Orange Peal - September 2023

RIVERDALE STAFF AND STUDENTS GET A “ROYAL” WELCOME HOME

ByAndy Orrell

September 2022 was a trying time in Florida’s history. Hurricane Ian had cut through Central Florida, its powerful squalls and flooding waters destroying thousands of homes and causing about 150 deaths in the state. By the time the winds died down, storm damage had cost Florida more than $100 billion, ranking the hurricane as one of the costliest in our country’s history.

Orange County Public Schools was not immune to the heart-wrenching loss caused by the storm. In the days prior to the hurricane making its way through the Orlando area, students and faculty left Riverdale Elementary, the home of the Royals, to shelter away from the storm. When district officials were able to access the school after the storm had passed, they found it had been flooded under four feet of water.

“We were crushed when we saw the level of damage done to our school by Hurricane Ian,” said William A. Charlton, Riverdale’s principal. “The majority of the first floor was washed out and I honestly didn’t know how our school was ever going to be whole again.”

Fortunately, even though Riverdale was waist deep in water, their Royal spirit could not be dampened by the adversity. “A plan was quickly launched by Superintendent Dr. Maria F. Vazquez and her incredible team to save our school, with our students and faculty moving to East River High School for the rest of the school year while our amazing Facilities department swooped in and began the hard work of renovating Riverdale Elementary,” said Charlton.

Rebuilding the school was, “a labor of love,” according OCPS Senior Construction Director Craig Jackson.

“When we understood how much damage had been done to Riverdale Elementary, everyone on our team quickly came together to find the

best solutions to fix what had been destroyed,” said Jackson. “Our number one goal was to get everyone from the school back into their educational home as quickly as possible.”

Rebuilding the school required a lot of ingenuity and hard work to complete.

The project took nearly 10 months to finish and cost approximately $8 million.

When all was said and done, the renovation needed:

· 40,000 square feet of drywall

· 350 gallons of paint

· 70,000 square feet of new flooring

· 68,000 square feet of new ceiling tiles

Through combined efforts, over 60,000 hours of labor were exhausted to bring the school back from the abyss to reopen its doors.

And what a grand reopening it was!

On July 26, Principal Charlton welcomed back his faculty to Riverdale Elementary for the first time in nearly a year, cutting a ribbon to commemorate the occasion. Greeted to the sounds of drum lines and cheerleaders, teachers were inspired by Charlton’s words of thankfulness for the fortitude they had shown the previous year and encouragement for the exciting school year that lay in front of them.

As members of his staff held their orange ribbon across the school’s threshold, Charlton and District 1 School Board Member Angie Gallo cut through the streamer and welcomed faculty back into their home!

It was such an amazing moment to see the expressions on everyone’s faces after they saw the fantastic job that Facilities had done to bring our school back,” said Charlton. “We were all inspired by how incredible the school looked and we couldn’t wait for our homecoming to be completed by our students filling the hallways on the first day of school.

TIME TO SHINE!

Greetings and welcome back to classrooms, OCPS!

On the first day of school, I was so happy to see the excitement on the faces of our students and teachers. With schools back in session, we get to do what we do best.

I want to extend a special ‘welcome home’ to Riverdale Elementary, a community returning to their own school this year. For 10 months, their campus was closed for a major renovation project due to the heartbreaking damage caused by Hurricane Ian. And this year, Water Spring Middle School is also settling into their brand-new campus.

We are so lucky to have such a spirit of collaboration in our district. East River High School hosted Riverdale during renovations, with the guiding motto of “Two Rivers, One Family.” And Horizon High School made Water Spring Middle an integral part of their campus for two years. I appreciate all the ways we step up to support each other in OCPS.

What has encouraged me the most as I have visited schools during these first few weeks is seeing every adult on our

campuses back together. Our teachers have worked so hard, spending time over the summer preparing and fine-tuning for the year. Our custodians, facilities, maintenance and grounds employees pushed hard through the blazing hot summer to make sure all of our campuses would be looking their best. I love the high energy I’ve seen from all of you, despite changes this year that have been difficult for us to maneuver.

