Controlled Open Enrollment - CLOSING NEXT WEEK

The time is NOW to Find Your Fit! Controlled Open Enrollment is happening now through May 15th! This is your chance to enroll your students in the A-rated, academically high-performing, and #1 public school district in Florida by Niche. We lead the way in school choice and customize the educational journey for every student.

SCPS Appreciates Our Teachers

This week, SCPS proudly celebrated Teacher Appreciation Week and honored the incredible educators who inspire, guide, and support students each day. Schools across our district found meaningful ways to say "thank you." Here are a few of their stories.

SCPS Celebrates Our Nurses

Happy Nurses Week to all the dedicated and compassionate nurses in the SCPS Health Services Division! This National Nurses Week gives us the opportunity to pause, reflect, and give thanks to our Seminole County Public Schools nurses who have continued to provide exceptional care to our students. To all of our nurses throughout the district, we know you have chosen both a calling and a career and we’re grateful for who you are, what you do, and why you do it. We celebrate you this Nurses Week!

South Seminole Academy Students Get a Taste of Real Life with the "Living on My Own" Program

South Seminole Academy students participated in Living On My Own; a financial literacy program that provides a hands-on, real-life simulation allowing middle school students the opportunity to experience their futures in a fun and exciting way. The goal of the program is to help students understand the cost of living for one month of their adult life and some of the ways their adult life can be impacted by the choices and decisions they make. After receiving information in class, students attend a 90-minute simulation where they are randomly assigned a job or career and family situation. They receive information about the education and training required, annual and monthly salary, and make transactions at the 10 “storefronts” in the Living on my Own “city.”

After this experience, we often hear students say "Wow, I'm going to go home and thank my family."

Bentley and Wilson Elementary's Inaugural Chess Tournament

76 Students from Bentley and Wilson Elementary came together to show off their chess skills at the first-ever chess tournament hosted by Bentley Elementary. Students from both schools displayed great sportsmanship.

This elimination-style competition allowed students to display their knowledge, and have fun with their peers.

Congratulations, Bentley and Wilson, on your inaugural Chess Tournament. One down, we hope to see many more to come.

Seminole High School Celebrates Conservation Success with Live Animal Visit

Seminole High School celebrated the remarkable success of its Ducks Unlimited conservation program, which has been integrated into the Ecology and AP Environmental Science classes. As part of the celebration, Amazing Animals, Inc. of St. Cloud brought a variety of exotic animals to campus, including an Amazon parrot, a baby alligator, a three-banded armadillo, a uromastyx lizard, a bearded dragon, and a ball python.

The visit provided students with an engaging, hands-on conservation lesson just before they received their industry certification certificates. An impressive total of 181 students earned certification through the program.

Teachers Zoe Schmidili and Kris Cole organized the event to reinforce the importance of conservation and give students a real-world connection to the subject they have been studying. By putting a face and name on conservation, they helped make the lessons more tangible and impactful for their students.

Well done, students, for attaining this impressive industry certification, and thank you to Ms. Schmidili and Ms. Cole for organizing the event. Go Noles!

Sterling Park Elementary's Kindergarten Signing Day

Sterling Park Elementary recently welcomed the incoming Kindergarten class of 2037 to the Eagles nest! In a special signing day event for pre-registered students joining the 2025-26 school year, teachers and PTA members welcomed these new students and families with opened arms.

SCPS is excited to see all of our incoming students embark on an amazing new chapter of learning and growth!

It's not too late to register! The Kindergarten application period for the 2025-2026 School Year at all SCPS locations is now open! For more information, please visit the SCPS enrollment website.

Meet Bailey Hocker, SCPS Teacher of the Year

Seminole High Student Gearing Up for AFJROTC Flight Academy

The sky's the limit for Ryan Bauer, a Cadet in Seminole High's Air Force JROTC program (AFJROTC). He's currently preparing for the AFJROTC Flight Academy.

"I got into the AFJROTC program my freshman year as a start to becoming a pilot in the Air Force. I have many veterans in my family and a number of them were pilots. I also have some family members who are not veterans but have a private pilot's license. This caused me to grow up with a desire to serve and to fly. So, when I heard about JROTC back in middle school, I thought that would be a great start. I enjoy the program for its sample of a military structure and for its leadership aspect. People often get thrown into leadership roles and end up becoming better leaders because of it, and I think that’s an important trait. After the Flight Academy, I plan to go to college and become an officer in the Air Force. The end goal for me is to become a fighter pilot. I think the Flight Academy is a great start to that."

- AFJROTC Cadet Ryan Bauer

We are incredibly proud of Cadet Bauer and can't wait to see how far this journey will take him!

Latinos In Action Seniors Honored for Making a Difference in the Community

The 2025 SCPS Seniors in the Latinos in Action program were honored for their outstanding dedication to community service during their time in the program. Throughout the years, these students made a meaningful impact by volunteering their time and talents, especially through tutoring and mentoring younger students. Their commitment to uplifting the community and serving as positive role models reflects the core values of the program and sets a strong example for future participants.

