Office of Student Affairs

The Office of Student Affairs welcomes all new and returning Gryphons for the 2023-2024 school year. We are confident that this year’s students will continue the tradition of excellence that has been established here at Sickles. We encourage all students to utilize our office to make their high school experience more enjoyable and successful. The following list is just a few of the services we provide in the Office of Student Affairs: attendance verification, bus schedule and passes, parking and lockers.

In addition, the Office of Student Affairs handles all discipline issues. Our goal at Sickles is that our Gryphons will value their academic success and strive to hold themselves accountable for good decision making. We hope to shape Gryphons who are respectful and accept consequences with dignity and learn from these experiences.

The Office of Student Affairs is looking forward to assisting you in the upcoming year. Our staff members are listed below as well as their phone extensions. Please do not hesitate to contact the Office of Student Affairs with any questions or concerns.

Meet the Team

Mr. Joe Humphrey, Assistant Principal for Student Affairs (students last name A-L)
Mr. Humphrey is starting his 20th year in Hillsborough County Public Schools and his second as an AP at Sickles. He previously taught at Farnell Middle School and Hillsborough High School. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida, the husband of a teacher and the proud father of a Gryphon. He enjoys attending sporting events, watching great television and playing team trivia. You can reach him via email or at extension 238.

Ms. Samantha Bielitz, Assistant Principal for Student Affairs (students last name M-Z)
Ms. Bielitz is starting her 12th year at Sickles, where she has been a teacher, instructional coach and AP. The New York native earned a bachelor's degree in English Education from the University of South Florida and a master's degree in Educational Leadership from the University of West Florida. She enjoys spending time with her familiy, going to the beach and attending concerts. You can reach her via email or at extension 239.

Ms. Cindy Barlette, Climate and Culture Resource Teacher
Ms. Cindy Barlette is starting her 20th year in Hillsborough County Public Schools. She previously taught language arts at Farnell Middle School and Alonso High School. She graduated from the State University of New York at Fredonia. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, baking/decorating cakes, attending baseball games and cheering on the Buffalo Bills. You can reach her via email or at extension 240.

SAO Secretary: Ms. Bardel
Attendance Clerk: Ms. Gerhard
School Resource Officer: Deputy Santiago

Policies and Procedures

Students and parents should review the Hillsborough County Public Schools Code of Student Conduct. Here, we highlight some of the more common issues:  

Attendance: 

• All absences must be excused by a parent / guardian (via parent phone call or parent visit). To report your child's absence, call (813) 631-4742 and Press 1. Only doctors' notes are accepted without a parent phone call. Students must have their parent/guardian call the attendance line within three days of their absence.  If a parent does not call the attendance line within this time period, the absence will be unexcused. Absences cannot be changed after the third day.
• All parents whose child is absent -- excused or unexcused -- will receive a courtesy call and/or email from the district office at approximately 9:30 a.m. indicating their child's absence.
• Students with more than 15 unexcused absences in a 90-day period will be reported to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and will have their drivers license or permit suspended (or be ineligible to apply for one) until they have attended 30 consecutive days of school with no unexcused absences.
•  Any student who knows he/she will be absent from school for a valid reason other than illness should report to the attendance office located in Student Affairs at least three days in advance of the absence for a “Prearranged Absence Form” that will be signed by all his/her teachers and his/her assistant principal.

Tardies

• Students who are late for a class must report to the tardy booth to obtain a pass to class. The tardy booth is located outside the gym, except during fourth period when students should report to Student Affairs for a late pass.
• Students are limited to three tardies per quarter, with disciplinary consequences for 4+ tardies.
  • Tardy 4: Lunch Detention
  • Tardy 5: Work Detail
  • Tardy 6: Saturday School
  • Tardy 7+: Other disciplinary actions including In-School Suspension and Out-of-School Suspension

Sign-Ins

• Any unaccompanied student arriving to school after 8:45 a.m. must report to Student Affairs to sign in. Students who are accompanied by parents will sign-in through the Main Office.
• A sign-in pass will be issued indicating excused/unexcused tardy or absence. It is the student’s responsibility to show the sign-in pass to his/her teacher so that he/she can be marked accordingly. Only students accompanied by either a parent/guardian or a doctor’s note will be considered excused.
• Students with more than three sign-ins in a nine-week period are subject to disciplinary action, as noted under the tardy section above.
• Drivers with more than four sign-ins will have their parking permit suspended for two weeks. 

Sign-Outs

• Once students arrive on campus, they may not leave without permission.
• Parents or guardians of students with parking hangtags can call in sign-outs. Drivers will only be permitted to leave during passing periods. Drivers will receive passes to present at the gate.
• If a student is not a driver, they must be signed out in the main office by a parent or guardian. Students are not permitted to walk off campus. 
• Students with more than three unexcused sign-outs in a nine-week period are subject to disciplinary action.
• No sign-outs are permitted after 2:55 p.m. (1:55 p.m. Mondays) or during semester exams 

NEW! Restroom Policy

• Students are not allowed to loiter inside the restroom. They must wait outside the restroom until a stall or urinal becomes available.
• Teacher monitors will be outside the restroom to ensure only students who are using the restroom are allowed inside.
• Students who refuse to comply or is found hiding in the restroom will be sent to ISS for the remainder of the day.

