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Moving to Tampa from Miami
eluque October 28, 2011
I will be moving in July 2012 to Tampa and I am looking for a good public Middle School and High School. My Husband's job will be located in Brandon but I want to choose the schools first before deciding what are to move to. I heard that on November 19th there was going to be a High School Fair, however I do not know details (location?).
schoolsearch07 August 4, 2012
I'm coming from Illinois and have one child going into 2nd and one in 4th. My husband's job will be in Tampa. He doesn't have a problem driving. Our priority is moving into an area that will be best for our children since we have to relocate them we would like to settle them into a good school once. My 2nd grade is an average student but my 4th grade is in a gifted program. I'm hearing magnet schools and being bus over an hour away? Do you have to apply to the magnet schools? Do you have to live within that school? 79792
coryp1 June 17, 2012
Newsome High School in Lithia (Fishhawk/Brandon) is top rated and I've heard great things about. The top high schools from what I've heard are Steinbrenner High School (Lutz, FL), Newsome High School (Lithia, FL), and Plant High School (Tampa, FL). However Plant and Steinbrenner might be a bit of a drive from Brandon.
For Middle schools, I know Martinez Middle had some of the highest test scores in the state, however that is in Lutz, FL (which again is a bit of a drive from Brandon).
Hope this helps :). 78999
tgmcmullen April 23, 2012
I'm kinda surprised at some of the answers here. We moved to Tampa a year ago. Everyone overwhelmingly told us that the schools in Fishhawk (Lithia) were the best. We live in Fishhawk because of that and the schools are excellent! The housing costs a little more but it is because the schools are so good. Bevis Elementary in Lithia is the #1 elementary school in the entire state of Florida. Randall Middle and Newsome High are both A schools also. We have kids in all of them (6 children). I would strongly suggest you look into the Fishhawk Ranch (subdivision name) area in Lithia. I hope this helps. 77970
butleje April 19, 2012
Hello,
My name is Jennifer Butler andI am the lead teacher at Young Middle Magnet School. We areclose to the Brandon area. Here is the link to our website which tells you all about our Creative Science theme. http://young.mysdhc.org/
We offer tours of our school as well
My number is 813-276-5739 ext 23077858
Berryblue April 11, 2012
Being a very active parent, I can tell you that if your husband is going to be working in Brandon then you should look at homes in the lower region of Brandon, Riverview, Valrico and Lithia. My zoned middle school isn't great at all, somehow we are zone to a school in Tampa. However that being said, I watch what teachers do and they enrolled their children at Progress Village Middle Magnet School of the Arts. It's a great school as the teachers truly care, have no time for nonsense and help your kids excel. I had a great experience with my daughter attending there and when she went onto High School, King HS asked that she attend their IB Program which is excellent in my book. My son now attends Progress Village and he also is excelling in the school. There is always nonsense at the JHS level since this is when hormones are jumping out of control which is why kids are unruly at this age. The school has a small population compared to other schools and the staff there has zero tolerance for nonsense or fighting. If you're looking for a particular High School then Bloomingdale High School as well as Riverview HS are really good and both have received good ratings from parents all around. Had my daughter not been invited to attend in the IB program, she would have gone to Riverview HS. I hope that helps. I also recommend that you visit the school district's website to determine where you want to send your kids. Best of luck in your final decision.77746
volleyball1 March 25, 2012
Please check out Terrace Community Middle School, a charter school that is exceptional. Both of our children attended the school, which requires uniforms, follows a Dept of Defense curriculmn, and ranks in the top 10 in the state of Florida regularly. It is located in Thonotosassa, at I-75 and Fowler Avenue.77405
anagan December 29, 2011
I am actually a student in the Hillsborough County School District, I live in Brandon currently but have lived in Tampa for most of my life. The middle school in Brandon that I went to was McLane middle, while it was an okay school socially, academically it was horrid. The work I had was completed within 15 minutes, I was in honors and advanced gifted, and when I was done I could pretty much just wonder around campus. This school is extremely ghetto as well, the main population being non white and lesser well off, yet the one thing that makes me never want to trade me middle school experience was that everyone was like family. We stuck close together, I was even the stereotypical girl next door with mousey brown hair, glasses, and the one always reading. Another pretty good school is Mann middle, I knew a lot of people from there and they seemed to be enjoying it, as well as the academics were up to par. If your children are interested in the Arts, Orange Grove middle school would be heaven for them. It's a fine arts magnet school with an amazing Program . If you can afford it, Berkley Prep (K-12) in Tampa is an AMAZING school. It's academics are exceptional, with the majority going to Ivy league colleges. As for high schools, Plant High school in Tampa is where everyone in my family went and they loved it, some earning scholarships, one full ride. I, personally, go to Blake High School in Tampa, a magnet school for the Performing Arts. I am in the visual arts program and the atmosphere is amazing. The academics are okay, as long as you are in honors classes, and the social side of it is nice. There are really no cliniques except one: Traditional students -- Manet students. The busses will go to Brandon because it is a magnet school, though when you ride the bus you get home around and hour and a half to two hours after school end if you live in Brandon. Hopefully this helped! Goodluck with the move!75499
londonburns November 28, 2011
I relocated from London, England 18 months ago and transferred my daughter into the American High School system. I feel into the trap of believing that Plant HS was a good school as they were ranked amongst the top 50 schools in the US by Newsweek (now 38th according to the Washington Post). After a year's experience of being in the school system,and having spoken to several parents, I've learned that generally Hillsborough County schools rank amongst the lowest in the state. Most parents of young children are choosing to home school as a result. There are several co-ops already set up in order to provide support to parents who chose this route. Everyone has strong opinions about the schools in their area or the schools their children attend (natural, as you don't want to believe you're not providing the best opportunities for your children), but I would encourage you to look at alternatives to PS education!75054
Adelyda November 16, 2011
I personally think the best schools would be in Brandon, considering I used to live there, which are Mann Middle School and Brandon High School. I moved not too long ago from brandon to tampa, and the high schools are horrible. The most decent one I can tell you is Alonso High School.74838
