The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Expo offers families summer options for kids

By

It’s a perennial challenge for families: Finding the best way to keep their child, or children, occupied during the summer months.

This is a look at some of the fun activities offered at last year’s Family Friendly Summer Camp Expo. Plans call for lots of fun stuff for kids to do this year, too, said Miriam Cook, organizer of the expo. (Courtesy of Miriam Cook)

That’s why Miriam Cook, founder of Family Friendly Tampa Bay, organized an expo that aims to bring parents and providers of summer camps, and other activities, together.

“My whole goal is to arm people with information, with resources, so that they can make the best decisions for themselves,” Cook said.

“With this summer camp expo, we’re giving parents that opportunity to go and kind of make those choices — to have all of those options, so they can make the best choices for themselves.”

It’s a great way for exhibitors to tell parents about their summer camps, and a great way for parents to get their questions answered, Cook said.

This is the second time that Cook has organized the expo, which will be held in two locations this year. It will be held March 24 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Florida Hospital Center Ice, 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. The other will be on April 7 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at George M. Steinbrenner Field, 1 Steinbrenner Drive in Tampa, in connection with the Tampa Tarpons home opener.

Parents can find out about all sorts of summer options for their children at the second annual Family Friendly Summer Camp Expo. The idea is to arm families with the information they need to make the best decisions for themselves, according to Miriam Cook, the expo organizer.

Both summer camp expos offer a one-stop shop to local summer camps, summer activities, special needs camps, programs and services.

“There’s pretty much something for everyone,” Cook said.

There also will be free weeks of camp, attraction tickets, and products up for grabs for those families who register onsite for their child’s Summer Camp at one of the expos, Cook said.

The events aim to provide information and options for new families moving into the area, and for families who now have school-age children and need to find summer activities for them, Cook said.

“Especially in the Wesley Chapel area, there are so many new families moving in,” she said. “They’re asking: ‘What do I do with my kids in the summer?’

“Having this summer camp expo really does help them out,” Cook said.

Besides gathering useful information, families can take advantage of free activities for their kids at the expo, Cook said.

“We’re going to have laser tag. We’re having a mobile game truck onsite. We have a toddler section. There’s face painting. There’s live entertainment,” she added.

Admission, parking and the activities are free, she said.

“The only thing they have to pay for is food,” Cook said.

Attendees also can pick up a printed list of various summer options.

For more information about either expo, visit FamilyFriendlyTampaBay.com, or call (813) 331-5579.

Second annual Family Friendly Summer Camp Expo New Tampa/Pasco Edition
Where: Florida Hospital Center Ice, 3173 Cypress Ridge Blvd., Wesley Chapel, 33544
When: March 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Free admission
Details: Parents that are seeking out summer activities for their children will have a chance to see what 75 exhibitors have to offer. Those attending can purchase a Buy One, Get One skating pass that can be used for a two-hour skating session during the event.
Note: A second expo is planned at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa on April 7.
Info: Visit FamilyFriendlyTampaBay.com, or call (813) 331-5579.

Published March 14, 2018

Lutz families will have more middle school options

By

Lutz, Maniscalco and Pizzo elementary schools will begin converting to pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade schools beginning this fall.

The change will start with each of the elementary schools adding sixth grade in the fall. The following year, seventh grade will be added, and the following year, eighth grade.

The idea is to make the transition gradually.

Students living in those attendance zones will have the option of attending their zoned middle school, or staying in their current schools, under the district’s School Choice option.

Lori Branham, Monique Helms, Remi Helms, Riley Silkworth, Bryce Henry, David Henry, Tammy Reale and Joshua Phillips stand in front of a photograph of Mary Maniscalco, for whom Maniscalco Elementary School is named. The Lutz school is transitioning to a pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade campus. It will begin by adding sixth grade there this fall. (B.C. Manion)

Priority will be given to students who currently reside within the school boundary, followed by students currently attending the school via the choice process, then students who live outside the boundary and are not currently enrolled at the school.

Applications are available at each school office or on the schools’ websites and will be accepted daily at the schools through March 23.

Each of the schools will be able to accommodate 110 sixth-graders.

Reaction to the new option has been positive, said Tammy Reale, principal at Maniscalco Elementary, and Lori Branham, principal at Lutz Elementary, during a joint interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

During the interview, parents and students from Maniscalco Elementary, 939 Debuel Road, expressed positive feedback about the plan.