I’m confident that our new administrative structure will provide more support to schools, and we are optimistic that our new cell phone policy will reduce bullying and increase connections between our students. I look forward to continuing to connect with you through Town Halls, ThoughtExchange and Mondays with Maria. Please keep up with our latest news at theslice.ocps.net and on social media.

Have a wonderful year, and thank you for everything you do to help our students succeed.

Maria F. Vazquez, Ed.D. Superintendent

OCPS Back to School Tour Union Park Elementary

Lunch at Clay Springs Elementary

Foundation for OCPS annual event

Story time at Clay Springs Elementary

Water Spring Middle

School Board Chair Teresa Jacobs at Water Spring Middle

BREAKING BARRIERS:

By Samantha Weiss

JONES HIGH SCHOOL

Appoints Trailblazing Female Band Director

Nelson has been a dedicated educator within the Orange County Public Schools system for more than 15 years. Her teaching career began at Lockhart Middle School, where she nurtured concert and beginning bands, jazz bands, and even started an orchestra program. She also taught at Apopka Memorial Middle School and Wolf Lake Elementary School.

Nelson found solace in the “guiding lights” of her high school band director, Rufus Redding, and Dr. Shelby Chipman, who recognized her talent and auditioned her for a life-changing scholarship at Florida A&M University. She went on to earn her Bachelor of Science in Music Education there.

Naomi Nelson’s musical education journey has come full circle.

Not only is she a Jones High School alumna - this year, she is making history as the school’s first female band director in its nearly 75-year history.

“My heart is so overwhelmed with gratitude and awe,” she said. “I have moments that I fight back tears because it is one of the greatest honors of my life to give back to the school that gave me so very much.”

Hailing from Lafayette, Louisiana, Nelson’s journey to becoming a music teacher was anything but conventional. “I initially went to college to study journalism but changed to music because I truly missed playing my saxophone,” she said. “That’s when I decided to study music education.”

As a graduate of Jones High School, she has deep roots in the community and a strong connection to the school’s rich history of tradition and excellence. Nelson not only played the alto saxophone in the band, but also became a drum major from the 10th to 12th grade.

Leading the band was demanding yet glorious, and she cherished the Friday night shows at the Citrus Bowl, now known as Camping World Stadium.

“It was so fun marching and dancing and conducting the band in the stands,” she recalled fondly. “Every week was a major performance experience for us.”

She couldn’t have imagined then that she’d end up as the first female band director for her alma mater.

Nelson said being named Director of Bands at Jones “feels much like holding a precious pearl. It is special, beautiful, rare, and precious. This position is also accompanied by a great expectation to continue the legacy of extraordinary performance and musical excellence.”

BEST OF

In each issue, the Orange Peal will recognize one top social media post on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). Want us to consider your school or department’s post? Send a link to orangepeal@ocps.net for consideration.

SunBlaze

Elementary School

The Grizzlies at Gotha Middle School are known for their incredible end of the year lip dub videos. This time, they used their musical talents to get OCPS families pumped for the start of the new school year! Their “Good Day for a Good Day” video posted on Aug. 6 on Facebook was fun, engaging, and had viewers feeling the positive back-to-school vibes!

https://fb.watch/mK2bvxttcb/

When it comes to Instagram reels, Jones High School knows how to grab attention – and its “Welcome back Tigers!” teaser was no exception! With the schools’ alma mater playing in the background, the video pans over the numbers 1895 (the year the school was established) before cutting to the freshly painted 2024, in honor of the upcoming graduating class. The video ends with someone painting the Jones mascot in the courtyard.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvvMU3Qu

4PJ/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid= MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

What are Cadres?

You may have heard that the district administrative structure was reorganized over the summer. The purpose of the reorganization was to give schools more hands-on support.

What does this change mean for me?

Most employees won’t see major changes. The biggest difference is that Learning Communities have been eliminated. Schools have been placed in smaller groupings based on grade level, not geography. Each cadre is headed by a Principal Leader.

How will this work?

