About Us

|Address | Admissions | Attendance | Dress Code | Home Learning | Map to School | Phone/Fax Number | School Hours  |

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About Us:

Biscayne Elementary Community School was established in 1941. Over the years it has evolved into a nurturing and dynamic educational environment. Biscayne Elementary serves Pre-K - 6th grade students in the northern Miami Beach community. Our total population is approximately 1000 students, including the following ethnicities: 10% White Non-Hispanic, 5% Black Non-Hispanic, 83% Hispanic and 2% Asian/Indian/Multiracial. Approximately 88% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Biscayne Elementary is a Title I Funded School utilizing allocated funds to address the specific needs of students. In addition, special programs aimed at meeting the academic needs of our students are in place. These programs include: The Exceptional Student Education Program delivered through a full inclusion model for students with diagnosed exceptionalities; The Limited English Proficiency Program which provides instruction in English for students of other languages; The Extended Foreign Language program which allows for additional multidisciplinary instructional time in Spanish to students; A Gifted Program that provides academic and cultural enrichment for students who meet the required criteria; The Academic Excellence Program (AEP), which provides academic enrichment through instruction using critical thinking techniques. These programs focus on improving the academic achievement as well as the social and cultural development of all students.

The principal, and three assistant principals, serve as the instructional leaders of the school. There are forty-six classroom teachers, six ESE teachers, two elementary guidance counselors, one speech therapist, a media specialist, eight special area teachers, a reading leader, nine full-time paraprofessionals and one full-time media clerk employed at the school. There are forty-six teachers with a Bachelor’s Degree, 34 teachers who have a Master’s Degree, 5 teachers with Specialist Degrees and 3 teachers with Doctoral Degrees. The ethnic make-up of the staff is 32% White Non-Hispanic, 18% Black Non-Hispanic and 50% Hispanic. The student-teacher ratios are at state-level requirements as evidenced by data reported on the District and School Profile Report.

The Florida Department of Education grades Biscayne Elementary as a “B” school for the 2003-2004 school year. The school grade has fluctuated between “A” and “B” over the past four years partly due to a mobility rate of 35.

 

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Admissions

Pre-kindergarten students must be four years of age on or before September 1st of the school year in which they are enrolling. They must also meet specific economic criteria for pre-k, which is now federally funded by Title I. New kindergarten students must be five years old and new first graders must be six years old on or before September 1st. A student entering in school for the first time must have a current physical examination and immunization records must be complete. Age must be verified by a birth certificate.

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School Hours
8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Prekindergarten through First Grade
8:30a.m. - 3:00 p.m. - Second through Fifth Grades

All grades are dismissed at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday.

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Attendance
Regular attendance is essential for academic achievement; therefore the School Board of Miami-Dade County has adopted a policy which allows for no more than 10 days of unexcused absences during the year. It defines excused absences as:
  •  Student illness
  • Medical appointment
  • Death in immediate family
  • Observance of a religious holiday
  • School-sponsored event or activity previously approved

All other absences are unexcused with the exception of Outdoor Suspensions. A failing grade will be issued for any work missed on the day(s) in question, if the student does not complete the work immediately after returning to school.

Every absence must be followed-up with a note from a parent/guardian indicating the nature of the absence. If a student is going to be absent for two or more days, please notify the office and your child's teacher at (305) 868-7727.

Note: Students with ten unexcused absences are enrolled in the Truancy Intervention Program (TIP). This program is operated by the State Attorney's Office, in conjunction with M-DCPS and holds parents responsible for their child's school attendance.

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Dress Code
We are a mandatory uniform school!
This means that all students are required to dress in uniform each day. Students are also encouraged to take pride in their appearance. They are expected to come to school well groomed and neatly dressed in clothes suitable for school activities. The school's uniform consists of selected styles in dark blue pants, shorts or skirts, white polo, yellow polo, white button down shirt or blouse and blue plaid skirts, shorts or jumper.

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Home Learning
Reading is recognized as an integral part of each home learning assignment. Students are required to read nightly for at least 30 minutes. Additionally, students are to read at least five books each grading period and to maintain a reading log. Younger students or those not able to read on their own may fulfill this requirement by having someone read to them. Home learning assignments are given daily and should follow these guidelines:

 

Grade Level
Frequency of Assignnments
Time
K-1
Daily (5 days a week)
30 minutes
2-3
Daily (5 days a week)
30 minutes
4-5
Daily (5 days a week)
30 minutes
 

Note: Teachers are responsible for assigning home learning and having it checked. Students are responsible for knowing what the assignment is, completing it, and returning it on time. Parents should encourage the timely completion of home learning and provide an appropriate study area.

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Phone Number is (305) 868-7727                Fax Number is (305) 864-5543

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Address:

800 77 street Miami Beach, FL 33141

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Map to School
 
Great Schools web site - FCAT data for last 3 years, student population, teacher data, map