Pasco County Schools’ annual Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice Expo events are back and will be hosted at two locations. The district’s two expo-style events will inform families about the upcoming school choice application window and highlight the many innovative programs available in Pasco County. 

Pasco Pathways Expo (night one) is on November 12, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Gulf High School, 5085 Madison Street, New Port Richey. 

Pasco Pathways Expo (night two) is on November 14 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Cypress Creek High School, 8701 Old Pasco Road, Wesley Chapel. 

The expos will feature informational sessions that cover the general application process for new student enrollment and school choice. In addition, many of Pasco County’s world-class schools will showcase their unique educational options like STEM and STEAM magnets, Cambridge Program, International Baccalaureate, Career Pathways and more. Attendees will also have the chance to learn about Wendell Krinn Technical High School, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, Angeline Academy of Innovation, Kirkland Ranch K-8, Skybrooke K-8, Early Childhood Programs (VPK), and more! 

The school choice application window will run from January 8 to January 21, 2025, for all schools and grade levels.

To see all the schools attending, register for a session, or access our frequently asked questions, parents should visit www.pasco.k12.fl.us/expo

Please join Pasco County Schools  in partnership with Brian Corley, Supervisor of Elections, in honoring our Pasco County Schools & community Veterans for our 10th annual Veterans Day Program.

This year there will be an in-person event on November 8, at 10:30 a.m., at the River Ridge Center for the Arts. The event will be recorded so that the recording may be shown on November 11.

For questions about this event, contact Tina Stavrou-Klem at (813) 794-2247.

We are thrilled to announce that AmSkills, a dedicated supporter of our Advanced Manufacturing Programs at Anclote High School, is hosting a Community Block Party on December 14, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. This exciting event is open to the public and will feature a variety of family-friendly activities, including robotic dog demonstrations, laser cutting, tours of the training center, 3-D printing, and career exploration opportunities. 

Join us at 4606 Darlington Road, Holiday, FL. 34690 for a day of fun and learning. For more information, contact AmSkills at 727-301-1282 or visit www.AmSkills.org. 

We look forward to seeing you there!

Pasco County Schools would like to thank the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for supporting Fox Hollow Elementary and Chasco Elementary. The Buccaneers Spirit Team visited Fox Hollow and Chasco Elementary schools in October and provided the students and staff with pep-rallies that celebrated their school grade accomplishments. Every Friday prior to a Buccaneers home game, our students and staff support the team by wearing Bucs gear through our Raise the Flags initiative. GO BUCS!

On Saturday, November 9, from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m,, at Rodney B. Cox Elementary School in Dade City, Pasco Schools, alongside our partners Premier Community Healthcare and the Hernando Hispanic Heritage Network, will host a Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration to honor the amazing contributions that the Hispanic and Latino communities have made in our world. Please join us for an afternoon filled with fun, learning, food, vendors and community resources. For more information, or to become a vendor or sponsor of this event, please contact our Community Engagement Specialist, Matthew Testoni at mtestoni@pasco.k12.fl.us.

We are excited to celebrate Family Engagement Month in November, recognizing the important role families play in supporting student success. This month, we encourage all families to join in our activities to strengthen connections and foster learning at home and at school. You can find the lineup of events by visiting our Family Engagement Month calendar. Let’s make this month a time for building relationships, supporting one another, and celebrating the strength of our school community. We look forward to working with you and your family.

We’re excited to share that our Gifted Parent Night has been rescheduled! If you have RSVP'd you will receive the meeting link via email the day before the event. If you haven't, there is still time!  
 
Whether you’re a seasoned parent of a gifted student or just curious about how we support these bright young minds, this event is for you! 
 
Event Details: 

• Date: Monday, November 18, 2024 
• Time: 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. 

During this interactive session, we’ll cover: 

• Strategies for nurturing your child’s talents 
• Insights into our gifted education programs 
• Tips for fostering a positive learning environment at home 

Join us as we empower parents and celebrate the brilliance of our gifted students. RSVP here to receive the meeting link.

PHSC will be hosting virtual sessions around general information regarding dual enrollment on the below dates. Each of these events will be through zoom beginning at 5:30 p.m.

