I would like to thank the Board for entrusting me with the position of interim superintendent for
@HillsboroughSch
. Over this next year, I will proudly lead this district and will strive to continue the tremendous work we have already accomplished.
.
@VanAyresHCPS
, Chief of Strategic Planning and Partnerships, has been named the interim superintendent following Supt.
@AddisonGDavis
’ departure on July 14. He will remain in the role over the next 12 months.
.
@HillsboroughSch
and its community have always been home to me. I am proud and privileged to serve this district as superintendent and thank the Board for placing their trust in me.
It meant the world to have my family by my side as I embark on this next chapter of my career.
What an emotional & incredible time this is for me. I look forward to building off of the foundation
@AddisonGDavis
has set & continuing the trajectory we have moving forward. No job in this district is done alone. Thank you for all of the support & I hope for a great year ahead!
Principals and district administrators gathered this morning at
@HHSBigRed
to celebrate the start of a new school year. My team and I are here to support every employee and student across our district. Together, we are Hillsborough Strong.
Huge thank you to all of our HCPS staff who are working today and tomorrow at our shelter sites! The work you are doing to keep our community members safe does not go unnoticed.
#HillsboroughStrong
Once a Dragon, always a Dragon!
I got the chance to walk down memory lane this week at
@tampajhs
. School culture and pride are very important to me. It takes a team to foster a supportive and successful environment for our students. My alma mater is a testament to that.
Welcome back Hillsborough County teachers and staff! I hope you all had a wonderful summer break and enjoyed some much-deserved downtime with your loved ones. Thank you for all that you do to ensure our students start the year off strong.
Just like you, I’m excited about the
#FirstDayOfSchool
!
I hope everyone has a wonderful, safe, and successful start to this new school year. I can’t wait to see all the pictures!
Remember, you can be anything you want to be.
#StrongerTogether
Thank you to the
@TitusONeilWWE
Back to School Bash and
@TBParenting
Back to School Fair for supporting our students and families as they prepare for the new school year! It was great to see the community come together to ensure our families are set up for success.
There is nothing like the start of a new school year. This morning we held a press conference at
@HHSBigRed
to discuss our district’s initiatives, goals, and challenges ahead. We hope everyone had a restful summer and look forward to welcoming our students back next Thursday.
I spent part of the day getting a glimpse at the hard work our schools and student nutrition staff put in to prepare our schools before they are turned into shelters. Together, we are
#HillsboroughStrong
.
#Idalia
Congratulations to our summer Class of 2023 graduates! You all have worked tirelessly to reach this milestone and it does not go unnoticed. I wish you nothing but the best as you step into this next chapter of life.
It was a great morning out in the community as we prepare for the new school year ahead. I’m very grateful for our local partners who take the time to come together to support our district.
Your 2023-2024 Hillsborough County Principal of the Year is Mrs. Cynthia Crim from
@Dunbar_Magnet
!
The immense love and dedication you have for your students, staff, and families is undeniable. Thank you for being such an incredible leader. Congratulations!
I'm very grateful for all the local and state leaders who are working around the clock to keep our community and families safe.
Please continue to remain vigilant as Hurricane
#Idalia
makes its way toward Florida.
Please help me congratulate Mrs. Chandra Todd from
@HCPSMarshallMS
on being named the district’s 2023-2024 Assistant Principal of the Year!
Her passion, expertise, and tireless dedication have been nothing short of remarkable. Congratulations on this much-deserved recognition!
As we head into a new school year, I want everyone a part of the HCPS family to know that my team and I are here to support you. Together, we are Hillsborough Strong. I’m so excited to get this school year kicked off and hope to continue the momentum we’ve already started.
Running has had a huge impact on my life. It's how I start the day & maintain my physical & mental wellness.
I'm excited to join
@WFLALeigh
on her "Run for Fun" podcast tomorrow to discuss all things running, work/life balance, & our district's Race for Education.
Stay tuned!
