Miramar schools to consolidate Sunshine into Fairway; district proposes Glades K–8 conversion

Rebecca Thompson, the School Board member for District 2, told the Miramar City Commission on Feb. 11 that the school board voted Jan. 21 to merge Sunshine Elementary into the Fairway Elementary campus and that the Sunshine site will likely be repurposed for district administrative uses.

The update, presented by Thompson and Valerie Wanda, the district’s chief strategy and innovation officer, described a decade of enrollment declines that the district tied to school‑choice vouchers, housing costs and the rise of charter schools. "Over the last about 10 years we have lost almost 50,000 students," Thompson said, and the district has identified clusters of under‑enrollment requiring consolidation.

Wanda said the district plans to offer an International Baccalaureate program at Fairway after the merger and to provide transportation solutions for students affected by the boundary changes. "More than likely, all of the students will probably get a school bus to come across Miramar Parkway," Wanda said, adding the district is planning routes and emphasizing safety.

Staff also described a proposal to convert Glades Middle into a K–8 with a technical focus tied to industry certifications and existing programs at Everglades High School. Wanda said converting Glades would require capital investments and likely necessitate closing one or two elementary schools elsewhere in the attendance zone. The district said it will hold public meetings and begin a phased outreach from May through November, with the board expected to take a final vote in December of the next school year.

Commissioners pressed staff on program continuity — including arts and athletics — and on safety and boundary questions. Thompson and Wanda said combining schools increases enrollment and funding for supplemental programs, but that specific program offerings will be developed with school leaders and parents after attendance boundaries are finalized.

The district also warned commission members that the broader decline in student numbers has been compounded by state‑level voucher programs and charter growth, a trend officials said they will continue to monitor as they finalize plans.

The commission did not take a formal vote on the Glades conversion at the meeting; staff described the Glades concept as having "consensus and support across the board" but said it will return to the commission with more concrete plans.