More than a year and a half after a student cellphone ban began at Palm Beach Maritime Academy, the principal, who was hesitant to try out a pouch program for students to lock their phones away, said she's seeing positive results.

"They mentioned it being [used] at local concerts. That Dave Chapelle had it. I'm like, Dave Chappelle, awesome. If he can come in and teach a reading class, [great.] I'm not interested," said principal Dionne Stone.

Comedian Dave Chapelle didn't come to the grade 6-12 charter school, but teachers said what did was their students listening more, learning and being more engaged.

"Academically, they learn better and it's easier for me to teach. They pay attention now," said teacher Pierre Honorat.

At the beginning of the school day, students tuck their cellphones into individual pouches called Yondr pouches. They're opened by an adult at the end of the day.

Administrators said that since the policy change, there's been a sharp rise in statewide assessment scores.

"We were able to earn up to a 30% increase in our schools overall scores," Stone said.

Better test scores is one positive surprise, but educators said three unexpected outcomes also cropped up as a result of the ban. First, online bullying has dropped. Second, cell phone thefts on campus are down. The third outcome as a result of the change is that students are bonding and connecting, not just in the classroom, but in places like the cafeteria.

"They're talking a lot, because if they had their phones out, they wouldn't be talking that much," said a sixth-grade student who doesn't own a phone yet.

Not all students love having their phones on lock, but even they told WPTV News anchor Hollani Davis that it forces them to be more present, both in and out of the classroom.

The classrooms at Palm Beach Maritime Academy are equipped with a phone so students can call home if needed. They can also go to the front office, administrators said, to contact their families.

Boca Raton police have given the all clear on Monday afternoon after investigating a report of a possible armed person at Boca Raton Community High School.

In a post on X just before 12:30 p.m., the Boca Raton Police Department said officers responded to the school, along with members of the School District of Palm Beach County's Police Department, "in reference to a report of a possible armed subject on campus."

Roughly 90 minutes later, at 2 p.m., the police department said that after sweeping the campus, "At this time, all is clear," adding that nothing suspicious has been found.

In a callout to parents and guardians, the School District of Palm Beach County said Boca Raton High School "has been given the all-clear by police. All students and staff are safe."

"Details regarding dismissal will be provided via email, phone call, and posted to our website. Please do not come to campus at this time," the district said in its message.

In an earlier callout to parents and guardians, the district said "there is no verified threat to the campus."

Parents were told to head to the parking lot of the Cinemark on Airport Road. Once in the parking lot, parents got updates from the school's assistant principal. But most parents were seen on their phones trying to stay in contact with their kids.

"It's the unknown, it's the unknown of what it is, of what's going on," Evan Gallahoun told WPTV's Todd Wilson.

He and hundreds of other parents were frantic to know if their kids were safe or in harm's way.

"Getting pictures and videos of my kid in the closet is a little frightening," Dana Abraham said.

What happened at Boca High isn't a one off. A similar situation happened Monday at Hialeah Senior High School in the Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

"This is a sight that we're seeing too many times in our country right now, which is just horrible," Lev Parnas said.

The report of the possible armed person came through SaferWatch, a mobile panic alert app, according to the Boca Raton Police Department.

According to Boca Raton police, the school district is now investigating where the anonymous threat came from.

Read the full statement on the incident from Boca Raton principal Dr. Susie King:

>> Download the free WPTV News mobile app for updates on this developing story

Monday is the last day for families, educators, community members, businesses, and other stakeholders to weigh in on three proposed changes to school start times in Palm Beach County.

A law passed by the Florida Legislature last year requires middle schools to start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m. in an effort to help older students get more sleep.

The changes will take effect two years from now, at the start of the 2026-27 academic year.

The School District of Palm Beach County has posted an online survey, asking the community to weigh in on three proposed start time changes:

OPTION 1

OPTION 2

OPTION 3

You can fill out the survey by clicking here. The survey officially closes at 11 p.m. Monday.

The school district said it will continue to gather community input into next year, when a final recommendation will be considered by the Palm Beach County School Board.

The new start times will go into effect in August of 2026, at the start of the 2026-27 academic year.

Two new graduates in Palm Beach County are ready to start bringing joy to students with their wagging tails.

Leo and Athena, two rescued dogs, graduated Friday morning from the Paws and Stripes program at the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office.

Program leaders said theyve gotten more than 50 dogs through the course and theyve gone to help many first responders.

Leo and Athena will go to Palm Beach County schools to serve as therapy dogs to help students with their emotions. School officials said students are loving the new furry companions.

A third dog, Creed, also graduated on Friday and will go the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office as a therapy dog.

We spoke with Creeds previous owner, Peter Bieniek, from Fort Myers, who gave him up to be a part of the program. He said its bittersweet to say goodbye to his pup, but he knows Creed will make a lot of people smile.

"Watching him graduate today, I can see just a whole world of difference," Bieniek told WPTV News journalist Victor Jorges. I'm sad, but I'm also so happy for him. I try not to get emotional because, like I said, he's a wonderful dog. And I know based on what I had with him and what they've done with him, he's going to do some wonderful things for the public.

Bieniek also said he sees Creed being more relaxed, better behaved, and a better listener.

The sheriffs office tells us this is the programs seventh graduation ceremony and all dogs that have gone through the program were rescued.

Leo was rescued from Big Dog Ranch Rescue and Athena was rescued from the countys Animal Control facility.

A campus safety officer at Palm Beach State College is under arrest after Delray Beach police said he tried to meet a 14-year-old boy for sex.

Daniel Scott Winfield, 59, of Lauderhill in Broward County, is facing charges of traveling to meet a minor for unlawful sexual activity and using a two-way communication device to commit a felony.

According to his arrest report, Winfield had been using the Grindr app and text messages to communicate with who he thought was a 14-year-old boy named "Justin."

In reality, however, an outside anti-pedophilia organization had been posing as the teen. This particular group sets up fake profiles on social media and dating sites, then poses as children to see if adults will knowingly solicit minors for sex.

Winfield's arrest report stated that he went to a Walgreens, located in the 4900 block of West Atlantic Avenue, at approximately 7 p.m. Wednesday to meet up with "Justin." Winfield was wearing his full Palm Beach State College campus safety officer uniform at the store.

The anti-pedophilia organization alerted Delray Beach police to the sting, and an officer responded to the Walgreens to question Winfield.

According to his arrest report, Winfield "was under the impression that he was meeting a 14-year-old minor at this location so they could engage in sexual activity."

Winfield told a Delray Beach police officer that he came to the Walgreens after work at PBSC's Boca Raton campus to meet a juvenile named "Justin" because he wanted to be a "'father figure' to him and a friend," adding that he had "no intentions of actually doing anything sexual with the juvenile" and he "only texted sexual things to him but did not want to meet to go through with it since he had a feeling he could end up in jail because of their conversations," the arrest report said.

Delray Beach police said a search of Winfield's cell phone revealed he had been sending photos and explicit messages about doing sexual acts with "Justin."

Winfield admited that "this is wrong," in reference to his messages, the arrest report said.

Winfield was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail at approximately 11:45 p.m. Wednesday. In court Thursday, a judge set Winfield's bond at $20,000 and ordered him to have no contact with children under the age of 18, as well as no access to the internet, smartphones, computers, social media, emails, or text messages.

In a written statement to WPTV News, Palm Beach State College said "this was a special operation conducted by law enforcement and did not involve an actual child."

The school said that "though Mr. Winfield wore a PBSC Campus Safety Uniform, he was not on duty at the time of his arrest," adding that Winfield "is a probationary employee, who was recently hired on October 7, 2024."

Because of his arrest, "Mr. Winfields employment with the college has been terminated," Palm Beach State College told WPTV News.

On campus Thursday, students were shocked about Winfield's arrest.

"Pretty despicable," student Ross Laschway said. "I'm glad that someone showed up that could deal with that disgusting behavior."

"In the uniform? Thats disrespectful," student Esleranda Christophe added.

A Palm Beach County middle school is taking an aggressive approach to make sure students aren't distracted by cellphones during the day.

This school year, much of the focus has been on a new cellphone ban policy in the Martin County School District, where nearly 300 wireless devices were confiscated from students during the first week of school.

However, WPTV News anchor Hollani Davis recently learned about a Palm Beach County school that implemented a new cellphone policy this year.

Hollani spoke to a mother who didn't want to go on camera in order to conceal her daughter's identity. But the mother said she doesn't like the new program at Palm Springs Community Middle School, where students are restricted from accessing their phones during the school day.

"As a parent, I don't appreciate it," the mother said.

The mother said it's not just the safety element and being able to quickly get a hold of her child in the age of school shootings that worries her.

"There's a lot of concern. Not only a safety concern. But also if I have to get her a quick message, she has to be pulled out of class," the mother said.

The School District of Palm Beach County declined WPTV's request for an interview. But a spokesperson for the district confirmed that Palm Springs Middle School is using a program this year called Yondr.

The parent said that when students get to campus, their phones are locked in a magnetic pouch that can only be accessed at the end of the day.

The shift to school cellphone bans seems to be growing. According to Dana Bryson, who focuses on social impact in her role as the senior vice president for Study.com, educators are overwhelmingly in favor of strict cellphone policies.

