Category:

Schools

A University That Stands Out in Tampa Bay

Located in sunny Tampa Bay, Florida, the University of South Florida is an excellent option for international students looking to study abroad in the United States. Comprised of over fourteen different colleges, the University of South Florida has options for nearly every major and every career goal. USF is extremely diverse, with 128 countries being represented and a whopping 10% overall of the student population made up of international students. That, combined with a stunning, waterfront campus makes USF an extremely appealing option for international students.

The University of South Florida is known for being one of the top research schools in the country! Not only are the students expected to work together through classwork they also are expected to be present on campus. They have so many opportunities for that because of clubs, student union`s, fraternities, sororities and so much more. They also offer opportunities for residential life as a resident assistant, students here are known for their school pride.

In terms of extracurricular activities, the school is very active in volunteer and social work like peace corps and other communities. They are always finding ways to give back to Tampa Bay. The school community see`s to it that they make time to learn about our community and its needs.

Student`s here commit time to after school activities and they always have relaxing school activities. The learning environment at this university is nothing short of magical. It has ballet, art, theater, the student art museum, Rocky Horror Picture Show, bull-market, long library hours, supportive staff and most of all supportive peers.

USF is a great school that is really dedicated to the success of its students, hopefully you can come learn about yourself and others at the best school on the planet.

Attractions Cities of Florida Restaurants Schools Tampa

Visitors Guide to Tampa

The city of Tampa is situated on the western coast of the state of Florida in the USA. With a thriving commercial seaport and many waterfront areas, Tampa is also close to a number of notable beaches, such as Clearwater and St. Pete. Located across from St. Petersburg and within easy reach of Orlando, the city has much to offer visitors, including many historic sites, family attractions and major sporting venues. Tampa currently has a population in excess of 300,000 and covers more than 110 square miles / 285 square kilometers.

Tampa also features a wealth of shopping centers, together with restaurants, bars and a healthy nightlife. Much of city life is centered around the downtown area, which contains the Port of Tampa and the Waterfront district. With two universities, many entertainment venues and the outstanding Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, the city has earned itself a reputation for being Florida’s cultural center.

Tampa Tourism:
Tourist attractions in Tampa are extremely impressive, with many superb beaches nearby making Tampa the perfect holiday destination. Facilities include imposing landmarks and monuments, museums and art galleries, many must-see sights and family attractions, recreational activities, and a number of large parklands and gardens. Top attractions include Busch Gardens, which is one of the best theme parks in the whole of Florida, with thrilling rides combined with a vast zoo.

Also worth a visit in Tampa are the Florida Aquarium, Dinosaur World, the Weeki Wachee Springs, the extremely historic Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the Raymond James Stadium, which regularly hosts major professional football games and is the home ground of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Throughout the year the city regularly features many exciting festivals, including the extremely popular Gasparilla Pirate Festival, which is held each year during January and always attracts large crowds.

Tampa Transport:
Around Tampa, public transport is well ordered and the city is easy to reach by road, with nearby highways and interstates. Greyhound buses operate within Tampa and travel to a number of Florida cities, including Orlando and Miami. Other popular modes of transport include Amtrak trains, inner-city streetcars and taxis, which should generally be booked in advance.

Tampa International Airport (TPA) stands around 7 miles / 11 km from the city center and is an important transport hub, regarded as one of America’s most efficient airports. With many passengers arriving each day, Tampa Airport offers a range of convenient ground transport, such as shuttle buses, taxis and car rental options.

Tampa Hotels:
Being a popular and sunny coastal city, with many exceptional attractions, it comes as no surprise that Tampa offers an array of hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and affordable accommodation. Some of the most popular hotels in the city can be found in the heart of the downtown district, close to facilities such as shops and restaurants. Also, a number of waterfront hotels in Tampa offer exceptional coastal views and are extremely desirable, although the hotel rates often carry a premium, particularly during the high season, which is from January to April. Weekend and summer rates are usually reduced and this is a good time to find discounts.

Tampa Restaurants:
Tampa has an abundance of restaurants, which are readily available and suit every palate. Restaurants, cafes and bars have developed greatly in recent years, due to the rapidly expanding tourism trade and busy seaport. Concentrated around the central areas of Tampa, in the Hyde Park neighborhood – particularly along South Howard Avenue, the waterfront and throughout the lively Ybor district, most types of cuisine can be found in Tampa, including fast food at large food courts in shopping malls, traditional Hispanic eateries and exclusive seafood restaurants along the coastline.

