News

School Grades Announced

December 18, 2023

This week, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) released school grades for the 2022-23 school year.  As a part of Florida’s first-in-the-nation transition to using progress monitoring, grades for the 2022-2023 school year serve as a baseline and carry no negative consequences. These grades provide a starting point for future achievement for our schools.

 

The new grades are based on schools' performance in various achievement components.  For elementary schools, those components are English, math and science components. Middle schools have those components, plus social studies and a middle school acceleration component. High schools are graded on English, math, science, and social studies components, plus a graduation-rate component and a "college and career acceleration" component.

 

All Holmes County Schools received a school grade of either “B” or “C” for 2022-23.  Both Bonifay K-8 and Holmes County High improved by a letter  grade to “B” status.  Ponce de Leon High School and Poplar Springs School maintained their “B” status.  Four of the six schools received a grade of “B”, but in spite of this, overall the district received a grade of “C”, based on the most recent scoring scale provided by DOE.  Last year’s scale would have placed the district as a “B.”  

 

Superintendent Brown stated, “While we are excited to see this improvement in our overall score, we are not satisfied with this score.  Our goal is to make Holmes District Schools an “A” district even as we continue to chase the changing scale scores set by the state.”

 

Schools have just completed Progress Monitoring #2.  We will be evaluating scores and growth demonstrated between PM 1 and 2, and revising instruction to meet academic needs as indicated by the progress monitoring results.

Superintendent's Thanksgiving Message

November 20, 2023

SUPERINTENDENT’S THANKSGIVING MESSAGE

I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one affiliated with our school district a Happy Thanksgiving. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 over a three-day harvest festival. It included 50 Pilgrims, 90 Wampanoag Indians, and lasted three days. Turkey was not on the menu at the first Thanksgiving. President George Washington was the first to issue a proclamation for the holiday in 1789, designating Thursday, November 26 “for the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving.” This marked the first national celebration of the holiday under the new constitution. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, but it wasn't observed as a national holiday until 1863. Thanksgiving is truly an important American holiday because, more than even Christmas or the Fourth of July, it is a time when American families should reunite, express gratitude for one another, and feel closer to one another than at any other time. It is a time when we as a nation can celebrate family.


I pray and hope for safety in your travels over the next week. I pray you will maximize and take advantage of the time to spend with loved ones and friends. I pray for the safety and well-being of our men and women in uniform, both military and civilian that stand watch over us, prepared to give all for our freedoms and our way of life. I pray for a time of calmness and peace in our community, our nation, and our world. I wish you a Thanksgiving filled with abundance, happiness, and bright moments.


Buddy L. Brown
Superintendent of Schools

Breakfast & Lunch Menu Info

August 9, 2023

We are excited about our new partnership with Sodexo as we work to provide Holmes County students with a healthy and delicious food program.  Below are links to our Sodexo food service site that offers menus and a welcome letter with more information about the program.

https://holmescounty.sodexomyway.com/

Welcome Letter: https://bit.ly/4588Lxy

Students will have different menu choices depending on their grade level.  All students may choose from the Global Flavors/Variety or Fast Takes section.  Additionally, students in Grades 5-12 have additional options as stated on each menu.

To assist with navigating the new site, schools are grouped as follows:  Ponce de Leon Elementary is listed under the Elementary section.  Bonifay K-8 is in the Middle School section.  Bethlehem, Poplar Springs,  Holmes County High, and Ponce de Leon High are listed in the High School section. 

We are looking forward to trying new offerings in each of our school cafeterias.  Menu selections will change often as we work to determine which foods our students like best.  Currently, all meals are free for students.  Later in the year we'll be adding some a la carte options that will require an additional cost, but there will always be multiple no-cost options available.   We ask for your patience as we work to implement these new programs, and welcome your feedback!

