The School Board has approved plans for renovating Plantation and Seminole middle schools, both in Plantation.
Both schools will get new science rooms, remodeled administrative offices and new heating and air-conditioning systems.
Plantation Middle will get walls to enclose the now-open classrooms. The home economics and art laboratories will be remodeled.
Seminole Middle will get a new guidance office. The school library will be moved. And an open area will be renovated to create 24 new classrooms.
The price tag on the renovations is $4.2 million at Plantation and $3.9 million at Seminole.
Project manager Mark Rowe said he expects construction at both schools to begin in January 1989. Between now and then, final drawings will be made and approved, contractors will bid on the projects and the contracts will be awarded. The renovations should be completed sometime in 1989, Rowe said.
— Children from the David Posnack Hebrew Day School in Plantation planted a 12-inch fir tree last week at Aviva Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Lauderdale Lakes to celebrate Tu Bishvat, the Jewish “New Year of Trees.”
Teacher June Rothhouse took her fourth-graders to Aviva Manor, where they sang traditional Hebrew songs and planted the tree in commemoration of the ancient holiday, which is celebrated during a month when heavy rains fall in Israel.
Aviva Manor also donated a tree to be planted in Israel in conjunction with the same holiday, which was on Feb. 12 this year.
— South Plantation High School’s peer counselors were recognized by state Commissioner of Education Betty Castor as a Florida Quality Program through her “Sharing Success in Florida” project.
School Board Chairperson Lori Nance Parrish presented the award on Feb. 18.
The peer counselors were recognized for their work in drug abuse education and prevention.
During the campus morning television program, the students have presented public service announcements about how students can get help for themselves or friends who use crack cocaine or cocaine rock.
The students also help coordinate one of the state’s largest and most active Students Against Driving Drunk chapters.
Principal Linda Wilhoit credits peer counseling teacher Gail Mitchell for the program’s success.
“She has a lot of structure in her program, so if a kid needs help, he can get it,” Wilhoit said.
Wilhoit said Mitchell inspires and motivates her students, through her own example.
“She spends a lot of time at home, talking to students and parents on the phone. She’s just always available, and she has a great bunch of kids in the peer counseling program,” Wilhoit said.
— Maysel Correa, a fifth-grader at Sandpiper Elementary School in Sunrise, won the “Best in Show” award at the Hollywood Festival of the Arts competition, titled Expressions of ’88. Maysel was given a $25 gift certificate for her artwork.
