Brevard Public Schools superintendent talks one-on-one with Channel 9

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — With the start of a new school year approaching, major security changes are coming to Brevard Public Schools.

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Some have sparked controversy in recent months.

Channel 9 anchor Daralene Jones sat down with Superintendent Mark Rendell to discuss the changes, along with new academic programs coming to classrooms.

Rendell, who welcomed more than 300 new teachers to the district during orientation Tuesday at Satellite High School, started his own career as a History teacher on the very same campus over 30 years ago.

READ: ‘We’re in a great spot’: BPS hires more than 300 new teachers

Now a year into his role as a superintendent who manages more than 100 schools, Rendell is overseeing big changes headed into the new school year.

Metal detectors are being phased into all high schools by the end of the academic year.

The district is also expanding the armed guardians program, which will allow non-instructional staff to carry guns on campus after undergoing sheriff’s office training and annual psychological and drug screenings.

“What do you say to the parents who are going to start this school year, concerned that these folks are on campus?,” Jones asked Rendell.

“So the first thing everybody needs to understand is that we’re not arming classroom teachers or anybody that has really instructional responsibilities during the day with students,” Rendell said.

READ: Brevard County School Board moves forward for armed guardians on campus

“It’s going to operate kind of like the marshal program. You know, this is a concealed carry. So you when you’re on an airplane, you don’t know if there’s a sky marshal on the plane or not. It’s the same thing for us,” he added.

Jones asked if he could provide an example of an employee who wouldn’t be interacting with students.

“It could be an administrator. It could be somebody that works behind the scenes, maybe a campus monitor, maybe a tech who works behind the scenes in the computer lab or something like that.”

READ: Volusia County Middle and High Schools to commence random searches this year

In the classroom, BPS is also renewing its focus on science, technology, engineering and math programs.

It’s an idea that came out of a discussion the superintendent had with a parent, and with the help of a millage rate that was approved two years ago.

All of the district’s 58 elementary schools will have a new teaching unit focused solely on STEM, a curriculum that’s perfect to ignite students’ thirst along the Space Coast.

“I mean, you think about it, we launch a rocket almost every three days. So that part of science, technology, engineering and math is right here in Brevard County. This is what we do,” Rendell said.

READ: ‘A long time coming’: Brevard Public Schools cuts ribbon on first new middle school in decades

“You know, we’re the Space Coast and we’re launching all these rockets. But our kids, are they seeing that in their classrooms? Are they seeing that in their schools? How are we not taking advantage of all that we have around us?”

With the help of federal grants, Brevard Public Schools is also expanding its vocational programs for students.

Be sure to watch WFTV’s special, “Heading Back to School,” this Sunday, Aug. 4, at 7 p.m. on Channel 9.

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