Tampa Shopping:
The city offers a diverse shopping destination, with a large and varied selection of shops and stores. Facilities in Tampa include many designer outlets, well-known department stores, top boutiques and shopping malls. Popular shopping areas include the city’s historic and cultural areas, the Centro Ybor Mall – which is located in the Ybor Historic District, and Old Hyde Park Village in Tampa’s Old Hyde Park district, where you will find a mixture of modern stores, specialty shops and art galleries, in a particularly scenic setting.

Tampa Weather:
Tampa features warm and sunny weather, with pleasant breezes from the ocean. Temperatures during June through August are at their hottest and can attain highs of around 33°C / 91°F. Winter and spring are warm seasons and many people choose to visit the Tampa area at this time of the year. December and January are the coldest months with daytime temperatures remaining extremely mild and warm, generally around 22°C / 72°F, although lows of 15°C / 59°F may be experienced.

Cities of Florida Schools Schools Tampa

List of Schools in Tampa

Children throughout Tampa wake up each Monday through Friday and head out to school, lunch and books in hand. While they may bemoan another day filled with reading, writing and arithmetic, they are receiving their education from one of the highest ranked school districts in the state.

Hillsborough County School District has a policy of offering a dynamic cross-section of schooling options because they understand that a “one size fits all” education doesn’t coalesce with their community. These include Walton Academy of the Performing Arts and two teen parent schools. Among the public schooling options are magnet and charter schools.

Magnet Schools
Magnet schools offer students a more exploratory education. Students must show a strong interest in the field of study of their chosen magnet school in order to be considered for enrollment. Even though magnet schools educate studies concentrated in a specific field, they are funded by the state and school district and must adhere to the performance standards just like traditional public schools. Most students of magnet schools go on to complete post-secondary education in their field of study. Magnet schools, listed with their field of study, in the New Tampa area include:

Cahoon Elementary, Animal Science
Dunbar Elementary, Math/Science/Technology
Lee Elementary, World Studies
Lincoln Elementary, International Studies/International Baccalaureate
Lockhart Elementary, Foreign Language & Global Studies; Visual/Performing/Communication Arts
Lomax Elementary, Math/Science/Technology
MacFarlane International Studies/International Baccalaureate
Muller Elementary, Environmental Studies; Visual/Performing/Communication Arts
Philip Shore Elementary, Visual/Performing/Communication Arts
Rampello Kindergarten through 8, Cultural Arts & Humanities

Charter Schools
While magnet schools offer highly concentrated curriculums, charter schools offer highly specialized teaching styles. Charter schools are owned and operated privately with subsidization through Hillsborough County School District and the State of Florida. They are just as accountable as traditional and magnet public schools through FCAT testing (more on this under “Standards”, below.)

Charter schools often require parents to commit to a number of hours of volunteer work throughout the school year. They also require that parents understand their particular charter, or contract. Examples of charter school options include those that teach in Montessori style, Core Curriculum or Independent Study (distance learning.)

Any student that qualifies for public education in Hillsborough County may apply to attend a charter school, regardless of how far or close the student lives from the school.

Standards
The Sunshine State Standards, or SSS, are the uniform educational criteria for each grade level from Kindergarten through graduation. All public and most private schools in Florida have adopted these standards and teach material so that students will meet or exceed them.

In 1998, the State of Florida began testing students based on the criteria to gauge the effectiveness of the SSS. A consortium of educators and instructional professionals from around the United States came up with the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or FCAT.

Students are tested annually from third grade through eleventh. Reading and math tests are given each year. Writing is assessed in all grades except fifth and eleventh grades. Science knowledge is tested in fifth, eighth and tenth.

Beginning in the 2005-2006 school year, students are required to successfully pass the tenth grade test to qualify for a regular high school diploma upon graduation. Students scoring less than a passing grade on any of the subjects tested are offered subsequent testing opportunities during their eleventh and twelfth grade years.

According to 2005 testing scores, Florida students scored at or above the national average in fourth grade reading, fourth and eighth grade writing, fourth grade science and fourth grade mathematics. All other grade levels and areas of study that were compared showed Floridian students were close to national averages and gaining ground.

