

Hillsborough Strong
March 24th, 2024
MESSAGE FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT
Dear Families,
As we begin this fourth quarter I want to say thank you. Thank you for making sure your student is in class every day, thank you for helping them with their homework, and thank you for being partners in your child's education.
When our families are involved in school, it makes the experience better for everyone.
We have a lot of fun events coming up in this fourth quarter and I'm so excited for our graduations which are right around the corner. However, we must continue to go to school every day and stay focused on academics.
Let's finish this year Hillsborough Strong,
Van Ayres
Superintendent
SCHOLARSHIPS, SCHOLARSHIPS, SCHOLARSHIPS!
There is money out there for post-secondary education! Apply now!
Dr. Kristine Bennett Honorary Scholarship
Requirements:
- Be a High School Senior
- Good academic and behavior standing
- 3.0 minimum unweighted GPA
- Minimum 75 community service hours
- 250-300 word essay
For more information - https://www.peiranofamilyfoundation.com/
Deadline to apply is March 29, 2024
The Community Roundtable Scholarship
Requirements:
- The candidate's parent or guardian must live in Brandon, Florida
- Must be a graduating senior with at least a 3.0 weighted GPA
- Must be accepted to a 2 or 4 year accredited college, university or vocational school
For more information - https://thecommunityroundtable.org/
Deadline to apply is March 29, 2024
Tampa Guide Right Foundation
Requirements:
- Must be a Hillsborough County resident
- Graduating high school senior
- 2.5 minimum GPA
- Enrollment into accredited college or vocational school
For more information - https://tampagrfoundation.org/
Deadline to apply is March 31, 2024
Metrohm USA STEM Scholarships
Requirements:
- Graduating senior from Hillsborough County Public Schools
- Minimum GPA of 3.2 or higher
- Must be accepted for full-time study at an accredited college or university and plan to pursue a career in a STEM field
- Must have completed at least 75 hours of community service
- Must write an essay on how they plan to use their STEM degree
For more information - https://web.metrohmusa.com/stem-scholarship
Deadline to apply is April 1, 2024
FLORIDA PREPAID COLLEGE PROGRAM LOWERS PRICES!
Prices drop up to 25%
As our partner, the Florida Prepaid College Plan Board, celebrates 35 years of helping Florida families save affordably for college, they have lowered Prepaid Plan monthly prices by up to 25 percent during the Prepaid Plan Open Enrollment period open now through April 30, 2024.
CHAMBERLAIN HIGH'S "MILLIONAIRE'S CLUB"
Who wants to be a millionaire? The students at Chamberlain High School do, and they are well on their way with the school's new Millionaire's Club!
The Millionaire's Club helps students prepare for the future by teaching them financial literacy. Students learn about everything from creating a budget to purchasing a car.
The goal is for each member to graduate, not only with a diploma, but also with $1000 in hand!
IMPRESSIVE POSTSECONDARY PROGRAM COMES TO BRANDON HIGH
Brandon High School is officially home to Hillsborough Education Foundation's newest SCOPE center!
SCOPE, which stands for “Student Center of Postsecondary Exploration,” allows Hillsborough Education Foundation to provide students with one-on-one college & career planning, help with admissions and financial aid applications, and assistance with alternative pathways.
NEED TO KNOW
RACE 4 EDUCATION
We are excited to invite you to the 3rd annual Race for Education 5K and 1-Mile Walk on Saturday, April 6, as Hillsborough County Public School and the Hillsborough Education Foundation move to improve mental and physical wellness while celebrating and supporting our students, teachers, and school district initiatives.
Runners and walkers of all ages and fitness levels are invited for a fun-filled race down North Boulevard and over the Hillsborough River.
Join us for giveaways, snacks, refreshments, student performances, and music to amp you up as you race through downtown.
Registration includes a swag bag with a race-day bib, freebies from our partners in education, a T-shirt, and a finisher medal.
For more information or to register, please visit runsignup.com/Race/FL/Tampa/HEF5K
EMOTIONAL VACCINES
Our commitment to supporting the well-being of our students has led us to partner with the National Center for Performance Health and offer their physician-developed video program, called Emotional Vaccines®. Developed by Dr. Rahul N. Mehra, this program provides guidance and free tips to help our youth navigate life's challenges with emotional wellness, self-care, stress, and anxiety.
Right before Spring Break, our School Counselors, School Psychologists, School Social Workers, and Mental Health Clinicians participated in a training on the best practices for integrating the Emotional Vaccines® program into their roles in supporting students. This training was made possible by Hailey’s Voice of Hope, a non-profit organization created to bring awareness to mental health illness, and to break the stigma of mental health issues.
You can find a selection of Emotional Vaccines® videos under Resources at hillsboroughschools.org/mentalhealth.
EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT EDUCATION SURVEY
To inform services provided through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), please complete the following survey for your child with an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) or an Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP).
If you have more than one child with an IEP, please complete one survey for each child. The information gathered remains anonymous and will be used to inform support and resources for parents and students with IEPs. Results will be compiled at the district level.
SUPPORT MUSIC IN EDUCATION!
Dine and Unwind and listen to our amazing elementary rock bands!