A 2024 report by Study.com found 78% of Florida educators said students are more engaged when strict cellphone bans are in place at school. Seventy percent of Florida educators report they see an improvement in student safety, including mental health, when strict bans (bans set forth by a school's administration or a school district) are in place. The study found that 68% of Florida educators back cellphone bans, attributing them to better classroom management.

"Twenty-one percent of teachers say they spend more than an hour a week dealing with, policing cellphones. When you think about all that we ask of our educators, what could they do with one more hour in a week?" Bryson said.

But the mom who spoke to WPTV News anchor Hollani Davis said she feels cut off from her daughter who suffers from anxiety. She believes relying on a school's front office to deliver messages to students is more disruptive than letting kids use their phones.

"Now you have kids coming in and out of class. In and out of class for something as simple as (telling your child) you're taking the bus home, or such and such is picking you up," the mother said.

In a letter to families at the beginning of the school year, the administration at Palm Springs Community Middle School said the students gave the new cellphone ban glowing reviews.

The School District of Palm Beach County said Palm Springs Community Middle School used $40,000 of its own money for the pilot program. We don't know if there are plans to keep it after this school year or expand it to other schools.

A student at Vero Beach High School was arrested Thursday morning after trying to go through a metal detector with a weapon in a backpack, authorities said.

In a news release, Cristen Maddux, the public information officer for the School District of Indian River County, said an OPENGATE metal detector at the entrance to the school, located in the 1700 block of 16th Street in Vero Beach, went off and alerted school resource deputies.

When deputies searched the student's bag, they found a weapon inside. It's unclear what type of weapon it was.

"The student with the weapon has been arrested and will not return to Vero Beach High School," Maddux said in a news release.

Maddux added that "our school district has a zero-tolerance policy regarding weapons of any kind, whether real or toy, on our campuses. Anyone in violation of this policy will be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted accordingly."

The School District of Indian River County uses OPENGATE metal detectors at its two high school campuses.

The WPTV News team received updated information Thursday about when local students will return to school in the wake of Hurricane Milton.

School District of Palm Beach County

The district announced that all schools and district offices will remain closed on Friday, Oct. 11. School District staff should not report to work unless directed to do so by their supervisor.

A reminder that all Palm Beach County public school students do not have school on Monday, Oct. 14 because of a pre-scheduled teacher work day.

"While we are pleased to report that no schools sustained any major damage, we continue to work across our 182 campuses to ensure all have power, air conditioning, and safe access," the school district said in a statement. "Many families in our communities, including District employees, were impacted by this storm. The long weekend will afford some additional time to recover and reopen schools for students on Tuesday, Oct. 15."

Martin County School District

All schools are closed for the rest of the week. A spokesperson said the district anticipates resuming classes on Monday, Oct. 14.

St. Lucie Public Schools

All schools are closed for the rest of the week. Monday, Oct. 14 is a pre-scheduled teacher work day, so students will return to class on Tuesday, Oct. 15, the district said.

School District of Indian River County

All schools are closed for the rest of the week. The district said it has 700 guests at county schools that are being used as emergency shelters.

Students and staff members will return on Monday, Oct. 14.

Okeechobee County School District

All schools are closed for the rest of the week. Monday, Oct. 14 is a pre-scheduled teacher planning day, so students will return on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

Palm Beach County public school teachers will soon get a pay raise.

The Palm Beach County School Board on Wednesday approved on a tentative agreement with the Palm Beach County Classroom Teachers Association that will give all district teachers, including permanent substitutes, up to a 4% raise, depending on their effectiveness rating.

In addition, teachers who work in exceptional student education (ESE), including speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, as well as teachers who work with students with autism or other intellectual disabilities, will receive a $1,250 supplement per school year.

According to district documents, the agreement will also increase the initial base salary for teachers with zero "years of successful experience" to $53,000, up from the previous base salary of $51,500.

"Teachers have done and continue to do hard work, in spite of obstacles placed by state government, and continue to excel," said Gordon Longhofer, the president of the Palm Beach County CTA, at Wednesday's school board meeting. "We must, therefore, find and chart a new path. One that shows teachers the tangible appreciation we all know they have earned and deserve."

Last year, Palm Beach County public school teachers received an average 7% raise. The year before that, the raise was up to 3.5%.

Up next, the Palm Beach County CTA needs to ratify the agreement before it comes official. The raises will be retroactive to July 1.

The Palm Beach County School Board on Wednesday also approved an hourly pay increase for substitute teachers. The new pay rates will go into effect on Oct. 5 and will run from $15.50 per hour to $20 per hour, depending on a substitute teacher's educational background and experience.

We want our kids to eat more fruits and vegetables. If you pack their lunches, there is a way to make them healthy and tasty.

WPTV News anchors Mike Trim and Tania Rogers caught up with Palm Beach County Food Bank chef Doug Barg for some recipes.

A student was taken into police custody on Thursday after bringing an unloaded gun to John F. Kennedy Middle School in Riviera Beach, school officials said.

In a callout to parents and guardians, the school said that after a tip was reported through the FortifyFL app, school police investigated and removed the weapon from a student's backpack on Thursday afternoon "without incident."

The student was taken into police custody and will face criminal charges, as well as "strict discipline" outlined in the School District of Palm Beach County's Student Code of Conduct, the callout said.

The callout added that "all students and staff are safe."

"Families, I strongly recommend you check your students backpack before they leave in the morning," the callout said.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Education

Under Florida law, it's a third-degree felony to have a firearm on school property.

"The School District is committed to ensuring a safe learning and working environment for all students and staff, and disciplinary action will be taken against any student or individual who poses a threat to school safety," the callout said.

Students, parents, and school staff members are encouraged to use the free FortifyFL app to report any suspicious activity involving local schools.

An Indian River County teacher is on administrative leave and another school employee has been fired after allegations surfaced of an inappropriate relationship with a student, authorities said.

According to a callout to parents and guardians this week, an allegation was made of an "inappropriate relationship" between an employee and student at Sebastian River High School.

The Indian River County Sheriff's Office has identified that employee as a teacher.

The teacher had duties at both Sebastian River High School and Sebastian River Middle School, according to Cristen Maddux, the public information officer for the School District of Indian River County, and was immediately placed on administrative leave.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Education

The Florida Department of Children and Families launched an investigation and referred the case to the Indian River County Sheriff's Office, according to the callout to parents and guardians.

"Based on initial findings, the superintendent directed [the human resources department] to initiate the termination process," the callout said.

During that investigation, additional allegations surfaced regarding a non-contracted employee at Sebastian River High School. That employee, according to Maddux, was part-time and provided after-school supplemental services at the school and was "immediately released" from the district.

"The school district has a zero-tolerance policy for employee misconduct of any kind, especially involving our students," the callout to parents and guardians said.

In a written statement to WPTV, the Indian River County Sheriff's Office said there's an "active investigation regarding inappropriate interactions between a student and teacher."

The names of the employees involved in the investigation have not been released because of the sensitivity of the case, the sheriff's office added.

Port St. Lucie police said a child suffered a wrist injury after a school bus and Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck crashed Thursday morning.

Master Sgt. Dominick Mesiti, the public information officer for the Port St. Lucie Police Department, said the vehicles collided at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Southeast Crosstown Parkway at approximately 8:15 a.m.

Mesiti said children were on board the bus, but it's unclear how many and which school they were going to.

One child was treated at the scene for a wrist injury, according to Mesiti.

Port St. Lucie police said Wednesday they're investigating a social media threat against St. Lucie West Centennial High School.

In a post on X just after 9:30 a.m., the Port St. Lucie Police Department said it received "multiple complaints of a school shooting threat that has been circulating around social media."

According to police, the threat said there was going to be a shooting Wednesday at Centennial High School, located at 1485 Southwest Cashmere Blvd.

Police said there was extra law enforcement at the school Wednesday morning while they investigated.

"This is just a part of the way of life. The police department has to accommodate these cases," Port St. Lucie assistant police chief Leo Niemczyk said. "This is the 25th one we've had to deal with this year."

The increase in these types of school incidents nationwide is being felt in Florida.

Some parents are all too familiar with it.

"It happens all the time," parent Ashley Rodriguez said.

Students said it has become an unfortunate reality.

"It's pretty normal around here now," Jordan Garrick, a 12th-grade student at Centennial High School, said. "Every year it's another school shooting threat, but they always get caught after. It's scary at the same time, but at the same time, I know nothing is going to happen."

Police said they have zero tolerance for any type of school threats.

"If we determine that it's somebody in our jurisdiction that generates this type of threat, we're going to prosecute them," Niemczyk said.

>> Download the free WPTV News mobile app for updates on this developing story

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said a woman is under arrest after she repeatedly punched a girl in the face for getting the answers to her homework wrong.

Margaret Gissome, 35, was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail at approximately 5:30 p.m. Thursday on a felony charge of child abuse.

According to Gissome's arrest report, a child told a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office detective sergeant, along with a Florida Department of Children and Families investigator, that she was doing her homework with her siblings in Gissome's bedroom on Wednesday, when Gissome "became upset" because the girl was "giving [Gissome] the wrong answer to her homework."

Gissome grabbed the girl by the shirt collar and "started shaking her," then hit her in the face with a "closed fist," the arrest report stated.

Shortly after, Gissome hit the girl in the mouth "for getting another wrong answer," the report said.