Each Principal Leader will have a diverse group of schools. A smaller group of Executive Leaders will help ensure consistency between cadres. Career and Technical Education,

This post on X (formerly known as Twitter) was out of this world! Sun Blaze Elementary School recently showed off its newly painted, space-themed hallway leading students to the 4th and 5th grade classrooms! When students and teachers walk down the hall, it feels like they are walking through the solar system while being greeted by friendly aliens and rocket ships.

https://twitter.com/SunBlazeOCPS/ status/1690767500693196800

Exceptional Student Education and the School Transformation Office each have their own specialized cadres.

What cadre is my school in?

You can check your school’s cadre assignment on the OCPS web site. Under Schools, choose “Find My Cadre.”

How do parents get help with an issue?

For most issues, help will still start with the teacher and the school. If not resolved at the school level, parents may bring concerns to the district office at 407-317-3202 or via email at letstalk@ocps.net

Swifties!

Sometimes the funniest things help us connect with students.

Hospital Homebound teacher Larina Peck was helping a sixth grader prepare for a history exam. The study guide was grouped by Problem and Solution. Peck and her student were reading responsively - she would read the Problem, and the student would read the Solution.

After the student read one Solution, he continued on, reading the next Problem. Peck stopped him and said: “No, it’s me. I’m the Problem. It’s me.” They looked at each other, both realizing at the same time she had echoed lyrics from Taylor Swift’s song “Anti-Hero.”

She and her student laughed and laughed. Then the student read the Problem a few more times, just so Peck could interrupt him and correct him with the lyrics again, “Hi, it’s me. I’m the problem. It’s me...” Teacher

COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS

BOHEMIAN MAKEOVER REVIVES CLASSROOM

By Sandra Carr

Riverside Elementary third-grade teacher Alyssa Snyder always wanted to create a homey oasis with a boho vibe for student learning in her classroom. She also wished for more storage space.

Snyder’s dream has become a reality this year, thanks to Addition Financial’s Renovate to Educate program.

“You never have enough time or money for what you want to do with your classroom,” said Snyder, who has been teaching at Riverside Elementary for four years. “Every year, I have tried to create a room that feels inviting for my kids because you don’t know what their situation is outside of school,” she said.

The Renovate to Educate program has been transforming teachers’ classrooms in Orange, Lake, Osceola and Seminole counties for five years.

Teachers submit several “before” photos and a short essay on the refurbishments they would like in their classroom and why they should be considered.

The selected educator’s vision is brought to life by interior-design students at Seminole State College of Florida. College seniors collaborate with teachers while obtaining hands-on experience during a paid summer internship.

Snyder was selected as the classroom-makeover contest winner from among nearly 100 OCPS applicants. She met with interior-design students Cadence Zarvatski and Kylie Shortt, who created a cozy classroom for her students.

“I paired Alyssa’s request for beautiful jewel tones with fun, bohemian posters and furniture pieces that promote comfort and safety, and found classroom-specific materials that ensured my design was both functional and aesthetically pleasing,” said Zarvatski.

Snyder was over the moon during the big reveal at the beginning of August.Addition Financial paid more than $4,000 for Snyder’s drab-to-fab classroom renovation, and provided her with a boat load of school supplies to start the year off right.

Two of her former students, 10-year-old twins James and Justin Humphrey, said their favorite part of the transformed room is the calm-down corner, which includes a comfy tent and pillows.

Snyder has also invited her past students to visit and experience the renovated classroom before school starts in the morning.

Her current class loves the calm-down corner as much as the Humphreys, and are proud of the new second-floor classroom. Other schoolchildren have been oohing and aahing as they pass by in the hallway.

“The classroom is beautiful,” said Riverside Elementary Principal Kelly Pelletier.

“Students will feel welcome, take pride in what they’re doing and focus on their learning,” she said.

“While the smiles, tears and memorable reactions we see from the teachers during the classroom-reveal events mean a lot to us, the Renovate to Educate project is really about the students,” said Cristina Lehman, executive director of the Addition Financial Foundation. “The Addition Financial Credit Union was built by Central Florida educators, so we’re very proud to do what we can to help create beautifully re-imagined classrooms that young students will be excited to learn in for years to come.”

She Found New Life in Orlando After Hurricane Maria

Newcomer was embraced by Cypress Creek Bears after disaster hit Puerto Rico

On Sept. 20, 2017, my life changed after I encountered Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm that caused catastrophic damage to Puerto Rico.

