Message from our Principal & Assistant Principal
Dear Pride Families,
Our school utilizes Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), which is an evidence-based, tiered framework for supporting students' behavioral, social, emotional, and academic growth. It is a way to create positive, predictable, and safe learning environments where everyone is successful.
PBIS promotes school safety and good behavior by teaching students about behavior expectations and strategies with a focus on prevention, not punishment. The goal of PBIS is to reduce or eliminate poor behavior schoolwide through the encouragement of positive behaviors. School-wide and classroom expectations are regularly discussed with students using a common language throughout the grade levels and posted throughout the school. (See our school-wide expectations below.)
One of the components of the program is a token economy where students earn PRIDE BUCKS for demonstrating positive behavior and then have the opportunity to spend the bucks on events, activities, and prizes. Our first event of the year is coming up Wednesday, September 11th. Students who have earned PRIDE BUCKS may choose to pay $20 (in PRIDE $) to participate in Super Fan Day (wear sports attire representing their favorite team instead of a school uniform). Students may also choose not to participate in a particular event or activity and save their PRIDE BUCKS for future events.
Check out the link below for ways that families can use the principles of PBIS at home.
Supporting Families with PBIS at Home (parentcenterhub.org)
We are looking forward to celebrating positive behavior throughout the school year!
Stronger together,
Paulette English, Principal
Heather Moncrief, Assistant Principal
IMPORTANT SAFETY REMINDERS
- For the safety of students and families, please DO NOT use cell phones in the car line!
- When picking up in the carline, please have your QR pick-up code ready to be scanned and keep your numbered car tag hanging on your rear-view mirror until your child is in your car. Please stay in the center of the drop off/pick up lane near the cafeteria, far to the left of the yellow line and AWAY from the orange safety cones. DO NOT PULL AWAY FROM THE CURB UNTIL THE SAFETY PATROL HAS CLOSED THE DOOR AND STEPPED AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE and do not pull around cars in the line that are still loading.
- Review safe walker/pedestrian and bike rider laws/rules/procedures with your children.
- Bike riders are required to wear helmets.
- Follow all traffic laws/rules and drive cautiously through school zones and in the neighborhood.
- Please do not drop students off in surrounding streets or park/drop students off in surrounding neighborhoods such as Stone Creek Townhomes.
- HOST students should not be picked up until 2:30 or later (after car line pickup is finished).
- You may reference our Quick Reference Guide for Parents (included in first day folders and on our website) for important information including detailed drop off and pick up procedures. Quick Reference Guide for Parents 2024.2025.pdf (hillsboroughschools.org)
SEVERE WEATHER DISMISSAL PROCEDURES
Severe weather procedures are implemented when there is severe weather or when weather radar indicates that severe weather is quickly approaching our area. Parents completed a form at the beginning of the year indicating how students who are walkers/bike riders will be dismissed in the event of severe weather, either as a car rider or wait until the severe weather has passed and then walk or ride their bike. Of course, parents would need to come and pick up students in the event of an extended period of severe weather. In the event of severe weather conditions, car riders and bus riders will be dismissed when conditions allow students and staff to safely move from the building to cars and buses. Severe weather dismissal will generally proceed much more slowly than regular dismissal. We appreciate your patience and know that you understand that our priority is always the safety of our students and staff.
School Fall Picture Day - Tuesday, Sept. 17th
Uniforms are optional on picture day. Please click on the pdf below for pricing and to order online!
You may also visit - www.strawbridge.net - Click ORDER PICTURES and enter the following code: FM442466
Every Day Matters!
Every day matters when it comes to attendance! There is a strong link between regular attendance and academic success. Research indicates that missing 10% of the school year, which is 2 days a month, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. Compared to students who are chronically absent, students who attend school regularly have greater success in all grade levels. Elementary school students who regularly attend class are 1.7 times more likely to achieve grade-level scores in English Language Arts and 2 times more likely to achieve grade-level scores in Math. Chronic absenteeism (10% or more of school days) leads to students struggling to read proficiently. Please note that absences for vacations and family visits are considered unexcused absences. Whenever possible, please try to schedule these activities for when school is not in session. Teachers are happy to provide students with suggestions for making up missed assignments but cannot replicate all of the learning that takes place in the classroom.
Student Passwords Needed for Sign-in and Sign-out
IMPORTANT!
All parents and guardians should know their child's student number and password. We have a new system for signing students into school late and out of school early that requires this information. Please keep your child's student number and password handy for late arrivals and early check-outs. The ParentVUE app provides parents with access to your child's barcode for signing into school late or signing out early.
Passwords are usually set by the classroom teacher. They are secure but we encourage families to know this information so that students can access important online programs at home as well as at school. We prefer that these passwords are not changed at home. If you need to change your child's password, it is important to let your child's teacher know so that your child can continue to access programs at school as well.
Please visit Givebacks to order spirit shirts, purchase yearbooks, purchase birthday marquee messages, make donations, and join our PTA.
Zip Up Jacket Orders
Did we run out of your child’s size spirit shirt or zip up jacket during Meet the Teacher? Please visit our PTA store to preorder: https://pridetampa.givebacks.com/. We anticipate these will be delivered to classrooms by 8/30. Thank you! – Pride PTA
LUNCHROOM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
We need volunteers to help in the cafeteria during lunch on a daily basis between 10:00 and 1:30. Ideally, we would like to have recurring volunteers, but any time you can help would be greatly appreciated! The role involves monitoring student behavior, assisting students with opening food items, escorting students to the bathroom or health clinic, helping with spills, etc.. Parents must have an approved volunteer application on file in order to volunteer. Please click on the link below to sign up!
Pride Elementary: Lunchroom Support Volunteers (signupgenius.com)
Mrs. Tkacik
Suzy Tkacik is Pride's school media specialist where she has taught for 15 years. She studied journalism/public relations at Auburn University before earning her MLIS at the University of South Florida.
Mrs. Tkacik wears many hats in addition to being the library teacher: morning show supervisor, technology liaison, communications representative, Family and Community Engagement ambassador, and more. She was selected as Pride’s Teacher of the Year (2013) and HASLMS’s Media Specialist of the Year (2018). She was a finalist for the Tampa Bay Times’ Teacher of the Year (2020) and was Pride Elementary's Diversity Educator of the Year (2023) and went on to be selected as one of just 5 district finalists for HCPS Diversity Educator of the Year.
With Mrs. Tkacik's leadership Pride Elementary earned Florida Power Library status in 2019 and was recently reaccredited with this status for the next four years. Mrs. Tkacik says that she is "grateful to learn everyday with the greatest teacher colleagues in the district and the best library partner—Mrs. Priscila Cedeno​." She is most proud of her three grown boys and now two daughters by marriage. She has a penchant for trivia, movies, and kayaking with her husband and three-legged pup.
Mrs. Stephens
Ms. Stephens has worked in social work for many years and has been with the school district for over 11 years. As part of our school family, she is here to listen and support you and your family by making the connection between school and home. This includes collaborating with students and teachers, assisting with community resources, and working with students and families on improving attendance.
Ms. Stephens is originally from New Jersey and has lived in Florida for over 19 years. She enjoys spending time with her son and daughter, traveling, photography, and listening to all types of music especially Caribbean and Latin music.
About Us
Email: Pride.Elementary@hcps.net
Website: hillsboroughschools.org/pride
Location: 10310 Lion's Den Drive, Tampa, FL, USA
Phone: 813-558-5400
Facebook: facebook.com/PrideElem