THE MENENDEZ MESSAGE

Volume 4 Issue 122

https://www-pmhs.stjohns.k12.fl.us/

904.547.8660

Office: 9:00am- 5:00pm

Good morning Menendez families and community,

We hope you all had a wonderful three day weekend and are excited for the coming week. Week five has come upon up and this week marks the mid-point of the first quarter and interims. Please take the time to look over grades thus for your child. We have seen great work from our students thus far this year and we want to partner with you to keep the momentum going.

As you may have seen in the the news, there is now a "Cat in the Hat" Tiktok trend going around nationwide. Many of you have reported seeing this trend and we are extremely appreciative of your diligence. This has occurred at schools throughout our district, at surrounding counties, and nationwide. Please be assured that this is being investigated by SJCSD personnel and the St. Johns County Sheriffs Office. For more information, here is a news link to the online trend. https://www.news4jax.com/news/local/2026/09/08/did-you-spot-one-of-the-ai-generated-cat-in-the-hat-posts-threatening-schools-heres-what-officials-need-you-to-do/

We are continuing a strong emphasis on attendance being present for instruction this year. September is Attendance Awareness Month and district-wide, we will be raising awareness on September 9th by wearing Neon to support the "Bright Futures Ahead" campaign.

We are hopeful that you will partner with us to keep digital devices from being the distraction from success. Students will be required to place their cell phones in hanging pouches upon entry into each class. We want to thank you all for your support and have seen a great result for all of our students thus far.

We know that the temperature has been extremely warm, but need your help to remind students of the SJCSD dress code. Detailed information on the SJCSD dress code is available below and in the SJCSD Code of Conduct” starting on p. 13. Students out of dress code will be documented and will be asked to put on clothing in compliance with the policy.

We want to thank all of you for supporting us as we work to increase of learning opportunities and effect for all students. Our credo for this year is "One More.."; One Team, One Standard, One Heart.

Safety is our commitment to parents, students, faculty, and staff. To align with Florida Statute and provide the safest learning environment, we will have a single point of entry and exit 30 minutes prior to the start of the school day until the conclusion of the school day. All students must enter and exit the building through the gates near the front office with the exception of bus riders. This policy is in place to keep everyone on campus safe. Violation of this policy is a discipline offense.

Parent Involvement and Visitors

The Menendez PTSO is in its second year of existence and is always looking for interested community members to support PMHS in the RISE movement. For more information on our spectacular PTSO, please visit https://www-pmhs.stjohns.k12.fl.us/ptso/ or scroll down in the message.

Visitors to campus MUST complete a School Access Form which can be found on the SJCSD website at https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/volunteer/.

• This clearance is for entry on campus during school hours such as a morning meeting with teachers or counselors, volunteering, or other events.

Social Media

Make sure to follow PMHS on Instagram @pedro_Menendez_High_School. We will be highlighting all of the incredible accomplishments at the school this year and be using this and ParentSquare to communicate everything related to PMHS. Furthermore, many of our clubs and athletic programs have social media accounts. We will share this information on the Menendez Message in the coming weeks.

#RISEON3 is our mantra at PMHS and it illustrates our focus for our students. We hope to elevate the mark in the follow areas for every student:

• Attendance (being present and on time)
• Achievement (in every part of life)
• Attitude (regardless of the situation, to exhibit an attitude of success and persistence)

Visitors to campus MUST complete a School Access Form which can be found on the SJCSD website at https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/volunteer/.

• This clearance is for entry on campus during school hours such as a morning meeting with teachers or counselors, volunteering, or other events.

#RISEON3!

Respectfully,

Ted Banton

Principal

Pedro Menendez High School

Parents, Students and Community Members!

We have now partnered with Jostens to provide an online PMHS shopping experieice for all. The best part, is that you can pick the item and customize in the comfort of your home and the order will be shipped directly to you! They have items for all ages and have a number of brands to choose from. Please click on the link below to visit the PMHS Mascot Shop.

