Message from Mr. Liem - IB Update

April 8, 2020

To the Largo IB Scholars and Families,

When reflecting back to August, our school year kicked off with great excitement and energy. As IB Scholars, you have been individually and collectively recognized in numerous academic competitions, athletic endeavors, and artistic exhibitions. You became leaders both on and off campus. I am exceptionally proud of your work within our local Largo community. Your volunteering experiences and CAS projects have been amazing to see in action. The verbiage of “thinking globally and acting locally” couldn’t be more apparent this year.

As you are aware, Governor DeSantis and the Department of Education extended their directive requiring all school districts in the state of Florida to close for students through May 1. While we know this extension is not ideal, the decision was made to ensure you, your families and our staff remain healthy and safe. In spite of the Largo High School doors being closed, learning is continuing.

It is unfortunate for our senior class that Grad Bash was cancelled and many athletic seasons ended early. As Prom fell during the school closure and the Senior Breakfast shortly after, those events are pending. Currently, our IB Senior Celebration is still scheduled at the Belleair Country Club on May 26th from 6-9pm and Graduation is still scheduled at Tropicana Field on May 23rd at 4:15. We know that you have put in a tremendous amount of work and truly hope to hold these events to celebrate all of your achievements, however, the safety of all is paramount. During this time, we have to be patient.

Since our transition to digital learning, I have participated in many of your classes online, and watched learning once again come alive. I am proud of your work and flexibility in this transition. Your teachers have been working tirelessly to develop dynamic lessons to engage and support you in the digital learning process. I will continue to communicate via ManageBac with updates as I receive them. Please communicate with them if you need anything, and please be patient with them in the transition as well.

I am confident that the excitement and energy that existed at the beginning of the year will continue to be evident in our new endeavor. If you need anything, please feel free to reach out to me, Mrs. Wolfe or any of your teachers. We entered this year as a family and we will continue to support each other as a family. Please know that we are here for you. We are in this together. We are IB.

For your reference, I have included two documents below, the first is this letter in a PDF form and the second is a FAQ document release this morning by Pinellas County Schools detailing information about the upcoming AP Exams.

April 8th 2020 Letter to IB.pdf
AP Exam FAQ 04.08.20[1].pdf

Sincerely,
Alec Liem
Assistant Principal
International Baccalaureate Coordinator
Largo High School

Letter to the Senior Class of 2020 and List of College Acceptances

Senior Class of 2020,

This was supposed to be the year for your senior prom, grad bash, senior brunch, graduation, and senior celebration. You were ready to conquer the IB exams that you have been preparing for over the last four years. Although you were stripped of your last moments at Largo High School, you have made a permanent mark on our IB community. You are resilient, well educated, and prepared for your next step in life--college. Congratulations on all your accomplishments and acceptances. One day we will celebrate you!

-The Largo IB Partners, Admissions Committee

IB Valedictorian: Matthew Tave
IB Salutatorian: Jacob Harrison

List of College Acceptances for the Class of 2020
Boston University
Carnegie Mellon University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University
Florida State University
Georgetown University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
McGill University, Canada
New York University
Rice University
Stanford University
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Davis
University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, San Diego
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of Central Florida
University of Florida
University of North Dakota
University of South Florida
University of Southern California
University of Tampa
University of Texas, Austin
University of Texas, Dallas
University of Utah
University of Virginia
Yale University

Message from IB Guidance - Class of 2021

April 2, 2020

Click here for Junior CO 2021 - College Readiness Presentation: 
https://d1wsaxfu7b8rcr.cloudfront.net/9570508f-1f5d-47a1-a0c6-6e86e6f042a5/2020%20Junior%20College%20Readiness%20Presentation.pdf

Now is a good time to start researching Colleges if you haven't already! Most schools are offering a ton of amazing virtual options that have not been available before. If you have a college in mind, you can visit their website and virtual opportunities are usually listed under "visit campus". 

