SCHOOL SHOUT
Shouting Loud and Proud about Hillsborough Schools
In our August edition...
Math, Science & CODING! Find out what so many middle schoolers are talking about!
Is your child 5 or 10 minutes late to school? Find out why this is a REALLY big deal.
A Bucs game AND Tim McGraw concert! Reduced prices for our HCPS families.
YOUR CHILD'S SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY
Hillsborough County Public Schools is taking important steps to make our schools even safer...
NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART SECURITY SYSTEMS
- Our district is adding state-of-the-art security systems into each school that will empower teachers and staff to call for help in an emergency. The new CENTEGIX CrisisAlert system will help increase security on every campus. Each teacher and staff member will be issued an ID badge with a button. Whether it's a medical emergency or an active threat to campus, the staff member can press the button and alert the school to the issue. Light beacons in hallways, as well as messages over the sound system will also be activated. These security systems will be implemented over the next few months, teachers will then be trained, and the process will become part of our regular safety drills for students. Our teachers always explain what's happening to students before any security drill.
- Security vestibules are being placed in five our our high schools—Hillsborough, Leto, Chamberlain, Plant City and Jefferson. These schools are older and were built when school security wasn't as much of a concern. In the past, visitors could walk right into the school—but that is no longer the case with the new vestibules. When school is in session, every visitor, parent and student must be buzzed into the vestibule. They must show their ID and sign in, and then they will be buzzed into the main area of the school.
- FortifyFL is a suspicious activity reporting tool to submit tips about unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent activities or threats. That information goes immediately and directly to appropriate law enforcement and school officials. The app was developed by former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. You can download the app on your mobile device or submit tips on your desktop computer at getfortifyfl.com. You can leave contact information but can also report anonymously.
Find out more about FortifyFL by watching this PSA created by students at Plant High School.
TROUBLE GETTING YOUR CREW OUT THE DOOR EVERY MORNING? TRY THESE 5 TIPS
Why being on time is SO important...
You know when you show up to a meeting about 10 minutes late and you’re totally thrown off?
Everyone is already working, or deep in conversation and you have no idea what you missed?
It’s tough for an adult to bounce back.
Now, imagine you’re a five- or six-year-old child—and you enter your classroom late. Even if it’s just by a few minutes, you’re already out of your groove.
“I think tardies are a huge component in a child’s success,” says Allison Norgard, Principal of Sessums Elementary in Riverview. “When a child enters the class late, everyone is settled and ready to go. That child has to hurry and adapt. They’re really trying to play catch up all day long—even if they’re just 5 or 10 minutes late.”
Continue reading for 5 tips to get your child to school every day
MARK YOUR CALENDAR...
- August 24 - Tampa Tarpons Spirit Night! Tickets are still available.
- September 2 - Labor Day—schools closed
- September 8 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers Spirit Day! Tim McGraw concert before the game! Special prices available for our HCPS families!
2019-2020 PARENT AND FAMILY GUIDE
The 2019-2020 Parent and Family Guide is now available online.
This guide is filled with important information about Hillsborough County Public Schools—including Choice and Magnet options, graduation requirements and phone numbers for every department in our district.
THE FUTURE IS HERE—AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE READY
New coding class expands to our middle schools
When you walk into Jennifer Brown's 7th grade classroom, you won't find students with their heads buried in textbooks. One group is controlling a robot through a coding app, and another is learning how to build a computer circuit.
These hands-on experiences are part of a new coding class expansion in Hillsborough County Public Schools, thanks to a grant the Tampa Bay STEM Network received from code.org.
"It's basic computer coding. We do html, which is making your own webpage. We do javascript, making animations and games," said Jennifer Brown, a computer science teacher at Walker Middle Magnet School.
Students like Troy Insignares say this class will be a buliding block to a future career.
Read more about Middle School coding
What's new in our schools...
Bloomingdale, Sickles and King High Schools are the first schools in the state to use an electric car for Driver's Ed.