PMHS Mascot Shop

• September 7th - Labor Day - No School
• September 8 on: FAST PM1 Testing
• September 9th - Interims Issued
• September 17th - SAC Meeting
• September 25th - Teacher Inservice Day - No School

We are excited to introduce digital IDs for all students. Please have your student download the 5-star student app. Choose United States and then Florida. Next, select Pedro Menendez High School. Finally, register with their student ID number (s number without the "s") and LAST name. Now, your student will have access to their digital ID in addition to the physical ID they received while in school. The digital ID makes school life just a little easier!

Please open and view the documents below from SJCSD



Required Instruction High School

Code Of Conduct

High School Choice

Economic Security Report Summary

School Safety

Sheriff's Letter

Parent Square

SJCSD utilizes a unified communication platform—ParentSquare—to enhance how we connect with families and support school-to-home engagement across our entire district. ParentSquare is a unified communication platform that offers a whole host of tools that allows district, school administrators and teachers to more effectively communicate and engage with families and students.

Check out our academy newsletter for a glimpse into the great things our students are doing in their academies. https://www-pmhs.stjohns.k12.fl.us/academies/newsletters/

Thank you for a great first month! Thank you for your patience, your understanding, and your grace! 

We had a very successful college visit from UF last week, thank you to every student who attended and asked great questions! Their PowerPoint has been posted to ParentSquare by Mrs. Toffaletti - she'll be keeping that updated all year long regarding all things graduation and college so make sure you don't ignore those messages.

Coming up this week, we have our first Lunch & Learn in the Media Center on Wednesday during both lunches. Ms. Masiak will be going over College Applications and the CommonApp. - all seniors are encouraged to attend! We'll be doing these once a month to discuss different topics, something for every grade level.

   Ms. Masiak A-E Early College/Dual Enrollment

   Ms. Toffaletti F-Ma IB & Pre-IB 

   Ms. Pence Mc-Z English Language Learners

Some of the services provided by school counselors include:

Academic Support

      Study Skills

      Academic Challenges: We can help advocate for your child in IEP meetings or assist with 504s or onnect families with appropriate resources.

Social and Emotional Development

       Coping Skills

       Emotional Regulation

       Conflict Resolution

       Self-Advocacy/Self Esteem

       Crisis Intervention: In cases of more serious emotional distress or crisis, we are trained to provide immediate support and connect families with outside mental health professionals if needed.

Career Interest and Exploration

Collaboration and Consultation

       Student Advocate

       Parent Partnership: We are here to partner with families. We can discuss student progress, share observations, and provide resources or referrals to outside services if necessary.

Families are encouraged to email or call their school counselor for advisement. Should a student want to meet with a school counselor, they can message them through Schoology or stop by Guidance during their lunch to schedule an appointment. 

We look forward to seeing our returning Falcons and meeting the class of 2030!

HAC

Please make sure all parent information in Home Access Center is updated. This ensures all teachers and staff can contact families with information and updates.

The School Counseling office has moved all of our communications to Parent Square. Now students and their families will not have to look in multiple places for the vital information we publish regarding graduation requirements, dual enrollment, scholarships, deadlines, and much more. Please regularly check the new Parent Square app to ensure you're receiving all of this information, as we look forward to partnering with you in support of your future!

As a reminder, the state of Florida has given every student free access to the Xello college and career planning website. We will be utilizing this tool to aid in applying to colleges (used alongside CommonApp) as well as researching careers, scholarships, etc. Parents and guardians were sent instructions on accessing their free accounts two weeks ago, let your student's School Counselor know if you did not receive yours or if you need help in accessing your account.

At the end of each quarter, the School Counselors mail letters home to seniors that are at risk of not graduating. If you receive one of these letters, please reach out to the office to schedule a meeting to discuss how your student can get back on track. Additionally, please reach out if you have any concerns regarding graduation ASAP!