Gorrie Elementary, located just a mile from the University of Tampa in West Tampa, scored highest of all elementary schools in fourth grade reading and mathematics among all Hillsborough schools tested in 2006. Roosevelt Elementary, located in the Palma Ceia area, scored highest for fourth grade writing skills of all Hillsborough County schools during 2006.

Terrace Community Middle School, a charter school located just south of New Tampa, scored highest among all eight graders tested in 2006 in Hillsborough County middle schools for math and science. Wilson Middle, located in the Davis Island community, scored highest among eighth graders in reading and writing.

Palma Ceia area’s Plant High School scored highest among all Hillsborough County tenth graders for math, reading and writing in 2006.

New Tampa schools showed remarkable staying power and above average scores for each of their six elementary, two middle and two high schools. Each school scored 300 or more in all subjects tested in 2006, for grades four, eight and ten.

Private Schools in Tampa
Some families in the New Tampa area prefer a religious or college preparatory private school for their children to receive their education. While the list of private education options is copious, below is a list of a few of the most prominent private schools in the area, as well as their particular specialty.

Berkeley Preparatory School operates to create well-rounded, college bound students. They provide education from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. The teachers and staff strive to educate students beyond reading, writing and arithmetic; they offer competitive sports and arts as well as numerous clubs and community service projects.

The Academy of Holy Names is one of the oldest private schools in the Tampa area, having been founded in 1881. Their pre-kindergarten through eighth grade offers excellence in education to both boys and girls. Ninth through twelfth grade classes are restricted to an all-female student body. The school’s teaching are based on the Catholic faith. Students are not required to be of the Catholic faith to attend, though nearly three-quarters are.

The Jesuit School is an all-boy school with a reputation for turning out high-achieving graduates. This school was founded 18 years after the Academy of Holy Names. Jesuit School education includes numerous missionary and community service opportunities for its students. Students are not required to be members of the Jesuit Church.

In 2002, a three-decade old school began unpacking boxes in their new, state of the art facility across from its former home at the University of Tampa. Tampa Preparatory School serves students and their family from sixth grade through twelfth. Tampa Prep doesn’t offer remedial classes, their program was designed to offer challenging coursework in core subjects as well as a wide diversity of other subjects – fine art, computer technology, music, dance, theater, golf, track, swimming, volleyball, soccer, baseball, basketball and wrestling.

Co-ed students at Tampa Catholic High School receive their education in the three R’s as well as the three purposes set forth by the Catholic faith – teaching the Message of God as revealed in Christ and through His Church; building Community through fellowship in the life of the Holy Spirit; and providing opportunities for Service to the community. After school, students continue their education by taking part in some of the nearly two dozen clubs and extra-curricular activities. Tampa Catholic’s philosophy is to educate the entire student- mind, body, and spirit.

Cities of Florida Florida Lakeland Miami Orlando Sarasota Schools Tampa

Film School Within Florida

Florida, it seems, could never get over-saturated with life. With all those spring break vacationers, amusement parks over at Orlando, and film festivals; it isn’t out of place that the few finest film schools in the United States are found in Florida. After all, where should the best institution take root than in the star and wealth imbibed Florida.

Florida State Film School is undoubtedly the best film school in Florida. This film school in Florida is one of the very few institutions recognized and distinguished by the Directors Guild in America, for its contributions to the American culture through the science of motion pictures and television.

This film school in Florida, known formally as Florida State College of Motion Picture, Television, and Recording Arts (but also known simply as The Film School) is a department of The Florida State University, a public research university sitting in the capital of Florida. The Film School is known to be very competitively selective; only 30 undergraduates are accepted from applicants of 1,500 for the BFA. 30 graduates are to be accepted for the MFA, 24 for the production program and 6 for the writing program.

This film school in Florida had enjoyed thorough success throughout the past years, with notable alumni examples of Jonathan King of I, Robot, Finding Forrester, and Dreamgirls, Ron Freidman of Brother Bear and Chicken Little and Greg Marcks of 11:14. That is because the faculty of this film school in Florida is equally star studded: Chip Chalmers of 7th Heaven, Miami Vice and Beverly Hills 90210, Academy Award visual effects winner Stuart Robertson, Academy Award sound mixer Richard Portman and Victor Nunez, noted for directing a number of successful indie films.

