THE MENENDEZ MESSAGE

Volume 2 Issue 61

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

904.547.8660

Office: 8:30am- 4:45pm

Good evening Menendez Community,

We hope you all are enjoying this three day weekend. Please be reminded that there is no school tomorrow in observation of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

This past week was quite busy at PMHS. Freshmen and sophomores took the second round of the FAST assessment. The results from this round will be used to aid in course placement for next school year. This coming Tuesday will be a make-up day for sophomores and Wednesday will be make-ups for freshmen. Thus far, we are seeing positive growth for many of our students and ask that they stay focused through the final FAST testing at the end of this school year.

Last week, many of our athletic teams either ended their regular seasons or competed at the district or regional level. A special shout out goes to the PMHS wrestling team who placed second in regionals after taking the district title. We also want to congratulate our competitive cheer team who placed at regionals, punching their ticket on to the state competition.

This week was also filled with some fun events. Many of our clubs are in full swing, tutoring before school, during lunch and after school is available and most recently, our Theater program, under the direction of Ms. Riso held a karaoke night for current and future falcons.

This week, our literary magazine, Ascension, will be hosting the PMHS Talent Show. Its always a great evening and we hope for a packed house.

#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 coming 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

• January 20th - No school
• January 23rd - PMHS Talent Show
• January 29th - Senior Panoramic & Luncheon
• February 11th - Interims Issued
• February 13th - SAC Meeting
• February 14th - Teacher Inservice Day, ESE Transition Information Fair
• February 17th - No School

On March 13th we will host our 7th annual Victory Day! We are reaching out to all our neighbors and community members to ask for help in making this event a great one for many St. Johns County students!

If you haven’t heard of Victory Day before, it is an event for students with disabilities in our neighboring schools. Each school brings their ESE self-contained population to Menendez for a “field day” event in which they participate in games, activities, and challenges organized by our High School Student-Athletes. Last year we hosted students from SAHS, TCHS, PMHS, GRMS, SWES, OES, and OMES. It was our largest Victory Day event in school history, and we are hoping to keep this momentum alive in our event this year! It is student organized and gives our students the opportunity to lead others while serving this incredible population of students within our community.

We need your support to make this happen! We are asking for sponsorships and donations to cover the following expenses for this incredible day:

·        Participation expenses for all students

·        Victory Day T-Shirt for all participants (color coded by school)

·        Food for all students and staff

·        Victory Day Ribbons

·        Purchase updated materials and equipment for activities & games

Below is the sponsorship packages we have to offer this year and the benefits that come with your kind donations. Please fill out the sponsor information form here and email it to Jennifer.Marston@stjohns.k12.fl.us or give it to the student collecting your donation.

Payment can be made via check or by using the following link: https://schoolpay.com/pay/for/Victory-Day-2025-Sponsorship/SpQsoZ

We thank you for your support. This is truly our favorite day of the year, and we know it is for many students in the county!

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.

****THERE WILL NOT BE MATH TUTORING ON FRIDAY 1/17/25****

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...

February 13

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/

Mrs. Toffaletti is planning a field trip to Busch Gardens Tampa for all 9th-12th grade IB diploma students! Permission slips were handed out this week in their English classes, see Mrs. Toffaletti if you did not receive one. The trip is March 7^th and payment will be made via SchoolPay, permission slips and payments due by January 17^th. https://schoolpay.com/pay/for/IB-Busch-Gardens-Field-Trip/S5JqFW

https://schoolpay.com/pay/for/Grad-Bash-at-Universal-Class-of-2025/SbgxnEV

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.

The 25^th Silver Anniversary of the PMHS Talent Show is Jan. 23^rd from 6:30-8:30 in the Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $10.00 via SchoolPay. Come on out and enjoy a fun evening with students and faculty as they perform comedy routines, rock n roll with the band, and dance and sing to some of the “oldies” as well as today’s Top 40. See you at the show!

🌟 Join the High School French Club! 🌟

Are you passionate about French culture, cuisine, and language? The French Club is the perfect place for you! Whether you’re a beginner or already fluent, our club offers a welcoming environment to practice speaking, learn about French traditions, and make new friends. We host fun events like French movie night. Plus, you’ll have the chance to prepare for exchange programs. Come join us and say “Bonjour” to a world of new experiences! ✨

Interested? Sign up today and be part of our new community! 🎉📚

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.  

You can view the student expectation assembly by visiting



https://www-pmhs.stjohns.k12.fl.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Student-Expecations-Assembly-2024-2025.pdf

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/

600 State Road 206 West

St. Augustine, FL 32086

Main: (904) 547-8660