District proposes donating vacant lot to Habitat for Humanity for PCS employee
The home would be sold to a district employee and be built by students and district staff. The 50’ X 112” lot sitting vacant since 1970 is large enough for a 1,200-square-foot single family home. The agreement would require Habitat to use the district’s students currently enrolled in programs such as Building Construction, Plumbing Technology, Electricity, etc., as well as district employees during non-work hours to design and construct the home.
Pinellas graduation rate ranks at the top among Florida’s 10 largest school districts
Pinellas County Schools is once again celebrating a record-high graduation rate for the 2018-19 school year. According to the official report just released by the Florida Department of Education, the district’s graduation rate rose to 88.44 percent, up 2.44 percentage points from last year’s record high, and more than 16.5 percentage points since 2013.
Snow Day at Jamerson Elementary
Douglas L. Jamerson Elementary will bring more than 10 tons of snow for students to enjoy on Friday, Jan. 17. The annual event is sponsored by the school’s Parent-Teacher Association and celebrates the work of students during the first semester of school. Students can participate in snowball throwing, snowman making, snow painting, igloo making, Florida snow making, exploring the Penguin Zone, and more. Great Explorations will be attending the event giving students the opportunities to make Florida Snow and build igloos from giant blocks.
Application time for Choice, Kindergarten and PreK
The application period for Pinellas County Schools Magnet, Fundamental and Career Programs is Underway! Apply now through 5 p.m. on Jan. 17 at https://reservation.pcsb.org for Pinellas County Schools magnet programs.
All applications are assigned a random number, so it does not matter whether you apply early or late during this period. Please give yourself plenty of time in case you have questions during the application process.
Student Assignment staff will also be available during normal business hours, from 8-4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, visit www.pcsb.org/Choice or contact Student Assignment at (727) 588-6210.
Apply soon for Pinellas County Schools prekindergarten programs
Pinellas County Schools offers a free VPK program for four-year-olds for three hours a day. They also offer a prekindergarten for three-year-olds.
The application period for Pre-K for three-year-olds and Voluntary Prekindergarten is Jan. 20-31. During the application period, families can apply online for programs next school year at https://reservation.pcsb.org.
Parents will need to log back into the district’s Student Reservation System Feb. 24 to March 6 to accept an invitation. Links to additional information are available at www.pcsb.org/early.
- Pre-K 3 is for children who will be three years old on or before Sept. 1, 2020. For information about Pre-K 3, call 727-588-6000 ext. 2184.
- VPK is for children who will be four years old on or before Sept. 1, 2020. Parents interested in VPK also need a Certificate of Eligibility from the Early Learning Coalition.
To get the certificate, visit the Early Learning Coalition website at http://elcpinellas.net/register-for-vpk. If you have questions about the certificate, call 727-400-4411. For information about VPK, call 727-588-6513.
