Café opens at Saint Leo
Saint Leo University’s Café 36 is now offering healthy dishes and meals created by Chef Jon’s Gourmet Nutrition, part of the SMARTstart Pasco Incubators, an initiative of the Pasco County Economic Development Council.
Menu items feature natural ingredients and are designed to provide balanced nutrition, with many gluten-free and vegan options available.
The dining venue is on the lower level of Saint Leo’s Wellness Center, 33701 County Road 52 in St. Leo, and is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Guests do not have to be members of the Wellness Center to stop in for a grab-and-go bite.
The café is open to the public, as well as students, faculty and staff of Saint Leo.
Gospel Chorale Concert
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) will kick off Black History Month with the Bethune-Cookman University Concert Chorale on Feb. 1 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the PHSC Instructional Performing Arts Center, 8657 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel. More than 50 undergraduate students will perform a variety of choral literature in a musical journey.
Tickets are free and required for the event. For a registration form, email Nathaniel Brown at . The printed out confirmation email page will serve as the ticket.
Pasco graduation rates are tops
With a 91.1% graduation rate, Pasco County Schools surpasses its regional counterparts and exceeds the state average of 88% for all student population graduations, according to a news release. This accomplishment reflects the district’s commitment to providing quality education and ensuring that every student has the opportunity to succeed.
In addition to this achievement, Pasco County Schools has made notable strides in supporting Exceptional Student Education (ESE).
The district also leads the Tampa Bay Area with the highest percentage of ESE graduates, with a 90.9% ESE student graduation rate, surpassing the state average of 85%.
“This milestone is a direct result of our collective commitment to educational excellence and our belief in the potential of every student. Our educators, staff, students and the community have worked tirelessly to create an environment where learning thrives, and every student is prepared for success beyond graduation,” Superintendent Kurt Browning said in the release.
The district’s achievement in graduation rates reflects its innovative educational strategies, high-quality teaching, and robust support systems catering to its student body’s varied needs, the release says.
The district is looking forward to building on this success and setting new benchmarks in the years to come.
Social Studies update
Pasco County Schools is engaging in a K-12 Social Studies adoption process for instructional materials to be implemented during the 2024-2025 school year, according to its website.
The resources have been narrowed and schools will spend the month of January and February trying the resources within the classroom and voting on the resource they recommend to move forward for School Board approval.
Parent input is being sought and are asked to visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/oll_documents/current-adoption to find the narrowed resources and digital access login information. Click on the input form at the bottom of the page to provide feedback by Feb. 20.
There also will be a Social Studies Vendor Night on Feb. 1 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. To RSVP, visit https://ryu.pasco.k12.fl.us/oll-mform/view.php?id=257079.
Dollar Book Fundraiser
The Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Road in Tampa, will host a Dollar Book Sale Fundraiser from Feb. 3 to Feb. 14. All donations will benefit the Tom Jones Tuition Assistance Fund, which helps families send their kid(s) to camp. For information, call 813-922-8167.
