What’s New at Plant?
School implements new changes
The New Gate
In addition to the new landscape, administration authorizes the construction of a fence surrounding the front of the school. The gate will be locked a few minutes after first bell rings.
In response to the emphasis on school safety, a new gate has been constructed around the front of the school. Gate entrances will be locked following the first bell and anyone seeking to enter the campus after that will have to go through the office to be allowed in. The gate’s goal is to help monitor any suspicious characters trying to gain access to the school. The fence will replace previous safety precautions that were implemented last year that called for all class doors to be locked.
South Hall Mural
New to south hall, National Honor Society funds construction of mural. The mural was painted to show the diversity of what the different extracurricular activities Plant offers.
A new mural has been painted along the entrance of South Hall nearest the vending machines. National Honor Society faculty sponsor Tamara Phillips helped brainstorm the idea while the NHS board of 2017-18 authorized the funding. While students weren’t involved in the actual painting of the mural, Phillips commissioned Heather Walton from Tampa Murals to construct the finished piece. The postcard style painting of the mural depicts students participating in clubs, sports and extracurricular activities.
School Start Times
In addition to other new changes this year Hillsborough county equips schools with a new bell schedule. The start times now offer a later school start time and finish.
Starting this year, a new bell schedule has been implemented across Hillsborough County schools changing the start time from 7:33 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. and the end time from 3 p.m. to 3:25 p.m. The new start time will decrease time spent at school but allow extra time at home in the morning for students. This change in times is also projected to save the county $2.7 million per year depending on bus schedules.