Spartan Update
Home of the Spartans 8/8-8/12
WELCOME BACK SPARTANS
SPOTO HIGH INSTRUCTIONAL PRIORITIES FOR 2022-23
- Design and implement lessons that are aligned to grade level standards.
- Increase academic ownership through implementation of the gradual release model.
FIRST DAY of School- August 10th!
FIRST DAY of School: August 10th
First Day Procedures: All students will report to their HOMEROOM to receive their official schedule. Spoto will monitor and balance class-sizes through the first month of school and correct any inaccuracies on student schedules the first week of school. Please be patient with us through this process. Your child will be placed appropriately as we move throughout the school year.
First Day Expectations: Our goal is for faculty to work with students through our procedures and protocols, the syllabus in each course, and build relationships with your children. It is an exciting time and we want to celebrate our students' return to the Home of the Spartans.
What will students bring home to parents/guardians on the FIRST DAY? Students will bring home our media release form, and most importantly, their emergency card. Please review the information. It is essential that you UPDATE and RETURN the emergency card the next day. If you have a change of address, please provide two proofs of residency when returning the emergency card. Communication is a key lever to success and we cannot keep you updated without current phone numbers and email addresses.
Student Schedules-- PLEASE READ
A tentative student schedule is uploaded to each student's CANVAS page. Students will receive a tentative OPEN HOUSE schedule in their HOMEROOM (Not Period 1) class if they come to Open House. Students will use either schedule to report to their Homeroom class on the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL to receive their official course schedule.
Why is the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL schedule the OFFICIAL schedule? We will continue to balance class sizes through the first day of school (and beyond). Our goal is to have the lowest teacher-to-student ratio and balanced class size to maximize the educational environment. A slight chance does exist that a student schedule on Open House night could be modified before the first day of school.
Spoto High School Supply List
Canvas
HCPS will continue to use Canvas as a learning and communication tool in 22/23. The BELOW LINKS provides parents and guardians with helpful information for using Canvas to support and monitor student academic progress.
To access the Canvas Family Guide, please click one of the following links:
Student Guide https://sdhc.instructure.com/courses/36524
To Log in https://sdhc.instructure.com/courses/3146
Family Guide https://bit.ly/canvasfamilyguide
Spartan Student Services Department
School Counselors
Counselors
Mrs. Maria Kelly, Department Head, I-P
Ext. 254
Mrs. Rachel Irvin - A-E
Ext. 255
Mr. Alejandro Zamora- F-H & Collegiate Academy
Ext. 257
Mrs. Denita Lowery - Q- Z
Ext. 256
Mrs. Kim Watson, Collegiate Academy Lead - Collegiate Academy
Ext. 258
Mrs. Danece Davis- Social Worker
Ext. 253
School Health Services Form-- PLEASE READ
Parents & Guardians,
The attached forms below, in English and Spanish, should ONLY be completed if you are declining school health services. In accordance with Florida House Bill 1557, Parental Rights in Education, each school district, at the beginning of the school year, must notify parents/guardians of each health care service offered at their child’s school and provide parents the option to withhold consent or decline any specific service. More details are included in the attached documents.
Strong Schools, Stronger Hillsborough
We have a couple of attachments (Referendum Condensed Flyer [English and Spanish]) are below for additional information.
Spoto HS New start and end time in 22/23. We will start at 8:40 a.m. and end 3:40 p.m.
NEW 22/23 START AND END BELL TIMES
The slight pushback of the start time is to allow our school buses more time to get our students to school. We will be going to a traditional and standard 8-period (48 minutes) schedule for this year. Each period will be 48 minutes long, including lunch. Students will take seven courses and have another period for lunch. Due to the expected increase in our enrollment and our shortage of bus drivers (at this current time), we wanted to transition back to a bell schedule that will allow maximum flexibility for students, increase the possibility of lowering class sizes, and decrease the amount of missed first period instructional time. In the end, we feel this 22/23 modification is best for our students and staff.
Spartan Athletic Booster Club
A strong, successful, and positive athletic program is critical to the success of any school. We are Spartan at Spoto HS, so come be a part of our Athletic Booster Club. Your support is wanted and needed this year. Join Us.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYGSdfLCuZoTDESd_KOVHwqabcSjwQUA1mf8Da5LSGHArzaw/viewform
Do You Ride a School Bus? Do You Need to Find a Bus Stop?
Bus Route Availability
The information available below represents bus routes for students attending their attendance-area school.
If you are attending a school via "school choice/magnet" and you are bus eligible, look under your choice school for bus route information.
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These routes are current as of the date printed. However, they are subject to change. Please check back periodically.
- Parents are responsible for getting their child to and from the bus stop safely.
- Please be sure to choose the bus stop closest to your home that provides the safest walk path.
- Bus stops are for bus-eligible students only. Eligibility is determined based on the child’s home address on record at the school.
- If you have moved, please make sure to update your address with your child’s school immediately.
