Yay! Ready to start school again, kids? If you go to private school, you probably already started. And parents all over Pinecrest are cheering (some silently – some boldly in their kid’s face), as public schools just got underway, too.
Pinecrest is proudly served by five outstanding public schools and seven private schools. Whether you find yourself shoving your kid out the door or chasing them down because they forget their book bag, school is so important to your child’s future.
I’m impressed with the remarkable efforts of the Pinecrest community and our focus on assisting children and parents with back to school events, such as the Aug. 9 Back-to-School Fair benefiting Village students. Free backpacks, filled with all sorts of school supplies, were handed out to children. Thanks so much to the Gus Machado Family Foundation for sponsoring this amazing event.
This is what I’m talking about when I stress the importance of service in your community. When individuals and institutions give back to its citizens, it’s not only heartwarming, but also beneficial to all, as we invest in our youth. This spirit of giving back to the community should work just like this – from a small city to the county to the entire state.
Miami-Dade County also had a backpack event on Aug. 19 up in North Miami that offered health screenings as well as free school supplies. So it seems everyone is joining in to make sure our kids throughout the entire metropolitan area are well-prepared.
Kudos to the State of Florida for continuing its tax-free weekend. Florida has held more than 15 Back to School Tax-Free Holidays since the inception of this popular program. Despite some observers who say that these tax-free events are bad for tax policy and do little to stimulate the economy, 15 years of these purchasing-incentive holidays has resulted in nearly $550 million aggregate savings to taxpayers.
Kids – that’s called ‘rithmatic – pays for a lot of pencils – very helpful to our community.
Another great example of community is the partnership between the Miami-Dade County Public Schools and the Pinecrest Police through dedicated public servants – school crossing guards. Not an easy job, but they play an incredibly important role in the lives of children who walk or bike to school.
The presence of school crossing guards encourages us to be mindful of the student pedestrians, while our police urge us to be aware of our driving habits. As you travel along, pay close attention to the speed limit zones. And remember the police will be vigorously enforcing the 15 mph rule.
So parents, when you tell your kids not to run with scissors, make sure you also act safely – and responsibly on the roads.
I’d also like to extend a big thank you to our local police for their service in general, for their outstanding efforts in keeping our neighborhoods and schools so safe.
Frankly, it’s the very reason property values in Pinecrest are up – because of the enviable degree of safety that exists in our schools and on our streets. And I believe our police play a much bigger role in this than they get credit for. This is an important aspect of their work in our community, along with the amazing job our teachers and administrations are doing in our schools. They go hand in hand.
Let’s all have a fun, safe, and knowledgeable school year!
About James Field: James is committed to keeping in touch with the Pinecrest community and hopes you welcome his insights on issues affecting Village residents. James grew up in Pinecrest, graduated UM, and is currently director of business development for a large agriculture company. He also founded Dogmadik, a supply-chain management company for emerging restaurant brands. Please send an e-mail to jfieldjr@gmail.com with questions or comments.
