HILLSBOROUGH RESPONDS
Important school information for our families
October 4, 2020
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A MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
Dear Families,
It’s been a month since our students have returned to our brick and mortar classrooms. In that month, I’ve visited more than 50 schools and observed hundreds of classrooms. During my visits, I have seen the power of our teachers and how they continue to activate learning along with pushing the cognitive demands of our students. I thoroughly enjoy and love seeing our teachers at work and asking them how I can help them during these challenging times. Overall, the majority of practitioners have answered with “just keep supporting us day in and day out”, which is so encouraging.
I want each of you to know that district team members are working tirelessly and doing everything they can to further support our schools, staff, and students. As we seek to strengthen our practices and experiences for our students, I would like your feedback even now more than ever. To assist with obtaining input, we have established an email address set up specifically for this purpose. Newsletter@sdhc.k12.fl.us – I can’t promise I will reply to each one, but I can promise you each email will be read and extended to the proper personnel to address.
As you know, one of our top priorities is keeping our students and staff healthy. I believe our schools have been doing an excellent job with social distancing, wearing masks, and encouraging healthy practices. As part of our ongoing partnership with TGH/USF Health, we have created an informational video regarding Infection Prevention with COVID-19. Yes, it’s 46 minute long. However, it is filled with vital information on how to protect ourselves and those around us. Around the 36 minute mark is really interesting information about what our health experts believe we can expect this fall and winter with flu season and COVID-19 coupled together.
Lastly...I want to encourage each of you to take a break! There’s no need to pack a lunch for your child tonight. Right now, ALL students are receiving free breakfast and lunch thanks to USDA government funding. This means, our eLearners can pick up their free Grab-and-Go meals at one of 75 school sites and children that attend brick-and-mortar schools also get a free, nutritious lunch! I hope you take advantage of this program while the government funding lasts.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend and have a wonderful first week of October.
Respectfully,
Addison Davis
Superintendent of Schools
BRICK AND MORTAR, eLEARNING--CAN I CHANGE MY MIND?
We understand that your family's situation may have changed or your student may not be excelling in the eLearning format. Our schools are doing their best to accommodate these requests, but please remember, we asked that our families declared their intent for a full semester and our schools adjusted their staffing to meet those needs.
In some cases, it may not be possible to immediately readjust these schedules.
Again, our schools are doing the best they can to help accommodate these new requests. Please allow them the flexibility and time to make the necessary adjustments.
ATHLETICS UPDATE - IT'S A WHOLE NEW BALLGAME!
Hillsborough County Public Schools fought hard to return to athletics. We know just how important sports and its adjoining programs are to our student-athletes and bands.
For the most part, the return to athletics has been successful. Our district put many guidelines in place to protect the health of our athletes, participants, coaches and spectators. Thank you for following those guidelines.
Schools have only had to cancel a handful of games—mostly due to athletes or participants having to quarantine. The district has worked with the schools to find creative and flexible options to work within schedules to avoid cancelations when at all possible.
“From the start of fall sports, the situation has been very fluid,” said Lanness Robinson, Director of Athletics. “Game changes have been handled well by all because the prevailing thought is, we just want our student-athletes to have the opportunity to participate.”
We are also proud of how well our families have adapted to the new online ticketing process and limited availability of those tickets. The biggest lesson learned over the past few weeks is for ticket purchasers to verify the purchase before submitting payment.
We know you’re interested in next steps. Hillsborough County Public Schools is in regular discussions with state and local health officials to determine the next phase in our return to athletics plan. We are evaluating the situation and will make future determinations based on advice from our medical advisors.
Check out our website for more information on our athletics program.
LOOKING AHEAD...
Our next School Board Meeting is Tuesday, October 6 at 4pm. You can watch it live on Spectrum channel 625 or Frontier channel 32.
World Mental Health Day is an international day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy. Please don't hesitate to reach out to the Student Services team at your child's school. They are there to support you and your child with any mental health questions or concerns.
Virtual Academy Day 2020 is Saturday, October 10. This event is for students interested in serving our country and attending one of America's prestigious service academies.
ESE UPDATE - DID YOU KNOW THE STATE HUB FOR STUDENTS WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS IS LOCATED IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY?!
"If we want them to be successful, we have to give them what they need to succeed"
Beginning at birth, a child with visual impairments will find support, education and love from Hillsborough County Public Schools. Did you know we are the only local district that offers families support for their child starting at birth?
This is so important. A TVI (Teacher of Visual Impairments) will come to the family’s home and start working with that child. Perhaps they’ll bring a toddler hard play-doh… Or lines of pipe-cleaners to run their fingers across.
