THE MENENDEZ MESSAGE

Volume 2 Issue 72

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

904.547.8660

Office: 8:30am- 4:45pm

Good evening Falcon families,

We hope you all had a great weekend and a great Monday. We completed BEST Writing testing last week and now are engaged in make-up testing for students who missed their testing date last week. Please help up get every student through the assessment as it is important data that let's us know areas we can further support your child.

Last week our Dance program offered two performances to packed houses and the performances were incredible. Kudos to Ms. Pratko and her students.

Our HOSA organization, under the direction of Ms. Jones and Ms. Willis attended the state competiton and had incredible results. Congratulations to all the state finishers of our HOSA club!

Senior parents, please remind your student about the Senior meeting on April 9th. We will review details regarding events for the remainder of the year for them, including details regarding graduation. Each family will receive 10 tickets for graduation and reserved seating will be available. We will also discuss Senior Awards, Senior clearance and a myriad of other topics.

Seniors and Juniors, Prom tickets went on sale on March 3. Tickets quantities are limited and when we are out, we are out. Please see the flyer below and its also posted all around campus. We only have 50 tickets left!

We want to share an update on our Front Office procedure. From this point forward, it will be the directive for all schools that all visitors must use the two way communication device "buzz box" to identify themselves by name and the reason for their visit. At that time, the front door will be unlocked, and you will enter into the secure front office entry area, where you will continue the vetting process by showing identification and using our visitor managements system. All St. Johns County Schools will be using this process, so we provide consistency when visitors enter our schools.

Thank you for your help and understanding as we continue our efforts to keep students, teachers and staff safe.

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

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



This year these four tenets will serve as the foundation for Pedro Menendez High School.

• Communication
• Clarity of Standards/ Expectations
• Consistency
• Commitment



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

• April 9th- Senior Meeting 3rd period in Auditorium
• April 10th - SAC Meeting
• April 11th- GradBash
• April 18th - Student/Teacher Holiday
• April 23rd - Interims Issued
• April 25th - Prom

SCHOOL ACCESS

As we are in the last quarter of the school year, events will be taking place throughout our district. Everyone must have school access to go past the front office of any school. If you plan to go into a school, and have not completed a school access form in the past, it is highly recommended that you complete this form right away. The form can be found at https://stjohns.keepntrack.com/apply. Completion of background screening can take two weeks or longer. If you completed a school access form in the past and think your approval may have expired (approval lasts for 3 years), call your child’s school and they will provide your current information.  

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.

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.

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!

For all SAC updates, agendas, and meeting minutes, please visit our page on the Menendez Website. 

Our 24-25 SAC Meeting dates are...

April 10

Please email Emily Reid, SAC Chair, at emily.reid@stjohns.k12.fl.us with any questions!

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/

We just wanted to take a moment to give a shout out to all of our amazing students who participated in this past week HOSA State Leadership Conference. 

The following students places this weekend in the top 3 in their categories!

Ava Nemececk placed 2^nd in Dental Science

Jayne Cannallato placed 2^nd in the Barbara James Serves category

Olivia Kestner placed 1^st in the Barbara James Service category

Kinsey Meade placed 1^st in the Barbara James Service category

Emily Tobuck placed 1^st in the Barbara James Service category

If your student is taking an IB class, even if they're not in the full IB Diploma program, they are required to complete all assignments in the class. This includes the Internal Assessments (IAs) and sitting for the exams. Any student who fails to complete all required aspects of the course(s) will be charged the $150 exam fee that the school covers for each student, as the student will no longer be able to test. If you have any question about where your student stands in an IB course, please reach out to the teacher-they can give you the timeline of due dates and progress your student has made. 

Prom tickets went on sale Monday March 3^rd at 9:00am on GoFan, guest forms are available now in the guidance office. 

Parental Choice Library Book Restrictions

Parents/guardians may utilize the Parental Choice Library Book Restriction Form to restrict titles their student may check out in the school library. Please complete the form and return it to your student’s school or librarian. This form is only required when a parent is seeking to restrict access to materials in the media center. 

*Restrictions from middle school are no longer valid. A new form must be filled out and returned to the high school to meet new state requirements.

