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

Dear Sunlake Families,

Monday is one of the most exciting days of the ENTIRE school year. There is just nothing quite like the first day of a new school year with new clothes, fresh faces and a great mix of goals, dreams and friendship coming together. Our incredible staff was on campus last week, gearing up for what's sure to be our best year yet! Their energy is contagious, and they're ready to carry forward the proud tradition of excellence that makes Sunlake High School the top traditional high school in Pasco County!

As I stated in the last Weekly Update, your partnership is vital; student success in academics, attendance, and behavior is only possible through the strong collaboration between school and home. I urge you to read each Weekly Update in its entirely, particulary the School Handbook Edition which is linked at the end of this issue. The more you are informed of our policies and procedures the more smoothly the start of the school year is for all of us! Additionally, I inlcude a calendar of events each week so that you can get involved in the high school spirit. For example, this week you can check out our Volleyball team in a pre-season tournament at Calvary Christian and the pre-season debut of our Football team right here at Sunlake for the First Friday Night Lights of the year!!

Check those schedules one last time, get backpacks ready, lay out those new outfits and set those alarms so you arrive before the 7:05 AM bell! See everyone bright and early in the morning!! Seniors- be sure to get out to the stadium early for your Last First Day and Senior Sunrise Celebration. Let the Class of 2026 spirit fly high tomorrow morning!!!

It's Great To Be A Sunlake Seahawk!

Ms. Merlin

Monday, Aug. 11th- First Day!

6:00 AM- Senior Sunrise Breakfast: Sunlake Stadium

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

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

6:00 PM-8:00 PM- Parent Senior Skit Practice: 3 Right Commons

Tuesday, Aug. 12th-

2:00 PM-5:00 PM- Senior Parking Parking Make-Up

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

4:30 PM- Varsity Volleyball Pre-Season Tournament @ Calvary Christian

Wednesday, Aug. 13th-

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

2:00 PM-5:00 PM- Senior Parking Parking Make-Up

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

Thursday, Aug. 14th-

2:00 PM-5:00 PM- Senior Parking Parking Make-Up

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

4:30 PM- Varsity Volleyball Pre-Season Tournament @ Calvary Christian

6:00 PM-8:00 PM- Parent Senior Skit Practice: 3 Right Commons

Friday, Aug. 15th-

2:00 PM-10:00 PM- Marching Band Rehearsal & Football Game

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

7:00 PM- HOME Varsity Football vs. Hernando High: Bill Browning Field @ Sunlake Stadium

Saturday, Aug. 16th-

9:00 AM-11:00 AM- Class of 2026 Skit Painting: Portable 7

Sunday, Aug. 17th-

Happy Sunday!

Pasco County Schools is pleased to announce the launch of a new absence reporting system for our entire school district.

We will no longer have a link on our website to report absences. Starting now, all student absences should be reported through the myStudent Parent Portal.

To submit an absence:

1. Log in to your myStudent Parent Portal.
2. Navigate to the Forms section.
3. Complete and submit the Absence Reporting Form for approval.

For step-by-step instructions and helpful resources, please visit:
👉 www.pasco.k12.fl.us/attendance/absence

We appreciate your continued support in helping us maintain accurate attendance records and your patience as we all learn this new procedure together. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact our attendance secretary, Joanne Veit, at jveit@pasco.k12.fl.us

We are no longer accepting phone calls for students to be released from school early. Please avoid future frustration by reading the full policy in the attached document below.

Additional Information for Students with Valid Parking Permits

If and only if your child has a parking permit and drives to school he/she needs to bring your written note for early dismissal to Guidance before 1st period (or before their first period on campus).

Guidance will write the information on a laminated pass for students to present to their teacher for dismissal during the class period. We prefer parents to write the note “after 3rd period” etc. so that students do not need to be dismissed during a class, thereby disrupting instruction.

Our attendance secretary, Joanne Veit will call parents to obtain verification.

If a student comes up at the designated time on their original note, but our school has not been able to confirm the early dismissal with parent, the student will not be able to leave campus.

While we want our students in class every single day that they are healthy enough to be in school, we know that there are some circumstances where families are forced to travel during school days instead of the long weekends and vacation weeks. Avoid the unexcused absences while you learn about life beyond Land O'Lakes...submit your vacation absences at least one week in advance of the date of your first absence!

Page 22 of the Student Code of Conduct lists reasons for excused absences including the following statement:

• Absences for trips or other parental requests.

• Requests must be approved in writing by the principal or designee, at least one (1) week in advance.

We think there will be an option to specify an extended absence on the new form in your Parent Portal. In the mean time, please email our attendance secretary, Joanne Veit at jveit@pasco.k12.fl.us to report any vacations. Stay tuned for any updates to this procedure!

