
Some board members said the downturn in the real estate market could
open up other possibilities for a school site.
"I think we can look," board member Beverly Gallagher
said. "Every day someone's calling us about a different piece of
property."
Attorney Alex Heckler, who represents the owners of the Bonaventure golf
course once considered as a possible location for MMM, said Tuesday his
clients are working on a new proposal to submit to the School Board. The
golf course site was dropped because of concerns over arsenic in the
soil and title questions.
Other board members said the district should use this as an opportunity
to re-evaluate all its school boundaries.
"I can't tell you how many years we have talked about a comprehensive
boundary review. ... We need to stop talking about that and simply do
it," board member Stephanie Kraft said.
The district needs to go look from south to north, at every school,
Kraft said.
"We went through a horrendous boundary process this year and no one
wants to repeat it, but we have to repeat it," said Kraft, referring to
the fight over which students should leave Cypress Bay to attend West
Broward High School in Pembroke Pines.
As part of Tuesday's discussion, the board agreed to keep through the
2008-09 school year an enrollment cap at Cypress Bay, among the most
populated in the country. Even with the boundary changes the board
approved, Cypress Bay still will be crowded by more than 700 students at
the start of the next school year.
Not building a new school would be a very bad decision, Jaffe said.
"Let me be clear, west Broward is going to have more [boundary changes]
if you don't have a new school," Jaffe said. "And you think last time
was bad?"
Board member Phyllis Hope urged that the search for a new school site
continue.
"Please, please, please let the door stay open, possibly for us to look
at some of these new properties that have come in, or at least
re-evaluate the Bonaventure property," Hope said. "I do want us to keep
in mind that there are other possible sites that we should look at
before we should close the door."
Posted
May 23, 2008
Needed by Tuesday 5/27, in the early AM at the latest!
Please read the following article. The newspaper article shows there are
only 700 kids over for this new school…??? !!! )
These articles justify
100% our requests for NO boundary changes until we knew what was happening
with MMM. We are settled in West Broward High and we should be grateful.
This issue is certain to bring the true colors out of the Weston folks.
I have to agree with Mr.
Notter that how can they justify $120 million for a small school when they
moved so many students in the last recent boundary change? ANOTHER
“private” high school in Weston? There are 700 seats open at Plantation
alone. 10,000 for the whole county.
To
Mr. Notter, thank him for a wise and prudent recommendation. To the Board
write your opposition to the MMM funding.
Also,
Please do NOT forget to participate in the school by joining the West
Broward PSAT ( PTA ). Dues are only $5 for students and $10 for parents
and business partners. - John
Superintendent: Hold off on high school in west Broward
By Kathy Bushouse and
Susannah Bryan |
South Florida Sun-Sentinel May 21, 2008
Plans for a new high school in western
Broward suffered a setback Tuesday, with Broward Schools Superintendent
James Notter recommending the School Board reject offers to buy land
and, instead, wait to see whether the school is still needed.
With asking prices significantly higher than the appraised value for the
sites in Davie and Weston, Notter recommends the board hold off buying
land for the proposed high school, temporarily dubbed MMM.
Land developer Ron Bergeron wants $19.8 million for his 30-acre site in
Weston, double the average appraisal value of $9.5 million. And the
asking price of $13 million for the roughly 30 acres in Davie — owned by
brothers Daniel, Troy and Wayne Weekley — is nearly 73 percent more than
its average appraised value of $7.6 million.
Notter isn't asking the board to take MMM out of the district's
construction plans. Rather, he recommends the district look at which
schools have empty seats, do a comprehensive analysis of the district's
school boundaries, continue capping enrollment through the 2008-2009
school year at overcrowded Cypress Bay High School, and determine
whether the district will have the money or the student-enrollment
growth to build a new school.
High asking prices for land, budget cuts and declining enrollment all
factored into the recommendation, Notter said. Also, the district has
thousands of empty desks, and is awaiting the results of a survey
showing which schools have space.
"A year ago, the numbers looked like they would justify a brand new
school," Notter said. "Now I question those numbers."
Board members will discuss the proposed high school at a workshop next
Tuesday at the district's headquarters in downtown
Fort Lauderdale.
Should Board members adopt Notter's recommendation next week, the move
will likely upset legions of Weston parents and city leaders. They have
counted on a new high school to relieve Cypress Bay, waiting more than a
year for the School Board to decide where to build MMM.
But Notter said the board has a "high concern for really spending
taxpayers' dollars the right way."
The district took a $250 million hit to its construction plans because
of legislators' decision to move property tax money from school
districts' capital budgets to operating budgets, Notter said. The money
would have gone for construction and replacing equipment such as
computers and school buses.
Still, Weston resident Stuart Slutsky said he thinks the School Board
had no intention of ever building the school.
"I think the School Board has been acting in bad faith and this was
their expected end result," Slutsky said. "It's a game they play with
the public, wasting time and money."
Weston Mayor Eric Hersh said he didn't think the asking price for the
Bergeron site — which works out to more than $655,000 an acre — was out
of bounds.
"That's what it goes for here," Hersh said. "Ultimately, if the board
doesn't take advantage of the market we're in now and buy the land,
they'll never be able to afford it in the future."
If the school is not built, "I think it would be a big disappointment
for this community," Hersh said.
School Board member Beverly Gallagher said she thinks the asking prices
for the Weekley and Bergeron sites were too high, and the flagging real
estate market could open up potential sites for the school.
And if there are empty desks in the district, Gallagher said, it may
make more sense to fill them by moving school attendance boundaries.
"The empty seats and the budget cuts we have to face, I think we have to
be more careful with our dollars," she said.
Below
please find an e-mail I received from a Falcon's Lea Resident.
Apparently there were (2) break-ins last Friday in Falcon's Lea. It
happened during the time most home burglaries occur (between 9:00 a.m.
and 1:00 pm) when the kids are at school and many people are at work.
These guys are slick and fast. Please reply to this e-mail if you have
any additional information regarding these burglaries. Please call the
Town of Davie Police Department at (954) 693-8200 if you have any
pertinent information. Let's be extra vigilant and keep on the lookout
for this vehicle & possible suspects and for anything suspicious.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Police Department (911 for
emergencies) if you see anything.
Robert Giordano - Hawkes Bluff of Ivanhoe Crime Watch Co-ordinator
On Friday May 16 between 9:20 am and 9:45 am two residences were broken
into. One was on Ridgelock Court and the other on West Falcons Lea
Dr. The two suspects were male Hispanics driving a white vehicle,
possibly a Mercedes with black emblem on the grill area. They back up
into the driveway so they can get out quick. One individual will
stay in the car while the other bangs on the door and window to see if
someone is home. They proceed to use a crowbar or other device to
force the deadbolt open. They are brazen and bold, doing this even
when other neighbors are home. They don't care if you have an alarm
because they are in and out fast probably within 2 to 3 minutes.
They target jewelry and cash heading to the master bedroom first and
foremost.
Posted
May 22, 2008
Last Monday our house was also broken into. We live in Waverly Hundred, on
the corner of Olde Moat Way. They broke the glass, but when the alarm went
off they left. They did not take anything. We called the police and they
dusted for fingerprints. The police say they are professionals. The glass
was cut with a glass cutter and taken off. We informed our neighbors so that
they can be on the alert. This happened at 11:05 in the morning. No one saw
anything.
Posted
May 17, 2008
Dear
Friends & Neighbors who will be attending West Broward High School,
A VOTE and selection of the members for the West Broward High School
Advisory and PTA will be held on:
May 21, Wednesday at 7pm at the SOUTH AREA offices, SUNSHINE ROOM
corner of Sunrise Blvd and 136th Avenue. On the SW corner
opposite Sawgrass Mills Mall. See address and directions below.
SHOW UP
EARLY!
IF
you are interested in having a voice on the direction and wish to be
involved with our new HIGH SCHOOL, please attend this meeting and VOTE for
our representatives to these important advisory boards.
IN
the past, our resident parents have NOT been as involved in these advisory
boards and therefore we were less informed than many other parents in
surrounding communities. Currently, we will have about 300 children
attending West Broward High from our Ivanhoe Communities.
WE NEED representation on these boards and the ensuing committees !!!!.
DUES
will be collected for these groups this evening, so bring your checkbook.
(Small amount $5-$10)
You received a recent phone message at home concerning this meeting urging
your attendance.
Currently, Pembroke Pines has the majority of members on the Silver Trail
advisory boards with almost NO representation for Davie and Southwest
Ranches.
As a community, we have seen where involvement and participation in these
parent groups can have an extreme impact on what happens at the school
level.
WE ALL HAVE SAID WE WILL EMBRACE OUR SCHOOL AND BECOME ACTIVE.
THIS IS YOUR CHANCE. There is time involvement, but more important is the
participation in the ideals, integrity and morals that we want to have
instilled in our school, WEST BROWARD HIGH!
GO
BOBCATS!
See you at the meeting…………… Please RSVP at
jjpickett@bellsouth.net and let us know of your intention to show up
and vote or become an active board member. Remember, there will be a VOTE
and we NEED to be represented!!!
SEE address below… or call West Broward High at 754-323-2600. The meeting
is in the
“sunshine
room”.
This office is at the corner of Sunrise Blvd and 136th Avenue.
On the SW corner opposite Sawgrass Mills Mall.
(It is a tricky drive once you are in the complex.)
Driving directions: From I-75: Sunrise Exit and turn Right at light 136th
Ave (which is also Harrison Parkway)
Directions from Flamingo Rd.: turn Right at light 136th Ave (which is also
Harrison Parkway)
Turn
right into Sawgrass Technology Park, and immediately turn left at sign
that says SAW (for SAWGRASS)
Drive
all the way around towards the back, go past two lakes on the left side
Turn
right at the second light, you'll see Building H, it's a red tiled
building, the door is next to AMRO
The
meeting will be in the Sunshine Room.
Actual
address:
South
Area Superintendent’s Office
1643 North Harrison Parkway
Building H
Sunrise,
Florida 33328
(754) 321-3600
Posted
May 13, 2008
MEDIA
ADVISORY
Rep. Martin David Kiar (D-97) to host Environmental Fair
and Light Bulb
Exchange
Davie, FL –Florida State
Representative Martin David Kiar (D-97) and Philips Lighting are teaming
up to give two compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to anyone who brings
in at least one incandescent bulb, while supplies last. The CFL bulbs use
75% to 80% less electricity and last up to ten times longer than a
traditional incandescent bulb, and produce considerably less heat. Old
bulbs will be recycled.
This event will take place on
Saturday, May 17, 2008 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in Robbins Park, located
at 4005 Hiatus Road in Davie. Other exhibitors will include the South
Florida Water Management District, Florida Power & Light, Broward County
Environmental Protection and Growth Management Division - Air Quality
Program, 4-H Broward County, Florida Department of Environmental
Protection, Florida Natural Energy, Broward County’s Water Resource
Division and the Town of Davie.
“Given the need for each of us to
eventually convert to eco-friendly bulbs, it made perfect sense to partner
with these great organizations and offer this to my constituents and all
area residents,” said Kiar. “Having grown up right here in Broward
County, I’ve always appreciated the wonderful environmental landscape in
which we live. In order to preserve that quality of life for future
generations, we need to become conscious of our carbon footprint and learn
how to take steps now to conserve water and electricity, which is a simple
way for us all to begin this process.”
Philips Lighting has generously
donated these bulbs for our residents, to maintain their goal of “working
to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the
ability of our future generations to meet their own needs.”
For
residents unable to attend the event, please call the office at
954-346-2813 for information on how to exchange your incandescent bulb for
a new CFL.
Posted
May 9, 2008
The latest
news is that Dan Trager, the new principal at West Broward High School, will be available to attend our general PTA/SAC/SAF
meeting at Hawkes Bluff Elementary on May 15th at 6:30pm. This invitation
is extended to the Town of SW Ranches to join us.
Posted
May 9, 2008
Neighbors,
At last night's
CEHOA meeting Deputy Roselli gave the crime report and asked people to
be aware of a recent model black pick-up truck (2000-2008), make
unknown, with 'specialty rims' that is suspected of being involved in
two recent (April) burglaries in the area, and to call BSO if you see
it or have any additional information. The non-emergency number is
(954) 765-4321, (and as always call only, never approach when
observing anything suspicious). --Lesley
The Non-Emergency number for the Town
of Davie Police Department is (954) 693-8200.
Check for the
Latest Stories & Comments.
Contact Us With Your Concerns.
If you know anyone who would like to be added
to our mailing list, e-mail us at
Ken@KeepUsRural.com
The boundary changes are to relieve "critically
overcrowded" Cypress Bay High School (pictured) and to fill new West Broward
High School. (Staff photo/Lou Toman)
Dear
friends of Ivanhoe (Hawkes Bluff Elementary) children,
This
Wednesday, April 16th will possibly be the last chance to speak
for or against the proposed Cypress Bay boundary changes. 5:30 at
Plantation High.
There are
differing opinions on this subject, however most opinions I have heard
lean to allowing the existing students to serve out their high school
careers at Cypress Bay, then start this change with the new high school
for the incoming freshmen. This amendment has been floated by school board
members this week. Read the blog at sunsentinel.com and there are some
interesting opinions.
As you know
some of us (are diehard’s) disagree, and feel the school board should not
perform any boundary changes until MMM is determined to either be built or
not built. These are serious times, both financially and politically and
this boundary and MMM vote affects many, many children and families.
There is so much wasted money in this process. Just in transportation
today at over $3.35 per gallon of gas, we need to watch this process
carefully.
Many
believe, with justification, this process has been basically high-jacked
from the inception by the staff in the boundary department with much
influence from those few Weston residents with the goal to maintain a
“Weston Only” city high school. There is no other logical, financial or
“overcrowding” reasoning, at least until the “MMM” site is decided upon.
There WILL be many changes again next year and we (as Ivanhoe) do NOT
desire to be placed in this position just four short years down the road.
Now we hear through the Sun Sentinel article this weekend, a report to
lower the MMM capacity from 2000 students to 1700, which would effectively
give them TWO Weston City schools, if the Bergeron property is chosen. The
process can keep our community out and attempt to bring back the
Bonaventure children. This is a tough battle for our little community,
since basically every SW Broward political candidate, elected official and
school board member in Broward County has some stake (?) in this decision.
Weston officials and residents have proved more interested and politically
savvy in this process than Davie, however, we still think there are
”things” going on, none of us are aware of at this point. They truly
believe Cypress Bay High should be a Weston School vs. a county school.
We know
Cypress Bay is in need of restrooms and possibly a cafeteria upgrade, but
that is a whole lot cheaper than building a new school. We are however in
a great position, being West Broward IS a new school albeit so, so
incredibly far from our neighborhood.
Attend this
Meeting Wednesday at 5:30pm at Plantation High. If you wish to speak or
see our school boards “political machine” in action.
The Town of Davie will host the third and final workshop for the Local
Road Master Plan on April 24, 2008, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The meeting
will be held at the Davie Police Department Community Room located at
1230 South Nob Hill Road.
The Local Road Master Plan project was initiated by the Town of Davie to
address the transportation concerns raised by its citizens. The
Town's Planning & Zoning and Engineering Divisions along with the
transportation engineering firm Kittelson & Associates, Inc. are working
together with the citizens of Davie to create a plan that will identify,
analyze, and make recommendations to improve local roadways. A final
draft will be presented at the meeting.
Members of the Town Council may be present.
For additional information, please contact the Town of Davie Planning
and Zoning Division at 954-797-1103.
Boundaries could change
if new campus not approved
Despite an abundance of empty classroom desks countywide, some Broward
school officials are willing to pay a premium for land to build a new high
school.
The asking price for the two sites under consideration is twice the
appraised value. Yet some School Board members would rather build the
campus than face the upheaval of redrawing boundaries for more than two
dozen high schools.
The proposed school in southwest Broward, dubbed High School MMM for now,
would cost about $125 million and hold about 1,700 students. Broward's
existing high schools are now under-enrolled by about 7,000 students
total.
"You talk about a two-by-four in the back of the head. That's what this
is," said School Board member Bob Parks, who favors redrawing boundaries.
