As Racquel Gillings waited for her two sons to enter Broadview Elementary in North Lauderdale, she smiled and held her youngest, 1-year-old Raiala Scott, on her left hip.

“Love you, Nasir,” she yelled after her fourth-grader.

“Love you!” she repeated a little louder to make sure he heard.

“Love you, Trawshan,” she told the fifth-grader next.

Eventually they both turned around and waved. Their little sister waved back.

Like Trashawn Bray, 12, and Nasir St. Louis, 10, thousands of students across Broward County Public Schools started a new academic year on Monday. Miami-Dade Public Schools resumed classes last Thursday.

Coconut Creek, August 21, 2023 - Students arrive at Monarch High School for the first day of school in Broward County.

Coconut Creek, August 21, 2023 - Broward Schools Superintendent Peter Licata, center, talks to Monarch High School’s principal James Cecil, left, as students file into the building for the first day of school in Broward County.

READ MORE: Cheerleaders, Black history issues, trans students’ fears on first day of Miami-Dade schools

It also was new Broward Public Schools Superintendent Peter Licata’s first day of school as superintendent. The Broward School Board hired Licata in mid-June, and he officially started his new role July 11. Previously he worked as a regional superintendent in Palm Beach County Public Schools.

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“Today was great,” Licata said at a news conference Monday afternoon, after he visited seven schools.

READ MORE: Is lunch free? Where’s the bus? Your guide to the new school year in Miami and Broward

North Lauderdale, August 21, 2023 - Broward School Superintendent Peter Licata, center, reacts as students color their assignments at a first grade classroom in Broadview Elementary School on the first day of school in Broward County.

Employee vacancies and student enrollment at schools

As of noon Monday, the school district had 202,916 students registered, about 2,800 fewer than the first day of the 2022-23 school year. However Licata warned final numbers won’t be available until at least after Labor Day weekend, when the last wave of students rolls in.

This year, an expanded state voucher program, which allows any family regardless of income levels to apply for funds to attend private school or home-school, could affect public schools.

Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, August 21, 2023 - Broward Schools Superintendent Peter Licata, center, and Lauderdale Lakes Middle School’s principal Linda Lopez, right, listen to teacher Adair Dominguez, left, as he talks to his students during a visit on the first day of school in Broward County. BROWARD COUNTY, August 21, 2023 - Superintendent Peter Licata around for the first day of school in Broward. We{ll go to three schools in the morning and then the press conference at 3:30 p.m. 7:10 – 7:35 a.m. Monarch High School 5050 Wiles Road Coconut Creek, 33073 8:15 – 8:45 a.m. Broadview Elementary School 1800 S.W. 62nd Avenue North Lauderdale, 33068 9 – 9:30 a.m. Lauderdale Lakes Middle School 3911 N.W. 30th Avenue Lauderdale Lakes, 33309 3:30 p.m. First Day of School News Conference Kathleen C. Wright Administration Center 600 S.E. Third Avenue Fort Lauderdale, 33301

Regarding staff, Licata said the district still has to fill 145 instructional positions and hire about 80 bus drivers. Licata said the 145 figure for teachers represents about 1% of the total 14,000 teachers in the district.

Since the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, educators across the country have been leaving the field because of exhaustion. In Florida, controversial laws passed under the administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis have also increased tension.

Licata said he advises all teachers to seek help from their local principals and other higher-ups in Fort Lauderdale if they encounter a difficult situation connected to the so-called culture wars.

“Catastrophic decisions are made in isolation so please give us a call,” he said. “We want to respect parents. We want to respect the statutes but most importantly we want to get it right ... so we’re going to protect teachers. I’m going to block and tackle for them any day of the week.”

Broward focused on academic performance

Licata began his tour Monday at Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, where shortly after the bell rang at 7:30 a.m., he recited the Pledge of Allegiance over the intercom. He thanked teachers and advised students: “Enjoy. Be safe. Be smart.”

Lori Alhadeff, the chair of the Broward School Board, stood by him.

“I’m very excited,” she said. “We have an amazing superintendent, Dr. Licata, who’s leading us to become an A-rated school district.”

