PDLHS Safety Update

September 10, 2024

The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, along with school and district-level Threat Assessment Teams are continuing to investigate the reports of a threat to Ponce de Leon High School. This was a tip from last night. (Monday, September 9). Although there are many rumors spreading around, there is no evidence that there is a credible threat to the school. We will continue to evaluate all reports and encourage anyone that has information regarding school safety to call the school, Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, or report the information using the FortifyFL app. We will continue to operate normally for the day and expect all after-school activities to carry on as planned.

Holmes District Schools will be providing Senior Citizen passes for all Holmes County Senior Citizen residents to attend athletic home games. Alumni and those who have historical ties to their "home school" may also be eligible. To obtain a pass, you must be 65 years of age or older. Bring your driver’s license to your home school (HCHS, Ponce de Leon, Poplar Springs or Bethlehem) and show proof of age to receive your pass. The pass MUST be presented at the gate to receive free admission. It is valid for regular season home games only and cannot be used for playoffs or any FHSAA post-season play. Your name will be on the pass and will not be shareable. Take advantage of this great opportunity. I am happy to provide this opportunity for our senior citizen community. Please come and enjoy a night out in our community schools.
Buddy L. Brown
Superintendent of Schools

 

Public Notice

 

The Holmes County School Board will be adopting and revising Exceptional Student Education Policies and Procedures.  It will be presented at the school board meeting on August 13, 2024.  A hearing for the public will be held at 5:05 p.m. on August 7, 2024 for input on proposed changes at the Holmes County School Board office.  A copy of the policies to be adopted or revised may be reviewed at the Holmes County School Board office Monday-Thursday from 7:30-3:30 p.m. except for advertised holidays.

 

 

 

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to the official ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Holmes District Schools Administrative Offices. This event will take place on Monday, July 29 at 11:00 AM at what is known as the old Bonifay Elementary School, located at 307 W. North Avenue, Bonifay, FL  32425.

 

After a brief introduction from the Superintendent and other designated guests we will serve a light lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs, and chips picnic style. Our doors will then be open to the public to tour the new offices and spaces. We would also like to point out that we are only utilizing about 40% of the current space in the old BES facilities but are in various stages of improvements and remodel in other areas of the building. In view of safety, we will only have those areas that are completed open to the public at this time.

Buddy L. Brown
Superintendent of Schools

ESE Parent Survey

June 18, 2024

The Florida Bureau of Exceptional Education and Student Services is seeking feedback from parents of students with disabilties in our state. Please complete this brief survey and provide valuable input. Thank you for your time! http://bit.ly/2024parentsurvey
For Public Information:
 
Beginning with the April 23, 2024 school board meeting, all board meetings will be held at the new HDSB administrative offices at 307 W. North Ave. (former Bonifay Elementary School).

With the upcoming solar eclipse on April 8th, 2024, we want to ensure everyone is well-informed about our procedures to guarantee the safety of all our students.  While Holmes County is not in the path of totality, our area may still experience partial eclipse conditions.

 

No students will be permitted to watch the eclipse outside. Safety is our priority. We will be using this event as a teaching and learning opportunity and teachers will have access to a NASA live stream of the event if they choose to share it with their students.

 

All outdoor activities will be moved inside during the eclipse timeframe (12:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.)

 

Bus drivers are provided with safety information to help ensure the children have a safe journey home.

 

Schools will hold students inside until the latest possible time for dismissal.

 

Parents always have the option to pick their children up. Please ensure the designated person is named in the Parent Portal for pick-up and that the parent/guardian is honoring the school's previously posted early checkout windows and procedures. Absences will follow normal procedures.

 

All after-school activities will begin as scheduled AFTER 3:30 p.m.

 

If you have further questions, please don't hesitate to contact your child's principal. Thank you for your support as we strive to enjoy this memorable event in the safest manner possible for our students. 

Holmes County School Board is applying for a USDA RUS-DLT Grant in the FY 2024 cycle. We are requesting funds to support a distance learning initiative that will place interactive video equipment at seven Hub/End-User sites within our service area of Holmes County, to include the communities of Bonifay, Ponce de Leon, Bethlehem, and Poplar Springs. This project is titled Linking Learning: Empowering Educators and Enriching Communities and will allow for distance learning opportunities for our students in the areas of dual enrollment - both college and workforce development, as well as access to highly qualified teachers in critical need areas such as math and science.  

We would appreciate your input by answering a short survey found at the link below.

https://forms.gle/teGm6pBpL7ohF1Ub7