By Elise Fisch
Bradley Vogt, a senior at S.S. Seward Institute, was honored during the Florida Union Free School District Board of Education meeting on Thurs., Mar. 18 for reaching finalist status in the National Merit Scholarship program.
Michael Rheaume, principal of S.S. Seward Institute, began the informal ceremony by standing and briefly speaking about the diligence and exceptional performance Bradley has demonstrated as a student at the high school.
“To present the award we thought it would be nice to bring back Bradley’s favorite teacher, who has since retired, to present the certificate to him,” said Rheaume,
He then introduced Ernest VanderKruik, who stood and spoke of how proud he was of Bradley’s accomplishments before ceremoniously handing over the Certificate of Merit. The floor was then given to Bradley to deliver his acceptance speech, wherein he thanked the Board members and faculty of the District for providing the environment in which he was able to achieve this ambitious objective.
His father, Mr. Vogt, then thanked the Board for their support of his son saying, “It makes me proud of my District.”
After graduating, Bradley plans to attend Dartmouth College, where he will study computer science and physics.
“I loved it there, I hope you do as well,” said Superintendent Jan Jehring, after describing how she enjoyed growing up in the Boston area.
Rheaume & Jehring Announce Retirement
S.S. Seward Institute Principal Michael Rheaume will be retiring at the end of the school year, after serving the District for 16 years. His retirement will be effective July 1. He thanked the Board for their support throughout the years.
Superintendent Jan Jehring will also be retiring at the end of the current school year, effective August 1. President of the Board, John Redman, made a point of noting the “exemplary leadership” Jehring has displayed during her time as Superintendent.
“I look forward to all the work we will get done in the next four months,” Jehring said.
Moment of Silence for Rafael Muriel
Also, during the meeting the Board requested that those in attendance bow their heads for a moment of silence to honor the memory of Rafael Muriel, who was a valued member of the faculty for 16 years serving as a security officer for the District. He is remembered fondly by both students and staff, especially those of the Seward community.
Fourth Marking Period
Golden Hill Elementary and S.S. Seward Institute are approaching their fourth and final marking periods of the 2020-2021 school year. At this time, students will have another opportunity to change the instructional style they are currently adhering to, switching from remote to in-person or the reverse. The District asks parents and guardians to contact the schools with notice of change if they are making the choice to do so. Parents need only contact the District if a change is being made, otherwise no action is required.
The District will hold one day of testing, the schedule of which will be forthcoming as the end of the year approaches. Remote students will have the option of coming to the school for testing, but are not obligated to do so.
Next Meeting
The Florida UFSD Board of Education will reconvene after spring break with a work session meeting on Thurs., Apr. 8, at 7p.m. at the S.S. Seward Institute, located at 53 N. Main St. in Florida.
Bradley Vogt (center) is pictured with parents holding his Certificate of Merit in recognition of his achievement of finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Retired Florida School District teacher Ernest VanderKruik (left) presented Bradley Vogt with a Certificate of Merit.
