The Otter Pond Post

We are very excited to welcome back all of our Otters in a few short weeks. This summer has been full of relaxation, fun, and planning for our best year yet! 2026-2027 will be filled with lots of learning, fun and continued traditions. Please make sure to stay connected to our bi-weekly newsletters to ensure you are up to date and ready to engage!

This year we are excited to launch our theme "Teamwork Makes the Dreamwork!" We believe that when we set goals, and work together- all of our dreams can come true.

For those that I have not had the opportunity to meet, I am Ms. Ennis. This will be my third year as the proud Principal of Oakstead. I am originally from Saratoga Springs, NY where I was born and raised. I am the youngest of 5 girls and a big basketball fan, growing up playing and coaching at the collegiate level while earning my Master's In Education. I am entering my 19th year in education, all in Pasco County. 19 years ago I packed my car and landed in Pasco County eager to learn the area and make this my home. I have served at numerous schools such as Hudson Elementary, Richey Elementary, Cotee River Elementary, Anclote Elementary, Northwest Elementary and Starkey Ranch K8. I have supported students as both a primary teacher, intermediate teacher, Literacy Coach and Assistant Principal. Each school and community has help to shape me into the leader I am today.

I am also a mother to a 13 year old, Ava. She has been involved in many amazing opportunities that our Pasco County public schools have to offer- such as leadership courses, NJHS, Student Council, Student Congress, musical theatre and cheerleading. She is my constant inspiration to serve all of your children as if they are my own. It is my goal to support our school community with the same focus, intentionality and high expectations that I support my own child with.

If you need anything, please feel free to reach out to either myself or Mrs. Blair, our assistant principal. We are excited to support you all in reaching our highest potential together!

We are very proud of our students, staff, and community for supporting our goals and mission in this past school year. At the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, we set goals for each grade level that supported the belief that every student deserves to grow and demonstrate proficiency. We worked hard, put in systems of support in every way possible- behavior, attendance, and most importantly academics. And I am so proud to announce that we achieved an "A" in our state grading system. We will continue to set goals, share and communicate our goals, and work together to achieve at high levels. Thank you for your continued support.

We are especially excited for this opportunity to meet our youngest Otters! If you haven't registered yet, please connect with Mrs. Kantor to get registered for this opportunity AND for school!

Meet the Teacher is a drop- in event between 9:00 am and 12:00pm. Please plan to arrive before 12:00pm, as we will be wrapping up our event at that time.

This will be a great opportunity to meet your child's teacher(s), drop off supplies, visit the cafeteria for information, join our PTA, purchase Otter Spirit Wear, pick up your car tag and pay your school fees!

School fees can be paid ahead of time online to avoid lines. Teacher assignments should be accessed through your Parent Portal. Please reach out to Mrs. Kantor if you need assistance in creating a Parent Portal account.

When you log in to your Rycor account to pay your student's fees this year, you will see charges reflected. The easiest way to find your Rycor account is to log on to your MyStudent Parent Portal. You will see a button that says pay student fees. This will take you to your Rycor payment site. Field Trips, special activities, yearbooks, and shirt purchases are all made through a Rycor account.

Elementary General Fee- $33.00

Some students attend with an affidavit of residency form stating that they reside with a current resident. Those affidavits are required to be provided to the school at the beginning of each school year.

Students who have expired leases for registration or have not submitted a current affidavit of residency for this school year will not have a class assignment available until this has been completed.

Please contact Mrs. Kantor with any questions.

We CANNOT wait for the first day!

On Thursday, August 13th, we plan to open our gates a little early and welcome both students and parents to campus. Starting at 9:15 am, we will permit parents to walk their child to class. For safety and security purposes, this will only be on the first day.

We will have many people around campus to help take pictures, navigate how to get to class, and assist some of our kiddos who may need an extra hug and help transitioning.

Carline- please note that the parking lot is not an approved location to drop off any students.

Please wait for staff or safety patrol to open your car door before allowing your child to exit your vehicle. This is essential for safety purposes. All students should exit on the passenger side door.

Please refrain from using your cell phone, smoking or other habits that are not permitted on school grounds. These are ticket-able offenses and create unsafe conditions for staff and students alike.

