Board of Education

Keeping up with the Hillsborough County Board of Education has been rather interesting. Beginning in August the Tribune made it look like they were closing three schools. Those three schools are part of a program related specifically to Title I schools, which are schools that receive additional federal funding for having high poverty student population. Although each school’s tests scored made gains, they did not make enough gains. They have also expanded things into each school. In Middleton, the School Board is identifying specific resources they will need, and targeting the community resources and groups that support Middleton. They stated that it is extremely important to look at every school in terms of instruction, attendance, and connecting with parents. In Franklin, they are looking for qualified teachers and they are stressing this to the parents in a personal way and lastly in Sulphur Springs, they are stating that the parents have great need for support and the importance of being on time and attendance needs to be understood. They will have a partnership with the United Way to bring resources into the community. They will also have Saturday school available. These three schools are what I saw most coverage about in the Tribune. There was a worry and an understanding that these three schools were closing down, and they are not. The School Board is doing everything they can to improve the schools.
Later on there was update out in the Tribune that Superintendent Elia discussed what they are doing at three “intervene” schools. So I was able to get an update on the three schools that were possibly closing according to the Tribune. Elia states that in Middleton they are adding: EXCELerator, AVID program, magnet program, Urban Teaching Academy, Urban Debate League, Cosmetology program; additional units in math, reading, and ESE; Math mentoring etc. In Franklin, they are adding rolling workshops to increase scientific thinking and understanding, enhancing reading comprehension and writing, CRISS, theme integration, academic rigor, data driven instruction, and technology infusion. Lastly, I was update on Sulphur Springs, they are adding before and after school tutorials, Saturday school, additional staffing training, highly qualified teachers, TA added in science Spectrum lab, and HOST program.
In October, three local students were acknowledged; they represented the school district at their national competition in Orlando, hosted by Disney World. They were Alfred Sheppard from Blake High School 10th grade; he won a gold metal in a music competition, $2,000, a computer, and a $20,000 scholarship to the Berkley College of Music. Second was Jasmine Roberts from Wharton High School 10th grade; she won a silver medal in microbiology, also $1,500, and a computer. And in third is Jasmine Myers, from Stewart Middle Magnet School 6th grader, she was one of the four in the nation selected to attend the Maryland Institute of College of Art next summer.
In November The Board of education elected Carol Kurdell chair and Susan Valdes vice chair. They also sore in elected and re-elected Board members, they were: The Honorable E.J. Salcines: Susan Valdes, Jack Lamb, Doretha Edgecomb, and Carol Kurell. Over all Hillsborough County Board of Education had a lot of interesting things going on from October through November and looking forward to finding out what else is to come.