• Wednesday, November 13 
• Wednesday, December 11 

Students and families can register by going to the link below: 

https://phsc.edu/about/events/campus/virtual-dual-enrollment-information-sessions 

Effective July 1, 2024, the New Worlds Scholarship Accounts Program expanded eligibility to include VPK students as well as public school students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 5 who 

• have a substantial deficiency in either reading or mathematics; 
• exhibit characteristics of dyslexia or dyscalculia; 
• scored below a Level 3 on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts (ELA) or Mathematics assessment in the prior school year; or 
• for VPK students enrolled in public school or private school programs, exhibit a substantial deficiency in early literacy skills based on the most recent progress monitoring results. 

What is the amount of a New Worlds Scholarship Account? 

For the 2024-2025 school year, the amount of the scholarship is $1200 per eligible student. 

How do I apply for a New Worlds Scholarship Account? 

To apply for funding, a parent must submit an application to an eligible scholarship funding organization directly. 

For the 2024-25 school year, Step Up For Students will be the only Scholarship Funding Organization administering this scholarship program.

Pasco County Schools is engaging in a K-12 science adoption process for instructional materials to be implemented in the 2025 - 2026 school year. At this time we are narrowing resources to move forward for school and parent review in order to make a final recommendation to the School Board for the resource selected for each course. To find out which courses are being reviewed, and for additional details, visit https://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/oll_documents/current-adoption. There will be opportunities for parents to provide feedback and engage in meetings related to the narrowed resources. Stay tuned to the upcoming Pasco Posts and the district website for updated information.

The most important step in parent engagement is assisting and advocating for your student. That starts with becoming familiar with the available resources regarding curriculum, testing, extracurricular activities, preparing for the next level, and more. Helpful tips are available for elementary, middle, and high school.

Become familiar with myStudent Parent Portal to monitor your student’s academic progress and attendance. Take a look at our Get Involved page to find out more!

Our next generation of successful scientists and engineers need you! We are seeking judges for our 2024 - 2025 Pasco Science & Engineering Showcase being held at Angeline Academy of Innovation on February 8, 2025. We welcome anyone with a passion for science, technology, math and engineering related fields. Volunteering to judge at the Pasco Science & Engineering Showcase is a rewarding and uplifting experience that is actually best realized when a student researcher is presenting their project and realizes their judge both understands and cares about their research. By judging, you are providing encouragement and opportunities for our future scientists and engineers to grow and succeed. We need judges at every level (elementary through high school). If you are interested in volunteering as a judge, click here and create an account and register.

If you are the parent of a high school student and want support with any of the following topics, you will want to check out the Road to Graduation Infographic. 

• Volunteer Opportunities 
• Scholarships 
• Valedictorian and Salutatorian Recognition 
• Graduation Requirements 

Road to Graduation 

Road to Graduation (Spanish)

November is Career Awareness Month, and we are excited to announce the launch of Xello, Florida’s official K-12 career planning and work-based learning coordination provider. Xello is an engaging, interactive platform designed to help students create personalized plans for their future. 

What is Xello? Xello is a comprehensive career planning tool that empowers students to explore their interests, skills, and career options. It provides a modern, visually appealing, and age-appropriate experience that guides students through career matching assessments, goal setting, and academic planning. 

Benefits of Xello:

Personalized Profiles: Students can build profiles showcasing their interests and abilities. 

Career Exploration: Access to thousands of career profiles, labor market data, and postsecondary training opportunities. 

Goal Setting: Tools to set and track both short-term and long-term goals. 

Work Readiness: Resources to develop professional resumes, create portfolios, and apply for local work-based learning opportunities. 

Accessing Xello at Home: Students can easily access Xello from any device with an internet connection. Simply visit your myPascoConnect dashboard and log in by selecting the Xello app. 

 This allows students to continue their career exploration and planning from the comfort of home. 

We encourage all parents and families to support their students in using Xello to plan for a bright and successful future! 

For more information, please reach out to Jennifer Batchelor at jbatchel@pasco.k12.fl.us. 

As the Tampa Bay area recovers from the second most powerful recorded Atlantic Hurricane, we can review what’s necessary to reduce the negative impact of a devastating storm. The best time to prepare for a hurricane is before hurricane season begins on June 1. It is vital to understand your home's vulnerability to storm surge, flooding, and wind. This is also important to determine what actions you want to consider when a dangerous storm approaches.

Planning for a hurricane will improve the safety of your family and property.

Emergency Management Officials may issue orders to evacuate, depending on weather and traffic conditions. If a mandatory evacuation order is issued, by law, you must leave. You should only use roads identified as evacuation routes, even if they are heavily trafficked. Other routes may be closed, and you could be forced to turn around, losing valuable time.

