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William R. Boone High School Community Brief Monday, July 14, 2025

The Florida Department of Education recently released 2024-2025 school level and school district grades and we are very pleased to share that both Boone High School and Orange County Public Schools earned A grades in back-to-back school years. We are very proud that our students, teachers, staff, and families may share that they remain part of an A rated high school and school system. Our community knows that if a student is attending Boone, they will be receiving a great education. 

Orlando Sentinel (July 7, 2025) - Florida releases A-to-F school report card; state and region earn more A's

Thank you to our wonderful students and families for their hard work and support this past year. Without our students and parents' sustained commitment to education, another A grade would not have been achievable. Please remember that it was primarily our students' test scores that got us to the A grade. The students' drive and determination to improve paved the way to another A grade from the state. One of our strengths as a high school is school pride which is evident throughout the campus. Contributing to this just ahead of the 2025-2026 school year, is the knowledge that once again Boone is a top rated Florida high school. 

Of course, tremendous credit for our A grade is due to the combined impact of our teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors, coaches, and leadership team. These are the professionals that strive every single school day to educate, inspire, and create a little a magic in the learning process for all of our Braves. Most of the teachers and staff are still on summer break, but I know they have already heard the good news and are very excited. These are some of the finest professionals you will find in the field of K-12 education and no principal could more proud of their performance than I am for their success again this past year. Congratulations on a job extremely well done for our students! 

In this week's special summer edition of Totem Talk, we have included some important back to school information. Please especially note key dates such as Device Checkout, Braves Are Back, Parent Mixers and others. We want all of our Braves to start school on Monday, August 11 well prepared for what will be another very promising year.  

Please continue to enjoy the rest of the summer break and when possible, squeeze in some quality time to read for pleasure. Thank you for reading this summer edition and have a great week. 

Forever Brave,

Dr. Maestre

Principal

The 25-26 Student Parking Canvas page went live on July 10th. Each registered Junior & Senior was emailed on July 10th with an invite to join. All instructions will be on this Canvas page.

You will need the following:

• A driver's license (not a learner's permit)

• Car insurance

• Car registration

• Payment

• Additional information may be required

Passes will be distributed during Braves Are Back on August 7th.

If you have questions, please contact Brian.Sherman@ocps.net or Kristen.Joyner@ocps.net

We would like to welcome our newest Boone Brave, Assistant Principal Kristen Gillespie!

"I'm honored to serve as the new assistant principal at Boone High School. For the past 11 years, I've had the privilege of working within OCPS - as a high school English teacher, dean of students, and as an assistant principal - always with a deep commitment to serving students, families, and staff. I'm excited to support and build on Boone High School's strong, student-centered culture and foundation. I look forward to working to ensure every student thrives.”

Meet the newest addition to our ELA department, teaching 9th grade: Mrs. Arca. 

Mrs. Arca hails from Miami, where flip-flops are considered formal wear and the only thing colder than the air conditioning is the collective disregard of traffic laws. With 27 years of experience teaching at all levels, she's excited to be turning the page and entering a new chapter as a Boone Brave!

Welcome to our new Student and Family Assistance Program (SAFE) Coordinator: Ms. Rojas!

“My name is Michelle Rojas, and I will be the new SAFE Coordinator here at Boone HS. I have been an English teacher in Osceola County for the past 9 years, and I am very excited to step into my new role. I am originally from Providence, Rhode Island, but have been in Florida for the past 26 years. I have a daughter entering her freshman year at UF (go Gators!), and some of my favorite hobbies include attending concerts, spending time at the beach, and traveling with my partner."

www.BooneAthletics.com

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OCPS receives district grade of “A” for second consecutive year!

July 7, 2025 – Today, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) released school and district grades for the 2024-25 school year.

Overall, the district earned an “A” grade for the second consecutive year. The results demonstrate that the district remained the same or increased in 11 of the 12 accountability components since last year.

Key highlights include:

* 96 traditional (non-charter, non-alternative) schools earned an “A” rating, up from 88 last year.

* 76 percent of traditional schools received an “A” or “B,” an increase from 69 percent the previous year.

* No traditional schools in OCPS received a grade of “D” or “F.”

These gains reflect the district’s ongoing commitment to excellence, student achievement, and continuous improvement.

“I’m incredibly proud of our students, staff, and families,” said Superintendent Maria Vazquez. “Our commitment to the science of reading and data-driven decisions has strengthened literacy and boosted graduation rates. These gains reflect the collective dedication of our OCPS team—well done!”

