VIERA, Fla. – In his first weeks as Brevard County’s superintendent, Dr. Mark Rendell, who was most recently the principal of Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High School, is addressing another summer the district is challenged to fill vacancies.
Along with teachers, Brevard Public Schools said it’s looking to hire 90 bus drivers this summer.
“If we can’t get the kids to school on time, then they’re not going to learn,” Rendell said. “So we’re actually going to increase compensation to the bus drivers quite substantially. We’re going to announce that next week and that should help us attract drivers.”
Last year, bus driver Mark Rainey said drivers were quitting because of poor behavior.
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Dr. Rendell said the student discipline conversation will continue into next year.
On addressing his critics who point out Rendell left Indian River County as its superintendent when his contract wasn’t renewed, Rendell said he’s focusing now on improving this school district.
“We’ll go to work and the results should take care of themselves,” the superintendent said. “And we’re going to treat everybody with respect. We’re going to work hard. We’re going to focus on student achievement. My job as the superintendent is to get everybody focused on the classroom.”
A tradition for the Brevard superintendent, Rendell said he’s looking forward to greeting teachers and students on their first day when school resumes in August.
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