On November 4, 2024, during a regular Council Meeting, the Brooksville City Council recognized and praised various causes taking place during the month of November.
Proclamation: November is Florida Family Engagement in Education Month – The City of Brooksville proclaimed November 2024 as Florida Family Engagement in Education Month. The proclamation observes that family-school partnerships provide many benefits that are essential for supporting education, improving student’s academic experiences, increasing graduation rates, and raising the likelihood of students enrolling in postsecondary education and career opportunities. The proclamation was accepted by Dell Barnes and members of the Hernando County School District. Florida Family Engagement in Education Month reflects the Florida Executive Order 19-31 that states that Florida’s education system should ensure that students are prepared to become civically engaged and knowledgeable adults who make positive contributions to their communities. Florida Family Engagement in Education Month recognizes the importance of providing a high-quality education for every child. It acknowledges that family and parental engagement in children’s education is crucial for their academic and social-emotional success. Schools can foster connections with students’ families by sharing learning goals, offering volunteer, in-classroom activities and parent-school opportunities that support education, and using multiple methods of communication to establish home-school collaborations. The proclamation also drew attention to the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program, which was established in 2019 to increase educational opportunities for students and provide children who have limited financial resources with options and opportunities to achieve success in their education. On March 27, 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1 into law, which expands available school choice options for all students in Florida. The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options Branch of the Family Empowerment Scholarship provides additional educational options for all K-12 students, such as attending a participating private school. The Family Empowerment Scholarship is the largest first-year implementation of a private school choice program in Florida. The program also offers families of eligible students the option to receive a $750 scholarship to provide transportation to a public school different from the school to which the student was assigned. Another branch of the scholarship, the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities, offers families of students with disabilities, as young as 3 years of age, access to additional education options. Families may choose to enroll their students in another public school, or they may choose to receive a personal education savings account (ESA) for their student. With an ESA, instead of having their child attend a public school, parents receive a deposit of public funds into government-authorized savings accounts. An ESA can be used to fund private school tuition and fees, online learning programs, private tutoring, community college costs, higher education expenses, and other approved customized learning services and materials. As of the 2023-24 school year, financial eligibility restrictions and the current enrollment cap for the Family Empowerment Scholarship Educational Options Program have been eliminated. There are currently 244,664 Florida students enrolled in the Family Empowerment Scholarship. The maximum scholarship amount for each student is based upon their grade level and county of residence. In the 2023-24 school year, the average award amount was $7,950. Florida Family Engagement Month is an opportunity to recognize families who foster a love for learning in their children and the educators who acknowledge that family engagement is an integral part of the mission of all schools.
Margaret Ghiotto Commercial Improvement Award - The Brooksville Beautification Board presented the monthly Margaret Ghiotto Commercial Improvement Award to Broad Street Brewing Co. for their commitment to beautifying their property and doing their part to make Brooksville welcoming and presentable. Tanya Myers accepted the award on behalf of the business. In order to be nominated for the award, the property in question had to be within the city limit, beautification efforts had to be easily recognizable to any member that is on the Beautification Board, and the improvements had to be external and able to be seen from outside the building or property.
Veterans Day – November 11, 2024 - The Brooksville City Council recognized November 11, 2024, as Veterans Day, and proudly joined the rest of the nation in saluting and giving special honor and recognition to the men and women who have served, and continue to serve, in the United States Armed Forces. The Council recognized the City of Brooksville employees who served in the military and thanked them for their bravery and sacrifices. The City of Brooksville will be closed on November 11, 2024, to honor Veterans Day and recognize and appreciate those who have served in the United States Military. City operations will resume after the holiday on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. In addition to government offices being closed, Brooksville will celebrate veterans with Brooksville Main Street’s Veterans Music Festival, which will be hosted in downtown Brooksville on Saturday, November 9, 2024, from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. The event will include music, vendors, games, and a kids’ zone. There will also be a 5K hosted by the Tunnel to Towers Foundation. The 5K will be titled “Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk,” and will take place in downtown Brooksville on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 8:30 AM. There will be a new 9/11 Museum at the Tunnel to Towers event. The purpose of these events is to recognize our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, cost guardsmen, and merchant mariners.
Small Business Saturday- The City Council proclaimed November 30, 2024, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday. Ashley Hofecker of the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce and Dawn Triconi of Brooksville Main Street accepted the proclamation on behalf of Brooksville’s small businesses. The City of Brooksville celebrates its small local businesses and the contributions that they make to the local economy and community. According to the United States Small Business Administration, there are 31.7 million small businesses in the United States, and they represent 99.7% of firms with paid employees. Small businesses were also responsible for 61.5% of new net jobs created between the years 2000 and 2019. The City of Brooksville supports local businesses that create jobs, boost the economy, and preserve communities.
For more information on proclamations and resolutions, contact Jennifer Battista, Brooksville City Clerk, at 352-540-3810 or jbattista@cityofbrooksville.us.