Monique Helms, who lives in Carrollwood, said her daughter, Remi, already attends Maniscalco through School Choice.

A lot of kids from Kiddie Campus University (KCU) attend Maniscalco, Helms explained.

She’s delighted that Remi will be able to stay at Maniscalco for middle school.

“I love the culture here. The teachers here are amazing. And, so are Mr. (Joshua) Phillips (assistant principal) and Miss Reale (principal).  We’ve just been very fortunate,” she said. “I used to be a middle school teacher many, many years ago, and it’s a really tough transition. So, we were happy that they’re adding sixth grade.”

David Henry, whose 10-year-old son, Bryce, attends Maniscalco, is enthusiastic about the new option, too.

“This is a great environment for Bryce,” Henry said, noting his son also is from KCU. “He’s been here since kindergarten and has thoroughly enjoyed it. And, we look forward to him being here as a sixth-grader,” Henry said.

Henry, who attended a K-8 school when he was young, likes that approach to education.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for the kids. I think the transition, from eighth to ninth grade, is much easier than from fifth to sixth, and from seventh to eighth,” he said.

Ten-year-old Riley Silkworth, a current fifth-grader at Maniscalco, is happy that she’ll be able to stay there next year.

“I like that Maniscalco is going to do K-8 because it’s way closer for me. I live 3 minutes away,” she said.

“We are going to know most of the people who are already going to be here, because most of the people are going to stay. We’re still going to have the same teachers around us,” she added.

Remi and Bryce also had good things to say.

“We’re going to be able to stay with our friends,” Remi said. “The only thing I don’t like about it is that it’s going to be even sadder when we have to leave in eighth grade.”

Bryce said he likes knowing his way around campus. He said he can’t think of anything that would be a downside from the school’s transition to a K-8 campus.

Helms said the only concern that she’s heard expressed was whether students leaving a K-8 environment would make a smooth transition into high school.

She’s confident that Remi will.

District officials say that the curriculum offered will be consistent with other K-8 schools and there will be after-school activities, but there won’t be athletic teams until there are students in grades six through eight on the campuses.

Traditional middle schools in Hillsborough County are scheduled to begin the school day at 9:25 a.m. next year, but these K-8 schools are expected to start their days at 7:40 a.m., which is on the same schedule as the district’s middle schools.

All three also will continue to offer pre-K programs.

The schools are able to transition to a K-8 program because they are currently operating under capacity.

Although Lutz has experienced some residential growth in recent years, there are also other educational options available nearby, including Lutz Preparatory School, Learning Gate Community School, Sunlake Academy of Math and Science, and Imagine School of Land O’ Lakes.

How to apply
Pick up an application at the schools or download one from their websites
Lutz: 202 Fifth Ave., S.E., or Lutz.mysdhc.org
Maniscalco: 939 Debuel Road or Maniscalco.mysdhc.org
Pizzo: 11701 USF Bull Run or Pizzo.mysdhc.org

Published March 7, 2018

Regional talent show lets area youths take center stage

By

The 35th annual “Spotlight on Talent” will showcase a multitude of talents by area contestants.

Two shows will give students a chance to shine, and offer the audience the opportunity to be entertained by accomplished young singers, dancers and musicians.

More than 170 students, making up 90 acts, auditioned during a 12-hour day for the producers — for the opportunity to be named a finalist. A total of 65 acts, consisting of 142 students, were chosen to perform at the finals, according to a news release.

Jessica Twitmyer received the top scores to win a $1,000 Pasco Heritage Scholarship, last March during the 34th ‘Spotlight on Talent’ competition. (File)

Two shows are planned to give finalists a chance to compete for honors. The Heritage Arts Center Association, which produces the show, will again be presenting a $1,000 “Pasco Heritage Scholarship” to the graduating Pasco County senior who receives the highest scores from the judges. Last year’s scholarship recipient was Jessica Twitmyer, a singer.

Both shows will be on March 10 at Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel, 30651 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.

Act I begins at noon, with the younger solos and groups. Act II begins at 7 p.m., and will feature older solos and groups. Tickets are $12 for adults per show, or $20 for both shows; $6 for students through high school, or $10 for both shows; and free for children under $5. Tickets are available for purchase at the door.

The emcee for the show is Grace Badillo.

