Friday, May 18, 2012
The Hillsborough County School District is touting its students' test scores following a controversial decision to lower the cut score so that fewer students would fail.
In the midst of a controversy surrounding state test scores and students not making the grade on the FCAT, Hillsborough County students posted some of the highest marks in Florida, school district officials said Friday. Hillsborough's 4th- and 10th-graders scored second highest in the state, and 8th-graders were tied for third on the writing portion of the FCAT when compared to "comparable and contiguous" school districts, officials said. In an emergency session held earlier this week, the State Board of Education lowered the cut score for the FCAT writing test after initial results showed only about a third of students would have passed. The change would keep the failure rate about the same as last year, when 80 percent or better passed …
Purchase treats at North Pole Ices on Monday (May 21) and 20 percent of the sale will be provided to the school.
It’s a pretty sweet way to support your local educational facility. On Monday (May 21), customers who purchase treats at North Pole Ices should mention Pride Elementary School. Every time that happens, the shop will provide Pride with 20 percent of the sale. North Pole Ices is at 10008 Cross Creek Blvd.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The event, slated for Thursday (May 17) is free and open to the public.
- SCHOOLS
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Wednesday, May 16
From the University of South Florida: Ian Solomon, the United States executive director of the World Bank Group, will speak to students and faculty at the University of South Florida, May 17 on the "Role of the U.S. in the World Bank." The talk will be held between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m.at the Kiran C. Patel Center for Global Solutions in room 136/138. This event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by USF World, the university’s hub for international education programs and activities. "We are honored to have Ian Solomon here at USF," said USF Senior Vice President for Global Affairs Karen Holbrook. "This is a unique opportunity for our students and faculty to hear first-hand from someone with enormous influence on the world …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The passing grade for Florida's standardized writing test has been lowered by an emergency rule, keeping the failure rate basically unchanged, TBO.com reports.
Was this the right call? What are your thoughts on the FCAT? Post your comment below. The passing grade for Florida's standardized writing test has been lowered thanks to an emergency rule instituted Tuesday, keeping the failure rate basically unchanged from a year ago, TBO.com reports. "The State Board of Education unanimously passed the rule today after preliminary results showed only about a third of students would pass this year," according to TBO's story. That would have been down from 80 percent or better on last year's writing portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), TBO reports, a decrease that came after the test was made more difficult. The FCAT writing test is taken by 4th-, 8th- and 10th-graders. Read more …
Educators have proposed reducing the FCAT writing passing score to increase passing rates. A discussion is scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Less than 30 percent of fourth graders in Florida passed the FCAT writing test this year, according to preliminary results released on Monday, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times today. That's a steep dip compared to last year when 81 percent scored a passing 4.0 or better. The plummeting scores have prompted extreme concern among educators and state officials. On Monday, Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson proposed reducing the FCAT writing passing score from 4.0 to 3.5. Under that standard, 48 percent of fourth-graders would have passed the test with a 3.5 or better, along with 52 percent of eighth-graders and 60 percent of 10th-graders, according to the Times story. Florida education officials will hold an emergency conference call …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Both schools will have ceremonies at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall next month.
- GRADUATION
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Tuesday, May 8
Graduation is just around the corner at high schools throughout Hillsborough County. To make sure families, friends and well-wishers mark their calendars for the big days, the school district has released information on ceremonies planned throughout the county. Here’s a look at the graduations for both Freedom and Wharton high schools: Freedom High School Principal David Sheppard will say goodbye to a 2012 graduating class of an anticipated 485 students on June 5 at 4:30 p.m. The commencement ceremony takes place at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall. Whaton High School Principal Brad Woods will say goodbye to a 2012 graduating class of an anticipated 534 students on June 6 at 8 p.m. The commencement ceremony takes place at the …
Monday, May 7, 2012
Florida College Democrats around the state descended on the offices of Senator Rubio to ask him to support freezing the loan-interest rate at 3.4 percent.
Student loan interest rates are poised to double come July 1 if Congress does not act, and that doesn’t sit well with members of the Florida College Democrats. “It’s kicking the students while they’re down,” said Colton Canton, president of the organization’s arm at the University of South Florida. As outstanding loan debt hits the $1 trillion mark, members of the Florida College Democrats visited the offices of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Miami, Monday, asking him to help keep rates low. Canton and two other members of the group, unannounced, knocked on the door of Rubio’s office off Fowler Avenue to make their plea. What do you think? Should interest rates on student loans be locked in by Congress? Let us know in the comments section. U.S…
Members of the Florida College Democrats will visit the senator’s North Tampa office today.
With student loan interest rates poised to double, members of the Florida College Democrats plan to take action today. Students from the group will visit Sen. Marco Rubio’s offices throughout the state asking for his support to keep rates low. What do you think about the potential hike in student loan interest rates? Let us know in the comments section below. “The interest rate on student loans is set to double unless Congress acts, and this week the U.S. Senate will vote on a plan to prevent this crippling hike – on the same day outstanding student loan debt in our country will hit $1 trillion,” a press release from the Florida College Democrats said. “But the outcome is far from clear. That’s why President Obama is urging Americans …
Monday, April 30, 2012
The school has an online gallery of its themed banners over the years.
Google.com may have its Google Doodles. But Freedom High School has had some pretty creative and quirky themed designs on its webpage, too. The New Tampa educational facility has an online gallery of some of its favorite banners through the years. They range from the serious (Autism awareness and Veterans Day) to the fun and quirky (National Play-Doh Day and Geek Pride Day). Patch is kind of partial to the Florida Archaeology Month banner with its Indiana Jones font. What about you? Which ones do you like, and which ones would you create if you were in charge?
Friday, April 27, 2012
Students at one Tampa school will start earlier due to the Republican National Convention.
Hillsborough County parents hoping to get a jump on planning for next school year are in luck. The Hillsborough County School Board has given a green light to the district’s proposed calendar. The 2012-13 calendar has students reporting for the first day of classes on Aug. 21. Pupils at the Rampello Downtown Partnership K-8 School, however, will start a bit earlier due to the Republican National Convention. Their first day of classes is Aug. 14, but they’ll be off Aug. 27-31. Rampello serves students from all over the county whose parents work in the downtown area. “Rampello is located about 1,000 feet from the (Tampa Bay Times) Forum,” the district said in a media release. “To avoid traffic problems and because many of their parents who …
Raequel Gadsden
4:17 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
What a great opportunity for the students! more ›