"The data screams that you don't need it."
The problem: Most of the crowded schools are in southwest Broward, and
most of the empty desks are in central and east Broward.
Changing boundaries at just a few schools makes "people go berserk," said
board member Maureen Dinnen, who hasn't made up her mind but worries that
waiting could drive up land costs.
A decision must be made soon. The state approved the new school when
classrooms were bursting countywide. If the district does not buy the land
and sign a construction contract by Oct. 31, the state must re-approve the
campus. And such approval may be unlikely now, given Broward's empty
classrooms, said Schools Superintendent Jim Notter.
The two parcels, according to district documents and officials:
• 30 acres at Southwest 36th Street and South Post Road in Weston owned by
land developer Ron Bergeron, a reluctant seller in a city desperate for a
new high school. Bergeron bought the property for $1 million in 2000. The
school system appraisal price came in at $10 million, and a district
committee recommended a maximum offer of $11.7 million. Bergeron wants $24
million. He could not be reached for comment despite three phone calls to
his office. In the past, Bergeron said he wanted the property condemned so
he wouldn't be taxed on the profits for three years.
• 32 acres at Southwest 26th Street and Flamingo Road in Davie owned by
brothers Daniel, Troy and Wayne Weekley, eager sellers in a town
vehemently opposed to the school partly because it takes land off the tax
rolls. Though school officials won't say specifically what the appraisal
price is, they say the asking price, $14.4 million, is about twice the
appraised value. The Weekley brothers began buying the land
little-by-little six years ago, with a goal of selling.
"There are not many 30-acre parcels left. That's why we were willing to
invest our money into it," said Daniel Weekley, who along with his
brothers owns Weekley Asphalt Paving, which does business with private
developers and local governments, including
Fort Lauderdale, Davie and the
school district.
"If the School Board wants it, they can take it. If they don't, they
don't. It will be developed into something."
High School MMM has been on the books since at least 2001. The new school
was part of a $3.4 billion plan to add classrooms throughout Broward to
meet the state's 2011 class-size amendment deadline. Broward has already
added 192 new high school classrooms for about $38 million.
But enrollment started to slide in 2005-06, reflecting an overall dip in
the county population. And now, many desks are empty.
"Nobody really predicted 55,800 people exiting," Superintendent
James Notter said about Broward's
overall two-year population decline to 1.76 million this year.
Most of the under-enrolled high schools, including seven that recently
received new classrooms, are in central and eastern Broward. Blanche Ely,
Dillard and Fort Lauderdale high schools, for example, were each
under-enrolled by more than 800 students this school year.
There are, however, still high schools bursting at the seams. Most are in
southwest Broward: Cypress Bay,
Everglades, Flanagan and Miramar.
"There's a need for a school out here," said Byron Jaffe, a Weston parent
and civic activist who has pushed for the new campus. The schools with
space are not in places where they are needed, Jaffe said, and using them
as a reason not to build MMM "is a weak excuse."
Some relief is coming thanks to pending boundary changes and West Broward
High School, a new $120 million campus in
Pembroke Pines opening this fall.
Money tight
Redrawing boundaries "has always been a short-term solution," said
Jaffe, whose children next year will enter Cypress Bay in Weston —
currently the largest high school in the nation, with about 5,500
students. "My intent in this whole process was never to [move] out all of
these people from Cypress Bay but to get a new school."
Change boundary lines to ship those students to the under-enrolled
schools, and "you could have World War III on your hands," said Dinnen,
whose district covers Plantation and eastern Fort Lauderdale.
Building a new high school would be easier for the board, said
parent-activist Nick Sakhnovsky, vice chairman of the Facilities Task
Force, a district oversight committee.
"They would probably rather spend money than deal with boundaries,"
Sakhnovsky said. "Even though they don't want to spend the money, and, to
be frank, they don't really know if they have the money."
District administrators say they don't know exactly how South Florida's
poor economy and recent statewide tax cuts will affect funding, but they
know their budget will take a hit. Already this school year, money from
the state to the district has been cut by about $68.4 million. And,
they're expecting a $325 million drop in construction money over the next
five years.
Notter expects High School MMM's cost to match the $120 million price on
West Broward High in Pembroke Pines. When asked if the district can afford
a new high school, Notter said other projects would be sacrificed.
The School Board must make a decision on MMM and its overall school
construction wish list, which must be approved by the
Florida Department of Education by
Oct. 31. If it doesn't ink a deal by then, the new school would have to be
re-approved by the state as part of the district's next five-year
construction plan. The district must get permission from the state to
build the new school.
"We need to be proactive and secure a site, especially since land is
scarce at this point," said Board Chairwoman Robin Bartleman, who
represents the district countywide. "Five years from now, there will be
growth in west Broward — still."
By Akilah Johnson and Kathy Bushouse |
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
The pictures below are of a vehicle that
continues to park his Transportation Vehicle in front of our development. He
and another truck driver park their trucks all night on the northwest side
of Stirling at the entrance to Hawkes Bluff and the southeast side of
Stirling at the entrance to Waverly.
Sometimes their running lights are left on all night that bothers the
residents living behind where they park.
Not only is this an eye-sore for all residents, it is illegal. This
driver continues to do this every week. If anyone knows these individuals
please tell them to park elsewhere.
Posted
March 14, 2008
Dear Friends &
Neighbors,
This morning at about 2:15am, the Broward School Board voted 8 -1 (with
Beverly Gallagher dissenting) to send the students currently attending
Cypress Bay High, those south of Griffin Road to West Broward High
School.
There is a final vote on April 16th. Generally, once this
first vote occurs, it is simply and normally ratified at the second
pubic hearing. We all should intend to continue the fight to “phase-in”
this move for at least the existing students, however, that does not
appear to have support. Literally hundreds of people attended and many
spoke. The Sun-Sentinel has an article of the meeting in the local
section as does the Herald.
We have hundred of
families and students affected here in Ivanhoe and thousands across
Southwest Ranches, Pembroke Pines and the Old Bonaventure section of
Weston.
We are certain that
this decision does NOT relieve the Cypress Bay Main Campus to any
significant amount. Their own numbers and data confirm this fact. We
were simply beat politically because this vote finally “cleansed”
Cypress Bay from the surrounding cities and has given Weston a city
school paid for the taxpayers of Broward County. This has been a few
parents goal for several years and this year they finally had enough
political clout to over-ride logic. .
In any case we all need to send a clear message to the school board and
the media that: “WE WILL NOT BE MOVED AGAIN!!!”.
Most believe MMM will never be built and all the surrounding high
schools must be super-sized if that is the case. We also need to support
financially and in our votes FOR our School Board Member, Beverly
Gallagher in the next election. We need to vote against Robin
Bartleman and Jennifer Gottlieb, who are supposed to represent the
entire county, but chose to support only Weston constituents.
We KNOW that our Town
Council in Davie, did NOT support our efforts. Although our district
council person, Marlin Luis
made an attempt in the early stages of this process, he also did not attend this
very important boundary meeting to speak in support of our positions. Even more disturbing, neither did Mr.
Truex, our Mayor or Ms. Starkey, Mr Crowley or Mr. Caletka.
If any
of them were in the room, we did not see them.
We applaud the City of
Cooper City and Town of Southwest Ranches for not only attending the
meeting, but these two cities
entire councils were there. Mayor Fink and all
commissioners spoke for Southwest Ranches and Debbie Essinger of Cooper
City with several of her council stood and asked for support. If our Davie Town council felt we were
important enough to at least place the date in their calendars to show
up, it would be a different story and we would at least feel like our
Town cared about Ivanhoe.
In addition, there
were many factions fighting basically for the same goal, however
politically we decided to voice our positions separately. We in Ivanhoe
were cohesive and had five volunteers who were on a “committee” and each
had several supporters and we all need to thank them for coming out and
helping. Our e-mail communications did help as well. This is also the
core of the Ivanhoe Civic Association. In the end the competition and
the school board did not and do not respect our collective communities
as people who can hurt them in the polls.
Weston residents were
organized, their city commissioners showed up at EVERY meeting. They had
letters from ALL of their homeowners associations in support and were
collectively on the same page with the exception of the area in NW
Bonaventure who were also moved in this boundary change.
ON
A POSITVE NOTE, our children will attend a wonderful, new, shiny state
of art high school. The principal and staff are certain to be
professional and caring. Yes, it is farther away, however we have the
opportunity to make a sincere impact on it’s student parent boards and
have serious input in the spirit of the school. I know many of you have
children who will have to re-establish their high school careers & lives
at the new school, please guide your children with grace and good
intentions as I know we will.
This is a challenge, but we can all make this a positive experience vs.
a negative one.
Posted
March 10, 2008
I have been speaking with Kristi Krueger of Channel 10 news about the
Cypress Bay boundary situation. She is trying to get a news crew out to
the School Board Public Hearings to cover the story (and hopefully put
pressure on the School Board to do the logical thing). I think it would
help if Southwest Ranches residents would bombard her with e-mails so
the station would see how volatile and emotional the situation is.
Please e-mail Kristi with your story, complaint, opinion at
kkrueger@wplg.com. Forward this to all of your Southwest Ranches
friends so we can hit her with as many e-mails as possible.
Judy Harden
954-434-6507
Posted
March 9, 2008
Dear Friends &
Neighbors,
By now you know about
this public hearing as all residents’/ students did receive a phone
message at the house. It is the first vote to send the students south of
Griffin to “West Broward” or LLL. There will be addendum’s to send
eastern SW Ranches to Cooper City High. We are still slated by the
4.1(s) scenario to West Broward. We want an addendum asking for a
phase-in or no boundary changes this year, with the exception of those
areas wishing to attend West Broward High.
There will be a “vote” on this item. The last
meeting will be in April and that will be the final vote.
Facts: Class size
amendment will be loosened for two years. MMM is not decided on yet.
Moving our students does not relieve Cypress Bay this year. There is no
really good reason to enact boundary changes this year. However, we see
nothing to on the horizon to change the minds of this particular School
Board. We believe there is, at an outside chance, to have a phase in.
This is to move all incoming freshman to West Broward (and Western),
however, allow the current Freshmen and Sophomores the chance to stay
through their high school experience, for the next three years, unless
the student/parents wish to attend West Broward. This is sort of like
choice, or a very liberal reassignment.
This boundary change
will legally allow Weston Residents to close their borders. This Map
4.1(s) effectively allows only Weston residents to attend Cypress Bay
High. The burden to pay for the school is borne by everyone who pays
taxes, however only Weston residents will be able to attend the Bay. On
the good side, West Broward WILL be a great school.
If you attend this
meeting, please speak. Speak your mind on the politics, process and your
wishes.
IF you are going and
wish to speak, be at the
Plantation High Auditoriumbefore 5:30pm THIS
THURSDAY, March 13th,
(Address Below).
On a
positive note: The website for West Broward indicates all sports with
the exception of Varsity Football will be offered. If there is enough
interest teams will be fielded. I also spoke to an
assistant principal who confirmed this and that an Athletic Director was
hired.
NOTICE OF
PUBLIC HEARING
FIRST READING CONCERNING THE
ESTABLISHMENT OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AREAS/BOUNDARIES AND SCHOOL USAGE
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ALL HIGH SCHOOLS IN BROWARD COUNTY FOR THE 2008-09
SCHOOL YEAR
ON
THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2008
TO BE
HELD AT
PLANTATION HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM
6901 NW
16th STREET
PLANTATION, FLORIDA 33313Last chance
5:30 P.M.
All High School
proposals for the public hearing scheduled March 13, 2008 are on the
School Boundaries Web site at:
For all other High
Schools in the district that are not listed below, attendance areas will
be the same in the
2008-09 school year as they were in the 2007-08 school year or will
follow previously approved grade phase ins.
Notice
is hereby given that a Public Hearing and FIRST Reading will be held by
the School Board of Broward County, Florida, under its rule making
authority F.S. 1001.41 and implementing F.S. 1001.42 on Thursday, March
13, 2008 at 5:30 P.M. in the Plantation High School auditorium, located
at 6901 NW 16th Street, Plantation, Florida, 33313 on the
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
AREAS/BOUNDARIES AND SCHOOL USAGE for all high schools in the district,
for the 2008-09 school year, as discussed below:
Remove choice seats at
South Plantation High School for ninth through twelfth grade students
residing in a portion of the Plantation High School attendance area.
Commence at the
intersection of NW 28 Court extended and Hiatus Road, south along Hiatus
Road to Sunrise Boulevard, east along Sunrise Boulevard to Pine Island
Road, south along Pine Island Road to the C-12 Canal, west along the
C-12 Canal to the canal west of NW 99 Avenue extended, south along the
canal west of NW 99 Avenue extended to Broward Boulevard, west along
Broward Boulevard to Flamingo Road, north along Flamingo Road to east
along NW 28 Court extended, NW 28 Court extended to Hiatus
Road.
Establish the
attendance area for West Broward High School (LLL.) Adjust the
attendance area for Everglades and Cypress Bay High Schools so that
ninth through eleventh grade students attend West Broward High School (LLL)
in 2008-09. Ninth through twelfth grade students attend West Broward
High School (LLL) in 2009-10.
Commence at the
intersection of Flamingo Road/SW 124 Avenue and Griffin Road, south
along Flamingo Road/SW 124 Avenue to Sheridan Street, west along
Sheridan Street to canal east of NW 167 Avenue extended, south along
canal east of NW 167 Avenue extended to Pines Boulevard, east along
Pines Boulevard to SW 160 Avenue, south along SW 160 Avenue to canal
extended to SW 161 Avenue, west along canal extended to canal adjacent
to SW 164 Avenue, north along canal adjacent to SW 164 Avenue to canal
adjacent to SW 7 Street, west along canal adjacent to SW 7 Street to
canal adjacent to SW 168 Way, north along canal adjacent to SW 168 Way
to SW 1 Court, west along SW 1 Court to SW 172 Avenue, north along SW
172 Avenue to Pines Boulevard, west along Pines Boulevard to SW 184
Avenue, south along SW 184 Avenue to Pembroke Road, west along Pembroke
Road to Conservation Area, north along Conservation Area to Griffin
Road, east along Griffin Road to Flamingo Road/SW 124 Avenue.
Adjust the attendance
area of Cypress Bay High School so that ninth through eleventh grade
students attend Western High School in 2008-09. Ninth through twelfth
grade students will attend Western High School in 2009-10.
Commence at the
intersection of Interstate 75 and Weston Road, south along Weston Road
to Indian Trace, west along Indian Trace to Bonaventure Boulevard, north
along Bonaventure Boulevard to canal south of SW 5 Way extended, west
along canal south of SW 5 Way extended to canal west of SW 169 Terrace
extended, north along canal west of SW 169 Terrace extended to
Interstate 75, east along Interstate 75 to Weston Road.
Adjust the attendance
area of Miramar High School so that ninth through eleventh grade
students attend Everglades High School in 2008-09. Ninth through
twelfth grade students will attend Western High School in 2009-10.
Commence at the
intersection Pembroke Road and Hiatus Road, south along Hiatus Road to
Red Road, south along Red Road to the Broward/Miami-Dade County Line,
west along the Broward/Miami-Dade County Line to the Florida Turnpike
Extension, northeast along the Florida Turnpike Extension to Flamingo
Road/SW 124 Avenue, north along Flamingo Road/SW 124 Avenue to Miramar
Parkway, west along Miramar Parkway to SW 148 Avenue extended, north
along SW 148 Avenue extended to Interstate 75, northeast along
Interstate 75 to Pembroke Road extended, east along Pembroke Road
extended to Hiatus Road.
We had an
incident right here in Hawkes Bluff where board member Terry Coulton had
to call the Town of Davie Police Department because someone was in her
yard peeking around her windows. This happened a couple of weeks ago
and the police were on the scene immediately. Perhaps this is the same
person who was caught in Waverly Hundred. Terry's dog was going crazy
and she let him out and chased the person out of her yard (over the
fence). Please be extra vigilant and watch out for each other. Please
call the Town of Davie Police Department at 911 (Emergency) or
954-693-8200 (Non-Emergency) if you see anyone suspicious hanging around
or if you see anything that seems out of the ordinary. Also, pay
attention to your cats & dogs. They seem to have that "radar"
that knows when something is wrong. If anyone has any additional
information regarding these events, please e-mail me and I will
distribute.
