The Panther Press
April 2020
The IB Learner Profile
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme World School
Middle Years Programme Model
PVMS Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide a rigorous, world-class education which inspires students to become active, compassionate, and collaborative lifelong learners who understand and respect other people and their differences.
Pine View Middle School is Pasco County's First International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme World School
We are so excited to partner with you through this next phase in our journey!
Pasco is Feeding Students during COVID-19
Here is a helpful resource to receive FREE food from our school district during this time. All students in need qualify for this free resource.The District is just asking for each family to complete a meal request form before heading to the specified site, that way they have enough meals ready to hand out. Please see the link below for more information and to fill out a meal request form.
Distance Learning Resources- continuously updated
Please see the Pasco County School social media sites, COVID-19 section of the PVMS website and the Pasco County Schools website for the most up to date information regarding distance learning for Pasco County students.
Here are some more helpful links:
Pasco County Schools eLearning News for Pasco Parents: https://www.smore.com/wfg8d
Distance Learning Preview video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5o5BM4XjCc&feature=youtu.be
Distance Learning Support for Students with Disabilities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJV9PyLyLbs
Attendance Policy for Distance Learning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EwspdkxBNc&feature=youtu.be
Resources from the Commissioner of Education:
April 2, 2020 TO: Florida Parents FROM: Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran SUBJECT: Distance Learning Resources
Thank you for your patience, understanding and coordination during these last few weeks. Teachers and superintendents all over the state have done a remarkable job preparing distance learning plans and ensuring their students are still learning, even while they are not in the classroom. Yesterday, the Florida Department of Education recommended that all public and private K-12 school campuses extend campus closures through May 1, 2020. This recommendation follows President Donald J. Trump and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) extension of social distancing guidelines until April 30th. For more information about the Florida Department of Education, visit www.fldoe.org. We are located at:
The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has created a COVID-19 resource page, http://www.fldoe.org/em-response/resources-families.stml, to give educators, parents and students free resources offered by state and federal agencies, private companies, and non-profit organizations to help school districts, colleges, educators and families ensure continuity of learning during this time.
Planning and preparing is always important, and these pages are updated hourly to ensure each Florida student has the resources they need to succeed with distance learning. This resource page is part of a broader website, www.fldoe.com/em-response, which has best practices for distance learning, frequently asked questions regarding education in Florida and COVID-19, and translated resources in Spanish. The page also contains extensive information on free meals.
The health and safety of Florida’s students is our top priority, and the department will continue doing everything we can to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Florida’s schools. Please be sure to visit the COVID-19 Resource page on FLDOE’s website for the most up-to-date information and resources available.
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325 West Gaines Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399
COVID-19 Information
FAQs
Pasco County Schools has created a set of Frequently Asked Questions and posted them on our website to assist with answering questions for staff, students, and parents. You can access the FAQs at this link right below the video from Superintendent Browning.
Below the FAQs we have provided a button where parents or staff can submit questions or suggestions that are not covered in the FAQs. This marks our first use of the new Let’s Talk platform.
Free Internet Providers
Free Internet & Communications Providers
Chairman Pai Launches the Keep Americans Connected Pledge
AT&T has expanded eligibility for its low-cost internet program & new customers get 2 months of free service. In addition to SNAP recipients, the expansion covers households participating in the National School Lunch Program & Head Start. Learn more - https://m.att.com/shopmobile/internet/access/
Unlimited AT&T Home Internet
All AT&T consumer home internet wireline customers, as well as Fixed Wireless Internet, can use unlimited internet data. Additionally, we’ll continue to offer internet access for qualifying limited income households at $10 a month through our Access from AT&T program. We’ve expanded eligibility to Access from AT&T to households participating in the National School Lunch Program and Head Start. Additionally, we’re offering new Access from AT&T customers two months of free service.
Additionally, to help keep families connected during this uncertain time, AT&T is also funding 60 days of free access and unlimited usage of Caribu, a video-calling application that allows family members to read, draw, and play games with one another while in distant locations. The Caribu application, which integrates children's books, coloring activities, and games will be available to families across the country and around the world, free of cost, for the next two months.
Microsoft is offering a free 6-month Office 365 G1 Trial, including Microsoft Teams, is now available. Microsoft is making this special G1 Trial license available for the US government, in response to the increased need for employees to work from home due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Office 365 and Teams can help bridge the communication gap between educators, students, parents, and guardians by enabling virtual classes and access to assignments using at-home devices.
