February 2024 Family and Community Newsletter

Pasco County Schools is hosting the 4th annual Virtual College and Career Fair on February 28 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The purpose of this event is to ensure helpful information is shared with middle and high school families across the district as they plan for college entrance and/or careers after high school. Each session will have a live presentation accessible through our online event platform, Sched, with representatives from College, Career, and Armed Forces.

To register to attend, please visit the Virtual College & Career Fair Sched.

Preparing for College:

• ACT/SAT Support
• College Admissions Process
• Collegiate Athletics
• Financial Aid, Bright Futures, and Scholarships
• Naviance- College, Career & Life Readiness Resource
• Resources for Students with Disabilities
• International Universities

College:

• University of South Florida
• Florida Polytechnic
• Florida Gulf Coast University
• Pasco Hernando State College
• Florida A&M University
• University of Central Florida
• Grand Canyon University
• Saint Leo University
• Florida International University
• Rassmussen University
• University of Florida

Career:

• Cross Air Ocean Flight School
• Advent Health
• Human Resources and Educator Quality, Pasco County Schools
• Marchman Technical College
• Pasco County Sheriff's Office

Armed Forces:

• United States Coast Guard
• United States Air Force

For answers to frequently asked questions, view our FAQ.

For additional support, contact CollegeCareerFair@pasco.k12.fl.us. 

In February, we celebrate Black History Month. Teaching children about the historical accomplishments and struggles of African Americans benefits everyone by connecting our students with a rich history and allowing them to hear about individuals and events that forged our nation.

This month will provide opportunities to honor African American pioneers and landmark events in black history, while engaging students in activities, texts and conversations that develop compassion and a better understanding of cultural diversity.

In Pasco County Schools this instruction is important and prioritized throughout the year, but especially throughout the month of February! All students will engage in grade appropriate lessons and activities focused on ensuring each of our students learn about the achievements and powerful contributions of so many incredible people in our Nation and World.  

As our partner the Florida Prepaid College Plan Board celebrates 35 years of helping Florida families save affordably for college, they have lowered Prepaid Plan monthly prices by up to 25 percent during the Prepaid Plan Open Enrollment period from February 1 - April 30, 2024.

The reductions will bring Prepaid Plan prices to their lowest level in 10 years, starting at just $34 per month for a 1-Year University Plan for a newborn. The monthly cost of a four-year university plan for a newborn is down to $134 – that’s a monthly savings of about $50 compared to last year.

Our Prepaid Plans are made to fit growing families:

• Risk-free: Your investment is protected by the State of Florida.
• Flexible: Use in-state or out, at public or private colleges and universities, trade, and technical schools.
• Worry-free: Cancel any time for a full refund or transfer to another family member.

To learn more, visit the Florida Prepaid website.

We are excited to offer a District-wide SAT ACT EOC Prep Day for students. This event will take place at multiple host-site high schools across the county on February 24, 2024, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Host locations include:

• District Office, Building 2
• Hudson High School
• River Ridge High School
• Anclote High School
• Pasco High School

The sessions will take place face-to-face and will be supported by teacher leaders. The teacher leaders will offer sessions that include content to better prepare students for content and skills related to upcoming assessments. This event is to offer high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to participate in a one-day event that will hone their skills to support meeting the full option graduate and college entrance requirements.

There will be two different boot camps for each content area to support students on the SAT, ACT, and FAST. All boot camps will cover test format, topics, and test-taking strategies. Students can choose the boot camps that best support their goals and schedule.

Please see the Sched to register and preview the session offerings at each site.

In the months of January and February, we invite stakeholders to participate in the review of textbooks that are being considered for adoption for a number of social studies courses.  Digital access to resources is provided for families and community members who would like to review the options. Please access the textbook adoption website  for resource access and information on how to submit your input for consideration. We also, invite you to attend the Social Studies Vendor Night on February 1st from 5-7:30 p.m. To RSVP to attend, register online. 

Please continue encouraging your children to read with you and on their own! And don't forget to have them log their minutes in Beanstack!   

Read Across the County Everyday 

Is your child participating in the district-wide reading challenge, R.A.C.E. to Read Pasco!?  Visit the website to track our progress!   

https://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/events/page/race-to-read 

To enter the contest, please draw or paint an image representing: 

Imagine going to a school underwater - what would your day be like?

The only limitation is your imagination!  The contest runs until February 18, 2024.  Winning students will receive a $500 gift card AND a $500 check for their school!  

Want to participate? Pasco County Schools' substitute vendor partner, ESS, is sponsoring their second annual art contest. It is open to all students within the community. Login to ArtContest.ESS.com for content details and art submissions. Good luck! 

