On Friday, January 15, 2021, Holmes District Schools will be having a “work from home” day for both students and teachers.  The purpose of this day is to give an opportunity to practice navigating our distance learning platforms from home.  Just as we practice fire drills and bus evacuations, we need to practice the transition to remote learning should the need arise.  As part of the guidance for school reopening, the Florida Department of Education strongly suggested that we hold at least one of these practice “work from home” days each year.  We know that there may be some challenges, but we will use those as opportunities to improve! 

The Related Files link below has specific information regarding what will be expected from students on this day.  

We are looking forward to welcoming our students back to class on Monday, January 4! Please remember to follow CDC guidance, and keep your child at home if he or she isn't feeling well, exhibiting COVID symptoms, running fever, or has been exposed or tested postive and is still within the quarantine timeframe. If your child is currently under quarantine or has tested positive, please notify the school. More guidance for parents can be found at the following links:

Christmas Break

December 10, 2020

Holmes District Schools will dismiss students and 10-month employees early for Christmas Break by closing on Thursday, December 17 and Friday, December 18.  We feel this is the best decision for our students, employees, and families due to the increased number of staff and students currently quarantined.  Extracurricular activities may continue as planned, at the discretion of each school. 

 

The pandemic is frustrating for us all, and we appreciate your support as we navigate these unprecedented times.  Our first priority is to keep our students, employees, and families safe and healthy.  Thank you again for all that you do as parents and supporters of our schools.  We wish you a safe and joyous holiday season!

Christmas Tournament Update

November 30, 2020

The Holmes County Christmas Basketball Tournament will be held on December 10-12, 2020.  Due to circumstances this year surrounding COVID-19 and the restrictions in place to reflect current safety and social distancing guidelines, the tournament will be held at Poplar Springs School Gymnasium.  After a thorough discussion among school principals, coaches, and athletic directors, the decision was made to move the tournament to Poplar Springs School.  The tournament had originally been scheduled for Bethlehem School, but due to the seating numbers it was decided in order to maximize the opportunity for fans, students, and parents, the two schools would switch the years they were scheduled to host the tournament. The tournament will return to Bethlehem next year barring any unforeseen circumstances.

 

There will also be a minor change in the normal format of play.  Traditionally on Thursday and Friday evenings the format is two Junior Varsity games played back to back followed by two Varsity games.  To allow for a smoother transition and hopefully for more fans from each prospective school to be able to attend, we will do a JV/Varsity format.  This allows for the four schools competing on that evening to watch their games back to back.  We ask that fans be considerate of the next two teams playing the second half of the evening and vacate the gym and allow those fans to buy tickets without violating any capacity guidelines currently in place.  The Saturday afternoon games will be played on the JV, JV, Varsity, Varsity format as always played.

 

We thank you for your patience in this matter, and simply ask for everyone to remember that sportsmanship is the focus and consideration for other fans will go a long way in setting a positive example for our students and communities.

 

I’d like to take this opportunity to send out my best wishes to all for a safe, restful, and rewarding Thanksgiving Holiday.  This week marks the end of my first week in office, and I already have so many things to be thankful for as your Superintendent of Schools.  I’m thankful for all the wonderful teachers, staff members, and students we have in the Holmes District Schools.  I’m thankful for all the new friends I made the last 28 months while being employed by the Jackson County School Board and the old friendships that were rekindled or strengthened.  I wish all good blessings and positive outcomes for our neighbors and am so thankful I could be a small part of their lives because they became such a large part of mine.

 

This past year, and really the last two have been a challenge in all of our lives, but I hope that each of us will take time to reflect and also recognize the positive that time span may have brought into our lives.  One of America’s greatest Presidents Franklin Delano Roosevelt made this comment during his first inaugural address in 1932, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”  I think during this time in our nation and in our world that statement still carries much weight and wisdom.  Roosevelt was speaking at a time of great uncertainty.  The world and our nation was in the midst of the Great Depression, huge unrest and the rise of Nazism in Europe was upon us, and uncertainty gripped most of civilized humanity.  Roosevelt was imploring this nation to hold the course of our basic principles and beliefs and to maintain confidence, not necessarily in the mighty dollar, but in one another. If you have time I urge you to look up this speech and listen to it in its entirety.  I think this message is just as appropriate today as it was in 1932.

 

I am a man of faith, and with that faith I believe in the principles of faith that surround the Thanksgiving holiday.  I pray and hope for safety in your travels over the next week.  I pray you have the opportunity to spend time with loved ones and friends.  I pray for the safety of our men and women in uniform, both military and civilian, that stand watch over us prepared to give all for our freedoms and our way of life.  I hope each of you will be socially responsible in your travels and the time you spend with others, and I pray for a time of calmness and peace in our community, our nation, and our world.  Thank you.

Buddy L. Brown
Superintendent of Schools

The November 17 school board meeting will be the reorganization meeting, which is the swearing-in of the new superintendent and incoming board members.  This meeting will be held at The Place Downtown (old skating rink), 497 St. John's Road in Bonifay. This change is to accommodate the anticipated larger number of attendees and allow for social distancing. The time for the meeting remains 9:00 a.m.  A reception sponsored by First Federal Bank will follow the meeting.
Holmes County Schools will be closed Monday, November 23 through Friday, November 27 for Thanksgiving Break.  We wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Fall Break

October 23, 2020

Fall Break will be Friday, October 30 and Monday, November 2.  Classes will resume on Tuesday, November 3.

Road Closure Update

September 30, 2020

Below is an updated list of road and bridge closures in Holmes County. Buses will not run on the following roads until further notice. If your dirt road is not on this updated list, the bus will begin running on your road tomorrow morning.

Tom Messer Rd.
River Rd.
Blue Springs Rd.
Boat Ramp Rd.
Horseshoe Loop
Roping Rd.
Landing Cove
Frances Ln.
Baker Landing
John Brown Rd.
Bud Field Rd.
Steverson Rd.
Tri-County Airport Rd.
Chance Rd.
South Weeks St.
Beall Packing Rd. Bridge
Tuberville/Spring Valley Rd. Bridge
Tanner Ln. Bridge
Roping Rd. Bridge
Robbins Rd. Bridge
Hicks Rd. Bridge
Thomas Dr. Bridge