Wildcat Wisdom Newsletter
Wesley Chapel High School 9/11/26
Message from Mr. McDermott: Pride, Purpose, Performance
Today, we pause to remember the lives lost on September 11, 2001, and to honor the courage of the first responders, service members, and everyday citizens who demonstrated extraordinary strength in the face of tragedy. As we reflect on this important day in our nation's history, we are reminded of the values of resilience, unity, and compassion that continue to bring communities together. We encourage our community to take a moment to remember those affected and to reflect on the importance of kindness, service, and patriotism. Together, we will never forget.
Progress reports will be out on 9/18/26, please take some time to monitor your student's progress in the Pasco One app, https://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/parents If your student is struggling, please reach out to the teacher to find out what is needed for improvement.
Help Us Out with Traffic
Schedule Change Deadline
Students still trying to change their schedule for a FLVS or Pasco eSchool class must be active in the online course by 9/25/26. Students need to see their grade level administrator for a schedule change. No changes may be made after 9/25/26.
Food Deliveries
Students are not permitted to use or receive food from food delivery services during the school day. If a parent drops off food, the student will receive it. However, all food delivered by food delivery services will be held until the end of the day. Please do not have food delivered to your student.
Student Consequences for Unexcused Absences
At the secondary level, attendance is marked per period. If a student has at least five (5) unexcused absences, or absences for which the reasons are unknown, in any one course within a calendar month or ten (10) unexcused absences, or absences for which the reasons are unknown, in any one course within a ninety (90) calendar day period, the student may lose privileges as described below.
Loss of Privileges Due to Unexcused Absences
• May be excluded from attendance reward activities as defined at the school level.
• Lose the privilege of participating in extracurricular activities. They include but are not limited to dances, special events, club activities, and athletics, until the end of the following grading quarter.
• Lose the privilege to drive to campus until the end of the following grading quarter.
• Absences accumulated in the fourth quarter will result in loss of privileges during said grading quarter only and will not carry over to the following year.
Testing Central
Upcoming Testing
September
14 - F.A.S.T. Reading Retake (Seniors)
15 - F.A.S.T. Reading Retake (Juniors)
16 - Classic Learning Test (CLT) - Seniors who register prior to 9/12/26
17 - Classic Learning Test (CLT) - Juniors who register prior to 9/12/26
21 - Algebra 1 EOC Retake - Sophomores Group 1
22 - Algebra 1 EOC Retake - Sophomores Group 2
23 - Algebra 1 EOC Retake - Juniors
24 - Algebra 1 EOC Retake - Seniors
28 - Biology EOC (Students who have taken Biology, but have not taken the EOC)
29 - Geometry EOC (Students who have taken Geometry, but have not taken the EOC)
30 - U.S. History EOC (Students who have taken U.S. History, but have not taken the EOC)
Testing and Attendance
When your student is taking a state test, such as the FAST PM1, they will initially be marked as absent for the class periods they are testing. This is because they are not in their assigned class. When testing is finished, the Assessment Coordinator gathers the attendance information from each testing room, and submits it to the front office so that the attendance can be adjusted to accurately reflect that the student was either present in testing or absent for the particular class periods that they were testing. The process to adjust the attendance takes approximately 1-2 school days from when the attendance information is delivered to the office. If you have further questions, please reach out to Mr. Walensky.
XELLO: EVERY STUDENT, FUTURE READY!
Pasco County Schools has partnered with XELLO, a customizable online planning tool for students in grades 6-12. With XELLO, students can discover personal interests & strengths, research career & college opportunities, & connect learning to academic goal setting & planning.
XELLO is an esteemed College, Career & Life Readiness program that will assist high school students plan for post-secondary success. It allows students self-paced opportunities to:
Learn about themselves – their strengths, interests, and learning styles,
Match careers, colleges and majors to their unique characteristics, academic profile and
preferences,
Build and revise their academic plan and analyze the rigor of their schedule/plan with that of their choice colleges’ entrance requirements or career plans and
Create a resume showcasing their experience, skills, and goals.
Students can access XELLO anytime, anywhere by logging in through myPascoConnect Apps and clicking on the XELLO icon. An account has already been created for students.
Volunteer Programs Update
All volunteers will be required to complete a Level 2 background screening every 5 years. This background screening will review records in the state of Florida as well as the national FBI database. The cost for this screening is $41.25 and volunteers will be responsible for paying this cost. The District will pay the yearly monitoring fee for each volunteer. You can access the 2025-2026 Volunteer Programs Application on July 1st, 2025. This application will be posted on the Volunteer Programs page of our website at the following link: https://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/hreq/page/volunteer.
We encourage you to complete your volunteer application and background screening early as the average review time is 30 days. Questions regarding the volunteer application and background screening process can be directed to volunteers@pasco.k12.fl.us.
Wesley Chapel High School Clubs
WCHS COLLEGE AND CAREER S'MORE
Are you College and Career Ready? Check out Mrs. Faysash’s Smore for events, scholarships, and planning resources for all grade levels!
WCHS ABC Program
If your family needs supports or has any needs from the WCHS ABC program, please fill out the following form. If you would like more information about the ABC program, the flyer is attached and/or call the front office, 813-794-8702.
Click on the banner below to report suspicious activity.
Wesley Chapel High School
School Information
Principal:
Mr. Matt McDermott
30651 Wells Road
Wesley Chapel, FL 33545
Phone: (813) 794-8700
(352) 794-8700
Fax: (813) 794-8791
Office Hours: M-F 7:00AM – 3:30 PM
Website: https://wchs.pasco.k12.fl.us/
Location: 30651 Wells Road, Wesley Chapel, FL, USA
Phone: 813-794-8700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildcat.pride.63
Twitter: @WCHS_Wildcats