Pasco Pirate Press
Principal Mrs. College, Assistant Principal Mrs. Ketterer
October 2021
Knowledge from College
Dear Pirate Families,
Our first quarter is flying by as we enter week 7 of the first 9 weeks. Hopefully, you have seen your child's progress report on his/her student portal and have had the opportunity to discuss your child's progress with his or her teacher. Report cards will be available to you in the portal on October 26. If you would like to schedule a phone conference or come in person to school for a conference, please be sure to reach out to your child's teacher through Dojo or email to set this up.
Dismissal timing has improved so much since our last newsletter! Here are few thank yous and reminders about dismissal:
- Thank you for always bringing your tag or identification so we can verify you as an approved pickup.
- Please keep crosswalks clear when pulling up in the car rider line. We identify these crosswalks as safe zones for students to walk on.
- Dismissal is from 2:50 - 3:15 pm. After 3:15 pm, all students come to the office for late pick up.
- There are new visitor signs outside of our school that show visitors the appropriate area to park. Thank you for using these areas and staying clear of our bus loading zones.
NOTIFICATION OF INSPECTION FOR ASBESTOS CONTAINING MATERIALS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final rule, 40 CFR Part 763, Asbestos Containing Material in schools, commonly referred to as AHERA. This rule requires all Local Education Agencies (LEA’s) to identify asbestos containing materials (ACM) in their school buildings and to take appropriate actions to control the release of asbestos fibers.
All inspections for Pasco Elementary School have been completed and a Management Plan describing the results of the inspection and the action plan to control any asbestos found during the inspection, where applicable, has been submitted to the governor for approval. A copy of this plan is located in the administrative office of this school and at the Pasco County Schools Maintenance & Facility Services Department and is available for review upon request.
Thank you for your partnership in education!
Donna College
Principal
Pasco Elementary School
Mark Your Calendar
- October 6th Early Release Day
- October 11 ESOL Parent Meeting 6 PM
- October 14 Picture Make-Up Day
- October 15th End of First Quarter
- October 18th No School Teacher Planning Day
- October 26th Report Cards (available through your Parent Portal)
- October 29 Character Parade (more specific information to be announced)
Citizen of the Month
Teach of the Year and SRP of the Year
Goodbyes Are Always Bittersweet
Mrs. Carmen is Retiring!
A message from Mrs. Carmen "I appreciate Pasco Elementary being so nice to me. It's been a long journey, but God gave me a sign. When Mrs. Green left, a part of me was lost. I really wanted to stay longer, but it just wasn't there for me anymore. But I appreciate you and those around me so very much. Pasco Elementary was my home. I met so many good teachers and staff. I made a lot of good friends. I felt happy and sad to make this decision, but it was time to say good bye. May God bless Pasco Elementary. Be strong Pirates be blessed."
Farewell Ms. Flowers Guidance Counselor
Hello,
This is a bittersweet moment for me but I am writing to inform you that October 13th will be my last day at Pasco Elementary. I have enjoyed my last 2 years here, learning your students and meeting you. I will miss their exuberance when they hold up their safety stop signs and say, “Stop. That’s not safe!” I will miss everything from the innocence but sassiness of the kindergartners and the pre-teen angst of the intermediate students. I will miss the waiting lines at car riders and the messiness of lunch duty. I always wonder how I got to be a school counselor at an elementary school in Dade City but I’m glad I did. This community is special, has great legacies, and I am glad I was able to be a part of it for a small time.
With love,
Ms. Flowers
Farewell Ms. Baker Social Worker
Student Flu Vaccine
Free COVID Testing for Students Exhibiting Symptoms
Parent/Guardian:
In our ongoing effort to help families with the COVID-19 pandemic, and our commitment to keeping healthy kids in school, we are partnering with Nomi Health to offer COVID-19 tests for students. It’s free, convenient, and results are readily available.
Starting on Tuesday, October 5, Rapid Antigen testing will be available at a drive-thru site at the District Office complex in Land O’Lakes. There are other Nomi sites tin Pasco County, however the site in Land O’Lakes is the only one offering the rapid tests, which will provide results within 30 minutes as opposed to other testing locations using PCR tests which provide results within 48 hours. The Land O’ Lakes testing site will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. This testing opportunity is available for students who exhibit symptoms, and appointments are required.
Here are the details:
WHAT: The drive-thru testing site will offer Rapid Antigen tests that involve a nasal swab.
WHO: The tests are being made available to students who exhibit COVID-like symptoms. For a list of these symptoms please see the Pasco County Student Screener. Tests will be administered by health care professionals from Nomi Health.
HOW: Appointments are required. Visit the Nomi Health web page to secure an appointment. (In the Refine Location Search box please enter the following zip code: 34638. Then select the location in Land O’Lakes, not the location in Port Richey.) Since testing is performed via drive-thru, parents and students are to remain in the vehicle. Individuals being tested may leave immediately after being swabbed. Results will be sent via text and/or email, approximately 30 minutes after testing, based on information provided when registering.
