As the school year begins to wind down, Woodbridge Elementary School took time to celebrate the amazing growth students have made since August. During the school’s annual Growth Parade, students were recognized for their progress in math, reading, and other core subjects.
The whole campus joined in the fun as students paraded around the school with pride and even enjoyed a special performance from the Leto High School drumline! 🥁
Learn more about local apprenticeship programs and paid, hands-on career opportunities in fields like ironworking, electrical work, and pipefitting. Apprenticeships allow students to earn while they learn and can lead to rewarding careers after high school.
📍 Riverview High School – Cafeteria
⏰ 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Explore exciting career opportunities and learn how apprenticeships can help students build a successful future!
Students explore career pathways, learn about internships and apprenticeships, take part in on-the-spot interviews, and even receive job offers—making real moves toward their post-graduation future. 🎓💼🚀
Voices from the School Board - Vice Chair Nadia Combs
Listen on your favorite podcast platform and subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes! 🎙️
For this episode, we’re talking about leadership — the kind that sets vision, makes policy, and helps guide the 7th largest school district in the country. Joining us today is Nadia Combs, the Vice Chair of our School Board. She is here to share her priorities, what drives her work, and how she sees the future of public education in our community.
As part of their Fundamentals of Marketing course, 7th graders Naomi Artis and Emonii Pasco presented their business concept, “Echo of the Wild.” They designed a biodegradable bracelet that reminds customers of nearby volunteer opportunities to help clean the environment. A portion of each bracelet sold also supports the protection and care of endangered animals. The duo earned first place in their division!
In the Entrepreneurship I competition, 8th-grader Kathlyn Augustin also earned first place with her business, “Forever Sleek.” Her product is a plant-based, chemical-free weave made from banana fibers, offering a healthier alternative to synthetic hair weaves that can contain harsh chemicals.
Kathlyn will now represent our district at the National and Global Youth Entrepreneurship Showcase later this year in New York! 👏
We’re proud of these students for their creativity, innovation, and commitment to solutions that benefit both people and our planet.
Students toured the automotive shop, heard from industry professionals during a panel discussion, and connected with more than 25 local dealerships to explore career paths, internships, and job opportunities.
#CTE
Shoutout to Leto High School for leading the way—collecting over 4,000 diapers to help our teen parents and their families. Your generosity is making a real difference! 💛
Literacy at Every Level
TAKE A LISTEN 🎧 The latest episode of “More to the Story” is out now!
For this episode, we’re talking about something that touches every subject, every classroom, and every student — literacy. Literacy is so much more than the ability to read at an early age. It’s about comprehension, communication, critical thinking, and the ability to engage with the world — from elementary classrooms to advanced high school coursework and beyond. Tracie Bergman, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, joins us for this very important topic.
Listen on your favorite podcast platform and subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes! 🎙️
She began her teaching career in 1998 with Alachua County Public Schools in Gainesville, FL. She later joined the HCPS family in 2001 as a teacher at West Tampa Elementary School.
During her time in the district, she has taught at Cypress Creek Elementary, Doby Elementary, McDonald Elementary, Walden Lake Elementary, and Lincoln Elementary, and has also served as a resource teacher and district science coach.
Most recently, she served as the AP at Buckhorn Elementary.
Congratulations!
He began his career with HCPS in 2001 as a kindergarten teacher at Just Elementary School. He later taught kindergarten and 3rd grade at Sheehy Elementary School before returning to Just in 2009 as an administrative resource teacher.
He has held administrative roles at Dunbar Elementary, Potter Elementary, and Graham Elementary. Most recently, he served as AP at James Elementary.
Spano retired all 21 batters he faced—no hits, no walks, and a flawless defensive performance behind him. 👏⚾
This morning, we celebrated 27 phenomenal leaders who have successfully completed the final stage of our Principal Pipeline initiative, marking their first year as principals!
Collectively, this group brings a remarkable 580 years (yes, you read that right) of educational experience to the table, with each leader having served between 11 and 29 years in the field.
Throughout all four stages of the pipeline, they received targeted training as assistant principals, ongoing coaching and professional development, and hands-on experience to confidently transition into the principal role.
We’re so proud of their growth and excited to see the continued impact they’ll make across our schools!
In partnership with Sanwa Farmer’s Market, the event brought families and community partners together to celebrate hands-on learning, healthy living, and student leadership. Proceeds will support the SEEDFOLKids Garden Club and future student programs.
Our library is a hub for discovery, imagination, and growth. We are grateful for our amazing library staff who inspire a love of reading and learning in our students. 📚✨
Her mixed media piece titled "A Million Paths To Take" will be featured for one year in the U.S. Capitol alongside other Congressional Art Competition winners from across the country.
Thank you to all of our incredible volunteers who help our schools thrive and our students succeed. We are deeply grateful for the time, dedication, and heart our volunteers give to support our students and schools every day.
💜 At our school, we are proud to support and celebrate our military children and families during the Month of the Military Child.
Your strength, adaptability, and commitment inspire our students and staff every day.
Keeping Our Schools Safe - A Shared Responsibility
The latest episode of “More to the Story” is out now! TAKE A LISTEN 🎧
Families entrust us with their children every single school day. Creating safe, secure learning environments isn’t just a priority—it’s a responsibility we take seriously across every school in our district. In this important episode, we’re joined by John Newman, Chief of Security & Emergency Management and the Florida Department of Education’s 2026 Florida Safety Specialist of the Year, to talk about how we keep students and staff safe. Listen on your favorite podcast platform and subscribe so you don’t miss upcoming episodes! 🎙️
