HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS 2016-2017 Parent and Family Guide Preparing students for life! Hillsborough County General Information School Board Meetings School Board meetings are aired on PAGE 2 PAGE 9 the Tampa Bay Arts & Education Network, General District Information Graduation Information Bright House (Spectrum) Networks Student Calendar and Important Dates channel 635 and Frontier FiOS channel 32, PAGE 10 – 12 Tuesdays at 3 p.m.; and replayed Tuesdays School Board Meetings Resources for Families at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Visit the District website at sdhc.k12. PAGE 3 PAGE 13 School Board and Superintendent’s Message fl.us and click on the Board link, then the Rigorous Academic Opportunities Board Meetings tab to view live webcasts PAGE 4 – 6 PAGE 14 and archived school board meetings. Newsdesk Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Immunizations/Hillsborough Healthy Kids PAGE 15 Mission: Helpful Tips for Parents Preparing students for life. Opportunities for Becoming Involved in Choice Options Your Children’s Schools PAGE 16 – 17 Vision: PAGE 7 Other Programs To provide an education and the Advocating for Your Child – Who to Call support that enables each student to excel as a successful and responsible Anti-Bullying Policy PAGE 18 – 19 School Site Phone Numbers citizen. PAGE 8 Early Childhood Learning Programs PAGE 20 Helpful Phone Numbers District Office Phone Numbers Hillsborough County Public Schools 2016-2017 School Calendar Students’ First Day of School Presidents Day Other Important FALL 2016 August 10, 2016 February 20, 2017 Thursday, September 22, 2016 – Labor Day Holiday Strawberry Festival Day District Dates Gaither High School September 5, 2016 March 6, 2017 AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK Thursday, October 6, 2016 – End of 1st Grading Period (Area 6 Schools Only) November 14-18, 2016 Jefferson High School October 7, 2016 End of 3rd Grading Period Great American Teach In – Thursday, October 20, 2016 – Non-Student Day March 10, 2017 Thursday, November 17, 2016 Plant City High School October 10, 2016 Spring Break COLLEGE NIGHT DATES Thursday, November 3, 2016 – Veterans Day Holiday March 13-17, 2017 Lennard High School Monday, September 26, 2016 – November 11, 2016 Students Return to School Sickles High School Thursday, November 17, 2016 – Fall Break March 20, 2017 Alonso High School Tuesday, September 27, 2016 – November 21-25, 2016 Non-Student Day Plant High School WINTER/SPRING 2017 Students Return to School April 14, 2017 Wednesday, September 28, 2016 – Thursday, February 2, 2016 – November 28, 2016 Seniors’ Last Day Chamberlain High School Strawberry Crest High School End of 2nd Grading Period May 17, 2017 Thursday, September 29, 2016 – Thursday, February 16, 2016 – December 16, 2016 End of 4th Grading Period Brandon High School Spoto High School Winter Break May 26, 2017 HILLSBOROUGH CHOICE EXPO Thursday, March 2, 2016 – December 19-30, 2016 Last Day of School Leto High School Non-Student Day May 26, 2017 Friday, November 4, 2016 January 2, 2017 Student Early Release Dates Florida State Fairgrounds - Florida Center REPORT CARD DISTRIBUTION DATES 3-7 p.m. Students Return to School Each Monday - One Hour Early Release Elementary Last Day of School - 2.5 Hours Early January 3, 2017 Choice Information Line: 813-272-4692 October 24, 2016; January 13, 2017; This calendar and many others are available April 3, 2017; May 26, 2017 Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday PASOS AL FUTURO for viewing and sharing by visiting the January 16, 2017 (College Planning Nights conducted in Secondary Hillsborough County Public Schools website Spanish) Florida State Fair Day at sdhc.k12.fl.us. October 28, 2016; January 23, 2017; February 10, 2017 April 7, 2017; June 10, 2017 (West Hillsborough Students ONLY) 2 tampabay.com/nie Parent Checklist Newspaper Are you using good parenting skills? in Answer these questions to see how Education you are doing. Do you follow these The Tampa Bay guidelines always, sometimes or never? Times Newspaper in Education (NIE) program is a ATTENDANCE cooperative effort between schools ❏ I expect my child to go to school every day, and the Times Publishing Co. to be on time and stay for the entire day. encourage the use of newspapers in print and electronic form as COMMUNICATION educational resources. Our ❏ I call the school’s attendance line to report my educational resources fall into the child’s absence. category of informational text. ❏ Since the mid-1970s, NIE has I attend scheduled conferences. provided schools with class sets ❏ I ask for a conference with the teacher if I Hillsborough County School of the Times, plus our award- have a concern. winning original curriculum, at no ❏ I inform the teacher of anything that may Board Members cost to teachers or schools. With have an effect on my child’s performance or Front Row: Jeff Eakins, Superintendent; April Griffin, Chair; Cindy Stuart, Vice Chair