The girl told investigators that Gissome told her "'not to worry about your lip because your nose will be next,'" then punched her in the chest.

The child, whose age and relationship to Gissome have not been released, suffered a "busted blood vessel in her left eye," along with redness and swelling under her right eye, and a "bruise on her lower lip," the arrest report said.

According to her arrest report, Gissome works in "occupational care" and was referred to as "Miss" by the girl.

In court Friday, a judge set Gissome's bond at $2,500 and ordered her to have no contact with the girl, as well as no contact with minor children unless their parents are aware of the child abuse charge.

An 11-year-old girl is under arrest after the St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office said she posted on social media, threatening to carry out a school shooting.

The sheriff's office said on its Facebook page at approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday that, earlier in the day, the girl, who is in sixth grade at Southern Oaks Middle School, located at 5500 Northeast St. James Drive in Port St. Lucie, was arrested for posting a threat on Instagram "insinuating a shooting at the school."

WPTV learned the school did not go on lockdown.

School staff members and deputies immediately investigated the incident, identified the 11-year-old girl, searched her, and determined the threat was not credible.

"Her actions, however, caused panic, and threats like this are against the law," the sheriff's office wrote on Facebook.

In a statement, Sheriff Keith Pearson said the girl was arrested and faces "severe disciplinary consequences, up to and including expulsion."

"This outcome highlights the strong working relationships among the school district, staff, students, and our deputies, who are on every school campus to ensure our students stay safe," the sheriff's office said on Facebook. "We take every threat, whether made in person or online, seriously. The message is simple: If you see something, say something."

Sheriff Pearson spoke with WPTV reporter Zitlali Solache about the girls arrest and the post she made.

Ultimately it said there would be a school shooting at Southern Oaks Middle School, stated Pearson. We were able to identify the youth very quickly, isolate the youth, check the youth, and make sure there was no weapons on campus, which there was not.

In a message to parents and guardians at approximately 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Southern Oaks Middle School principal Henry Sanabria thanked the students who "saw something and said something," adding that the Instagram post "threatened harm to our school."

Here is the complete message from Sanabria:

"My heart dropped. Just thinking of the school shooting that just happened, like this could be happening at my childs school right now," Lauren Stevens, a parent of a sixth grade student at Southern Oaks Middle School, told WPTV.

She said it's "not something surprising because Ive been monitoring any social media my kids try to use and its scary right now."

Unfortunately, I mean, 11 years old, somebody shouldve talked to her, shared parent Lisa Aiello. You just dont joke around about things like that.

Aiello is relieved about the false alarm, but says parents need to step in.

I always feel like it starts at home with the parents, said Aiello. I think that we should always have our children made aware of whats going on. Especially now in todays society. Its a scary place.

A spokeswoman for St. Lucie Public Schools said school administrators will recommend the girl be expelled. She is now facing second-degree felony charges.

Under Florida law, it's a second-degree felony to make "written or electronic threats to kill, do bodily injury, or conduct a mass shooting." Read the law here.

Students, parents, school employees, and other community members are urged to report any suspicious activity involving local schools through the free Fortify Florida app.

The School District of Palm Beach County wants the community's input on a series of proposed new school start times for students.

There will be community presentations with question-and-answer sessions that will be hosted at six schools across Palm Beach County.

Thursday is the first meeting, held at Wellington Community High School at 5:30 p.m.

A law passed by the Florida Legislature last year requires middle schools to start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m. in an effort to help older students get more sleep.

The changes will take effect two years from now, at the start of the 2026-27 academic year.

The School District of Palm Beach County has posted an online survey, asking families, educators, community members, businesses, and other stakeholders to weigh in on three proposed start time changes:

OPTION 1

OPTION 2

OPTION 3

You can fill out the survey by clicking here.

In addition, community input meetings will be held in September and October at high schools throughout Palm Beach County where people can share their thoughts on the proposed start times. You can learn more by clicking here.

WATCH BELOW: What people are saying about the start times

The school district said it will continue to gather community input into next year, when a final recommendation will be considered by the Palm Beach County School Board.

The new start times will go into effect in August of 2026, at the start of the 2026-27 academic year.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said Wednesday that authorities had previously interviewed a minor who is now suspected of killing four people in a shooting at a Georgia high school. The agency did not find probable cause to make an arrest at the time.

The FBI released a statement Wednesday concerning the suspect in custody.

The FBI said it had received anonymous tips in 2023 about a possible school shooting. It said it traced the postings to Georgia and warned the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.

"The Jackson County Sheriff's Office located a possible subject, a 13-year-old male, and interviewed him and his father," the FBI wrote in its statement. "The father stated he had hunting guns in the house, but the subject did not have unsupervised access to them. The subject denied making the threats online."

"At the time, there was no probable cause for arrest or to take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state or federal levels," the FBI wrote.

Two teachers and two students were killed in the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Wednesday, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Nine others were taken to area hospitals with various injuries, GBI director Chris Hosey said.

RELATED STORY | 2 students, 2 teachers killed in shooting at Georgia high school

The shooter was identified as a 14-year-old student at the school. He will be charged as an adult with murder, authorities said.

At a Wednesday evening press conference, authorities said there was no evidence of additional shooters or of other schools being targeted. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said it would continue to conduct a criminal investigation into the incident and into whether there were any outstanding threats to other schools.

There's a really neat tradition in its second year at Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton.

It's called "Adopt A Shark," where football players get matched up with a school staff member who becomes a mentor to them through the season. And that extra support goes a long way.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: High School Football

Dr. Lisa Harrison is Spanish River High School's testing coordinator by day. But after school, she becomes a "Shark Mom."

"We know if we build those student relationships with teachers and we build those relationships and bonds, then they are more apt for academic success and have all the tools that they need in their toolbox," Harrison said.

Harrison started the "Adopt A Shark" program last year to build community around the football team.

Staff members become Shark parents for players, wearing their jersey number and lifting them up.

"They bring them little treats and show up to the games, so the kids get to see another person out there rooting for them," Harrison said. "And they are super excited to see their number on a teacher."

And its not just teachers. Standout wide receiver Blake Wallace is paired up with principal Dr. Allison Castellano for the second year in a row, by choice.

"I got the top," Wallace said. "She's wonderful. She's great. She helps me with my homework. She hooks me up with snacks. It's a great bond we have."

Wallace said that extra special fan makes him want to fight harder on the field and in the classroom.

"It's great. It's such a great time. Having someone there who is just really there to support you," Harrison said.

And it's bringing more school spirit to the sport.

"It connects everybody because we are getting more fan support," head football coach Coach Ian Headley said. "The teachers are more into it. Just overall, it's a really good experience for our kids."

Harrison said the team's grades and morale are up, creating a stronger school of sharks, ready to bite down on the competition.

"It's fire around here," Harrison said. "It's incredible now of how exciting football is."

"I love Shark Nation because they are proud of our program," Headley said. "And we are super excited about Shark Nation. So every Friday we go out and try to make them proud."

You can make a difference in a child's life and education by participating in the WPTV and Scripps Howard Fund's "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign.

For the third year, WPTV is supporting students at Weatherbee Elementary School in Fort Pierce, helping them grow their own home libraries.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: "If You Give a Child a Book" Campaign

In Rochelle Chatburn's fifth grade class, everything they do orbits around reading.

"Reading is cross curricular," Chatburn said. "It helps them not only in reading, but writing and math and science and social studies. We read all day in all content areas. So it's critical."

Chatburn remembers the smiles full of pride last year when her students got to take home three books free from the Scholastic Book Fair, thanks to the WPTV and Scripps Howard Fund's "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign.

"Oh my gosh! Their faces were so lit up. They were so excited. They wanted to devour those books. They were so proud of them. When they got back, we had sharpies for them. They all wrote their names in them. But then after they read them, they wanted to trade them," Chatburn said.

And that's what we want to continue: creating a love for learning and literacy for Weatherbee Elementary School students like Fenie Lubin.

"I love reading," Lubin said. "I even have a big library at home."

Lubin shares her passion with others who are less fortunate.

"In Haiti, there are kids who don't go to school. So when I get books, I read them," Lubin said. "And after, I send them to my sister so she can give to people."

Every student has their own story.

"I like reading interesting books like adventure books," student Martin Vasquez said. "I feel good. I feel happy to have books to read."

That only grows stronger with every read.

"It's so worth it," Chatburn said. "Our children are our future. We want them to be literate. We want our students to go on and be educated. And it all starts with those books."

To donate to the "If You Give a Child a Book" campaign, click here.

It's season number two for the Dr. Joaquin Garcia High School Bulldogs football team.

After just one win last season, they are now ready to take a bite out of the competition.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: High School Football

When you see the Bulldogs out on the field, they say don't underestimate the heart and soul of this team.

"I feel like everybody thinks we're an underdog and that we're just some brand new team," quarterback Caleb Butler said. "But we're building. And not a lot of people are seeing the work that we're putting in right now. But this season, they'll see the work we put in."

Butler transferred to Garcia High School this year to a team he said feels like family.

"It feels amazing with my new family. Amazing coaches. Amazing head coach in coach Walker. I couldn't ask for anything better," Butler said.

As head coach Brandon Walker grinds it out with the players during practice, he sees a new surge of energy in his bulldogs for year two, shaking out the unknowns.