NEW!! Our School is using ParentSquare!

Dear Boone Parents & Guardians,

We are excited to let you know that this year we’ll be using ParentSquare to communicate with you at the school, and in your classrooms and groups.

ParentSquare provides a simple and safe way for everyone at school to connect.

With ParentSquare you’ll be able to:

● Receive all district, school and classroom communication via email, text, or app

● View the school and classroom calendar and RSVP for events

● Easily sign up to volunteer and/or bring items

● Securely receive report cards, IEPs and other important student documents

Activate your Account

You will soon receive an invitation email or text to join ParentSquare. Please click the link to activate your account. It takes less than a minute.

You can use ParentSquare on any device. You can download the free mobile app for iOS or Android or use the desktop version at www.parentsquare.com

Our goal is for every family to join ParentSquare and engage with our school community. Please feel free to contact the school with any questions.

Orange County schools help staff find affordable housing

Orange County Public Schools employees, from left, Thornebrooke Elementary teacher Carla Jones, OCPS Food and Nutrition Specialist Tangela Smith, and Carver Middle School teacher Taliah Rasul talk, Friday, June 27, 2025, at their residence at Palm Gardens Orlando apartments in Orlando. Affordable housing assistance is provided to them by Sarasota-based One Stop Housing in a partnership with OCPS. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)

Excerpt from the Orlando Sentinel article (July 1, 2025):

Tangela Smith, a food and nutrition specialist with Orange County Public Schools, caught COVID-19 and pneumonia during the 2020-21 school year, which forced her out of work for months. She’s still feeling the impacts, to her finances and to her health.

“Some days I could barely walk… but I keep on going,” she said.

Smith, 53, was evicted twice from her apartments in Orlando as her medical bills stacked up and she paid rent late.

Now, through a new OCPS initiative, Smith will move into a studio apartment that charges $1,050 a month, well under the market rate. Her current place charges her $1,600, she said, so the change of address will help her meet her monthly payments and pay down her medical debt.

Palm Gardens Apartments off Colonial Drive in Orlando — Smith’s new home in August — is one of the six housing complexes that have a deal with OCPS to make district employees a priority when affordable apartments are available. Ten OCPS employees live at Palm Gardens now.

“This is just the beginning,” said Deputy Superintendent Bridget Williams, who called the housing initiative, which started about a year ago, a “significant milestone” in the district’s effort to recruit and retain teachers and other staff.

Read full article

2025-2026 Calendar:

1) 2024-2025 student attendance by day of week:

Credit: Mrs. Jennifer Roberson, School Secretary 

2) Chronic absenteeism rates by central Florida school:

Orlando Sentinel (June 5, 2025): Florida schools face alarming rise in student absences since the pandemic. Nearly a third of students locally and statewide are chronically absent. 

** Click here to view chronic absentee rates by school

3) Education Pays - 2024 weekly earnings and unemployment rates:

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics - Read full article

Footnote for our Braves: Each level of education you complete may help you develop more skills, give you access to higher paying occupations, and signal that you’re able to follow through on important tasks, such as planning ahead and meeting deadlines, that employers value. Other factors affecting employment and earnings include geographic location, industry type, experience, and hours worked. 

4) Financial Literacy spotlight for our Braves -- Two-thirds of Americans aren't reviewing their budgets:

Source: Bankrate.com - Read full article

Community footnote: Boone High School's Academy of Finance has a strategic goal to produce graduates who will be better equipped to make educational and career decisions regarding opportunities in the global marketplace. The Academy of Finance is a magnet program that is available to all students served by Orange County Public Schools. 

5) Read inspirational quotes for our Braves about creating a winning mindset, paying attention to your own thoughts and living your values.

Winfrey On Goals

Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.

~ Oprah Winfrey, media mogul

Stein On Conviction

Let me listen to myself and not to them.

~ Gertrude Stein, author

Socrates On Character

The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.

~ Socrates, philosopher

Murrow On Honesty

To be persuasive we must be believable. To be believable we must be credible. To be credible we must be truthful.

~ Edward R. Murrow, broadcast journalist

Palmer On Determination

I've always made a total effort, even when the odds seemed entirely against me. I never quit trying; I never felt that I didn't have a chance to win.

~ Arnold Palmer, golfing legend

Forever Brave!

Dr. Maestre, Principal

Boone High School

Sunday, July 13, 2025