All 9^th and 10^th graders in English 1 and English 2 will be scheduled to participate. Here are the testing days by English teacher:

9/8 – Milton’s English 1

9/10 – Waters’ English 1

9/11 – Gariepy’s English 1 & English 2

9/14 – Bonner’s English 2

9/15 – Lundquist English 2

Student locations have been posted on Schoology pages for students, student’s English teachers can provide them with their locations, and parents you can visit our testing page to see your student’s testing location (https://www-pmhs.stjohns.k12.fl.us/testing/).

COLLEGE BOARD CONSENT FORM

Electronic Devices

We are continuing our tradition that all students will be required to place their cell phones in hanging pouches upon entry into each class. Our intent is for all students to be able to focus on instruction without distraction from electronic devices. We will continue to remind students of this policy the first four days of school. After the first four days of school, students that do not comply with this policy will have their phone confiscated until the end of the day and receive discipline consequences. We ask for parent support with this initiative so that students can focus on instruction and reaching their potential

Single Point of Entry

Safety is a priority at at Pedro Menendez High School and in order to comply with state statute, we will operate with a single point of entry and exit during the school day, the front office. All students must enter and exit the building through this entry/exit point. This policy is in place to keep everyone on campus safe and violation of this policy is a a safety breach and a level II discipline offense.

Food Delivery

Students are not allowed to receive any food deliveries (Door Dash, Grub Hub etc..). Please do not order food via door dash or any other food delivery services for students.

Dress Code

We will continue following the SJCSD dress code policies and procedures. Detailed information on the SJCSD dress code is available in the “Code of Conduct” starting on p. 13. Students out of dress code will be documented and provided with clothing that fits the parameters of the SJCSD dress code policies. Please help us to ensure students are abiding by SJCSD policy.

Did you know? Your family may qualify for no-cost or reduced-price meals based on household income or family size. We encourage all families to explore this option: SJCSD Free/Reduced App page

What’s on the Menu? Curious about our daily offerings? Explore our diverse and nutritious menu options at Meal Viewer: Visit MealViewer.com now

St. Johns County Meal Viewer

Meal Prices

PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR CHILD'S ACCOUNT FOR ANY DEBTS OWED

Pay for Cafeteria Meals Online

PayPAMS Brochure

PayPAMS Brochure (en español)

MEDICATION GIVEN IN SCHOOL

Per school board policy, students cannot carry medication to school. All medication must be brought to the clinic by a parent/guardian and requires the Medication Authorization Form to be completed (by the physician) which you can access below. Please include a Medical Management Plan if applicable. New bottles must be brought to the clinic by a parent/guardian for each refill. Medication cannot be given from an expired bottle. All medication must be in their original container, labeled with the student’s name, dosage, frequency of administration and physician’s name. Medication should not be transported between home and school daily. Separate containers should be kept at home and at school. Parents will be responsible for delivery and retrieval of medication to and from the school nurse.

STUDENT AUTHORIZATION TO SELF-CARRY MEDICATION

Per Florida Statue 1002.20, The Medication Authorization Form allows the student to carry their own emergency medication, (Epinephrine Pen, Auvi Q, Glucagon or Inhaler) if and only if the parent and physician sign the Florida Statute box on the Med Auth Form. This form must be returned to me before the student is allowed to carry prescribed self-administered medications. If you would like the nurse to administer a prescribed or over-the-counter medication, please use the same form.

Over-the-counter medications (Tylenol or Motrin) can be carried by your student while at school. They must be in the original container and be within the current expiration date. Please complete an Over-the Counter Form found below. The completed form must be returned to the clinic.

If you have any questions regarding medication to be administered or taken by your student at school, please contact: Mrs. Parrey, RN at 904-547-8672 or Rosemary.Parrey@stjohns.k12.fl.us.

