Remarks by Mari Teresa Rojas
77 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 4
- Play at 4:37:41
“So through the chair, via our region meetings with the principals and with the assistant principals, there will be training and expectations that will be given to everyone across the county, not just in one region or in another, that all of us will be doing the same thing with the implementation portion and that they're all going to get the same type of training that they need to have through professional development or however you are all going to do it with them.”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 4:38:43
“Thank you. Before I go to the next part, I believe that Vice Chair Colucci wants to say something, Madam Chair. Sure.”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 4:41:46
“Actually, Madam Chair, as I continue, before I go to my next topic, when I came from Cuba, I was six years old, and I started school in Cuba. And we wrote cursive. So when I got to the United States, I came in and I was going to second grade at that time. And I had to go to print. And that's why my handwriting is so awful.”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 4:42:13
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 4:45:31
“Thank you. So through the chair, two things that I wanted to ask. You said you had about 2,000 students in third grade, and many students in third grade, in order to be promoted, had to pass, if they didn't pass the original assessment, then they had the portfolio. If they did not get it through the portfolio process, I'm sure they're attending now for other opportunities that we give these students to be able to be promoted to fourth grade, do you have a percentage or a number that you could give us as to how many students you have going to the summer program now that are in that particular…”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 4:46:52
“When you have the results through the chair, I'd like to know how many we have that still have not passed the assessment, and then the next steps that are gonna be taken for those children to have yet one more opportunity to try to see if they can proceed to the next grade level. through the chair. Also, I would make a recommendation for next year. I know that we started on the 15th. But we got the information, the board, on the 8th with reference as right before. Maybe you could give us the information sooner next year, sometime maybe in May, so that we are cognizant of what schools are…”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 4:49:43
“Thank you. And through the chair, and I'm sorry, but academics is very important to me. I have another question. One has to deal with the area of, as I assess the results of testing of our last assessment, science was an area that concerns me. It concerned me last year, it concerned me this year, because that was an area that we need to enhance. And so... As we are looking at the science arena, I was wondering, what are we doing? And also, the interdisciplinary approach to instruction, which is something that I might even bring an item on later. But I did it many, many times, and it proved to…”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 4:54:58
“Thank you very much. I appreciate that explanation. Looking forward again to more enhancement in that arena. I'm sure that and we can enhance anything and everything. But that was the one area that I noticed where we needed more, a little bit more. through the chair. There is, synergy took place this summer, I went, and I'm glad to see that this year you did it only for the principals, not the assistant principals together. I think it was more beneficial for the principals to be able to have the opportunity to address areas of interest that they have to deal with, and then maybe a separate…”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 4:57:25
“Thank you and through the chair do you like the subject matter that you present do you have like prior to synergy taking place do you ask them to submit the subject matter that they want to be addressing or is this something that is just developed through academics because I think that input in that area would be very beneficial for the principals to put the main areas that are of concern to them through the chair.”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 4:58:45
“Thank you. So lastly, through the chair, it was partially what the principals gave that they would like to hear, and the other part, new initiatives that you want to bring to the table. I do want to let my colleagues know, when I spoke, I spoke on behalf of all of my colleagues here and thanked everyone. on behalf of everyone sitting here and I know that board member Alonso also had his chief of staff over there on one particular date as well so thank you so much to everyone and lastly I've been hearing about on TV about I'm probably going to say it wrong but it's cyclosporiasis a foot-borne…”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 5:00:47
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 5:30:57
“Thank you very much, Madam Chair. It seems to me like this is a much better report than the other one we had, so congratulations for all the work you've done to the principals and members of the school sites and all of the sites that have been... looked at and reviewed again for the outcome that we have here because there's nothing more important than safety and security and the well-being not only of the students but of the entire workforce that we represent. I commend you on that, first and foremost. And my second area that I want to address is the ones that did not. Could you address, in…”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 5:32:13
“Thank you. Through the chair, that's all I have now.”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 5:33:50
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 5:35:18
“Any questions? Yes, Madam Chair. Well, first, I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who participated in the initial portion of this process, which was held right here, and I chaired, and extremely well deserved. This is someone who truly has been absolutely fabulous throughout all the years in service to our country, to our communities, and especially in this particular community. I also want to TO THANK THOSE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT ATTENDED THE INITIAL MEETING AND STATED THE REASONS WHY THEY WANTED TO HAVE THIS DONE. AND THEN, OF COURSE, TO BOARD MEMBER ESPINO, THIS IS IN HIS…”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 5:44:37
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 5:54:30
“Thank you very much, Madam Chair. And just a friendly amendment for consideration on the recommend. IT STATES THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, APPROVE EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITY FEES FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL AND PERSONALIZED EDUCATION PLAN STUDENTS FOR THE 26-27 SCHOOL YEAR. I WOULD PROBABLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU INCLUDE THERE $400, THAT IT WOULD SAY FEES FOR $400 FOR THE PRIVATE AND THE REST THAT'S ON THERE. I THINK IT WOULD, BECAUSE WHAT COUNTS IS REALLY THE RECOMMEND ALWAYS. So that's just for your consideration?”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 5:56:49
“Yes, Chair Rojas. Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. One other question is, what's the difference between the prices from the 25-26 year and what is being proposed in 26-27? Through the chair.”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 5:57:11
“Right. So through the chair, how many schools fall into this category this year?”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 5:58:07
“Thank you. So through the chair, those that are doing the free and reduced lunch, applications will be monitoring, of course, their numbers and making sure that they are reaching the threshold that is necessary to maintain the Title I status. Question being with those that are not, that are going through the CEP. I believe that the monitoring is not done in the same manner and therefore adversely affecting some schools, which is a conversation that you and I had previously in reference to concerns on this one. How are we monitoring in these if The numbers are not where they should be before…”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 5:59:28
“I'm referring the Title I funding issue to maintain the Title I funding, and maybe there's some confusion, and if there is, I'd like clarification. I know I saw the superintendent raising his hand. The Title I funding where you have free and reduced lunches is how we've done it for years, right? And then all of a sudden we reached a different level when we had the threshold, I believe it's over 63%, to be able to be CEP. Is that threshold correct, around there?”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 6:00:00
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 6:01:06
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 6:04:54
“Okay. Through the chair, thank you. I'll have a further conversation with you about specifics that I want to address on this issue. But that's fine for now. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
- Play at 6:14:57
“Madam Chair. Yes, thank you so much. Board Member Bendros-Mendingal for the points you brought up. And you recall when you and I were principals many years ago, we would have to work very closely with our PTA, PTSAs that we still can use them to either provide some funding so that The kids can have the lunch without it being different than everybody else's. But way in the old days, even before principalship when I was a teacher, if a child didn't have it, in those days there were no peanut allergies. So they would have peanut butter and jelly, a fruit, and milk. That's how it was. That's how…”
Academics, Innovation, Evaluation, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026