April 12, 2026

Greetings,

The first week back from Spring break was a busy one. Students completed the B.E.S.T. Writing Assessment and IXL testing begins this week. Please ensure your child gets a good night's sleep, eats a healthy breakfast, and arrives to school on time. In addition, encourage them to focus, use their time wisely, and try their best. This is the time for our students to show us how much they have learned throughout the school year. Remind them that effort is important and to be respectful to other students testing around them.

*************************************************************************************************

Don't forget to complete the Parent Climate Survey, review the GiftCrowd and Kendra Gives Back information, as well as consider attending or donating to the Annual Gallop & Give fundraiser. The information for each of these is located below in the newsletter.

*************************************************************************************************

Regretfully, due to unforeseen circumstances, we will not be able to implement the new dismissal plan this school year. We will continue moving forward with training staff and preparing students for next school year. This extra time will guarantee a smooth transition, including allowing us to purchase and install all necessary equipment. I sincerely apologize for any issue this may have caused. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we try to implement this much safer and more efficient dismissal process.

*************************************************************************************************

Please take time to review the policies and procedures below. For the day-to-day efficiency of the school, as well as the safety of our staff and students, all families are expected to abide by them.

* Our student dress code is not optional; it is a requirement. Student shirts, sweatshirts, and jackets should not have hoods; they are never allowed, even on dress down days.

* All school behavior expectations are in place once a student is on the campus and in our care. This includes Before & After Care, field trips, and other off-campus events.

* Instructional time begins promptly at 8:30 am. If your child is late, you must park and walk them into the office to check them in. Do not drop them off and leave.

* If you are picking your child up early, you must park and come into the office to get them. Early pick-up ends at 2:30 pm; students will not be released after that time. Dismissal via the carline starts at 3:15 pm. From 3:15 - 3:35 pm you will pick your child up through the carline; do not come to the office unless directed to do so by a staff member.

* ALL visitors MUST report to the front office upon arrival to our campus. State statute requires that everyone be checked in through our Raptor screening system, so remember to bring your driver's license. Only visitors who are Level 2 volunteers or hold a Pasco County Schools Vendor Badge may be unescorted around campus. If you come into the school for an IEP meeting, a parent-teacher conference, or to use the restroom, you must be run through Raptor and receive a visitor's badge. The expectation is that you wear that badge so it is visible the entire time you are on campus and return it to the front desk prior to leaving.

Thank you, have a wonderful week, and Attendance Matters!

Kathy

Please take a moment to complete our Spring School Climate Survey—your feedback helps us strengthen our school community.

As a thank you:

· Your child will receive a Free Dress Day on 5/1

· You’ll be entered into a drawing to win a Pepin Academies spirit shirt

Survey closes on 4/24 Drawing will be held on 4/27 All responses are anonymous

Thank you for your support!

Family Survey Spring 2026: https://tinyurl.com/FamCS26

A HUGE shout-out to Pepin First for organizing this amazing event! Thank you to everyone who contributed to making it such a success. Pepin First reached 93% of their largest goal yet, earning over $18,000! There were 123 students who worked hard to gather donations! What a great afternoon we had - the weather was perfect and the students had a blast!

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, we’re inviting families to join together in showing our gratitude through GiftCrowd, an easy and thoughtful way to contribute to a group gift for your child’s teachers and staff. With GiftCrowd, each contribution—no matter the amount—adds up to a meaningful gift that teachers can redeem for the item or experience they’ll truly enjoy. No need to shop, wrap, or guess their favorite store!

How it works:

• Select the teachers or staff you’d like to contribute to

• Add a personal message (optional but appreciated!)

• The link will remain open through Wednesday, May 13

• Staff will be notified of their gifts on Thursday, May 14

Let’s come together to make our staff feel as valued and celebrated as they truly are!

Link: https://app.giftcrowd.com/app/join-event/-LzYnwFpy7

Your Prom Permission Slip should have been completed and turned in by April 10.

If you are inviting an outside guest, the Guest Request Form should have also been completed.

Use the QR code below to download these forms and purchase your ticket(s). Your last day to purchase tickets is THIS FRIDAY, APRIL 17!

Remember your school attendance, behavior, and/or grades may hinder your ability

to attend or bring an outside guest to the prom.