MEDICATION AND MEDICAL MANAGEMENT FORMS

Allergy-Medical-Managment-Plan-MMP.pdf

Asthma-Medical-Management-Plan-MMP.pdf

Bleeding-Disorders-Medical-Management-Plan-MMP.pdf

Cardiac-Medical-Management-Plan-MMP.pdf

Cystic-Fibrosis-Medical-Management-Plan-MMP.pdf

Seizure-Medical-Management-Plan-MMP.pdf

Authorization to Assist in the Administration of Medication

Parent Permission for Self-Administration Non-Prescription

The Menendez Athletic Department utilizes an online paperless registration system, AthleticClearance.com. The registration process is attached. Additional Menendez Athletics information, including coaches’ contact information, can be found at www-pmhs.stjohns.k12.fl.us/athletics/. Our expectation is that every athlete will be registered by their parent/guardian before their desired sport’s start date.

 Athletic Clearance Instructions

Please ensure the following when completing the online process:

1.     Student ID should be entered WITHOUT a preceding “S”. Numeric ID only!

2.     Scan and upload physical as ONE document.

3.     Ensure that student information is complete on page 4 of the physical (EL2).

4.     Ensure that the MD has checked “Medically eligible for all sports without restriction” AND signed and dated page 4 of the physical.

5.     Ensure that student and parent signature/date is completed on bottom of page 4 of the physical.

The only type of physical we accept is the FHSAA EL2 physical form. The updated physical form is 4 pages. The old EL2 form WILL NOT be accepted.

Please keep in mind that the FHSAA requires all student athletes to view free video courses on concussions, heat illness, and sudden cardiac arrest (see instructions below). Signatures on the EL3 form indicate that your athlete has completed these three video courses. The FHSAA also requires that all student athletes have at least a 2.0 unweighted GPA to be eligible for participation.

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year, Falcons!

Your Parent Teacher Student Organization is looking forward to serving our community. 

Applications are now open for any parents, teachers, students, or community members who wish to be a voting member of the 26-27 School Advisory Board. 

A School Advisory Board is a team of parents, school staff, students, and community members who work together to provide input and recommendations that help improve student achievement, school programs, and the overall success of the school. All meetings are public, but we'd like to invite anyone interested to become a voting member, which gives you a voice when helping to make these important decisions.

A few reminders - 

1. Even if you were a voting member last year, please submit an application this year. 
2. Meetings will be in person once a month, and members must be present in person in order to vote. In order to vote on actionable items, we must have a quorum, so please be sure you are prepared to be in attendance if you sign up! See the information below for more details!

26-27 SAC Meeting Dates

Meetings will be held on the 3^rd Thursday of each month (with some exceptions) at 8AM in the PMHS Media Center.

September 17

October 15

November 19

January 21

February 18

April 15

May 20

Link for SAC Member Application: Pedro Menendez High School School Advisory Council (SAC) Membership Application (26-27) – Fill out form

This application will close on Friday, August 14^th at 11:59PM!

If you have any questions, please reach out to SAC Chair, Emily Reid, at emily.reid@stjohns.k12.fl.us!

Thank you for your time and service to the falcon community!

https://sjctax.us/student-driver-education/

Driver’s education is available in-person at your school from the St. Johns County Tax Collector’s Office!

PEDRO MENENDEZ HIGH SCHOOL

10/07/2026 THROUGH 10/21/2026

01/27/2027 THROUGH 02/09/2027

04/28/2027 THROUGH 05/11/2027

Phase I: Learner Permit Preparation – $30.00

A classroom lecture designed to assist a student preparing to obtain a Learner Permit. The classes are conducted before school from 8 am to 9 am, for a total of 10 consecutive school days. This course meets the FDOE requirements for Traffic Safety Classroom 1900300. On the last day, we will administer each student the Learner Permit Knowledge Exam that is required to obtain a Learner Permit. No further online course is required. Participation by a minimum of five students is required, or the class will be canceled and a refund issued.

Visit SJCTC DRIVER EDUCATION PROGRAM – St. Johns County Tax Collector to register.

600 State Road 206 West

St. Augustine, FL 32086

Main: (904) 547-8660