Hillsborough Responds
Stay involved with what's happening in our schools!
March 7, 2021
A MESSAGE FROM OUR SUPERINTENDENT
Dear Families,
It’s been an important week in our district, especially for our educators and staff who have been on the front lines of this pandemic since the beginning. Governor DeSantis is listening to superintendents and school leaders from across the state and prioritizing COVID-19 vaccines for our school and district staffs. This has been an important initiative the School Board and I have been lobbying Tallahassee for and I am very pleased that vaccines have become a reality.
As I visit schools, I see the dedication and commitment presented by our teachers, support professionals, and leaders. To know they will now be able to receive a vaccine will assist with creating a safer work place and another step to ensure our students are protected.
This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of observing the Black History Brain Bowl at Middleton High School. What an extraordinary competition! A few years ago, only 10 schools provided teams to take part in the Brain Bowl. This year, 49 middle and high schools participated in this event demonstrating the importance of engaging in a healthy competition and learning about the positive impact African American men and women have had across the globe. The passion illustrated by our students and their sponsors was so impressive and I am appreciative of the countless hours spent to ensure a great experience.
Congratulations to Lennard and Robinson High Schools, our high school co-champions, and to Sligh Middle Magnet, our middle school champion. I look forward to recognizing these learners during the upcoming School Board Meeting Tuesday.
As a reminder, tomorrow is a non-student day – and a perfect time to make it out to the Strawberry Festival. We are also just one week away from Spring Break and I look forward to closing this week in a strong manner. I hope each of you have a safe and wonderful Spring Break and thank you for being a partner in our work.
I hope to see you in our schools and out in our community soon.
Respectfully,
Addison Davis
Superintendent
MAGNET AND CHOICE OPTIONS SECOND WINDOW IS OPEN!
We have exciting news for our students and families! The second Hillsborough Choice application window is now open.
You may submit applications for Choice, Magnet and/or Hillsborough Virtual K-12 from now until the window closes on March 25.
Some schools and grades may have already been filled to capacity for next year and will not be available in the online application system. However, there are still many incredible schools and programs to choose from! Check out all your options here!
Click this link to access the online application system.
The Choice Information Line (813-272-4692) is open to provide assistance Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
IN THE KNOW!
Our Student Nutrition Services Department is offering free Spring Break Meal Boxes to help keep our students fed over Spring Break. Each box contains enough food to feed one student breakfast and lunch for 6 days!
HCPS! We rallied around the Tampa Bay Lightning, now we must rally around Ms. Lisa Warren, Gifted Teacher at Mintz Elementary. Ms. Warren is 1 of 20 NHL Future Goals Teachers of the Month! Vote for her at nhl.com/mvt and if she wins, our district receives a $10,000 technology grant!
The annual Gasparilla Distance Classic is still on but will be going virtual with some changes this year. Don't worry, School Board Chair, Lynn Gray's Walk to Run Fitness Clinics can get you ready no matter how you decide to participate, and regardless of your fitness level!
Important Dates for your Calendar:
- No School Monday - Remember Monday, March 8 is a non-student day.
- Summer Job Connection - Time is almost up for youth to sign up for the Summer Job Connection. Registration closes March 12, 2021. You can receive an 8 week paid work experience - earning $12 an hour; A 4 week paid virtual career exploration; and a 6 week leadership development. Apply at https://summerjobconnection.com/
- School Board Meeting - Our next School Board Meeting is Tuesday, March 9 at 4pm. You can watch it on Hillsborough Schools TV, Spectrum Cable channel 635 and Frontier Channel 32.
STUDENTS SHINE IN THE BLACK HISTORY BRAIN BOWL
Saturday morning, 49 middle and high schools from across our district started the morning in our virtual district-wide Black History Brain Bowl. The Brain Bowl hub was at Middleton High School, but teams across the district gathered at their own school and zoomed in for the competition.
After a few hours, the teams were whittled down to 4! Sligh Middle and Liberty Middle were the top two middle schools and Robinson High and Lennard High were the top two high schools.
"You can see the kids are on the edge of their seats, really ready to show their understanding of African American contributors on a local, state, and national level," said Superintendent Davis, who went room to room checking in on competitors.
"These students are very intelligent, very smart. Some of the things I know I forgot and they're coming up with the answers!" exclaimed School Board Member Henry "Shake" Washington.
In the end, the teams from Robinson and Lennard never missed a question! So the district declared them co-champs!
The middle school teams also went to a tie-break but in the end, Sligh Middle Magnet emerged victorious!
Each student on the winning teams will win $100 and their school will receive $500!
Congratulations to all the students who took part in the Brain Bowl.
Check out some of the best moments from the Brain Bowl!
Watch below as HABSE President Keensha Parham announces the winners!
AMAZING DONATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY TO OUR SCHOOLS!
SURPRISE! Burlington Coat Factory donated $5,000 to teachers at Town and Country Elementary School in honor of its newest store opening. Each teacher will receive $200 for their classrooms.
