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

12/2/2022
Good Evening Eagle Families,

This is Dan Schmittdiel, Principal of East Lake High School, with several reminders for you and your students as we close out semester 1. First and foremost, thank you to all stakeholders for the warm welcome – it’s been a great first week and I’m thrilled to be a part of the Eagle family! As we approach Winter Break, remember  it’s vital for students to continue their high level of focus and engagement within the classroom. As students wrap up content in the next few weeks and classes work through various review opportunities, let’s ensure that we remind students the importance of that preparation! I’ve noticed that some students are struggling with getting to class on time – please take a moment to remind them that this is a vital first step toward that success and is a school wide expectation that this occurs each and every period throughout the day.

During my short time at East Lake High School, I’ve had the opportunity to see some of the amazing things from both staff and students. On that note, I believe that it is important to take the time to celebrate those positives regularly. Do you want to celebrate a specific ELHS staff member? Have you been looking for a platform to give them kudos? Now's your chance! We'll send out this survey regularly to provide that opportunity - 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  

PTSA Membership

Parents, we wanted to remind you that the 2022-2023 PTSA Board Membership sales and Sponsorships are their main fundraisers and are still open and available. Funds raised support student enrichment by providing funding for special projects and classroom supplies. The PTSA also provides funding for staff appreciation events. Please help us to build a stronger community by joining the ELHS PTSA. You can join today by using the link in the email from this callout: 

• https://elhsptsa.memberhub.com/store?category=Memberships

PCSB - Stakeholder Survey

The PCS Stakeholder survey for the 2022-23 school year is available and open until Sunday, December 18^th. Your feedback is invaluable, so please make sure to fill it out before the deadline, the sooner the better. You may access the survey at https://www.pcsb.org/survey

December Testing

Finally, we have multiple testing dates coming up in the next three weeks. Next week (week of 12/5), all of our US Government students will be sitting for the Florida Civic Literacy Exam. Remember that this is a great opportunity for students to meet the post-secondary civic literacy requirement before even graduating high school, along with an opportunity for it to count as their midterm grade pending how well they do.

On December 13^th we will be facilitating the F.A.S.T. Progress Monitoring 2 assessment for all 9^th and 10^th grade students. We will send out more specific information regarding the F.A.S.T. PM2 next week regarding testing logistics – please remind your students it is vital to put their best effort forth and show the growth they’ve made since the start of the school year. Teachers will use that data to work closely with students to continue that growth as we work through semester 2.

During the week of December 19^th, we will facilitate the semester 1 midterm exams. Students who qualify will receive exam exemption forms during the week of December 12^th – you should expect a specific callout with that information in the future. Remember that to qualify, students must have an A or B during Q1 and a provision grade of an A or B during Q2, along with having no more than 4 absences in any single period.

Important dates for Seniors (Class of 2023) 

• We are still awaiting dates for PCS graduations from the district. It will be sent immediately to senior families once published by the school district
• 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!

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 and the Superintendent have adopted a dress code for students in all district schools and all schools are making a concerted effort to adhere. Shorts must be mid-thigh, and shirts need to cover shoulders and midriffs etc. Undergarments also must not be visible. 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, please reach out to your student's School Counselor or Assistant Principal. I wish you all a happy and relaxing 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.