MIAMI (WSVN) - Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho is visiting several campuses across the county this weekend, as officials make last-minute preparations to ensure students are stocked with all the supplies they need to start classes on the right foot.
Classes in the county don’t begin until Monday, but it was back to school for Carvalho on Saturday.
It was actually back to several schools — just before students return.
“Between now and Monday morning, the very first day of school, I’ll be visiting about 20 different schools, just to make sure all systems are a go,” said Carvalho.
His first stop on Saturday was iPrep Academy in Miami, as the school, which enrolls students from pre-K through 12th grade, hosted its pre-K orientation.
Carvalho is not only at the helm of the district; he’s also the principal of iPrep.
Countless @MDCPS children receiving everything they’ll need to start the year right – free backpacks, uniforms, school supplies, makeovers and much more, courtesy of @StyleSaves. pic.twitter.com/20vwkbVtqF
— Alberto M. Carvalho (@LAUSDSup) August 18, 2018
The superintendent also stopped by the annual Style Saves Back-To-School event. The nonprofit provides a bunch of essentials for students in need.
“The students that we invite here are coming from all the foster care, all the homeless shelters and all the migrant camps,” said a Style Saves spokesperson, “and any underprivileged home, community or organization, from South Miami all the way to Palm Beach.”
Sharing a great book and my love of reading with my new @TreasureElem friends. pic.twitter.com/1wFykN3EKr
— Alberto M. Carvalho (@LAUSDSup) August 18, 2018
Carvalho also toured Treasure Island Elementary in North Bay Village, one of several schools in the county who underwent renovations. This year, $147 million went toward sprucing up different campuses.
A lot of resources also went into school security. Every school in the county will now have a law enforcement officer on campus, and there have been major security system upgrades.
“We made significant investments in terms of safety and security: 15,000 high-definition security cameras, centrally linked to allow us to have eyes on the scene in every single school, all the time, 24 hours a day,” said Carvalho.
The district also celebrated some major milestones this past year — milestones leaders hope to hit again or surpass moving forward.
“For the second year in a row, there were zero F-rated schools in Miami-Dade, and for the very first time in the history of the state, an urban school system became an A-rated school system,” said Carvalho. “The trick now is to replicate, this year, last year’s level of success, and to in fact improve upon it.”
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