2022-2023 Exceptional Student Education (ESE) Parent Survey

May 30, 2023

The 2022-2023 ESE Parent Survey window is now open. Each year, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) surveys parents of students with an individual educational plan (IEP) to determine how well districts and schools are partnering with parents and promoting parent involvement in their student’s education. All states must collect these data for reporting on their State Performance Plan, as required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Additionally, survey results will be used to help schools and districts improve services and results for children with disabilities. The survey is open to all parents of students with an IEP receiving ESE services from preschool age to grade 12. While demographic information must be collected in compliance with federal requirements, individual responses are confidential. Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, the ESE Parent Survey will only be offered in a web-based format. The survey will be open through June 30, 2023. For more information about the 2022-2023 Parent Survey, go to the ESE Parent Survey web page (https://www.fldoe.org/academics/exceptional-student-edu/parent-info/exceptional-student-edu-parent-survey.stml). To access the survey directly, go to the 2023 ESE Parent Survey (English and Spanish) https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ESEParentSurvey or 2023 ESE Parent Survey (Haitian-Creole)https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ESEParentSurvey_HC. 

Free Summer Meals for Children

May 30, 2023

We will have 4 sites offering free breakfast and lunch this summer.  All sites are open sites.  Students age 18 and under may participate.

Bethlehem High School, Bonifay K-8, Ponce de Leon Elementary, Poplar Springs High

June 5-June 29 M-TH

July 10-13 M-TH

Breakfast is 8:00-8:30 a.m.

Lunch is 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Summer STEAM Program

May 19, 2023

The Summer STEAM program is designed for students to explore the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics with hands on projects. Students will document their experiences and share with friends and family at the STEAM Showcase at the end of the program.

Summer STEAM Program will meet MONDAY – THURSDAY from 8:00 a.m.—2:30 p.m. at Bonifay K-8. The Summer STEAM Program will not meet on Fridays or during the week of July 4th. The program will be from June 5, 2023 through July 13, 2023. 

Breakfast and lunch will be served daily!

Transportation Routes will be established after all summer program students have been selected.  We will have pick up and drop off locations that you will be able to meet the bus at.  If you need transportation, please complete the transportation section of this packet on page 3. Due to staff size, students will be bussed to Bonifay K-8 from their home school and back to their home school at the end of the day.



For more information and an application, please click the Related Files link below.

 

 

Parent Survey

May 19, 2023

Please take a few moments to complete our annual parent survey.  Your responses are used to update policies and procedures, search and apply for grants, and provide valuable input to our District so that we can offer an engaging and rich learning environment for your students.   We value your input!

https://eprovesurveys.advanc-ed.org/surveys/#/action/220832/p1093

HCHS School Schedule for May 17-18, 2023

May 15, 2023

The Holmes County High School boys baseball team will be competing in the FHSAA Final Four Baseball Championships on May 17-18, 2023 in Ft. Myers, Florida. The boys have a semi-final game scheduled on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 at 1:00 PM EST, and with a win they will play in the Class 1A State Championship game on Thursday, May 18, 2023, at 4:00 PM EST.

           

School will remain in session this week.  All scheduled events will occur as planned.

 

Any students who attend the games will receive excused absences with proof of attendance (i.e., tickets, parent’s note, etc.).

 

           

Buddy L. Brown
Superintendent
Holmes District Schools


PDLE & PDLH School Schedules, February 22-24

February 16, 2023

From Superintendent Buddy L. Brown:

Congratulations to the Ponce de Leon High School Girls Basketball Team for advancing to the  FHSAA Final Four Basketball Championships on the dates of February 22-24, 2023.  We could not be more proud of their accomplishment and the support from the community.  The girls have a semi-final game scheduled on Wednesday, February 22, at 6:00 PM EST, and with a win they will play in the finals on Friday, February 24 at 7:00 PM EST.

Since the games are being played on a weekday and school operations will be disrupted due to the number of students and school staff that have indicated their intent to travel, we feel it is in the best interest of the district to follow the schedule below: 

PDLE and PDLHS will be closed on Wednesday, February 22, 2023 and Thursday, February 23, 2023. 

OPTION 1:  PDLHS Lady Pirates win their semi-final game:

PDLE AND PDLHS will be closed on Friday, February 24, 2023.

OPTION 2:  PDLHS Lady Pirates do not win their semi-final game:

PDLE and PDLHS will conduct school on Friday, February 24, 2023.

These options have been developed based on the survey of employees and student body membership, and local community support as to their intent for attending the FHSAA Final Four.  Plans are being made for makeup days on remaining early release days or at the end of the school year if needed. 

We wish the Lady Pirates and their coaches the best of luck, and safe travels to all attending the games.

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