I OPPOSE THE CLOSURE OF SHERIDAN PARK!

This district has a tough choice- You need to consolidate schools to save money with the LEAST amount of disruption. The right choice and the solution is clear- Combining the students from Hollywood Park into Sheridan Park will help keep 2 communities of students, families, and staff together. Sheridan Park, also, has the land to expand if need be in the future. If we shutter the Sheridan Park location- we are sending a bad message to the public- we are losing the school battle- public schools are going down. Instead- we want to send a more positive message - WE ARE HERE TO STAY!

Sheridan Park is a loving multicultural and multilingual family with many great programs!
We have a STEAM innovative program, chorus, Sparky Sound (similar to percussion band), Student Council and a food forest. We have Art, Music and STEAM for our specials. We would love to expand what we offer at Sheridan Park by raising enrollment. We welcome the idea of bringing the entire HPE community to our school. We are in each other's shoes and understand the stress and emotional damage this has on everyone. We would make it a smooth transition by extending any of our Family Nights, school events and School Carnival to the HPE family.

PROBLEM- Low enrollment in two neighborhood schools
SOLUTION- Consolidate Hollywood Park into Sheridan Park to keep 2 communities intact.

PROBLEM- The district proposes splitting Sheridan Park's ASD cluster into 5 schools. This would create more cost by having to create ASD programs in different schools AND bus routes.
SOLUTION- Keep Sheridan Park open and bring HPE over- truly the only thing that would need to be created is a new bus route to accommodate students.

PROBLEM- HPE Community fears that they won't have after care available through their beloved Boys and Girls club
We too have a Boys and Girls Club- Rick and Rita Case- that busses our students AND we have low cost after care through Camp Wannado ONSITE at SPE. The HPE community is worried about not being able to attend their Boys and Girls club- the Huizenga Club.
SIMPLE SOLUTION- I ask the school board to create a bus stop to transport the HPE students that attend the Huizenga Club right in front of it.

Dear Committee members & all that will actually listen to the parents, students & community leaders of Lloyd Estates Elementary, as previously address the way we (the staff, faculty, students & parents of LEES) were treated during this entire process was completely unacceptable & disgusting. We were blindsided by the closure of our school & were not given the opportunity to see what we as a community could do to keep our neighborhood school open.

And instead of listening to parents & community leaders, it seems as if the only response we’re getting from BCPS is “how can we make this transition easy for parents & students?” Rather than how can we increase enrollment to keep our neighborhood schools open.

I’d also like to address why schools such as Westchester, Silver Ridge, Ramblewood, Meadowbrook, Hawkes Bluff, Chapel Trail, Pinewood or Ricerglades wasn’t consider being that they also have a significant decline in enrollment according to BCPS Five-Year Historic Benchmark Enrollment sheet. Why was it so easy for the decision to be made to close Lloyd Estate without asking US what we can do to keep it open? Or to see what accommodations can be made to assure the students wouldn’t be forced out of their homeschool? Furthermore, why was the decision made to close Lloyd Estates rather than to move students from Oakland Park Elementary over to LEES due to low enrollment of both schools? What were the determining factors that placed LEES at the top of the list for closure?

As stated in the last School board meeting, steps were skipped during the decision making process & the Math is simply not adding up.

Instead of addressing our concerns/questions BCPS continues to ignore & gaslight parents, rather than give valid answers or reasons. Enrollment is low and will continue to decline due to a number of factors, will BCPS eventually close every school down as a FIX ALL answer? What can be done to increase enrollment? Have we not considered speaking to legislators in Tallahassee to remove charter schools from the budget, since the budget is such a major concern? Sharing a budget with schools that BCPS claims to have no control over, yet it’s impacting students of said public schools is a great disservice.

Please reconsider the closure of Dolphin Bay elementary, there are alternate solutions that the district could consider, thank you.

