http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/ en rmaclema@pasco.k12.fl.us Copyright 2013 2013-06-11T12:06:50+00:00 http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/you_are_on_our_mind http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/you_are_on_our_mind#When:20:17:23Z This school year our MIND (Media Information Network for the District) has undergone an update to better serve all of our patrons.  (Updated 11.12.12) http://mind.pasco.k12.fl.us Some of the changes you will find are: • The MIND page has been reformatted to read more efficiently on mobile devices • The link on the MIND page: Go Mobile, displays well on a mobile device • There is a new link to the schools collections for Elementary and Secondary • There is a new link to the schools Follett BookShelf eBook collections for Elementary and Secondary • There is a new link for all eBooks available in the county. • Resource Tutorials has been updated to provide podcasts of our MIND publishers.  How-To videos. eBooks that have been purchased by a school will need to use the school unique user id to access the books. This includes: Infobase, ABC/Clio, Capstone, and Tumblebooks.  See your Media Technology Team for access information. Follett BookShelf at schools access information: (not all schools have purchased Follett eBooks) • Students use their moodle user id and password • Employees use their grouper id, the password is “pasco” the first time you log in.  You can change your password once you log into your personal account. • Patrons can put books in their digital backpack, put books on hold and download books to personal devices. Follett BookShelf for the District collection is on the bottom of both the Elementary and Secondary shelf list.  You will find fiction and professional development titles. • Students and Employees use the same log in information as they do for a school account.  (See directions above) There are a number of sources for free ebooks online.  As we get requests for books that are in public Domain and no longer under copyright we will post the URL for the eBook in the descriptive record for that book.   If you have suggestions please contact Media Automation cgargano@pasco.k12.fl.us. Our Digital Professional Collection is available on hand-held devices for District Staff and Administrators! These devices are available through Media Resources.  Please stop by IMT Services to check out a device. We currently have book titles on the iPod Touch, iPad, Nook, and Nook Color. These devices each contain a collection of eBooks and audiobooks. http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/media/dpc/   Connecting to our MIND and Other Resources – This Connect site developed by Karen Michalak has added resources for our online textbooks.  There are links to help students and teachers get started using these online resources.  Tutorials from publishers are being added for each grade level and publisher.  http://connect.pasco.k12.fl.us/kmichala/ Pasco County Instructional Materials Support is a new web site that will provide information about Instructional Material Adoptions past and future.  http://connect.pasco.k12.fl.us/textbooks/ Media/Technology, 2012-11-13T20:17:23+00:00 http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/pasco_schools_to_offer_summer_meal_programs http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/pasco_schools_to_offer_summer_meal_programs#When:12:06:50Z Land O’ Lakes, FL – (June 10, 2013) – The District School Board of Pasco County will be participating in the Summer Food Service Program for children during the months of June, July, and August at more than 50 school sites, community sites, and mobile feeding sites. With summer approaching, students will have the opportunity to obtain nutritionally-balanced meals.  Meals will be provided free to all children regardless of race, color, sex, disability, age or national origin during summer vacation at open sites, open-restricted sites, and closed enrolled sites.  An open site is for all children 18 years old and younger.  An open restricted site is open on a first-come-first-serve basis for all children 18 years old and younger, but the site sponsor may restrict or limit attendance.  A closed enrolled site is restricted and only available for the students enrolled in the sponsor’s program. Nutritionally-balanced meals will be provided to all children regardless of race, color, sex, disability, age or national origin during summer vacation when school breakfasts and lunches are not available.  All children 18 years old and younger are eligible for meals at no charge at open sites, and there will be no discrimination in the course of the meal service.  The programs are only approved for geographical areas of need where 50 percent or more of the children qualify for free and reduced-price meals during the school year. In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability.  