Caring School Community

The Caring School Community (CSC) program is a nationally and internationally recognized, research-based K–6 program that builds classroom and school wide community. It focuses on strengthening students’ connectedness to school. This is an important element for increasing academic motivation and achievement and for reducing drug use, violence, and delinquency. The Caring School Community Program is a voluntary school-based preparation program for students at Pasco Elementary and Gulfside Elementary Schools, operated by Youth & Family Alternatives in cooperation with the Pasco County School Board.

Implementation Sites

• Pasco Elementary (352) 524-5200
• J. Marlowe Elementary (727) 774-8600
• Gulf Highlands Elementary (727) 774-6000

Cohort Credit Recovery Program (CCRP)

The Cohort Credit Recovery Program has been developed as Tier III intervention to enable more students to meet the requirements for a standard high school diploma and graduate with their cohort class, while addressing students classified as “Off-Track” due to the following barriers:

• Credit Deficiencies
• Absenteeism
• Not experiencing academic success in the traditional school setting
• Low grade point average (G.P.A.)
• 17 years old or older

Academic Component

The computer-assisted-instruction (CAI) laboratory setting will be utilized during academic class periods. Online curriculum will include course work in language arts, mathematics, social studies and science to prepare students to show mastery of Florida student performance standards in any given course. Students will spend up to four class periods per day with academic teachers working on improvement of mathematics and language arts skills and progressing through social studies and science curriculum.

Counseling Component

Students will receive support from the Prevention Intervention Counselor. The counselor will monitor students’ academic performance and attendance; communicate with parents; and assist students with post-academic or secondary placement plans.

Description of Facilities

One classroom will house up to 20 computer stations and serve as the computer-assisted instruction lab.

Implementation Sites

All High Schools

Prevention Intervention Counselors

Prevention Intervention Counselors are available at all high schools to provide interventions and support services for off track students to prevent them from dropping out. They also retrieve high school dropouts.

Program Goals

• To provide dropout intervention /retrieval counseling to all high school and adult education dropouts
• To provide dropout tracking and follow-up information for all high school and adult education dropouts
• To refer high school dropouts to adult education for the high school completion program when appropriate
• To follow-up on all high school students coded as adult education entrants to verify their attendance in Adult Education.

Referral process for enrolled high school students:

• Administrators, guidance counselors, career specialist, social workers and/or Graduation Enhancement Teachers will refer students to the Dropout Intervention Counselor.
• Parent conference/contact (in-person, by phone, or by mail) must occur prior to the referral to the Prevention Intervention Counselor. The parent section of the Dropout Intervention Referral Form must be completed by school-based staff.

Referral process for high school dropouts: 

• The high school counselor or designee, in conjunction with dropout tracking personnel, completes the Dropout Intervention Referral Form on every student coded as a dropout prior to referral to the Prevention Intervention Counselor.
• The Prevention Intervention Counselor submits the appropriate copy of the Dropout Intervention Referral Form to the Assistant Principal for Adult Education and the Adult Education Counselor.

Referral process for Adult Education entrants:

• The Prevention Intervention Counselor provides follow-up on all high school students coded as Adult Education entrants to verify their attendance in Adult Education.
• This verification/results are recorded on the Graduation Enhancement Intervention Referral Form.

Student Support and Assistance Program (SSAP)

The Student Support and Assistance Program is based on the underlying concept that all children can learn and that environments conducive to learning can stimulate student success, focusing on the academic, social, emotional, and physical needs of each individual “at risk” student. By allowing students to be in regular classrooms, the students are able to experience true team interaction.Students receive direct instruction under the supervision of classroom teachers. The graduation enhancement teacher functions as a case manager who has a class period each day to write, monitor, and evaluate a student support assistance plan showing ancillary services that will be provided for each SSAP student. The student is assigned FEFP 102 (4-8) or FEFP 101 (1-3). Graduation enhancement teachers will closely monitor student’s academic performance and atendance throught the access of eSembler. They will also provide academic advisory services, special pull-out programs, and communicate with parents of “off track” students. Each teacher serves approximately 100 students.

Support Our Students Program (SOS)

The Support Our Students (SOS) program was developed for secondary students who are not achieving success in the traditional school setting or are high school dropouts. The goal of this program is to provide a dropout intervention/retrieval education program that will lead to a regular diploma. Most of the SOS students have fallen behind because of absenteeism or failing grades. The SOS Program will promote student success by providing educational services designed to accommodate student learning styles, academic and affective needs, interests, and special talents.The SOS program will help students develop social, problem-solving and vocational skills in order to become productive members of society. In addition, the program provides an opportunity for students to participate in and complete a career and technical program that will ultimately lead to employment.Requirements: Open enrollment is in August and January for grades 9 through 12. Transportation is not provided. However students may ride the bus with the CYESIS students where transportation is available. Special diploma is available for students completing the program. Students graduate from their home school.