Attendance MATTERS Every Period Every Day!
REMINDER: Attendance Matters Every Period Every Day. We cannot educate our students at an optimal level if they are not present and/or late to school.
Attendance of every student enrolled at Spoto HS is required in order to benefit from the continuity of instruction and classroom participation. School attendance shall be the responsibility of parents/legal guardians and students. Absences shall be reported to the school attendance office by the parent/legal guardian on the day the absence occurred. The number to be called to report an absence on the day of the absences is 813-672-5405.
The following factors are reasonable excuses for time missed at school:
A. Personal illness of the student
A student who has demonstrated a pattern of absences due to illness may be required to present medical verification the principal.
B. Court appearance of the student
C. Medical appointment of the student a note from a health care provider may be required.
D. An approved school activity. Absences will be recorded but not reported.
E. Emergencies that are acceptable to the principal
F. Other absences as approved by the principal. A written request from the parent/legal guardian is submitted to the principal at least three days prior to the date of absence. The parent will be notified of the decision.
G. Attendance at a center under Children and Families Services supervision
H. Accident resulting in injury to the student
I. Significant community events with prior permission of the principal
When more than one school is involved, the Area Superintendent will determine the status of the absence.
J. Observance of an established religious holiday
K. Death of a close relative. For purposes of this policy, close relatives shall be defined as the father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, son, daughter (or in-law), stepfather, stepmother, stepbrother, stepsister, half-sister, half-brother, stepchild, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, grandparents, grandchild, or members of his/her own household.
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State Law requires that students, 14 to 18 years of age, who have not earned a high school diploma, who have 15 unexcused absences in any period of 90 calendar days, be ineligible for driving privileges. School districts are required by this legislation to report to the State of Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV), the names of any students who have accumulated 15 unexcused absences in any period of 90 calendar days. The student who is reported will be informed by the DHSMV that his/her name has been received and he/she may lose the privilege to drive. Should a student be contacted by DHSMV with information, he/she may initiate a request for a hardship waiver or a request for reinstatement of driving privilege through the Office of Student Affairs.
A hardship for employment is based on verification of need. The factor to be considered is the extent to which a student provides a substantial financial contribution for his or her livelihood or his or her family’s needs. A hardship for medical care is based on the need for transportation, for the student or his or her immediate family members living in the same household, to access required treatment. Consideration should be given to whether there are any other licensed drivers residing in the household.
Students who accumulate 15 unexcused absences in any period of 90 calendar days will be reported by the school to the DHSMV. Please follow the attendance procedure that has been established in order that students not be reported unexcused when they should be excused. Please reach out to our Student Services Team and/or Administration with questions and/or concerns.
Whenever any student has a total of 15 days of unexcused absence from school during any semester, the student will be considered habitually absent. The school will inform the parent of excessive absences and the district’s intent to notify the Department of Highway Safety of Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) of the student's excessive absences.
Tardiness to Class: A student is tardy when the student arrives after the beginning of the school day or when he/she is not in his/her assigned seat or station when the tardy bell rings. A student’s tardiness shall be excused when the reason given is acceptable to the principal or designee. Examples of acceptable reasons for tardiness are the same as the examples of acceptable reasons for excused absences.
Sign-in Procedures: Any student arriving to school after the session has begun at 8:40 must report to the Main Office or Office of Student Affairs. An admit shall be issued indicating excused or unexcused tardy or absence. For the student to receive an excused sign-in, a parent or guardian must accompany the student to the Main Office and give an excusable reason. More than two sign-ins in a grading period shall require medical or other documentation. Students will not be allowed to sign out later than 3 PM Tue-Fri and no later than 2 PM on Mondays. Please understand that students are close to dismissal and sign-out at these times disrupt the learning and dismissal process.
Secondary Students: Once students arrive on campus, they may not leave without permission from the assistant principal for Student Affairs. Students who must leave school during school hours must have their parent/guardian request this release by phone or in-person to the Office of Student Affairs in order to obtain pre-approval. More than four sign-outs’ in a grading period shall require medical or other documentation and/or a parent/guardian must be present in order to be considered excused.
All students need to take hold of their commitment and potential to be the best they can be for themselves...and that commitment and potential starts with being on time and present to each class Every Day.
SPOTO HS NEEDS OUR SPARTAN FAMILY!
We NEED Volunteers! Say Y.E.S!
Spoto HS needs your HELP. Please consider volunteering at SHS. It takes a village to build success. ALL volunteers must complete a volunteer application (and be approved by HCPS) before participating in school events. Please review the BELOW FORM (2122 Volunteer Application FIRST DAY) for more information and application.
You can apply or get more information at this link: Volunteer Services / Overview (hillsboroughschools.org)
@SpotoCollegiate
#SpartanStrong
Richard C. Spoto High School
Website: https://www.hillsboroughschools.org/spoto
Location: 8538 Eagle Palm Drive, Riverview, FL, USA
Phone: 8136725405
Twitter: @SpotoSpartans