Anniversary of Shuttle Challenger Tragedy

Teachers are always teaching

Today is the anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy.  For my generation, the Space Shuttle launches were very defining. During my youth, we ranged from the excitement of the first shuttle launch to routine launches to tragedy.  Nearly all these events we watched in school classrooms with my teachers.

On January 28, 1986, the NASA Space Shuttle orbiter undertook mission STS-51-L and the tenth flight of Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members: five NASA astronauts, one payload specialist, and a civilian school teacher, Christa McAuliffe.

Christa McAuliffe, Payload Specialist, Teacher

Many of us likely remember where we were when we learned of the event. I can well remember being on a school bus coming back from a field trip listening to our Walkman radios when we started hearing breaking news about the tragedy. As we got back and began walking in our high school every TV available was tuned into the horrible event. Classrooms were solemnly quiet listening to the newscasters. I went to my science class and my teacher said something, as we watched the news that profoundly stuck with me for all these years about the passion teachers, have for learning and teaching their students. Our teacher was asked by a student, “Ms. Sand

Ms. Sandra Bent, Greater Boston Academy science teacher

Ms. Bent, seeing what happened to the shuttle, if you were asked to go on a mission next week would you?” I was a little surprised that without any hesitation she replied, “absolutely”! Ms. Bent went on to explain that she would want the opportunity to learn all and come back and share with us that knowledge. She said that Ms. Christa McAuliffe well understood those risks, but she was willing to for her students and their learning.

Over the years as we learn more about what I happened I have from time to time I have asked teachers that same question asked of Ms. Bent in 1986, perhaps not surprising is I hear different versions of the same answer. Each has said they would go, even knowing the risk because they are teachers, and learning and sharing are who they are.

God bless the crew and family of Space Shuttle Challenger/STS-51-L;

Francis R. Scobee, Commander

Michael J. Smith, Pilot

Ronald McNair, Mission Specialist

Ellison Onizuka, Mission Specialist

Judith Resnik, Mission Specialist

Gregory Jarvis, Payload Specialist

Christa McAuliffe, Payload Specialist, Teacher

(Portions of this column used information found at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster)

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SB 1088: Teacher Salary Enhancement bill passes unanimously out of its first committee

(c) The Florida Channel

Well done to the Florida Senate Education Committee who voted unanimously to advance SB 1088: Teacher Salary Enhancement by State Senator Manny Diaz Jr.​ out of its first committee.

Pleased that during debate, Senators on both sides of the aisle expressed support for Governor Ron DeSantis​ and the legislature for being serious about improving Florida teachers’ salaries. Several Senators expressed hope that the bill is improved to include all educators.

Was further pleased with bill sponsor Senator Diaz’s closing comments where he stated that the bill needed to, “respect local collective bargaining process which is in our State’s constitution”, and where he went on to say the bill needs to also, “be equitable to districts cost of living differential”.

As the Senators express this bill is just beginning to be developed and has a long way to go still. Senator Diaz explained it will likely be a late approval due to its majorly impacted by the budget.

Watch the entire meeting at http://www.flsenate.gov/media/VideoPlayer?EventID=2443575804_2020011024&Redirect=true

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Gov. DeSantis unveils 2020 State education budget proposal

Encouraging…

This week Governor DeSantis unveiled his state budget recommendations for the 2020 Legislative Session.  While some in education still have some additional ideas, concerns, and hopes about budget funding and policy development for the 2020 session, and while no budget recommendation is perfect— this is an encouraging budget recommendation for public education and I look forward to sharing with our Legislators about how we can improve it more for the students in Citrus County and Florida.

As one reviews the Governor’s budget and see things one likes and doesn’t like, it is important to remember that this is only a recommendation, it is the Legislature that has the authority and responsibility of creating the state budget.  It is important to understand that the governor’s recommendation highlights the spending priorities and new policies that the Governor looks to pursue.  Governor DeSantis’s budget serves as a guide to the 2020 Legislature as it takes on the more detailed task of developing and passing a balanced state budget.  Follow this link for an excellent side-by-side comparison of 2019-2020 Florida State Budget on Education and the Governor’s 2020-2021 Budget Recommendations- https://fsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Comparison-Gov-Budget-2020-21-Budget.pdf.

Please continue to share your thoughts, concerns, and ideas about how we can help make the Florida 2020 Legislative Session positive and successful for our students and schools.

Here are some key items in the Governor’s recommended budget:

• • An increase of more than $1 billion in total FEFP funding – mostly due to the salary and bonus packages
  • A $50 increase in the Base Student Allocation
  • Continuation of the partial roll-back of the Required Local Effort millage rate
  • Continuation of the Funding Compression Allocation
  • Elimination of the Declining Enrollment Supplement
  • Modest increases in most categorical programs
  • State PECO funding set at nearly $174 million for charter schools and $50 million for traditional public schools
  • Increased funding for Special Facility Construction to add three more districts for their 1st year
  • A $60 million increase in Workforce Education Funding

(Thank you to Florida School Board Association for information that assisted in writing this article.)

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