Matheson Hammock Marina

At a special Village council meeting this evening, a resolution was passed stating opposition to the proposed boat storage facility at Matheson Hammock Park. Council members felt that the county’s Parks Department did not provide the public and surrounding municipalities with opportunity to provide input to their Request For Proposals for dry boat storage at the park.

Although the developer said that opposition was premature since impact studies had not been conducted, it was specifically because of the lack of information available about the impacts of the proposed structure, which is completely out of scale for the park in its sheer size (500 feet long and 50 feet high!), that the Village passed the resolution. 

Matheson Hammock Park is a park used by many residents and visitors in Miami-Dade county and the addition of any structures should proceed slowly and with public input.  It is, after all, supported by our tax dollars and admission fees.

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.

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.

These areas should be avoided from 7a.m – 12 p.m.  These are not all of the streets, so check the map.

In Coconut Grove:

• South Bayshore Drive
• Tigertail Avenue
• Oak Ave
• Grand Ave
• Main Highway
• Poinciana Avenue
• 37 Avenue from Ingraham Highway to Main Highway
• 42 Avenue  from Poinciana Ave to 72 Street/Sunset Dr.

In South Miami/South Gables:

• Sunset Drive from Cocoplum Circle to Ponce de Leon
• Ponce de Leon to SW 88 Street

In Pinecrest:

• SW 88 Street westbound lane from SW 57 Avenue to SW 67 Avenue
• SW 67 Avenue southbound lane to SW 120 Street
• SW 120 Street westbound lane to SW 82 Avenue
• SW 82 Avenue southbound lane to exit out of the Village at SW 136 Street
• Old Cutler Road/SW 57 Avenue northbound lane to exit into Coral Gables

In Palmetto Bay:

• SW 82 Ave to 168 Street
• SW 168 Street to 84 Ave
• SW 84 Ave to SW 174 Street
• SW 174 to SW 87 Ave

When my kids were in middle school years ago, I remember the introduction of Smart Boards and being concerned that technology would take the place of text books.  The media specialist at Palmetto Middle School pointed out that Smart Boards and other forms of technology were important to keep the students engaged, since they were raised with technology and that was their method of learning.  After watching my son learn how to make fishing flies,  paint, and increase his lacrosse skills on-line, I have to admit that technology in classrooms is the way of the future.  Kudos to the Village of Pinecrest for recognizing this and moving forward.