The competition draws contestants from across the region, representing numerous performers from a variety of studios and instructors.

Two professional panels of judges will select winners for cash prizes. A total of more than $4,000 in cash, trophies, and ribbons will be presented to winners in eight categories.

Performances will vary from jazz to classical, Broadway to rock.

Piano selections will range from Chopin to “Hamilton” to the “Greatest Showman.”

There will be Cirque du Soleil number, a trumpet solo, and a flag dance, to name just a few.

“Spotlight” is a family affair, with three sets of sisters competing, one family with three siblings competing; husbands and wives who volunteer together; and, producers who are mother and daughter.

The competition is celebrating its 35th season and has come full circle, with Spotlight alums now handling various responsibilities for the production.

Three of those alums sit on the Heritage Arts Board of Directors, and the two assistant producers, Michael Roberts and Rebecca Friedman Groomes, were annual contestants from the age of 5.  The Spotlight competition costs more than $18,000 to produce, and would be impossible without the support of area businesses and individuals.

Barbara Friedman is the executive producer of the annual talent showcase.

35th annual Spotlight on Talent
Where: Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel, 30651 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel
When: Act I, noon on March 10; Act II, 7 p.m. on March 10
Cost: $12 for adults per show, or $20 for both shows; $6 for students through high school, or $10 for both shows. Free for children under 5. Tickets are available at the door.
Details: Regional talent show gives youths an opportunity to be in the spotlight and win recognition for their work.

Published March 7, 2018

Tampa Bay housing market has solid outlook for 2018, experts say

By

Tampa Bay’s housing market is looking strong for 2018, but changes are expected, as the market evolves, according to experts featured at the 2018 Economic Forecast meeting presented by the Tampa Bay Builders Association.

Buck Horne, vice president for equity research, housing and real estate for Raymond James, presented an analysis featuring three key findings during the Feb. 6 meeting at Tampa.

Buck Horne, vice president — equity research, housing and real estate, for Raymond James & Associates, provided a look at key trends in the housing market. (B.C. Manion)

The first involves a deluge of new apartments expected soon.

“We see what we’re calling a wall of new supply in multifamily rental apartments, which is going to be delivering into the front half of 2018, and it could spill into the back half of ‘18, as well,” said Horne, who specializes in the housing and real estate sectors.

“In the latter half of last year, we were doing our data digging and what we found were just surprising levels — how widespread pervasive construction delays started to mount.

“Labor shortages, permitting issues, entitlement delays — all of it really started to mount. And, we saw an incredible backing up of supply in multifamily that was supposed to deliver last year, which is now scheduled to deliver this year,” he said.

The scheduled new supply in 2018 could be as much as 50 percent higher than either 2017 or 2016, according to figures on one of Horne’s charts.

“We think it’s going to start to affect multifamily rental markets, mainly in the big urban core coastal cities — that’s where it’s going to be most acutely felt. But, it’s in a lot of places. It’s not just New York and San Francisco and L.A., although those are the worst.

“But, you’re going to see it in Charlotte. You’ll see it in Nashville. You’ll see it in Tampa, in the second and third quarters, as well,” he said.

Lots of new homes are going up in the Bexley subdivision, off State Road 54, in Land O’ Lakes. Housing experts expect the Tampa Bay housing market to have a solid outlook in 2018.

There has also been a shift within the composition of household formation, which has started to tilt to the single-family side, said Horne, who has been a regular guest on CNBC, offering insight into the housing sector, and has also been widely quoted in major media outlets, such as Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal.

“Last year was the first in 10 that we saw multifamily renter households actually decline, rather than growing. We saw accelerations in new single-family household formation,” Horne said.

Dearth of homes for sale
As the spring selling season begins, there’s a historically tight inventory, Horne said.

Listed inventory for sale, as measured as a percentage of total housing stock, is at its lowest recorded level in more than 30 years, according to Raymond James data.

Horne also observed: “We’ve got reliable data going back to the late 1980s, and we haven’t seen anything like this. Anything that’s even affordable and that’s in reasonably good condition gets snapped up very quickly.”

When it comes to housing starts, Horne said, “we’re looking for basically good, but not great, growth. We’re forecasting another year at a low double-digit growth in single-family housing starts and new home sales.

“But, you’ll see we are projecting that multifamily starts will begin to come down. We think that’s a function of the supply issues that are coming this year, as well as possibly some demand that starts to tail off,” he said. He also expects rent levels to begin to stall.

