09/07/2005



MEMORANDUM

TO:  All Florida Public School Superintendents

FROM:  Guy Tunnell, Commissioner
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)

SUBJECT: Florida Missing Children's Day (FMCD) 2005, September 12

Please join us in observing Florida Missing Children's Day 2005 on Monday,
September 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
While the ceremony will be held at the Capitol in Tallahassee, the FDLE
Missing Children Information Clearinghouse Advisory Board has teamed with
the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Knowledge Network to
broadcast the ceremony live to all Florida public schools.  Additionally,
the Leon County Sheriff's Office will present a special safety program on
preventing abductions to approximately 500 fourth and fifth grade students
from Leon and surrounding counties.  The ceremony will be videotaped and
broadcast later in the week via the Florida Knowledge Network and,
therefore, will again be available to be shown in classrooms across the
state.

The ceremony will raise awareness of Florida's currently missing children,
and recognize those individuals who have made outstanding contributions in
missing children issues.  Governor Jeb Bush and Mr. John Walsh will speak
on this special occasion.  Additionally, the following will be recognized
for their exemplary efforts in abduction prevention and missing children
investigations:
 • The 4th Grade Missing Children's Essay Contest winner from
Centennial Elementary School in Pasco County,
 • The School Bus Operator of the Year from Tampa Florida, and
 • Law enforcement officers and others from around the state who have
been instrumental in the  investigation of missing  children
cases, and in some cases in the prevention of an abduction.

A special part of the program will be the recognition of three young heroes
whose bravery and efforts kept them from being the tragic victims of an
abduction.  These children range in age from 7 to 15 years

We hope that you will disseminate this memo to all principals in your
district and encourage them to air the live broadcast of the ceremony to
their students on Monday, September 12, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
School districts should contact their District Instructional Television
(ITV) contact for local program schedules.  District ITV contacts are
listed on the Florida Knowledge Network website at
http://www.floridaknowledgenetwork.org/FKN.htm.  Please click on "FKN
Partners/School Districts."

We feel the broadcast is appropriate at the elementary level for third,
fourth, and fifth grade students as well as all middle and high school
students.  It raises awareness on the subject of missing children in hopes
of preventing another tragedy in communities across our state.

If you need additional information, please contact Patricia Rutherford or
Dawn Mikola at the FDLE Missing Children Information Clearinghouse at 1-888-
FL-Missing or Julie Collins, Office of Safe and Healthy Schools, at 850/245-
0676 or SunCom 205-0676 or [log in to unmask]

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