Free Vaccines available for Pasco County school children

School starts for Pasco County children on Monday, August 20.  Are your kids up-to-date on their required vaccinations?  Free children's immunizations are available at the Pasco County Health Department's immunization clinics!  Call to find out immunization times or to schedule an appointment:

10841 Little Road New Port Richey, FL 34654 (727) 861-5250
11611 Denton Avenue Hudson, FL 34667 (727) 861-5661
13941 15th Street Dade City, FL 33525 (352) 521-1450
4135 Land O'Lakes Blvd Land O'Lakes, FL 34639 (813) 558-5173
4717 Airport Road. Zephyrhills, FL 33540 (813) 780-0740.

NOTE: The Pasco County Health Department will be onsite at the County's middle schools to administer the Tdap vaccination free-of-charge during orientation on August 14.

Vaccines available for Pasco County school children

Summer Lunch Bus in Holiday!

Gulfside Elementary School, working with the Pasco School District, is running its Summer Lunch Bus Program, which will continue weekdays until Aug. 10.
Children ages 18 and younger in the Gulfside Elementary area in Holiday have access to a free lunch weekdays during summer vacation. Volunteers prepare lunches at the school and then take them out into the neighborhood to distribute them at specified times and locations.
The schedule is as follows:

• 11 a.m.: Holiday Lakes West Civic Center, 2728 Holiday Lake Drive.

• 11:20 a.m.: Holiday Lakes Estates Civic Center, 3628 Atlantis Drive.

• 11:45 a.m.: Westin Oaks Apartments, 1251 Westin Oaks Drive, off Alt. 19.

• 12:20 p.m.: Corner of Roselawn Drive and Lange Road.

• 12:45 p.m.: Corner of Orange Drive and Bonita Road.

No ID or registration required.

Free & Reduced-Cost Lunches

Happy First Day of Summer!  While we are in the dog days of summer, don't forget to apply for the free or reduced-cost school meals program - the first day to apply online is July 1 on the Pasco County School District's website at www.pasco.k12.fl.us/free_reduced.

Families who qualify must reapply every year for assistance.  If you do not want to apply online, paper applications will be available at any Pasco County school cafeteria, administrative offices, and at school orientations starting August 1.

Regular student meal prices for the 2012-2013 school year will be $1.25 for breakfast, $2 for lunch for elementary students; $1.40 for breakfast, $2.50 to $3 for lunch for secondary students. Students who qualify for reduced meals will pay 30 cents for breakfast and 40 cents for lunch. Household size and income criteria determine whether students qualify for the program.  If your family doesn't currently qualify for assistance but income or household size factors change during the school year, you can apply at any time during the school year.

For more information telephone Nicole Westmoreland at (813) 794-2438 or email her at nwestmor@pasco.k12.fl.us.

Pasco County Student Health Fair

Pasco County Student Health Fair

School Supply Drives

In two weeks, Pasco County children will be returning to the classroom.  Unfortunately, not all of them can afford the supplies they need to help them succeed in their studies.  Some area organizations are collecting school supplies for these students in need.  While you are doing your shopping, consider picking up a box of crayons, a pack of notebook paper, or even a backpack and donating it to one of these organizations.

CARES Rao Musunuru, M.D. Enrichment Center
12417 Clock Tower Pkwy
Hudson, FL
Collecting notebooks, paper, pencils, backpacks, other school supplies for Hudson Elementary and Middle Schools.  Cash donations gratefully accepted.
Donations may be dropped off at the center weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.  Call (727) 863-6868 for more information.

The Volunteer Way
7820 Congress St.
New Port Richey, FL
Collecting school supplies and backpacks for the 3rd Annual School Bash.  Cash donations gratefully accepted.
Donations may be dropped off at the center between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. weekdays.  Donations should be dropped off by August 13th.  Call (727) 815-0433 for more information.

Joining Hands Community Mission
3214 U.S. 19
Holiday, FL
Collecting back to school supplies for families in need.  Donations may be dropped off at the Resource Center Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until noon or Friday from 10 a.m. until noon.  Call (727) 937-3268 for more information.

Salvation Army Community Center
7745 Ridge Rd.
Port Richey, FL
Collecting back to school supplies for families in need.  Donations needed include backpacks, highlighters, scissors, plastic zip bags, notebooks, index cards, pocket folders, binders, lined filler paper, #2 pencils, colored pens, pencils & markers, graph paper, nonscientific calculators, baby wipes, tissues and hand sanitizer.  Donations may be dropped off weekdays from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Community Center on Ridge Road or at the Salvation Army Center of Hope, 8040 Washington St., Port Richey.  Donations are needed on or before August 9.

Free GED Prep

Trying to optimize your eligibility for available jobs by obtaining your GED?  Help is available!  The Pasco County School Board offers free GED test preparation.  Individualized learning plans allow students to prepare for the test at their own pace.  Contact the adult education counselor at Marchman Technical Education Center at (727) 774-1735 or Moore-Mickens Education Center at (352) 524-9033 for information on class locations and times.

If you can't make it to a personalized study session and you have access to the Internet, you may want to try the online tutorials available through the Pasco County Library System.  The LearningExpress Library database offers online GED Preparation.  To access the database from home, go to the Pasco County Libraries website, hover your mouse over the Catalog/Research option, then choose Databases from the revealed options.  Choose LearningExpress Library from the alphabetical list, punch in your library card number and last name when prompted, and you are on your way!

GreenFiber Community Recycling Program

Would you like a convenient way to recycle your newspapers? How about your phone books, cereal boxes, construction paper, gift wrap, or magazines? You may need to look no further than the parking lot of your local Pasco County public school.

The Pasco County School District and US GreenFiber, LLC have joined forces to create a community paper recycling program. Participating schools will earn 100% revenue from the recycled products. You will save money by not having to use as many garbage bags!

For a list of participating Pasco County schools and hours that the GreenFiber container can be accessed, CLICK HERE. When you go to drop off your paper products, just look for the big bright green containers in the parking lot.

Help save the planet and help our community schools!