Here at EPEA we believe in giving back to the community and are teaching our students how to become better citizens. On Tuesdays during Tiger Time our students have been focusing on how they can serve the community. This month they wrote letters to the veterans and on Veteran's Day the students delivered the cards to some veterans in our community and thanked them for their service.

This month the students have been learning about Aztec pottery in History. They have been learning about imagery and sensory writing in ELA. The teachers created a collaborative assignment where they had to write an analysis about their pottery using sensory writing. Then the students were able to create their own piece of pottery.

On November 5th we had special guests from Saint Leo University and the Alliance of Therapy Dogs talking to the students about different kinds of dogs, careers involving dogs, as well as the training involved. Dr Rhondda Waddell who is the Associate Dean and Professor at St Leo and Dr Debbie Mims, Professor of Criminal Justice and a former police officer, explained the difference between service and therapy dogs, and search and rescue dogs, talked about the mission of court dogs and shared about the amazing capabilities of narcotics and explosive detection dogs as well as K-9 dogs. Their partners and their furry friends from the Alliance of Therapy Dogs with the help of some of our students demonstrated how well trained dogs can detect scent.

On November 7th we had an a special Ceremony for our Honor Roll students. We are incredibly proud of our students for their hard work and perseverance. We are also grateful for all of the families who were able to come to the ceremony and make this event extra special.

For more pictures please visit our Facebook Page.

This month our students also began working in our garden/aqua phonics area. Those who were not interested in gardening worked on the crafts for the local nursing home.

One of our teachers, Rachel Spinney was selected as a recipient of a $5000 Pasco Education Foundation/Suncoast Credit Union Grant to support her classroom.

Our Citizen of the Month is Adrian Gonzalez. According to his teachers, Adrian cares about his academics and is passing all of his classes with A's and B's. Adrian is polite, has a huge heart and is always willing to help others. During Tiger Time, Adrian is always going behind students by cleaning up whenever we work on projects for the Halloween festival. During classtime, he always helps by putting laptops back in the charging station and asking if he can help in any way that is needed. He also takes the initiative and does a lot to help without even being asked.

On November 8th our high school students had an opportunity to hear from one of the academic advisors from USF., Chris Maltezos. Mr Maltezos talked about what it takes to be successful in college; shared some great opportunities available to students at USF and encouraged our students to pursue their goals.

The Great American Teach-In helps students explore future careers or hobbies they may have never thought to try. One of our guests was Tonya Stafford from Dog Training Elite Greater Tampa. Tonya shared her journey to becoming a dog trainer and talked about the importance of having a job you love. She brought her dog, Bruno, who was excited to meet our students and show some of the tricks he learned.

Every year Thomas Promise Foundation provides Thanksgiving dinners for our students and their families. This year was no exception! We are grateful for their generosity and support.

Our SAC committee had a very productive meeting this month discussing all the wonderful things happening at EPEA and brainstorming what else we can do to help our students and the community.

To finish our Great American Teach-in week, we had special guests from Peaceful Pastures Ranch & Therapy , a non-profit horse rescue and mental health provider. Through partnerships with the Hillsborough and Hernando County Sheriff's Office, the Humane Society, and the ASPCA, Peaceful Pastures provides a sanctuary to abused, neglected, unwanted, and abandoned horses. In partnership with Peaceful Pastures Therapy, PPR provides scholarships for those seeking mental health services who may not otherwise be able to afford them.

Jessica Oliver, the company's founder, shared what the company does and how animal therapy works. Our students and staff were able to spend some time with Dumpling, a therapy horse.

Right before the Thanksgiving break a team from Pasco Hernando State College visited our school campus to meet with the students and talk to them about life after graduation. They also talked about the PHSC College Reach-Out Program (CROP), which is a state-sponsored educational program that targets first generation college students who have the desire to attend a post-secondary institution upon graduation from high school. CROP is a free service program to students who meet the criteria.

If you would like to find out more, please follow this link:

https://equity-services.phsc.edu/programs/pre-collegiate/college-reach-out-program

Our students and families are very grateful for the generosity of the Dade City community. Thank you Dade City's Women Club and VFW POST 4283, for supplying our students with school supplies and pitching in with food items for our families as well.

Our Tigers' Got Talent annual show is scheduled for December 6th at 3 pm.

