Sunlake Weekly Update

Highest points of all traditional high schools in Pasco County!

Student Hours: 7:10 AM-1:44 PM

Email: kmerlin@pasco.k12.fl.us
Website: https://slhs.pasco.k12.fl.us/
Location: 3023 Sunlake Boulevard, Land O' Lakes, FL, USA
Phone: (813) 346-1000
Facebook: facebook.com/SLHSseahawk
Twitter: @SLHSseahawks

HOMECOMING WEEK!

** Fall EOC Retakes- Contact Mrs. Cordt for Information**

Monday, Sep. 15th- Mini Me Monday (Dress as your younger self)

1:50 PM-2:30 PM- Pre-Health Club: Room 3-169

1:50-2:30 PM- Spanish Tutoring: Room 3-113

2:00 PM-8:30 PM- Marching Band Rehearsal

2:00 PM-5:00 PM- Class of 2029 Skit Practice: 4 Left Commons

2:00 PM-4:30 PM- Class of 2026 Skit Practice: 3 Right Commons

3:45 PM-6:30 PM- HOME Boys Golf vs. Land O'Lakes High School: Heritage Harbor

3:45 PM-6:30 PM- HOME Girls Golf vs. Christian Crossings & Anclote High: Heritage Harbor

6:00 PM-8:00 PM- Homecoming Powderpuff Game

Tuesday, Sep. 16th- Too Many Tuesday (Group costumes w/your besties)

1:50 PM-2:30 PM- First Priority Meeting: Student Center

2:00 PM-4:30 PM- Class of 2029 Skit Practice: 4 Left Commons

2:00 PM-4:30 PM- Class of 2026 Skit Practice: 3 Right Commons

3:45 PM-6:30 PM- HOME Boys Golf vs. Wiregrass Ranch: Heritage Harbor

3:45 PM-6:30 PM- AWAY Girls Golf @ Wiregrass Ranch: Lexington Oaks

5:00 PM-8:00 PM- Parent Skit Practice: 3 Right Commons

5:30 PM- AWAY Volleyball @ Carrollwood Day School

6:30 PM- AWAY Swim & Dive @ Holy Names (w/Jesuit & Carrollwood Day School)

Wednesday, Sep 17th- Class Day (See class themes below) FRIDAY SCHEDULE TODAY!!!!

2:00 PM-8:30 PM- Marching Band Rehearsal

2:00 PM-4:30 PM- Class of 2026 Skit Practice: 3 Right Commons

2:00 PM-4:30 PM- Class of 2029 Skit Practice: 4 Left Commons

5:00 PM-8:00 PM- HOME Swim & Dive vs. Wiregrass Ranch: Land O'Lakes Rec

6:00 PM-10:00 PM- Homecoming Skit Night

Thursday, Sep. 18th- Greece vs. Grease (The country or the movie)

3:45 PM-6:30 PM- AWAY Boys Golf @ Mitchell HS: Heritage Springs

3:45 PM-6:30 PM- AWAY Girls Golf @ Mitchell HS: Heritage Springs

6:00 PM-10:30 PM- HOME Volleyball vs. Pasco High School: Sunlake Gym- SENIOR NIGHT

7:00 PM-9:30 PM- HOME JV Football vs. Mitchell High School- Sunlake Stadium Bill Browning Field

Friday, Sep. 19th- Sunlake Pride (See class colors below) WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE TODAY!!!

**Quarter 1 Progress Reports Posted to Parent Portal**

9:00 AM-10:10 AM- Homecoming Pep Rally

2:00 PM-10:00 PM- Marching Band: Homecoming Football

2:15 PM-3:00 PM- Drama Club Meeting: Portable 1

6:15 PM-7:00 PM- Homecoming Court Festivities

7:30 PM- 10:00 PM- HOME V. Football vs. Hollins High School: Sunlake Stadium Bill Browning Field

Saturday, Sep. 20th-

7:00 PM-11:00 PM- 2025 Homecoming Dance: Sunlake Gymnasium

Sunday, Sep. 21st-

Sleep-In Sunday!! We are all exhausted now 😴😂

Our Hawkeye Club has planned a really fun Homecoming Pep Rally that will take place during 3rd period on Friday. While almost everyone loves a spirited and rocking pep rally, we realize some students are overwhelmed by the raucous so we have some teachers host "hold back rooms". This enables those that need a quiet space to remain in the quiet space (cafeteria) rather than attend the pep rally in the gym. So no need to check your child out of school if they don't love the pep rally...they simply need to inform their teacher that they need the quiet space in the cafeteria.

We will be switching our Wednesday and Friday schedules this week. Please refer to the attached schedule below so that you can plan accordingly. While schedule changes have little impact on students that are on campus for all 6 periods, it does create the need to plan ahead for our students that are off campus for 1st, 2nd and/or 3rd period.

This Friday, September 19th, Quarter 1 Progress Reports will be posted in Parent Portal. This is the perfect opportunity to sit down with your child and discuss their current grades. If you are in Parent Portal you can click right on the current grade to see details that are leading to the Quarter 1 Progress Report Grade.

Consider the following:

• Praise for great grades goes a LONG way! Even teenagers like when their families are proud!!
• No two students are the same. A grade of C for one student may represent their best work and deserve praise. For another student it may represent a lack of effort or difficulty with the current topic. Know your child's history!
• Grades of D and F are never acceptable and will not lead to successful graduation. If you see a D or F on your child's Quarter 1 Progress report- dig deeper. Missing work? Low quiz/test grades? Identify the problem and help your child create an improvement plan.
• Mystified by your child's Quarter 1 Progress Report grade? Contact your child's teacher via email through Parent Portal. Your child's teacher has the best knowledge of why the current grade looks the way it does and is the most direct source of information.
• Remember- this is just a mid-quarter progress report and there is time to make major improvements before the Quarter 1 Report Card!!