HCPS and the Hillsborough County Elementary Music in Education Council (HCEMEC) have partnered with Beef O' Brady's and the Original Westshore Pizza to showcase some of our elementary school rock bands!
A percentage of the proceeds come back to HCPS' elementary music council. Funds are used to fulfill Music Will grants for our elementary music teachers!
March 26
South Tampa Modern Band Spirit Night!
Westshore Pizza
3900 S. West Shore Blvd
5pm - 8pm
Performances by:
Lanier Elementary
Ballast Point Elementary
Mitchell Elementary
Roosevelt Elementary
Tinker K-8
March 26
Wesley Chapel Beef O' Brady's
1660 Bruce B. Downs Blvd
Hunter's Green Elementary - 5pm
Clark Elementary - 5:45pm
Chiles Elementary - 6:30pm
March 26
Citrus Park Beef O' Brady's
8568 Gunn Hwy.
Westchase Elementary - 5pm
Lowry Elementary - 6:30pm
March 28
Summerfield Beef O' Brady's
13326 Lincoln Ave.
Bing Elementary - 5pm
Ruskin Elementary - 6:30pm
March 28
Valrico Beef O' Brady's
2561 E. SR 60
Nelson Elementary - 5:30pm
March 28
Forest Hills Beef O' Brady's
8810 N. Himes Ave.
Lockhart Elementary Magnet - 6pm
March 29
Summerfield Beef O' Brady's
13326 Lincoln Ave.
Collins PreK-8 - 6pm
OUTSTANDING STUDENT ACCOMPLISHMENTS!
Congratulations to Claywell Elementary students Emma and Bryce!
They are the winners of Florida's "Spring Economic Poster Contest", and their artwork will be displayed at the Florida Capitol during April for Financial Literacy Month!
This is an outstanding achievement, and we are so proud of Emma, Bryce and their amazing teachers for this accomplishment!
Congratulations Steinbrenner High sophomore Alyssa Hayman for receiving the Bronze and Silver Congressional Awards for her volunteer public service!
Alyssa has volunteered for 10 years with Feeding Tampa Bay, Hope Children’s Home and Salvation Army.
Congresswoman Laurel Lee’s staff presented her with the awards this past week.
Alyssa says she's going for gold next!
What a special moment!
At a pep rally, Strawberry Crest's National Champion cheerleading team saw their championship rings for the first time!
Way to go Chargers! Enjoy that bling!
ROBINSON HIGH SCHOOL'S REDEDICATION
After two years of construction, the staff at Robinson High School held a rededication ceremony Saturday morning for the brand-new home of the Knights.
What initially started as an HVAC project quickly became a full campus renovation. This "South of Gandy" gem received a $58.1 million revitalization thanks to a combination of funding from the Half-Penny Sales Tax Referendum passed in 2018 and impact fees.
CREATING HAPPINESS IN CHILDREN
Thank you to our partners at Baycare for providing this information for our HCPS families.
Children should have the opportunity to be happy in life, and creating happiness for our kids should be our goal. Did you know happiness positively affects overall health, development, and growth?
What can parents do to help their kids be as happy and healthy as possible?
Start with family. The relationships that school-aged children have with the members of their immediate family have been shown to be more important to happiness than those with their peers or others. Effective family communication relates to life satisfaction. Methods to encourage communication include:
- Be a model for the kids in your life: practice and demonstrate how to communicate with others
- Provide consistent support for kids by being open and honest
- Show affection and be understanding, even when it is hard
- Dedicate family time to talk to each other enjoy time together
Healthy relationships with peers and strong social connections with others outside of the family are also important to a child’s happiness. The shared life experiences with their friends and peers gives them a sense of belonging and role in the world. Families should be mindful of the social connections kids have outside of the family and encourage positive ones.
Being a kid can be stressful. Helping children deal with the challenges of growing up by managing their negative emotions can build a foundation for coping with difficult situations in life. It is important to show emotional support to kids when they are dealing with stress, helping to improve their self-esteem, and become more resilient for the greater challenges that life holds.
Encouraging your children to set goals, both small and large, is a positive way to help them develop purpose and meaning in life. For younger children, set very short-term goals like a brief task to introduce them to the process. Acknowledge a child’s accomplishments and teach them to share what they are grateful for in life. Even the simple things can remind them of what makes them happy.
Happiness goes behind smiling and laughing. Emotional wellness in kids can lead to stronger immune systems, improved sleep, healthy relationships, and even longer lives. Be consistent in promoting happiness to keep children on a positive life track.
BayCare Kids and On Our Sleeves
Helping Children Handle Stress - HealthyChildren.org
7 Ways to Cultivate Happiness - On Our Sleeves
Kevin Cialfi, DO, PGY-1
BayCare Pediatric Residency Program at SJCH
THAT ONE TEACHER...
We all have that one teacher that really changed our lives. This week, Mayor Jane Castor ran into hers... Mrs. Olga Barnes, a former Spanish teacher at Chamberlain High.
Thank you, Mayor Castor, for recognizing Mrs. Barnes and all our teachers - and thank you Mrs. Barnes for impacting so many lives!