For Immediate Release 

Contact:          Tanya Arja or Erin Maloney 
                         Hillsborough County Public Schools
                         Office of Communications 
                         813-272-4060 

Tampa, Fl. (November 29, 2022) – In celebration of Giving Tuesday, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tight End Kyle Rudolph joined Hillsborough County Public Schools Superintendent Addison Davis and officials from GENYOUth and the PepsiCo Foundation today to announce the donation of 1,000 school meals to the Hillsborough County school district, in partnership with the Dairy Council of Florida. The donation is part of GENYOUth’s commitment to end student hunger across the nation; and the PepsiCo Foundation’s ‘Food for Good’ philanthropic commitment to advance food security through collaboration in communities across the country.  

GENYOUth is a nationally recognized youth wellness organization that creates healthier school communities by elevating youth voice, tackling youth food insecurity, promoting physical activity, and empowering youth leadership. 

Through its Food for Good program in the U.S., the PepsiCo Foundation has worked with more than 50 partners, such as GENYOUth, to deliver 60 million meals to serve over 200,000 children and help ensure children have access to nutritious meals in all learning environments – whether at school or at home. 

Pictured in photo: 

• Kelianne Johnson, Director of Marketing & Development, GENYOUth

• Shawn Nickleson, Senior Market Director and General Manager, PepsiCo Beverages North America

• Superintendent Addison Davis

• Kyle Rudolph, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

• Twain Nelson, Territory Manager, Frito Lay North America

For Immediate Release 

Contact:          Tanya Arja or Erin Maloney 
                         Hillsborough County Public Schools  
                         Office of Communications 
                         813-272-4060 

Tampa, Fl. (November 18, 2022) – All Hillsborough County public schools and district offices will be closed from Monday, November 21 through Friday, November 25 for Thanksgiving Break.  

Students and staff will return on Monday, November 28. We hope you have a safe holiday. 

For Immediate Release 

Contact:           Tanya Arja or Erin Maloney 
                         Hillsborough County Public Schools  
                         Office of Communications 
                         813-272-4060 

Tampa, Fla. – (November 17, 2022) – One or more Hillsborough County School Board members are scheduled to attend the following events or meetings: 

• Friday, November 18, 10 a.m. – “Ought to Be a Law” Bill Drafting Competition, School District Offices, 2^nd floor, 901 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa  

For Immediate Release 

Contact:          Tanya Arja or Erin Maloney 
                         Hillsborough County Public Schools  
                         Office of Communications 
                         813-272-4060 

Tampa, Fl. (November 16, 2022) – Hillsborough County Public Schools students have an exciting day ahead of them on Thursday, November 17, as visitors are welcomed into schools to discuss and demonstrate their professions and hobbies during the Great American Teach-In. 

This is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn firsthand from community members about careers and interests students may not have known about previously. Speakers will come throughout the day to talk with students about the importance of getting a good education and the paths that are available to them.   

“The Great American Teach-In affords our learners the ability to explore career opportunities that await them after graduation. Exposing students to these professions now sets the stage for a strong and robust workforce that will benefit not only our students but our entire community," said Hillsborough County Public Schools Superintendent Addison Davis. 

Superintendent Davis and School Board Members will take part in the Teach-In visiting classrooms to talk about their roles and responsibilities in the school district.

The speakers this year will also include athletes, community leaders, animal advocates, military personnel, doctors, law enforcement officers, fire safety officials, banking professionals, and local hobbyists. Here are just a few of the highlights:  

USF President Rhea Law will visit Forest Hills Elementary School, in part, to highlight USF’s partnership with Hillsborough County Public Schools. There are 14 USF education interns currently working at Forest Hills Elementary who are on a path to become teachers in the district after graduation. Several individuals, including Forest Hills Principal Regina Gordon and teachers at the school are USF graduates creating a great deal of USF pride at this particular school.  

The district’s goal is to ensure students have every resource and opportunity in front of them for a successful path. The Great American Teach-In is just one example of how the district partners with community members so that our graduates will have an immediate impact on the community. This past year, Hillsborough County Public Schools’ graduation rate set another all-time record high, soaring to 89.2% - capping off two consecutive years of graduation gains.  

For Immediate Release 

Contact:           Tanya Arja or Erin Maloney 
                        Hillsborough County Public Schools  
                        Office of Communications 
                        813-272-4060 

Tampa, Fla. – (October 28, 2022) – One or more Hillsborough County School Board members are scheduled to attend the following events or meetings: 

• Tuesday, November 1, 2 p.m. – School Board Member Melissa Snively’s Farewell Reception, 2^nd Floor Conference Room, 901 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa 
• Tuesday, November 1, 4 p.m. – School Board Meeting, School Board Auditorium, 901 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa 
• Friday, November 4, 7:30 a.m. – Brandon High School 50^th Celebration, Brandon High School, 1101 Victoria St., Brandon  
• Friday, November 4, all day – CEOs in Schools, various locations  
• Saturday, November 5, 8 a.m. – Tampa Bay Veterans Parade, Morgan Woods Elementary School, 7001 Armand Drive, Tampa 
• Monday, November 7, 6 p.m. – Citizen’s Advisory Committee, Virtual  

For Immediate Release 

Contact:          Tanya Arja or Erin Maloney 
                         Hillsborough County Public Schools  
                         Office of Communications 
                         813-272-4060 

Tampa, Fla. (October 26, 2022) – Hillsborough County Public Schools families will have new and exciting program options to choose from when the district’s Magnet and School Choice Application Window opens on Thursday, October 27. The application period runs until December 16. 