That's right, you aren't too late to fill out an application for the 2026 - 2027 school year. If your child has an IEP, go ahead and complete an application for them using the Click Here button above. Now that the lottery is over, students will be added to their grade-level waitlists in the order they applied.

Families seeking placement for a student not already enrolled at Pepin Academies NPR should use the link above. Remember, currently enrolled students DO NOT need to reapply.

You can access the menus digitally through the SLA/Nutrislice website by clicking on the cheeseburger icon to the right. Once on their site and viewing the Pepin Academies menus, you’ll have the option to see detailed nutritional and allergen information for each item.

We are currently accepting cash or check payments. Please include your student’s number on all payments.

**Additionally, please make sure to complete the Free/Reduced Lunch Application on the Pasco County Schools website. This not only helps with school funding but may also qualify your family for meal benefits.**

Remember that the last day for After-school Tutoring this year will be Thursday, April 30, 2026.

If students are not picked up by 4:35, their tutor will bring them to the office. If this occurs you will need to park and come inside to pick them up. Additionally, you will be charged a fee of $1 per each minute late.

There will be no make-up sessions for missed tutoring and no tutoring during school breaks. If a student’s behavior and/or lack of effort impedes the student’s ability to learn or prevents others from learning, the parent will be notified by either the tutor or administration. If the behavior occurs again, the student will be dismissed from tutoring. If school closes early for any reason, tutoring will be canceled. Students will be assigned tutoring days of the week based on the tutor’s caseloads by the tutoring team.

• 04/17/26 - Last day to purchase Prom tickets
• 04/17/26 - Inflatables for Color Run winners
• 04/17/26 - Possible BINGO night?
• 04/24/26 - Club Day and Early Release @ 12:15 pm
• 04/24/26 - Prom at Fox Hollow Golf Club, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
• 04/30/26 - Last day of after-school tutoring
• 05/02/26 - Gallop & Give Event
• 05/04 - 05/08/26 - Teacher Appreciation Week
• 05/14/26 - High School High Tech Awards Ceremony @ 1:30 pm
• 05/14/26 - Final PBIS Celebration - more info to come
• 05/15/26 - Senior Grad Trip
• 05/18/26 - Book Fair begins
• 05/20/26 - Night of Arts
• 05/21/26 - Senior Awards @ 9 am
• 05/22/26 - Senior Breakfast & last school day for them
• 05/25/26 - No School - Memorial Day
• 05/26/26 - 5th Grade Trip
• 05/27/26 - 5th (9 am) & 8th (1:45 pm) Grade Awards
• 05/28/26 - Book Fair - last day for students
• 05/29/26 - Early Release Day @ 12:15 pm
• 05/29/26 - Graduation practice @ 10 am
• 05/29/26 - Graduation @ 6 pm

.

Jane Bjorbekk - Data Processing JBjorbekk@pepinacademies.us

Beth Stubler- Administrative Assistant EStubler@pepinacademies.us

Sarah Lupescu - Front Desk Receptionist Slupescu@pepinacademies.us

Christina Riley - ESE Secretary Criley@pepinacademies.us

Kimberly Evans Kevans@pepinacademies.us

Susan Siebert Sseibert@pepinacademies.us

Kelly Goeden KGoeden@pepinacademies.us

Jill Niski JNiski@pepinacademies.us

Theresa Gooldrup TGooldrup@pepinacademies.us

Amy Greene AGreene@pepinacademies.us

Gail Eshelman GEshelman@pepinacademies.us

Dr. David Valdez - Behavior Specialist DValdez@pepinacademies.us

TBD- Behavior Assistant

Erica McDowell EMcDowell@pepinacademies.us

Dianne Acosta Dacosta@pepinacademies.us

Dean Quinlan npr.officer@pepinacademies.us

FortifyFL is a school-related suspicious activity reporting tool that allows Florida students and the community the ability to instantly relay information anonymously concerning unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent or criminal activities, or the threat of these activities, to the appropriate law enforcement agencies and school officials.

Click on the #FortifyFL icon to report suspicious activity.

Empowering students with learning disabilities to maximize their potential in a positive therapeutic educational environment.

To prepare students to meet the academic, social and emotional challenges encountered in everyday life and prepare them for a successful transition to middle and high school and post-secondary.

Where belonging leads to learning.