Thank you to the Hernandez family for your loving donation to Collins Elementary. Their son Christian died shortly after birth but would be turning 5. In his memory, the Hernandez family donated $1000 to the kindergarten team at Collins.
This is just one benefit of our CEOs in Schools Program. Caspers Company donated a new TV and a bunch of swag to Summerfield Crossings Elementary after VP of Community Engagement Dustin Portillo spent a day shadowing Principal Brian Harvey. Thank you Caspers Company for being such amazing partners!
Thank you to Tervis Tumbler and CEO Rogan Donelly for donating 25,000 reusable Tervis cups to our schools! This generous donation will provide a safe and healthy way for our learners to stay hydrated in the classroom, while also eliminating unnecessary trash in our schools.
SUPER SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Check out these two amazing scholarships from the Florida PrePaid College Board - created especially for students in Hillsborough County Public Schools!
Hillsborough County Public Schools was chosen to receive two scholarships from the Florida Prepaid College Board worth a combined $9,000. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students!
Superintendent Addison Davis’ Future of STEM Scholarship is a 2-year Florida College Plan worth $8,000 for one deserving high school student who wishes to pursue a career as a Teacher specializing in STEM subjects. The scholarship will be awarded to a senior student attending Hillsborough County Public Schools who meets the criteria and who writes a 500-word essay about why he or she wishes to become a teacher in a STEM subject.
Superintendent Addison Davis’ Preparing Students For Life Scholarship is a Florida 529 Savings Plan, worth $1,000. It aims to emphasize the importance of registering for school early. A parent or guardian who attends a Kindergarten Registration event, or begins the registration process to enter kindergarten by April 30 for the 2021-2022 academic year, is eligible. An eligible student’s name will be drawn at random.
To learn more about the scholarships visit: https://bit.ly/HCPSscholarship
Florida Prepaid Savings Plan Open Enrollment runs through April 30, you can choose the college savings plan that best fits your family. Start saving today! Use promo code HILLSSUP21
Other Scholarship Opportunities
It may be March, but there are still amazing scholarships available for our students. Act now and talk to your school counselors for more opportunities!
Hillsborough Technical, Career and Adult Association Scholarship - This scholarship is for graduating CTE or Adult Ed completers who plan to attend Hillsborough Technical College Postsecondary Institution. Weighted GPA of 2.5. See your college and career counselor for an application. Application due by March 23, 2021.
D.E.L.T.A Inc.’s Kevin Knox II Scholarship - Applicant must be a graduating, college-bound high school senior who attends school in Hillsborough County. The target population is African American male or female students who need financial assistance to begin their first year of college. GPA of 3.0 - 3.49 is strictly observed. More information. Applications due by March 26, 2021.
BHW Scholarship - Women who are pursuing an undergraduate or master's degree and are majoring in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics during the 2021 school year. For more information and to apply, visit: https://thebhwgroup.com/scholarship - Applications due by April 14, 2021.
Check out a long list of other scholarships still available!
WHAT'S COOL IN OUR SCHOOLS?!
"History doesn't happen in a PowerPoint.." - Unable to take their annual field trip to the Florida Holocaust Museum in St. Petersburg, teachers at Rodgers Middle Magnet created an interactive mini Holocaust Museum of their own. School Board Member Melissa Snively and Superintendent Davis were invited to tour the museum and see all the hard work put forth by students.
Congratulations to the Plant High Girls' Basketball Team who defeated Miami in the Class 7A state title. A special shout-out to seniors Kendal Cheesman and Nyla Jean, who started every game for Plant the past four years!
The students at James Elementary are super excited for their new Innovation Lab! Students earn time in the lab for meeting academic and behavioral goals. Thank you to WWE Superstar Titus O'Neil for your extremely generous donation which made the lab possible.
WEBSITE HIGHLIGHT
March is Youth Art Month - a perfect time to highlight our amazing Art Education webpage
On the Art Education page, you will find so many amazing resources beneficial to our students, staff and families:
- Course Curriculum
- Community Connections
- Local Art Opportunities
- Student Art Showcases
We also encourage you to check out our students' art on display across the county all month!
- Scholastic Art & Writing Regional Exhibition - March 5th - 13th at the Scarfone/Hartley Gallery at UT
- Strawberry Festival Elementary Art Display - March 4th - 14th at the Strawberry Festival grounds in Plant City
- 14th Congressional and Next Generation Art Show - March 7th - April 4th at the Tampa Museum of Art
- Dali Student Surrealist Art Show - March 13th - May 5th at the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg
Lastly, please follow @HCPSArtEd on twitter. Our art department is very active on the site displaying our students' wonderful works of art!
And finally...
"We miss you and can't wait to see you again in person!" - Principal Dante Jones at Mann Middle School dropped into Ms. Gloer's AVID classroom to say hello to eLearners!
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Email: newsletter@sdhc.k12.fl.us
Website: www.HillsboroughSchools.org
Location: 901 East Kennedy Boulevard, Tampa, FL, USA
Phone: 813-272-4000
Facebook: facebook.com/HillsboroughSch
Twitter: @HillsboroughSch