WHEN: Starting on Tuesday, October 5. The site will be open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (On the first day only, the hours are noon to 6 p.m.)
WHERE: The District Office complex in Land O’Lakes at 7205 Land O'Lakes Blvd Land O'Lakes. (See map below.) Follow green road signs for “COVID TESTING SITE”Map to testing Site
Additional Information:
- Free of charge – when registering, insurance information DOES NOT need to be provided. You only need to provide the information where the red asterisk indicates a “required field.”
- You are responsible for sharing the test results with your school, so arrangements can be made for continuous instruction in the event of a positive result, or for your student’s return to school in the event of a negative result.
- For more information on Nomi Health visit www.nomihealth.com
Principal Fundraiser School Shirt Sale
Classroom Celebrations
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage
Mrs. Ojeda, ESOL
A native of Caracas, Venezuela, Mrs. Ojeda has been a teacher in Pasco County for the past 15 years. Mrs. Ojeda and her husband, Carlos, moved to the United States, searching for a better future for both their daughters more than two decades ago. Because they were an ESOL family in Pasco County, Mrs. Ojeda is passionate about ESOL education, students, and parents. She has been serving the ELL population in Pasco County since 2006.
Mrs. Ojeda enjoys reading, learning about new topics, and relaxing at the beach on her days off. You can contact Mrs. Ojeda or the ESOL department anytime at lojeda@pasco.k12.fl.us.
Ms. Acevedo, PK Teacher
Benita Valle Carrasco
Mrs. Tapia
Victoria, Rosa, and Bertha
Nelly Yvette Matos-Martinez
Rosa Garcia
Wendy Mejia
Hello, everyone!
My name is Wendy Mejia and I'm the ESOL Instructional Coach. I was born in New York to Dominican parents. At one point, my parents decided that they wanted to go back and so I had the opportunity to live in the Dominican Republic for 9 years. I actually went to middle and high school in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, which I loved.
After graduating high school, I went to college in Massachusetts and eventually made my way down to Florida. In my spare time I like reading and traveling. I've also lived in many places - four states and five different countries - and visited even more. I love going to new places, meeting new people, and learning about new cultures and languages!
Mrs. Torres
My name is Mayra Torres. I teach 5th grade at Pasco Elementary School. I am of Hispanic descent; Mexican. I was born and raised in the United States. My parents are both from Mexico and came over when they were younger; My mother was 8 years old and my father was 17 years old when they came to the United States.
Musical Notes by Mrs. Ferguson
My name is Mrs. Ferguson and I am the Elementary Music Specialist for Pasco Elementary. I have the privilege of teaching every student in our school while sharing my love for music. For the last few weeks, grades K-2 have been learning about the importance of steady beat, meter, and rhythm and how these are tied in with math and patterns. Grades 3-5 are learning about the different instrument families of the orchestra, how each instrument creates sound vibrations that we can hear, and how this relates to science.
This past week, all K-5 students had the opportunity to explore and play different instruments of the percussion family. Percussion instruments can be put into three categories: hit, shake, or scrape. The students were divided into small groups and rotated through the different centers to play as many instruments as possible during the entire class period. The students also practiced using their listening skills while demonstrating procedures for taking care of and playing the instruments. While classes were noisier than usual, the excitement from our Pirate musicians was definitely worth it!
Be A Part Of PTO
PTO Events
PTO Spirit Gear and Birthday Grams
PTO Events
FSA Test Scores
Each year the state provides individual score reports for students who receive a score for any FSA, NGSSS, or FCAT test. The Spring 2021 score reports are now available in the parent portal. To access the reports, log in to the parent portal, select the “portal” tab on the right, then scroll to your student and select the “reports” tab.
For assistance understanding your child’s score report, please visit the following Florida Department of Education web page: Understanding Florida Statewide Assessment Reports 2020-2021
Stop Bullying
It can also be a violation of criminal law. The district will not tolerate unlawful bullying and harassment, including sex-based harassment, in schools or school campuses, school sponsored buses, school-related or school-sponsored events, or through the use of technology or any electronic communication. The physical location or time of access of a computer-related incident cannot be raised as a defense in any disciplinary action initiated pursuant to this policy. You may complete this form to file a bullying report. It will assist us in investigating your concern if you provide your contact information, but including it is optional. You may submit this form anonymously or choose to hide your contact information. Please be aware that if you do not share a phone number and/or email address, we cannot contact you with questions or follow-up information.
Who do I call
- Front Office 352-524-5200
- Place Program 352-524-5290
- District Office 352-524-2000
- Transportation 352-524-0560
- Community Resources 211
- Experiencing a Crisis text “CONNECT” to 741741