I have made the decision to close all schools Tuesday & Wednesday and suspend after-school activities on those days because of T.S. Idalia.
Stay safe and make your preparations.
TROPICAL STORM IDALIA UPDATE
#3
: The latest forecast of
#Idalia
shows expected impacts to Hills. Co. by Tues. evening/all day Wed. County emergency officials have decided to activate some of our schools as shelters to house evacuees who are in flood zones.
(1/3)
In just 3 weeks, we'll be welcoming a new group of little ones into our schools. Thank you to Board Member Dr. Hahn for organizing today’s Pre-K & Kinder Summer Bash at
@HCPSLambES
. Our community came together in a big way to offer resources & fun to families across our district.
Thank you to everyone who came out to Brandon’s 4th of July parade - including our amazing students and schools that took part in the parade.
Board Member Rendon and I had a wonderful time celebrating Independence Day with you!
We are meeting with Emergency Management later today.
Please follow our district accounts for the latest updates. I will continue to post updates as well.
We are continuing to monitor what is now Tropical Storm Idalia and the potential weather impact to our area & state in the next few days.
We are in constant contact with the
@HillsboroughFL
Office of Emergency Management & will provide updates as we get more information.
Welcome to the Hive, Class of 2027! It was a pleasure stopping by
@HWBlake
’s Freshmen Academic Summer Transition (FAST) Camp this morning. Our middle & high schools have been working hard this summer to get our rising 6th/9th graders accustomed to their new schools before Aug 10.
Once a Dragon, Always a Dragon!
I had a great time visiting my alma mater this evening. Tonight,
@tampajhs
celebrated its 50th anniversary with over 200 alumni.
Congratulations to Board Member Nadia Combs, Alonso High School Principal James Harris, and
@PlantHighSchool
Band Director Brian Dell on being recognized this morning during the 2024 Florida Music Education Association Professional Development Conference Awards Ceremony!
HCPS Family, stay safe and off the roads - they are a mess.
My team and I are in contact with local officials and will be providing status updates on schools throughout the day.
This morning we had the groundbreaking event for our brand-new high school that is set to open in Aug. '25 in the Wimauma area. We truly appreciate the architects and construction managers, like Jose Gomez, who are passionate about giving back to their community and our district.
This is Jose Gomez, Project Architect for
@harvardjolly
- he was raised in Wimauma and is so proud to have a part in building this new high school for his community ❤️
#HillsboroughStrong
We have some great future leaders at
@tampaheights305
!
I stopped by this morning for Great American Teach-In and led our Navigators through a decision-making exercise. We discussed what our cell phone policy should be district-wide and the reasons behind their stance.
It was an incredible night celebrating the rockstars of our district. Congratulations to our 2024 Excellence in Education Awards winners! These three individuals are the epitome of what it means to be
#HillsboroughStrong
.
I'd like to wish a happy
#NationalPrincipalsMonth
to all the extraordinary school leaders across our district.
Principals play a pivotal role in leading our schools and shaping the future of our students. Thank you for your relentless dedication!
Our students are the future leaders of our community, which is why we decided to create the HCPS Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council.
Today, I met with our first cohort of students consisting of high school junior representatives.
The
@ScrippsBee
champ is home!
Members of the
@TurnerBartelsK8
family and some of our partners in education helped welcome Bruhat and his family at
@flytpa
this evening. We couldn’t be more proud of him!
There was a special buzz in the air this morning at
@BTW_HCPS
for the first day of school. The staff and students were just beaming with school pride and excitement.
In honor of graduation season officially starting today, here’s a blast from the past!
@tampajhs
Class of 1992
To the
#Classof2024
, embrace all that life brings in this next chapter. Continue to reach new heights and follow your dreams. You never know where life will take you!
The staff at
@RiverviewGators
are excited to welcome back their families tonight for Open House. This team is dedicated to making sure every student feels right at home when they walk through the doors.