Please watch for the adults to assist in moving traffic. We kindly ask that you put your car in park to avoid accidents and ensure that all students and staff are as safe as possible.

Walker/Biker

Students should wait patiently at the walker/biker gate for a staff member to welcome them to campus. Students are required to walk their wheels while on campus to the rack where they will safely store their bike or scooter.

Bus/ Daycare Vans

Students should stay seated while waiting to be welcomed to campus. When greeted by a staff member, students will exit the bus and either go to purchase breakfast or head directly to class.

PLACE

PLACE students may purchase breakfast during PLACE in the cafeteria before class. The students will be dismissed from the cafeteria at 9:30 am. Kindergarten and First Grade students will be escorted.

We will utilize backpack tags for our youngest Otters as needed to ensure they are in the correct dismissal location.

Due to safety and supervision, we will not be able to retrieve a student from another dismissal location. Each of our staff members are assigned a specific duty and cannot leave that assigned location. We also will not be able to dismiss students from the front office. Please plan to pick your child up at their assigned dismissal spot.

Bus (3:50pm)

Students' backpacks will be tagged on the first day of school. Kindergarten bus riders will have an extra tag signaling the driver they are in Kindergarten and may be more confused or unsure of the routines and procedures of a bus.

Students should also be utilizing their badge provided. If your student had lost their badge, we will provide 1 free of cost. Any further badges will cost $3 and can be requested and paid through Mrs. Midgley.

Daycare Vans (3:50pm)

This option is for students registered to an outside aftercare program who picks up at our school.

Car Rider (3:55pm)

This option is for students who are picked up through the car line. The 26-27 Car tag must be displayed. Once your child has been safely placed in your car, we ask that you please take your car tag down so that we can signal a safe departure.

We will not accept prior year car tags. Should you not have your car tag, you will be asked to park, go to the office and show your ID. You will be able to purchase another car tag ($3) and then asked to return to the carline to pick up your child.

Walker/Biker (3:50pm)

This option does not require an adult to be present. Students will be walked to the gate and then are dismissed. It is best for an adult to meet them to ensure a safe trip home. Students are expected to follow the directions of the adults, including crossing guards, as they navigate the community.

Place (3:50pm)

Students will be walked to the cafeteria. Parents picking up from PLACE are asked to wait in their vehicles until 4:20pm. We cannot have adults gathering at the front gate for safety and security, as we will have many students and staff in this area.

Please see our school website to submit an Otter Runner https://oes.pasco.k12.fl.us/

Florida Law (F.S.1003.21) states that all children who are either six years of age, who will be six years old by February 1 of any school year, or who are older than six years of age but who have not attained the age of 16 years, must attend school regularly during the entire school term.

It is the belief of the School Board of Pasco County that academic success requires continuity of instruction and active classroom participation. Attendance shall be required of all students enrolled in school during the days and hours that the school is in session. Absences, regardless of the reason or status (excused or unexcused), are missed opportunities for academic instruction. School attendance shall be the responsibility of parents and students.

Florida Law (Section 1003.26(1)(b), Florida Statues) provides that if a student has at least five (5) unexcused absences, or

All absences must be reported by logging in through your MyStudent Portal within 3 days to be considered for excuse. We will not take phone calls or written notes. Please note, that vacations will not be excused absences. Excessive or extended absences are considered three (3) consecutive days, five (5) in one calendar month, or ten (10) in a 90-calendar-day period.

Students need to arrive on time and stay through dismissal so they will receive important directions, class instruction, and avoid disrupting other students. Parents can set a good example by encouraging students to follow the school’s time schedule and to follow the procedures found in the school handbook for late arrivals and early checkout. All parents must report to the front office when picking up their child prior to the regular dismissal time.

Students who will be picked up early must be signed out by 3:00pm. For safety purposes, we will not be able to check students out after 3:00pm.

This is an exciting time to get to see your child and socialize with them on campus. We do ask that you preregister to reserve your spot as a lunch visitor, this will help expedite the process of checking in. You will want to arrive 5-10 minutes prior to your child's lunch time just in case. During this time, you are permitted to each with only your child and in our Otter Pad area. There is no inside option, so please be watching the weather!