One of the best features of The Film School is the school’s taking care of all student’s production costs, making students more likely to produce quality films without budget constraints.

The Ringling School of Art and Design is another fine choice for film school in Florida, especially if you want more technology in arts. Better known for teaching the visual arts in computer animation and several other graphic and interactive communication, as well as Game Art & Design, the Ringling School of Art and Design becomes a superb first step to those heading towards animation and technical in the film making industry.

University of Central Florida is the largest university in the state, and one of the best all over United States. This film school in Florida is included in the Best 361 Colleges compiled by the Princeton Review. Their film program teaches well on techniques and creativity, making use of UCF’s broad range of film and studio equipment, instilling preparedness to their students.

Schools Tampa

Top Ten (10) Public Schools in Tampa, Florida

If you are looking to move to Tampa, Florida, there are quite a number of great public
schools, with positive atmosphere, offering quality educational services. This ranges
from Elementary to Middle Schools and High Schools.
As a parent, it sometimes can be a hard task getting the perfect school for your kids,
which is why we have come up with a list of the top ten best public schools in Tampa.
Here is a list of the Top Ten(10) Public (Elementary, Middle & High) Schools in Tampa:

Grady Elementary School
Located in Tampa Florida, Grady Elementary School which is headed by Ms. Kristine
Dosal, is a public elementary school, with a student population of 458. This award
winning school has a great number of extracurricular activities including sports and
arts. It also boasts a number of notable awards which include:
o First in the District on SAT-10 scores for reading and math (first-grade level)
o Third in overall FCAT scores for the entire Hillsborough County School district
o First in Area 1 FCAT scores
o PTA Principal of the Year for Hillsborough County

Roosevelt Elementary School
Roosevelt Elementary School is a public elementary school in Tampa which is headed
by Ms. Christina Dickens. It has a student population of 713 students with a School
curriculum that includes reading, math, writing, physical education, music classes, and
technology. As of 2017, it was ranked as the 4th among 168 elementary schools in the
Hillsborough School District.

Gorrie Elementary School
Headed by Ms. Marjorie Sandler, Gorrie Elementary School is a public elementary
school in Tampa. With a population of 567 students, students in Gorrie Elementary
School engage in extracurricular activities such as arts and sports. It has also been
ranked 9th among 168 elementary schools in the Hillsborough School District

Mabry Elementary School
This public elementary school has a student population of 770 and is headed by Ms.
Sherri Frick as principal. Mabry Elementary School offers activities such as orchestra,
yoga, dance, basketball chorus, among others. This school has been ranked 5th
among 168 elementary schools in the Hillsborough School District (as of 2017).

Clearwater Fundamental Middle School
This highly rated public magnet school is located in Clearwater, Florida. Clearwater
Fundamental Middle is a school with a population of 827 students in grades 6-8 with a
student-teacher ratio of 19 to 1. According to state test scores, 89% of students are at
least proficient in math and 85% in reading.

Williams Middle Magnet School
Located in Tampa, FL, Williams Middle Magnet School is a highly rated public magnet
school with a population of 856 students in grades 6-8 and a student-teacher ratio of
18 to 1. According to state test scores, 84% of students are at least proficient in math
and 83% in reading.

Terrace Community Middle School
Terrace Community Middle School is a highly rated, public, charter school. With a
student population of It has 660 in grades 6-8 with a student-teacher ratio of 14 to 1.
According to state test scores, 94% of students are at least proficient in math and 91%
in reading.

Plant High School
Plant High School is a School with an excellent academic culture, and it is ranked 24th
among high schools statewide. This school offers a range of Advanced Placement
courses, and the AP participation rate is currently around 82 percent. This is a good
thing for students looking to earn college credit before earning their high school
diploma!

Sickles High School
Located in Tampa, Sickles High School which is also home of the Gryphon’s, offers a
wide range of extracurricular activities and clubs than other high schools in Tampa,
from Chess to French Honor Society, and much more.

Strawberry Crest High School
Strawberry Crest High School located in Hillsborough County, is known for supporting
students to attain their Education goals. This School offers its students a wide range
of integration and activities, such as the International Baccalaureate Program and
Women in Technology courses.