General Information
8:15 – 8:50 a.m. | Middle and Upper School arrival.
8:50 a.m. | Classes Begin
3:30 p.m. | School Dismissal
Absenteeism and Tardiness
Please direct all attendance notifications and questions to Kate Mesa at absences@tampaprep.org or 813-251-8481, ext. 4031.
Early Dismissals
- No student will be permitted to leave campus during the school day without prior notice from a parent to Ms. Mesa.
- Parents are asked to notify Ms. Mesa no later than 1:30pm that a student will be leaving school early (unless it is an emergency or if a doctor’s note is provided).
- Students leaving early must sign out at Ms. Mesa’s desk. Upon signing out, students will be given a pass to leave campus.
Tardies
- Parents are asked to notify Ms. Mesa of any late arrivals by the time classes begin at 8:50 am.
- All students who are late to school due to a doctor’s appointment must bring a note from the non-parent doctor indicating that he or she was at an appointment.
Absences
On the day that a student is absent, parents are asked to notify Ms. Mesa (absences@tampaprep.org or 813-251-8481, ext. 4031) by the time classes begin at 8:50 am.
Planned Absences
If a student knows of an upcoming absence they must complete a Planned Absence form and return it to Ms. Mesa at least one day prior to the absence. This form is also available at Ms. Mesa’s desk, and must be signed by the student’s parent, teachers and division director before being turned in.
The full Tampa Prep attendance policy can be found in the Guide for Academics and Student Life.
Lunch Options
- Students may always bring lunch from home. Microwaves are available for use in the Student Center.
- Lunch may also be purchased, for delivery, from the following approved vendors.
Schoolhouse Fare is our approved vendor that will deliver on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Fridays. You must set up an account with Schoolhouse Fare before ordering – Complete Instructions & Ordering Deadlines are Here. The password required for Tampa Prep orders is included in the emails that were sent to all parents on 8/14/23, 8/21/23 and 1/3/24. The password can also be found in the weekly Tampa Prep Newsletter.
Restaurant choices through Schoolhouse Fare include:
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- Chick-fil-A
- Dominos
- Doormet
- EVOS
- Gaston’s Culinary
- Jason’s Deli
- Jimmy John’s
- Moe’s
- Panda Express
- Subway
- Tropical Smoothie
PDQ Test Kitchen is our approved vendor that will deliver on Mondays & Thursdays.
You must set up an account with PDQ Test Kitchen before ordering (Click “Sign In” and then “Create Account”) – Complete Instructions & Ordering Deadlines are Here.
- Please note all ordering deadlines.
- Unfortunately, Tampa Prep has no control over the promptness of food delivery, if you choose to order lunch.
- Drinks are available to purchase for $1 from vending machines in the Student Center (Coke, Diet Coke, Pepsi, GatorAde, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew, etc) and we also have filtered water stations throughout campus, to refill water bottles.
- Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub and all other independent delivery services are NOT permitted on campus and will be turned away.
- All lunch deliveries will be received in, and distributed from, the Student Center. Tables will be designated by vendor, and food organized for pick-up by student name.
- Students are allowed to eat in the following areas: the Student Center; outside in the Heisel Garden; on the baseball bleachers; in the courtyard.
Lunch Times
- Middle School students eat from 11:50am – 12:30pm Upper School students eat from 12:50pm – 1:30pm NOTE: Some days have “special schedules” so lunch times may change.
Bus Services
Tampa Prep currently offers morning bus service from the Brandon, Tampa Palms, Carrollwood and Westchase areas based on interest. The cost for this service is $2250/year. Please know that our bus service is just that, a service. Should a family ever need to take advantage of our bus service for occasional purposes, students may hop on the bus and parents will be charged $25.00 per ride.
The central pick-up locations and times for each area are listed below.
To sign up for the Terrapin Bus Service, complete the form below. You must also print, sign and return the BUS SERVICE BEHAVIOR CONTRACT. Contact Wes Burns at 813.251.8481 or wburns@tampaprep.org with any questions.
Bus Stops
BRANDON
- Sears Automotive, Brandon Town Center Lumsden Rd
Bus arrives 7:35 a.m., departs for school 7:45 a.m.
TAMPA PALMS
- Publix at City Plaza at Tampa Palms
Bus arrives 7:25 a.m., departs for school 7:35 a.m.
CARROLLWOOD
- Chili’s, Dale Mabry and Fletcher Avenue
Bus arrives 7:55 a.m., departs for school 8:05 a.m.
WESTCHASE
- Publix parking lot, Countryway Blvd and Linebaugh Ave
Bus arrives 7:35 a.m., departs for school 7:45 a.m.
Extra Help for Students
Teachers stay their classrooms until 4:15 p.m. every day to be available to students for extra help, so we welcome and encourage kids to reach out. Additionally, peer tutors are available from the student Writing Center, if a student would prefer to get academic help from a peer. Tampa Prep also has two Academic Support Specialists, Sarah Johnson and Jen Greseth, available to all students by appointment. Learn more about Academic Support