Hello, everyone here is a story that the Sun-Sentinel wrote on this issue.
Thank you all so much for taking such a pro-active role and informing me,
the Town of Southwest Ranches and the Broward Sheriff's office of this
issue. Because of your desire and commitment to keep our community safe,
these individuals on parole were rightfully removed from this land. Thank
you again, as always I am so proud of our residents.
Take care,
Rep. Martin David Kiar
South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com
Homeless felons bounced from Everglades and Cooper City camps
By Kathleen Kernicky
Sun-Sentinel.com
3:55 PM EST, February 19, 2008
Homeless felons, including registered sex offenders, have been forced by
deputies to move from a campsite near the Everglades in Southwest Ranches
and from an eight-acre site in Cooper City.
Late last week, eight men were evicted from a wooded site near U.S. 27 and
Griffin Road that is owned by the South Florida Water Management District.
The district did not want them there, said Broward Sheriff's Office
Commander George Jarboe.
On Tuesday, four men were told to vacate a private, eight-acre site near
the 5000 block of Flamingo Road in Cooper City. The site was too close to
a place where children gather, said Gretl Plessinger, a spokeswoman for
the state Department of Corrections.
Some of the men have been forced to move several times because state law
requires that registered sex offenders live at least 1,000 feet from
schools, parks, bus stops and places where children congregate. Many South
Florida cities have similar or stricter ordinances.
The men's presence set off alarms in Southwest Ranches, where a mass email
circulated over the weekend.
"They had tents, barbecue grills, generators. Quite an elaborate
campsite," said Jarboe, who did not know how long the men had been living
there.
"We contacted them and their probation officers and told them they were
trespassing, and they needed to move. They said, 'no problem.' When we
went to check on them [ Saturday], they were gone," Jarboe said.
Plessinger said it is not the state's responsibility to find housing for
the offenders.
"It's their job to find a residence. It's our job to approve the
residence," said Plessinger, who said there are less than 40 registered
sex offenders statewide who are homeless and on probation. The majority
live in South Florida, including 16 who live under the Julia Tuttle
Causeway bridge in Miami Beach, she said.
"It is becoming increasingly difficult for them to find a place to live,"
Plessinger said. "Some of these offenders have looked at a dozen different
residences, and each has been too close to a school or a bus stop or a
place" where they are banned.
State Rep. Martin Kiar, D-Davie, who received an email from a Southwest
Ranches resident complaining about the Everglades camp, has filed a bill
for the upcoming session that would require sex offenders and predators to
list their cell phone numbers. Now, they are required to give addresses
and email, but not phone numbers.
Scott Barrocas
Legislative Aide to Representative Martin David Kiar
House of Representatives
(850) 487-1588
(954) 346-2813
Posted
February 18, 2008
Parolees living in the woods near the
corner of Griffin and US 27
Reported by Mark Modrich
While on COP patrol
tonight I discovered that there is a group of "parolees" living in the
woods near the corner of Griffin and US27. After researching this
situation, I found out that the Department of Corrections has set these
men up to live on this land. The land is owned by the South Florida
Water Management District. Our Southwest Ranches BSO is trying to evict
them from this area, but they need the cooperation of the SFWMD to
accomplish this. I'm not sure why they were placed there in the first
place, but I believe that it is unacceptable for them to be there.
If you could take a
few minutes to call or email our state representative and ask him to
explain why those parolees were "dumped" on us, and ask him how soon he
can get them out of there.
Let's all do our part
on keeping crime out of our town.
Please forward this to whomever you might feel would be interested.
As you may know, today the School Board held a workshop regarding
boundaries for West Broward High (LLL). You will read about this event in
the newspaper’s tomorrow 2/14.
To frame this letter, last Wednesday, Phyllis Hope spoke to Davie Town
Council attempting to have them NOT approve a resolution opposing the MMM
site on 26th Street and Flamingo, which we as a neighborhood
generally approve. She requested time (two weeks) to give the school
Board the time needed to further negotiate and asked for the Towns help.
Specifically, Tom Truex was very verbal and actually confrontational…. at
the end, she was not successful and the resolution passed 4-1 with Bryan
Caletka dissenting. The Town Council did support a resolution supporting
scenario 4.3, in a 3-2 vote, with Tom Truex and Mike Crowley dissenting.
In saying this…
Today was NOT a good day for our cause to try and keep our children at
Cypress Bay.
In a straw poll of the board members, after much discussion, it appeared
to be at least 5 and possibly six to approve 4.1 (S), which effectively
takes ALL students south of Griffin Road, including SWRanches east and
west to LLL (West Broward). The school board cannot officially vote,
however it appears regardless of what happens at the official “PUBLIC
HEARINGS”, we will not have 4.3 (The community compromise map) passed by
this school board, unless something drastic occurs... like a lawsuit or
intervention by other public entities, like the Florida Department of
Education. I do not think this kind of activity will occur at this time.
This was and is a very political event and there were apparently a load of
pressure applied from many directions. Obviously we are not very
politically connected.
In fact, Superintendent Notter opened the meeting by completely endorsing
4.1. based on the current set of circumstances they are dealing with.
This is a case where we appear to have been excluded from the process.
This School Board does NOT care about anything but numbers to reduce
Cypress Bay and the political forces in Weston have effectively “won their
vote” for this round. It is NOT right, and this “decision” did not
consider changes in Class Size amendment, or MMM being built. They
dismissed these ever changing items and rather cut apart the 4.3 scenario
based on numbers, feeder patterns, busing and with the facts we are
currently under. They had set in motion very early on that 4.1 was the
“golden” scenario. IF PASSED after the next TWO public hearings, it will
be official. This will make Cypress Bay High an EXCLUSIVE Weston High
School. Once we are out, we will never go back. We should make West
Broward High the best school in the county. One item that did come up was
that our own area was NOT 100% supporting 4.3. The area TAZ 611 especially
was noted by Stephanie Kraft as having many, many letters upset that they
were not left at Cypress Bay and this was used against the “community”
map. This recent action did weaken our case, which many predicted this
action by the residents would. While we understand the concern, we also
knew this whole deal was driven by sheer numbers and in the end, we only
had 120 or so more students at CBHS than Map 4.1.
Now our decision will be WHAT TO DO NEXT??? Should we attend the PUBLIC
hearings (TIMES BELOW) and speak loudly against this 4.1 scenario. There
will be many addendums added and these will be very long nights, bring
your blankets and coffee. I anticipate 500 or more parents in attendance
protesting this workshop “decision” and the exclusion of the items that
will change this decision, like MMM and class size. In addition, the
“WESTON” parents will be their supporting their case to keep their
semi-private High school all to themselves, paid for by us, the tax
payers, without the ability to attend the school closest to our home.
or…. Do you as a community wish to just go with the decision and attend
West Broward and get away from this insanity?
The Town of Davie should also be ashamed not to support our needs as a
“whole” community as well, by opposing the 26th street site. I
believe the Town has lost a load of respect here in Ivanhoe and at the
school Board level.
The school board has officially said, they will try and build MMM,
however, if that happens, they will either make the school smaller, OR try
and bounced part or all of us back to Cypress Bay or MMM. This was
something we all could see happening as early as November last year. Most
of us do not believe MMM will be built and in fact, the school Board
discussed NOT building NN Middle school (the ninth grade annex) at all,
but use the land for administrative needs/offices.
Many things can happen, however, it is believed the following could occur.
Þ
MMM may not be built at all and the other schools may be super-sized.
Þ
S W R’s parents will have a longer drive and over dangerous routes to get
to LLL.
Þ
We may be forced to move two more times in four to five years as kids
matriculate through the system.
Þ
Class size will be loosened and the requirement and rush to move all of us
was un-needed.
Þ
MMM might be built and we would be forced to move again to fill the
school.
We need to know from YOU, the parents what you wish to do…Please also ask
you children to stay above this controversy and not be upset, as they
might hear comments from other students. Let us know if this does occur
and please contact the school guidance department immediately with your
concern and report the incident to the school. In addition, let us know
what occurred, so we can keep a record of the inappropriate activities, if
they occur.
Please let us know what you wish to do, so we can either keep up the
pressure or not.
Best regards,
John Pickett - Hawkes Bluff
Posted
February 8, 2008
Dear Neighbors, This is correspondence sent recently by Beverly
Gallagher to
our area.
Most of the people we have heard from generally approve of this plan,
especially when faced with the available alternate Maps, which move us
all
SOUTH of Griffin Road to West Broward High (LLL). You might have
individual
and personal concerns and while we believe NO Change is needed for this
year, please respond to the entire school board with your thoughts
through
Today, at 6:30 a.m. a man was arrested on Ravenswick terr. after he was
found hiding behind some bushes, under a homeowners window. The window was
at his daughter's bedroom. After a violent struggle with the homeowner and
then finally some neighbors, he was held until the police arrived. The
suspect is a 34yr. old male that lives in pembroke pines. His record has
shown he has done this before. When he was caught this morning, his zipper
was down. Please pass this on to friends, family and/or neighbors and
remind them to keep their doors locked and windows closed. Keep a look out
for each other and don't be afraid to call the police if anything in our
neighborhood look suspicious. Thanks, Al Hollinger
Update
February 8, 2008
When
showing his picture one of the neighbors has recognized this man. He is
posing as a window washer in the neighborhood. He is persistant in
wanting to perform this service. You might want to post the description
of his car to be on the look out in case anyone sees this person in the
neighborhood again. He currently drives a newer model Hyundai Sonata
Limited- Dark Blue - 4 door - Tag number: X60 9R0.
Several
people have seen him in the area - so I think everyone needs to have
their guard up!!
Posted
January 27, 2008
The Town of Davie will
hold its first public workshop on the Local Road Master Plan
Workshop will be held on
February 7, 2008 6:30pm - 8:00pm at the Davie Police Station 1230 South
Nob Hill Road
For more information
contact the Planning and Zoning division at 954-797-1103. Councilmembers
may be present.
Posted
January 12, 2008
Dear Friends &
Neighbors,
Action needed before the Davie Town Council Meeting - 7pm –THIS Wednesday
January 16th!!!!
Please read this e-mail,
especially if you have school aged children or forward to friends with
school aged children.
The following are events
that have occurred regarding a new high school site and school boundaries
that may change affecting us here in Ivanhoe. I have them listed
separately, however they are all really one issue that fits together….
kind of like a political puzzle.
ÞHigh School MMM will be built on one of two
preferred 30 acre sites. In DAVIE, at SW 26th Street and
Flamingo Road on the EAST side of Flamingo, is the site preferred by the
superintendent of schools.
The second site is in
WESTON, on 36th Street just west and slightly North of Cypress
Bay High. Sometime before March a decision on one of these sites will be
made by the school board. The problem is the 26th Street site
still has a lot of studies to be completed.
ÞNegotiations on the two
sites have NOT started with the landowners, Dan Weekley who owns the Davie
site or Ron Bergeron, who owns the Weston site.
ÞA contract must be
signed on the land by October 2008.
ÞSue Starkey and Bryan
Caletka
have both lobbied AGAINST the site in Davie, citing neighborhood wishes
not to have the school built there. Close proximity to the nearest high
school, Traffic, noise, lights, loss of tax revenue and crime were also
cited. The neighbors at the WESTON site are also lobbying against that
site due to the same arguments. Neither site is perfect. (New
Information – The school board staff site presentation to citizens was
well attended and most complaints were from people living close to the
site, with few speaking for the site. Only a very few parents of school
aged children showed to complain, (most don’t have an opinion). Sue
Starkey spoke AGAINST the site with Bryan Caletka not in attendance)
ÞThe Davie site is
currently less expensive and is currently showing a shorter time frame for
construction than the Weston site.
ÞFor THIS YEAR AUGUST
2008, IVANHOE children are in the middle of a High School boundary debate
with a vote in March to send us possibly to “LLL” at Johnson and US 27. (NEW
INFORMATION – The only CAR entrance to LLL is at PINES BLVD near the Post
office, which is FARTHER for our travel time).
ÞIn addition, THESE
boundaries INCLUDE 700-800 WESTON kids attending WESTERN HIGH> ( NEW
INFORMATION – The 36 classroom addition needed to move the WESTON kids,
will NOT be ready until Summer 2009)
ÞThe main reason for the
boundary discussions were 1) the class size amendment will force 25 kids
per class and Cypress Bay would NOT meet the requirement and 2) Cypress
Bay is overcrowded. NEW INFORMATION – In today’s
Sun-Sentinel, the Florida legislature is proposing HIGHER LIMITS on class
size to keep an AVERAGE of 25 with a cap of FIVE additional. THIS will be
a great thing for our concerns and could make MOOT the need for ANY
boundary Changes - YES!!!!)
ÞNOW the
MOST IMPORTANT piece RIGHT NOW
is DAVIE is bringing up in OLD BUSINESS at THIS WEDNESDAY’S meeting the
MMM site proposal in DAVIE. OUR BEST
GUESS is that the DAVIE COUNCIL will try and decide to either ENDORSE the
site OR OPPOSE the DAVIE site.
ÞALSO
– NO Changes to the current Boundary ! !
Þ
Þ
ACTION NEEDED:
Þ
WE NEED the DAVIE
site to at LEAST continue to be considered along with the WESTON site. We
must say what we want, either by
E-MAIL to DAVIE council, or show up at Wednesday’s meeting to speak/show
support or MAKE PHONE CALLS asking that the DAVIE SCHOOL SITE NOT be
opposed.
WE NEED that DAVIE site to be at LEAST considered with NO changes to the
CURRENT Boundaries. Contact BOTH the Davie town council AND the school
board members.
Þ
WE NEED MMM Built
IF we are boundared OUT
of Cypress Bay this March, and a site is NOT yet Chosen, we MAY be having
to attend LLL forever, or may be AGAIN re-boundared back to Cypress Bay
down the road once MMM is built. The main concern for us is that the Davie
Site will be up in 3 -4 years, but the Weston site might take five-six
years. WE need to DEMAND the DAVIE site be chosen, simply because of the
timeframes involved. If you DO wish to attend LLL, let them know that as
well. We just think there SHOULD be two sites to negotiate with and why
“KILL” the Davie site NOW, when it is not in our best interests or the
best for the kids?
IF our boundary issue is
tabled or remains as is for this year, then the site selection is less of
an issue.
If you have questions,
please e-mail me and I will answer what I can or call me at 954-296-7800.
Information on BOTH
sites are found at the Broward School Board SITE
Ivanhoe Civic
Association
John Pickett
Posted
January 10, 2008
There is info on the new
taxes and impact on the cities and education as well as split opinions on
these tax issues.
Go to
www.bcpa.net website to see how the proposed amendment will
impact you if you upsize or downsize.
Posted January 3, 2008
Dear friends and neighbors,
Happy new year.
Below please read the recent Sun-Sentinel article asking that we as
residents show up next Tuesday at
7pm, at Western High’s auditorium. There
will be a presentation of high school site MMM at 26th Street
and Flamingo Road that may effect Ivanhoe, West Davie and SW
Ranches.
As we know, and by the article, our Davie council members Susan
Starkey and Bryan Caletka
are current opposed to any high school on Flamingo. They generally feel
this is a “Weston” problem, even though we as Davie Ivanhoe and SW Ranches
residents are being proposed to be bussed out to “LLL” or West Broward
High on Johnson and US 27. The article quotes Ms. Starkey as stating the
school at Flamingo will “domino” kids and “tear our community apart”.
These statements I believe, are less than accurate statements that bring
negativity to having a new school in Davie. Before we can even HEAR about
the plans, we are being told “NO”. Let us at least see what the plans are
and HOW the site might affect us before making judgments. Many, many
communities in South Florida and basically the United States would embrace
a plan to have a new high school, however some residents and council
members are opposed…
Many on the school board and in Davie think there are no down sides to the
Flamingo site, with the exception of probable traffic concerns on
Flamingo, which will occur anyway with any kind of development on
Flamingo. The opposition may also be about taxes that Davie will not gain
by commercially developing the property and the fact that the competing
site (in Weston) is owned by a longtime Davie resident and developer, who
has close ties to many in the Town.