I was born and raised in San Juan, and had lived through hurricanes before. But I never imagined experiencing a storm of such magnitude that it would make history.

When my mother and I heard about Hurricane Maria on the news, it was a few weeks after Hurricane Irma. So we were prepared for the storm. We had bottled water and canned goods, and we placed sandbags in front of the door.

Reports predicted the hurricane would not have a major impact on the island, so we decided not to board up the windows.

Hurricane Maria was projected to make landfall in Puerto Rico early in the morning, so we went to sleep, confident that everything would be fine.

The next day, we woke up to a completely dark house because the power had gone out at some point during the night.

My mom made coffee on a small, gas-powered camping stove and we ate breakfast. As the hours passed, the wind picked up speed and became louder as

By Enid Rivera

Hurricane Maria battered the island. It was terrifying to hear the 100 mile-per-hour wind clashing against buildings and trees as we hunkered down in our home.

We spent our time looking out the window while it rained for three days straight. The wind knocked down most of the area’s radio station antennas, so we only had one broadcast and one program to keep us informed and entertained.

Our driveway flooded and water came into the living room when the rain bands pounded the neighborhood. My mom and I made do with what we had, playing cards and coloring in coloring books as we rode out the storm.

When Hurricane Maria finally passed and it was safe to walk around the yard, my mother and I went outside to inspect the damage and found that the fence and trees in the backyard had fallen and the kitchen window was cracked.

My mom and I were overwhelmed by the destruction and had no idea how lucky we were. We found out later that thousands of Puerto Ricans lost everything during the three-day storm.

Most of the cell phone towers got knocked down by the hurricane’s strong winds. It

Enid Rivera was the Summer 2023 PR Department intern. We’re sharing her story as an example of how OCPS changes lives and leads students to success, no matter where their journey began.

took one week for a neighbor who had a flip phone with cellular service to walk over to our home and let us know we could borrow it to call our family in Florida.

My dad was immensely relieved when he heard our voices and found out we were okay. He told us he wanted us to relocate to Orlando as soon as possible.

Living in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria was a big blur. I do not know how my mom and I got through those two weeks, but getting out was a big relief.

But flights were not easy to find. The San Juan Luis Munoz Marin International Airport was damaged by Hurricane Maria and there were not any flights to Orlando available. After three weeks, he found us a Southwest Airlines flight to Fort Lauderdale.

After our flight landed in Fort Lauderdale, we waited six hours for our connecting Southwest flight to Orlando before our new life officially began in the United States.

My mother insisted that I start school immediately and enrolled me at Cypress Creek High in Orlando the next day.

Orange County Public Schools allowed me and around 3,000 other Puerto Rican

children to enroll in school, even though it was halfway through the semester and many of the parents did not have the necessary paperwork.

I was overwhelmed on my first day as a sophomore at Cypress Creek High. I was 14 years old and had never been in a school that big before and struggled to find where I needed to go on campus. My teachers were very nice, and they ensured that I would get caught up with all the material that had already been covered in the class.

The high school had many resources to assist students with getting back on track after missing classes and coursework for the past month. I was also given a backpack with all the materials that I needed for my classes.

I joined the English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) program, which helped me become comfortable with speaking English. I also had an opportunity to earn college credit when my academic counselor suggested I register for Advanced Placement (AP) Spanish and in-person dual-enrollment courses at Valencia College.

I met so many incredible students that also took the ESOL class, and many are still my friends today.

I am a proud Bear, and I am incredibly grateful to Cypress Creek High and OCPS. They went above and beyond to make sure that the Puerto Rican students who relocated to Orlando after the storm were taken care of and provided with opportunities to grow and become successful.

I was on the honor roll and graduated from Cypress Creek High during a drive-thru graduation ceremony and the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020. My senior picture was on a sign in my front yard and poster along with my classmates at the campus entrance. Principal McHale presented me with my high school diploma through the front passenger-side window of my mom’s car. I was thankful to graduate even though the Class of 2020 could not be together.

