Hillsborough County Public Schools -

Meet Tonya Colston, the new principal of Young Middle!

Tonya began her teaching career in Virginia in 2000. After moving to Florida in 2013, she joined the HCPS family at Giunta and Buchanan Middle Schools. In 2017, she became the AP at North Tampa EPIC, later serving at Middleton High, McLane Middle, and most recently at Collins PreK-8.

Congratulations, Tonya! We’re excited to see your leadership shine at Young Middle!

Meet the proud new principal of Gaither High, Dr. Jeremy Klein!

Jeremy began his career with HCPS in 2004 as a music specialist at Robles Elementary, then served as band director at Robinson High through 2012. He went on to serve as AP at Hillsborough, Jefferson, and Leto High Schools, as well as supervisor of Charter Schools. Most recently, he led Brandon High as principal.

Congratulations, Jeremy! We can’t wait to see how you “Rock It Out” with our Gaither Cowboys!

Congratulations to Toby Johnson, who has been named the new principal of Blake High School!

Toby began his teaching career in Mississippi in 2002 and joined HCPS in 2006 as a math teacher at Madison Middle. Since then, he has served as AP at Coleman and Memorial Middle Schools, and most recently as principal of Martinez Middle.

Please join us in welcoming him to the home of the Yellowjackets!

We’re proud to celebrate district-wide growth in academic achievement with the release of the 2024-2025 school grades! Not only did we see an overall increase in the number of A and B schools, but two schools even jumped two full letter grades, from a C to an A. These grades reflect the hard work of our students, teachers, staff, and school communities across the district. Congratulations, HCPS Family! Let’s keep the momentum going!

Congratulations to three of our incredible student-athletes who were recently recognized by the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners! Jordan Yost, a recent graduate of Sickles High School, was named the recipient of the 2025 Wade Boggs Athletic Achievement Award, an honor given each year to a high school baseball player who excels in athletics, academics, and community service. Honorable Mentions went to Jefferson High School's Ja’Marques Benton and Plant High School's Cash Strayer, who are both standout players, students, and role models in their schools and communities. We’re proud of these student-athletes and all they’ve accomplished! For more details on the award and the students honored, visit https://bit.ly/3HMUOya.

CONGRATULATIONS! 🎉 Thirty outstanding students from Hillsborough County Public Schools were recently named College-Sponsored National Merit Scholarship winners by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation! Selected from a pool of more than 15,000 graduates in the 2025 program, these students will receive scholarships ranging from $500 to $2,000 annually for up to four years of undergraduate study. Their academic excellence, leadership, and dedication have earned them this prestigious honor, and we couldn't be more proud!

We’d like to congratulate Sabrina Tshiamalenge on being named the new principal of Sheehy Elementary School! Sabrina is a proud product of HCPS, having graduated from King High. She began her career with the district almost 21 years ago as a teacher at Sheehy. She later taught at Bing, Lamb, and Potter Elementary Schools before returning to Sheehy in 2018. In 2022, she was appointed AP at Chiaramonte Elementary, where she currently serves. Congratulations, Sabrina! We are so excited for you to return to the home of our Sheehy Scholars and lead with the same heart and dedication that have defined your career!

Congratulations to Milady Astacio, the new principal of Dawson Elementary School! Milady began her career in education with the New York Board of Education, designing and evaluating training programs before joining HCPS in 2003 as a teacher at Robinson Elementary. She has since served as AP and principal at Wimauma Elementary and as principal at Thompson Elementary. In 2023, she became the Director of Elementary Curriculum in Volusia County. We’re thrilled to welcome Milady back to #TeamHCPS and to the home of the Dawson Dragons!

Congratulations to John Haley on being appointed principal of Williams Middle School! John’s career with the district started in 1989 as a teacher at Tampa Bay Tech High. Over the years, he has served as an AP at Oak Grove (then a middle school) and Memorial Middle, before being named principal of Memorial in 2005. He has also led both Madison Middle and Franklin Middle as principal. We look forward to seeing John bring his decades of leadership experience to the Williams community!

Meet Elizabeth Padilla Garay, the new principal of Pierce Middle School! Elizabeth began her teaching career in Puerto Rico in 2001 before joining HCPS in 2008. She taught Spanish at Madison Middle, Franklin Middle, Plant High, and Williams Middle for over a decade. In 2020, she became an AP at Smith Middle, later serving at Greco Middle, and most recently at Benito Middle. Congratulations, Elizabeth! We look forward to seeing you lead and grow with the Pierce Archers!