On December 13th we will have a special guest from Iron Workers in Tampa share his knowledge about the welding industry and do a presentation for everyone who is interested in the field.

On December 14th our gold and silver card students will be able to experience a Mobile Escape Room. Stay tuned for more details.

On December 15th we will have Santa's Workshop, where the student will be able to use their points to "shop" for their caregivers. Special thank you to the Rotary Club of Dade City for sponsoring the event.

Do you need help for the Holidays? This year Metro Ministries is offering fully online and in-person registration. Your family will have the option to sign up for convenient locations to receive help.

https://www.metromin.org/holiday-central/need-help/

Students must wear the EPEA uniform shirt daily. Shirts can be purchased for $8 each.

Sweatshirts will also be available for $30, and students can wear the sweatshirts without the EPEA uniform shirt if they wear the sweatshirt all day.

Students are to abide by the dress code of Pasco County Schools.

Please note: Old JIEC shirts & sweatshirts WILL not be considered in dress code. ALL students must have an EPEA shirt or sweatshirt for this school year.

Electronics (cell phone, headphones, ear buds) will only be allowed for students who maintain C's or higher during each marking period so that the focus remains on academics without distractions.

Students who are on Red Card will not be allowed to have electronics.

Electronics will be collected each morning and kept in a secure location for student to receive back during dismissal.

Wireless speakers, video games, etc. should be kept at home and they are not permitted on campus. Students who bring them will surrender them at the beginning of the day and receive at the end of the day.

Backpacks, bags, purses, etc. should be left at home. Students who bring these on campus will turn them into staff upon arrival and receive at the end of the day.

Just a reminder: Students who are administratively placed at EPEA are not permitted on any Pasco County School campus during their length of stay.

Students will carry their point card with them around campus and be responsible for not losing it. All students will start on the Bronze level and then be able to move up to Silver and Gold. If students are not able to maintain points, they will drop down to Red level. On the Red level, students will not be able to have any electronics and they will attend academic lunch. Students who achieve Silver and Gold level will receive extra privileges, such as monthly ice cream socials, field day, etc.

This year Pasco County School District has selected Naviance by PowerSchool as its primary college, career, and life readiness education technology solution. Naviance is a college, career, and life readiness platform, that helps students uncover their strengths and interests to make more informed decisions about their futures. The app is located on the students' dashboards. We encourage all our students to take advantage of this great resource.

For more information on Naviance Platform, please click this link: https://www.powerschool.com/solutions/unified-communities/naviance/

Parents or guardians will bring student to the front office to check-in late. If the student is leaving early, photo ID will need to be shown for check-out.

It is important for students to attend school to stay on track. We understand that things may occur that will cause a student to be absent. Please contact the front office or fill out the Absence Report form on our website to report a child's absence. For it to be considered, excused we will need a doctor's note, court document, etc.

If your child takes medication, you will need to reach out to the Clinic. There are forms that need to be completed.

Medication must also be brought in person to the clinic.

Throughout the school year, parents may request to meet with your child's teachers to discuss academics and/or behavior.

At times, teachers may also request to meet to discuss academics and/or behavior.

Conferences will be held in the morning prior to school starting.

Want to have a voice about your child's school? We would love to have you join our School Advisory Council that meets every other month. School Advisory Council Meetings (SAC) will be held on: 9/23, 11/18, 2/17 & 4/21 at 9 am.

For families who are in need, we have support that can be provided through the Tender, Loving Care program. Our social worker has contacts in the community to help with food during the holidays, clothing, and school supplies. If you need any services, please reach out and we will see what we can do to assist.

School address - 35830 State Road 52 Dade City, FL 33525

Phone Number - 352-524-5700

Fax Number - 352-524-5791

Principal - Shelley Carrino E-mail - scarrino@pasco.k12.fl.us

Assistant Principal - Jessica Mitch E-mail - jeawilli@pasco.k12.fl.us

School Counselors - Tim Hall E-mail - twhall@pasco.k12.fl.us and Sherri Harris E-mail ssharris@pasco.k12.fl.us

Behavior Specialists - Jose Olmo (Dr. J) E-mail - jolmo@pasco.k12.fl.us and Travis Wisdom (SBP) E-mail twisdom@pasco.k12.fl.us

Social Worker - Michael Brooks E-mail - mlbrooks@pasco.k12.fl.us

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