I oppose the closure of Hollywood Park Elementary School. The issue at hand is enrollment. Hollywood Park's enrollment is stable and increased since August. If the reassignment window was still open, it would continue to increase. Parents will choose a school that has consistently been an A-rated and provides an unmatched after-care option in the Boys and Girls Club over and over again. Parents of the Hollywood Park community will not select the option to send their children to schools that are consistently B or C rated and do not have the walkability and convenience of Boys and Girls Club. The students will not all travel to Sheridan Park, they will choose reassignment to A schools (if spots are available), charter schools, private schools, or homeschool. Closing Hollywood Park Elementary, will not only contribute to the problem of decreasing enrollment, but it will also continue the trend of lack of trust in school board decisions. Closing the only A rated school in the immediate area, the school with the better Facility Index Report and no cost to the district for transportation makes community members wonder what went into this decision other than looking at a map. I strongly encourage a pause now before closing some of the proposed schools, especially Hollywood Park. As it is apparent from the many comments in all the communities that there is a lack of transparency and the due diligence to make decisions of this magnitude is lacking.

Chair Leonardi and Members of the School Board:
The City of Oakland Park appreciates that the revised materials now include an option to keep Lloyd Estates Elementary open as a K-5 school while pursuing an external partner for co-location. This is a constructive first step and creates an opportunity for the City and District to evaluate whether a solution can be developed that addresses the District’s concerns without closing a successful neighborhood school.
The City has already begun meaningful conversations with District administration, community partners, and advocates about resources and uses that could strengthen the campus while preserving its educational purpose. These discussions have identified opportunities that warrant further evaluation to determine whether they can support a practical and responsible solution.
Lloyd Estates is not just a successful neighborhood school but also an important community resource. Families depend on the campus for education, childcare, after-school care, summer and school-break programming, recreation, and other services. Closing the school before the keep-open option is fully evaluated could disrupt those services and eliminate an alternative that may better serve both the District and the community.
The City and School Board share responsibility for serving the same children and families. We have an opportunity to address this matter through early communication, a complete review of the facts, and direct cooperation between our administrations.
The direction provided by the Board will determine whether this collaborative approach receives a genuine opportunity to succeed. We ask the Board to keep Lloyd Estates open, advance the co-location option for further evaluation, and direct District administration to continue working with the City before any closure recommendation moves forward.

Dear Chair Leonardi and Members of the School Board:
As you prepare for the October 6 Redefining Our Schools workshop, I respectfully ask you to keep Lloyd Estates Elementary open and allow the co-location option to be fully developed and evaluated.
Lloyd Estates is an A-rated school that improved from a C to an A. It is also a year-round community hub serving hundreds of Oakland Park children through after-school care, summer camp and school-break programs. The Children’s Services Council has committed to another four years of programming at Lloyd Estates, supporting enrichment, academic assistance and family services.
The campus also represents significant recent public investment. Broward County Public Schools has allocated approximately $6.8 million in SMART improvements, while the city, FDOT and Broward MPO invested another $1.67 million in Safe Routes to School improvements designed to help children walk safely to Lloyd Estates.
Future growth matters as well. More than 3,100 residential units are already moving forward within the current attendance area, with additional growth possible in the Cypress Creek/Uptown area.
I recognize the district faces serious enrollment and financial challenges. But closing a school is permanent. Exploring a partnership is not.
The revised proposal to keep the K-5 school open while pursuing a co-location partner gives us a meaningful opportunity to address the district’s concerns without losing a successful neighborhood school.
Oakland Park is ready to work with the School Board, families and community partners to find a sustainable solution. I respectfully ask the Board to remove closure from consideration while the co-location option is fully developed and evaluated.
Please give Lloyd Estates, and the partnership now taking shape, the opportunity to succeed.
Thank you for your consideration.
- Steven R. Arnst, Mayor, Oakland Park

I oppose the proposed closure of William Dandy Middle School. I understand that declining enrollment is a serious concern and that the district is facing difficult decisions. However, before closing any school, I respectfully ask that the district consider not only the number of students enrolled, but also what would be lost along with the school itself.

William Dandy Middle School is the only middle school in Broward County offering a pre-law and pre-medical magnet program. Closing the school would mean losing a specialized educational environment that provides students with unique opportunities to explore these fields at an early age. It would also disrupt the relationships, traditions, and sense of community that make William Dandy a special place for students and families.

