5 Things To Know: Hillsborough County Schools Report

The Hillsborough County School District winds down the school year with these notices of robotics and Advanced Placement (AP) milestones, the search for a host family for an incoming Brandon High student from Norway and information about high school graduation and health insurance options for children at no cost or low cost, even if one or both parents work.

1. ROBOTICS COMPETITION

• Fifth-graders from 16 Hillsborough County public schools will be in Plant City on May 25, for a countywide STEM competition at the Hillsborough Community College John R. Trinkle Center.
• The students are known as “STEM students,” which essentially means they have used robotics throughout the school year to learn-by-doing in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math.
• Here’s how it works: LEGO WeDo kits are placed in the classroom to help identify students with an interest in robotics. Once identified, they join a school team or club to study more advanced robotics with LEGO Mindstorms, through which students engineer and program robots to perform certain tasks.
• At the Trinkle Center, a final competition will get underway to earn the 2011 Hillsborough Robotics Challenge Crown. This is the second year for the annual competition. Competition is from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The awards ceremony is at 6 p.m.
• McDonald Elementary School  in Seffner took home the 2010 crown.

2. AP KUDOS FROM THE COLLEGE BOARD

• Hundreds of AP teachers and school officials will be at Tampa Bay Technical High School on May 25, to collect kudos from College Board President Gaston Caperton.
• The Hillsborough County School District topped districts nationwide for the increase in the number of students earning scores of 3 or higher on Advanced Placement (AP) exams. A school district release pegs that increase, from 2008 to 2010, at 1,814.
• Hillsborough in the same time period reportedly increased AP class enrollment by an annual rate of 19 percent.
• On July 22, AP students, teachers and school administrators will represent the school district at the 2011 AP Annual Conference in San Francisco, where the school district will receive a $25,000 grant to support further growth of the public school system’s AP program.
• The May 25 event at TBT High kicks off at 5 p.m.

3. COMMENCEMENT

• Commencement commences next week for the graduating seniors of Hillsborough’s 27 public high schools and its adult education program.
• All ceremonies are scheduled this year for the Florida State Fairgounds Expo Hall.
• Graduation season runs from 9:30 a.m. June 2 (King High School) through the conclusion of the graduation ceremony for adult education students, which begins June 11 at 11 a.m.
• Greater Brandon high schools are scheduled as follows: Armwood High (June 6 at 9:30 am.), Bloomingdale High (June 7 at 4:30 p.m.), Brandon High (June 9 at 8 p.m.), Plant City (June 7 at 9:30 a.m.), Spoto High (June 4 at 9 a.m.), Riverview High (June 6 at 4:30 p.m.) and Strawberry Crest (June 4 at 7 p.m.).
•  The school district’s calendar for all graduation ceremonies and rehearsal dates is posted online.
• RELATED COVERAGE: From Birth to Graduation: The Times That Bond Revisited

4. HOST FAMILY NEEDED

• A host family is needed in Brandon for a girl from Norway 17, who is set to start the 2011-12 school year at Brandon High School in August.
• According to Sandy Storer, of the Cultural Academic Student Exchange (CASE), the incoming junior likes soccer, hiking and snow skiing, has never been to America and is anxious to learn more about the family she’ll spend the school year with.
•  “What a great opportunity for both her and her host family to learn from each other,” Storer said in an email notification.
• The host student will pay for all personal expenses, has insurance and speaks excellent English.
• For information, contact Yvette at  813-643-2437.

5. INSURANCE FOR CHILDREN

• Florida KidCare offers no-cost and low-cost comprehensive health care insurance to children living in the state regardless of the income levels of their families.
• The Hillsborough County School District on its Website touts the benefits of the program, noting that “healthy students are better prepared for learning.” It is further noted that school officials are “committed to building a model KidCare enrollment program.”
• The Florida KidCare Website notes that the program is good for children from birth through age 18, even if one or both parents are working.
• The program has four parts. Medikids is for children ages 1-4 and Healthy Kids is for children ages 5 through 18. The Children’s Medical Services Network is for children with special health needs. Also, children who have no other health insurance might nevertheless still qualify for Medicaid.
• For information, call: Ken Gaughan, supervisor, school social work, at 813-273-7090; Jill Winich, customer service representative, 813-274-7982, ext. 243; or Michele Pernula, program coordinator, Tampa Bay KidCare Outreach Project, 863-660-3047. To apply online, visit the Florida KidCare Website.