Land O' Lakes High Gator Gazette

We had an amazing Homecoming celebration this year! The spirit, enthusiasm, and participation from everyone truly made it a memorable event. Thank you to Student Council representatives and all others that contributed to its success.

As we enter the last weeks of the first quarter, I want to stress the importance of student success. This is a crucial time for our students to focus on their studies, complete their assignments, and seek help if needed. Make contct with your student's teachers if you have any questions. The staff email list is here. Let’s work together to ensure that every student achieves their full potential.

Unfortunately, our county has been deeply affected by the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. Many of our neighbors are in need, and I am proud to see our school come together to support the relief efforts. We have been collecting items all week, and I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed. Your generosity and kindness are making a significant difference.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our school community.

Ric Mellin - Principal

We are excited to announce our National Merit Semifinalists! They are Amanda Dukes, Adhik Durga, and Abhinav Katkoori. This is an amazing accomplishment! Each student has the opportunity to apply to become a finalist with financial awards going to those that receive that honor. Good luck to these incredible students.

The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) will be held on campus on Thursday, October 3rd during 1st – 3rd periods for students ages 16+ interested in a military career or those looking for an additional career exploration assessment. See or email Ms. Colon with questions or to sign up: sfraneco@pasco.k12.fl.us

LOLHS will be hosting an on-campus college fair for students in grades 11th and 12th on Tuesday, October 8th. We have nearly 40 different colleges and universities confirmed to attend, giving students an opportunity to learn about a wide variety of institutions and their programs. Students should register here: https://forms.office.com/r/vZGzZtykjr. Here are some resources for students to help them be prepared with questions and information prior to the event: https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/college-fairs.

Senior year is off to a great start—it’s already nearing the end of the first quarter! We want to share some important updates with you.

Herff Jones Meeting

Herff Jones will be meeting with seniors on October 21 at 9am. This presentation will cover how to order caps, gowns, '25 tassels, announcements, and other graduation items. We’re excited to announce that we are rebranding our LOLHS graduation regalia for the Class of 2025! Mrs. Wall and a group of seniors will collaborate with Herff Jones to design the new regalia in the coming weeks. Students who intended to borrow caps and gowns from previous graduates should ensure they order the updated versions. After the assembly, each student will receive an order form to take home, so please remember to order early to avoid shipping delays. You can check out the Herff Jones website to see available items and make early purchases.

Important Dates

• Universal Grad Bash: Saturday, April 5
• Prom: Saturday, April 26, at the Venetian
• Senior Breakfast: June 3 (tentative)
• Graduation: Thursday, June 5, at 6 PM at the University of South Florida Yuengling Center

Financial Information

While senior year is incredibly exciting, expenses can add up quickly. Our Senior Event Coordinator, Mrs. Hydes, will be organizing a payment plan option available on Rycor for all students eligible to participate in these activities, which will be posted during the second quarter.

Additionally, there is a $110 senior fee that covers costs related to the commencement ceremony venue rental, tassel, diploma and cover, school medallion, and other end-of-year senior activities. This fee should be paid to Herff Jones when students order their caps and gowns.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Heather Wall, Assistant Principal, at hwall@pasco.k12.fl.us. We’re excited to share this final year with our seniors—the Class of 2025!

Attention Parents of JUNIORS and SENIORS! Does your junior or senior still need to meet their Graduation Testing Requirements? Students who have not earned testing graduation requirements have the opportunity to sign up and take the CLT at the school. Please see the flyer above for testing dates and information.

Students who have NOT met their ELA graduation requirements, can earn a concordant score by earning a 36 or higher on the Verbal Reasoning and Grammar/Writing Sections of the CLT. Students can super score where we take the highest Verbal Reasoning and highest Grammar/Writing Sections from different dates they took the test.

Students who have NOT met their Algebra 1 EOC graduation requirements, can earn a concordant score by earning a 11 or higher on the Quantitative Reasoning Section of the CLT.

Encourage your student to take the CLT! We’ve seen tremendous success with students achieving concordant scores, making them eligible for graduation.

Contact Jennifer Gaete, Testing Coordinator at jgaete@pasco.k12.fl.us for more information.

Information was shared several times earlier this year to seniors regarding the SAT-NCR. To support our seniors who haven’t met the graduation testing requirements, the school will administer a non-college reportable SAT test on October 9, 2024. Students who qualify will receive 50% extra time to improve their chances of achieving the necessary scores.

Important: This test is not for college admissions or scholarships. Scores from this test will not be sent to colleges or scholarship agencies. Typically, students needing accommodation on the SAT must apply and be approved. However, the College Board allows schools to offer non-college reportable accommodations to students who might not otherwise qualify. We believe this opportunity will benefit your student.