Many students and families have intentionally chosen William Dandy because of its magnet program and the opportunities it provides. Closing the school would force these students to transition to a different educational environment and could diminish access to a program that is unique within the county.

Before making a final decision, I respectfully ask the district to consider alternatives that could increase enrollment and strengthen the magnet program. Greater outreach, expanded partnerships, and increased visibility of the pre-law and pre-medical programs could help showcase what makes William Dandy unique and attract more families to the school.

A school’s value cannot be measured by enrollment numbers alone. William Dandy represents specialized educational opportunities, a dedicated school community, and a pathway that students and families have deliberately chosen. I urge the district to explore every reasonable alternative before deciding to close this important school.

Please preserve William Dandy Middle School and give the school an opportunity to grow by investing in and promoting the unique programs that set it apart.

THE SENSIBLE SOLUTION THE DISTRICT IS IGNORING: The proposal to close Sheridan Park Elementary is completely short-sighted when a far better, long-term solution is sitting right in front of the school board.
Instead of shuttering a thriving school, the district should consolidate the two communities by having Sheridan Park absorb Hollywood Park Elementary.
Look at the facts of this alternative:
Hits 97% Capacity: Combining the student bodies brings Sheridan Park to approximately 97% utilization, perfectly meeting the district’s efficiency goals to eliminate empty seats without destroying a community anchor.
*Protects Autism Programs: Sheridan Park already has the infrastructure and specialized systems built for its vital Autism special programs. This solution preserves those essential spaces instead of tearing them apart.
*Zero New Capital Waste: This optimization uses existing school space perfectly, meaning no new capital expenditures or major budget strains.
*No Major Route Overhauls: It prevents families from being scattered across multiple far-away receiving schools, avoiding massive transportation overhauls.
Why is the district pushing a disruptive closure when they can achieve their efficiency targets through a sustainable, protective model?
Demand that the board fully model and consider the Sheridan Park Absorption Option before making any final recommendations!

As the father of an amazing now autistic adult who was transferred multiple times due to restructuring while he was in school I wanted to share that for so many of our kids finding that staff that encourages and allows them to shine is rare. When my son was diagnosed I was told because of autism he wouldn't be able to bond with others like typical kids his age. Thanks to an amazing staff similar to those at Sheridan he not only bonded but has remained friends with most. Their compassion and expectations has prepared him for the realties of the world and taught him how to persevere. Having someone who not only understands our kids like the Sheridan Team but expects more of them than so many others is something that not only needs to be retained but expanded on if possible.

Dear Chair Leonardi and Members of the School Board:

As you prepare for the October 6 Redefining Our Schools workshop, I respectfully ask that you keep Lloyd Estates Elementary School open and allow the co-location option to be fully developed and evaluated.

Lloyd Estates is an A-rated school that improved from a C to an A. It is also a year-round community hub, serving hundreds of Oakland Park children through after-school care, summer camp, and school-break programs. The Children’s Services Council has committed to another four years of programming at Lloyd Estates, supporting enrichment, academic assistance, and family services.
The campus also represents significant recent public investment. Broward County Public Schools has allocated approximately $6.8 million in SMART improvements, while the City of Oakland Park, FDOT, and Broward MPO have invested another $1.67 million in Safe Routes to School improvements designed to help children walk safely to Lloyd Estates.

Future growth must also be considered. More than 3,100 residential units are already moving forward within the current attendance area, with additional growth possible in the Cypress Creek/Uptown area.

I recognize that the district faces serious enrollment and financial challenges. But closing a school is permanent. Exploring a partnership is not.

The revised proposal to keep the K–5 school open while pursuing a co-location partner gives us a meaningful opportunity to address the district’s concerns without losing a successful neighborhood school.

Oakland Park is ready to work with the School Board, families, and community partners to find a sustainable solution. I respectfully ask the Board to remove closure from consideration while the co-location option is fully developed and evaluated.