SCPS commends these students for leaving their mark on our community. We hope that they continue to leave lasting impacts in all of their future endeavors!

SCPS Educators Go the Extra Mile for Their Students

Three of our dedicated teachers, Ms. Rachel Farrell, Ms. Liz Singer, and Ms. Anna Semones, are training to run a New York City Marathon in support of GROW Healthy Kids. This is a nonprofit organization committed to supporting children and communities through athletics. Going as far as providing athletic shoes for children in need, recess equipment for elementary schools, and athletic gear for police officers to distribute to kids during community outreach.

Each teacher has set an ambitious fundraising goal of at least $4,000, with all proceeds directly benefiting GROW Healthy Kids. The teachers have been training hard to be successful in creating opportunities for children to thrive.

SCPS would like to thank Ms. Farrell, Ms. Singer, and Ms. Semones for their diligence in supporting children in need!

Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Announces Winners of Inaugural High School Art Contest

The Seminole County Supervisor of Elections Office has officially announced the winners of its inaugural High School Art Contest, celebrating the creativity and civic awareness of our local youth.

Congratulations to the following student artists:

1st Place: Isabella Gatton, "Riding the Wave of Democracy,” Winter Springs High School

2nd Place: Salina Ali, "Be the Change,” Hagerty High School

3rd Place: Abigail Pfaeffle, "Civic Duty,” Crooms Academy

Their outstanding artwork will be proudly displayed in the lobby of the Supervisor of Elections, and featured in several of their upcoming marketing materials, including our Voter Guide, set to be released next month.

“We were deeply impressed by the students’ creative expression and thoughtful interpretation of civic engagement. It’s inspiring to see young people connecting with the importance of voting and civic responsibility through the arts.”

- Amy Pennock, Seminole County Supervisor of Elections

Congratulations to these students on their accomplishment.

Lyman High's Academy of Engineering Named 2024-25 PLTW Distinguished High School Program of the Year

Congratulations to Lyman High's Academy of Engineering for being recognized as the 2024-25 Project Lead the Way (PTLW) Distinguished High School Program for the third consecutive year!

PLTW is a national nonprofit organization that creates transformative learning experiences and empowers students to develop in-demand knowledge and skills for future careers. The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs.

Lyman is among a select group of high schools across the U.S. to be recognized for their commitment to inspiring and engaging their students to unlock their potential through their PLTW (Computer Science, Biomedical Science, Engineering) program.

“We are proud to honor Lyman High's Academy of Engineering for their commitment to providing students with exceptional educational experiences through PLTW programs, this achievement celebrates their dedication to student achievement and their focus on empowering students with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in school and a wide range of post-secondary opportunities.”

- Dr. David Dimmett, PLTW President and CEO

This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication shown by Lyman High's Academy of Engineering. Go Greyhounds!

This is Principal Avellino's fourth year as the principal of Forest City Elementary School. When asked about his favorite part of being a principal, he replied, “There are so many things I enjoy about my job. I would say the top three are: seeing the growth and development of students, building a sense of community, and collaborating with teachers."

A surprising fact about Principal Avellino, he has bungee jumped in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Principal Avellino says, "Taking a leap from a great height can be thrilling and terrifying at the same time!"

Thank you, Principal Avellino, for your leadership, dedication, and commitment to excellence!

Spring Has Sprung and So Have Scholarship Opportunities! 

Now is the perfect time for students to explore postsecondary scholarships. SCPS offers a one-stop shop for finding local, state, and national scholarships.

Students have two helpful tools for their search:

1. SCPS District Scholarship Page
2. Visit the Scholarship Database for a list of scholarships available to all SCPS students, organized by deadline.
3. Xello: Use Xello to search for local, state, and national scholarships customized to your interests.

• Access Xello through your Clever portal (look for the Xello tile).
• Use the Xello Scholarships Guide to learn how to search for scholarships in Xello.
• Check out these additional Xello Scholarship Resources 

Bright Futures & Florida Student Scholarships

The Bright Futures application also serves as the application for Florida Student Scholarship & Grant Programs. Students do not need to have met all eligibility requirements before applying. Once submitted, the state periodically reviews student information to determine eligibility. Please note: Eligibility requirements may change each year based on legislation. For the most up-to-date information, visit the Bright Futures website.

FAFSA 

Don’t forget to complete the FAFSA—essential for many scholarships and financial aid opportunities!

Students, please see your school counselor for support with all your postsecondary planning. 

Graduating SCPS Seniors - Free Summer College Class Opportunity at Seminole State



SCPS graduating seniors planning to attend Seminole State in the fall are invited to get a jumpstart on their college education by taking two classes this summer with no out-of-pocket costs during the Summer B Session from Jun 25 - Aug 6. The deadline to submit an interest form and apply is May 30.

The Summer Bridge program helps first-time-in-college students easily transition to college and develop crucial skills for success.

No matter whether a student plans to go all the way to a bachelor's degree, use a university transfer pathway such as DirectConnect to UCF®, or is just trying to see if college is right for them, the Summer Bridge program can help set them on the right path!

To learn more, sign up to attend a virtual information session or email summerbridge@seminolestate.edu.