Promoting a love for reading
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club donated and assembled ‘Snuggle Bunnies,’ which included a storybook, a little flashlight, and a warm, snuggly fleece blanket. The woman’s club delivered 91 bundles to Lutz Elementary School to be distributed to each first-grader. The purpose of these gifts is to encourage the kids, at a very young age, to develop a love of reading, which will hopefully last a lifetime. From left: Renate Mastandrea, Lucy Albury, Ellen Brayton, Sabrina Scott, Cheryl Winegar and Faith Sincich (not pictured) delivered the Snuggle Bunnies to the school. For more information on this volunteer service organization, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org, or its Facebook page.
One Book, One School
The Rotary Clubs of Zephyrhills Daybreak and Port Richey made a donation of $4,674.80 to Chasco Middle School’s Literacy Program called One Book, One School.
The program is designed to create a shared reading experience across an entire school.
Students listen to the teacher read a chapter from a book they are currently reading and then take part in answering questions, with the opportunity to win prizes.
Cory Sommers, a Zephyrhills Daybreak Rotarian and an assistant principal at Chasco Middle School, made the request for the donation to support the literacy program.
The donation was made possible by a Rotary District Matching Grant along with a club fundraiser.
Employees of the Year
Pasco County Schools’ employees of the year were surprised with their honors by Superintendent Kurt Browning, school board members, and Pasco Education Foundation Executive Director Stacey Capogrosso.
The annual awards recognize outstanding employees who go above and beyond to serve Pasco County students, and strive to better the lives of others at their schools, worksites, and in their communities.
This year’s winners are:
- Melissa Caruso – Assistant Principal of the Year
- Melissa Musselwhite – District Administrator of the Year
- Aimee Starkey – Non-bargaining Employee of the Year
- Dee Dee Johnson – Principal of the Year
- Joann Ortiz Ramos – School Related Personnel of the Year
- Ryan Bintz – Teacher of the Year
“Congratulations to this year’s remarkable group of winners,” said Browning, in a news release. “I am extremely proud to know that we have exemplary staff members like this working in our district. It has been an honor to visit them and let them know that they are truly making a difference in the lives of everyone around them.”
Photos and videos of the surprises can be found on the district’s social media channels, Twitter and Facebook.
Student news
Payton VanNort, of Lutz, recently was a crew member for Marietta College’s (Ohio) performances of “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” in the Friederich Theater. VanNort, who is majoring in theater, served as an assistant stage manager in the production.
Breakfast with Santa
The Cypress Creek High School girls’ lacrosse team will host an inaugural Pancake Breakfast with Santa on Dec. 18 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., in the school’s cafeteria, 8701 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel.
Those attending will be served a pancake breakfast catered by Mind Over Matter Meals.
Santa will be on site for family photos, and there will be Christmas movies on a big screen, cookie decorating, and holiday music.
Tickets are $10, and $5 for children younger than age 10.
To purchase tickets, visit tinyurl.com/4pmc5yxv.
‘Top Dog’ students recognized
Students from Stewart Middle School recently were recognized as Top Dogs, through a program that was started more than 30 years ago to honor students for academics and their leadership roles in the school. Each honoree received a goody bag and a Tog Dog key chain. Shown are the students honored for the first quarter: Andrea Zayas Santiago, Kingston McCollough, Lily Mahon Garcia, Ja’nae Jenrette, Adriana Mendoza, Nathaniel Webb and Jeszaya Conner. Addysen Reynolds was also recognized, but is not pictured.