After high school, I received my Associate of Arts degree from Valencia College in December 2021 and am currently a junior in the advertising and public relations program at the University of Central Florida’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media. I had an opportunity to intern at OCPS this past summer and plan on pursuing a publicrelations career after I graduate from UCF in December 2024.

One thing that stuck with me after Hurricane Maria is the importance of being prepared for anything because you never know when you can buy groceries and supplies at a store if a disaster happens quickly. I also suggest purchasing expensive hurricane supplies like a generator, battery-operated fans and heavy-duty flashlights just in case you are out of power for many days.

I learned from my Cypress Creek High experience that you never let fear prevent you from doing great things as you move forward in life.

Job Application Took Her Career in an Unexpected Direction

Serendipity played a major role in Susan Adams landing a job at OCPS in August 1983. Her friend was a bus driver with the district and encouraged her to apply for an open position.

Adams decided to go for it. She thought getting behind the wheel of a school bus and transporting students would be fun and provide her with flexibility.

She was called for an interview, but when she arrived, she was told it was for an administrative assistant position that reported to the director of the Management Information Systems department. The rest is history.

A native of Rocky Face, Georgia, Adams received an associate’s degree in business management from Dalton Junior College near her hometown. Shortly after joining OCPS, she took a four-year break to raise her family. When she returned, it was as a part-time administrative assistant supporting the superintendent and deputy superintendent’s offices at the Tampa Avenue Complex in 1988.

That position led to a full-time, senior specialist position assisting the deputy superintendent, Barbara M. Jenkins.

When Jenkins became OCPS’ nineteenth superintendent in 2012, Adams joined her as executive manager, a position of great trust and responsibility. “Susan was a wonderful assistant and a great friend,” Jenkins said. “She helped me keep my life

organized on every level. A kind heart and phenomenal cooking skills were always on display. Her unfailing faith in the Lord was inspiring to many.”

Adams continued to assist Jenkins until she retired in December 2022.

“I never worked in any of OCPS’ schools,” Adams said, “but helped many parents and administrators with solving problems and was an advocate for children and families.”

Sometimes the work was life-changing, such as when Adams assisted a father and his three children find housing and get the necessary help they needed.

She has many fond memories of working for the school district, including winning the Educational Leadership Center’s bake-off competition twice and driving retired School Board of Orange County Member Kathleen “Kat” Gordon in the Jones High Christmas Parade when a convertible was not available. Adams came to the rescue by slapping some signs on her car and driving Gordon in the parade while she waved and threw candy to the crowds from the vehicle’s sunroof.

She is looking forward to retirement, but will miss the people she has worked with over the years.

Adams has practiced Vinyasa yoga for more than 20 years and taught for the past decade. During her retirement, she would like to get recertified as a

By Sandra Carr

yoga instructor and possibly open a bakery or sewing business.

She also plans to volunteer with her church and community and take scenic and relaxing boat trips with her family to the Florida Keys.

Retiree: Susan Adams

Title: Executive Manager, Human Resources and Executive Services

Years with OCPS: 36

OCPS Retirement Date: Aug. 31, 2023

Upcoming Virtual Retirement Services Department Workshops via Zoom:

MyFRS :: Workshop Calendar

Sept. 13, 5-6:30 p.m.:

Taking Control of Your Finances

Sept. 20, 5-6:30 p.m.:

Protecting Yourself and Your Loved

Ones: Estate and Insurance Planning

Sept. 27, 5-6:30 p.m.:

Nearing Retirement in the FRS

Best Photos OF Summer FrankWeber

By

Grand Reveal: Dr. Vazquez sees the Mondays With Maria set makeover for the first time. The creative team at Video Services designed and built a fresh set for this season.

Big hugs from Stuff, the Orlando Magic mascot, as Coach Bernadine West of Piedmont Lakes MS finds out she is a finalist for Jr. NBA Scholastic Coach of the Year. Former NBA player Bo Outlaw visited the school to honor Coach West.

OCPS K-9 Officer Coco poses in a photo shoot for her first trading card. There is always time to play catch. It’s still fun, even if you miss!

Welcome home, Riverdale Elementary School! Staff was greeted by cheering supporters and high school students after hurricane repairs were completed.