Florida Union Free School District American Rescue Plan Funding

The Florida Union Free School District has framed initial areas of focus utilizing the federal American Rescue Plan money to help us address the immediate consequences of the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, while at the same time build longer-term capacity that will benefit the children and families of our school district for the future.

FUFSD’s expectations for prioritizing and maximizing these federal funds will include:

The safe return of all students to in-person instruction;
Ensuring that all buildings are safe, clean and offer healthy environments for all;
Maximizing in-person instructional time;
Operating schools to full capacity and meet the needs of individual students;
Purchasing additional educational technology;
Addressing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all students, including low-income students,
students with disabilities, English Language Learners;
Engaging in targeted professional development for all staff in an effort to increase overall capacity;
Implement evidence-based strategies to meet students’ social, emotional, mental health and academic needs;
Offer evidence-based summer, after school, and other extended learning enrichment programs;
Support early childhood education and link UPK program to the K-12 continuum;
Other areas of student performance and need.

Safe and Healthy School Environment

FUFSD will continue to ensure that safe and healthy learning environments are in place for students, teachers, staff and the community, including creating outdoor learning spaces. Ongoing inspections, testing, maintenance, repair, replacement and upgrades to HVAC systems will ensure that the indoor air quality in all school facilities is at the highest standard. Testing and evaluations of systems—including mechanical and non-mechanical heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, filtering, purification, fans, control systems and window and door repair—will be part of the health and safety targets for the facilities department.

Connections: 1, 2, 3, 4

ARP/CRRSA2021-22

Provide Summer Learning and Enrichment for Students in Grades PK-12

FUFSD recognizes the need for students to have opportunities to engage students and families in fun, creative, and educational programming that reinforces and enriches school year learning.

Students in the FUFSD summer program will benefit from programming that integrates recreation with enrichment and remediation activities that focus on positive relationships among peers and with adults. The Florida summer extension program will serve students in grades PreK through 12.

Connections: 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Offer Credit Recovery for Students in Grades 9-12

FUFSD will provide in-person opportunities for students that require course/credit recovery in grades 9-12. This program will support students in grades 9-12 and will be delivered by Monroe-Woodbury CSD.

Connections: 2, 3, 7, 9

Teacher Professional Development and Training

FUFSD understands that effective professional development enables educators to develop the knowledge and skills they need to address students’ individual academic and social emotional needs.

Professional development will focus on enhancing a culture of learning through coaching; developing a well-articulated mathematics PreK-12 mathematics curriculum, providing evidence-based strategies and resources to ensure students are making adequate progress toward literacy acquisition, developing protocols for integrating technology in the classroom that promotes deeper, personalized learning across subjects and grade levels, and enhancing opportunities of student-led inquiry experiences.

Connections: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9

Expand Before/After School Academic, Extra-Curricular Activities

Athletics and extracurricular activities play a critical part in the lives of students. We will expand academic support for students before and after school at the elementary level as well as after school for secondary students; and we will continue to offer targeted programs for students in grades 6-12, where applicable. We will create new opportunities for students to participate in at all levels, that encourage creativity, build confidence, and lead to stronger connections between students, peers and the school.

Connections: 5, 6, 7, 9

ARP/CRRSA2021-22

Increase Mental Health Staff

The COVID-19 pandemic caused students and families to face emotional and social challenges due to the loss of socialization and support services. FUFSD has increased our current mental health staff by adding one school social worker to a probationary appointment. School social workers are trained mental health professionals who assist students and families with mental health and behavioral concerns, provide positive behavioral supports, along with academic and classroom support. In addition, the FUFSD will reevaluate the way in which all interdisciplinary staff are utilized so that each member can purposefully address individual student needs.

Connections: 3, 5, 6, 8, 9

Enhance Core Instruction and Targeted Academic Intervention

FUFSD plans to audit our core instruction to ensure that we are solidly aligned to state standards and that all assessments are understood by teachers, students and parents. Develop grade level and instructional teams that will meet regularly and to evaluate assessments, adjust instructional planning and evaluate student artifacts. As a result, we will ensure that both our core instruction and our AIS services are child-centered, targeted and properly evaluated. The academic intervention staff will provide direct services to students, using evidence-based practices to identify and enhance learning.