ever-shrinking school budgets, behavior. Back Row: Sally Harris, Melissa Snively, Susan L. Valdes, Carol W. Kurdell, Doretha W. Edgecomb the newspaper has become an invaluable tool to teachers. In ❏ I read and act on information sent home about my child’s achievement. the Tampa Bay area, the Times ❏ A Message from Hillsborough County Publishing Co. provides more than I talk with my child and know what he or she 5 million free newspapers and is doing and with whom. Public Schools Superintendent and electronic licenses for teachers ❏ I talk with my child and help him or her set School Board to use in their classrooms every goals. school year. Dear Families, The Times and our NIE HEALTH In Hillsborough County Public Schools, we are focused on giving curriculum are rich educational ❏ I schedule visits to the doctor and dentist. students the skills and resources they need to be successful in resources, offering teachers an school and in life. We also strive to provide our families with the up-to-the-minute, living text and ❏ I set a bedtime that lets my child get nine tools necessary to ensure they can help their children. This Parent source for countless projects hours of sleep. and Family Guide is the perfect way to provide all of the information in virtually every content area. ❏ I provide healthy meals and snacks. offered by the district and our partners in one handy tool. Teachers, email ordernie@ ❏ I talk with my child about the dangers of As part of our Strategic Plan, we are tackling the graduation rate. tampabay.com to become an NIE abusing alcohol and drugs. Our goal is to increase our graduation rate to 90 percent by the teacher. For information about year 2020. All of our employees know they are advocates for every how you can donate to NIE, call INTEREST student and we all have a role in ensuring students’ success. 800-333-7505, ext. 8138 or visit ❏ I set aside time each day for my child to share In this guide, you will find valuable information on important school tampabay.com/nie. with me what he or she has done in school. dates, school choice options and ways you can help your child do Learn more about NIE on our ❏ well in school. We provide a student-centered learning environment website: tampabay.com/nie. Keep I review my child’s report card and help him or in the know about the Tampa her set goals for doing better. that engages every child. We thank you for allowing Hillsborough County Public Schools to be part of your child’s education and Bay Times Newspaper in ❏ I read with my child every day. future. It is our goal to prepare our students for life with experiences Education program by following us on Twitter: twitter.com/ and opportunities that will benefit them now and for years to come. EXPECTATIONS TBTimesNIE. ❏ I set high expectations for my child’s behavior Sincerely, and achievement at school. Newspaper in Education ❏ Jodi Pushkin, manager I expect my child to ask for help when he or she [email protected] needs it. Sue Bedry, development specialist ❏ I expect my child to finish all class and [email protected] homework assignments. Jeff Eakins April Griffin Noelle Sansom, account coordinator ❏ I expect my child to respect others. Superintendent School Board Chair [email protected] ❏ I expect my child to get a high school diploma and seek additional education. Credits Content provided by VOLUNTEERISM Hillsborough County Public ❏ I set a good example for my child by helping Schools at my child’s school and in the community. Stacy Rector, designer, Fluid Graphic Design LLC ENCOURAGEMENT ❏ I praise my child for his or her good behavior © Tampa Bay Times 2016 and effort. The Pepsi Bottling Group provided ❏ I display my child’s schoolwork on a wall, sponsorship funds for this NIE refrigerator or bulletin board. publication. tampabay.com/nie 3 Immunization Requirements for Entry The district has a new online platform, into Florida Schools called newsdesk, for all the great things Students in kindergarten through 12th grade who are coming into a Florida school for the first time must present a record of a happening in Hillsborough County Public physical examination completed within the last 12 months. Contact your physician or the Hillsborough County Health Department. Schools. It features stories relevant to The immunization record must show that the student has met the minimum state requirement. Immunizations are provided for free students, families, employees and our at the Health Department. For more information, visit sdhc.k12.fl.us and type “go health” in the search box. community, focusing on what makes HCPS so special and unique. Newsdesk IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR 2016-2017 SCHOOL YEAR ENTRY provides engaging topics such as what’s trending in schools, district headlines, For students entering Kindergarten*, first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades, the immunization partners in education, employee record must show that the student has met minimal state requirements for vaccines.