These media center refresh projects will give our students and staff a space to learn, engage, and grow. The Phase 2 locations look wonderful, and I'm excited to see them in use in just over a month.
Work in progress 🚧 Phase 2 of the
@TransformHCPS
Media Center Equity Refresh project is currently underway. Check out
@LockhartMagnet
's media center transformation! We can't wait to see the final product!
Meet Yolanda McNeil! She's been with
@HillsboroughSch
for 39 years, 28 of which at
@tampabayblvd
. Talk about a wonderful person who has helped take care of thousands of students over the years as a school nurse.
Oh, and she's also a fellow
@tampajhs
alum!
I wish everyone a happy, restful, and safe Winter Break! Enjoy some time with friends, family, and loved ones as we head into a new year. I look forward to welcoming our HCPS family back on Jan. 8.
It was great to see the Town ‘N’ Country community out this morning at the
@veteransparade
to celebrate and honor the brave men and women who have served our nation.
Thank you to all of our veterans! I wish you a safe and happy day with your loved ones.
Can you spell R-E-P-E-A-T? For the second consecutive year, Tampa Bay is home to the National Spelling Bee champion! Bruhat Soma, a 12-year-old from New Tampa, claimed the top prize this year. Join us in congratulating him and welcoming Bruhat back to TPA! 🙌
It was an exciting day across our district as we surprised and announced our 2024 Excellence in Education Awards finalists!
I’d like to introduce you to our first Teacher of the Year finalist, Barbara Zimmer from
@BayCrestES
. The love she has for her 2nd graders is undeniable.
I'd like to wish a happy
#AdminProfessionalsDay
to the hard-working and incredible staff who help keep things running smoothly in our district.
I am so grateful for what you do, especially Mrs. Tineo, Mrs. Farrell, Mrs. Strong, and Mrs. Johnson in the Superintendent's Office.
Thank you to the HCPS Hispanic Forum for welcoming me this morning! We have such a diverse community and are always working as a district to connect with our families and provide them with the resources available to help them succeed.
Surprise! Congratulations to Ms. Emily Parker at West Tampa Elementary School on being selected to receive a free one-night stay at
@GrandHyattTampa
.
We can’t thank our partners in education enough for going above and beyond for our teachers this week!
#TeacherAppreciationWeek
It was an honor to receive the Visionary Leader in Education Partnerships Award this evening from Seniors in Service!
We are incredibly grateful for the partnership we have with our senior volunteers as they work to help our students achieve academic success. Thank you!
The new school year will be here before we know it, which means fall sports are right there with it.
Take a look at the requirements before you register your student-athlete.
For more information, visit .
@HCPSAthletics
Happy
#WorldTeachersDay
to all of our educators!
Thank you for being so compassionate, dynamic, and innovative every day. We appreciate all you do to help our students learn in a warm and encouraging environment.
We have a rockstar team at
@HCPSSummerfield
! I got the chance to stop by yesterday and saw our 2022 Teacher of the Year finalist Melissa Bondoc and second-grade teacher Jillian Stager in action. The ‘23-‘24 school year is off to a great start.
We are incredibly proud of the rich history many of our schools have in the Hillsborough County community. It was great getting to celebrate
@BurneyElem
’s centennial birthday this evening.
I had a great time this morning at
@TownCountryES
with some of our
@CeosinSchools
leaders.
It’s incredibly important that we introduce students to positive role models from our community while also giving leaders the chance to learn how we are preparing the future workforce.
Leaders from some of our local businesses and non-profits participated in
@Ceosinschools
this morning. We spoke to Brian Butler, founder of CEOs in Schools, and Ivan Arizaja, director of
@BGCTampa
in Town ‘n’ Country, about the importance of sharing their knowledge with students.
Our Assistant Principal’s have a key role in the achievement of our schools and students. Happy Assistant Principals Week to all of our outstanding AP’s!
Kicked off the week with a visit to
@VillageMs
this morning!