We have seen a significant increase in motorized bicycles, scooters and "motorbikes". Please note that all students riding scooters, bikes, or skateboards, regardless of whether they are electric or human powered, must dismount and walk as soon as they enter school board property. This ensures everyone's safety. Refer to page 28 of the Student Code of Conduct for more information.

Additionally, please take time to read the flyer below from the Pasco County Sheriff's Office so that your child is in compliance with the law!

Underclassmen Picture Day will take place on Wednesday, September 24, 2025. This event is designated for 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students only. Pictures will be taken in the SLHS gymnasium during each student’s English class. Underclassmen who do not have an English class on campus may go the podium in the cafeteria and request a pass to the gymansium during their lunch period to have their photo taken. This is the picture that will be used for student IDs and parents have the opportunity to order a picture package as well.

If your student is ill on 9/24 we will hold a picture make-up day on November 5th.

It's time to gather up your golf buddies!!

Sunlake's Soaring Sound Band is hosting their annual golf tournament fundraiser on December 12, 2025. Scan the QR code and/or download the flyer below to gather details about how you can help our Soaring Sound to soar further and higher!

Hello Sunlake Families!

Your PTSA needs your support so that they best serve our school and students! The easiest way to support the PTSA is to purchase your PTSA membership for the 2025 - 2026 school year! Each parent, guardian, student, and faculty/staff member should have their own membership. You may purchase your membership at https://sunlakeptsa-01675837.givebacks.com/shop. Purchasing a membership does not obligate you to volunteer in any way, it simply helps support our organization!

We will be holding a meeting via Zoom on Monday, September 22nd at 7pm. This meeting will be run by the Pasco County Council President as we did not have elections in the spring for new officers. A zoom link and agenda will be sent out to our members prior to the meeting.

The goal of the meeting will be to elect officers for the 2025 - 2026 school year. A President, Treasurer, and Recording Secretary MUST be elected in order for the PTSA to remain in good standing. Nominations will be taken from the floor, however, if you are interested in running for any of these positions, please notify County Council in advance by emailing pasco.cc@floridapta.org. No experience is necessary as the Pasco County Council will work with the officers to train them and ensure that you are prepared to help your PTSA succeed!

We look forward to welcoming back returning members and welcoming new members!

The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) is a unique educational experience for outstanding high school students and an opportunity for motivated student leaders to have direct contact with the highest-level elected and appointed officials in the nation. The USSYP mission is to encourage the best and brightest students in America’s high schools to pursue careers in public service. Florida students have the opportunity to participate in this program. The program was created and authorized in 1962 by Senate Resolution 234 and has been reauthorized ever since. The Hearst Foundations assumed financial support of the program and continues its sponsorship today. A portion of this support provides a $10,000 undergraduate college scholarship given to each student selected to attend. The online application for the USSYP program is available and must be completed by September 29, 2025. The application can be found here: https://www.fldoe.org/civicliteracy/ussyp.stml. All required components of the application must be included in the application when it is submitted. The teacher and sponsor recommendations must also be submitted by September 29, 2025.

Sunlake High School has it's very own Table Top Games student group that meets to, of course, play games! Students in this group value non-screentime games and good old-fashioned competition and laughter.

They have come up with a great idea to benefit their group and our community at large...donations of new and/or gently used board games. These games will be used by the group, for our hurricane shelter (hopefully not any time soon!!!) and for family game nights that will be upcoming.

Please drop off new or gently used (with all required game pieces) board games at the Sunlake Administration building between 8:00 AM-1:00 PM any week day that school is opened.

Pasco County Schools are excited to launch a meaningful community initiative from September 3 to 17, and we’re reaching out to request your support in making it a success. The donation drive will collect new, in-package blankets and functional, non-broken wheelchairs to benefit individuals in need across our community. As we enter storm season, it’s important to be prepared to meet urgent needs that may arise across our county.

Here are the key details:

• WHO: Community members and families
• WHAT: Collecting new blankets and functional wheelchairs
• WHERE: Sunlake (Also Mitchell, Wiregrass Ranch HS, Starkey K-8)
• WHEN: September 3–17 8:00 AM- 1:00 PM Sunlake Admin Building

This effort is especially timely, as it will help support community members who may be impacted by storm-related devastation during this season.

Excellence is expected, achieved and repeated at Sunlake!

Please use the link below to let us know about someone at Sunlake

who made your day or your child's day EXCELLENT!

Excellence Shout-Out

Sunlake Fall sports include:

Football

Girls Volleyball

Swim & Dive

Golf

Cross Country

We love when our community comes out to support our student athletes! Please remember the important policies below!

All tickets to all sporting events are available via GoFan only and we do not have cash tickets available at the gate. Yes! You can purchase prior to arriving at the game using the link below or, better yet, add the app to your phone.

GoFan link

9/24/25- Underclassmen Picture Day

11/5/25- Underclassment Make-Up Picture Day

4/17/26- GradBash

5/9/26- Prom

6/5/26- Graduation (6:30 PM)

Click Here for the College & Career Specialist Newsletter

This link will remain in all future issues of the Weekly Update.

https://sunlakeperch.com/

The link above will take you to Sunlake's very own virtual newspaper with articles written by our talented student journalists! This link will stay active all year and be posted at the bottom of each newsletter so be sure to check it out each week. Who knows? Your child may end up in a feature article!!

Sunlake Handbook Edition of Weekly Update

2025-2026