Dress Code

• Pants and shorts must be secured at the waist. Pants or shorts that expose undergarments are prohibited.
• Boys' shirts must have sleeves. 
• Shorts and skirts must be fingertip length (mid-thigh)
• Clothing shall not expose the mid-chest area.
• Pajama pants, bare midriffs, spaghetti straps, see-through shirts, raceback tanks, croptops or tank tops less than 3 fingers in width are prohibited.
• Garments and/or jewelry that display/suggest sexual/vulgar, drug, gang, weapon or alcohol-related wording/graphics shall not be worn.
• Wallet chains are prohibited.
• Headcoverings -- hats, bandanas, etc. -- shall not ber worn during school hours.
• Consequences for non-compliance:
  • First violation: Change of clothes, lunch detention
  • Second violation: Change of clothes, work detail
  • Third violation: Change of clothes, Saturday school
  • Failure to report to Student Affairs or refusal to change clothes will result in day of ISS or parent pickup

Hallway Policy

• If a student has permission to leave class, they must have a fully filled out pass signed by their teachr.
• Students are not permitted to use the vending machine during class time, even with a pass. There is no such thing as a "vending machine pass." Students found in violation of this policy will be swept to ISS for the remainder of the period.
• Students found out of area will be swept to ISS for the remainder of the period.
• Students who are caught more than once out of area in a single day will remain in ISS for the rest of the day.
• No passes are given in the first or last 10 minutes of any class period, during fourth period or after 2:55 p.m. (1:55 p.m. Mondays)
• Students who continually breaks this policy will face further administrative action.

Online Behavior / Phone use

• Students are required to remain off their phones during instructional time. Failure to comply with result in progressive discipline beginning with lunch detention, work detail and ISS.
• The inappropriate use of social media sites to humiliate, discriminate, bully or negatively reflecting another student, the school or faculty/staff is prohibited.
• Students caught recording other students will face disciplinary action beginning with one day of out of school suspension. 

Lockers

• Students can rent a locker for use during the school year. Locker sales will be during open house for seniors and during lunches on Aug. 11 for juniors and seniors and Aug. 14-15 for all grade levels. More information and policies are available on the locker request form. 

Transportation

Student Parking

• Seniors and juniors can apply for a parking permit. Senior sales will be held at open house from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 7 in the cafeteria. Sales will then resume for seniors and juniors on Friday, Aug. 11 and Monday, Aug. 14 during lunches at Gryphons Corner.
• Students are expected to comply with all parking rules and regulations, which are listed on the parking application.
• Students are subject to a $25 fine or loss of parking privileges for violation of parking rules.
• Drivers who accrue four or more tardies or sign-ins to school are subject to a two-weeks suspension of their hangtag.

Drop-off/Pickup Procedure

• Student dropoff and pickup takes place in front of the school. Enter campus via Old Hixon Road on the south end of campus. Students should remain in their vehicles until rounding the loop in front of the 900 Building.
• No students can be dropped off or picked up on the bus ramp or in the student parking lot. 
• Especially early in the year, traffic can get backed up. Plan accordingly to ensure students are on time.

School Buses

• Bus transportation is provided for students who live more than two miles from campus. Assignments will be available on the district website about a week before school begins. While bus numbers may change, it is essential that students know their route number. Also, students need to know their morning and afternoon route numbers may be different.
• Click here to check your student's bus information, which is still subject to change as the district adjust routes. 
• Students will receive bus passes in the first week of school and can follow up as needed in Student Affairs.  
• Bus transportation is an extension of the school day and students are expected to follow instructions and treat the bus driver and others with respect.
• Our goal is to "roll the buses" six minutes after the dismissal bell, so students should report directly to their buses each afternoon.
• Students may only ride their assigned bus and enter/exit the bus at their assigned stop.
• Eligibility for bus transportation is determined by the Transportation Department. Families who live closer than two miles and believe walking conditions are unsafe can submit a road hazard/hardship request to the district.

Common Disciplinary Consequences

• Timeout: Student will report to the In-School Suspension (ISS) room for one or multiple periods during the day, depending on which periods he/she has had behavior concerns.
• Lunch Detention: Student will report to the lunch detention room (312) for their entire lunch period for one or multiple days. They will be escorted to lunch and then return to the room.
• Work Detail: Student will report to work detail after school from 3:30-4:30 (or 2:30-3:30 Mondays). Student is monitored by a teacher while assisting with campus beautification and/or recycling program activities around the campus.
• ISS (In-School Suspension): Student will report to the ISS room for one or multiple entire school days. The ISS room is monitored by teachers. Students are expected to obtain all assignments prior to attending ISS. Students can earn “Gryphons Cash” for being on task in ISS and can “buy” their way out after fifth period.
• Saturday School: Student may attend a Saturday School session on a pre-arranged date for three hours as an alternative to in- or out-of-school suspension based on the offense and discretion of the assistant principal. Saturday School consists of 1.5 hours of academic work as well as 1.5 hours of school beautification projects.
• OSS (Out-of-School Suspension / EPIC: Student is suspended out of school for one or multiple days depending on the offense.  Students are unable to come to school or any school functions while suspended. Most students are allowed to attend EPIC (Education, Prevention and Intervention Center) while suspended to complete classwork. If a student attends EPIC, they are considered present in school. Students are NOT allowed to attend any extracurricular events during the time they are assigned EPIC.

Additional Resources

 2023-24 Bell Schedule

Student Services (school counselors)

Faculty/Staff Directory

Senior Year Overview

For questions or suggestions about this website, contact Joe Humphrey