Here are a few with direct links: 

• University of Chicago: https://prospects.uchicago.edu/infotours/  
• Auburn University: http://www.auburn.edu/admissions/visit/index.php 
• Vanderbilt University: https://myappvu.vanderbilt.edu/portal/onlinesession 
• University of Florida: http://virtualtour.ufl.edu/ 
• Johns Hopkins University: https://apply.jhu.edu/campus-and-community/visit-hopkins/ 
• New York University: https://www.nyu.edu/admissions/undergraduate-admissions/visit-nyu/virtual-visit.html

Keep sending me questions via email at wolfecai@pcsb.org :) 

Caiti Wolfe
IB Programme Counselor
Professional School Counselor (Last Name: J-Ma)
School Counseling Department Chair
Largo High School

Pinellas County Schools Expands Its Meal Distribution Program

April 3, 2020

                      

Pinellas County Schools Expands Its Meal Distribution Program

PCS will phase in 13 new school sites starting next week

Largo, Fl.- To reach more families in need during this unprecedented period of school closures, Pinellas County Schools will more than double the number of school sites for meal distributions. Seven new sites will go online starting Monday, April 6, followed by six more school sites on Monday, April 13. This will bring the district’s total number of meal distribution locations from nine to 22.

The times and days will vary next week between the original nine locations and the 7 new schools as we transition to a consistent schedule for all 22 meal distribution school sites starting on April 13.

Week of April 6:

• The nine original school sites and times remain the same except for Friday. (No distribution on Friday, April 10 – Good Friday, a day off for students; Thursday distribution will include meals for Thursday and Friday) 

Nine Original School Sites:
Distribution Points and Times:
Dunedin Middle School                          70 Patricia Avenue                                   10:45 am-11:45 am
Eisenhower Elementary                         2800 Drew St. Clearwater                       11:00 am-Noon
Fairmount Elementary                           575 41st St. S, St. Petersburg                  10:15 am-11:15 am
Marjorie K. Rawlings Elementary         6505 68^th St. N Pinellas Park                   11:00 am-Noon
John Hopkins Middle School                 701 16^th St S St. Petersburg                     10:30 am-11:30 am
New Heights Elementary                       3901 37^th St. N St. Petersburg                 10:45 am-11:45 am
Ponce De Leon Elementary                   1301 Ponce de Leon Blvd. Clearwater   11:15 am-12:15 pm
Southern Oak Elementary                     9101 Walsingham Rd. Largo                    11:15 am-12:15 pm
Tarpon Springs Elementary                   555 Pine St. Tarpon Springs                     10:30 am-11:30 am
 

• Seven new school sites open on April 6 and distribute meals on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday onlyfrom 10:30 am – 12:30 pm. These schools will distribute 2-days-worth of meals (2 breakfasts and 2 lunches) on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. 

 

Seven New School Sites:
Azalea Middle School                                7855 22nd Ave N., St. Petersburg
Bay Point Elementary School                   2151 62nd Ave S., St, Petersburg
Clearwater Intermediate                          1220 Palmetto St., Clearwater
High Point Elementary School                 5921 150th Ave N., Clearwater
Kings Highway Elementary School          1715 Kings Highway, Clearwater
Largo Middle School                                  155 8th Ave SE., Largo
Oak Grove Middle School                         1370 S Belcher Rd., Clearwater

Week of April 13:

• Six new school sites open. ALL school sites switch to a Monday-Wednesday and Friday only from 10:30 am-12:30 pm. 

• All schools will prepare meals in the school site kitchens.

·         Grab-n-Go bags include meals for 2 days (two breakfast and two lunch) per student adding Saturday for a total of six days per week.

Six New School Sites:
Anona Elementary School                           12301 Indian Rocks Rd., Largo
Garrison-Jones Elementary School            3133 Garrison Rd., Dunedin
Gulfport Elementary School                        2014 52nd St S., Gulfport
McMullen Booth Elementary School         3025 Union St., Clearwater
North Shore Elementary School                 200 35th Ave NE., St. Petersburg
Sawgrass Lake Elementary School             1815 77th Ave N., St. Petersburg

Breakfast includes: cereal or breakfast bar, juice (OJ, apple juice or mixed fruit) and milk.
Lunch includes: Sandwich (PBJ or meat and cheese sandwiches; fruit cup (either applesauce, strawberries or peaches), juice (OJ, apple juice or mixed fruit) and milk.

• Meals will be served “Grab & Go”·         
• Each day students receive 2 days (two breakfast and two lunch) per student adding Saturday for a total of six days per week.
• Meals are FREE for anyone 18 years old and under
• Child/Teen must be present to receive meals
• Meals will be served as “Drive-Thru” at the car/bus circle. Walkers should go to the Main Entrance of the School 

LHS Cancelled events Refund Information

Scholars and Parents, Click here for LHS canceled events and refund form:

Refund Form

Click here for exam assessment info FAQs:

Student Assessments and Frequently Asked Questions

AP Exam Schedule

New Information about 2020 AP Exams given online May 11-22.