Summer feeding sites that are located at schools provide meals to all children in the immediate vicinity in addition to those enrolled in summer school. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call toll free (866) 632-9992 (Voice).  Individuals who are hearing impaired or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish).  USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Click here to view the schedule and list of sites that will be participating in the Summer Food Service Program. ### Linda E. Cobbe Director, Communications & Government Relations District School Board of Pasco County 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Bldg. 8 Land O’ Lakes, FL 34638 813.794.2717   fax 813.794.2716 Site, 2013-06-11T12:06:50+00:00 http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/gulfside_summer_lunch_bus_feeds_the_body_and_mind http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/gulfside_summer_lunch_bus_feeds_the_body_and_mind#When:18:20:23Z Lake O’ Lakes, FL – (June 10, 2013) – The Gulfside Elementary School Lunch Bus will be adding a mobile library to put books in the hands of needy children this summer while also putting food in their bellies. For the last two years, Gulfside has offered the summer feeding program at the school for children age 18 and under. The first summer, staff noticed that too few kids were stopping by for the meals and realized that getting to the school was the problem. In an effort to feed more children, Gulfside and the district’s Food and Nutrition staff created the summer Lunch Bus. The summer Lunch Bus will serve meals from Wednesday, June 12 through Friday, August 2, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the following stops: Stop #1 3528 Atlantis Dr. Holiday Lakes Estates (near the Holiday Lakes Civic Center) 11 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Stop #2 Westin Oaks Apartments (by the pool) 1251 Weston Oaks Dr., Holiday (Alternate 19) 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In addition to offering the Lunch Bus, Gulfside Elementary will serve free breakfast at the school each day at 9 a.m. and free lunch at 12:30 p.m.  Gulfside is located at 2329 Anclote Blvd., Holiday.  For more information contact Gulfside Elementary School principal Chris Clayton at 727-774-6000. ### Linda E. Cobbe Director, Communications & Government Relations District School Board of Pasco County 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Bldg. 8 Land O’ Lakes, FL 34638 813.794.2717   fax 813.794.2716 Site, 2013-06-10T18:20:23+00:00 http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/pasco_fcat_2.0_and_eoc_highlights http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/pasco_fcat_2.0_and_eoc_highlights#When:16:49:21Z Land O’ Lakes, FL – (June 7, 2013) – District School Board of Pasco County students outperformed the state on Biology, Geometry, and U.S. History end-of-course exams while matching the state passing percentage in Algebra. Click here to view the Spring 2013 State Testing Results Media Packet Students showed improvements in the percent performing at or above achievement level 3 (satisfactory) on all but 4th and 7th grade reading and 5th grade FCAT 2.0 science. Overall, fewer students scored at level one on elementary and middle school math, reading, and science, and more students scored at high proficiency levels (level 4 and 5) in science and reading.          Eleven of 14 high schools (79 percent) showed improvement on 10th grade FCAT 2.0 Reading, and nine showed improvement or held steady in 9th grade.  Sixty-five percent of schools increased 4th grade reading proficiency percentages, and 61 percent of schools increased fifth grade reading proficiency percentages. Fifth graders showed the most improvement on FCAT 2.0 Math, improving by three percentage points, followed by sixth grade with an overall two percentage point increase.  Fourth, seventh, and eighth graders increased proficiency by one percentage point each. District eighth graders outperformed the state by one percentage point on the FCAT 2.0 Science exam.         Overall scores on Biology and History end-of-course exams exceeded the state by two percentage points.  The district outperformed the state on Geometry end-of-course exams by one percentage point and matched the state on the Algebra EOC.  “We have many things to celebrate, especially the EOC scores, but I remain concerned about flat elementary reading and math scores and our fifth grade science scores,” said Superintendent Kurt Browning. A comprehensive summary of school details and highlights, including charts and graphs, will be sent out later this afternoon. ### Linda E. Cobbe Director, Communications & Government Relations District School Board of Pasco County 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Bldg. 8 Land O’ Lakes, FL 34638 813.794.2717   fax 813.794.2716 Site, 2013-06-07T16:49:21+00:00 http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/together_we_stand_pasco_youth_and_community_summit http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/together_we_stand_pasco_youth_and_community_summit#When:16:42:16Z Land O’ Lakes, FL – (May 31, 2013) – The District School Board of Pasco County is coordinating a community summit on Thursday, June 27, at Wesley Chapel Center for the Arts, bringing together high school students, parents, educators, and community leaders to address problems facing youth. The summit will involve strategic planning, networking, and information sharing to build resilience and reduce youth violence, including bullying.  High school students, parents, educators, local government agencies, and faith-based and community leaders will gather to address these issues with the goal of making Pasco County a place where students exist in a non-hostile environment and accept each other’s differences. Schedule 9:00 – 10:00 AM                     Welcome and keynote by Dr. Roy Kaplan 10:00-12:00 PM                      Breakout groups work together 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM               Lunch on-site 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM                 Breakout groups work together, strategic planning 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM                 Leadership panel, closing remarks by Dr. Kaplan Individuals or groups interested in participating can register at the following link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Z6KJL7K.  The registration deadline is June 20, and space is limited. For more information contact the district’s Office for Student Support Programs and Services at 813-794-2362.  The Wesley Chapel Center for the Arts is located at 30651 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel. ### Linda E. Cobbe Director, Communications & Government Relations District School Board of Pasco County 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Bldg. 8 Land O’ Lakes, FL 34638 813.794.2717   fax 813.794.2716 Site, 2013-05-31T16:42:16+00:00 http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/district_winners_for_2012_2013_pride_awards http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/district_winners_for_2012_2013_pride_awards#When:19:32:39Z We are proud to announce the District winners for the 2012 – 2013 PRIDE (Program to Recognize Initiative and Distinction in Education) Awards.  These  high school seniors were recognized as academically high achieving students for the designated content areas. The PRIDE winners for Math, Science, Social Studies, Writing, World Languages, Verbal Arts, and Performing Arts are: Math: Colin Defant – LOLHS Science: Paige DePagter – JWMHS Social Studies: Katrina Enoch – GHS Writing: Samuel Henninger – WCHS World Languages: Dylan Waddle – SLHS Visual Arts: Abigail Cole – WRHS Performing Arts: Tyler Wilton – HHS Plaques have been ordered for these students and will be delivered to their schools.   Site, 2013-05-29T19:32:39+00:00 http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/pasco_schools_increase_fcat_proficiency http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/pasco_schools_increase_fcat_proficiency#When:20:26:18Z Land O’ Lakes, FL – (May 24, 2013) – Pasco County students increased proficiency on the 2013 FCAT 2.0 Writing, Grade 3 Reading and Grade 3 Math. Some subgroups showed significant improvement. “I want to thank all of our teachers, school administrators, and district and school staff who worked all year to help our students achieve these results,” said Superintendent Kurt Browning. Writing Writing scores improved across the board, yet there is more work to do because the percentage of students scoring proficient in 4th and 8th grade fell below the percentage statewide. The percentage of tenth graders achieving proficient scores exceeded the state percentage. Some subgroups made significant improvements over last year’s scores: Hispanic 4th graders – percent proficient increased 12 percentage points African American 4th graders – percent proficient increased 9 percentage points Hispanic 10th graders – percent proficient increased 9 percentage points 8th grade English Language Learners – increased proficiency 13 percentage points Overall, the percentage of district 4th graders scoring a 3.5 improved by 12 percentage points from last year compared to the statewide increase of 9 percentage points. District 4th graders scoring at 4 or above improved 11 percentage points while the state improved 10 percentage points. District 10th grade scoring 3.5 improved by 6 percentage points (statewide = 2% increase). The percentage of district 10th graders scoring level 4 or higher increased 7 points (state = 2% increase). Overall, 88 percent of elementary schools increased their 4th grade scores, 64 percent of middle schools increased their 8th grade scores, and 75 percent of high schools increased their 10th grade scores. Schools showing significant improvement include Connerton, Cox, Gulf Trace, Odessa, Seven Oaks, Trinity Oaks, Veterans, and Wesley Chapel elementary schools; Hudson and Weightman middle schools; and River Ridge High School. Reading Third grade reading scores are trending in the right direction and the district proficiency percentage exceeds the state. Overall, 71 percent of schools increased their proficiency percentages, and 75 percent of Title 1 schools increased proficiency. The percentage scoring a level 3 and above is up 2 percent from last year, and fewer students are scoring at level 1 and 2 (down 2 percent). Oakstead, Longleaf, Odessa, Seven Oaks, Trinity Oaks, and Wesley Chapel elementary schools all had 75 percent or more of students score level 3 or higher. Math Third grade math scores also are trending in the right direction, but they are not where they should be. “We have significant work to do in math,” said Superintendent Kurt Browning. A higher percentage of Title 1 schools increased the percentage of students achieving proficient scores than district schools overall. Fifty-four percent of Title 1 schools increased the percentage of students scoring at level 3 or above, while the district saw a 48 percent increase overall. Lake Myrtle, Longleaf, Sand Pine, Seven Oaks, Trinity Oaks, and Veterans elementary schools all had 70 percent or more achieving proficient scores. Biology EOC Sixty-eight percent of students district-wide scored a 3 or higher on the Biology end-of- course exam. Seven schools scored above the district mean. State data will not be available until June. ### Site, 2013-05-24T20:26:18+00:00 http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/statement_from_pasco_schools_superintendent_kurt_browning_on_the_governors http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/statement_from_pasco_schools_superintendent_kurt_browning_on_the_governors#When:16:44:53Z Land O’ Lakes, FL – (May 20, 2013) – We are disappointed that Governor Scott vetoed the $1.5 million the Legislature appropriated for the Pasco County K-20 STEM Magnet Academy.  We remain convinced that a science, technology, engineering, and math magnet academy is needed in Pasco County Public Schools, and we plan to continue our pursuit of a viable source of funding to get it started. I want to thank Senator John Legg and House Speaker Will Weatherford, as well as the entire Pasco County Legislative Delegation, for their unwavering support for this worthwhile program. Considering the increasing number of STEM-related jobs in Florida, the District School Board of Pasco County knows that preparing students for careers in STEM is crucial.  With this Academy, our goal is to graduate students who are ready to further their STEM education or go straight to work in high-wage, high-skill jobs. ### Linda E. Cobbe Director, Communications & Government Relations District School Board of Pasco County 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Bldg. 8 Land O’ Lakes, FL 34638 813.794.2717   fax 813.794.2716 Site, 2013-05-20T16:44:53+00:00 http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/2013_2014_senior_project_information http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/2013_2014_senior_project_information#When:01:05:23Z Starting in the 2013-2014 school year, high school seniors will not be expected to complete the capstone project commonly referred to as a senior project.  Watch this video of Senior Project Task Force members explaining in their own words why they recommended that District Senior Projects be suspended. Contact the Office for Teaching and Learning if you have any questions.   Site, 2013-05-08T01:05:23+00:00 http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/wiregrass_ranch_high_school_apple_distinguished_school http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/archives/wiregrass_ranch_high_school_apple_distinguished_school#When:03:29:15Z Wiregrass Ranch High School has been named an Apple Distinguished School by Apple Computers. Apple Distinguished Schools are K-20 schools that demonstrate an innovative and compelling learning environment that engages students and provides tangible evidence of academic accomplishment. Wiregrass Ranch is the first school in the District School Board of Pasco County to receive this impressive recognition. Principal Ray Bonti, staff, and families were recognized at the February 19th School Board meeting. Learn more by viewing this video.   Site, 2013-03-22T03:29:15+00:00