We do anticipate welcoming families on campus prior to Labor Day, so be on the look out in our next newsletter for our preregistration.

For the past several years, all Pasco County Schools have been part of a federal program called the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). This program has allowed us to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students, regardless of income. However, due to rising food costs and changes in federal legislation, our district will be making some changes starting with the 2025–2026 school year. Starting this school year, breakfast and lunch at Oakstead will no longer be automatically free.

If you have questions, please contact us through Let’s Talk: School Meals. We’re happy to help.

Below you will find links to:

• Food and Nutrition homepage
• Apply for Free/Reduced Meals
• My School Bucks (where you can add and monitor student purchases)
• School Menu

We are excited to share in your child's birthday celebration. ALL birthday treats must be purchased through our cafeteria. This allows us to ensure we are in compliance with the USDA Smart Snack regulations and monitoring student allergies and replacing items as needed for those individuals.

All treats will be shared during your child's lunch time. Please note that all students will sit with their homeroom teacher's class for lunch. Please check with your child's teacher on how many students are in that group. We will involve your child in passing out their snacks, so it is always a good idea if they know, too!

Please note that the first birthday treats will be offered on September 3rd.

All orders must be completed 10 days prior to the celebration. Please fill out the below link.

All money must be in your child's account at the time of order.

Once your order is submitted you will receive a confirmation email. Your account on MySchool Bucks will be charged the day of the celebration.

Students in 3rd and 4th Grade will have 2 classroom teachers, one ELA teacher and one STEM teacher.

In 5th grade, we do have a handful of students who will have 3 teachers due to the accelerated math courses being offered on campus. We have spent many, many hours hand scheduling each individual student on our campus.

There are many nuances that go into our master schedule and class lists, and for that reason we do not take teacher requests or change of teacher requests. I am confident that no matter what room your student is in, they will receive a phenomenal education!

At Oakstead, we utilize positive behavior expectations and interventions. What this means is that we work very hard to explicitly teach students the behaviors we expect to see, we intentionally reinforce these behaviors, and we expect students to demonstrate these behaviors in all areas of our campus- including the bus and bus stop!

Each student is sorted into a Den, Mindfulness, Unity, Wisdom, Tenacity, or Gratitude. Each month we focus on the traits of one of the dens and celebrate students who earn the distinction as the Otter of the Month. Research shows that providing this smaller type of community fosters community and connection that increases a students hope and sense of belonging. Students who engage with positive behavioral expectations and interventions are less likely to have behavioral issues and more likely to have high levels of academic performance through teamwork and accountability. It is our goal to utilize this structure to build relationships amongst different classes and different grade levels.

Our 3 schoolwide expectations are that students are SAFE, RESPECTFUL and RESPONSIBLE. In each area of the school, we have posters that outline what it means to demonstrate these expectations.

When students demonstrate expectations they are acknowledged with an Otter Buck. These are a fun way for students to earn opportunities to visit a school store, classroom store, or treasure box.

Students who demonstrate behavior that is above and beyond expectations can earn a spin ticket. These allow students to come to the front office on Wednesday mornings and spin the wheel to earn points for their Den. The Den with the most points each month will be celebrated as "Majesty of the Marsh" and be able to wear a crown throughout the day.

Please join our PTA! This organization comprised of parents and teachers work very hard to provide our students and school with opportunities that enhance and enrich our every day experience. Your involvement and dedication are greatly appreciated. We understand that many families have demanding work schedules, so if you cannot volunteer your time- no worries! By joining and paying your entrance fee, you are helping to contribute to the enhancement and opportunities we can provide.

If you save the photo, you can also press down on each QR Code and the link will also pop up!

We are excited to launch another year and welcome members of our school, community, both parents and businesses to share in the growth of our school.

A School Advisory Council should be comprise of the principal, teachers, support staff, parents, and community members. It is important that we have a diverse group who reflect and represent our school and community to help identify and support the needs of this school.

These meetings are open and we welcome anyone to attend at any time.

By filling out the below form, we will contact you to inform you of our meetings.

