Holmes District School Board

09/03/2026

THINK BEFORE YOU POST:

The "Cat in the Hat" trend isn't just a prank—it’s a crime. What looks like a quick video for views is landing people in serious legal trouble. Sneaking into properties, trespassing, or damaging property while wearing a mask carries real criminal consequences. Both threatening posts, even as a joke, or disruptions of school functions, are crimes.

Here is what’s actually at stake:
Criminal Charges: Trespassing, vandalism, and breaking and entering stay on your permanent record.
Safety Risks: Entering unfamiliar spaces or private properties in the dark puts your physical safety at risk.
Future Impact: A criminal record can ruin your chances at college admissions, scholarships, and future jobs.

No amount of clout, likes, or views is worth a criminal record or getting hurt. Protect your future and your safety. Skip the trend.

09/02/2026

08/26/2026

Food service personnel who worked the summer meal program were recognized at last night's school board meeting. Through their hard work and dedication, 105,260 meals were served to children this summer. This is the highest number of meals served to date during our summer program! Thank you to everyone who helped make this program such a success!

08/26/2026

The Holmes County Education Foundation joins people around the world in mourning the passing of global icon and devoted philanthropist Dolly Parton.

Dolly’s remarkable legacy extends far beyond her music. Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, she placed millions of books into the hands of young children and inspired a lifelong love of reading in communities like ours.

Many have asked how they can honor Dolly’s memory by supporting the Imagination Library in Holmes County. Just $30 provides one child with a book each month for an entire year:

📚 $30 supports 1 child for one year
📚 $150 supports 5 children for one year
📚 $300 supports 10 children for one year

Donations may be made in either of the following ways:

📚 Donate online at https://donate.imaginationlibrary.com/. Select the option to designate your donation to a specific local program partner, then choose Florida and Holmes County.

📚 Donate directly to the Holmes County Education Foundation by making your check payable to HCEF and writing “Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library” in the memo line.

All funds designated for our local program go directly toward the cost of books and postage for children in Holmes County. There is no local administrative overhead.

Dolly believed that books could help children dream more, learn more, care more, and be more. We are honored to help carry that beautiful legacy forward, one book and one child at a time. ❤️📚

08/12/2026

A big thank you to Holmes County Commissioner Wade Ellenburg for supporting our local FFA students!

Following his Holmes County FFA Fundraiser last Saturday, Commissioner Ellenburg presented the Holmes County Education Foundation with over $4,000 to be distributed among the district’s four FFA chapters.

“FFA provides our students with opportunities to develop leadership skills, explore careers in agriculture, and become engaged members of their communities. We are grateful to Commissioner Ellenburg and everyone who supported this fundraiser for investing directly in our students and FFA programs,” said Carmen Bush, Vice President of the Holmes County Education Foundation.

We are thankful for community partners who continue to show up for Holmes County students!

Pictured: HDSB Superintendent Buddy Brown, HCEF Vice President and HDSB Deputy Superintendent Carmen Bush, and HCBOCC Wade Ellenburg

08/12/2026

Happy First Day of School! We can’t wait to see our students’ smiling faces this morning! It’s going to be a great year!

08/11/2026

Holmes District Schools will once again be using ParentSquare for our communication this year. With ParentSquare, you’ll receive all school and classroom messages in one place whether by email, text, app, or web. You'll be able to stay up to date on news and events and send and receive messages with teachers. All school, grade-level, classroom, and extra-curricular communications will now come through ParentSquare. If you registered your account last year, you should be ready for this school year with nothing else to do, unless your contact info has changed. If not, you should receive a text message or email invitation asking you to register your account. When you get the message, simply click the link in the message and register your account by creating a password. For more information on how to access your account and manage your notification settings, visit https://www.hdsb.org/parentsquare-resources.

08/10/2026

📚 BACK TO SCHOOL — WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12! 🍎

Holmes County, it’s hard to believe, but school is back in session this Wednesday, August 12!

Our School Resource Deputies (SRDs) will be at their respective schools, and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office will have additional personnel out on the roads and in school zones to help make the transition back to school as safe and smooth as possible.

🚨 PLEASE PLAN AHEAD!

The entrances to all our schools especially the Holmes County High school and K-8 are always congested during the first few days of school, and with the road construction currently taking place, we expect traffic to be even heavier.

We will have a strong law enforcement presence in these areas to help direct traffic, assist motorists, and keep everyone moving safely.

Please give yourself a little extra time, be patient, slow down in school zones, and most importantly, be respectful to one another.

Let’s work together to get our students, parents, teachers, and staff safely in and out of our schools and start this school year off right!

Also be on the lookout for the big yellow dog (school bus) as they travel the roads and make frequent stops!!

🍎 Welcome back, Holmes County students! We’re ready for a great school year!

— Sheriff John Tate
Holmes County Sheriff’s Office

08/07/2026

We are pleased to inform you that the Holmes District School Board will continue our participation in the Community Eligibility Provision for the implementation of the National School Lunch/School Breakfast Programs for the 2026-27 school year. Schools that participate in the CEP are able to provide healthy breakfasts and lunches each day at no charge for ALL students enrolled in that CEP school. All Holmes County Schools are participating schools.

Bethlehem High School
Bonifay K-8
Graduation Assistance Program
Holmes County High School
Ponce de Leon Elementary School
Ponce de Leon High School
Poplar Springs High School