The fact is (as indicated in the article) the Flamingo site is estimated
at 24.6 MILLION dollars less
expensive and will take a full year less to build.
The true fact is we all want the school built at the least expensive and
quickest site, since WE, here in Ivanhoe, are some of the students being
possibly sent to “LLL”, which we all know is quite a distance to travel.
No doubt, it will be a great school. Our district councilmember Marlon
Luis,
is generally supportive of the Flamingo site, but wants to hear more from
US, as residents.
We also need to send a clearer message to the school board members that
these proposed boundary changes may NOT be needed... If the School Board
can find a better way to schedule or find better solutions to the
overcrowding and class size concerns. NOBODY wants to move out of Cypress
Bay High and the best solution, would be NO CHANGE, IF it is feasible!
Thanks in advance for showing up on Tuesday and voicing your opinion, be
it for or against the Davie School site for “MMM”.
Opinions sought from Davie residents on new high school
By Susannah Bryan |
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
DAVIE -
Broward schools Superintendent James Notter wants to know what Davie
residents think about building a new high school in town to relieve
crowding at Cypress Bay High in Weston.
At the Town Council's request, Notter has scheduled a public meeting at 7
p.m. Tuesday to solicit community input on plans to put the school in
Davie. The meeting will be in the auditorium at Western High School, 1200
SW 136th Ave.
School Board officials have said they will let cost determine where the
county's newest high school will go: a 31-acre site at Flamingo Road and
Southwest 26th Street in Davie or a swath of land on the edge of the
Everglades in Weston.
The school has been dubbed MMM until a name is chosen.
Building the school at the Davie intersection would cost $97.1 million and
take about four years, the cheapest and quickest option. Building the
school in Weston would cost $121.7 million and take five years.
Tom Coates, the school system's site acquisition director, came to Davie
Town Hall in late December to let the council know about the proposed
community meeting.
Vice Mayor Bryan Caletka told Coates he was "vehemently against" a new
high school coming to Davie because it was bad for the town's tax rolls
and students.
"You're going to have a very tough sell when it comes to my vote," Caletka
said.
Councilwoman Susan Starkey told Coates the school should be built in
Weston, where most of the kids who need the new school live.
"It will domino our kids," she said, predicting that Davie children would
be moved to other schools to make way for kids from Weston.
Earlier this year, some Weston residents loudly opposed the district's
proposal to build the school on land owned by the Bonaventure Country
Club.
"This issue will end up tearing our community apart just like it did in
Weston," Starkey said.
Posted
December 26, 2007
Dear Neighbors & Friends,
Hope evryone had a great holiday season and wishes for a prosperous and
safe
new year!
The School Board has arranged for an informational meeting and
presentation
of the site for all residents who may be affected with the possible new
high
school to be located on Flamingo Road and 26th Street in Davie. PLEASE
ATTEND ! In addition, there may be Davie Town Council members present.
Please continue to let them know how you feel regarding the site, be it
for,
against or neutral.
Meeting place : Western High School
When: January 8th
Time: 7:00 pm.
The idea here is to inform local residents of the site, what it will
look
like, and how it will affect them as neighbors.
We are still asking that NO BOUNDARY CHANGES be made until we have a
location for the school site chosen, and to look to alternative
scheduling
(4x1 for ninth graders or continue capping), rather than upend several
thousand families over the next three - four years.
Contact the Davie Town council at
www.davie-fl.gov and the school board at
Weston students won't suffer by going to Western High
By Deannamarie Loucks
I am a junior at Western High School, and I go to school with
contemporaries who range in age from 14 to 18. I find it strange how one
Weston parent seems to think the Cypress Bay age group is any different
from Western's.
I have been in the Broward County School system for several years, and our
authorities have always preached to us kindness, cooperation and
tolerance. It's funny how a community that works constantly to teach
equality suddenly turns its back when a situation like the movement of
Cypress Bay students arises. According to South Florida Sun-Sentinel
reporter Akilah Johnson, the "lines have been drawn" within the
Broward school system regarding Weston students who will go to city
schools and those who will not.
Frustration has risen from Weston parents, who say that only children
whose parents pay Weston taxes should attend A-rated schools in Weston.
What about the A-rated schools elsewhere, such as Western High (our
principal, Scott Fiske, led us to be recognized as an "A" school last
year)?
The fact of the matter is Weston parents are not afraid that their
children will be sent to "bad" schools;"it is simply that they fear their
children going to poor communities outside of Weston. Weston isn't the
only wealthy city in Broward, despite what its residents may think.
Well-groomed, maybe, but definitely not the only wealthy city. I would
like to know what a child must do, besides have wealthy parents, to
deserve to go to an A-rated school.
It is sheer ignorance that has propelled these Weston parents so far as to
swarm e-mails around Broward County school officials and create a Web
site. After all, according to the Sun-Sentinel story, aren't
several freshmen already being shuttled to an annex in Sunrise? What is
the difference if the incoming freshman were sent to another school, a
facility where they would receive a more centralized education? The
answer: It's not Weston.
I work for a doctor in Weston, and as I commute from my beautiful home in
Davie, I notice no difference between it and Weston, except possibly the
trees aligning the roadways and the horizontal stoplights instead of the
vertical ones.
Additionally, I would know of no parents from my school that work three
jobs, and if sending a few e-mails makes a person "savvy," my parents, and
my contemporaries, must be experts. We don't write e-mails to save our
students from going elsewhere; we write e-mails to make a difference
toward worthwhile causes, like PTA meetings and fundraisers.
Board Member Beverly Gallagher mentions that this is a "very tense issue,"
because it not only concerns relieving students to go to Cypress Bay, but
"the way they go to high school." Here at Western, we have buses, and
believe it or not, a car line and parking lot!
In regards to what one incoming freshman said about not wanting to come to
Western, where she would be around "all kinds of people," I would just
like to let this young lady, as well as the potential new Weston students,
know that we are just like them. We go to class, eat lunch with our
contemporaries, and we even go to football games.
On the first day of school next year, if the plan to send Cypress Bay
students to Western succeeds, I along with my contemporaries will jump off
our horses and welcome the new students from Weston with open arms, not
for their sake, but for the hope that they may tell their parents that
going to school with "all kinds of people" is what life is all about.
Deannamarie Loucks is a resident of Davie.
Posted
December 11, 2007
Dear friends and
neighbors,
Many of us in Ivanhoe
feel the following scenarios are some of the ones we can support in some
fashion. We know some of you may prefer to attend LLL, until we know
exactly where MMM will be built. Remember, once school boundaries happen
to a neighborhood, we may not be able to return to either Cypress bay or
MMM. Please, whatever your position, be heard by attending this meeting
and speak. Be nice and take the high road, and we prefer you speak as
one of either the very first or very last, so you can make a rebuttal to
what you may feel is being said before you speak. TONIGHT, at the
attached broward school site, we are supposed to have the new staff
scenarios to review. We will make comments once reviewed.
We
are also, as always, asking that Davie officials might wish to attend
and support their residents; however, since we have not seen their
participation in these meetings about the LLL boundaries, we don’t
expect them to participate. If you do attend, please note that Weston,
SW Ranches and Pembroke Pines officials and the town’s school committee
members usually are in attendance to at least show they have an interest
in the process. They may not speak, however they are there to lend
support and gain knowledge about the process. In addition, we did not
see any Davie officials at last evenings’ MMM site decision, which made
many in the audience and some school board members question their
cooperation to at least listen to the issues concerning these sites.
(This is the end of my “political” opinion at this time).
IF you cannot attend,
please write the school board regarding your opinion, for or against any
of these maps or go on the site and express your thoughts for or against
a certain scenario.
MAKE SURE
TO SEE THE Community Forum II MEETING TIMES BELOW:
We SHOULD like the
following maps: (Please click the above link to see the scenario maps)
9.1 C – This is
preferred, but the upper area may need to be tweaked a bit to satisfy
“Weston’s” needs.
32.1C – Yes, keeps
quite a few of Ivanhoe safe and attending Cypress Bay
26.1C – Gives “Choice”
Not what we want, but will settle as a very last resort if we are all
going to LLL anyway. Right now, we should HATE this map and only go it
as a last resort. It was entered as a last option.
30.1C- Not bad…
actually good, but unfortunately takes an area fairly close to Cypress
Bay to Western, even though it is only five miles from Western.
So… the
following are NO’s!!!! (in my opinion,
however, you might like them)
Both Staff Scenarios
take everyone south of Griffin to LLL
16.1 C –
NO ….. 19.1 C – NO….. 21.1C – NO…… 22.1C – HELL NO!!!! (This guy doesn’t
not like us)…… 23.1 – NO…..
25.1C –
Although this is good and save’s our area, it may not be acceptable to
some Weston areas – Your can either support or oppose.………
27.1C-
NO………….. 28.1C – No……………. See
below where we need you to attend Saturday if possible…
Monarch High
School Auditorium 5050 Wiles Road Coconut Creek
South
Area & South
Central Area
December 15, 2007
McArthur High School 6501
Hollywood Boulevard (Pines-east)
Hollywood
Good luck and have a
safe weekend and holiday season.
Posted
December 11, 2007
Broward School Board split on new high school
By Akilah Johnson |
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
December 11, 2007
The fate of Broward County's newest high school was put
on hold yet again Monday night when School Board members couldn't agree on
where to build the campus, if at all.
School Board members Bob Parks and Stephanie Kraft think the district
should scrap the plans and instead add classrooms at Flanagan and
Everglades high schools as well as at one now under construction, LLL in
Pembroke Pines.
It's the cheapest and quickest solution that fulfills the board's
short-term goal of relieving critically overcrowded Cypress Bay High
School in Weston, Parks said. And, he said, the district can keep looking
for the perfect place to build the new school, dubbed MMM until a formal
name can be chosen.
More than 5,500 students attend Cypress Bay, which was built in 2002 for
3,400.
Superintendent James Notter said he's "played these same story boards out
many, many times," but feels the district needs the school to keep pace
with new developments popping up in south Broward.
It's been a struggle for the school district to find a home for the
much-needed high school. For more than a year, board members and district
staff have debated — and rejected — 18 possible locations for MMM.
The classroom additions would cost $47.16 million, but would only relieve
school overcrowding for five years, the superintendent said.
That's why, Notter said, he recommended building MMM on a 31-acre site at
Flamingo Road and Southwest 26th Street — a location some in Davie oppose.
The board will vote today on whether to support Notter and designate
Flamingo Road and Southwest 26th Street as the future home of MMM. The
land and school would cost $97.1 million
Building the school at the Davie intersection is the least expensive of
the five options the board discussed Monday. Construction at the Southwest
26th Street site would take the least amount of time, with a turnaround
time of 46 months, according to Notter.
Several board members said Monday that MMM is necessary and agreed with
Notter's recommendation, but board member Jennifer Gottlieb said she just
didn't know what to do.
"I'm extremely undecided," she said. "I think there still is no perfect
location."
The district typically needs at least 40 acres for high schools, a problem
in a county where large tracts of land are scarce and price tags are
sky-high for any available large parcels. And the district is under the
gun to find a spot.
If the district doesn't pick a site and sign a construction contract by
next year, it must get permission from the state to build the school.
"Battling it out with the state doesn't give me any warm fuzzies," Notter
said. "In fact, it heightens my worry."
Please read the attached article from the Sun-Sentinel.
For many, many weeks many of us have
been saying this site is a better site than all of the others available,
including the Bergeron site in Weston. This site is at 26th Street and
Flamingo Road. It is just about a mile NORTH of Flamingo Gardens on
Flamingo Road. We still need the Davie Town Council to "approve" the
site and concept of a smaller school and we need the neighbors in the
area to at least consider this possibility. Students would draw from our
area, Ivanhoe, Imagination Farms and Stone Ridge Estates as well as
Eastern SW Ranches. There are also students near Sawgrass on the north
side of I- 595 who could attend here. What would then happen is the NW
part of Weston students would relocate to Western High, which is much
closer for them, even from Cypress Bay. This actually makes sense in
regards to proximity and driving. Easy to bounder. Weston will not be
happy, because they do not have the school in their town. We SHOULD be
very happy and proud to have this school being considered in Davie. The
fact is having a nice new school like this is worth more than the fact
the Town will lose some tax revenue due to commercial development.
The problem is TWO of the
five Davie Council members are opposed at this point. Bryan Caletka,
wants the tax base for commercial development and Sue Starkey basically
feels her voters/constituents will not want a high school on Flamingo
Drive.The other three are non-committal
and willing to listen, including Marlon Luis, our Council member.
We need you to understand
what is at stake and to call, write and e-mail both the Davie Town
Council AND the school board with your thoughts, for or against.
The basic challenge is IF MMM is NOT
built, the school board will be forced to "supersize" the other schools
in the area. The new LLL High School out by US 27 and Pines would very
likely be our school if this happens. This school is 8-9 miles from us
where the Flamingo site is 3.5 to 4 miles. We want to stay at Cypress
Bay, however IF we HAVE to move, a closer smaller high school
alternative, like on this Flamingo site, would be very acceptable.
However, we are inclusive to all and we
do NOT exclude any opinions or "ram things down peoples throats".
Please write Mr. Caletka, Ms. Starkey
and all the council with your opinion!!! Today. Go online to the Town of
Davie and write them or go to:
www.ivanhoecivicassociation.com and click on the appropriate links.
John Pickett
December 3, 2007
Broward schools superintendent wants new high school in Davie
By Kathy Bushouse and Susannah Bryan
| South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Relief for overcrowded Cypress Bay High School
will come in the form of a new high school in Davie, if the School
Board follows a recommendation presented Monday by Superintendent
Jim Notter.
Notter is urging the board to approve Broward's newest high school
on a 31-acre site at Flamingo Road and Southwest 26th Street — a
$97.1 million location that could prove unpopular with leaders in
both Davie and Weston.
Weston parents want a new high school built in their city.
Said Weston Mayor Eric Hersh, when told of
Notter's recommendation: "Whoa. They recommended what? That doesn't
help us one bit. It doesn't help us one iota. It's too far east to
help anyone."
Davie Vice Mayor Bryan Caletka doubted the school district would get
approvals they would need from the town council to get MMM built.
And he said he wouldn't hesitate to push to sue if "the district
tried to ram it down our throat."
Board members will discuss MMM, a project long delayed by questions
about cost and location, at a Dec. 10 workshop.
The proposal would essentially shift students east, moving 2,600
from Cypress Bay in Weston to Western High School in Davie, and
moving 1,000 students from Western High to MMM.
Building MMM at Flamingo Road and Southwest 26th Street is the least
expensive of all the options for a new school site. It also would
take the least amount of time to build, with a turnaround time of 46
months, Notter wrote in his presentation to board members.
He said Monday night he believed the district could work with Davie
officials. In response to Hersh's comment that his recommendation
solved nothing, Notter said, "It certainly solves something to me
when 2,600 kids come out of Cypress Bay."
Notter said the least expensive option the board could consider
would be to simply add classrooms at Flanagan and Everglades high
schools as well as at one now under construction, LLL in Pembrokes
Pines. The classroom additions would cost $47.16 million, but even
then would only relieve school overcrowding for five years, Notter
wrote.
It's been a struggle for the school district to find a home for MMM.
For more than a year, School Board members have debated, and
rejected, possible locations for the new high school. Parents and
Weston city leaders have clamored for a new school to relieve
overcrowding at Cypress Bay, a school built for 3,400 that now
houses more than 5,500 students.
The district needs at least 40 acres for the school — a problem in a
county where large tracts of land are scarce, and price tags are
sky-high for whatever large parcels remain available. And the
district is under the gun to find a spot.
In October, as the search for a spot to build MMM continued, the
School Board capped enrollment at Cypress Bay.
Laurie Levinson, whose son attends class at Cypress Bay's ninth
grade annex, said she wants MMM built. Other options, such as adding
classrooms to existing schools, "don't allow for any growth" in the
student population, Levinson said.