Pasco County Schools is covering the registration fee for qualifying seniors.

If you have questions, please contact Heather Wall at (813) 794-9400.

Students who plan to test should report to the Collaboratory on Wednesday, Oct 9 at 7:00 am.

Yearbook and School Picture Information

School picture day for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will be on Wednesday, September 4, 2024. If your student will not be at school that day, there will be a picture make up day on Wednesday, October 2, 2024. Any student who misses both days would have to contact Gigante to get their photo taken before the end of the first semester to make the yearbook.

Senior photos must be taken at the Gigante Productions studio in order to make the yearbook. There is a $29 sitting fee that includes items for the formal pose and a casual pose in clothing that meets the school's dress code. There is no obligation to buy these photos, but you will be able to choose both a formal and casual photo for the yearbook as both pictures are included in our book. The deadline for senior pictures to make the yearbook is December 7, 2024. Make your appointments now before they fill up. https://www.giganteproductions.com/senior-sessions

Yearbooks are on sale through RYCOR for the pre-sale price of $65 until October 31, 2024. They will then go up in price to $75. Then, prices will go up one more time on March 1, 2025 for the last chance sale. Buy yours early to get the best price. You can also purchase a yearbook through the Walsworth Yearbook website and can order plastic book covers and book stamping or itags for your student. See www.yearbookforever.com to order.

Senior tribute ads are ALMOST SOLD OUT. they are on RYCOR, but you must also fill out the order form with instructions on RYCOR, or it can be found on our website under the yearbook tab and email it to llabarba@pasco.k12.fl.us to finalize your purchase. THEY WILL SELL OUT SINCE SPACE IN THE BOOK IS LIMITED. If you purchased an ad and did not turn in the order form, please complete the form on our website (under the YEARBOOK tab and submit to Ms. LaBarbara asap!

Swamp Talk News Show

Stay informed by subscribing to our Swamp Talk news show on YouTube. New episodes drop each Wednesday and Friday with additional special content as well. Our first episode of the new school year was on Friday, August 23, 2024. Check it out! https://www.youtube.com/@LOLHSSwampTalk/featured

Superintendent of Schools, Mr. Kurt Browning, has recently shared an important video message addressing social media threats. We encourage all families to take a moment to view the video here.

While our school environment remains safe, there are occasions when students may make poor choices that disrupt our normal operations. These actions can have significant and lasting consequences. Therefore, we urge you to have a conversation with your student about the importance of thinking carefully about their actions every day.

Learn about the innovative programs available for students in Pasco County. Click here to watch overview information videos. Registration opens soon for the east side expo at Cypress Creek High School. It will be held on November 14 from 5pm - 8pm.

This month our schoolwide resiliency focus will be on mentorship and citizenship. Students will understand the importance of voting, volunteering/mentoring and the value of seeking leadership positions (Student Council or volunteering in the community). Students will see that leaders can inspire confidence and motivate others to be the best version of themselves. Students will see how to analyze situations and demonstrate the ability to engage in respectful debate through group projects and class discussions.

Pasco County Schools' vision is for each student to achieve success in College, Career and Life. The Navigating High School webpage provides families important information as their student enters high school as well as helpful information when planning for options after high school.

We will be administering the PSAT/NMSQT during a window from October 22-24. The exam is free to all 10th graders. In addition, 9th and 11th graders can sign up to take the exam for a fee. This year it is a computer-based test, so students have an assigned location, date and time that will be communicated to them. The roster will also be posted in the commons.

As you know, Land O’ Lakes High School is committed to fostering the highest-quality learning experience for its students. As one example of this commitment, the district has partnered with Equal Opportunity Schools (EOS), a non-profit education organization, to examine and develop the learning culture within our schools and to develop strategies to increase student participation in challenging high school coursework.

To support these goals, we will be encouraging students in grades 9 through 11, to participate in a brief survey sometime between October 1st through October 31st. Survey questions will address students’ views on their coursework, their school experience, and the ways in which our school supports their educational goals. Results will only be used to inform and improve academic supports and advanced coursework placement for students.

For your security, all confidential records provided by the district are subject to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and to any state law student confidentiality provisions. EOS and Pasco County Schools will ensure that in the course of the work, confidential information of any individual student or parent will not be accessed by anyone other than district personnel and EOS personnel performing services for the district.