"I think it's just maturity and growth," Walker said. "These kids spend a lot of hours together outside of football has really brought us together. We went to team camp this summer at Keiser University. It was huge for us. Just the bonding time."

Walker said creating team culture and traditions are setting them up for success, as the players not only buy in to the sport, but the school as well.

"I love all of them. We've got a great group of kids," Walker said. "They're great men on the football field. Great men off the football field. People this community can be really proud of, and going to represent Dr. Joaquin Garcia High School very well."

Who, at their core, love the thrill of the game.

"I get that chill and goosebumps every time I touch the field or I hear football or when I step on the field. When the lights turn off," Butler said. "It's just become my life."

The Bulldogs said their goal is to be better each week than they were before, and, of course, to have a winning season.

The team won their regular season opener on Thursday, beating Lake Worth Community High School, 49 to 13.

The Bulldogs also won their preseason Kickoff Classic last week against Okeechobee High School. That means the team now has two wins in a row for the first time ever.

Nearly 300 wireless devices were confiscated from Martin County students during the first week of school under an aggressive new policy in the school district.

According to numbers released to WPTV by the Martin County School District, 279 wireless devices were taken away from students. That includes cellphones, smartwatches, and earbuds.

Martin County High School had the most devices confiscated at 113, followed by 101 at South Fork High School and 48 at Jensen Beach High School.

In addition, five devices were confiscated at David L. Anderson Middle School, four at Stuart Middle School, four at Spectrum Academy, two at Willoughby Learning Center and one each at Indiantown Middle School and Hidden Oaks Middle School.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Education

Last year, Florida law banned students from having phones out during instruction time.

However, not every local school district is tackling technology the same way.

The Martin County School District is the most aggressive with its new cellphone and wireless device consequences. If you have a wireless device out at any time during the school day including in the classroom, hallways or at lunch it will be taken away and only returned to your parent or guardian.

Superintendent Michael Maine said that when a phone is taken away, a teacher or staff member will bring it to the front office, where it will be documented and locked up.

Repeated violations in Martin County will lead to progressive discipline and could even result in suspension. The new policy also applies to AirPods and using smartwatches.

"Do you think this is gonna work?" WPTV education reporter Stephanie Susskind asked Maine before the start of the school year.

"I think if we are consistent as a district and every single school is being consistent throughout, we will be successful with this," Maine answered. "But it's gonna take not just us as a school district. I need the help from parents."

Maine added that cellphones are increasing bullying and online harassment and are "creeping in all kinds of inappropriate things that our students are doing."

"We need to regain control of that. And this is a step toward helping to mitigate that," Maine said.

As for our other local school districts, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties said they'll maintain current policy aligning with state law, which bans cellphones during instruction time unless a teacher allows it.

The School District of Indian River County said it focused on enforcing the law last year.

"We were drastically able to increase the amount of time our teachers can be providing quality instruction because they weren't cell phone police," Superintendent Dr. David Moore said. "So some of our success we had last year we contribute to cracking down on cellphones."

In Martin County, Maine said all principals have been trained on how to implement this new policy with their staff.

Martin County High School Junior Mia Lopez is concerned about the school district's new cellphone enforcement.

"Left and right, everyone is taking their phones. It's just very hectic," Lopez said. "I feel like it creates unnecessary stress and confusion, and I would love to have our voices heard."

Lopez created a change.org petition that gathered more than 2,000 signatures and sent it to the school board, hoping to see policy changes. Her petition is titled "Reinstate Smartphone Usage for Students during Non-Classroom Hours at Schools in Martin County."

Lopez worries parents and students won't be able to communicate if there is an emergency. While she understands the rules in place if a student uses their phone in class, she does not feel they should face the same consequences if a student has their phone out in the hallway or at lunch.

"I feel the policy and its consequences should be implemented only when the phone is out during class, outside of class it should not be implemented," Lopez said.

"We didn't really have an expectation, this is a new sense of enforcement," Derek Lowe, coordinator of public information and community relations for the Martin County School District, said. "I think this is a little bit of sticker shock. It's something new, something to get used to. We haven't had any issue that I've heard of with people getting combative or things escalating to the point SROs need to be called into classrooms."

Lowe said he wants parents to talk to their children about the change.

"We're happy with the way things are going," Lowe said. "We encourage parents to continue to talk to their kids about this new policy and the consequences that surround it. We don't want to inconvenience parents any more than we have to, but we have to do something to curb the use of these devices in our schools."

Parent Andi McAvoy said she wasn't surprised by the numbers.

"My son was actually one of those children that had his phone taken away on the second day," McAvoy said. "I knew it was going to happen, hes very into his cell phone," she said. "I did have to go pick up the phone after school among other moms and dads that had to go as well, so there was quite a bit of us in the office."

She supports the rules in place and called this a learning curve for students.

"It's a rule, its like anything else," McAvoy said. "Wearing your school ID, getting to school on time and anything else. It's something new and the kids and everyone have to adapt to it."

As voters head to the polls Tuesday, there will be a big shakeup in Palm Beach County education.

Three school board seats are up for grabs on the seven-member board, with no incumbents running for reelection.

WPTV education reporter Stephanie Susskind examined the changing dynamics of school board races and what it means for your child's education.

Nearly half of the Palm Beach County School Board seats will change hands this election season. It's the biggest shakeup in almost 15 years when three new members were all elected during the 2010 election cycle.

A lot has changed since then, not only in education, but with people's perspective on school boards.

Palm Beach County mom Taylor Christian spends a lot of time at the park with 2-year-old Aryia. While Aryia is not old enough for grade school yet, Christian knows what topics matter most to her.

"Definitely safety is a huge issue. Making sure the kids are safe. And structure, too. Structure is really important," Christian said.

Safety was a top issue for many of you on our WPTV Facebook page, along with bullying, as we get ready for new faces on the Palm Beach County School Board. Some long-held seats will turn over.

The candidates for District 1 a seat covering the northern part of the county held by Barbara McQuinn since 2016 include Matthew Jay Lane, Page Lewis, and Francesca Wernisch.

Virginia Savietto is running unopposed for the District 2 seat held by Alexandria Ayala since 2020. This seat covers the Greenacres and Palms Springs area.

In District 5, Frank Barbieri has represented the southern part of the county since 2008. The candidates are Gloria Branch, Mindy Koch, Mike Letsky, Suzanne Page, and Charman Postel.

A candidate must win more than 50% of the vote on Tuesday. Otherwise, the race will go to a runoff in November.

The attention on school boards has changed drastically over the years, especially during COVID-19 when mask and social distancing debates filled the chambers.

"It's about being able to handle some of the negative consequences of being on the opposite side of certain parents and political groups. Not interest groups. Political groups," said Jonathan Collins, an assistant professor of political science and education at Teachers College at Columbia University.

Collins has been studying the changes in school boards. He founded a new research lab to examine these issues. The School Board and Youth Engagement Lab analyzes national data, looking at how boards are elected and how they work with the public.

Collins said three new members in Palm Beach County could shake things up.

"You won't see seismic change. But what you could see is a significantly greater amount of disagreement among the board. Just friction that would make it more difficult to achieve things," Collins said.

Collins added that what school boards focused on has changed as well in recent years.

"It was more about bringing a bunch of groups together that maybe have some overlapping interests and maybe some competing interests, and how do we get everyone to the table to split the pie and be happy about it?" Collins said. "Now you have to be more of a partisan politician. Now it's about signaling where you stand ideologically. It's about connecting to a partisan group."

Christian said she'll be watching.

"Making sure the curriculum they are providing for these kids at school is structured. They're learning, incorporating more real-life education," Christian said.

As we near the end of the first week of school, some parents in Martin County are concerned their kids don't have the supplies they need in the classroom.

Last month, parents were excited to learn the Martin County School District would cover the cost of essential school supplies.

But now, we are hearing from many of you, saying your kids' classrooms don't have enough of necessities. So we took your concerns to school district leaders to sort out the confusion.

Martin County set aside about $300,000 for schools to purchase supplies, and parents were under the impression they were off the hook.

"I think its a misunderstanding," said Derek Lowe, the coordinator of public information and community relations for the Martin County School District. "I think when you hear school supplies are being covered, you may initially think that those luxury items that your students had in the past are being covered. They might have special binders or individual composition books for every single class, or the latest and greatest highlighters and gel pens. And we're in the business of providing the essentials and making sure kids have what they absolutely need to be able to succeed in their classes."

District leaders told us if schools don't have enough of the essentials, they can request more funding from the district.

"If there is an additional need for essential additional school supplies that you haven't seen yet or maybe you underestimated at the beginning of the school year, for teachers to reach out to their school administrators, and those school administrators to reach out to us at the district, and we will make sure no student in Martin County goes without the school supplies that they need to be successful," Lowe said.

District leaders also said be patient, as it is the first week of school and some orders are still coming in.

"We are not going to put kids in a situation where they don't have what they need to succeed," Lowe said. "It also is the first week of school, so I know for a fact that some schools have definitely placed orders that haven't arrived yet. And there are some schools that are still ordering supplies. They've come to notice the first couple days of school that we need to order more. We are happy to provide those, as long as they are essential school supplies and not things that are over the top. Be patient, work with us, work with your teachers. And teachers out there, school administrators, make sure you let us know if you have a need."

