Superintendent Heather Fiorentino
Dear Students, Parents, Employees and Community Members,
The roots of a great community lie in the strength of the educational system that molds today’s children into tomorrow’s leaders. Pasco County is fortunate to have a strong school system with many dedicated professionals who are committed to ensuring that our children are properly equipped to have a meaningful role in our society. It is the efforts of these hard-working educators combined with the involvement of concerned parents and a supportive community that have enabled Pasco County Schools to achieve many successes in the past. As your Superintendent, I endeavor to strengthen these partnerships and build on the successes that we have enjoyed to transform a good educational institution into a great learning environment for all children. Our job is to serve the youth, so that the youth will learn how to serve our community.
As Superintendent, I ask every student to put forth his or her best efforts on a daily basis. I offer wisdom gained from my own personal experiences, which have taught me that people can only receive from life what they are willing to put into it. Your teachers will continually strive to provide you with an education that is tailored to meet your individual needs; but it is your responsibility to work hard, display appropriate behavior (including regular attendance) and reach your full potential so that you will be prepared for your future. We are here to support you and help you reach that goal.
“It takes an entire team of dedicated professionals to educate a child and our school district must show that we value the individual contributions of each of them”
As a parent of a child who graduated from our school district, I believe parents want their children to have what they deserve; a strong educational foundation that will serve them well throughout their life. I understand meeting this crucial objective is only possible with the help of our students’ first teachers…their parents. Numerous studies have shown parental involvement as a key indicator in determining a student’s educational success. We need volunteers to mentor students and work in our classrooms. Please consider submitting a volunteer application which can be accessed on our District’s home page, as your time and talents can make a lasting impact on our students. Our school district will continue to do everything it can to encourage parental involvement and improve communication between parents and school staff, so we can optimize the success our students achieve.
It takes an entire team of dedicated professionals to educate a child and our school district must show that we value the individual contributions of each of them. Our faculty and staff truly are the most important assets of our school district. They are our front line workers who really do change the lives of children. The support staff in our schools play a vital role in educating our students, for teachers cannot teach properly unless their classrooms are well-kept and maintained, their students are transported to school safely and are appropriately nourished. Our teachers are equally important; for if it is true that education is the key to success, our teachers are the keepers of that key. The greatest gift a teacher can give children is to instill in them the love of learning. As a veteran teacher, I know firsthand the challenges faced in the classroom that can affect a teacher’s ability to provide that gift. Our school district will continue to do everything in its power to support teachers and give them the resources they need to do the job they love…teaching our children.
The role of the District staff is to support the activities of school-based employees. Our school-based employees are directly accountable to our students and their parents. We, at the District level, are equally accountable to the school based employees. We will continually seek innovative ways to help them do their jobs more efficiently and more effectively. We are committed to building a supportive structure that assists schools in making data-based decisions in order to ensure that the individual needs of all students are met. District staff must help to build coalitions of educational stakeholders and promote the best interests of our children throughout our community. As financial challenges have impacted our District in recent years, our budgeting process reflects our commitment to prioritizing funding for the classroom. We are proud to be recognized as fiscally responsible, as indicated by the fact that Pasco spends less than any other school district in the state on administrative expenses. We will to continue to streamline operations and work with our legislative delegations to convey the importance of proper funding for public education so that our students have the resources they need to succeed.
If we continue to work together, with the intentions of doing and accepting only what is best for our children, I am confident that we can build upon the many hard-earned and well-deserved accomplishments of our school district to create an exemplary educational system. As an elected official, I promise to do my part to facilitate such progress. You can count on me to continue being a visible leader, open to and excited about sharing ideas for improving our school system and meeting the needs of every child.
Sincerely,
Heather Fiorentino
Superintendent
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About our Superintendent
Heather Fiorentino began her career with the District School Board of Pasco County in 1984. She taught several grade levels and subject areas, including drop-out prevention. She was named Pasco County District Teacher of the Year in 1994. In 1993, Fiorentino was elected to the New Port Richey City Council, where she served for five years...Read More!
Correspondence
Please use the following address when sending written correspondence to the Superintendent or her staff:
District School Board of Pasco County
7227 Land O' Lakes Blvd.
Land O' Lakes, FL 34638
Fax: (813) 794-2326