ARRIVAL:

With 2200 students entering campus between 6:40 AM and 7:05 AM our morning procedures have to be TIGHT so please read all procedures carefully to help ensure a safe and smooth start to each day! Student supervision begins at 6:40 AM.

**The 1st 10 days of school we will keep gates open until the traffic is finished and tardies for 1st period are waived**

General Arrival Information:

• ALL buildings will remain closed to students until the 1st bell rings at 7:05 AM.
• Students with written passes from teachers can enter a building with permission from the monitoring staff prior to 7:05 AM.
• In the event of severe weather, students will be admitted to the buildings prior to 7:05 AM.
• ALL gates will close at 7:10 AM and tardy students that are dropped off after 7:10 AM, must enter through the front office and obtain a tardy pass. These tardies are considered UNEXCUSED tardies after Day 10.

Student Drivers & Staff Members:

• Only cars with Sunlake Issued Parking Tags can enter campus at the traffic light. Any car without a tag will asked to do a u-turn and this significantly slows down our prcoedures so please, please, please do not make this mistake.
• Students may not park on campus unless they have been issued a 2025-2026 parking tag and it is displayed on their rear-view mirror or dash. We have only 480-ish parking spaces and over 1000 juniors and seniors. We do not have enough parking spaces for everyone who wants them and illegally parked cars are considered a safety hazard and may be subject to having a wheel "boot" placed on the vehicle.
• Tardy students that are drivers will be marked unexcused tardy by their teacher. Student drivers are subject to losing their parking pass for repeated tardies as outlined in the parking agreement.

Student Drop-Off:

• Enter near the airplane, regardless of whether you are approaching campus from the North or South.
• Pull all the way to the TEAL COLUMN or until the car in front of you comes to a full and complete stop! If you stop too early you slow down the entire process.
• Be patient and kind with each other and with the Sunlake staff
• Please do not enter at the traffic light as that entrance is only for staff and student drivers that have a permit. You will be instructed to do a u-turn...this will slow down all other traffic and frustrate you!

Walkers, Bike Riders, Scooter and Skateboards:

• The front gate between the Administration Building (100) and the Band Building (200) opens at 6:40 AM and only walkers, bike, scooter and skateboard riders and students with valid front parking lot tags should enter at these gates.
• We do not have covered storage for bikes, scooters, skateboards or other modes of transportation. Please plan accordingly!
• We do provide bike racks and every student should bring a lock to secure their bike (boards and scooters) to the racks and or surrounding fence.
• Due to safety concerns, students must dismount bicycles, scooters and skateboards upon leaving Sunlake Boulevard and entering the campus sidewalk.

DISMISSAL:

While many upper classmen will leave prior to 1:44 PM, we are still dismissing over 1500 students at 1:44 PM so our dismissal procedures are as tight as our arrival procedures.

General Dismissal Information:

• Students are to remain in their 6th period location until the bell rings at 1:44 PM.
• When the 1:44 PM bell rings students are to go directly to their dismissal area or after-school activity and are not to loiter on campus.
• We dismiss all students at the same time.
• For the safety of our students using the sidewalk at dismissal, please do not pull over on Sunlake Boulevard to avoid the pick-up line.

Student Drivers:

• Student drivers must go directly to their vehicle and exit campus after their last class.
• Student drivers exit before busses and need to be vigilant for directives from adults on duty.

Bus Riders:

• Students must listen carefully to afternoon announcements in case there is a bus change.
• Students must go directly to the bus loop and immediately board the bus.
• Students may only ride on their assigned bus.

Car Pick-Up:

• The gate to Car Pick-Up will open at 1:40 PM.
• Students will report directly to the car pick-up area at 1:44 PM.
• When the cars begin to move please pull forward to the teal column or until the entire line has come to a complete stop.

CHECK SCHEDULES SUNDAY NIGHT!!

Students will receive a copy of their class schedule during 1st period on Monday morning, but it is critically important that students know their 1st period teacher and room number. Of course, we will have numerous staff members around campus with a 1st period roster to assist students.

With over 2200 schedules still being finalized there are always mistakes! Below are some common barriers we encourter on the fisrt day of school.

• "See Counselor" is listed for a period- (Go to Guidance during that period)
• Missing a class during a period- (Go to Guidance during that period)
• Missing lunch- (Ask 6th period teacher what period lunch is and fill out Schedule Change Request form below)
• No schedule at all- (YIKES!!! Go to Guidance 1st period)

If you encounter an issue with a schedule other than those listed above, check out the Schedule Change Request section below and you will most likely know how to proceed. If, after reading the section below, you are still uncertain of how to proceed you should email your counselor.