Each year, families can choose from a variety of educational pathways that best fit their student’s interests and career goals. Students can choose from 90 innovative Magnet program options in over 42 schools. Programs focus on areas including Medical, Construction, International Baccalaureate, STEM, Performing Arts, Animal Sciences, and more.  

For the first time ever, families will be able to choose to enroll their incoming 9^th grade students into the Medical Academy at D.W. Waters, or the Building and Construction Academy at Bowers Whitley for next school year. These two new high schools were created to better prepare students for high-paying, in-demand jobs directly upon graduation.  

The media is invited to Bowers Whitley (13609 N 22^nd St., Tampa) on Friday, October 28, at 10 a.m. to see the automotive program in action. As part of the Building and Construction Academy next year, the new school will feature courses in Electrical, Plumbing, Building, and Construction, with HVAC in the near future. Students will have a variety of Career Technical Education options to choose from under one roof.  

To learn more about each program offered in the upcoming window, families can read this newsletter: https://www.smore.com/vfpxy-magnet-choice-options-2023-2024. To apply, families can visit: https://www.hillsboroughschools.org/magnet and fill out an application any time between October 27 and December 16. Applications are not first come first served. 

For Immediate Release 

Contact:          Tanya Arja or Erin Maloney 
                         Hillsborough County Public Schools  
                         Office of Communications 
                         813-272-4060 

Tampa, Fla. (October 24, 2022)– Despite a challenging year following pandemic-related educational disruptions, Hillsborough County Public Schools students outperformed many of its peers in the “Nation’s Report Card” assessment. 

Fourth grade students in HCPS obtained the highest scores in reading and math, leading the way among 26 large urban school districts across the country. District 8^th grade students also earned some of the highest overall reading scores, ranking third among participating districts. 

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is an indicator of how school districts perform over time, highlighting long-term trends in comparison with other school districts. The congressionally mandated assessment is administered in all 50 states. 

“I am so proud of our students and grateful to our dedicated teachers, school-based leaders, support professionals, district staff, and School Board members for the tremendous work. As we faced learning disruptions related to the pandemic, our district worked tirelessly to ensure our students had the essentials and exposure to grade level appropriate content allowing them to maintain instructional momentum,” said Superintendent Addison Davis. 

Hillsborough County 4th graders led all participating districts in the reading assessment. These results moved Hillsborough County Public Schools from a ranking of #3 in 2019 during the last analysis to the top spot this year. This is the first time our district earned the #1 spot since 2015. The percentage of HCPS 4th grade students who were deemed at or above proficient in reading was higher than any other participating district. 

Hillsborough County 4th grade students also took the top spot in math for the first time since we began participating and up from #5 in 2019. The percentage of students performing at or above the proficient level in math in Hillsborough County was higher than their peers in other large districts. 

In reading, HCPS 8th graders also had an impressive showing taking the #3 spot, performing similarly with several other large districts including Miami-Dade, Denver, Los Angeles, and New York City schools. In 8th grade reading, our student subgroups outperformed most of their counterparts in categories including Hispanic, Black, students with disabilities, and students from economically challenged families. 

HCPS 8th grade students ranked #7 in math among the 26 large urban districts. These scores provide us with useful information to better inform our math instruction in an effort to further close the achievement gap. 

For Immediate Release 

Contact:           Tanya Arja or Erin Maloney 
                         Hillsborough County Public Schools  
                         Office of Communications 
                         813-272-4060 

Tampa, Fla. – (October 21, 2022) – One or more Hillsborough County School Board members are scheduled to attend the following events or meetings: 

• Monday, October 24, 9:30 a.m. – Brain Bowl, Virtual 
• Monday, October 24, 11 a.m. – Hispanic Forum Meeting, Virtual 
• Monday, October 24, 11 a.m. – Storytime Discussion, School Board Conference Room, 901 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa 
• Tuesday, October 25, 10 a.m. – School Board Workshop – D and F Charter Schools and Policies, HCPS Instructional Services Center, 2920 N. 40^th St., Tampa 
• Tuesday, October 25, 1 p.m. – Latinx Education Equity Community Roundtable, 2^nd floor conference room, 901 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa 
• Wednesday, October 26, 7:30 a.m. – Surprise Patrol, TBA 
• Wednesday, October 26, noon – HASA Ameritus, 4211 W. Boy Scout Blvd., Suite 560, Tampa 
• Wednesday, October 26, 5:30 p.m. – A Night Under the Stars, 603 Channelside Dr., Tampa 
• Thursday, October 27, 11:30 a.m. – Clerk of the Court Domestic Violence Injunction Innovations, 201 N. Franklin St., Tampa 
• Thursday, October 27, 6 p.m. – CDC Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc., 1910 N. Ola Ave., Tampa 
• Friday, October 28, 8 a.m. – Citizen Oversight Committee, Velasco Student Services Center, 1202 E. Palm Ave., Tampa 
• Friday, October 28, 7 p.m. – Equality Florida 2022 Tampa, Glazer Family JCC, 522 N. Howard Ave., Tampa