ESS places qualified staff in daily, long-term, and permanent K-12 school district positions including substitute teachers, school aides, and other school support staff. Interested in applying? Follow the link below.  

https://Ess.com/Pasco 

The FAFSA helps students pay for college through federally funded grants and loans. All families should complete this free application to see the types of aid for which they may qualify. The 2024-25 FAFSA offers potential funding for Fall 2024, Spring 2025, and Summer 2025. If a student will be starting college coursework in the summer, they should ALSO fill out the 2023-24 FAFSA to cover the Summer 2024 semester.

Applications are available at FAFSA.gov and are currently available. The student and one parent will first create their FSA IDs and then they will be directed to the FAFSA form. FAFSA offers a robust Help Center with frequently asked questions, online chat, and a toll-free number to speak with FAFSA representatives (1-800-433-3243).

All of this is available at the FAFSA.gov website. In addition, the FAFSA YouTube channel includes many how-to videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/FederalStudentAid 

Please reach out to your Career Specialist at your school if you have any questions. 

If you are seeing some new faces around your PLACE programs, it's because we now have teachers coming into our programs daily to assist with homework help and tutoring. Thank you Pasco teachers for supporting our students in our before and after school programs! 

This is just a reminder that Monday, February 19th is President's Day. Our 12-month programs will be open for a full day, but our 10-month programs will be closed. If you attend a 10-month program, and need child care, you will need to find alternative care for this day. 

Each year Florida celebrates the children of our communities through a beautiful display of artwork called the “Celebration of Hands” These sweet works of art hang in the Florida State Capitol building to remind legislators and visitors that our children’s future rests in their hands. This year our programs will be participating in this display. For more information, or to see photos of the display, please visit https://childrensweek.org/events/celebration-of-the-hands-2024/. 

Here are the graduation dates, times, and locations for the 2023/2024 school year.

February is American Heart Month. The annual celebration began in 1963 to encourage Americans to join the battle against heart disease, which is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. Many celebrate American Hearth Month by helping to raise awareness in their communities about heart disease. It’s also a great time to commit to a healthy lifestyle and make small changes that can lead to a lifetime of heart health. Spread the word about strategies for preventing heart disease and living heart healthy lives. Don’t forget National Wear Red Day on February 3, 2023! 

February is National Children's Dental Health Month. Each February, the American Dental Association (ADA) sponsors National Children's Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of oral health. Attitudes and habits established at an early age are critical in maintaining good oral health throughout life. Resources from the ADA include free promotional materials, such as flyers, posters and activity sheets for kids available in English and Spanish that can be downloaded or ordered.   

Plan ahead!  Please join us from 5 - 7 pm on March 13 to meet with leaders from schools throughout the county about their instructional (teaching) roles! Our school leaders are looking for dynamic educators to join their teams for the 2024-25 school year, please register for the event online! 

Did you know you are eligible to teach with just a Bachelor's degree? Inquire with one of our recruiters below for more information! 

• Kaley Aguilera, Elementary Schools- kaguiler@pasco.k12.fl.us 
• Kelly Smith, Middle & High Schools- kelsmith@pasco.k12.fl.us 
• Sabrena Torregiante, Non-Instructional Staff/District Departments- storregi@pasco.k12.fl.us 
• George Papaemanuel, Recruitment Manager- gpapaema@pasco.k12.fl.us 

Gulf High School is located at 5355 School Road, New Port Richey, FL 34652

The Pasco County School District believes that our school safety drills are an integral part of creating a secure learning environment. Regular practice of these drills allows students and staff to be prepared for emergency situations, reducing panic, and ensuring a more efficient response. There are three main types of school safety drills: fire, active threat, and severe weather. Each of these drills serves a specific purpose in preparing students and staff for different types of emergency situations, thus contributing to an overall safer school experience. It should also be known that in addition to these drills schools are also conducting missing and endangered student drills, medical emergency drills and mass evacuation drills for large scale events.

Fire drills, also known as Emergency Egress Drills, must adhere to the Florida Prevention Code and must be conducted regularly throughout the school year. The focus on fire drills is to practice building evacuation procedures, ensuring that students and staff are aware of the quickest and safest routes to exit the building in case of a fire.

Active Threat drills are required to be conducted by Florida Statute and must be conducted regularly during the school year. The primary purpose of these drills is to teach our staff and students the various response protocols if a threat was to appear on campus. Two of the most important things taught to our students and staff are to either stay in place and barricade in a classroom or office or flee to safety off school property.

Severe weather drills prepare our students and staff on the appropriate response protocols in the event of severe weather emergencies, such as tornados. Students and staff are trained to relocate to a safe interior location and duck and cover.

Each type of drill plays a crucial role in maintaining school safety, and by regularly practicing these drills, schools can foster a sense of preparedness and security among students and staff. A key aspect of our drills, specifically our threat-related drills, is that they are designed to be age appropriate, so they do not invoke fear, requiring multiple versions for the target audience. Each drill also requires an after-action report where feedback is recorded to enhance the effectiveness of the drills and make needed improvements. Our goal is to ensure that everyone is well-prepared and knowledgeable in the event of a real emergency.