Implementation Site

• James Irvin Educational Center (352) 524-5700 or (813) 794-5700

Teen Parent Program 

Pasco’s Teen Parent Program provides a voluntary educational program and childcare for students who are pregnant or are parents. Students participate in courses for credit toward a high school diploma including advanced classes, as well as courses and activities in childcare, parenting, and pre and postnatal health. Teen fathers may choose to participate in Teen Parent Programs at their regional home school or Cyesis center and can participate in child development in the daycare setting. This Graduation Enhancement and Academic Intervention Program is supported by basic FTE and Supplemental Academic Instruction funds. Teen mothers have four options to choose from:

Option 1 – Intended for those students interested in attending Cyesis Teen Parent Program centers

Option 2 – Intended for those students interested in remaining at their neighborhood school

Option 3 – Intended for those students interested in accessing education through Pasco eSchool

Option 4 – Intended for middle school students interested in attending a campus that is in proximity to Cyesis Teen Parent Program sites

Implementation Sites

• All Middle & High Schools – Student Services Personnel (counselors, social workers, etc.)
• Cyesis Program:
  • Pasco High School (352) 524-5500 or (813) 794-5500
  • River Ridge High School (727) 774-7200

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Achieve Center of Pasco (ACP)

This program will work with regular and special education youth as an alternative placement in order to ensure continuous academic, mental health and behavioral development to support steps towards a high school diploma.

ACP will develop and implement academic, behavioral and counseling services for youth in need of additional interventions.

By utilizing the prescriptive expectations of each youth’s IEP/IAP and by providing well trained personnel to implement strategies to address the unique needs of each student, ACP will prepare the youth served at the school for continuous progression towards high school graduation.

Implementation Site

• 18950 Michigan Lane, Spring Hill, FL 34610 (813) 346-2000

Education Centers/Alternative Schools

The James Irvin and Harry Schwettman Education Centers are voluntary Graduation Enhancement Programs which the district provides for students who are academically unsuccessful or unmotivated, have credit deficiencies, have violated School Board policy, have seriously disrupted the learning environment of the school, have been expelled from school, or have a behavior pattern which has not been improved by a continuum of positive intervention strategies.Harry Schwettman Education Center serves students on the west side of the school district and James Irvin Education Center serves students on the center and east sides.

Implementation Sites

• Harry Schwettman Education Center (727) 774-0000
• James Irvin Education Center (352) 524-5700

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Department of Juvenile Justice Programs (DJJ)

DJJ programs are provided at the Pasco Regional Juvenile Detention Center, Pasco Girls Academy, and PACE Center for Girls. All DJJ programs are FTE generating and are in full compliance with HB 349 and the Dropout Prevention and Academic Intervention Act. Adjudicated students participate in courses that maintain their educational status in District Schools until they have been released from the facility and are ready to re-enter a District or other public school. Qualifying students will have the opportunity to earn a GED prior to release with any associated fees waived. Students committed to DJJ facilities participate in all required statewide assessment testing.

Educational programs operate on a 12-month basis, 250 days yearly, with no more than ten days of those days being used for teacher planning. PACE Center for Girls operates on a 230-day calendar.

Pasco Juvenile Detention Center (JDC)

The Pasco JDC program provides educational services for students ages 9 -18 who are detained by law enforcement. Emphasis is given to affective learning, as well as continuation of academic opportunities from the student’s previous school placement and GED preparation.

Sheriff's Detention Center (SDC) 

The sheriff’s Detention Center (SDC) Program at the Land O’ Lakes Detention Center provides K-12 educational programs for juveniles adjudicated as adults and exceptional student education (ESE) students under the age of twenty-two who are incarcerated in those facilities. This program provides inmates the opportunity to earn credits towards standard, Stafe of Florida (GED) and ESE special high school diplomas.

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Juvenile Justice Transitional Specialist

The Juvenile Justice Transitional Specialist (JJTS) assists in the school placement for all students returning from out-of-county DJJ programs. The JJTS is the liaison between the District School Board of Pasco County and the Department of Juvenile Justice by assisting Conditional Release Case Managers, Juvenile Probation Officers (JPO’s), and the Public Defender’s office with progress monitoring and provision of educational documentation. The JJTS ensures that each student has an educational representative in attendance for their exit meeting and assists with entry transition referrals for the Alternative Education programs, PACE or AMI Kids Pasco. In addition, the JJTS facilitates collaboration of mental health and community services with the School District’s Student Services Programs and Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the families, and the community.

Krystle Woehlk, JJTS (813) 794-2442, (727) 774-2442, (352) 524-2442, Fax (813) 794-2120

(8/14/18)