Coconut Creek, August 21, 2023 - Broward Schools Superintendent Peter Licata, left, leads the Pledge of Allegiance along with Broward School Board member Lori Alhadeff at Monarch High School on the first day of classes in Broward County. BROWARD COUNTY, August 21, 2023 - Superintendent Peter Licata around for the first day of school in Broward. We{ll go to three schools in the morning and then the press conference at 3:30 p.m. 7:10 – 7:35 a.m. Monarch High School 5050 Wiles Road Coconut Creek, 33073 8:15 – 8:45 a.m. Broadview Elementary School 1800 S.W. 62nd Avenue North Lauderdale, 33068 9 – 9:30 a.m. Lauderdale Lakes Middle School 3911 N.W. 30th Avenue Lauderdale Lakes, 33309 3:30 p.m. First Day of School News Conference Kathleen C. Wright Administration Center 600 S.E. Third Avenue Fort Lauderdale, 33301

North Lauderdale, August 21, 2023 - Broward School Board member Lori Alhadeff, left, Superintendent Peter Licata, center, and Broward School Board member Debra Hixon talk to Broadview Elementary School’s Media Specialist Eyovne Wishart during a visit on the first day of school in Broward County.

The state last rated the Broward school district with an A in 2011; last year it got a B.

Lately the School Board has been pushing to recover that top status measuring student performance. So much so, that the board agreed to pay Licata a $10,000 bonus on top of his $350,000 base salary if he achieves that goal.

READ MORE: Broward School Board approves contract for new superintendent with these 3 crucial details

Like the School Board, Gillings cares most about her boys’ success. She said she enrolled them in tutoring three times a week during the summer so they didn’t fall behind.

“They really flourished with that, so I hope they can build on those skills now,” she said. “Nasir woke up this morning and was like, ‘I’m ready for school, Mom!’ Trayshon is more laid back but he’s also happy to be back.”

READ MORE: Five things to know about Peter Licata, Broward’s new superintendent

Superintendent Licata’s visit to the schools

After Monarch, Licata drove to Broadview Elementary in North Lauderdale and went into teacher Edith Blondet’s class.

Blondet has taught there since 1999, and teaches first-graders in both English and Spanish. Her students colored a page that read, “My first day of first grade.”

“You like orange?” Licata asked Leila Tzoy, 6, kneeling in front of her desk.

North Lauderdale, August 21, 2023 - Broward School Superintendent Peter Licata, center, walks around a first grade classroom at Broadview Elementary School on the first day of school in Broward County.

North Lauderdale, August 21, 2023 -A student at Broadview Elementary School uses crayons to color his assignment on the first day of school in Broward County. BROWARD COUNTY, August 21, 2023 - Superintendent Peter Licata around for the first day of school in Broward. We{ll go to three schools in the morning and then the press conference at 3:30 p.m. 7:10 – 7:35 a.m. Monarch High School 5050 Wiles Road Coconut Creek, 33073 8:15 – 8:45 a.m. Broadview Elementary School 1800 S.W. 62nd Avenue North Lauderdale, 33068 9 – 9:30 a.m. Lauderdale Lakes Middle School 3911 N.W. 30th Avenue Lauderdale Lakes, 33309 3:30 p.m. First Day of School News Conference Kathleen C. Wright Administration Center 600 S.E. Third Avenue Fort Lauderdale, 33301

She nodded with a grin, hand gripping the crayon.

“Me, too,” he said, raising his eyebrows.

As Licata left, he pouted as he passed a student crying and stomping his feet.

“It’s going to be OK, baby,” the teacher told him.

READ MORE: Classrooms have become political battlegrounds in Florida. Will it intensify this year?

Licata’s next stop was Lauderdale Lakes Middle School, where Rud-laurie Maurice mentally prepared to walk into her first class of sixth grade.

“It feels weird,” she said. “I’m nervous because it’s my first day of middle school, and it’s probably harder than fifth grade.”

“Math is really confusing to me,” the 11-year-old added, adjusting her gray backpack on her left shoulder.

Licata popped into the classroom of Adair Dominguez, who’s been teaching high school algebra to eighth-graders for three years.

Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, August 21, 2023 - Broward Schools Superintendent Peter Licata, right, is led around the halls of Lauderdale Lakes Middle School by Principal Linda Lopez, left, during a visit on the first day of school in Broward County.

Coconut Creek, August 21, 2023 - Superintendent Peter Licata, left, talks to Senior Jessenia Almenguer, right, at Monarch High School in Coconut Creek. Mr. Licata visited schools in Broward County on the first day of school in Broward County.

“Thank you for your service,” Licata told Dominguez, who spent eight years in the army before switching careers.

“Thank you for being here,” Dominguez replied.