A former student "willfully and maliciously interrupted a class" at Sebastian River High School on Monday, flipping over desks and forcing the teacher to clear students out of the room, according to a newly released arrest report.

Alani Palmer, 21, of Sebastian, is facing charges of trespassing on school grounds and interfering with school administration functions. She remains in the Indian River County Jail as of Wednesday morning.

Principal Christopher Cummings said Palmer, a former student at Sebastian River High School, was improperly let into the front reception area by another student on Monday, the first day of school.

According to Palmer's arrest report, she had gotten into school "without permission" while classes were in session.

Palmer ended up in classroom where she "began to cause a disturbance, flipping school desks, and the teacher had to remove students from the class," the arrest report stated.

The report added that Palmer "willfully and maliciously interrupted a class."

A school resource officer responded to the classroom, where Palmer was handcuffed. She was booked into the Indian River County Jail at approximately 12:45 p.m. Monday.

School officials said the student who let Palmer into the building has been identified and will face consequences.

"I want to assure you that the safety of our students and staff is our top priority," Cummings said. "We are taking all necessary steps to prevent incidents like this from happening in the future. We are also working closely with law enforcement to address this situation thoroughly."

The superintendent of the Martin County School District said he has a goal for this school year that isn't something most school leaders want to talk about: suspensions.

Superintendent Michael Maine said he wants to reduce the disproportionate number of African American students who are receiving out-of-school suspensions for things like battery or an arrest on campus.

WPTV education reporter Stephanie Susskind examined the numbers and why the superintendent said this is a problem the district needs to tackle.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Back To School

"With your African American students, they make up a small percentage of the school population. Under 10%. But the out-of-school suspensions were above 20%," Susskind addressed Maine.

"Yes. You are absolutely right," Maine answered. "And that, for me as superintendent, and for any school administrator or district administrator, is disheartening."

Maine acknowledged the Martin County School District may not be meeting the needs of its minority students.

"It's not always the kid," Maine said. "Sometimes, we are not doing things the way we should be doing things in-house. And that's OK to admit. We're not going to be perfect, but we need to look at that data and use that data to provide training opportunities for our staff and our teachers to help decrease those problems."

Maine said they need to do a better job with training teachers on classroom management, communication, and staying calm.

"Looking inwardly at our practices in-house to make sure we are decreasing the number of African American students and Hispanic students that are receiving multiple disciplines over and over again," Maine said.

According to analysis of Florida Department of Education and Martin County School District records, Black students make up about 7% of the student population, but about 22% of out-of-school suspensions. White students make up 53% of the population but 41% of the out-of-school suspensions, and Hispanic students make up about 34% of the population and about 33% of the out-of-school suspensions.

We took our findings from the Florida Department of Education and Martin County School District data to Martin County NAACP President Jimmy Smith. He said the disparity is nothing new.

"[Black students] feel they are not being supported, and they don't feel a part of the school system. Because when you don't have people who look like you around, diversity, it has an impact on our kids feeling like they are a part," Smith said.

Smith believes a lot of the problems come down to a lack of understanding and representation.

"We have to help these teachers find ways to understand the culture of others. And when they don't act the way you were raised and taught, that doesn't mean they are not a good kid," Smith said.

Smith said he is encouraged to see Superintendent Maine tackling the issue. He said the NAACP and school district are working together to form committees to look at what needs to be done and come up with strategies to improve.

Maine also said they are creating a "school within a school" model at middle schools that has helped in the high schools to create opportunities for in-school suspension instead of out of school.

"That will allow school administrators to assign a student in school suspension versus putting them out of school, and do a bunch of different educational programming. Character education, different types of things that would help to mitigate or retrain the brain to make different choices to do things differently this time around that would allow them to stay in school and continue their work, and allow teachers to come in and check in on them, versus putting them out of school where we really don't have control on what's happening," Maine said. "Often, a student who is suspended is home alone. And that's not doing anyone any favors. And it's certainly not making sure that student is getting an education. And in many cases, they want to be home."

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

Tykes and Teens is a children's mental health organization on the Treasure Coast. It operates a program called ALTOSS: Alternative to Out of School Suspension.

"The school can make a referral to us, or the parent can bring the child in. And then if they attend the out of school suspension program, the suspension doesn't count against their attendance," said Jay Biscanian, the director of operations and prevention for Tykes and Teens. "So they are counted as being present and they have the opportunity then to make up school work."

WATCH: Tykes and Teens talks student suspensions on Treasure Coast

Biscanian said they have a curriculum focused on character development and the students also have an opportunity for community service.

Biscanian added that kids who attend the ALTOSS program are about 40% less likely to be suspended again.

"Kids need to be in school. They need the opportunity to learn and socialize. And a lot of that was taken away from kids during COVID. I think what we're seeing now is some of these behaviors stem from the isolation and trauma of what they went through in the pandemic," Biscanian said. "It's important they get the opportunity to reflect on what happened and problem solve and come up with new strategies and ways to deal with whatever problems arise in school, so they can be more successful in the future."

Biscanian said the program is open to high school and middle school students for the duration of their suspension. They saw about 200 Martin County kids in the program last year. He added tgat a strong partnership with the school district helps to make it successful. Most of the students who come to ALTOSS are suspended because of verbal and physical fights and substance abuse, Biscanian said.

Martin County Superintendent Michael Maine said the new school year started off great in his district on Monday.

The superintendent got a look at the new gymnasium and media center at South Fork High School.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Back To School

Maine said that, unlike neighboring districts like St. Lucie County, Martin County is not experiencing rapid growth. So it's vital that public schools put their best foot forward.

And the new additions seem to have made a good first impression with students.

"It was definitely a change," South Fork student Madeline McKay said. "I liked how open the colors are. And its nice the new tables and chairs. And I think its a good place to sit and talk. Its really nice."

"I think the public school systems are the very best," Maine said. "I think we do it the best. Now its time we tell our story in a way that parents understand the quality of product we put out there. And the type of education that we provide."

The athletic center at South Fork High School is a $27 million, 50,000-square-foot facility. Money for this projects was provided by the half-cent sales tax referendum that passed in 2018.

Tens of thousands of Palm Beach County students returned to school on Monday.

"This is the best day of the school year. Always," said Dr. Allison Castellano, the principal of Spanish River Community High School in Boca Raton. "It's absolutely amazing to see all the students coming back and refreshed and excited for a new school year."

It's an especially exciting and proud year for Castellano after Superintendent Mike Burke said the district believes Spanish River achieved an impressive 100% graduation rate last school year.

"It's unofficial, but we believe their graduation rate is 100%," Burke said. "They dominate in the classroom academically, and they also have quite a group of student athletes. So I'm just really proud of Dr. Castellano. I think she sets the standard for how to run a really well organized, high achieving high school."

Castellano credits the school's success on students and teachers who embraced changes to state testing requirements.

"We all have pride in excelling and doing the absolute best we can do," Castellano said. "Our mission here is to ensure that every student reaches their highest potential. And we want to do the best we can to accelerate them while they're here to, hopefully, not only allow them to be successful at the next level, but also, hopefully, help them get a college scholarship."

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Back To School

For many students at the high school level, it was their first time walking through a metal detector on campus.

Palm Beach County schools started the year Monday with metal detectors on every high school campus following a pilot program last year.

Castellano said the staff at Spanish River practiced with the metal detectors a lot at the end of last school year and learned ways to get students through the devices more quickly and efficiently.

According to Castellano, returning students had no issues with the metal detectors on Monday, and there was a little bit of a wait as freshmen figured out the system and how to put their student number in.

"We were all in class on time. It's absolutely a good experience this morning. Our students came early and well prepared. And we had our people stationed and ready to show them the way through the stations. And no issues at all," Castellano said.

As far as our other local school districts, Indian River County will continue using metal detectors on its two high school campuses.

Leaders in Martin, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties said they are exploring the option, but are not ready to add metal detectors to their campuses at this time.

Farther south in Broward County, it was a very shaky start to the new year as 31 high schools rolled out metal detectors for the first time. It led to very long lines, with reports of hundreds of students still waiting to be screened outside West Broward High School as the first bell rang.

Broward County Public Schools issued an apology to high school students and families on social media, saying the district is "committed to improving this experience and will be making necessary adjustments."

On a bright Monday morning, Indian River County educator Mary-Stephanie Hiller promptly pulls up to the Board of Education building in Vero Beach.

She cheerily grabs her bag and badge, enthusiastically greeting the many people she passes by name as she strolls into the front office.

"You ready for a great school year? Hiller asks with gusto.

Hiller, now in her 30th year of teaching, was born and raised in Indian River County. She graduated high school from the district, as did her father.

For her, overseeing the math curriculum for the district she grew up in is a dream come true, and she's equally thankful she can afford to live in the same county she works in. It's part of the reason she's not going anywhere.

It's funny, I'm a math person. [my commute] used to take nine minutes. Now it takes 12, Hiller said, chuckling.

Yet not every educator has that same easy commute.

It is a challenge. Theres no way you can say its not. The cost of housing everywhere on the Treasure Coast continues to rise," said Dr. David Moore, the superintendent of School District of Indian River County.

Moore said that while the majority of his teachers live in the county, some have a much farther commute because of the cost of living.

It's an issue front and center for many school districts now gearing up for another school year: the cost of living impacting the ability to recruit and retain quality teachers.