Click here for schedule:AP Exam Schedule

April 3, 2020: Parent Letter from AP - CollegeBoard

AP Exam Information

Dear Parent, This email provides key information about the 2020 AP® Exams. We recently shared information about our commitment to provide free, remote learning resources and a new at-home testing option for this year's AP Exams. As promised, additional details are now available, and we'll continue to provide updates in the weeks leading up to the exams. Exam Dates Most AP students we surveyed prefer to test earlier, while the content is still fresh. • Exams will be given from May 11–22. • Students can take exams at home or in schools, if they reopen. • Each subject's exam will be taken on the same day at the same time, worldwide. • Makeup test dates will be available for each subject from June 1–5. • View the full testing schedule. Exam Format Most exams will have one or two free-response questions, and each question will be timed separately. Students will need to write and submit their responses within the allotted time for each question. • Students will be able to take exams on any device they have access to—computer, tablet, or smartphone. They'll be able to type and upload their responses or write responses by hand and submit a photo via their cell phones. • For most subjects, the exams will be 45 minutes long, plus an additional 5 minutes for uploading. Students will need to access the online testing system 30 minutes early to get set up. • Certain courses—Art and Design: 2D; Art and Design: 3D; Computer Science Principles; Drawing; Research; and Seminar—will use portfolio submissions and will not have a separate online exam. All deadlines for these submissions have been extended to May 26, 2020, 11:59 p.m. ET. Students taking one of these courses may receive separate course-specific communications. • Students taking world languages and culture exams will complete two spoken tasks consistent with free-response questions 3 and 4 on the current AP Exam. Written responses will not be required. We'll provide additional details in the coming weeks to help students prepare. Tips for testing on specific devices will be available in late April. Confronting the Digital Divide We recognize that the digital divide could prevent some students from participating. Working with partners, we're investing so these students have the tools and connectivity they need to review AP content online and take the exam. If your child needs mobile tools or connectivity, you can contact us directly to let us know by April 24. Exam Scores and College Credit As usual, students' work will be scored by our network of college faculty and AP teachers, and will be reported on a 1–5 scale. We anticipate releasing scores as close to the usual July timeframe as possible. We're confident that the vast majority of higher ed institutions will award college credit as they have in the past. We've spoken with hundreds of institutions across the country that support our solution for this year's AP Exams. Exam Security Like many college-level exams, this year's AP Exams will be open book/open note. The exam format and questions are being designed specifically for an at-home administration, so points will not be earned from content that can be found in textbooks or online. However, students may not consult with any other individuals during the testing period. We'll take the necessary steps to protect the integrity of each exam administration, as we do every year. We're confident the vast majority of AP students will follow the rules for taking the exams. For the small number of students who may try to gain an unfair advantage, we have a comprehensive and strict set of protocols in place to prevent and detect cheating. While some of these practices are confidential to maximize their effectiveness, you can learn more about our security measures. Students should understand that those attempting to gain an unfair advantage will either be blocked from testing or their AP scores will be canceled, and their high school will be notified as will colleges or other organizations to which the student has already sent any College Board scores (including SAT® scores). And they may be prohibited from taking a future Advanced Placement® Exam as well as the SAT, SAT Subject Tests™, or CLEP® assessments. Remote Instruction and Practice On March 25, we began offering free live AP review courses, delivered by AP teachers from across the country. The courses have been viewed more than 3.2 million times since they became available. On-demand lessons are now available for Art and Design, AP Capstone™, and Computer Science Principles. Students can also take advantage of free, optional student practice on AP Classroom for most courses. Starting April 13, students will see a new Optional Student Practice section that includes free-response questions to help practice the concepts and skills that will be tested in May 2020. Students can answer these in any order, and will have an opportunity to review how each question will be scored before submitting to review and revise answers. Additional Information We've also added a frequently asked questions section to the site so you can find answers to important topics including information for students with accommodations, details about exam fees and cancellations, credit and placement, calculator policies, and more. We'll continue to make updates on the site and share them with you through email and social media. Sincerely, Advanced Placement Program Note: There may be some differences for world languages and courses that require portfolio submissions. Check our website for more information.

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