The quality of our public schools and the educational options we provide parents, increase Miami’s ability to attract and maintain businesses by providing an educated workforce.  Increased businesses = increased # employees = increase in home sales.

Smarty Dog In Front of Village Hall

Smarty Dog at Pinecrest Gardens

Smarty Dogs are popping up all over Pinecrest.  It is an art in public places campaign that is being promoted to raise funds for the public schools in the Village of Pinecrest.  If you or your company would like to sponsor one of the dogs, there is still time.  The dogs will be auctioned off in March of 2012.

High ceilings and an plenty of windows make this home spacious and bright

This wonderfully spacious home with a great floorplan and lots of natural light is available in north Pinecrest.  In addition to being in one of the top locations in Miami-Dade County for both public and private schools, it has convenient access to shops, restaurants, the metro rail and U.S. 1.

• Closed sales: 90.  Low of $270,000, high of $4,000,000. 7 were bankowned (REO), 10 are short sales or approximately 19% distressed sales.  57 closed in the second quarter.
• Pending sales: 48.  Low of  $265,000, high of $2,150,000. 3 are REO, 17 are short sales.  Almost 42% are distressed sales.
• Active sales:  160.  Low of $269,900, high of $5,000,000 ($4,999,999 to be exact!).  3 are REOs. 14 are short sales.  Only 11% distressed listings.  64 were listed in the second quarter.

What does this mean if you are a seller?  If you want to sell your home during the end of the summer buying season, drop your price now.  Homes are selling and people are still looking to buy in Pinecrest because of the quality of the public and private schools, parks, and good size lots.  If your home needs a lot of work, you are going to have to drop the price even further.  Buyers are looking for homes that need minimal updates.  If you don’t drop your price now, you are going to have to drop it even further come the beginning of the school year.

If you are a buyer, the numbers mean there aren’t as many “deals” in terms of short sales and foreclosures.  Those that are on the market, are priced well, and in reasonably good shape are going to have multiple offers, because there are fewer of them.  If you are financing your purchase, you are better off using the numbers to make an offer on a well priced, non-distressed listing.

The proposed curriculum is as follows:

• 9th grade – Honors or Gifted Biology, Honors Geometry or Honors Algebra II
• 10th grade – Honors or Gifted Chemistry, AP Environmental Science, Honors Algebra II or Pre-calculus or Analysis of Functions
• 11th grade – Two of the following science courses – AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Physics, Honors Marine Biology, Honors Anatomy/Phisiology or Honors Solar Energy and Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus AB or BC or AP Statistics
• 12th grade – Research 4 or Honors Solar Energy and AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Physics, Honors Marine Biology, or Honors Anatomy/Physiology; AP Calculus AB or BC, AP Statistics or Multivariable Calculus/Differential Equations.

Considering that MPSH’s  AP Environmental Science passing rate last year was 90%, compared to about a 40% national average, and that MPSH won the  Lexus Eco Challenge and moves on to the Final Challenge, the new Masters Academy should prove to be a challenging yet fun program for students who want to excel in the environmental science field.

No wonder MPSH is one of the top rated schools in Miami-Dade County.

Some of the achievements of Miami Palmetto Senior High School for the 2009-2010 school year, in no particular order:

• 15 Silver Knight nominees, winners Noah Gray and Veronica Rigl, honorable mention Michael Grey
• Athlete of the Year – Michael Saco for swimming
• won the Class 6A All-Sports Trophy, given to the county’s top athletic program, for the fourth time in the past five years
• Dade Scholar Athlete of the Year – Denizen Kocak
• Principal of the Year recipient – Howard Weiner
• 142 AP Scholars
• 49 AP Scholars with Honor
• 96 AP Scholars with Distinction
• 26 National AP Scholars
• State Championships for Boys Swimming, 1st place, Girls Bowling 3rd place, Boys Tennis, 4th place
• All-District Honors Girl’s Lacrosse Team
• Four National Merit Scholarship Award winners
• National winners of the LG ecoMobilization High School Cell Phone Recycling cContest
• Third place honors at the 2010 Florida Envirothon
• Fairchild Challenge Educator of the Year – Pamela Shlachtman

“Miami Palmetto High School…superior students, an extraordinary education, all in your own backyard.”

Congratulations on your well-deserved recognition, Mr. Weiner!