Book Club

The Book Club meet the second Monday of every month in the media center after school. Come join us to discuss books, practice for Battle of the Books, and share the joy of reading. We have cookies!

Stop by the media center or Mrs. Kennedy's classroom (rm 840) for a club permission slip for the new school year.  

Each year St. Johns County School District updates and revises the Student Code of Conduct. We would like your thought and suggestions during this process. Please take a few moments to complete the Student Code of Conduct Survey to help us prepare the 2025 Student Code of Conduct. The survey will remain open until April 11, 2025. 

It would be helpful to you if you have a copy of the current Code of Conduct with you as you respond to the questions. View the current Student Code of Conduct.

All students will start fresh at ZERO tardies at the beginning of term 4 for their tardies.

Pay to Play for the School year 24-25

$150.00 1^st Sport

$50.00 for any additional sports played.

Must be paid through SchoolPay PRIOR to sport start date. Please lest Students name and sport when paying. 

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. Starting the 23-24 school year, 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.

Falcon Pride Store

Baker’s Sports has an online store open again for Menendez Merchandise. Click the link below to see what’s available. Ships Directly to your house.

https://bakerssport-falconpride.itemorder.com/

City of St. Augustine celebrates Earth Week

Free community events to take place April 22- 26, 2025

The City of St. Augustine will host several opportunities for the community to recognize Earth Week during the week of April 21, 2025. Residents are invited to participate in events aimed at promoting environmental awareness and sustainability.

The following events are free and open to the public:

·       Tuesday, April 22 – Fish Island Walking Tour (15 participants max, register here)

·       Thursday, April 24 – Resiliency Walking Tour (10 participants max, register here)

·       Friday, April 25 – Recycling & Shredding Event (More information here)

·       Saturday, April 26 – Fish Island Walking Tour (15 participants max, register here)

The free community recycle event on Friday, April 25, will take place at the Solid Waste Facility, located at 601 Riberia Street, from 9:00am – 1:00pm. Residents can shred documents (limit 5 boxes per City of St. Augustine resident), recycle outdated or broken electronic devices, and dispose of used cooking oil. No hazardous waste or televisions will be accepted.

More information regarding Earth Week events is available online at www.CityStAug.com/SustainabilityEvents, or by contacting Liz Johnson, Sustainability Specialist, at sustainability@citystaug.com or 904.201.8836.

For media inquiries, contact Melissa Wissel, Communications Director at 904.293.3307.

Florida Prepaid Open Enrollment Begins with Plan Prices Starting at Just $29/Month

Focused on encouraging families to save as early and affordably as possible, our partner Florida Prepaid College Savings Plans has reduced Prepaid Plan monthly prices for newborns and infants to the lowest in more than a decade.

Prepaid Plans allow families to lock in the cost of college with fixed monthly payments. A risk-free 1-year University Plan now starts at just $29/month for the Prepaid Plan Open Enrollment period from February 1 - April 30, 2025. The reduced prices result in savings of up to $850 per plan for a 1-Year University Plan – up to $3,400 in savings for four years.

Prepaid Plans are made to fit growing families:

• Use in-state or nationwide at public, private, trade and technical schools
• Complements scholarships and financial aid
• Transfer to another student or cancel anytime
• Earnings grow tax-free

Every child deserves higher education. Florida Prepaid’s goal is to make it possible for every Florida family to save simply and affordably. Learn more at https://bit.ly/41o9M4M

Parent Survey Exceptional Student Education

Each year, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) conducts a survey designed to provide FDOE and the United States Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, with information on how well Florida’s schools are partnering with parents and promoting parent involvement in their child’s education. The survey is open to all parents of children with an individual educational plan (IEP) receiving ESE services from preschool age through grade 12.

The 2024/2025 ESE Parent Survey is open beginning February 2025 and will close on 6/30/2025. The survey can be completed on the web or mobile phone by visiting:

2025 ESE Parent Survey

Your responses will help guide efforts to improve services and results for children and families. All information provided will remain confidential. You may submit one online survey for each child receiving services.

Jessica Richardson

Senior Director, Exceptional Student Education

600 State Road 206 West

St. Augustine, FL 32086

Main: (904) 547-8660