Pace school wins state award

TALLAHASSEE — The Florida Department of Education announced Monday that nine schools are winners of the 2018 Family and Community Involvement Award. Pace's Sims Middle School was one of the nine.

The award recognizes exemplary school practices that focus on increasing family involvement, welcoming families into the local school system, providing effective communication, supporting student success, and promoting collaboration with the community.

"It is my pleasure to recognize these schools with the Family and Community Involvement Award," Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart said. "As a former teacher and principal, I have seen firsthand how family and community involvement can positively impact student achievement. My congratulations to our schools for their innovation in creating meaningful programs that connect students, parents and the community."

The winners will be formally recognized and invited to share their award winning programs at the Educational Strategies and Student Engagement Institute in November.

Sims Middle School won for its "Career Café" program, which provides an opportunity for students to learn about  career choices and their corresponding educational and vocational training paths. Community members are invited to speak with groups of students in the school’s media center during lunch. Through Career Café, students also learn about giving back to the community by being a volunteer.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Pace school wins state award