You can start preparing for a dangerous storm by having a checklist of things to do prior to the beginning of the hurricane season. Find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation area by contacting your local government/emergency management office. Assemble supplies and equipment, such as flashlights, generators, and storm shutters, which may be needed during an emergency.

Plan your actions before an emergency arises. Develop a list of family or close friends. Decide how you will get in contact with each other, where you will go, and what you will do in an emergency. Decide in advance on two different meeting points in case your family or group gets split up. Your first meeting place may be made inaccessible by the storm, so it's important to have a backup meeting location. Keep a copy of this plan in your emergency supplies kit or another safe place where you can access it in the event of a disaster. There may be suitable storm shelters in your area that will provide safety in the event of a storm. Check that your gas tanks are full (in case the power goes out and pumps are not working).

Develop a list of immediate supplies for a hurricane evacuation kit and have it ready to go in your vehicle. Have a backpack, duffle bag or small suitcase with the essentials to help survive a few days away from home. Consider including the following items in your HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS KIT:

1. A change of clothes for a couple of days.
2. Copies of important documents like your insurance policies, the deed to your house, and any necessary identification cards for each person.
3. Waterproof, battery-powered or hand-crank-powered flashlights and radios (with replacement batteries). A radio will help you stay tuned into local weather advisories.
4. A supply of prescription medication along with medical records for each person.
5. Some cash – ATMs and credit card machines might not be working.
6. An extra set of keys for your house and car.
7. Extra chargers for your phone.
8. A copy of your evacuation plan.
9. Water, food and medications — at least a 10-day supply.

Document and inventory your home with photographs for a review of your insurance policies. Adequate proof may be helpful for validating coverage for your home and personal property.

AFTER:

When a hurricane hits, the trouble has only just begun. Picking up the fragments after devastating winds have passed, while staying safe at the same time, is a crucial, often overlooked piece of recovery after the hurricane. Be conscious of safety precautions to ensure that you and your family stay safe from a hurricane’s collateral damage. Following these steps can keep you, your family, and your friends safe after a hurricane:

1. Avoid Standing Water

Heavy rains often lead to flooding, and many storms have the potential to knock down powerlines, which can create electrical currents that pass through the ground and standing water. In the aftermath of a hurricane, you need to avoid downed powerlines and standing water at all costs — including driving, walking and wading through water.

2. Turn Off Gas Pipes

If you smell gas or suspect a leak, turn off your home’s main gas valve immediately. If you evacuate or suspect the power will go out during the storm and you don’t need to use any gas, it’s better to turn it off beforehand.

3. Beware of Carbon Monoxide

If you’re using a generator, it’s also a good idea to keep a carbon monoxide detector inside your home’s closest opening to the generator. If any carbon dioxide accidentally enters your home, it will detect these gases before they pose a threat.

4. Use Bottled Water

Since electricity runs the filtration system of the entire city’s drinking water and the pipes powering said water into your home, it’s not safe to drink, clean or cook with faucet water.

5. Avoid Hazardous Debris

Any debris caused by a hurricane could potentially be hazardous, so it’s best to avoid it at all costs. Debris can be fallen trees, roof tiles, windowpanes, and many other materials, which are often riddled with rusty nails, sharp edges or other things that can be hazardous for your health.

6. Don’t Return Home Until It’s Safe

Check your local news outlets to stay up to date with evacuation procedures and when it’s safe to return.

7. Do What You Need to Do to Keep Everyone Safe

If you stay in your home and it has sustained damage, such as a broken window or a leaking roof, you may need to repair it to your best ability to prevent further damage. If you need to buy supplies from the store or call a contractor to conduct repairs, be sure to keep your receipts, so you can turn them in with your hurricane home insurance claim .

Just remember, stay safe.

Safety and Security Department

Resources:

https://www.statefarm.com/simple-insights/residence/preparing-for-a-hurricane

https://www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane-plan

https://www.cdc.gov/hurricanes/safety/how-to-safely-stay-safe-after-a-hurricane-or-other-tropical-storm.html

https://emergency.fsu.edu/hazards/tropical-storms-hurricanes/tropical-storms-hurricanes-after

https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/index.shtml

https://www.abcactionnews.com/hurricane

https://www.commerce.gov/tags/national-hurricane-center

https://www.stateofflorida.com/articles/hurricane-preparedness-guide/

https://www.myfloridalegal.com/sites/default/files/2024hurricanepreparednessguide.pdf