Parents, teachers push ideas to avert Miramar school closings. Here’s their pitch
Parents and teachers of Miramar students filled the Miramar High School gym Thursday, Nov. 13, to weigh in on the school board’s proposal to close Glades Middle School and convert Dolphin Bay Elementary into a K-8.
Together, they came up with proposals to counter the Broward County Public Schools’ Redefining Our Schools Initiative, an attempt to right-size the district, save money and account for a sharp decline in enrollment.
Through the initiative, the school board has proposed several changes to Miramar schools, some of which may be implemented during the 2026-27 school year.
One change would be closing Glades Middle and forming a K-8 with one or more of the surrounding elementary schools to take some of the student population, saving BCPS an estimated $2.7 million.
Glades Middle Principal Daniela Fatout told the Miramar News that she, along with concerned parents, teachers and students formed a redefining committee to plan their response to the county’s initiative.
In the proposal Glades Middle representatives presented at the meeting, they offered a “school within a school.”
Glades Middle teacher Christine McMahon-Nebe explained the plan: Turn Glades Middle into a K-8 magnet school , splitting elementary and middle school between their two buildings.
“It’s about giving families a single high-quality option that grows with their children,” she said.
According to the school board’s presentation, Glades Middle lost 172 students from last school year to this school year.
“We have the space,” McMahon-Nebe said.
Dr. Valerie Wanza, chief strategy and innovation officer for BCPS, told the attendees that transforming any elementary school to a K-8 would depend on if they close Glades Middle or Walter C. Young Middle in Pembroke Pines.
Dolphin Bay Elementary parent Ariel Li brought her son to share his experience with autism education at the school.
“We don’t want the schools to be empty because we don’t want charter schools coming in and taking over public schools, and lowering the quality of the public school system,” Li told the Miramar news, adding that elementary schools don’t have the space to handle middle school students.
The other proposal for Miramar is to merge Fairway Elementary and Sunshine Elementary, closing one. This would save the county an estimated $1.8 million.
BCPS is also considering expanding Miramar High’s boundaries to accommodate more students.
Overall, Wanza said the county has “lost over $90 million over the last year.”
This was the last regional community meeting on these initiatives, with the next school board workshop planned for December. The board is set to take a final vote in January, with any approved changes taking effect for the 2026-27 school year.