In Indian River County, this year's starting teacher salary is just under $49,000.

According to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's living wage calculator, a single person without children living in Indian River County needs to make $41,572 just to pay for the basics like groceries, housing, transportation, and health care.

To live comfortably, go ahead and double that income to more than $93,000. That's per a Smart Asset study which uses the 50-30-20 rule. That is, dedicating 50% of your salary to needs, 30% to wants, and 20% to savings.

"Is that something youve heard from teachers is a struggle? WPTV journalist Kate Hussey asked Moore.

"Oh, absolutely," Moore answered.

It's a struggle for Martin County Superintendent Michael Maine, too.

The district just negotiated a 3.1% raise, bumping teachers to just under $51,000, which is the highest of all Treasure Coast districts.

However, that's not even close to the $77,742 salary MIT's calculator shows a teacher with just one child would need to survive.

"For us, it has been a problem. And so the only thing we can do is to continue to commit to raising salaries every year to try to offset some of that," Maine said.

Recent data from the Martin County School District shows that of the district's 1,200 teachers, 762, or 64%, commute from out of county.

Maine said the hardest to recruit have been paraprofessionals, which include teacher aids, support staff, and special education professionals.

"We just cant pay them what outside businesses pay them," Maine said.

It's an issue across the state of Florida, too.

A recent study from the National Center for Education Statistics published in April showed K-12 teachers in Florida were the lowest paid in the country.

Data from the Florida Education Association, Florida's largest teachers' labor union, shows that as of January, there were 7,553 teacher and support staff openings statewide.

Of school districts in our area, Palm Beach County's teacher vacancy rate is about 2.2%, with 250 openings.

Martin County had a vacancy rate of 1.9%, and Indian River, with 11 openings, had a vacancy rate of just under 1%.

"We need to always figure out ways to pay our teachers as much as we can. But at the end of the day, we also want people to look forward to going to work," Moore said.

Moore added that Indian River County schools just negotiated another salary agreement and is hoping to raise wages again.

Maine said that, in addition to reaching the tentative 3.1% salary increase, the district is also negotiating health insurance and other salary supplements to stay competitive.

On Monday, students across our area will head back to school.

A successful day for all parents starts with their kids getting there safely, whether by car, bike, or bus.

WPTV education reporter Stephanie Susskind is learning how school districts in Martin and Palm Beach counties are making it easier for parents to ensure that happens.

With Martin County's new bus tracking app, when a student scans their ID on the bus, parents get a notification to their phone that their child is on the bus, along with when it arrives.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Back To School

"I think it's fantastic because of my experience," parent Colette Henson-Rivera said.

Henson-Rivera's 4-year-old son Hudson loves riding the school bus to VPK. But a rough day last year made her even more eager to download the Martin County School District's new bus tracking app.

"There was a fill-in bus driver that day, and they did bring him to the wrong school. And they said, 'We just want to let you know he's not here. They did drop him off at a different location.' So, of course, the panic set in," Henson-Rivera said.

Now, Henson-Rivera will have that real-time location in the palm of her hands.

Martin County Superintendent Michael Maine said the My ReaXium app will work with technology already being used on buses.

"We're super excited that our parents will have access to real-time data on their phone to make an informed decision on whether they need to get there a little earlier, or if they can be a little late and still make the bus," Maine said.

State funds paid for the new tracking system after Martin County complied early with a new Florida law regulating school start times.

"We only had to adjust our school start times by 10 minutes," Maine said. "That gave us access to about $60,000 in grant money from the Florida Department of Education, which we are using to purchase these types of things."

"Here Comes The Bus is another way to help elevate our customer service in Palm Beach County," said Superintendent Mike Burke of the School District of Palm Beach County.

The Here Comes The Bus app provides parents across all Palm Beach County schools with that real-time bus tracking data.

"It's been great. It really helps with communication, so the parents can see when the bus is expected to arrive. Also the school administrators at the school site," Burke said.

Leaders said they hope the apps cut down on parent complaints and concerns.

For Henson-Rivera, the peace of mind is the real driver.

"I'm very excited," Henson-Rivera said. "I'm going to have that app on the minute I wake up. And I will be watching it until I know he's safe at school."

Students are about head back to class. Some to the same school, and some are starting in a new setting.

At Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, the site of the tragic 2018 shooting which claimed 17 lives, students will return to a campus missing something.

It has been marked by the demolition of the building where the shooting occurred.

Tony Montalto, whose daughter Gina was among the victims, spoke to me about the new safety measures being implemented.

"We should always be aware of our surroundings, but we should also hope that our schools, especially Marjory Stoneman Douglas, will be a safe place where children can be comfortable and learn," Montalto said.

This year, students and teachers will pass through metal detectors daily as part of enhanced security measures.

Montalto said hes happy with the progress on safety, but noted that improvements took longer than expected. He spoke about the importance of remaining vigilant and using available safety and reporting tools.

"Everyone should feel safe," Montalto said. "But always remain vigilant about whats going on and use the safety tools in place."

The Broward County School District confirmed that the demolition of the 1200 Building is complete, debris has been cleared, and the land is being prepared for sod. They are working with families and school staff to determine the future use of the site.

Montalto also said hes advocating for two memorials: one on campus to honor the victims' legacies, and one off-campus for the broader community to pay respects.

"There should be a memorial on the campus to memorialize who was taken that day because they all had bright futures," Montalto said.

As students prepare to return, the absence of the building is a stark reminder of the tragedy, but Montalto hopes the memory of the 17 lives lost will continue to be honored.

Exactly how much artificial intelligence will your kids be seeing in the classroom this upcoming school year?

We sat down with two superintendents in our viewing area to find out.

Were just days away from kicking off a new school year, and this new technology will likely change the education landscape.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Back To School

In Okeechobee County, Superintendent Dylan Tedders said theyre launching a career and technical program focused on AI.

They'll learn about the principles of AI and then the applications of AI, Tedders said. If that resource is there, why wouldn't you use it? Why would you need to start from scratch on anything?

The program will teach the basics on this topic, like evaluating, developing, and designing systems that use artificial intelligence. Itll also teach students how to write code for robots.

Were literally preparing students right now for jobs we can't even comprehend, said Tedders.

After the program, students walk away with industry certifications in Microsofts Azure AI information technology and cybersecurity.

"Its going to increase productivity efficiency and maybe even the quality of what is submitted," Tedders said.

The coursework for the program includes classes like Artificial Intelligence in the World, Applications of AI, and Foundations of Machine Learning.

Tedders said the technology should be used as a jumping off point and inspire students to dig deeper.

If I just copy and paste that into a report, yeah, that is going to be 100% plagiarism. And we have programs that can detect that. But if I want to use that as like a brainstorming session, a way to get ideas, that's the way our teachers are learning how to incorporate that into classrooms," Tedders said.

Other districts are also leaning into artificial intelligence.

The School District of Palm Beach County is expanding a tool they used this past school year, called Khanmigo.

Were rolling out Khanmigo in a big way to all our middle and high schools, Superintendent Michael Burke said.

Khanmigo is an AI-powered personal tutor and teaching assistant. It does not give answers away, but rather guides students and teachers to solutions and strategies. It was used in nine schools across Palm Beach County last year.

It's very safe. It operates within the Khan Academy content, Burke said.

Burke also said theyre using what they learned during last years rollout to enhance this years use of the tool.

One of the biggest challenges was we rolled it out mid school year. So it kind of came as a little bit of an afterthought to the teachers and principals. But it was a good testing ground," Burke said.

Rachel Bibey and her teen daughter, Savannah, scoured the store aisles looking for good deals on back to school supplies.

Rachel started by checking out deals online before going to a store.

"I'm trying to handle it mostly online to make my life easier," Rachel said.

Savannah knows her mother likes to save money when she can.

"When she does buy stuff, she will always try to get the best deal that she can. Some stuff is overpriced and she doesn't want to pay for that," Savannah said.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Back To School

Experts said the key to saving money is to have a plan before you drive to a store.

Dr. Jennifer Peluso, the dean of academic affairs at Keiser University, shares tips.

"Everything is so expensive. The best way to get started is to plan ahead," Peluso said. "Get the family involved. Find deals that will cut costs. Make a little family competition. Give them each the list and have them go off and check on the internet and see who can come up with the total cost that was the least. Maybe it's better to buy the notebooks at one store, but you buy your pens at another store."

Peluso said to make a list of where you will buy certain items to stay on budget.

"Number one, you will forget things that are on the list. We all forget things. And number two, you are going to be distracted by something else that you would like to have that your kids don't need. So go with a list and stick with the list," Peluso said.

Don't rule out thrift stores, too.

"You would be surprised how many calculators, notebooks, protractors, and other kinds of supplies that you might need that other families have donated," Peluso said.

Peluso said don't forget that you can re-use items from last year.

"If you have a pen drawer with 50,000 pens, don't buy more pens. Go through the pen drawer and see what you have. Highlighters or blue pens or black pens," Peluso said.

As far as the Bibey family, when they find a good deal, they try to buy extra.

"Expo markers for the teachers, grading pens for the teachers. There is just so much that they need. And a lot of the teachers because I have a lot of teacher friends spend a good portion of their money providing stuff for their classrooms. So any time that we can help them out is a good thing," Rachel said.