Additionally, Microsoft Teams can enhance, augment and compliment any existing emergency learning plans so that districts can spend less time on the “how” and more time on the students, families and educators impacted by this challenging situation. Please see other helpful resources for Microsoft Teams below:
- Making the transition to remote learning
- Supporting School Community Wellbeing During Remote Learning
- Getting started with Microsoft Teams for Remote Learning
- Microsoft blog to support customers, employees and the community
- Use Microsoft Translator to host a Multilingual Parent-Teacher Conference
- Shifting to distance learning: A 5-day guide for school leaders
Comcast is offering free Wi-Fi, postponing service cutoff for coronavirus crisis. A map of Xfinity WiFi hotspots is available at www.xfinity.com/wifi. For those with school-age students at home, Comcast created new educational collections for all grade levels in partnership with Common Sense Media. Customers say “education” into their X1 or Flex voice remote to use. Xfinity will not be charging late fees to for customers that are unable to pay their bill due to impact from COVID-19.
- Xfinity WiFi hotspots across the country will be available to anyone who needs them for free – including non-Xfinity Internet subscribers. View a map of available hotspots, here. Once at a hotspot, consumers should select the “xfinitywifi” network name in the list of available hotspots, and then launch a browser.
New customers will receive their first month of service free. Offer available through May 12, 2020. Remote customer service support at no charge between now and May 12, 2020. In-home modem included.
- $9.95 per month (plus taxes)
- 10 Mbps
- No term commitment
- No deposit
- No installation fee
Charter Communications, Spectrum’s parent company, announced Friday that beginning March 16, it will make its services available for free for 60 days to households with K–12 and/or college students who do not already have internet through the company. Optional in-home Wi-Fi service at $5/month.
- Free Internet modem
- High-speed Internet at 30 Mbps
- No data caps
- No contracts
- How Charter is Supporting Communities Through Coronavirus
Within the next 60 days, current customers will have unlimited smartphone data (excluding roaming), an additional 20GB of mobile hotspot / tethering service, and extra free data up to 5GB of data per month. Increasing the data allowance for free to schools and students using our EmpowerED digital learning programs to ensure each participant has access to at least 20GB of data per month.
Sprint made general announcements that for the next 60 days there will be no disconnects or late fees. Other deals available are:
- Complimentary international calling rates from the U.S. to countries defined by the CDC as Level 3
- Metered data plans receive unlimited data for 60 days and an additional 20GB of mobile hotspot data per month for 60 days
Verizon is not charging late fees and terminations of service until 5/13/20. All Activation and Upgrade Fees are being waived if they were purchased from My Verizon Online, Telesales, Customer Service, Chat, or Authorized Retailers. Free International Calling will be offered to countries identified by the CDC as Level 3.
Century Link has waived late fees and terminations of services to residential or small businesses for the next 60 days. All data usage limits are being suspended for consumer customers as well.
Reminders from the School Nurse, Mrs. Brazier- Medical Management Packets
TDAP
Current Year 1 students must have up-to-date vaccination records, unless religious exemption, including a Tdap shot.
Medical Management Packets
Planner advertisement/sponsorship
Apps parents should know about
Here's some very helpful information from the Sarasota Sheriff to keep your children safe online:
myLearning- Check Grades!
IB Learner Profile of the Month: Communicator
April- Communicator
As a PVMS Family, we focus on a different Learner Profile (a trait that we strive to display to become the best people possible) every month. For April, we are focusing on being Communicators. How appropriate is this IB Learner Profile as we go into teaching and learning in a new environment! We are Communicators when we express ideas and information confidently, often in more than one language. We work well with others. PVMS staff members are issuing PBIS Points to students who are displaying that they are Communicators. Teachers will also be choosing students for “Student of the Month” who are an example to others in exemplifying that they are Communicators. We encourage students to wear yellow on Fridays during April to represent our Learner Profile of the month.
You will see signs displaying the Learner Profiles throughout the school. The profiles are also posted above the white board in each classroom. Teachers have a second set of magnetic Learner Profiles that will make it easier to highlight which Profiles are relevant to the current classroom activity.
Day of Awesomeness Photos
Fortify Florida
A link to FortifyFL is available on all staff and student my Pasco Connect accounts. Pasco County Schools will soon be adding FortifyFL information to each school website and the Pasco County Schools website. FortifyFL information is also available to each student and family on the inside back cover of the 2019-2020 student planner.
