Hawk Happenings

Welcome to our 2nd newsletter of the 2020-2021 school year. Please read over important information about everything Calusa. As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with questions or concerns. Our goal is to provide a world class education for every child at Calusa Elementary School.

Highlights:

• School Choice Changes -NEW PROTOCOL
• Student Quarantine and Attendance
• Emergency Cards
• Progress Reports
• Student Personal Technology Reminders
• Free Meals for all Students
• Dismissal Car Loop Update
• Rainy and Severe Weather Dismissal Plan
• 2020-2021 PTO Board

Michelle Hartman, Principal

thartman@pasco.k12.fl.us

Tammy Sutula, Assistant Principal

tsutula@pasco.k12.fl.us

Calusa School Calendar

Tuesday, September 15th

8:30 am SAC Meeting, Virtual

Friday, September 18th

Progress Reports released on Parent Portal

Wednesday, September 23rd

Fall Pictures, information will come home

4:30 pm PTO Board Meeting, Virtual

School Choice Changes

We are asking families to maintain your current learning model for your child. We have accommodated everyone's preference for the first 3 weeks of school to help our students and families adjust. In order to provide continuity for students and staff, any requests to change learning models can only be approved by administration and will be considered by quarter. Below are the dates for each quarter.

Please complete the form to request a change in your child’s learning mode. Changes will be considered each quarter by administration.

School Choice Change Request Form - CLICK HERE

Quarter 1

August 24 – October 16

Quarter 2 – Request by October 12th

October 20 – December 18

Quarter 3 – Request by December 14th

January 6 – March 12

Quarter 4 – Request by March 15th

March 23 – May 26

Student Quarantine Period & Attendance Options

If your child is placed on quarantine for a period of time, your child may be marked present if he/she completes work from home. Your child's teachers will inform you of the assignments. If you have a computer at home, your child can continue working from our online curriculum. If you do not have a computer at home, your child's teacher will have an alternate plan.

Emergency Cards

Please return the 2 emergency cards that were sent home the first week of school. Even if you completed the online forms, we need the hard copies. It is very important that we have all updated contact information. Please call the office if you need more forms.

Parent Portal / Progress Reports

Progress Reports will be posted on the Parent Portal Friday, September 18th. You have to create a parent portal to view progress reports. The following link is a video that describes how to create an account. If you need a student number and pin number, please call us at 727-774-3700.

Cell Phones & Personal Technology

Please remind your child that they should not have any personal technology out during the school day unless approved for educational activities. This includes before and after school.

Free Meals for Students

Starting on Monday, September 14, all students will receive free meals (breakfast and lunch) at school.

Traditional students ~ We have breakfast carts ready for students each morning to grab a breakfast and head to their classrooms to eat. All students eat lunch in the cafeteria.

mySchool online Students ~ Monday through Thursday of this week you can continue daily drive-through meal distribution from 8:00 until 8:30 am in the front car loop. Then we will transition to weekly meal pickups for mySchool online students on Friday, September 18 in same location and time. Students who are quarantined can also participate in the meal pickup program.

We encourage families intending to participate curbside to complete the Meal Reservation Form, http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/fns/mform/view.php?id=269401, so we can be best prepared for curbside participation. Parent/guardians no longer have to go to their child’s school; they can pick up meals from the site that is most convenient.

Student Self-Screener

Pasco County Schools expects that all parents/guardians will complete this pre-entry screening tool daily on behalf of their child before the child attends school. These are questions for you to check each day with your child. You do not need to send this form in.

Click Here

Parent COVID Response Protocol

School and parent partnerships are critical to ensuring all students are properly supported, and that staff have the information they need to assist students. A Parent Response Protocol has been developed to assist parents in understanding the health and safety procedures established by Pasco County Schools in collaboration with the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.

Click Here

Car Riders

Beginning Monday, September 14th, if you are picking up your child in the front parking lot, you now will go down Campus Drive to the end and make a left into K-Tech's football parking lot and loop around towards our car line. Our School Guard, Mr. Painter, will be out there directing traffic.

Intermediate students will continue to be picked up in K-Tech's parking lot. See our Flyer.

Rainy Day & Severe Weather Dismissal Plan

Please review our protocol when there is inclement weather. We appreciate everyone being patient on these days as the safety of our students and staff is of the upmost important. Click Here

We have many avenues of communication to stay connected with families. Keep an eye out!

• Hawk Happenings Newsletter
• Calusa School Web Page
• Calusa Facebook Page @CalusaESPasco
• School Messenger (Phone and Email)
• Grade Level Newsletters
• Class Dojo

Michelle Hartman, Principal

Tammy Sutula, Assistant Principal

Mary Bandini, School Secretary

Joanne Burke, Bookkeeper

Jill Reardon, Data Entry Operator

Email: mbandini@pasco.k12.fl.us
Website: www.caes.pasco.k12.fl.us
Location: Calusa Elementary School, Orchid Lake Road, New Port Richey, FL, USA
Phone: 727-774-3700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CalusaESPasco/