Please give Lloyd Estates and the partnership now taking shape the opportunity to succeed.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

I oppose the proposal to merge Dolphin Bay and Silver Lakes into Glades. I am I support of keeping Dolphin Bay open as a traditional pre-k-5 elementary school.

40 percent of the school population at Dolphin Bay are there because of school choice. The assumption is that – if you close Dolphin Bay, and send the students to Glades – that same 40 percent is going to school choice in to Glades…that is not the case. The reality is those students will scatter across Broward County.

Families seek out Dolphin Bay for the ESE program, the gifted program, and most of all, the reputation they have built. That reputation is not built just off the convenient location. That reputation does not come from the physical building itself – it’s the culture inside those walls and the carefully curated staff that creates that standard of excellence this school has achieved year in and year out. This is not something you just replicate over night.

As a school choice parent we will not be choosing Glades for our first grader, nor our younger children because our job is to protect their innocence. Merging into a middle school with 700 students is not a place where we can achieve that, and exposes them to things they aren’t ready to see and hear.

Dear School Board Members:

I am writing as the ACE Autism Subcommittee Chair of ESE Advisory to share urgent concerns families have raised regarding the recently announced school closures and the district’s proposed alternative configuration at other campuses. Parents have expressed worries that demand careful attention. Parents feel deep apprehension about the safety, appropriateness, and desirability of sending their children to this new setup across different campuses. Many lack confidence that these environments will meet the developmental, behavioral, and instructional needs of their students, particularly those receiving ESE services. ESE families worry profoundly about cluster continuity specifically whether children will retain their current teachers, autism coaches, and administrators. These staff members form the core of a child’s stability and progress. For many students with disabilities, sudden personnel changes cause regression, emotional distress, and disrupted support systems.
Parents also question whether specialized clusters will transition intact or if students will be redistributed, breaking apart established relationships. This is critical since cluster programs already face large class sizes; further restructuring could strain instructional environments and compromise safety, behavioral stability, and individual attention. Some families are already considering microschools, or other private program options if forced. When families explore external options, it signals that trust in district decision‑making is under severe strain.
As a district, we invest heavily in customer service, and retention. Parents are our customers, and when they speak up in large numbers, listening is a strategic imperative. Families are clearly stating that they need to be supported, and willing to remain in public schools. Ignoring them risks accelerating the enrollment declines we are working hard to reverse.
I urge the Board and leadership to ensure transparent communication and revisit this implementation plan, focusing intensely on ESE continuity, safety, cluster stability, and necessary instructional conditions.
Thank you for your time,

Melissa Carrion Ramos
acebrowardchair@gmail.com

My name is Christina Ramos, a former William Dandy Middle School student and current 10th grader at Fort Lauderdale High School. I strongly urge the district not to close William Dandy Middle School. While closures are being evaluated due to enrollment, shuttering Dandy would strip our community culture, harm incoming students, and eliminate vital pipeline programs for Broward County middle schoolers.

Opened in 1959, William Dandy Middle School carries a profound legacy as a beacon of leadership through desegregation. Named after William E. Dandy the first Black superintendent of Broward County Public Schools the school provides a safe, empowering environment for underserved Black students. Discarding this legacy sends a damaging message.

Reassigning students to Dillard Middle or Parkway Middle places them at an academic disadvantage. U.S. News & World Report data shows Dandy outperforms both in Math proficiency, while Dillard trails Dandy in English proficiency, and Parkway’s English edge is a mere 2%. Furthermore, Dandy is the only local middle school offering dedicated Pre-Med and Pre-Law magnet programs. Dillard only offers performing arts, forcing law and medicine-focused students to wait until high school. Moving middle schoolers to Dillard also mixes them with high schoolers, placing younger students alongside individuals at vastly different maturity levels.