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Henrissa Berry on her appointment as the new Principal of Greco Middle School! During her time in the district, Dr. Berry has served as a teacher at Young, Tomlin, and Giunta Middle Schools, a school counselor, and an AP at Giunta and Orange Grove Middle. In 2020, she became principal of Young, where she currently serves. Congratulations, Dr. Berry! The Greco Cubs community is lucky to have you.

Congratulations to Eric Turner on being named the new principal of Ferrell Girls Preparatory Academy Middle School! Eric started his career with the district in 2009 as a social studies teacher at Franklin Middle and later taught at Dowdell, Ferrell, and Greco Middle Schools. He became an AP at Rampello K-8 in 2020 and returned to the Ferrell family in 2022 as AP. We’re excited to see him step into this new role and continue empowering the young women of Ferrell GPA!

Congratulations to Candace Culpepper, the new principal of Spoto High School! Candace began her HCPS career as a science teacher at Tampa Bay Tech High, later teaching at Hillsborough High and serving as an AP at Durant High and Sumner High. We can’t wait to see her lead our Spartans and build on the great work happening at Spoto!

REMARKABLE ACCOMPLISHMENT 👏🎉 This week, we proudly recognized four graduates who have achieved a rare and inspiring feat — perfect attendance for their entire K-12 educational journey! Congratulations to… 📚Chloe Wilson, Bloomingdale High School 📚 Colby Wilson, Bloomingdale High School 📚 Hailey Irvan, Robinson High School 📚 Dalton Bramlett, Durant High School A huge thank you to our partner in education, Suncoast Credit Union/Suncoast Credit Union Foundation, for providing these students with a new laptop and $500 in gift cards! Your support is invaluable!

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the first ever HCPS Grade 3 Geography Bee! The students' command of geography skills and knowledge is very impressive! Four students achieved a 100% on the district championship quiz... The winner was determined by time. Congratulations to the Geography Bee Champion... Jace Velasquez from Claywell Elementary!

A lot of fun this morning at Chiles Elementary School! These amazing kiddos created a Living Museum and really went all out on the learning fun!

We are so excited for our high school graduations!

🎨 Congratulations to three talented students recognized at the Hillsborough County Bar Association Law Day Luncheon for their outstanding artwork in the 2025 Law Day Art Contest! 👏 Senior Yarely Orozco-Jaimes and 9th grader Mayrin Montiel-Montiel from Plant City High School, along with 8th grader Venkata Tatikonda from Roland Park K-8 School, were honored for their creative interpretations of this year’s theme: "The Constitution’s Promise: Out of Many, One." 📸 Pictured: Debra Blossom, Dr. Rick Grayes, Dr. Marie Whalen, Board Member Patti Rendon, Venkata Tatikonda, Yarely Orozco-Jaimes, Shaylia McRae, and Major Zamir Ode

As we draw closer to graduation, we will highlight one senior each day who has overcome great obstacles to succeed. Thank you to these extraordinary students for allowing us to share your stories. 🎓 Allison Burk is a graduating senior from Plant City High School. Allison’s mom was a teacher who taught students with disabilities. Allison says she always saw the joy her mom experienced when helping students, and she wants to do the same thing after graduation. Allison’s mom passed away a few years ago, and as you can imagine, Allison struggled with her loss. However, despite all the challenges, she kept a smile on her face, and persevered. Allison will graduate this year and she’s still determined to be like her mom – a teacher. The administration at Plant City High say teachers and staff love Allison and she is an inspiration to many. Congratulations Allison, Plant City High’s #Classof2025

Meet Tena Hopper – Access Teacher, Mentor, and a proud part of Hillsborough County Public Schools for over 25 years. “What I do every day is not just a job. I love my job. Every single day, I wake up knowing that I’m going to see my kiddos and watch them grow,” Tena shares. Her commitment to student success and meaningful relationships is what makes her more than a teacher. Tena believes HCPS stands out because of its strong sense of community and involvement—it may be one of the largest districts, but it feels like a close-knit family. Interested in becoming a teacher through our STEP program? Join one of our upcoming Information Sessions: • Tuesday, May 20 | 6–8 PM • Wednesday, May 21 | 1–3 PM • Tuesday, May 27 | 6–8 PM • Tuesday, June 3 | 6–8 PM • Wednesday, June 4 | 6–8 PM