Should the real estate market improve, more space will be needed to
accommodate more families in southwest Broward, she said.
"I believe they should build an MMM," Levinson said. "They've been
promising an MMM and that's what they should do."
Subject: FDOT Meeting Notice for US 27 Improvements
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will hold a
public meeting to discuss proposed improvements for US 27 (State Road
25),
on Tuesday, December 4, 5-8 p.m., Weston Library Branch, 4205
Bonaventure
Blvd., Weston. The meeting will have an informal format and no formal
presentation will be made. FDOT project representatives will be
available to
discuss the project and answer questions. Reconstruction of a 20.5-mile
segment of the roadway, between Griffin Road and the Palm Beach County
line,
will cost an estimated $18.6 million. Construction is expected to begin
in
May of 2009, with completion in early 2010.
Posted
November 27, 2007
Dear Neighbors & Friends,
See this article below.
One community scenario/map prepared by members of our community (Ivanhoe/SW
Ranches) made this “first cut”, which is good news (for the moment). This
does not mean we are “safe”, as this is a very slippery slope with very
active & politically connected forces working to remove our entire
community from Cypress Bay High and move our children to “LLL” beginning
next year. Seniors would be safe, but it would change the scope of where
our children attend high school and possibly, as an end result, middle
school for the future.
Several factors go into this decision which is ultimately made by the
School Board and we need to keep the e-mails, letters and especially phone
messages going to the school board members. Map 9.1 is the one we are
supporting at this point, however, we have several others still being
considered, including two “Staff” maps that take us out completely still
in play. Any of these might be altered from its original form and edited,
as most are, to change to the shifting political wind.
Everyone has been giving their own opinions and it is being noticed. No
matter where you want to attend, LLL or Cypress Bay… PLEASE remember, take
the high road and be polite and thoughtful when contacting the school
board members. Remember, this is a tough decision and they need our help
to make this decision, not our criticism of this somewhat flawed system we
all have to work in. The fact is some of these board members do not think
MMM should be built at all, which would force all these area high schools
to become “supersized”. They need to know what our opinion is… You know
the website.. www.browardschools.com.
Also, Dec 3rd will be the Superintendents recommendation for
high school “MMM”, so we have a lot being considered within a very few
days.
More to come during our next bulletin and we are setting up the next
Ivanhoe Civic Association meeting soon. The subjects will be Schools,
Crime and of course the never ending sound wall.
Thanks.
John.
List of new Broward school boundary scenarios halved by School Board
By Akilah K. Johnson
| Sun-Sentinel
6:53 PM EST, November 27, 2007
The list
of new Broward school boundary scenarios for more than two dozen campuses,
including over-crowded Cypress Bay High School in Weston, was halved
Tuesday by the School Board.
Most of the suggestions shuffled students from one school to another to
relieve packed campuses. Others sought to determine who will attend four
new schools being built in Parkland, Sunrise, Hollywood and Pembroke
Pines.
And while 23 elementary, middle and high schools are included in the
process, talk of what to do about The Bay dominated Tuesday's discussion.
Some of
the suggestions still on the table: Sending some students from Cypress Bay
and Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines to school under construction on
Pines Boulevard and Johnson Street on U.S. 27. and shifting other Cypress
Bay students to Cooper City High School.
Posted
November 24, 2007
Dear friends and
neighbors,
We all hope everyone
enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving.
It is now time to get
back to work regarding the scheduling scenarios and the maps regarding the
LLL school boundaries.
Please click into BROWARD COUNTY SCHOOL BOUNDARIES
for the Boundary Department. Click on 2008-09 scenarios and the
current maps are displayed in Staff and Community scenarios. The only one
that does not place us out of Cypress Bay is 9.1. Please make comments on
as many of the maps that you wish and if you want to develop your own map,
please do so as none of us are experts. Maps are due TO the school board
at KC Wright (downtown) by Tuesday 11/27 at NOON>>>> .
The meeting dates are
also on this site. Please attend and let the school board staff and school
board members know where you desire to attend.
Community scenarios in the tables as well as any boundary scenario
requested by the Board after the November 27, 2007 School Board Workshop
III will be presented at the Community Forum on December 15, 2007 and
School Board Workshop IV on January 22, 2007.
John Pickett
Posted
November 19, 2007
Tuesday
7:30pm meeting – Silver Trail. We now know the Site Planning Committee has
recommended the 36th Street Weston Bergeron site for MMM. Now we
can intelligently make better decisions regarding Ivanhoe Boundaries. Pete
La Moia and I will be meeting afterward to discuss ‘items’, so, if anyone
wishes to join us, we will meet in the back of the room after the meeting.
Thanks.
John
Pickett
Thank you for your early
opinions. Tonight is the first of many meetings to discuss boundaries at
LLL. At Silver Trail at 7:30 Please show early, at least 45 minutes early,
to register to speak. The school board staff NEEDS to see a FACE with the
names. They obviously do not care for our children like we do.
Thanks. John Pickett
Posted
November 19, 2007
Residents,
Town of Southwest Ranches Administration was notified today of the
following
meeting:
What: Cypress Bay High School boundary discussion.
When: Tuesday, November 20th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Where: Silver Trail Middle School, located at 18300 Sheridan Street,
Pembroke Pines, FL 33331
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Wisniewski,
Thank you for contacting Vice Mayor Wexler
regarding the location and boundaries of the School Board of Broward
County’s High School MMM. Although you reside in the Vice Mayor’s
Commission District 5, the Broward County Commission has no legal
authority over the decision of the School Board. As all nine members will
ultimately vote on the matter you should contact your School Board Members
to voice your opinions and concerns. At a minimum we would suggest you
contact Robin Bartleman and Jennifer Gottlieb who are at-large school
board members (representing the entire county) and Phyllis Hope, who is
your District 6 School Board Member. You can find contact information for
the School Board of Broward County at
www.browardschools.com.
Sincerely,
Margaret Wolter
Aide to Vice Mayor Lois Wexler
Broward
County Commissioner, District 5
voice: 954-357-7005
fax: 954-357-7044
To Lois Wexler,
As a
resident of western Davie, I would prefer our children go to Cypress Bay
High School. Our son Michael is graduating from Cypress Bay this year and
we want our daughter Jennifer to follow him to this school. Jennifer was
“bordered out” of Falcon Cove Middle School and is presently attending
Silver Trail.
We are requesting your
support in this matter. If the Cypress Bay option is not viable, we are
requesting your support in securing the High School site at the Weekly
Brother’s Property at SW 26th and Flamingo Road 2nd
choice is SW 36th Street west of Cypress Bay.
Thank you in advance.
Sincerely
Rick and Beth Wisniewski
Posted
November 18, 2007
Please write the school board and tell them you do NOT wish to attend
LLL
and remain at Cypress Bay. It looks like we have made some headway!
Hi Weston Parents,
Please read the following message to give you an
update of what is occurring
with the Broward County School Board and Cypress
Bay. I would like to add
that I spoke with the people recommending the Staff
Scenarios which would
take south of Griffin Road residents to LLL and the
Please make your opinion known by going to the boundary website for
scenerios and MAKE A COMMENT on what you like or do not like. I
personally think BOTH STAFF SCERIOS are Horrible for our area, as they
take us wholesale to LLL, because it is easy, however, we will ALL be
driving 2 to 3 times farther.
Scenes 6.1 and 9.1 make the Cypress Bay boundary better, but both could
use tweaking, especially in the North Weston Taz’s. Let Staff know by
submitting this web format to them ASAP, as they are looking for more
comments via the website vs. just speaking.
If you want to submit your own scenario, you must do so by NOON on Nov.
27th to the Boundary Department at the KC Wright building in
Ft. Lauderadel..
Posted
November 17, 2007
Dear Vice Mayor Wexler,
Here in Davie, we
appreciate your involvement and tireless representation, especially
regarding our children’s’ education. On this Monday morning, November
19th, the School District is holding a site selection meeting regarding
High School MMM to be located either in Davie or Weston.
One if the properties
being considered is located at 26th Street and Flamingo Road.
We have heard some Davie council members may be opposed for financial
(commercial taxes) or lifestyle reasons. We all realize the importance of
and have respect for the Davie rural lifestyle; however, many of us,
including myself, feel that the quality of education must be considered as
more critical in this situation.
We believe this location
is the best available as it has the road and land infrastructure. In
addition, with current estimates it could be built in 24 months, if
approved.
If a location for MMM is
not determined and is not built, the area schools will not meet class size
or meet the needs of the students. The land at 26th Street &
Flamingo would need a land use amendment and I ask that Broward County
immediately consider this measure to facilitate the building of this much
needed school. We would hope Davie would support and welcome this school,
however from what we have heard this is not necessarily the case.
Please assist us in this
endeavor to educate our children.
Best regards,
John Pickett
Posted
November 16, 2007
Dear neighbors and
friends:
Our County
Commissioner is Lois Wexler. We need her assistance and we need Western
Davie residents to call, e-mail or fax her about an important subject.
The subject is about
High School MMM and the fact that we need a site selected to relieve
Cypress Bay High.
The site selection
committee is THIS MONDAY morning. Ms. Wexler needs to know our
preferences as a Davie community.
There are 4 sites of
which many of us feel one is the best for all involved, and a second if
needed, as a back-up site:
As most of you know,
if MMM is not built, our whole area may be fully boundered to either LLL
and/or we may have a portion of us attend, believe it or not,
Flanagan/Cooper City/Western. We are attempting to retain all our
residents in Cypress Bay, however there is heavy activity to keep us
out.
We need to send her a
message that we support either site, however, we prefer the:
The Weekly Brothers Property at SW 26th and Flamingo Road
is our preference. This is the closest free land with a willing seller
that we can find for a great site.
The second site is at
SW 36th Street, west of Cypress Bay, however this site is
more expensive and has issues that will delay it’s opening. If delay’s
happen or MMM is not built, we will all be moved somewhere as 1550
students need to be moved out of Cypress Bay.
Please help us all by
phoning, e-mail or fax as soon as possible
Thanks,
John Pickett
And, PS, have you checked the new community scenarios? It's getting
worse. We
on the east of I-75 are going to Cooper City High in some of them...
(13 and
18). -Pete LaMoia
Posted
November 17, 2007
Dear
Ivanhoe Residents & Friends,
Attached please find my listing in Hawkes Bluff of Ivanhoe. I will be
holding an Open House at this house tomorrow, Sunday November 18, 2007
from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. This is a beautiful Oxford Model with Screened
Pool on a 10,000 sq.ft. Waterfront Lot. It has a Tropical Paradise
backyard with Royal Palms and no Rear Neighbours. There were (3) of this
same Model sold in the $600,000's in Hawkes Bluff in 2006 ($635,000,
$620,000, & $596,000). This Model is a great deal at $444,900. Hawkes
Bluff is a great family community with all (3) "A" Rated Schools and a
low HOA fee of only $220 per year. Please come by to take a look
tomorrow. You can also View the Virtual Tour @
http://tours4.vht.com/cbf/t1111750 .
Ivanhoe Residents
- You know what a great deal this is for an Oxford Model. If you have
any friends, family members, or co-workers who are interested in moving
to Ivanhoe, please have them come to the Open House or call me for a
private viewing. There are also several good deals on houses currently
available in Ivanhoe.
Please visit a personal page I've set up for you that contains property
listings of interest. Click the link below to view. If after clicking
the link, your Internet browser does not launch, right click on the link
and Copy the Shortcut. Then paste the Shortcut into your browser's
Address Field.
We had a good turnout
at the first meeting at Silver Trail last evening, however, this is a
LONG haul and we need to let everyone hear what we want and need for
our future schools. If you want to stay at Cypress or attend LLL, this
is the time to speak up and submit new scenarios for boundaries! This
page has a LOAD of data that any of our community can use to develop
their own scenario. Remember, we need to take the high road and speak
up for what we feel is best for our children now and in the future.
The next meeting will be from 8:30am to 12 noon, THIS
Saturday at McArthur High.- 6501 Hollywood Blvd..
Please see the
notice below under Community
Forum I. IF you wish to speak, you MUST sign up
between 8:30am and 9am, with the meeting starting at 9:00am. The
School Board staff will show ALL the scenarios and answer questions.
Be there if you have an interest in seeing how all the scenarios could
effect your student and community if selected by the School Board in
March 2008 for next school year. This is also an opportunity to hear
what others are saying. Please e-mail me if you are attending.
Thanks!!!!
John Pickett
2008-09 Boundary Process
Additional 2008-09
Boundary Process information will be posted when available.
Boundary Process Scenario
Instructions
English ||
Español ||
Kreyòl || Português
Boundary Scenario Deadlines: 1st submission - Thursday, November 8, 2007 at noon
2nd submission - Tuesday, November 27, 2007 at noon
Dear residents, students and friends of Ivanhoe,
Davie.
This is the FIRST of boundary discussions
regarding the maps that have been submitted to move our children from
Cypress Bay to LLL or Western High.
If you have an interest in voicing your opinion,
please attend.
We are pretty sure there will be a lot of people from
areas other than Ivanhoe residents.
If we (Ivanhoe) do not show and give our opinion to
the District school board staff, we will not have a great influence on
the decision. (See flyer below)
John Pickett
Posted
November 12, 2007
Please see above announcement.
It is MORE important to attend the LLL Boundary meeting at 7:30pm, same
place, TOMORROW!!!!! to SPEAK about the boundary's regarding LLL.
We need to show up, REGISTER at least 30 minutes (6:30pm)in advance to
SPEAK
Some scenerios are in.
The school board will NOT vote on any of these until March and we have
two more meetings in November. I would not panic just yet, but you need
to be informed. It is not a pretty sight, yet.
Here is the first wave
of scenerios. Staff and community will submit more. The scenerios do not
take into account "MMM" being built. Only two scenerios keep us at
Cypress Bay. Most have our whole area attending "LLL". Please review
and give the staff your opinion, for against or neutral. If you feel
like writing the School Board, staff, or your Davie Councilmembers with
your opinions, please do so. Go to
www.browardschools. com - Boundary Department, then to this link.
I am supporting only
6.1C and 9.1C at this time.
Thank you. John Pickett
2008-09 Boundary Scenarios
Scenarios will be posted as they become available.
Ivanhoe
residents need your help. In bullet form, we have certain points that we
feel make sense for all the children. We need you to meet with, phone or
contact school board members and Jim Notter to discuss this issue
supporting our overall wishes regarding boundaries. The school board
members and Mr. Notter also need to know how we feel regarding the
METHODS being used to try and move our children out of Cypress Bay. We
overwhelmingly want to stay at Cypress Bay High.
Under separate cover, I will send several short e-mails representing
many of our resident responses as documentation.
ÞMost of
the residents in Ivanhoe do not want to attend “LLL” because of the
proximity and driving routes and distances. It is nearly double the time
and distance for many of our community. School bus routes would be
horrendous.
ÞMost of
the Ivanhoe residents do NOT want to attend Western High, because of
proximity and driving routes. This is because of the rural roads or
longer distances in heavy traffic. Bus routes would take almost as much
time as going to LLL. Direct drive to Cypress vs. longer winding
distances to Western & LLL.
ÞWE, as a
community, WANTED to attend a new high school near Silver Trail in SW
Ranches, but were denied, because the land was not suitable for a high
school. This school was about one mile farther than Falcon Cove and
Cypress Bay. This is proof that we don’t mind moving, but to a similar
proximity and logical location.
ÞWE agreed
to attend to Silver Trail Middle to relieve Falcon Cove, but ONLY with
the understanding we would be attending the new high school (that never
happened) on the SW Ranches land. Now, we can’t get back to Falcon Cove,
until NN middle school is built in Sunrise.
Þ1000 kids
have to leave Cypress Bay or the Class size will not be met. This will
cost the school board significant money if class size is not met. We
want to help and will support scenario’s that move a proportionate % of
children, but we should not be sacrificed as a whole community,
just so Weston can have it’s residents attend schools located within
Weston city limits. Be logical and fair. This is primarily a Weston
population and growth problem, so they should take on the proper
proportion of the solution. 80% of the students in Cypress Bay live in
Weston.
