1300 Silver Eagle Drive
Tarpon Springs, Florida 34688
Office: (727) 942-5419
Fax: (727) 942-5441

01/15/2023

Good Evening Eagle Families, 

This is Dan Schmittdiel, Principal at East Lake High School, with some important reminders for this upcoming week. First off, remember that there is no school on Monday, January 16^th, in special observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Senior Scholarship Opportunities

Senior families, don’t forget to complete the FAFSA (federal scholarships, grants, loans) and the FFAA (Bright Futures and other state financial aid) both ASAP, along with the application through the Pinellas Education Foundation which closes on January 31^st, 2023. The foundation awards over $700,000 in scholarships that your student could qualify for, so fill out the single application ASAP! Links to each of these can be found below – if you need more help working through the various opportunities, schedule an appointment with our College and Career Coordinator, Natasha Gallaty, at https://bit.ly/ELCCC-Booking.

• FAFSA: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
• FFAA: https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/
• Pinellas Education Foundation: https://pinellaseducation.org/initiatives/multiple-pathways/scholarships/
• Pinellas County Schools Scholarship Opportunities: https://www.pcsb.org/Page/39425

Understanding PSAT Scores

The College Board Florida Partnership is hosting a student/parent webinar on Thursday, January 19, 2023, at 6 p.m. EST. The session will focus on how PSAT scores and reports can provide insight into individual student performance, including a predicted SAT score and student progress toward meeting the college readiness benchmark. We highly recommend that you participate – to sign up use the hyperlink below:

• Understanding PSAT Student Score Reports
• Register in advance for this webinar

Semester 1 Grades

Semester 1 grades were finalized on Friday, January 13^th, 2023. Though report cards will be released this week, you can check those finalized grades now. Also, as always, remember to check up on grades regularly as we move throughout quarter 3 and the remainder of semester 2. We’re excited for a great start!

Student Tardies

As we move into week 2 of quarter 3, it is imperative to reiterate the importance and expectation for students to be on time to all classes throughout the day, including the start of the school day. Though most do an amazing job with this, please reiterate with your student(s) that it is a vital expectation at school and in life. During this quarter, we will be rolling out a new tardy system that will increase both accountability for students and communication with parents surrounding tardies. You will receive more information from the school surrounding those changes within the next few weeks – in the meantime, please ensure that your student is aware and abides by the expectation of getting to class on time every day each period. Stay tuned for now on the new system, which will be rolled out this quarter.

Electronic Devices

A reminder about the use of electronic devices: students are not permitted to use devices to take photos or record audio/video of other students or staff without the consent of that person. The use of phones and other devices is also not permitted in bathrooms and locker rooms.

No Student Food Orders

As we move into semester 2, this is a quick reminder that food orders from any food delivery service/restaurant is not allowed. Students are expected to either take advantage of school lunch or bring their own each day. Please make sure to continue to remind your student(s) of this expectation.

Staff Kudos

Do you want to celebrate a specific ELHS staff member and have been looking for a platform to give them kudos? Now's your chance! Our staff kudos survey will be available all year – take a minute to complete it to give an ELHS staff member a shout-out for all of the amazing things they do for our students each and every day. We will share the positive feedback with our staff! Please use the Microsoft Forms survey link in the email from this callout to provide the kudos:

• https://forms.office.com/r/USeQsGBnE0

Important dates for Seniors (Class of 2023) 

• 2023 Graduation: Tuesday, May 16^th, 2023 @ 5:30pm
• Friday 3/31: Grad Bash @ Universal Studios (seniors will be asked to leave class at 12:45pm) 
• Saturday 4/22: Prom @ Ruth Eckerd Hall 
• Thursday 4/27: Senior Breakfast @ Ruth Eckerd Hall AND Senior Assembly 
• A reminder to visit https://elhssenior.weebly.com to keep up with all things Senior Class!

Summer Driver’s Ed Program Opportunities

Pinellas County Schools will offer two sessions of Driver’s Education classes this summer starting June 5th at 10 high school sites throughout the county. The online registration window for students to register is January 25th thru February 2nd. For specific details about the summer drivers ed program including the sites, dates, and the requirements, go to the summer drivers ed link on your school’s website or go to https://pcsb.org/driversed . Don’t forget to register starting January 25th! 

Guidance Updates

12^th grade students should take advantage of the Pinellas Education Foundation Scholarship opportunity. Seniors can complete this scholarship here: https://pinellaseducation.org/initiatives/multiple-pathways/scholarships/. The scholarship deadline to apply is January 31, 2023.

Dress Code Reminders

The Pinellas County School Board has adopted a dress code for students in all district schools that all schools are making a concerted effort to adhere to. Here is a direct link to the dress code page from the student code of conduct for reference. https://tinyurl.com/2022-2023PCSBDressCode. Families may be contacted to provide a change of clothes if your student does not have something else with them which meets the Student Code of Conduct guidelines.

If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your Assistant Principal or Counselor. Have an amazing rest of your weekend, stay safe, and GO EAGLES!

Dan Schmittdiel, Principal 

East Lake High School

SchmittdielD@pcsb.org 

Our Vision 
100% student success

Our Mission 
The community of East Lake High School will develop productive and responsible students who are prepared for post-secondary education, the workforce and citizenship.