Pride Elementary School
Aug 27: SAC Meeting- 2:30PM in the Media Center
Aug 28: Buddy a Thon Kick-Off- PTA School Fundraising Campaign
Sept 1: Labor Day- NO SCHOOL
Sept 12: PTA General Assembly Meeting
Grandparent’s Day BINGO
5:30-7:00PM in the Cafeteria
Sept 26: Buddy a Thon Stuffing Event
Sept 30: Terrific Lions Assembly
REMINDER- EARLY DISMISSAL EVERY MONDAY at 12:55PM
Dear Pride Families,
We had a terrific second week at Pride! New scholars joined us daily, and it was heartwarming to see our staff, faculty, and students welcome them with open arms. The way our community embraces newcomers truly sets us apart!
Our Buddy A Thon PTA Fundraiser Kickoff Assembly will be this weekWe’re also looking forward to several exciting events in the coming weeks that will give families a chance to visit campus, connect with one another, and enjoy time together as a school family. Be sure to check out the details below about our first SAC Meeting, Grandparents Bingo, and our first PTA General Assembly Meeting!
Carline Updates
Morning and afternoon carline is getting smoother every day—thank you for your continued patience and teamwork! Here are a few friendly reminders to help keep things moving efficiently:
Morning Carline Tips
Make sure your student has all their belongings ready to go so they can exit quickly.
Start saying goodbyes as you enter the gate/carloop—this helps your student be ready to hop out when it’s time.
Cell phone use in carline is prohibited by Florida law—thank you for keeping safety a priority!
Consider carpooling with a neighbor! Imagine how much faster the line would be with half the cars.
Afternoon Carline Reminders
Have your QR pick-up code ready to scan.
Keep your numbered car tag visible on your rear-view mirror until your child is safely in the car.
Once your child is in the car, remove the tag to signal you're ready to go.
Stay in the center of the lane near the cafeteria, to the left of the yellow line and away from the orange cones.
Do not pull around cars that are still loading or unloading.
Cell phone use in carline is prohibited by Florida law—thank you for keeping safety a priority!
Bike & Scooter Safety
All students riding bikes or scooters must wear a helmet—it's not only safe, it's the law! And please make sure bikes and scooters are locked to the bike rack, not the fence at Cross Creek Park. For more details, check out our Quick Reference Guide for Parents (included in first-day folders and available on our website):
📄 Quick Reference Guide for Parents 2025–2026.pdf
Stay connected by visiting our website: Home | Pride Elementary School, and follow us on Facebook at Pride Elem. I’ll be sending out weekly newsletters every Sunday evening via email and posting them on the website. If you’re not receiving emails or text messages from me, please reach out to jennifer.dicecco@hcps.net so we can update your contact info.
We’re off to a fantastic start, and I can’t wait to see all the amazing things we’ll accomplish together this year. Go Pride!
Warmly,
Mrs. Meyer and Mrs. Moncrief
Just a reminder: the warning bell rings at 7:35 AM, and instruction begins promptly at 7:40 AM. That means students should be in their seats, ready to learn at 7:40—not just arriving at the gate or getting out of the car.
We understand that our carline can be long, and we’re actively working to improve procedures to reduce wait times. However, we need your help to make sure students arrive with enough time to exit the vehicle and walk to class before the bell rings.
If your car enters the parking lot and won’t make it through the loop before 7:40 AM, Officer Nieves will direct you to the front office for a Tardy Pass. Please follow his instructions respectfully and do not attempt to go around him or through the closing gate—this is for everyone’s safety.
Thank you for partnering with us to ensure every student starts their day on time and ready to learn!
Join the 2025-2026 Pride Elementary School Advisory Council
The School Advisory Council (SAC) is an integral part of Pride Elementary School. You will be informed of curriculum updates and pertinent school information, as well as receive information and vote on our School Improvement Plan (SIP). Members of the Pride SAC Team include the principal and an appropriately-balanced number of teachers, education support employees, parents, and business and community citizens who are representative of the ethnic, racial, and economic community served by the school. The School Advisory Council meets five times each school year.
If you are interested in serving on the Pride Elementary School Advisory Council for the 2025-2026 school year, please complete the form below and return it by Friday, August 22, 2025. Your name will be placed on the ballot, and elections will take place at our first meeting on August 27th.
Meetings will be held on the following dates:
Wednesday, August 27, 2025 at 2:30 PM: Elections, Vote on School Improvement Waiver, vote on School Improvement Plan (SIP)
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Wednesday, January 14, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Wednesday, March 11, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at 2:30 PM
Attendance at the first and final meetings are mandatory. If we hold any votes throughout the year, you will need to vote in person. All meetings will be held in Room 406 and will last approximately 30- 60 minutes.
For questions or for more information, please contact Shelby Perron, SAC Chairperson, at shelby.perron@hcps.net. Thank you!
If you are interested in serving on the 2025-2026 Pride Elementary School SAC Team, please click on the link and fill out the information and join us at our first meeting on Aug. 27th at 2:30PM in Room 406.
Buddy-a-Thon Kickoff Is This Week!
We’re excited to launch our Buddy-a-Thon fundraiser with a fun kickoff assembly this week! Buddy-a-Thon is a unique program where students raise donations to help support our school and as they do, they get to build their very own stuffed animal “Buddy,” complete with fun accessories and outfits earned along the way.
Be on the lookout for information coming home with your child about how to participate and support this exciting fundraiser. Every donation helps us fund important school initiatives, classroom resources, and student activities that make Pride a special place to learn and grow.
Let’s make this a successful and memorable event for our students and school community!
There are so many meaningful ways to get involved at Pride, and we truly appreciate every helping hand-it really does take a village! Below, you'll find several opportunities to make a difference, along with details on how to sign up for each one. We’re excited to partner with you and can’t wait to see you in action!
We need volunteers to help in the cafeteria during lunch on a daily basis between 10:00 and 1:30. Ideally, we would like to have recurring volunteers, but any time you can help would be greatly appreciated! The role involves monitoring student behavior, assisting students with opening food items, escorting students to the bathroom or health clinic, helping with spills, etc... Please click on the link below to sign up!
Explore everything related to HCPS and your students via the HCPS, Focus, and Canvas apps! Get informed, stay connected, and receive the latest updates. Download these essential apps today from the App Store or Google Play to enhance your experience.
HCPS—App Store: https://aptg.co/6nZQyH | Google Play: https://aptg.co/sG8Xg3
Focus—App Store: http://bit.ly/3IPcgCH | Google Play: http://bit.ly/4lJJamJ
Canvas—App Store: http://bit.ly/3IQ8ngL | Google Play: http://bit.ly/45ndbTr
Focus will sync parent accounts from Focus to Canvas within 24 hours of creation. Parents will use the same email to login to Canvas but must set a password before logging in the first time. To set a Canvas password, please access the Canvas Reset Password page.
About Us
Email: Pride.Elementary@hcps.net
Website: hillsboroughschools.org/pride
Location: 10310 Lion's Den Drive, Tampa, FL, USA
Phone: 813-558-5400
Facebook: facebook.com/PrideElem