Within our first meeting, we will elect our council members.

How can I become a SAC Member?

• Teachers, educational support personnel and parents are elected members. (must be elected by peer groups)
• Business and community representatives are appointed by the principal.
• Chair person is elected annually by the membership.

What are the roles of SAC members?

• Principal- involves SAC in decisions, promotes open communication and listens to feedback, follows up on information from meetings
• Chairperson- impartial facilitator of open discussion and insists on fairness in actions and debate, works in conjunction and collaboration with the principal to plan each meeting and post agenda and goals, encourages participation by members, sees that subcommittees function as directed
• Parents or Business/ Community members- obtain parent and community support, provide assistance with school related programs, participate in discussions and meetings
• Teacher and Educational Support Employee Representatives- obtain recommendations from all members of school staff, disseminate appropriate SAC information to staff, make specialized information available, encourage school staff to support the goals and activities of SAC.

What to expect:

• regular meetings to discuss school improvement
• review the results of any needs assessment
• provide recommendations on the goals of the school
• suggest strategies to accomplish school goals
• Monitor school progress in attaining the goals
• prepare and distribute information to parents and the public

The 2026-2027 Pasco volunteer application is now OPEN! If you are new to being a volunteer, or did not sign-up last year, please read through as the process has greatly changed from the past.

**Please be sure to read through the whole way if you would like to volunteer on campus this school year (dances, field trips, classroom, etc.)

Step 1: Complete the Pasco RAPTOR volunteer application here:

https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/MTU4OmVuLVVT?fbclid=IwY2xjawS-BTVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFoUjRlcGZrcXY2Q29BbmMwc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHtUNtPM8hFr2bXa645jNUZcgOnn9lWJ0eS4HWLx1lckYW9iJ3UMKtYDZP85q_aem_6LU6XUBmdcDu29U-o8kfUA

• If you already completed the fingerprinting background check last year, guess what...you don't have to do it this year ! It is good for 5 years, and you will not have to pay again until 5 years from when you initially completed it.

Step 2: If this is your first time completing the fingerprinting background check, please follow the instructions below to schedule your appointment.

Go to the Fieldprint Scheduling Website (https://schedule2.fieldprint.com/?returnurl=%2F)

Create an Account

• Click “Sign Up” if you are a first-time user.

• Follow the prompts to create your account.

Enter the Code

• Enter the code: FPPASCOVECHSVol

Data Collection

Personal Information, Demographics, and Employer

When asked for your employer's information, enter:

Pasco County Schools

7227 Land O Lakes Blvd.

Land O Lakes, FL 34638

Payment -> It is $41.25 for the level 2 background screening

• We understand that having to pay isn't ideal. This decision is one that is district-level and not decided by our school. We are happy about the increased safety for our school and hope this doesn't deter you from our amazing community of volunteers.

This background screening takes 30 days, and you will not be allowed to volunteer on campus or on field trips until it is completed.

July 30, 31- Kinder Camp

August 5- Welcome Teachers Back

August 10- Meet the Teacher

August 13- Welcome Back Students- 1st Day!

Principal Ms. Ennis cennis@pasco.k12.fl.us

Assistant Principal Mrs. Blair jblair@pasco.k12.fl.us

Front Office Secretary Mrs. Midgley lbrianne@pacso.k12.

Data Entry Operator Mrs. Kantor skantor@pasco.k12.fl.us

Bookkeeper Mrs. Scroggins sscroggi@pasco.k12.fl.us

School Counselor Mrs. Cuviello kcuviell@pasco.k12.fl.us

Guidance Secretary Mrs. Caliendo ccaliend@pasco.k12.fl.us

School Support Specialist Mr. Hoge dhoge@pasco.k12.fl.us

School Social Worker Ms. Butler mlbutler@pasco.k12.fl.us

School Psychologist Mrs. Kirchhoff ckirchho@pasco.k12.fl.us

School Nurse Mrs. Herbert lherbert@pasco.k12.fl.us

Clinic Assistant Ms. Felder tfelder@pasco.k12.fl.us

School Security Guard Mr. Jackson fjackson@pasco.k12.fl.us