Dandy set me up for success. My Pre-Law teacher, Ms. Lumsden, took us to FIU, courtrooms, and the law firm Greenspoon Marder to compete in real trials. Thanks to Dandy pushing me beyond the basics, I entered Fort Lauderdale High School prepared to excel as one of only two freshmen in a law class with upperclassmen, entering French 4 Honors as a sophomore, and joining the Cambridge program to pursue the Bright Futures scholarship. Involvement in Dandy’s SGA built key leadership skills, and Dandy’s Pre-Med alumni thrive at schools like Blanche Ely, Nova High, and Fort Lauderdale High.

Despite limited funding, Dandy's staff helps students succeed. Rather than closing Dandy, the district should grant it time and support, boosting enrollment by letting magnet coordinators visit local elementary schools. Dandy deserves investment, not abandonment.

I OPPOSE the closing of Sheridan Park Elementary.
I am asking the School Board to reconsider the proposed closure of Sheridan Park Elementary School.
Closing Sheridan Park should not be viewed simply as moving students from one building to another. It will affect families, transportation, after-school care, and other organizations that depend on the students attending Sheridan Park.
According to the district's information, Sheridan Park has a permanent capacity of 810 students, while Hollywood Park Elementary has a capacity of 593 students. Before deciding to close Sheridan Park, I believe the district should thoroughly evaluate whether consolidating or repurposing a smaller-capacity school, such as Hollywood Park, would make more sense than closing a school with a larger facility and established infrastructure.
I am also extremely concerned about the potential impact on the Rick and Rita Case Boys & Girls Club. The Club provides private bus transportation from Sheridan Park to its after-school programs. That transportation is an important resource for working families. If Sheridan Park closes, the Club could potentially lose a substantial number of students, which could affect enrollment, funding, donations, and ultimately its ability to continue providing programs and services to children throughout our community — including children who do not attend Sheridan Park.
The decision should consider the full community impact, not simply enrollment numbers or the cost of maintaining a school building.
Please look at all available options before closing Sheridan Park Elementary. Consider the impact on our children, families, transportation, after-school programs, and community organizations.
Sheridan Park Elementary is an important part of our community, and I strongly urge the School Board to keep SPE open and thoroughly explore alternatives before making a decision that could have lasting consequences for our families and community.

Dolphin Bay has already received significant safety investments. In 2020, BCPS partnered with the City of Miramar on a 3D mapping and modeling project involving 17 schools, with Dolphin Bay selected as the pilot school.

Dolphin Bay staff members have also participated in extensive active emergency training conducted by Miramar Police. Our school already has staff who know the campus, know our children, and have been trained to respond during a crisis. These safety resources and investments would be costly to replicate elsewhere. Why walk away from that investment?

The proposed closure also raises serious concerns about student needs, particularly the needs of our youngest and most vulnerable children. Placing these students on a middle school campus could create significant safety risks. Parents continue to have more questions than answers and there are still no concrete plans for our ASD cluster students or Specialized and Intensive Pre-K students, only possibilities and uncertainty. Our children need stability, specialized spaces, familiar routines, appropriately trained staff, and consistent support. They should not be an afterthought in a major restructuring decision.

Dolphin Bay’s Pre-K programs are a strength that should be protected and expanded, not displaced. Children who come through Dolphin Bay’s Pre-K program enter kindergarten well prepared because of the strong foundation and support they receive from Pre-k. The school already has the programs, trained staff, safety resources, and infrastructure needed to serve our community effectively.

Dolphin Bay is an A-rated school that is already working. Why close a successful A-rated elementary school, combine its students to another campus, and then spend time/resources trying to make that school into what Dolphin Bay already is?

Instead of closing Dolphin Bay, BCPS should preserve it as a traditional Pre-K–5 elementary school, protect its specialized programs, and build upon what is already working for our children. Our children should not lose a school that BCPS and the City of Miramar have already invested in making safer, stronger, and better prepared to serve them. Keep Dolphin Bay open and combine Silver Lakes to Dolphin Bay.

I strongly oppose the closure of Dolphin Bay Elementary. Dolphin Bay is more than an academically excellent school—it has created a culture of respect, inclusion, and genuine support for students and families. As a parent of an ESE student, finding a school where our children are truly understood, supported, and valued is incredibly difficult. What Dolphin Bay has built cannot simply be measured by enrollment numbers or recreated by moving students to another campus. Please listen to our families and protect this very special school community.