When students head back to school next week at South Fork High School in Martin County, theyre going to see new places to thrive both academically, and athletically.

At the end of Bulldog Way, finishing touches are being made to a new athletic facility that will be among the first things you see on the South Fork campus.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Back To School

It couldnt be a better time to usher in this facility. Theres a lot of history here, said athletic director Ed Geiger.

With South Fork celebrating its 40th anniversary, Geiger said it was important to keep some of its past, as there are pieces of the old gym floor on display.

Its had state finalists in basketball. State finalists and state champions in volleyball, said Geiger.

The crown jewel of this $27 million, 50,000-square-foot facility is the new gymnasium that will host not just athletics. Video projections can be put up on the corner walls to enhance events like graduation ceremonies.

A quality upgrade in the facility, and were looking to launch into the future with it, said Geiger.

The new gym is three times the size of the old gym. That includes facilities like the weight room, which will be moving from underneath the football bleachers into the new gym.

There are new locker rooms for student athletes and for physical education classes.

Physical education requirements have evolved over the years for Florida students. Public school elementary students must get 150 minutes of PE per week. In middle school, one class per day for one semester of PE each year. In high school, students need one credit in PE with the integration of health, but that can be waived with an online class or participation in varsity athletics.

WPTV asked Geiger whether a new facility like this could spark more interest in physical activity.

We are always going to be proponents of PE. All of my teachers are coaches. Physical fitness of our youth is something I think we all need to be concerned with, said Geiger.

With the old gym demolished, Geiger cant wait for the students to experience something new.

As we head into the new school year, St. Lucie County is expecting another big jump in enrollment as the county experiences unprecedented growth.

With it comes the need for more schools and planning for the future.

WPTV education reporter Stephanie Susskind is examining how the district is responding to its thriving community.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Back To School

There is no greater symbol of the growth of St. Lucie County than seeing Legacy High School under construction and ready to welcome students in August of 2025.

"The growth is definitely demanding that we add more schools and more classrooms and more educators," parent Nicki O'Neill said.

O'Neill lives the St. Lucie County economic boom every day.

"It is overwhelming at times, especially when we are trying to get to school and her games and her cheering and everything we do after school," O'Neill said.

And the school district feels it, too.

"We want to make sure by the time our families move here, we can meet the need for education and make sure families and businesses that are attracted to coming here they know they are getting a quality education in St. Lucie County," said Superintendent Dr. Jon Prince of St. Lucie Public Schools.

Prince said that as more people make the Treasure Coast their home, he expects at least another 1,800 students to enroll this year in what he calls their "Destination District."

"What do you think makes it a 'Destination District' right now?" Susskind asked Prince.

"I think its more affordable," Prince answered. "There is no such thing as affordable housing anymore. But it is more affordable. And I think a lot of families get cost-out of adjacent counties and are coming here because they see they can get a little more for their dollar. And not just that. We are building schools aggressively to meet those needs."

Legacy High School is just the start. The district will break ground on a new K-8 school about a mile away, which is set to open in 2026, with more expansion expected.

"Were growing at about 1,800 to 2,000 students a year. So were anticipating another 1,800 at a minimum. But currently, our enrollment is about 47,000. So were expecting about 49,000 this year, and we have the capacity to do that currently. But its unsustainable because the growth is happening so quickly. We have to make sure we are keeping up. And thats why we are currently building this high school," Prince said.

St. Lucie Public Schools will also revise its school zoning policies to have students attend closer to their home.

"Thats one of the goals, also, to make sure we reduce our transportation costs. Because right now, our transportation costs are unsustainable," Prince said.

Home of the Legacy Lions, this Crosstown Parkway campus is expected to welcome about 1,700 students next fall.

"Right now, were looking at building one. Its gonna house classrooms, academic classrooms, the media center, and some administrative offices," principal Todd Smith told Susskind as he gave her a tour of the construction site.

Legacy High School is expected to relieve overcrowding, primarily at Treasure Coast High School and St. Lucie West Centennial High School.

"It really is exciting because you are seeing the excitement in the community," Smith said.

Creating a new legacy to build on.

In less than a week, your kids will be back in the classroom. And we know their safety is always on your mind.

Palm Beach County schools will begin the year with metal detectors on every high school campus following a pilot program last year.

WPTV education reporter Stephanie Susskind is examining why leaders said it's one more piece of the puzzle to protecting your family.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Back To School

Thousands of students across all Palm Beach County high school campuses will walk through metal detectors on the first day of school.

"I'm looking forward to seeing it hopefully kick off very smoothly and running through the year like it's just another layer of security, which it is. And it just helps make our campuses a little bit safer," said Chief Sarah Mooney of the School District of Palm Beach County's Police Department.

Mooney said they worked through the kinks and long lines on individual campuses last year. She said no guns were detected going through the detectors or found on campuses after the fact.

"It's kind of hard to determine what the impact of the metal detectors is because, if you don't find anything, that's a win. If you do find something, I guess that's a win because you prevented something. But it's very hard to judge exactly what you may or may not be detecting," Mooney said.

Still, the chief considers the program a success.

"I think so, yes, because the feedback from the students and the administration. They were a little hesitant at first, not thinking it would be real easy to do. And once they saw it wasn't real intrusive and it does add another layer of security to their campuses, their feedback has been very positive," Mooney said.

"It is supposed to promote safety and piece of mind for the parents," said parent Tracey Rosario.

Rosario has a son at Palm Beach Central High School in Wellington. She said the metal detectors don't bother him. And while she wishes they weren't necessary, having them at every Palm Beach County high school removes some of the stigma they can bring.

"We know it can happen. So having those metal detectors, if they can save a life, if they can stop anyone from bringing something harmful in to school, yes, I am all for it all the way," Rosario said. "But I don't like the image that it brings."

Mooney said that no matter what physical security they put in place, the most important part of the safety plan is always the people.

"If there is something that looks out of line, something that looks suspicious, please report it," Mooney said.

So what about our other area school districts? Indian River County will continue using metal detectors on its two high school campuses.

Leaders in Martin, St. Lucie, and Okeechobee counties said they are exploring the option, but are not ready to add metal detectors to their campuses at this time.

Resetting school-aged children for the start of a new academic year after summer break can be a struggle.

For the best advice as to how to make the transition smooth for all families, I spoke with a pediatrician and a family with middle and high school-aged children.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Back To School

The Williams family in West Palm Beach takes pride in their music tradition. Music Williams is a student at Dreyfoos School of the Arts and E.J. Williams is a student at Bak Middle School.

This is the week before school. however, so theres a different tune around the house.

Ericka Locke-Williams said shes getting her children ready for the school day routine.

Probably around 6 a.m. Clap, clap, clap. Get up! Time to get up. Get up and do something. Even though theyre not going to school, get up and do something. And just gets them back into the swing of things, Locke-Williams said.

Summer break has been slower than the school year.

Well live our whole day before 8 oclock and theyll still be sleep, Locke-Williams said.

Even dad said its time for the parents to reset. Eusevius Williams works is an educator at Roosevelt Middle School.

I know I need to go to work next week," Williams said.

"So you need the reset also?" I asked Williams.

"Yeah. I need the reset also," Williams answered.

Dr. Andrea Horbey is a pediatrician at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital. She has the best solution for resetting the summer break routine into a school routine from a medical point of view.

"I would say a minimum of three to five days before the actual first day of school. The reason for that, it takes a minimum of three days to reset your sleep schedule at nighttime," Horbey said.

I then asked what is the right amount of sleep each student should get.

"School-age children ages six to 13 get a minimum of nine to 12 hours a night. So keep that in mind. And teenagers need about eight to 10 hours of sleep per night," Horbey said.

The Williams will shoot for that, but stay flexible with big homework assignments.

When speaking about her daughter, Music, and her big assignements, Locke-Williams said, She has to get it done. Now does it require her sometimes to stay up until 11 oclock? Yeah.

I asked Dr. Horbey if kids should start right when they get home or wait a little.

Give them a break. Let them run it out. Get some physical activity in. And then when its time to go back to homework, I guarantee theyll be able to focus a lot more, Horbey said.

Eusevius Williams puts things in perspective and said parenting through the school year is a work in progress.

Tried and true method is having patience, knowing that Rome wasnt built overnight. And its going to take some time to get the kids back on schedule, Williams said.

Hornbey said the American Academy of Pediatrics advises to limit screen time for all children to two hours maximum per day. This does not include screen time associated with school work.

The classroom of 2024 is very different from what you saw 10, five, or even just a year ago.

In Indian River County, we went to see how educators are using technology to keep students engaged.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Back To School

At Dodgertown Elementary School near Vero Beach, theyre taking a big swing when it comes to science and technology.

Principal Felice Bagley pointed out shelves of little one-eyed robots. Theyre part of the school's new media center that has been transformed into "STEAM Park."

"We want to expose our students to things theyre not normally exposed to. Get them prepared for what jobs are going to look like in the future," Bagley said.

There will be a lot of hands-on learning from robotics to 3-D printing.

"They can use a program to create things they want to see come to life, and they can use the 3-D printers to make that happen, Bagley said.

The School District of Indian River County also wants to make these things accessible to everyone.

We have created a process called STEAM checkout, so that any teacher in the district can have access, said digital innovation administrator Kerri Wall.