Currently schedules can only be changed for the following reasons and the link the Schedul Change Request Form can be found at the bottom of this section:

1. Student has a class on their schedule that they have already earned credit for.

2. Student is scheduled into a class that has a prerequisite that has not been completed.

3. Student is a senior and is missing a graduation requirement.

4. Student has been approved for an academy and does not have an academy class.

5. Student has less than 6 classes.

6. Student has a duplicate class on their schedule.

7. Student is missing a core course (Grade 9-12 Math or English OR Grade 10-12 Social Studies OR Grade 9-11 Science)

8. Student has two lunches or no lunch.

9. Courses do not reflect changes requested via the Course Request Acknowledgement Form completed in the Spring.

***Please note that students must continue to follow their current schedule until they have met with their counselor, even after submitting the change***

COURSE REQUEST CHANGES FOR ELECTIVES WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED UNTIL AFTER THE SECOND WEEK OF SCHOOL

Link to Schedule Change Request Form

Maintaining balanced class sizes in accordance with Florida’s state mandates is a careful process that can sometimes lead to schedule changes. As of today, our schedules are in great shape! However, after the first 10 days of school, we reassess to account for students who may have moved or newly enrolled. If classes become unbalanced, we are required to adjust schedules or consolidate sections to comply with the 2002 Florida Class Size Amendment.

We understand that schedule changes can be disruptive, and we truly appreciate your patience. Our counselors are here to support students through any transitions and ensure they feel comfortable and cared for.

We have had numerous inquiries about C Lunch and whether students assigned to C lunch can leave after 6th period and have lunch at home.

The answer is YES, BUT...

1. Only if the student is a student driver, walker, bike/scooter/skateboard rider or car rider
2. This is an every single day plan
3. Parents of car riders are able to arrive at school between 1:15 PM & 1:30 PM
4. Parents have completed the form below so that we know your child is off campus after their 6th period class

**6th Period Lunch Car Rider Dismissal will take place in the BUS LOOP from 1:15 PM-1:30 PM. Parents will use the Rushe entrance to enter the Bus Loop. If parents arrive after 1:30 PM they will need to proceed to the regular pick up area (entrance at the airplane) and wait until the 1:44 PM regular dismissal time.**

C Lunch Early Release Permission

While Sunlake will no longer have free lunch and breakfast for all students, we will continue to offer brekafast to our students through the a la carte in the cafeteria and a mobile cart in between the Band building and the 400 building.

Prices of meals can be found in the graphic below. I encourage families to fill out Free and Reduced-Price Meal Applications to see if their child qualifies for free or discounted meals.

Below is a link to the Free and Reduced Meal Application:

• Free and Reduced Lunch Application and Information

If you have questions, please contact Food and Nurtition through Let’s Talk: School Meals.

It's never too late to celebrate our AMAZING students! While the three day tournament referenced in the picture below took place in mid June, we have been waiting for this opportunity to celebrate!

CONGRATULATIONS, LIAM!

We cannot wait to see you what you accomplish during your senior year!

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

We will begin testing during the first two weeks of school with NWEA MAP testing for Algebra and Geometry followed by Florida Assessment of Student Thinking Progress Monitoring 1 (FAST PM 1) for 9th and 10th grade ELA. Both of these assessments are used to measure growth in learning specific to the standards througout the year. Therefore, we would expect students to score relatively low in the August/September assessment and then show steady growth throughout the year. This means no preparation is necessary!

PSAT will be given October 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. This assessment is given to all 10th grade students FREE of charge and is available for 11th grade students for a fee. This assessment is a preliminary SAT and gives students a starting point for SAT testing prep. Additionally, this assessment is used for National Merit Scholarship qualification and can be used for a concordant score for graduation requirements.

Our School Advisory Counci meetings take place on the last Tuesday of the month

from 7:10 AM-8:10 AM and are open for anyone that would like to attend.

If you are interested in serving in a voting position, please complete the interest form at the link below no later than Friday, August 15th.

We will be posting the ballot for elections in the next issue of the Weekly Update.

Sunlake SAC Interest Form

8/11/25- First Day of School

9/1/25- NO SCHOOL: Labor Day

9/15/25-9/20/25-Homecoming Week

9/15- Powder Puff Game

9/17- Skit Night

9/19- Homecoming Football Game

9/20/25- Homecoming Dance

4/17/26- GradBash

5/9/26- Prom

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

• Address changes need to be submitted through the Emergency Information Cards and the updates made at the school level with the required proof of residence
• The Emergency Card Information is accessible throughout the school year as an Available Form.
• Parent PIN numbers may be provided to custodial parents/guardians only. Please contact either the school to obtain this number.
• Parents cannot access their child’s information from their parent portal until they submit the required forms.

• School Choice - Starting 8/11/25, parents can decline by contacting the choice school
• The choice school can drop the enrollment after parent notification
• We have an automated process that runs every 15 minutes that will decline the school choice acceptance

• Once a parent/guardian has submitted an online application, they can no longer access it for changes
• Missing documents will need to be submitted through the parent portal
• Resubmitting Document Uploads

Sunlake Handbook Edition of Weekly Update

2025-2026

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!!