Bethune Academy

Special Announcement: Early Bird Special June1st -30th in store only!

✨ Final Day of Leadership Academy 2026 ✨📚

What an incredible two days of learning, collaboration, and professional growth at Leadership Academy 2026!

I was honored to attend alongside our new Assistant Principal, Mrs. Crosthwaite, as we engaged with educational leaders from across Polk County, reflected on our leadership practices, and gained valuable insights to support our students, staff, and school community.

As we prepare for the 2026–2027 school year, we are excited to bring back new ideas, strengthen our leadership capacity, and continue building upon the great work happening at Bethune Academy.

Thank you to Polk County Public Schools for investing in leadership development and creating opportunities for leaders to learn, grow, and lead with purpose.

Every Step Counts as we continue our journey toward excellence! 💙💛



This post also subtly reinforces that you and Mrs. Crosthwaite are functioning as a leadership team and investing in professional learning together, which is a positive message for staff, families, and district leaders.

📚✨ Leadership Academy 2026 ✨📚

Day 1 of 2 days of learning, collaboration, and professional growth at Polk County Public Schools Leadership Academy!

Mrs. Crosthwaite and I are excited to invest in continuous learning as we prepare for the upcoming school year. Effective leadership begins with a commitment to growth, reflection, and a shared vision for student success.

Throughout the academy, we are engaging with fellow leaders, exploring best practices, strengthening our leadership capacity, and gathering ideas that will support our students, teachers, and school community throughout the 2026-2027 school year.

As we often remind our students and staff, learning never stops. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue growing as leaders so we can better serve the Bethune Academy community.

Here’s to a great year ahead filled with purpose, partnership, and possibilities!

📚✨ Please Help Us Welcome Mrs. Crosthwaite as Our New Assistant Principal! ✨📚

Today, we were excited to officially welcome Mrs. Crosthwaite as the new Assistant Principal of Bethune Academy!

Mrs. Crosthwaite joins us from Dundee Elementary, where she served as an Assistant Principal for the past five years. She brings a wealth of experience, a passion for student achievement, and a deep commitment to supporting teachers, students, families, and the community.

On her very first day with teachers, Mrs. Crosthwaite jumped right into the work, leading discussions during our Cambridge planning sessions, sharing her expertise, collaborating with teachers, and beginning to build relationships with our incredible Bethune family.

As our teachers worked together to refine interdisciplinary Cambridge units, they demonstrated the collaboration, innovation, and dedication that make Bethune Academy so special. This important work reflects our shared commitment to providing engaging, meaningful learning experiences for every student.

Mrs. Crosthwaite has already demonstrated her dedication, servant leadership, and willingness to support both students and staff, and we are excited for the impact she will make as part of Team Bethune.

💙❤️ Please join us in giving a warm Bethune Academy welcome to Mrs. Crosthwaite, our new Assistant Principal! ❤️💙

A Special Message of Appreciation 📣

Bethune Academy would like to extend our sincere gratitude to Assistant Principal Janet Aguilar as she transitions to her new role at Laurel Elementary School.

Over the past several years, Mrs. Aguilar has served our students, staff, families, and community with dedication and commitment. Her contributions have helped support the growth and success of Bethune Academy, and we are thankful for the time, effort, and care she has invested in our school.

While we will certainly miss her presence, we are excited for this next chapter in her leadership journey. We know she will continue to make a positive impact on the students and staff she serves.

Please join us in thanking Mrs. Aguilar for her service to Bethune Academy and wishing her continued success as she begins this new opportunity.

❤️ Thank you, Mrs. Aguilar, for your partnership and support.🌟 Once a Cadet, Always a Cadet.

❤️ Congratulations, Mrs. Bland! ❤️🎉

Today, we celebrate an incredible milestone and honor a remarkable educator whose impact will be felt for generations to come.

After 28 years of dedicated service to children, Mrs. Bland is beginning a well-earned retirement. Throughout her career, she has touched countless lives through her kindness, patience, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to students.

For nearly three decades, Mrs. Bland has helped shape young minds, inspire dreams, and create a lasting legacy of love and learning. While retirement marks the end of a chapter, the difference she has made in the lives of her students will continue for years to come.

As one of the messages shared today beautifully stated:

"A teacher never really retires, since their work lives on in the hearts of their students."

Mrs. Bland, thank you for your years of service, your dedication to children, and the countless memories you have created along the way. We are grateful for the lives you have touched and the legacy you leave behind.

Please join us in congratulating Mrs. Bland and wishing her happiness, good health, and many blessings as she begins this exciting new journey!

🌺 Happy Retirement, Mrs. Bland!❤️ Thank you for 28 years of making a difference.🌎 Once a Cadet, Always a Cadet.

❤️ Celebrating an Amazing 2025-2026 School Year! ❤️🎉

As we close the chapter on another incredible school year, our Bethune Academy faculty and staff took time to pause, reflect, and celebrate all that we have accomplished together.

This year was filled with challenges, growth, perseverance, and countless moments of success. From academic achievements and learning gains to special events, performances, celebrations, and the everyday moments that make a difference in the lives of children, our team remained committed to ensuring that every student had the opportunity to thrive.

We are incredibly proud of the dedication, sacrifices, and unwavering commitment demonstrated by our teachers, staff, and families throughout the year. The success of our students is a direct reflection of a community that believes in working together for a common purpose.

As we gathered to celebrate, we were reminded that while the work is important, so are the relationships, memories, and moments that bring us together as a school family.

To our parents, community partners, faculty, staff, and students—thank you for your trust, support, and partnership throughout this journey. Because of you, Bethune Academy continues to be a place where students are encouraged to grow, dream, and succeed.

Here’s to a year of accomplishments, cherished memories, and the many lives impacted along the way. We wish everyone a safe, restful, and well-deserved summer!

🌎 Every Step Counts.
❤️ Thank you, Bethune Academy Family!
🎓 We are proud of what we accomplished together.

Tuesday we celebrated our final PM3 celebration with our incredible 5th grade cadets who met their goals in all three testing areas — Math, ELA, and Science!

Our students have worked tirelessly throughout the year, showing perseverance, growth, and determination every step of the way. To celebrate their success, students enjoyed a special lunch of their choice — and Taco Bell was the winning pick! 🌮🎉

We are beyond proud of their accomplishments and the hard work they poured into reaching their goals. Congratulations, 5th Grade Cadets! Your dedication, resilience, and commitment to excellence continue to make the Bethune Academy family proud.

Every Step Counts… and your journey is just getting started! ❤️🖤