| June 2005
Dear GHS Parent & Student, The 2004-2005 school year has ended! We here at the school cannot believe it is over - it seems like the year is just beginning. Many events have taken place in our school community: Gulf High has been designated as the West Pasco high school to house the International Baccalaureate Programme (ed note: "Programme" is the international way to spell this word) beginning in August; Our sports program had a great year; and Graduation saw 225 students receive their high school diploma! We are very proud of our school and the success of many programs. Please take time to read the following important information. ENCLOSURES Enclosed you will find the following items: 1. The 2004-2005 final report card. We have tried to review each card for accuracy but errors do occur. If you find an error call the school and leave a message for Dr. Lepley. She will review your concern and contact you. 2. FCAT Results: The actual score sheet and a colored folded sheet with detailed information. 3. A letter from Marchman Technical Education Center outlining summer opportunities 4. A school district calendar (blue) 5. A Message to Parents - Get the Facts (yellow) 6. The summer issue of the Gulf High Gazette STUDENT SCHEDULES FOR 2005-2006 In early July we will mail to your home a copy of the courses your child has been scheduled into for the 2005-2006 school year. Enclosed in that mailing will be other important information about the opening of school. FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT NOTIFICATION The recent and now too frequent reports of child abductions are a harsh reminder for each of us to be as diligent as possible in protecting our children. As your child's principal, I would like to remind you of a valuable resource that is available free of charge. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) maintains a listing of all individuals required by law to register as sexual offenders and predators in our state. This listing is available to all Florida citizens through the FDLE web site, http://www.fdle.state.fl.us, and through a toll free number (888) 357-7332. On the web site you will also find safety tips under the "missing children" link, as well as other prevention information for you to discuss with your child. Knowledge of the residents in your neighborhood who may be interacting with your child is a key component to continued safety. IMPORTANT DATES Schedule & Fee Day: Tuesday, August 2, 8:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. All students should come to the school to pick up schedules, pay course fees, secure lockers and learn where the classrooms are located. Opening of School: The first day of school will be Monday, August 8. School hours are 7:45 A.M. - 2:00 P.M. The school assumes supervisory responsibilities for 30 minutes prior to school and 30 minutes after school. Normally, unless the student is with a specific teacher for a specific activity they are not to be on the campus before 7:15 A.M. nor after 2:30 P.M. Families should plan accordingly. SUMMER READING & INFORMATION Please access the school's web site during the summer: gulfhigh.org This site will give up-to-date information about summer happenings. The site contains specific reading lists for students who are taking honors and Advanced Placement courses next school year. In addition, other web sites which contain information about books which would be good summer reading are: **Booklist Center http://home.comcast.net/~dwtaylor1/ This web site features a wide selection of booklists sorted by genre and topic. The range of lists includes fiction and non-fiction as well as all major book awards. **BookSpot BookSpot is a comprehensive web site of book-related resources, including links to lists of books by age-group, genre, author, cultural background, and many other categories. **The Literature Web Guide (for 9th grade) http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/%7edkbrown/index.html This comprehensive resource for readers, teachers and parents includes links to both children's and young adult book lists. **Outstanding Books for the College Bound http://www.ala.org/ala/yalsa/booklistsawards/outstandingbooks/outstandingbooks.htm This web site for college-bound students presents a selection of books from five academic disciplines: history, humanities, literature and language arts, science and technology, and social sciences. The list, chosen by the Young Adult Library Services Association, includes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, biography and drama. **Teenreads.com http://www.teenreads.com/index.asp This is the teen section of bookreporter.com, a web site that shares book reviews and new releases. **http://www.tandl.leon.k12.fl.us/lang/sumread.htm **http://www.ala.org/ala/alsc/alscresources/summerreading/ Local bookstores and the Pasco County Library also have suggested reading lists. We look forward to the 2005-2006 school year. Our theme for the year will be: Linking Resources to Improve Student Achievement. The family is the most important "Link" in a child's life. Your support during the upcoming school year will be very important in order for your child to do well in school. We welcome your comments and suggestions. If we can be of any service to you please do not hesitate to contact us. Sincerely, Enclosures |
| June 2005
Dear GHS Class of 2005 Student & Parent, Congratulations on your recent graduation. Each member of the class can be proud for his/her efforts and accomplishments. For some the academic road is easy and seen with a great deal of excitement. For others the road is filled with pit-falls and difficulties. Only you know how much effort the journey took. Enclosed you will find your final high school report card! We have tried to review each card for accuracy but errors do occur. If you find an error call the school and leave a message for Dr. Lepley. She will review your concern and contact you. The years have come and gone and now you have completed one very large hurdle. I do hope your years at Gulf High School have been good years. From the senior surveys you completed at graduation practice it seems the vast majority of graduates were well satisfied with the education they received at GHS. If you have any specific areas about the school you would like to share - things you liked or suggestions for improvement - I welcome your input. Just put your comments in writing and send them to me. As I said at graduation on May 20, we are looking forward to a new Career Resource Center being constructed and the addition of the International Baccalaureate program beginning in August. I am very excited about the changes coming to Gulf High. GHS has always been a great school but sometimes it takes a bad "rap" due to poor perceptions. As a graduate I hope you will spread the good news about GHS. As the 2004-2005 school year comes to a close, I want to thank each of the families and individual students for their support of Gulf High and me. Working with the Class of 2005 at graduation time was great. You really were an outstanding class! I wish each of you all good things in the future. Most sincerely, Enclosures |
| June 2005
Dear Class Member of 2005 and Parent, I understand that you did not meet all of your graduation requirements and, therefore, could not participate in the May 20th ceremony with your classmates. I am sure this was very disappointing to you and your family. However, it is also my understanding there are avenues for you to take in order to complete the requirements. Each person has a different set of circumstances: Some need to pass the FCAT; some need to increase their GPA to 2.000; and some need to complete the credit requirements. Whatever the need is there are ways to reach your goal! I encourage you to put forth the effort to earn your high school diploma. Enclosed you will find your 2004-2005 report card. We have tried to review each card for accuracy but errors do occur. If you find an error call the school and leave a message for Dr. Lepley. She will review your concern and contact you. In addition to the report card, we have included other items: the summer issue of the Gulf High Gazette and a very important letter from Marchman Technical Education Center which outlines summer opportunities. During the 2005-2006 school year we are looking forward to a new Career Resource Center being constructed and the addition of the International Baccalaureate program beginning in August. I am very excited about the changes coming to Gulf High. As the 2004-2005 school year comes to a close, I want to thank each of the families and individual students for their support of Gulf High and me. Again, I encourage you to complete your high school education! Sincerely, Enclosures |