This “play” is very intentional. The Play-Doh strengthens their little fingers to prepare them for reading braille. Same with the pipe cleaners. Teaching them to run their hands across the pipe cleaners prepares them with the motions they’ll need to read braille.
There’s another benefit to this early vision education program, as well.
“I think it develops a wonderful trust with the district,” said Emily Cimino, Hillsborough County Public Schools Supervisor of Sensory Programs. “We’ve been in your home for 3 years, so you listen to us. And then when it’s time to have a hard conversation at age 5, and we’re telling you something potentially hard to hear, you trust us then too.”
And buried deep inside the brick hallways of the Manhattan Center in South Tampa, lies another secret benefit for every visually impaired student in our district…
FIMC-VI is located right in Hillsborough County Public Schools… Right inside one of our buildings!
What is FIMC-VI? It stands for Florida Instructional Materials Center… To put it simply, it’s the hub of all vision supplies and technology for the state! And it shares a building with the district’s vision department!
This is a fantastic asset to the hundreds of visually impaired students in Hillsborough County. Here are a few of the perks our district can take advantage of by having FIMC-VI so close:
- We get day-to-day collaboration and problem solving on student’s cases more quickly;
- Our students with visual impairments and their teachers don’t have to wait to receive critical technology to help them learn;
- FIMC provides incredible professional development for teachers and HCPS teachers are the first to take advantage and know about changes happening at the state level. For example, the first week back to school, FIMC provided TVI’s professional development on how to teach visually impaired students virtually.
EXCITING NEWS & PROGRAMS FROM AROUND THE DISTRICT
It is important to connect with our growing Hispanic community within our district. We are excited to launch a new Twitter and Facebook account exclusively for Spanish speaking families and staff. Please like and follow!
Better late than never! A ribbon cutting ceremony was held this week for our newest elementary school, Belmont Elementary. It's a beautiful, state-of-the-art school run by a wonderful principal, Alan Black!
We are so excited for the students and staff at Tampa Heights Elementary! The school received some finishing architectural touches this week. We are thrilled for students to be back in this incredible school in January.
This week, our district announced the CENTEGIX CrisisAlert system is now fully operational in our schools. It allows our 25,000 employees to signal for a quick response in any type of emergency situation.
Saturday Academy is in session! Held Saturdays between now and Nov. 21 from 8am-2pm at 25 of our elementary schools. Students with significant academic needs or those disconnected during distance learning are invited to attend. Transportation and meals provided.
On the newest episode of In Depth with Davis, we discuss how Hillsborough County Public Schools is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, along with the robust resources and supports in place for our Hispanic families.
STEMtastic! CHECK OUT ALL OUR AMAZING STEM PROGRAMS FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR COUCH!
Last year, thousands showed up for STEMtastic at the Florida Aquarium. All our K-12th grade STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) programs are showcased so parents and students can spend quality time talking to school principals and teachers about their STEM programs.
This year, will be the same... Only different! All the schools will be showcasing their amazing STEM programs--virtually!
STEMtastic will be held Thursday, October 8th from 6pm-7pm in a virtual format. The schools will all be LIVE on a virtual format for you to go room to room and check them out. It will be a great way to SEE what these STEM programs offer and ask questions to teachers and principals.
The first Magnet School Application Window opens 5pm on November 2nd and closes at 11:59pm on December 11th. Visit our website to find our more information about Magnet Schools.
BOW *WOW* - SEVERAL OF OUR SCHOOLS OFFER STUDENT-RUN DOGGY DAYCARE!
At several schools in our district, including Freedom and Sumner High, the Veterinary Programs offer Doggy Daycare!
Staff can bring their dogs in for a day of grooming and exercise while the students get hands-on experience caring for pups and running a business.
SEEN ON SOCIAL
We love seeing the cool pictures and stories our schools post on social media. Please follow your school's social media accounts for a firsthand look at all the cool stuff going on there! Here are a few of our favorite pics this week!
This is Robinson High's Katie Kemp... And she's pretty amazing! She's head captain of the flag football team and also recently named a National Merit Semifinalist. Leading the way on and off the field!
Don't get grossed out! This is all fake! Magnet students at Sligh Middle Magnet in Tampa created fake injuries to discuss wound care. Sligh is a middle school with a focus on health and wellness.
After reading multiple articles about the Tampa Bay Lightning's Stanley Cup run, students at Mitchell Elementary demonstrated understanding by compiling key details to create their own sports reports.
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