I got a chance to meet Sharon Seabrooks, who has been with the district for 44 years. I also popped into a few classrooms and listened to the phenomenal instruction done by Akila Boyd and Kristin Kristol.
Four incredible, recent HCPS graduates were honored at tonight’s board meeting for achieving perfect attendance from K-12th grade.
Nathan Bramlett, Anelise Wyatt, Trevor Roderick, and Ty Jones attended 2,340 consecutive school days, or 180 days for 13 straight years!
Thank you to the various legislators and state staff members who met with several of the board members and I today in Tallahassee! It’s incredibly important for us to advocate for our students and community, especially ahead of this next legislative session.
I want to express my deepest appreciation for all of our principals. Your leadership, dedication, and unwavering support for our students, staff, and school communities do not go unnoticed.
Happy School Principals' Day to all the amazing leaders guiding our schools! 🎉 Thank you for your dedication, hard work, and passion for education and preparing students for life.
I had such a great time this morning participating in the PACER Test with our Eagles! It is so important for us and our students to stay active but have fun while doing so.
READY, SET, GO! 🏃 Supt.
@VanAyresHCPS
took on the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) Test this morning alongside some of our
@LibertyEagles1
.
Congrats to Lenin Reyes-Murillo & Armita Akhavan Taheri (in addition to Supt. Ayres) for making it to 90 laps! 👏
It was a wonderful morning out at the
Bullard Family Foundation’s 7th Annual Back-to-School Bash at
@RJStadium
!
It truly takes a community effort to ensure our students and families are ready for the first day of school. Thank you
@TitusONeilWWE
for your unwavering support!
Our Buccaneers at
@tampabayblvd
are thrilled to be back in the classroom! Principal Michelle Perez and Assistant Principal Kara Merrill have done an incredible job getting the school and staff ready for a successful year.
Thank you
@VanAyresHCPS
and
@HCPSBoard
for supporting the Lambda Theta Sigma chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. & Allen Temple AME’s back to school bash! We provided 100s of brand new shoes and school supplies to families.
Our district is proud to be the 1st in the state to establish a school bus camera safety program. We are taking a significant step to protect our 90K students who travel on our school buses every day.
Thank you to
@HCSOSheriff
/
@ChadChronister
&
@BusPatrol_
for their partnership!
KEEPING BUS RIDERS SAFE 🚍 In an effort to protect students from motorists as they board and exit school buses,
@HillsboroughSch
and
@HCSOSheriff
have partnered with
@BusPatrol_
.
More info on the partnership and program ➡️
Thanksgiving is a perfect time to stop and reflect on the things we are grateful for. I am very thankful for our tremendous students, families, and staff.
I wish everyone a safe and restful Fall Break!
I stopped by
@HCPSDavisES
this morning with Board Member Combs and met a group of remarkable students called the "Tiara Girls Club."
Principal Isajar and her team foster such a positive and collaborative environment for her students and staff.
What a special first day it is for
@TurkeyCreekMS
’s Principal Jaclyn Savino! She is now the leader of the school she once attended. I wish her and the rest of the Turkey Creek family a great school year.
With more than 14,000 graduates crossing the stage over the past week, this year's commencement ceremonies have been nothing short of extraordinary.
Congrats again to the
#Classof2024
! We are very proud of your accomplishments & wish you all the best in your future endeavors.
We know summer is the time to relax, unwind, and have some fun. However, we also want our students to remain on level and ready for their next step in school.
This summer, we have partnered with myON to remind our students it only takes two books to stop the summer slide!
The Gaither Stampede is such an incredible event! To see this tradition in its 27th year is a testament to the dedication of our schools and community in supporting our students.
Thank you to Principal Morrill and his team for doing an outstanding job!
Thank you to our board members, Superintendent Ayers, district staff, Lead Stampede Organizer, Lynda Taylor, & many others who were out for our annual Stampede for our students w/disabilities from around the county! What a great day to celebrate ALL our students!
@VanAyresHCPS