ÞWE MUST
support having MMM built as quickly as possible, or all three schools
Western, Cypress Bay and LLL will become overcrowded and will damage the
student’s quality of education.
ÞIF MMM
was to be built closer in proximity, we would be very agreeable to move
to it. The land at the NE corner of Orange Drive and Flamingo Drive
would be equal distance to Cypress Bay for our community. This Davie
location could bring students from SW Ranches, Ivanhoe, Imagination
Farms, Riverstone, Carlton Ranches Saddlebrook and Long Lake area’s. It
would be a brand new school and would help mostly DAVIE students. In
addition, at least being open to having a new high school at this
location, would create a willingness to partner with others and show an
effort to help, rather than put up obstacles in trying to resolve this
important issue.
There has
been an effort by some who wish only City residents attend CITY located
schools. This is a county school district. There were even petitions
that asked that Cypress Bay be made part of the boundary process. The petition itself was NOT a problem,
except it should NOT have been made a part of the process. These
petitions were talked about at the last boundary workshop attended by
board members. Parents, Weston Commissioners and others asked
many Weston residents on a Saturday at the SW Regional Park (in Weston)
to sign this petition. Our children and parents immediately heard that
this petition was being circulated… HOWEVER, they heard
the petition workers and volunteers on several occasions say: “Sign
this as we are trying to finally get rid of the students from S. W.
Ranches, Davie and Pembroke Pines, so they don’t attend our schools here
in Weston”.
Some of
our parents expressed outrage, others expressed disappointment. Most
disappointing was during the next week, we heard many reports of some
students at Cypress Bay asking our “Davie” students where they lived and
basically told them “You won’t be here next year”. This type of activity
is inappropriate and hurtful. Our kids are asking us these questions and
we are telling them no decision has been made, so not to worry. Well,
then are worried, as are kids from Weston and Pembroke Pines and S.W.
Ranches. These kids have enough stress. In addition, web discussions
are open for all to read on the Sun Sentinel and a Weston website “www.NOTCRAP.com”,
showing this same type of hurtful thinking.
This type
of discussion is not appropriate and is damaging. We know there are many
style differences between certain communities, however, these actions
have now become hurtful and not to the politicians or even the parents
in these municipalities, but to the students, the children and those
teachers trying their hardest to provide for a great education for all
our students.
We will
continue to take the high road by saying this situation needs a fair and
appropriate solution for ALL students whether in Weston, Davie, SW
Ranches or Sunrise. Let’s do what best for the children and that is to
get MMM built immediately. Please support the site at Flamingo and
Orange Drive. I ask each of you please take the three minutes to call or
contact all the Broward School board members and Mr. Notter by telling
them and imploring them that our neighborhood, Ivanhoe and the students
of Hawkes Bluff Elementary wants to remain at Cypress Bay HIGH School.
Thank you.
John
Pickett
From:
John Pickett [mailto:jjpickett@bellsouth.net] Sent: Saturday, October
20, 2007 7:33 PM To: 'Tom_Truex@davie-fl.gov';
'Bryan_Caletka@davie-fl.gov'; 'mike_crowley@davie-fl.gov'; 'susan_starkey@davie-fl.gov';
'Marlon_Luis@davie-fl.gov' Subject: School Board
Cypress Bay capacity issues & ideas Importance: High
Dear Davie Town
Council,
We live in Davie. Our
area neighborhood is known as Ivanhoe and we have been discussing and
have been deeply involved in school capacity concerns, since Cypress Bay
High and Falcon Cove Middle opened their doors. The Davie/Ivanhoe
resident’s currently attend Silver Trail Middle and Cypress Bay High.
Bear with this bit of
history: Three years ago, we as parents in Ivanhoe and Southwest Ranches
(Hawkes Bluff Elementary) sat down with school board advisory parents
and boundary members and calmly discussed the fact that the future
enrollment capacities at Falcon Cove and Cypress Bay were going to be
coming to a breaking point. We knew land was being purchased in S W
Ranches for a new high school and were basically guaranteed to attend
that school when it was built in 2007-08 at the latest. We were asked to
help Falcon Cove’s capacity concerns and allow the boundering of our
children to Silver Trail then we would attend the new high school in S.
W. Ranches; we would be able to again attend Falcon Cove once the new
middle school “NN” came on board to relieve them. Falcon Cove is much,
much closer for the majority of us, and it would be a horrible travel
time / inconvenience for our children. However, we as a community,
decided to perform a “good deed”, and decided to help the School Board
relieve Falcon Cove immediately and supposedly Cypress Bay down the
road. It sounded like a great plan until the land that was purchased
fell through for a high school. It was NOT our fault the land was deemed
not useable for a High School. It was a good land deal for an elementary
school; however it would not help Cypress Bay’s future problems.
We, as an entire
community have always thought of solutions to alleviate this capacity
concern that was fair and logical with only our children’s best needs in
mind and this includes the children in Weston and Pembroke Pines.
However, we have already sacrificed plenty and we have stepped up to the
proverbial plate too many times. The term “no good deed goes unpunished”
is descriptive of our feelings and we are tired of fighting and having
our children being pushed around from school to school. We have attended
over the years Silver Trail, Falcon Cove, from Silver Trail, from Walter
C. Young and started at Pioneer Middle. We were originally at Western
High then have attended Cypress Bay since it’s inception. Our community,
since 1987, has sacrificed over and over and over as other areas grew,
our children were moved, because we have NO GROWTH. We cannot be moved
from Hawkes Bluff Elementary, since it is literally part of our
neighborhood.
This seems to now be
the “Year of Cypress Bay’s Crisis” . The ironic thing is the problem is
this has been coming at them and building momentum for at least five
years. Was it really a surprise when the Savanna development and other
residential developments in Weston were built in the last three years
that it would overcrowd Cypress Bay? The people in charge of running the
school advisory councils and other parents seem to lobby against and
explore the reasons why “our” children are attending “their” schools
located in Weston. Some of these people seem to create controversies
and start rumors where a problem may not even exist. They have hand fed
articles to several newspapers and gone to the full court press to try
and make erratic boundary moves, rather than prudently resolve the
future concerns without damaging the children currently attending
Cypress Bay High. I also don’t understand why the City of Weston Council
members and staff are constantly at the school board meetings trying to
push the boundary agendas at THIS point in time, when they should have
taken care of the new school years ago. If they were THAT concerned, why
didn’t they build a “Weston” Charter School”, like Pembroke Pines did
when they saw that their city’s school capacity issue was serious? Today
there should only be ONE agenda and that is what is best for the
children and there should never be a political agenda, although we know
politics is what this is all about.
Many parents in Weston
have been told and feel the ONLY solution is boundary changes, which is
not the truth. As they put it, “fair and responsible” boundary changes
is the only way to relieve the overcrowding until “MMM” is built.
The underlying motive is to have our children (not “Weston” kids) move
out first, when to be honest about it, this problem has been created by
the growth in Weston, not in Southwest Ranches or Ivanhoe or even Davie.
The school board is having a preliminary boundary meeting Tuesday at
11:00am at KC Wright to discuss “LLL’s” boundary. The Weston parents
want and are asking Cypress Bay to be considered in the mix and many of
us actually agree that some small areas of SW Ranches and Pembroke Pines
would be better off in LLL. However, we think there should be more
serious consideration for a lot of various solutions. Cypress Bay is capped for this year,
which helps and I applaud that decision. Cypress Bay
itself needs to find those students attending from Dade County and other
areas not belonging to the Cypress Zone. We know there will be a drop in
enrollment when some of the South American residents return to their
homes to the south after the 1st of the year. We also know a
few Private and Charter high schools are expanding their capacity.
We know that Ivanhoe’s
parents and children’s main problem in attending LLL has always been of
the location, since Ivanhoe is located well more than 7 miles to LLL
from our area and only 2.5 to 3 miles at the most to Cypress Bay. We
have driven the routes and “Map Quested” the routes as well from all
areas of Ivanhoe. Our residents have made this issue very clear in all
our discussions. In addition, LLL will probably be projected as nearly
overcrowded from the get go, with all the new residential construction
happening in Western Pembroke Pines and Miramar over the next few years.
We agree and emphasize one point,
which is all of our schools here in Western Broward are good schools.
This is an issue of proximity and
what is best for the students. Right now, my daughter, a
freshman student athlete at Cypress Bay waits for the bus, in the dark
with seven other children and is picked up no later than 6:30am. It
takes a 20-25 minute drive to arrive at the 9th grade annex
in Sunrise and the return trip takes 45-50 minutes. This means our
children are on a bus over an hour every day or at least five and a half
hours in a normal school week. The anticipated bus ride to LLL would be
in most cases at least doubled which is unconscionable and certainly not
“fair or reasonable” by any means.
As far as checking
data, there were two meetings set over the last few weeks to discuss
these Capacity needs; The first had very low attendance, because frankly
the meeting was set on the same night as Silver Trails' open house and
many of us were never notified. Only a few parents showed up. They voted
on solutions, however because of the low turnout, a second meeting was
held with nearly 400 people in attendance. Most were from SW Ranches and
Ivanhoe and from what I heard about 40-50 parents from Weston. We need
to witness an actual recount of the voting ballots at both meetings to
verify the votes and addresses of those attending, because I frankly
think the solution of a boundary change could not have been a top three
priority. Residents have asked me how the vote could come out so
lopsided and to be very honest, I am asking that same question. Capping
was in the top three and that is a great temporary move. Relocatables
were also in the top three.
Many feel the Weston
kids need to boundered out first, not the SWR’s and Ivanhoe kids. Being
careful, we cannot be so sure ANY boundary change is desperately or
critically needed at this point for Cypress Bay. We as residents don’t
even have the final numbers and projections to determine what kind of
problem exists. We also heard new properties are being considered, which
will probably change all these scenarios and solutions once again.
Neither of the two sites that are currently being considered is very
attractive, at least in regards to the cost and time it will take to
build them because of eminent domain and other issues.
I am concerned as it
seems 4x1, double or split schedules are not really on the table as
alternatives. In addition, the school board cannot decide on a best
place to locate the school, because there are delays in determining who
owns the property, high costs, environmental or eminent domain issues
and it could take five years or more to get it built. Basically, we have
been at the drawing board for three plus years, without anything of
substance happening.
I really think to find
or build the capacity at Western High School with the northern TAZ zones
(800 students) in Tequesta Trace Middle to attend a new 36 classroom
addition at Western High is a solid, albeit temporary solution, until
MMM is finally settled on and built. This action would be fair, reasonable
and cost effective. It is proximity-wise very prudent, since Western
High is less than three miles away for all this residential area and the
students would be kept in a comfortable, closely knit, not scattered,
feeder pattern.
This action also gives
us the time to work on the best possible permanent solution.
We would like the Town
Council to become more involved by sending letters to the School Board
using logic and fairness while supporting our wishes, because frankly,
we have not seen much, if any representation for our area from the Town
Council or others in the administration regarding this concern. If you
have sent a resolution, like Southwest Ranches did, or have had phone
conversations and discussed our issues with School Board members, please
let us know, as this is important for our area.
Please remember, this
cannot be seen as a political agenda, it is all about what is fair,
reasonable and logical for all our children.
Best regards,
John J. Pickett
Current Founding
Member- Chair, Ivanhoe Civic Association
Former Chair Child /
Education Board – Town of Davie
Current MPO-CIR member
Town of Davie
Former Hawkes Bluff
HOA Board Member -10 years
53 year resident of
Broward County
18 year resident of
Davie
Posted
November 3, 2007
Neighbors,
As you know we are
developing scenarios as are a lot of parents. Scenarios can include a
lot of options; however NONE of the scenarios is official until voted on
by the School Board. The FIRST scenarios need to be at the School Board
by Nov. 8th at noon. We can see them on Nov 12, and then a
community forum will be held Nov 17th at McArthur High.
After this we can fine tune or develop other scenarios, as can everyone
else and those need to be in Nov. 27th, then more forums,
etc…. The Boundary Department will also develop what they want. The
School Board votes sometime in March. Before then we should know where
MMM is being built, so all this may be for naught, but it is the
process.
All these timelines
are on the website:
www.browardschools.com Go to Departments- Then School Boundaries,
then School Board workshop, and then click on Timeline (New).
In addition, all the
TAZ zones, and student counts are on the website.
We are certain there
will be many scenarios and some will probably exclude all of SW Ranches
and Ivanhoe from attending Cypress Bay.
If you want more
information, the website has a load of data and instructions on how to
do this drawing of a boundary... We have two scenarios we think work,
but if you have ideas, let us know or draw up one for your needs.
John Pickett
Posted
October 28, 2007
Dear Ivanhoe residents
and those attending the first Ivanhoe Civic Association meeting:
As you might know,
Cypress Bay High School is now included as a part of the upcoming
boundary discussions and will have a boundary change for the NEXT
school year, 2008-09. There is a core group of Ivanhoe, Cooper City,
Pembroke Pines and SW Ranches residents/parents who will discussing and
drawing up boundary scenario’s. This is specifically to discuss the
boundaries for LLL high school in Pembroke Pines at US 27 and Johnson
Street (just north of Pines Blvd) and Cypress Bay’s Capacity issues.
These scenarios will be submitted to the school board for discussion and
consideration. We need to confirm and know what your wishes are
regarding this subject and this is an ASAP request.
PLEASE REMEMBER… usually (not always) Boundary changes are PERMENANT and
this next decision by the School Board could be “forever”. This decision
will affect SW Ranches, Davie, Ivanhoe, parts of Pembroke Pines and
Weston parents and children, not only for NOW, but in the future. We all
have personal wishes, but we need to remember, this change will affect
future parents and children as well.
If your neighbors
would like to also participate, please forward this e-mail to them,
please do so… we are looking to gain more information regarding what our
parents and residents preferences are:
IF MMM high school was
to be built closer
to our area, would you prefer to attend this newly built high school
within a couple of years?
Do you wish to attend
Cypress Bay High in the future?
Do you wish to attend
only LLL?
Would you like to be
officially boundered to Cypress Bay, but have the “choice” to attend LLL?
Do you have other
ideas?
Let us know also:
ÞDo you have children
and are they attending what school and what grade are they in?
ÞLet us know where you
live, give us your neighborhood (I.E. [HOA] -Waterford, Falcon Lea,
Stirling Lakes Estates, East SW Ranches, West SW Ranches, Hawkes Bluff,
etc…)
Give us your opinion.
Give us your opinion
NOW.
Do NOT wait as your
opinion is important
We don’t need a
stinking petition, as this is NOT a political show
Just simply respond to
this e-mail, withoutcopying the entire list and
write a short statement of your wishes as a parent or resident. We have
found many people’s opinions being taken out of context and false rumors
being generated from e-mail discussions, so we will not use your name,
information or distribute your e-mail.
If you are interested
in being involved in developing boundary scenario’s for high school LLL
and wish to be informed of recent developments, please respond to this
e-mail or leave me a message on the cellular phone # below. Give us your
name, contact info and best times for a meeting.
Let us know if you
wish to no longer receive these e-mails regarding school issues as well.
Thanks.
John Pickett
954-296-7800
Posted
October 29, 2007
Dear Ivanhoe Civic Association Members,
Thank you
all so much for attending the first Official Ivanhoe Civic Association
Meeting held on Tuesday October 16, 2007 at the Rick Case Honda
Community meeting Room. We are happy you all could attend. Thanks to
John Pickett for arranging and hosting the meeting that discussed the
School Boundaries for our area, mainly concentrating on Cypress Bay High
School. Thanks also to some of the members present that gave us some
real insight as to how things work regarding School Boundary Issues. I
know I personally came out of the meeting much more enlightened and
informed regarding the High Schools Issues (New High Schools Proposed,
Boundaries, Capping, ect..).