The district keeps talking about "consolidation options," but they haven’t shared any real financial analysis on combining Hollywood Park and Sheridan Park together so no one gets left behind. Shifting us around without a clear plan isn't fair to the students who love their school. We need a model that actually makes sense for our education and our future. Clear the air and show us the real alternative options!

Hello,

This week, you have a difficult choice regarding which school-redefining option to move forward with. Please consider the problems and solutions our school communities have proposed.

We are SHERIDAN PARK PROUD, and we want to stay open and BCPS PROUD!

I OPPOSE THE CLOSURE OF SHERIDAN PARK!

We understand that schools may need to be consolidated to save money, but this should be done with the LEAST amount of disruption to students, families, and staff. We believe the solution is clear: combine Hollywood Park Elementary into Sheridan Park.

Sheridan Park has the land and space to accommodate additional students and grow in the future. We are a loving, multicultural, and multilingual community with STEAM, Chorus, Sparky Sound, Student Council, a Food Forest, Art, Music, and STEAM Specials. We would proudly welcome the HPE community and include them in our Family Nights, school events, and Carnival.

PROBLEM: Low enrollment in two neighborhood schools makes operating both campuses too costly.

SOLUTION: Consolidate HPE into Sheridan Park, keeping two communities together while making better use of an existing campus with room to grow.

PROBLEM: Sheridan Park's ASD cluster could be split among as many as five schools, creating additional programs, resources, and transportation needs.

SOLUTION: Keep Sheridan Park open and bring HPE over, allowing an established ASD program to remain together and minimizing additional transportation needs.

PROBLEM: HPE families are concerned about losing access to the Marti Huizenga Boys & Girls Club.

SOLUTION: Sheridan Park has the Rick and Rita Case Boys & Girls Club, which buses our students, and Camp Wannado after-care on-site. We also ask the School Board to consider a bus stop at or near the Marti Huizenga Club for HPE students who continue attending there.

The solution is clear: Keep Sheridan Park open. Welcome Hollywood Park. Keep our communities together.

Thank you for your consideration!

The District's own data supports keeping Dolphin Bay open and consolidating Silver Lakes into Dolphin Bay. While Dolphin Bay currently serves 397 students and operates at 47.8% capacity, it attracts 144 out-of-boundary students, representing 36.3% of its enrollment, compared to just 67 at Silver Lakes. That level of parent choice shows stronger demand for Dolphin Bay and the programs it offers. Dolphin Bay also plays an important role as a hub for ESE, ASD, and Pre-K services. Community feedback was equally clear, with participants overwhelmingly supporting the preservation of a traditional elementary school and specifically identifying a Silver Lakes-to-Dolphin Bay consolidation as the preferred alternative to creating a K-8 school at Glades. The enrollment data tells a similar story. Silver Lakes has the lowest stay rate in the area, with only 24.4% of boundary students attending their assigned school, compared to 41.3% at Dolphin Bay, and 53.9% of Silver Lakes boundary students already choose charter schools. These numbers suggest that closing Dolphin Bay would not keep more students in BCPS and could actually accelerate enrollment losses by driving even more families to seek options elsewhere. Combining Dolphin Bay's 397 students with Silver Lakes' 318 students would create a strong PK-5 school of approximately 715 students, preserving specialized programs, maintaining an age-appropriate elementary school environment, and aligning with the District's own ThoughtExchange findings, which identified consolidation at Dolphin Bay as the community's preferred solution.

Page 42 of the agenda seems to leave out the most logical and common sense option - consolidate Hollywood Park in its entirety into Sheridan Park. It makes no sense to transition students from 1 school into 2 or 1 school into 3 when all of the students from 1 school can all move together into a single school. I vehemently oppose closing Sheridan Park. If something needs to happen because all schools being discussed in Hollywood can't remain open, then the option that makes the most sense is to simply move Hollywood Park into Sheridan Park and leave Sheridan Park open. This option needs to be added to the slides in the agenda.