Foosball, Jenga and chess! Leto High adds an Incentive Room to promote positive behavior.
Our schools with the greatest needs begin this year with MORE teachers in the classroom.
$39 MILLION DOLLARS OF WORK HAS GONE INTO OUR SCHOOLS THANKS TO YOU!
As of August 14, our district has received nearly $53.5 million from the Half Penny Sales Tax you helped pass in November.
And, as of that same date, nearly $40 million of that Education Referendum money has already gone into our schools!
We have replaced air conditioning units and roofs, upgraded school security systems and refurbished gym floors and parking lots—part of a total of 102 projects completed this summer.
The great part is you can see exactly what projects are being done by going to hillsboroughschools.org/citizenoversight and clicking on the big green button that reads "Update on all projects."
The site lists every school that has an Education Referendum project completed or in progress along with before, during and after pictures. You can see our #HalfPennyPromise in action.
THANK YOU for making a difference in our schools!
TEACHER FEATURE: MOTHER, FATHER, SON, DAUGHTER—ALL TEACHERS IN HILLSBOROUGH SCHOOLS!
The start of the 2019-2020 school year means the Torres Teaching Family Tree just got a few more branches...
While Sandel and Tina Torres have been teaching together within Hillsborough County Public Schools for the past 16 years, this year is a little more special.
“Two of our children, Savannah and Marc Anthony, started their first year of teaching today. I’m so proud of them,” said Sandel, a Physical Education teacher at Town & Country Elementary.
Savannah is now a 2nd grade teacher at Davis Elementary and Marc Anthony followed in his father’s footsteps as a Physical Education teacher at Sgt. Smith Middle.
“[My parents] inspired me to become a teacher because I saw how much they loved it and how much passion they have for it,” explained Savannah.
“I’ve always played sports and had great mentors and teachers. I’ve always enjoyed working with kids and allowing them to have that great experience that I remember—all those teachers that impacted me,” said Marc Anthony.
A message from School Board Member Lynn Gray
We are proud of our students’ academic success. But we also know that our district’s vision of “Preparing Students for Life” means much more than just getting ready for a great career.
As School Board members, we recognize the importance of also focusing on life skills: physical heath, mental health, forming positive relationships and resolving conflicts.
Some of the parents I talk to don’t realize how many initiatives are in place in Hillsborough County Public Schools to strengthen these aspects of students’ lives.
We’re expanding programs in our schools that focus on character and Social and Emotional Learning. Every middle school student now learns about this, including:
- Self-management
- Relationship skills
- Responsible decision-making
Some of our schools are using the P.B.I.S. model, which stands for “Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports.” Instead of relying on punishment, the whole school focuses on teaching and rewarding positive social behaviors.
We’ve worked with our community to create a Mental Health Plan. This plan aims to get to the root cause of conflicts and address them before they become a threat to a student’s self, family or school.
Our district has been given “Gold” status as a Florida Healthy School District, which spotlights our work in a wide range of areas—everything from health services offered in our schools to our level of community involvement.
And our Going for the Gold initiative is taking steps to increase graduation rates and reduce dropout rates by supporting all students in reaching their full potential at schools, homes and within their communities.
Since the inception of Going for the Gold, led by Founder and Chair Conchita L. Canty-Jones, stakeholders are empowered with research-based strategies by connecting our four pillars: Diversity/Cultural Responsiveness, Building Relationships and School/District Culture, Health and Wellness, and Graduation.
Please know your School Board and the entire staff of our district understand this key fact: Students’ success in the classroom is important—but only after a students’ total health and wellbeing are taken care of—can they truly succeed in life.
Twitter: @LynnGray88
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Email: newsletter@sdhc.k12.fl.us
Website: hillsboroughschools.org
Location: 901 East Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL, USA
Phone: 813-272-4000
Facebook: facebook.com/HillsboroughSch
Twitter: @HillsboroughSch