We will try
to have these meetings scheduled for every couple of months or when an
extremely important issue (School Boundaries, I-75 Sound Wall, ect..)
needs to be discussed. We discussed possibly having The Town of Davie
Police Department speak at our next meeting regarding Neighborhood Crime
Watch, Security, Community Crime Statistics, and how to protect our
homes and families better. In the meantime, please visit our website @
www.ivanhoecivicassociation.com for
community information and late breaking news. Please forward any
important information to me and I will distribute it to all Ivanhoe
Civic Association Members as well as my Ivanhoe Community Distribution
List. Thanks again all for attending
Best Regards,
Robert Giordano - Coldwell Banker
Residential Real Estate
Welcome Dr. Joel Herbst, our new South Area Superintendent.
For those of you new to my newsletter, I send them out periodically
throughout the year. Please feel free to forward it to your email lists,
friends and family. Principals - please distribute it as you see
fit. If
you are receiving this more than once or if you would like to be added
to
my mailing list - lease let me know.
Remember - knowledge is power, but, only when it's shared.
My name is Beverly Gallagher and I am the School Board Member
representing
District 2. District 2 includes all of Miramar, Pembroke Pines, SW
Ranches, the eastern most part of Cooper City and the Ivanhoe section of
Davie. There are nine School Board Members in all. Seven represent
districts and two represent the total county.
There have been some changes in process and procedures throughout the
district. The Board and Superintendent are trying to update and improve
policies and procedures. I appreciate your patience as we all go
through
the "renovation" process.
Energy Conservation - being a member of the district's Energy
Conservation
Committee, I am happy to report that in the first quarter of 2007 the
district saved approximately $1.2 million in energy savings from last
year.
Taxes and budgets - School districts in Florida operate with two
separate
budgets. The Operating budget is funded through the state of Florida
and
comes to the district in a per student allocation. This tax money is
from
property and other taxes that are collected and sent to the state. The
legislature decides what that tax rate will be. Broward is what we call
a
"donor" county. More tax dollars are collected in Broward and sent to
the
state than we get back. Last year Broward was funded 66th out of 67
counties in per student funding. Operating dollars can only be spent on
salaries, books, the day to day operating of the schools.
The Capital budget is funded by a combination of state and local funds,
too. Some capital funds come from the state, but, most of the Capital
budget comes from our property taxes. Public Education Capital Outlay
(PECO), extra class size reduction money, etc.comes from the state. The
bulk of the capital dollars are used for construction, renovation and
maintenance of the facilities. This money can't be spent on Operating
expenses. Although the legislature did just relax a small percentage of
the Capital Fund to be used for Operating expenses.
While the legislature did not require school districts to lower the tax
rates, (actually the legislature raised the required local effort for
property taxes), as they did for cities and the county, the state has
required school districts to make cuts to their Operating budgets for
this
school year. Statewide tax collections are down causing the legislature
to rethink the budget for 2007 - 2008. A Special Legislative Session
was
held in Tallahassee last week to make the cuts to the budget. So far the
cuts that have been requested by the Governor and legislature have
equaled
about $26 million in Broward. With these looming budget cuts, the School
Board must be diligent and extra stringent with expenditures. Even with
the cuts, the Board was able to give our employees a 5.59% raise. This
is
followed by a 6.5% raise last year.
The Special Session also addressed PIP Insurance. This insurance will
be
reinstated on Jan. 1, 2008.
Another Special Session is being held to address the Jan. 29, 2008 Tax
Referendum language. So far the Governor's language cuts property taxes
and holds education harmless. Please contact your legislators to
continue
to hold education harmless or to find another way to fund education.
Florida is already somewhere between 42nd and 47th out of 50 states in
per
pupil funding. Our children and teachers can't afford another cut.
I am very privileged to have been selected to be the Legislative
Chairperson for the Florida School Board Association. The good news for
us is that I will have up to the minute legislative news.
Strategic plan - in August the School Board established 6 new goals for
the county that will turn into the new Strategic plan for the district.
Over the next few weeks, districtwide meetings will be held to collect
public input on the goals. The public input will be turned into a
strategic plan that will be a true plan for the future based on your
thoughts and ideas. The south area meeting will be Nov. 15, 7pm - 9pm
at
McArthur High School.
One of the goals is parent, community and business engagement. We need
your ideas on how to strengthen the parent and community engagement with
our schools. Some of the ideas I have already heard include using
internet
live streaming and conference calling for PTA and Advisory meetings so
that busy parents can attend meetings from their homes or businesses.
With a wireless connection, you could participate from the ballfield.
Quite an innovation. Our ESE Advisory is already utilizing this
technology for their meetings. Businesses have also been asked to give
employees time off to be able to attend teacher conferences and school
events. Please check with your employer to see if they would be willing
to participate.
Graduation Rates - one of the most disturbing statistics coming from
Florida and Broward County are the graduation rates. Last year when the
Board found out that some schools were using "contracts" to encourage at
risk or low scoring students to drop out or change schools, the
Superintendent stopped the use of these "contracts" and put together a
staff working group to investigate these contracts, the drop out rates
and
to see how the district could identify at risk students earlier. Many
procedures have been put in place to identify and reach out to students
that are at risk of dropping out. Students should not be forced to sign
contracts that lead to dropping out, that is unconscionable.
Since the Broward Schools Graduation Rate is truly a community issue, I
am
also in the process of creating a policy that will establish a
Graduation
Rate Task Force. This task force will be made up of people from all
over
the community similar to the Diversity Committee. The charge of the Task
Force will be to establish communitywide initiatives that will work to
increase the graduation rate in Broward County schools. If you have any
ideas that would help to make this a success, any assistance will be
greatly appreciated. The first meeting will be in the next few weeks.
Uniform Policy - proposed changes to the uniform policy will be
discussed
at upcoming Advisory meetings at your schools or you can view the
changes
at browardschools.com. Please keep informed. If the Uniform policy is
working well at your school the way it is, the Board needs to know.
Policy changes - I know it is often hard to keep up with the many
changes
to the Code of Conduct, Attendance policy, Service Learning hours, etc.
For up to date changes, please go to browardschools.com for the latest
news.
FCAT news - the Board has asked the Superintendent to allow our teachers
to go back to creative teaching without so much concentration on
"teaching
to the FCAT." There is more to learn in life than how to take the FCAT
and we all know it.
Wellness - you should be noticing in school an increased emphasis on
health,fitness and nutrition. Our children's education needs to be
well-rounded.
Charter Schools - Charter schools are public schools run by private or
public entities, not the school district. Charter schools are funded
with
the same per pupil dollar amount as all public schools. Charter schools
also receive PECO and other capital dollars from the state. Capital
dollars, funded from property taxes, have not been shared by school
districts with charter schools in the past. A few years ago the
legislature changed the law stating that School Districts may give
Capital
dollars to charter schools. Capital dollars are not spent per student
like operating funds. Capital dollars are spent where they are needed,
similar to the way cities allocate our tax dollars. City tax dollars
are
not allocated per citizen. This is a very critical issue that truly is
bigger than Broward County. The whole state is watching us to see how
we
proceed with the allocation of capital dollars to charter schools.
At the Tuesday, October 16 School Board Meeting, I proposed that the
district form a new and improved Charter School Task Force to help with
writing this policy and working out any other issues between charter
schools and the school district. A similar task force was very
successful
during the startup years of charters. Pembroke Pines and Coral Springs
schools are designated as Municipal Charters. This is a unique
designation that classifies them somewhat differently, but, there are
still over 50 charter schools in Broward County that need to be included
in these discussions.
***** The unique designation of being a Municipal Charter district is
the
reason why Pembroke Pines was recently refunded fees by the school
district. I agreed with Pembroke Pines that the district made a mistake
in calculating the fees according to the municipal designation and the
overage was returned. This is a separate issue that doesn't have
anything
to do with the capital dollars.
Capacity Conferences - schools that have been designated "critically
overcrowded" have been holding capacity conferences to look at
contingency
plans to deal with overcrowding. The good news is that the number of
overcrowded schools is decreasing. If your school is not overcrowded,
you
did not have these meetings. The Board will discuss all of these plans
and options to deal with overcrowding at a workshop on October 23.
The boundary process has changed. There will not be boundary meetings
held at individual schools to draw maps. Anyone may draw a boundary and
submit it for consideration. Please let me know if you need more
information. Remember we are just at the beginning of this process.
*****I have been receiving a lot of input from many people and
communities
concerning the proposed boundaries. Please email or call my office to
let
me know which schools you would like to see your neighborhood attend.
This is your chance to ask for the changes you have been talking about
for
years or to keep your neighborhood status quo.
I need to hear from you! Not the rumor mill.
There are also rumors that a school will lose classes and programs if it
is not critically overcrowded. Please take a look at Cooper City
HS. It
has all of the same programs, AP and honors classes as any other school
and it is not overcrowded.
Also, LLL will have all of the same programs, classes and opportunities
that other high schools have. It will have honors, AP, electives,
clubs,
sports, bands and cheerleaders. The only difference will be that LLL
will
open without a senior class. Seniors will be able to finish at the same
school they attended in 11th grade.
****Please know that these same rumors were circulated when Everglades
HS
was opened. Ask someone you know from Everglades and see if they have
lost any advantages in programming.
As we proceed through the boundary process for LLL, please know that
there
are many options available including phasing in grades, choice areas,
etc.
LLL ????? High School -Focus meetings are being held to pick a name,
colors and mascot for the new school. Information concerning the times
and locations of these meetings will be sent home via phone and paper
notices. Please call the South Area Office for more information.
754-321-3625.
MMM HS - this is a new school to relieve Cypress Bay HS. Finding a
location to build this school has been quite a challenge. The good news
is that since this is a "buyers market," the district should be able to
negotiate a very good price for the land. With dropping land and
construction prices, the district has the opportunity to get the best
deal
possible.
Unfortunately, because it may take 3 - 5 years to build MMM, Cypress Bay
will continue to be overcrowded and in danger of not meeting the class
size mandate. Last Tuesday, the Board voted to cap enrollment for the
rest of the year. On Tuesday, other considerations will be discussed
including alternative scheduling, responsible boundary changes and the
possible construction of a 36 classroom addition at Western HS.
Construction News
Good news!!!! The school district had approximately $700 million in
construction and renovation projects last year. More than 1/2 of that
amount was allocated to the south area!!!! It's nice to see all of the
new construction, the portables finally being removed and renovations
being done after all these years!
Thank you to Mr. Garretson and our fantastic Facilities Department for
the
great work that they do!
LLL HS - construction is still ahead of schedule. Thank you Pirtle
Construction Co!
Everglades HS - RUMOR CONTROL!!!!!!! Everglades HS HAS a CO.
(certificate of occupancy) It was issued in May. On October 16, the
Board
approved an agreement that will end the litigation with the construction
company.
Cooper City HS - the classroom addition is complete. Thank you Stiles
Corp!
The contractor will be chosen in the next few weeks to start
renovations.
CCHS will be going through a total phased replacement and demolition
project.
Miramar HS - the classroom addition is complete. Thank you Turner
Construction!
Reroofing and the new facade projects are almost finished. A master
plan
for drainage is in progress. The stadium is also being
renovated. Monthly
construction meetings will now be scheduled to keep up with all of the
work being done.
Pines MS - move in weekend for the new school is October 26 - 28. Thank
you Cummings Construction Co! The rest of the project will then
continue
in November.
Cooper City El - the new cafeteria is complete. New playground
equipment
is being installed and the reroofing will begin in a few months.
Dolphin Bay El - RUMOR CONTROL!!!!!!! The school was not built
backwards.
During the design phase of Dolphin Bay, the district met with homeowners
and the city to work out a way to help ease the future traffic that the
school would bring to the community. The outcome is the extended
driveway
and parking lot to the south of the school. Since the opening of the
school, homeowners have commented on how the design has helped with the
traffic. The single point of entry is on the north side of the school.
If visitors park to the south, they will have to walk around to the
other
side to enter. Dolphin Bay is the same design as the majority of
elementary schools in our area. If you park on the opposite side of the
single point of entry, you will have to walk around to get in the other
door. Single point of entry is an important safety feature and worth
the
effort.
Hawkes Bluff El - a Landscape Architect will be hired to renovate the
grounds. With the new paint , new playground equipment and new
landscaping, Hawkes Bluff will look like a new school!
New classroom additions were awarded on October 16 for construction at
Pines Lakes El, Sunshine El and Sunset Lakes El.
There are more projects going on all over the district. A complete
construction update will be in the next newsletter. The website is
being
renovated so that you can follow the up-to-date progress on your
projects.
I'll let you know when the website is ready.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate
to
call or email. Thank you, thank you to my wonderful Assistant, Linda
for
being there for all of us.
Thank you all for helping to make our schools the best!
Have a safe and happy Halloween!
Beverly Gallagher
Board Chair
School Board Member
District 2
Broward County Schools
600 SE 3rd Avenue
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33301
phone 754-321-2002
Posted
October 16, 2007
From:
Ken Cimetta [mailto:info@keepusrural.com] Sent: Tuesday, October 16,
2007 5:58 PM To:
undisclosed-recipients: Subject: conflicting
stories
There seems to be some conflicting stories
out there about where we wish to go for High School.
We need to e-mail the entire School board and let them know how we
feel. Keep it short and simple. If you wish to remain at Cypress Bay
say so. If you wish to go to Cooper City let them know. If you wish to
move to "LLL" tell them.
.
Please don't allow others to do the
speaking for you. The board members DO READ their e-mail!
School board, then where it says e.mail
the board.
We need them to receive this before
the October 23rd meeting.
Call Melissa Gleissner if you have
questions. (954)434-0172
Melissa Gleissner
Posted
October 16, 2007
Below is
scheduled meetings of the Broward County Public Schools. Right below the
meetings are the email addresses of the different school board members. If
you want them to hear what you have to say, please email them as soon as
possible, before the Oct. 23 meeting especially. Their direct
address is also listed below as well as their phone number.
Posted
October 16, 2007
From:
Ken Cimetta [mailto:info@keepusrural.com] Sent: Tuesday, October 16,
2007 5:58 PM To:
undisclosed-recipients: Subject: conflicting
stories
There seems to be some conflicting stories
out there about where we wish to go for High School.
We need to e-mail the entire School board and let them know how we
feel. Keep it short and simple. If you wish to remain at Cypress Bay
say so. If you wish to go to Cooper City let them know. If you wish to
move to "LLL" tell them.
.
Please don't allow others to do the
speaking for you. The board members DO READ their e-mail!
The Broward Sheriff's Office knows that Halloween is a child's
night for trick or treating, ghosts and goblins, haunts and
horrors. Unfortunately, some of these horrors are all too real.
Every year on Halloween, children may be hurt due to auto
accidents, fire injuries, falls, cuts, bruises, or other mishaps.
The following is a list of Halloween safety tips to make this
night safe and happy for everyone:
As guests attending and
participating in this evening’s First Inaugural Ivanhoe Civic Association
you were OUTSTANDING!!!!!
The founding members and
I wish to thank you for helping us understand better the process and
procedures concerning how a school handles capacity issues.
Your expertise was well
received and we appreciate your ongoing assistance. WE had great news
tonight and we look forward to a successful future regarding our school
situations. Education is the heartbeat of most communities along with
civic contributors, such as the three of you.
We will keep you on our
e-mail distribution lists and we again thank you for your ongoing support
of our community in general.
John Pickett
Ivanhoe Civic
Association
Posted
October 12, 2007
Attention:
All
IVANHOE
Residents
Did you know that
beginning in 2008 there is a POSSIBILITY your child currently
attending or slated to eventually attend Cypress Bay High School could be
sent to “LLL High” in Pembroke Pines or to Western High in Davie for next
year 2008? Did you know there could be Split sessions or Enrollment
capping?Find
out more… THIS TUESDAY
Ivanhoe Civic
Association meeting:
October 16, Tuesday,
7pm at Rick Case Honda Community Center (second floor of showroom)
If you do not attend,
you could be uninformed!!!!
