Positively Pasco: Issue #169
July 11, 2022
Check Your Mailbox for Upcoming Bond Info
Check your mail for the Bond 2017 Project Update booklet, which details the status of the 2017 bond projects. In addition, it includes details on the bond we are running in February 2023, which addresses ways to alleviate current overcrowding in our schools and improve learning and achievement for students in our district.
All Pasco Students Eligible to Receive Free Meals for 2022-26 School Years
All PSD students are eligible to receive breakfast and lunch at no cost to students for the 2022-26 school years due to recent changes made to the federally funded program called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). All students enrolled in PSD programs, including preschool, will be eligible.
Although there is no application for free meals, our district does send out a Family Income Survey in the fall. This form collects household income information so that PSD is eligible to receive state funding for important educational programs to which our students are entitled. If your family receives this form, we encourage you to complete it and return it as soon as possible.
Digital Flyer Delivery Starts July 13
Exciting news! To provide increased access to programs and resources that improve the trajectory of our students’ lives, PSD is preparing to launch Peachjar. This new platform will enable us to send important school and community flyers to parents digitally, saving our schools time, money, and paper.
For Parents
School-approved digital flyers will be sent to your email inbox, where you can easily click to sign up for events and programs. No more rifling through binders to find this helpful information.
You will receive a welcome email from Peachjar. No action is required to begin receiving this communication from your school. However, to ensure you don’t miss notifications, we suggest you add school@peachjar.com to your email contacts and click “always display images” when you receive your first email.
Peachjar is used exclusively for the distribution of school-approved flyers only. Your email address will not be shared or used for any other purpose.
For Community Members
You will have the opportunity to submit your flyer to our district through Peachjar. Distributing your flyer through Peachjar is easy! Beginning July 13, register as a program provider to upload your PDF flyer and select your school(s) for distribution.
At checkout, Peachjar will charge no more than $25 per school to submit your flyer for district approval and distribution to families. Discounts can be found on the Peachjar website. Peachjar’s cost is typically less than that of printing and distributing paper flyers, with the added benefit of viewing your flyer’s metrics!
If you have any questions, please contact Peachjar at support@peachjar.com.
Thank you for supporting our efforts to ensure parents are well informed about school programs, activities, and events!
Esmeralda Hueso Wins Community Leadership Award
PSD is proud to honor Esmeralda Hueso, owner of Huesitos Landscaping & Fencing, with our 2022 Community Leadership Award. She was presented with the award during the annual Southeast Washington Association of School Administrators (SEWASA) Honorary Awards Banquet on Wednesday, June 1.
Esmeralda attended the event with her husband Sylvestre and was awarded a plaque by Superintendent Michelle Whitney. Congratulations, Esmeralda!
Free Summer Meals
We provide free breakfast and lunch to children 18 and younger this summer as part of the USDA Summer Food Program for Children.
The federal government has new program requirements, and meal service will look different than during the past two summers now that many COVID-19 precautions have been removed. Also, please note that not all schools have free summer meal service. Schools are qualified based on the percentage of students who qualify to receive free and reduced-price meals. View the complete list of locations on the Summer Food Program webpage.
Meals will be served in person in the cafeteria or gymnasium and must be eaten at school. Grab-n-go and drive-up meal services will no longer be available, and parents and guardians may not take meals home to students.
For additional questions on the Summer Food Service Program, please contact the Pasco Nutrition Services Office by calling 509-546-2836.
PSD Preschool Programs
Learn more about PSD's preschool programs, which help ensure children enter kindergarten ready for success.
- Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) and Head Start are state-funded high-quality preschool programs that serve qualifying 3- and 4-year-old children and their families. The program is FREE for families!
- Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is a kindergarten program for children under five who do not have access to high-quality early learning experiences before kindergarten.
Please complete our online interest form if you are interested in learning more about our programs for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year.
A Day in the Life of a PIXeL Student
Meet Kalina, an 8th grader in our Pasco Innovative eXperiences and e-Learning (PIXeL) program, who has thrived in the online learning environment. Not only does she have flexibility learning from home, but she also gets to participate in extracurricular activities like soccer through Ray Reynolds Middle School.
Online school is so much more than Zoom for students in our PIXeL program! Students in K-8 thrive in this program where 80% of the learning is teacher led and 20% can take place any time. Flexible, engaging, and excelling are just a few words that have been used to describe this excellent digital learning option. Learn more by visiting our PIXeL website!
Congratulations Calendar Art Contest Winners
Congratulations to our 2022-2023 calendar art contest winners! Students were surprised in their classrooms with a copy of their artwork and their gift card kindly donated by Gesa Credit Union, our calendar sponsor. View and download the pictures from our Pasco Calendar Art Contest webpage. Look for your copy of the PSD calendar in early September!
Celebrating Our Graduates
We proudly celebrated 1,113 graduates this year during four ceremonies! Our graduation numbers for each high school included:
- Delta High School Graduates: 31 PSD students (84 total)
- Chiawana High School Graduates: 552 students
- New Horizons High School Graduates: 70 students
- Pasco High School Graduates: 460 students
One hundred sixty of these graduates received a scholarship this year, totaling $3,955,223! You can download pictures from our graduation ceremonies on PSD's graduation webpage and view recordings of the ceremonies on our YouTube page.
Pasco Student Named Boys & Girls Club Youth of the Year
Congratulations to Yvette, seventh grader at Stevens Middle School, who was named the Boys & Girls Club of Benton and Franklin Counties 2022 organizational Jr. Youth of the Year! Yvette (pictured left) has been a Club member for seven years at the Pasco Clubhouse. She participates in several leadership, academic success, and workforce readiness programs, including Keystone Club, Torch Club, Money Matters, and Career Launch. We are proud of you, Yvette!
Chiawana Mariachi Band Raising Funds for Sombreros
The Chiawana High School Mariachi Band, made up of about 25 students, hopes to raise enough money to buy new sombreros for their program. The students currently wear traditional suits but are missing the sombrero. They cost $200 a piece, and the goal is to raise $5,000.
If you are interested in donating, you can call 509-543-6786 ext. 5605 or email klambert@psd1.org.