News

Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program

May 24, 2022

The Florida Hometown Heroes Housing Program makes homeownership more affordable by providing down payment and closing cost assistance to income-qualified, first-time homebuyers who are frontline community workers.  More than 50 professions may be eligible for this assistance.  Click the Related Files link below or visit https://floridahousing.org/programs/homebuyer-overview-page/hometown-heroes to view the eligibility categories and get more information.

Public Input Meeting for Federal Project Awards

May 11, 2022

Holmes District School Board

Public Input Meeting for Project Awards

May 25, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.

Located at 701 East Pennsylvania Avenue, Bonifay, FL  32425

IDEA, Part B – These funds are allocated for the support of special projects which will contribute to the solution of persisting state-wide needs in the education of exceptional students.

IDEA, Part B – Preschool Entitlement – These funds are allocated to provide special education and related services to students with disabilities aged three through five.

Title I, Part A (Title 1 Basic) program provides services to help schools with high concentrations of students from low-income families be able to offer high-quality education that will enable all children to meet, at a minimum, proficiency levels on challenging state academic achievement standards and state academic assessments.

Title I, Part C – These funds are allocated to provide services to migratory students who are failing or at risk of failing to mee the State’s challenging content and academic achievement standards and whose education has been interrupted during the regular school year.

Title II, Part A – Teacher and Principal Training/Recruiting – This program’s purpose is to improve teacher and principal quality and increase the number of highly qualified teachers and principals.

Title IV, Part A – Student Support and Academic Enrichment – This program will support district developed services and activities geared toward providing all students an enriched educational experience.

Title V, Part B, Subpart 2 – Rural Education Achievement Program – These funds are allocated to provide additional support to rural or low-income districts.

Controlled Open Enrollment for 2022-23

March 28, 2022

Controlled Open Enrollment for the 2022-2023 school year will open on Monday, March 14th and remain open until Friday, May 6th.  All students who wish to apply to attend a school outside of the school zone they live in must complete an application for the school of their choice.  All applications will be reviewed by the school and district administrative staff.  Students will be notified by mail of approval or denial by the second week of June 2022.  All  schools must maintain ten percent of their possible enrollment for new students who enter their school during the school year. 

Controlled Open Enrollment Procedures:

 ¨ Log in to www.hdsb.org to access the Controlled Open Enrollment Application.

¨ Click Controlled Open Enrollment, located in the column on the left side of the home screen.

¨ Click on the green “Click here to access the application form” located at the bottom of the explanation box.

¨ Complete one application for each child in grades K-12 that you are requesting to have attend a school outside of your zoned area (a zoning map is available on the Controlled Open Enrollment screen, by scrolling down under the application section.

¨ Make sure to carefully read all Controlled Open Enrollment requirements when completing the online application:

       - Maintain Good Grades

      - Maintain Good Attendance

      - Maintain Good Behavior

      - Be prepared to provide transportation to and from school or to the closest bus stop for your child if no bus route for the requested school goes by your home or if the closest bus is at capacity.

Please be aware that all approved Controlled Open Enrollment applications can be revoked at any time during the school year if one or more of the requirements are not maintained.

¨ All students who reside outside of the state of Florida must request a waiver from the district office of the school system they reside in.  All waivers must be submitted to Mr. Matt Tate, 701 East Pennsylvania Avenue, Bonifay, Florida 32425 or [email protected] for school board approval no later than July 27, 2022.  Any out of state student who does not have a waiver approved by the school board will have their Controlled Open Enrollment approval revoked.

 

PDLHS and PDLE School Schedules for February 24-26, 2022

February 18, 2022

TO: For Public Information
FROM: Superintendent Buddy L. Brown
DATE: February 28, 2022
SUBJECT: PDLHS and PDLE School Schedules for February 24-26, 2022

The Ponce de Leon High School Girls Basketball Team will be competing in the FHSAA Final Four Basketball Championships on the dates of February 23-25, 2022.  The girls have a semi-final game scheduled on Wednesday, February 23, at 8:00 PM EST, and with a win they will play in the finals on Friday, February 25 at 7:00 PM EST.

           

Due to the number of students and school staff that have indicated their intent to travel on Wednesday and possibly Friday from both of the above referenced schools, it has been determined the ability to keep our brick and mortar schools open during all or part of this time will be impractical.  The following are options that we will follow depending on the outcome of the tournament games PDLHS Lady Pirates will be participating in:

 

PDLE and PDLHS will have an early release day on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at 12:30 PM CST.  There will be no school on Thursday, February 24, 2022 at either school. 

 

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

 

PDLE AND PDLHS will be closed on Friday, February 25, 2022.

 

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

 

PDLE and PDLHS will conduct school on Friday, February 25, 2022.

 

These options have been developed based on the survey of staff, support staff, and student body membership, and local community support as to their intent for attending the FHSAA Final Four.  

Tax Credit Information for Qualifying Homeless & Foster Youth

February 11, 2022

This tax season, there are special rules for homeless and foster youth that were achieved through the American Rescue Plan Act. Qualifying youth experiencing homelessness and youth from foster care are eligible for a $1,502 tax refund through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). At the present time, these provisions are only for tax year 2021.  More information is available by clicking the Related Files link below.

2022-23 School Calendar

February 10, 2022

The School Board has approved the calendar for the 2022-23 school year.  Click the Related Files links below for printable versions of the calendar.

Free Eye Exams and Glasses for Students

February 8, 2022

Florida Heiken Children's Vision Program will be in our schools later this month offering no cost eye exams and glasses for our students.  We must have a minimum number of students at each school to pre-apply in order for them to visit that school site.  The deadline to sign up is Monday, February 14.  For more information, contact the health clinic at your child's school.  

To sign up, visit www.floridaheiken.org.  

Wellness Day for January 14, 2022--Schools Closed

January 13, 2022

Wellness Day for January 14, 2022, Due to COVID-Related Illnesses

With the safety and welfare of our students and staff in mind, the decision has been made to cancel school for Friday, January 14, 2022.  The primary reason is that Holmes County and the Holmes District Schools are seeing a spike in COVID and other seasonal illnesses.  The increased number of staff members being ill has directly impacted our ability to run district schools with a reasonable number of adults to supervise the students in attendance. 

Extracurricular activities may continue as planned, at the discretion of each school.  Please check with your individual school to verify any changes in these situations.

Our thought is that by providing a Wellness Day in addition to the federal holiday on Monday, students and staff who are ill will have a time for recovery, and for everyone, a time to avoid possible exposure to illness.  Schools will be back in session on Tuesday, January 18, 2022.

Buddy L. Brown,
Superintendent of Schools
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