Posted
October 11, 2007
The first
inaugural meeting of the Ivanhoe Civic Association will meet on October
16, 2007at 7:00 pm at Rick Case Honda on the second floor of the community
room. The agenda will be the Cypress Bay High School Capacity issue and an
update on the Sound Wall.
see flyer
Posted
October 13, 2007
-----Original
Message----- From: Lewis, Lynn [mailto:Lynn.Lewis@dot.state.fl.us]On Behalf
Of OReilly, Gerry Sent: Friday, October 12, 2007 10:15 AM To: jjpickett@bellsouth.net Cc: NEU55@aol.com; Bryan_Caletka@davie-fl.gov; CMendola@aol.com;
CompuMo@aol.com; gary_shimun@davie-fl.gov; GHF@FOWLER-WHITE.COM;
gtorreslaw@bellsouth.net; ilieberman@broward.org; LWEXLER@broward.org;
mike_crowley@davie-fl.gov; Plewbjr@aol.com; rgiordan@bellsouth.net;
rich.nan.web@flsenate.gov; sritter@broward.org; crsavy@bellsouth.net;
Tom_Truex@davie-fl.gov; wendyg071216@msn.com; susan_starkey@davie-fl.gov;
dmeccles@bellsouth.net; Youse, Olivia Subject: RE: Articles on trees, noise-historical facts on I-75
Mr.
Pickett,
We have
received and reviewed numerous e-mails and letters from the Ivanhoe
residents and would like to reassure you that the Florida Department of
Transportation (FDOT) understands your situation. We are acutely aware
that the Ivanhoe developments are impacted by noise from I-75.
Unfortunately, the community does not currently qualify for noise
abatement under federal or state law. This is due to the fact that the
homes in the Ivanhoe developments were built after the federal approvals
for Interstate 75. The five main points of contention from the community
are: 1. Legal requirements for noise abatement; 2. Air Quality; 3.
Safety; 4. Vegetation; and 5. Funding. All of these points are
addressed below:
Legal Requirements:
The federal laws as well as the Florida Statutes, Policies, Reports,
Methods and Specifications are all referenced in the FDOT Project
Development and Environment (PD&E) Manual Volume 2, Chapter 17, at
http://www.dot.state.fl.us/emo/pubs/pdeman/pdeman.htm. Since this
area did not qualify for a Type 1 wall (for new construction), then it
would fall under the Type II regulations (commonly known as a retrofit).
These can be found in Title 23 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR),
Part 772.13(b). This community also does not meet the requirements in
the CFR for the Type II program. Additionally, the State of Florida does
not currently have a Type II program. To change the requirements under
the federal law will require an act of the U.S. Congress. The State of
Florida has adopted 23 CFR 772 under the provisions of Florida Statute
335.17.
Air
Quality:
Information on air quality can be found at the Broward County Air
Quality Division website at
www.broward.org/air. Broward County monitors air quality 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week. Broward County as well as the State of Florida is an
attainment area for air quality, which means that Florida has better air
quality levels than the National Ambient Air Quality Standards adopted
by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The website shows that
for 2007 the County has had 87% "Good Air Quality" (the highest rating)
with only 1.47% "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups". The County recorded
zero (0) days of "Unhealthy", "Very Unhealthy", or "Hazardous" air
quality for 2005, 2006 and 2007 to date. This is based on the EPA's
national Air Quality Index (AQI) which considers ozone, fine particulate
matter and carbon monoxide. The Department does not mitigate air quality
with noise walls.
Safety:
If the Department identifies a safety concern such as a roadside
hazard, it will investigate guardrail as a protective measure.
Additionally, if there is a documented history of vehicles leaving the
roadway and entering private property, the Department would also
investigate the use of guardrail. The Department does not mitigate
roadside hazards or errant vehicles with noise walls.
Vegetation:
The vegetation removed from the I-75 corridor in 1995 was in the
Department's right of way and owned by the State of Florida. The
Melaleuca trees were Type 1, exotic, invasive pest plants that the State
of Florida has a policy of removing from public lands. The visual
landscape buffer provided by the Department was cleaned out, trimmed
and/or replanted after the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005. The landscape
buffer is not intended to provide noise abatement.
Funding:
The current PD&E study will be completed in 2011 and the Department
would anticipate that some if not most developments along I-75 will meet
established criteria for noise abatement. Unfortunately, construction
funding is not in the current 10 year Strategic Intermodal System Cost
Feasible Plan. Currently, we are aware of three avenues for funding
walls outside the normal FDOT/FHWA processes: 1. City, county or
neighborhood funding for privacy walls; 2. A state earmark for privacy
walls; 3. A federal notwithstanding earmark for noise walls. We also
understand that you have been unsuccessful at getting state or federal
earmarks in the past. The Department has preliminarily estimated that
noise wall cost along I-75 in Broward County will be over $25 million.
These costs are based on $50 per square foot installed or $5.8 million
per mile, per side.
As you
know, both a Noise Study and Air Quality Analysis will be part of the
PD&E study for the I-75 expansion which we anticipate will be completed
in 2011. The Department conducted two public workshops on September 18 &
19, 2007. The September 18th, Broward County workshop was attended by
many of the Ivanhoe residents. The majority of the Ivanhoe residents had
similar concerns about the existing noise and air pollution from I-75.
Like you, all of the residents we received comments from want a noise
wall now. The Department will do everything possible to expedite the
environmental analysis and federal approval of the PD&E study. I have
attached a letter sent to Mr. Walter Bell, Jr. on September 24, 2007 by
FDOT District Four at the request of the Governor's Office. This letter
addresses all of the same concerns of you and your neighbors. Please
feel free to call me if you have other questions or I can be of
assistance.
I was
awaken at 4:45 A.M. this morning by the Town of Davie Police Department
informing me that my car had been burglarized. Even though I am
normally a fanatic about locking my vehicle, for some reason I did not
lock it and it was burglarized during the night (crime of
opportunity!). Apparently, there was a rash of car burglaries in the
neighborhood last night where they were only burglarizing unlocked
vehicles and apparently there were quite a few of them. Once again, The
Town of Davie Police Department was "Johnny on the Spot" and responding
to leads they had apprehended the criminals and had them in custody.
Kudos to the Town of Davie Police Department once again for catching the
suspects in the act. Please check your vehicles to see if you have
anything missing and call The Town of Davie Police Department at (954)
693-8200 if you do. The case number is 57367 and Officer Burns is
handling the investigation. The criminals were caught taking money,
change, car chargers, i-pods, cell phones, and anything small of value
that could be carried away easily. Apparently, they did not like
classic rock-n-roll because my Deep Purple, ZZ Top, & Bad Company tapes
were left untouched.
This is
another reminder to us to keep our vehicles locked at all times. You
will not catch me making that same mistake twice. Let's not make it
easy for the bad guys!
Thanks
again to Chief John George and his Town of Davie Police Officers for
another job well done!
Best Regards,
Robert Giordano - Coldwell Banker
Residential Real Estate (Hawkes Bluff
of Ivanhoe Crime Watch Co-ordinator)
From:
Lou & Missy G [mailto:loumissy954@yahoo.com] Sent: Saturday, October
06, 2007 10:37 AM To: John Pickett Subject: RE: Cypress Bay
High School
Hello John,
I don't believe the board is leaning
toward a boundary change at this time, in spite of some parents push for
one. There is a schoolboard workshop on "MMM" Tuesday at Silver Trail.
I can let you know more after the
meeting.
Thanks,
Melissa
What
happened at the meeting is that boundary changes, capping, portables and
4:1 may/willl be considered this year for next year’s school year when
we address the school capacity issues. What we were attempting to do was
take re-boundering off the agenda, so the voters in Weston could NOT
kick our kids out. We now have to go to the next step, which is fighting
again this year. We have to convince the school board and demographers
we would be damaged by being forced to attend LLL (out on US 27 near
Pines Blvd for the 2008-09 school years.
Maybe
Melissa can give us a better explanation, so I am copying her. Melissa?
John.
From:
Robert Giordano [mailto:rgiordan@bellsouth.net] Sent: Friday, October
05, 2007 10:10 AM To: elc512@aol.com Cc: John Pickett
(E-mail) Subject: RE: Cypress Bay
High School
Dear EAC,
I'm not sure what
the final answer is. I believe it is still in consideration.
Best
Regards,
Robert Giordano -
Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate
-----Original
Message----- From: elc512@aol.com
[mailto:elc512@aol.com] Sent: Friday, October
05, 2007 7:37 AM To: rgiordan@bellsouth.net Subject: Re: Cypress Bay
High School
Robert,
When is this rezoning suppossed to
happen? Is it for sure or still in consideration?
regards
EAC
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Giordano <rgiordan@bellsouth.net>
To: Robert Giordano (E-mail) <rgiordan@bellsouth.net>
Sent: Mon, 24 Sep 2007 2:09 am
Subject: FW: Cypress Bay High School
I spoke to you briefly about the school boundaries when we had
the sound wall meeting at the community center
I know you and John Pickett has express your which that we will
remain part of the cypress bay school zone. It seem that the
school zone issues are reaching a critical point. (Please read
e-mail below)
Could you please send out an email to your email list and ask
the parents to show up to the meeting
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
CYPRESS BAY HIGH SCHOOL
7 PM in the Auditorium at the Main Campus
We need the votes.
If you like to get the latest info on what is happening with the
school zone meetings you can contact Melissa G . She is the
SAF/SAC chair for Hawkes Bluff
(954)434 0172
Melissa told me that John is also aware of what is happening
with the boundary issues.
From:
Nancy Juin [mailto:nancyjuin@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Sunday,
September 23, 2007 12:28 PM To: Subject: Need
your support!!!!
IMPORTANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It is urgent for Hawkes Bluff
parents to show up at this meeting and show your support! If we
don’t, there is a strong possibility that our children will end
up at LLL High School to be built south of us on SR27 and Pines
Blvd. If that is where you want your children to attend High
School then, this message doesn’t pertain to you. However if
you DO NOT want your children to go there and would prefer that
they attend Cypress Bay in Weston, which is slated to be
relieved by MMM High School to be built in the future, then your
support is GREATLY needed ASAP!
These discussions have been going
on for quite awhile and people have been fighting on our behalf
but, votes are being taken and they are now in desperate need of our
help! Hawkes Bluff parents MUST attend this meeting in order to
show our support otherwise the people who have put in endless
hours at previous meetings will feel like all their time was
wasted! If we don’t show our support now, we could be thrown
into a boundary process that will be even a bigger battle!
PLEASE, PLEASE,
PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!! Pass along this message to anyone that you
know who can come out and support this issue!!!!!!
DECISIONS ARE BEING MADE THAT WILL
IMPACT OUR CHILDREN.
Please bring friends, aunts & uncles, and grandparents to have a
vote. Yes, there will be a vote.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
CYPRESS BAY HIGH SCHOOL
7 PM in the Auditorium at the Main Campus
Posted Oct.1, 2007
Dear Mayor Truex,
It was an honor that
you have personally taken the time and interest to attend not only our
Meeting regarding I-75, but to attend for the entire duration of the
FDOT I-75 PD&E kick off meeting on September 18th. The Town of Davie
was well represented.
The time you took to
speak with a majority of our residents present at both meetings, hear
their stories and respond as you did was fantastic. I witnessed first
hand and was truly impressed with the direct questioning and the
support you gave the entire Ivanhoe Community while speaking with the
FDOT representatives during this meeting regarding our need for sound
walls. This shows you have an keen insight and full understand what
our area has endured since 1995 and that you have the dedication to
see through on a solution. As we discussed, we know it is a long haul
to make change in the system and constant pressure is needed.
I know you are busy,
as Mayor of Davie, being a family person and having a business to run…
I just wanted you to know the appreciation we all have of your
efforts. Please let us know if you need anything, as I know the vast
majority of our residents appreciate what you do for all of the Davie
stakeholders day in and day out...
Always the best,
John J. Pickett
Hawkes Bluff
15600 S. Roundtable
Road
Davie, Florida 33331
954-296-7800
Posted Oct.2, 2007
Yes, I also know you are
keeping an eye on the I-595 expansion with the FDOT and specifically
for our town, thank you for being one of the few towns to actually
reduce taxes this year, in accordance with the state guidelines set
forth by Governor Crist. We are very proud of you!
Gisela Nanson Torres, Esq.
Gisela Nanson Torres, P.A.
15327
N.W. 60th Avenue, Suite 215
Miami
Lakes, Florida 33014
Phone
(305) 698-0926
Fax
(305) 698-0928
Dear Mayor Truex,
We sincerely appreciate your time,
efforts, and dedication to the residents of Davie and especially the
issues that are relevant to our community, Ivanhoe. Thank you for
hearing and seeing to our needs.
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Eccles
5520 Hawkes Bluff Ave
Davie Fl 33331
954-689-4437
From:
Judy Paul [mailto:jpaulconsulting@msn.com] Sent: Friday,
September 28, 2007 10:10 AM To: Rayder, Ian Cc: Neu55@aol.com;
jjpickett@bellsouth.net; rgiordan@bellsouth.net Subject: Help for
Davie
Hi Ian,
How have you been? I am contacting you to ask you keep Rep
Wasserman-Schultz up to date on recent developments within the
Ivanhoe community regarding the sound walls. I know on past
visits to DC we discussed this and nothing has ever been
resolved. There is a new movement, stronger than ever from the
residents of Ivanhoe to find a solution to the detrimental
impact that I 75 is having, and has had for over 12 years, on
their community. I will be forwarding a series of emails to
you and I hope to hear from you with your recommendation on how
we should move forward with this issue, including a visit to the
Congresswoman either in Washington or maybe when she is back in
town. I imagine we would need a fair amount of time and your
assistance in finding out the answers to residents questions.
Thank you for your time.
Judy Paul, former Councilmember,
Dist 4, Davie
14421 SW 24th St
Davie, 33325
954-476-2515
Judy Paul
Think Green Preserve our precious
natural resources
From: "Rayder, Ian" <Ian.Rayder@mail.house.gov>
To: "Judy Paul" <jpaulconsulting@msn.com>
CC: <Neu55@aol.com>, <jjpickett@bellsouth.net>,
<rgiordan@bellsouth.net>, "Davidson, Jodi" <Jodi.Davidson@mail.house.gov>
Subject: RE: Help for Davie
Date: Mon, 1 Oct 2007 11:57:22 -0400
Judy – I
have contacted the Florida Department of Transportation for an update on
this issue and will get back in touch as soon as I can get a full report
from them. Once I have an understanding of what our limitation are, we can
come up with a strategy to deal with this problem.
Ian
Rayder
-----------------
Senior Legislative Assistant / Appropriations Associate
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, FL-20
118 Cannon House Office Building
Washington D.C., 20515
Phone: 202.225.7931
Fax: 202.226.2052
ian.rayder@mail.house.gov
From:
Judy Paul [mailto:jpaulconsulting@msn.com] Sent: Monday, October 01,
2007 1:29 PM To: Rayder, Ian Cc: rgiordan@bellsouth.net;
Neu55@aol.com; jjpickett@bellsouth.net Subject: RE: Help for
Davie
Ian,
Thanks so much for your speedy reply. I hope we can resolve this issue
by going in a new and more creative way that will allow FDOT to make
some very needed adjustments to the corridor.
Perhaps the answer is adjustments to the
federal criteria which the state claims they are following. I look forward to hearing from you.
Judy
Judy Paul
Think Green Preserve our precious natural
resources
No
problem, Judy. By the way, it should not be necessary for you to fly up
here to meet with the Congresswoman. We could probably arrange that for
our District Office.
Ian
Rayder
-----------------
Senior Legislative Assistant / Appropriations Associate
Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, FL-20
118 Cannon House Office Building
Washington D.C., 20515
Phone: 202.225.7931
Fax: 202.226.2052
ian.rayder@mail.house.gov
Posted Sept. 29, 2007
-----Original Message----- From: John Pickett [mailto:jjpickett@bellsouth.net] Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2007 9:45 AM To: 'Robert Giordano (E-mail)' Subject: Please distribute to your list Robert Importance: High
Dear neighbors,
Below, you MUST bookmark this site. It is our Ivanhoe “Civic
Association” site. Val O’Connor began this site and it literally can
connect us all in one place. We can announce meetings, hang out and
speak up! There are areas of interest and lot’s of informative news. The
I-75 sound walls, a variety of correspondence, etc…