Yearbooks are still available!
#IBCommunicator Weekly School Connect Message from Principal Warren
2019-2020 Athletics
- a 2.0 from the previous semester GPA (current Year 1 and 2 students' eligibility will be determined based upon 2nd semester of the 2018-2019 school year
All forms and information can be found on the PVMS webpage under the "Athletics" tab under "School Information".
Shout-outs for PVMS Staff!
"Never underestimate the power of a random compliment."
https://pvms.pasco.k12.fl.us/mform/view.php?id=76251
Here are some shout-outs from this past month:
I wanted to reach out and say THANK YOU to Mr. Moore for being so responsive and helpful in the on-line discussion for my daughter's Civics questions yesterday!
She was a little apprehensive about putting a question out for everyone to see and she didn't quite know if she'd get help, but having that first Q/A interaction be so positive and prompt is just what she (and I) needed!
Thank you so much! -Mrs. Schmelter
"I wanted to reach out to you to acknowledge Mrs. Amedy and Mrs. Poppert. They have both reached out to me to check on Kai and offer additional support.
I appreciate them and they deserve to be recognized." -Mrs. Coffaro
April is National Financial Literacy Month
April is National Financial Literacy Month which is a great opportunity to highlight the importance of financial literacy and teach our students how to establish and maintain healthy financial habits. To celebrate the month and encourage our students to be financially smart citizens in our communities, Pasco County Schools has several virtual events/challenges planned and resources to encourage Financial Literacy Fridays. This would be a great opportunity to share resources via an announcement or a zoom. Many of our parents and students are dealing with financial uncertainty during this health crisis, and may want to learn together.
Pasco County Schools, in partnership with USF Stavros Center, is excited to host a weekly Financial Literacy challenge . These events are designed to help parents/guardians, employees, community members and students with financial planning matters and getting more information for starting a financially successful future. Two 25 minutes webinars will also be provided on Wednesday April 15th and April 29th at 4:00 PM. These will be live lessons on how to embed these resources with students or even with your own children. Teachers who attend sessions will be able to earn professional development points.
Resources may be found here with further details for the weekly challenges. Please encourage students and staff to shower our Pasco Schools Social Media with their images.
Planner
PVMS Weatherstem
Year 1 Resource Sheet
Adventure Society
Adventure Society has three upcoming trips with spots still available! For more information, please see the webstie at Adventuresociety.weebly.com.
England, Ireland & Scotland 2020
Japan 2020
Italy, Greece & the Greek Isles 2021
Links are on the PVMS website under Students>Clubs>Adventure Society
Year 3 End of Year Activities
We have several promotional activities planned. Keep in mind given our current reality with COVID-19 that the situation is fluid and we are monitoring and following all guidelines from the state.
Friday, May 15, 2020: Year 3 Universal Studios’/Islands of Adventure’s Gradventure
Tuesday, May 26, 2020 from 9-10 a.m.: Year 3 Community Project Celebration
Tuesday, May 26, 2020 from 6-8 p.m. at LOLHS: Year 3 Dance
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 10 a.m. –12 p.m.: Year 3 Awards
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 12-2:40 p.m.: Year 3 Lunch/Field Day
On Friday, May 15th students are off to Orlando to celebrate the end of their middle school years with other Year 3 students from around the state at Universal Studios’/Islands of Adventure’s Gradventure.
On Tuesday, May 26th Year 3 students are invited to dress their best and dance the night away at Land O’ Lakes High School. Snacks, beverages and great memories are included. The theme and more information will be announced, as we get closer to the dance.
The last day of school, Wednesday, May 27th, starts off with an awards assembly for our Year 3 students. Parent invites will be sent home for those students being recognized in May. The awards assembly is then followed by lunch and Year 3 Field Day. Details will be announced as we get closer to this celebration.
Dress Code
Support our Supporters!
Weld-Rite Hitch Co.: Thank you for supporting the purchase of a new planner for every Panther!
Contact Us
Email: rcardina@pasco.k12.fl.us
Website: pvms.pasco.k12.fl.us
Location: 5334 Parkway Boulevard, Land O Lakes, FL, USA
Phone: 813-794-4800
Facebook: facebook.com/PineViewMiddleSchool
Twitter: @PineViewMiddle