Wall said it was crucial to get all the schools on the same page when it comes to what technology is out there.

We had a different 3-D printer at every school and no one knew how to use it," Wall said.

While students get to use the latest technology, they also get a chance to take a step back and see what was cutting edge years ago. A technology exhibit has a display of tech through the decades, from typewriters to cassette players.

While textbooks are still part of daily learning, every district student from second grade up has their own laptop. And at Dodgertown, theyre making sure that technology isnt hidden in a back closet.

You take all of your equipment put it out on shelves," Wall said. "Put it where students and teachers can see it. Where everyone has access to it. And it sparks conversations."

One week until your kids head back to the classroom, and they may be greeted with tougher consequences for using cellphones in class.

Last year, Florida law banned students from having phones out during instruction time. But is that enough?

WPTV education reporter Stephanie Susskind is examining which of our local school districts are cracking down on those who break that law.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Back To School

"I think it will give you more incentive to not bring it out. Keep the honest people honest," said high school student Carter Scott.

Scott knows how much cellphones can creep into the school day.

"I think for a lot of us, we just think we don't have to pay attention sometimes, whether we are good or bad students. We tend to do that sometimes," Scott said.

And Martin County has had enough.

The school district is launching new cellphone and wireless device consequences. If you have it out at any time during the school day including in the classroom, hallways, or at lunch it will be taken away and only returned to your parent or guardian.

"I've said it takes one text message to ruin your whole day," said Superintendent Michael Maine of the Martin County School District.

Maine wants to dial back those distractions.

"Do you think this is gonna work?" Susskind asked Maine.

"I think if we are consistent as a district and every single school is being consistent throughout, we will be successful with this," Maine answered. "But it's gonna take not just us as a school district. I need the help from parents."

Maine said that when a phone is taken away, the teacher or staff member will bring it to the front office, where it will be documented and locked up.

"I'm hoping it really will bring back some normalcy to socialization and conversations around the lunch table and in the courtyard," Maine said.

Retired Martin County teacher and former union leader Karen Resciniti worries about the burden on staff members and making sure every situation is handled the same way.

"We've had incidents in the past where the teacher took away the phone. But then, when do they give it to the administrators, right?" Resciniti said. "Do they have to go during their lunch? Do they have to go during their contracted day? Is someone going to pick it up?"

Not all districts are tackling the technology the same way.

Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties said they'll maintain current policy aligning with state law, which bans cellphones during instruction time unless a teacher allows it.

"We dont want to arbitrarily ban cell phones, because we just dont feel in our district that we have the need to," said Dr. Jon Prince, the superintendent of St. Lucie Public Schools.

The School District of Indian River County said it focused on enforcing the law last year.

"We were drastically able to increase the amount of time our teachers can be providing quality instruction because they weren't cellphone police," Superintendent Dr. David Moore said. "So some of our success we had last year we contribute to cracking down on cellphones."

In Martin County, Maine said all principals have been trained on how to implement this new policy with their staff.

"Cellphones are increasing bullying. Cellphones are increasing online harassment. Cellphones are creeping in all kinds of inappropriate things that our students are doing," Maine said. "And we need to regain control of that. And this is a step toward helping to mitigate that."

Time will tell if Martin County's move makes a difference.

"Some kids are gonna have a hard time," Scott said. "It's gonna happen. But I think some of us will be fine."

Repeated violations in Martin County will lead to progressive discipline and could even result in suspension. The new policy also applies to AirPods and using smartwatches.

As kids get ready to head back to school, their families got a boost at an event in Riviera Beach.

The group "Sincere 2000" and Riviera Beach City Councilman Doug Lawson co-hosted their annual Back to School Bash at the City Marina's Civic Center on Saturday.

Hall of Fame football player Lawrence Taylor pitched in to help with the back to school bash in Riviera Beach.

More than 2,600 kids got back-to-school supplies and clothing.

Some even got a haircut days ahead of class.

"Sincere 2000" has sponsored this event for five years, and in addition to providing help, the group helps with mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

"We lost our child in 2018 to suicide," Sincere 2000 Founder Unique Melvin said. "So once that happened, we just hit the street running, hoping to reach people to show them the importance of this and raise awareness for suicide prevention."

Delray Beach police said the anti-pedophilia organization 561 Predator Catcher set up a sting that landed a Palm Beach County elementary school teacher behind bars after he tried to meet up with a 14-year-old boy off-campus for sex.

Joshua Hablo, 34, was arrested on July 24 on a charge of traveling to meet a minor after using a computer to lure.

The School District of Palm Beach County confirmed Hablo was an instructional staff member at Barton Elementary School in Lake Worth Beach. However, in a message to parents, guardians, and staff members, the district said Hablo is no longer employed by the school system.

561 Predator Catcher, which is run by MMA fighter Dustin Lampros, works with organizations around the country to set up fake profiles on social media and dating sites, then pose as children to see if adults will knowingly solicit minors for sex.

Once a meeting location and time is set up between the suspect and supposed child, Lampros and his videographer go there, confront the suspect, and call authorities.

According to Hablo's arrest report, a Delray Beach police officer responded to a Walmart, located in the 16000 block of South Military Trail, at approximately 3 p.m. on July 24 after 561 Predator Catcher reported that the teacher was going there to meet a 14-year-old boy for sex.

When the officer got to the store, he saw Lampros walking out with Hablo.

Police said Hablo admitted to going to the store "so he could meet a 14 year old boy named Justin," then "go back to Justins house," where he planned to have sex with the child.

Hablo said he used the Grindr app to communicate with who he thought was an underage boy, the arrest report said.

Hablo was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail on July 24 and bonded out two days later. In court on July 25, a judge ordered Hablo to have no contact with anyone under the age of 18, no access to the internet, and no devices that can access the internet.

In a message to parents, guardians, and staff members, the School District of Palm Beach County said it's believed this was an "isolated incident."

However, anyone with additional information about Hablo should call the School District of Palm Beach County's Police Department at 561-434-8700.

The School District of Palm Beach County has jumped back up to an "A" rating, according to new data released Wednesday by the Florida Department of Education.

The school grading system for the 2023/24 academic year was based, in part, on the results of statewide progress monitoring exams, as well as student performance in English language arts, math, science, and social studies, along with graduation rates, among other factors.

Palm Beach County, which had dropped to a B last year for the first time since 2018, has regained its A status.

The School District of Indian River County is the only other district in our viewing area with an A rating.

St. Lucie Public Schools and the Martin County School District both maintained a B, while the Okeechobee County School District has a C.

SPECIAL COVERAGE: Education

Farther south of us, Miami-Dade County Public Schools maintained its A status, while Broward County Public Schools jumped up to an A.

"This years school grades reflect Floridas steadfast commitment to excellence in education," Florida education commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. said in a written statement. "Under Governor Ron DeSantis leadership, we have continued to raise the bar for providing students with a quality education that suits their individual needs, and these school grades are proof positive that our approach is working."

According to the new data, 1,300 schools in Florida earned an A in 2024, a 6% increase over last year. In addition, 98 fewer schools earned a D or F compared to a year ago.

Other highlights from the new data:

In looking at specific grade levels, the Florida Department of Education said the number of elementary schools earning an A increased by 4%, the number of middle schools with an A increased by 7%, and and the number of high schools with an A jumped by 10%.

Palm Beach County Superintendent Mike Burke sat down with WPTV Education Reporter Stephanie Susskind hours after learning the good news. He told her, "it means a lot to us, this is our life's work. We have a lot of dedicated people who put a lot of dedication and time and hard work into this and its really just nice to see it pay off."

Burke adds, "the prior year was considered a baseline year with the new standards and new testing. We did learn from that and that allowed for the most recent school year to really zero in and make sure we're getting the kids the content and the mastery of the standards that were needed."

The district leader says a heavy focus on phonics and the science of reading, along with additional teacher training and materials, helped boost the scores. He also said a focus on students taking rigorous coursework and accelerated math programs helped achieve the A, in addition to a very strong graduation rate.

"We are very proud in Palm Beach County of our public schools and that 'A' rating is kind of that gold seal of approval," Burke said.

He says this gives a renewed sense of confidence and pride heading into the new school year. Parent and teacher Marjorie Soffer agrees. She works at the new West Boynton Middle School, which earned an A in its first year.

"Teaching is very difficult and the fact that we all persevered and got this amazing recognition says a lot," she said.

Palm Beach County also notes the following achievements:

In Martin County, Superintendent Michael Maine says the district missed earning an A by just one point.

"It was a little devastating to know we missed it by one point but that just means we'll continue to work hard this next school year and know we'll get that one point," he said.

The district is celebrating Port Salerno Elementary School, which raised its grade from a D to a C to a B. Principal Lauren Gifford says, "I think it's just such a celebration and a true testament to the commitment of the staff that I have and it means the world to me. I think I'm still in shock right now."

Indian River County Superintendent Dr. David Moore released a statement that says, "I am so proud and appreciative of the work that each one of our team members has done to contribute to the outcomes! The outcomes are evidence of the high-quality teaching that is occurring in our classrooms across our district and the commitment by our team members to be in service of students."

The state calculates school grades based on a variety of factors including test scores, year-over-year improvements, graduation rates and more.

To see the complete report of school grades in Florida, including a county-by-county and school-by-school breakdown, click here.