We foresee only positive benefits for your student(s) and are excited to gather data that will enable us to better prepare all students to succeed. It is the right of the parent and/or guardian to request to exempt their student from the EOS survey. At the beginning of the school year, parents provided their selection for EOS survey on the consent form located in the myStudent Parent Portal. Please review your selection and ensure it is correct, if it is incorrect, please make the changes necessary in the myStudent Parent Portal, at least three days prior to the beginning of the survey.

Each month we are selecting two employees from our school of superstars to honor for their efforts. Champions deserve recognition to wear, so each was honored with a belt. They are relinquished at the end of the month and given to the next two people that are selected. Congratulation to our September SRP of the Month - Jose Silva, and the Teacher of the Month - Christine Stansbury.

Pasco County Schools is required to notify parents if their student is receiving instruction from a teacher who is teaching outside of their certified field. Individuals who are teaching out-of-field are qualified to teach but are required to take additional coursework or testing to add a teaching area and/or endorsement to their certificate. The state also requires a teacher to take coursework or in-service towards an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) endorsement when the teacher is the primary language arts teacher and/or reading teacher for an ESOL student.

The following teachers have agreed to teach outside their field while completing their coursework and/or testing requirements:

Last Name First Name OOF Area

BAGHDADILIAN, ADRIAN ENGLISH 6-12, ESOL ENDORSEMENT K-12

CONNER, JAIDYN MATHEMATICS 6-12

CRONIN, KEVIN ESOL ENDORSEMENT K-12

DAVILA, GLADIS EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT ED K-12

GALLO, DEVIN BIOLOGY 6-12

GRISANTI, SIENNA ESOL ENDORSEMENT K-12

HOSTETLER, JASON ESOL ENDORSEMENT K-12

HOUSTON, KRISTINE ESOL ENDORSEMENT K-12

HYDES, SABRINA DRAMA

KING, JORDAN ESOL ENDORSEMENT K-12

LICATA, SAMANTHA ESOL ENDORSEMENT K-12

RODRIGUEZ, JILLIAN ESOL ENDORSEMENT K-12

TREMBLAY, LAUREN ENGLISH 6-12, ESOL ENDORSEMENT K-12

VINES, STUART EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT ED K-12

Girls Soccer Tryouts are Monday October 14 - 9:00am -12:00m, Tuesday October 15 - 2:15pm - 4:30pm, and Wednesday October 16 - 2:15 - 4:30 pm.

All forms must be submitted on home campus and you must be cleared to try out. If any girls are interested in participating in conditioning or trying out please contact Coach King at vking@pasco.k12.fl.us to obtain the required forms and submission details.

Boys Soccer – Tryouts will be held October 14th to 16th from 2:30pm to 4pm. Meet by the scoreboard at the stadium. Contact Coach Lassiter if you have any questions or want additional information about tryouts. Email coach at wlassite@pasco.k12.fl.us

Tryouts for boys basketball will take black October 28th and 29th in the gymnasium. Be in the gym by 2pm for tryouts.

Wrestling tryouts will take place 11/4 at 2pm. Meet in the gym.

Alix Baldini has always been an employee that is a jack of all trades with versatility and a willingness to succeed. Ms. Baldini's tenure at our school includes some of the most challenging positions. She has done each so well with genuine respect towards the people she works with. She is a strong advocate of our school and community, often using humor to lighten the mood. Alix is not afraid to get her hands dirty and fully immerse herself in the various tough jobs around this place. These qualities have made Alix a beloved figure in promoting the value of hard work and dedication to the school. Congratulations to Alix Baldini, our school’s SRP of the Year!

Betty Skoglund’s intelligence and dedication to science are highly regarded, making her a beacon of knowledge and inspiration within our school. Her unwavering confidence and passion for the subject ignite a spark in her students, encouraging them to explore the wonders of science with enthusiasm and curiosity. Beyond her academic prowess, Betty possesses remarkable street smarts and an innate ability to connect with others on a personal level. This unique combination of skills makes her an indispensable part of our department and staff, fostering a supportive and engaging learning environment. Moreover, Betty’s compassionate nature resonates deeply with her students, who appreciate her genuine care and understanding. Her ability to balance intellect with empathy truly sets her apart. Please join us in congratulating Teacher of the Year Betty Skoglund!

A student who attends school more often is more likely to graduate. Help your student succeed by getting them up, ready, and out the door on time every day. #ShowUpWalkProud #SchoolEveryDay

Consistently recognized as one of America's best high schools. Rated B by the Florida Department of Education. An International Baccalaureate and Cambridge World School.

Website: lolhs.pasco.k12.fl.us
Location: 20325 Gator Lane, Land O' Lakes, FL, USA
Phone: 813-794-9400
Twitter: @lolhsprincipal