Horne also expects to see growth in single-family housing, both owner-occupied and rental.

There are a lot of factors at play, he said, but he noted: “We are seeing evidence that the push into single-family and away from multifamily is beginning to gain some momentum,” Horne said.

Older millennials are beginning to make the move from apartments into single-family dwellings, he added.

One of the fastest-growing housing types in America is the single-family renter household, Horne said.

“We’ve also got for the first time, in a long time, real household income growth: 2016 household income got up to about a little over $59,000.

“That is driving some better demand, but it’s also driving higher and higher household prices,” he said.

Concerns about affordability
“The cost to build a new single-family house just is relentlessly going higher,” Horne said.

“The under-$200,000 single-family house is becoming an extinct species. It’s harder and harder to build, unless you go way out to the periphery, to actually make that math work.

To build the same house as five years ago, it’s 36 percent more today, he said.

Many new homes have been built in the Long Lake Ranch Community in Lutz and more are being built there, as new home construction continues to create new housing options in Pasco County.

Most of that was labor and lot costs, but rising material costs now are compounding cost issues, he added.

“The point is, it’s not going to get any better anytime soon,” Horne predicted.

“We know there’s a tremendous amount of pent-up demand for entry level, but increasingly fewer and fewer — particularly smaller builders — are able to meet the cost required to build at that price point.

“You’re finding the larger builders, who can get the efficiencies and the scales needed to build in high volumes and production efficiencies, that can acquire the land in large enough chunks and develop it, those are the guys that are soaking up that entry land demand.

“The smaller guys — it’s harder and harder to compete for that entry-level buyer,” Horne said.

Lesley Deutch, a principal for John Burns Real Estate Consulting, said the affordability issue is her greatest worry.

While Tampa is one of the most affordable markets in the state, it is getting more expensive to buy a house, she said.

In Tampa, there’s a two months’ supply of resale housing inventory, she said.

“So, that’s really driving people to the new home market, and we expect to drive up prices of resale homes,” she said.

Deutch offered a forecast for 2018 for Tampa’s housing market.

She expects employment to be up by 2 percent, adding 26,600 jobs. She expects income to increase by 5 percent.

She’s projecting total construction activity to rise by nearly 12 percent, up to 20,000 permits.

Most of that growth will be in the single-family sector, she said.

She expects the median price of new homes to increase by 4.3 percent.

“(It’s) not a booming, doubling of growth, but a very, very strong growth market. One of the strongest, actually, in Florida,” Deutch said.

John Burns Real Estate Consulting is based in California. The company spends a substantial amount of time looking at demographics across the country, and doing consumer research.

Its research reveals a high demand for communities that allow residents to walk to destinations, such as restaurants, grocery stores and coffee shops, Deutch said.

“I think that having housing that’s close to something walkable — people will pay a premium for it because that’s what they’re looking for,” she said.

She also sees a shift coming for Tampa’s housing market.

“It’s going to be a different world over the next 10 years,” she said, as households grow substantially in the 65-plus age category (+142,000), grow modestly in the 25 to 44 age group (+14,000), as they decline in the 45 to 64 age group (-14,000). The 45 to 64 age group is typically the move-up buyer.

“So, where is the opportunity here? It’s really a different strategy than we’ve been using in the past. It’s a different buyer. It’s a young buyer and an older buyer,” Deutch said.

Buck Horne, vice president for equity research, housing and real estate for Raymond James & Associates, and Lesley Deutch, principal for John Burns Real Estate Consulting shared their insights at the Tampa Bay Builders Association’s 2018 Economic Forecast breakfast.
Here are some of Buck Horne’s key points:

  • A supply surge in multifamily could disrupt rent pricing.
  • Apartment occupancy has been falling noticeably on a year-to-year basis.
  • Investors should shift their focus more significantly in favor of single-family homes.
  • Inflation-adjusted median household income in the United States hit a new record high of $59,039 in 2016, breaking a previous high mark set in 1999.
  • The cost to build a like-kind single family home has increased 36 percent over the past 5.5 years.
  • Luxury markets continue to grow. New home sales priced above $750,000 was the strongest growth category in 2017, increasing 32 percent, year on year.
  • Listed housing inventory for sale, both new and resale, as measured as a percentage of total housing stock, is at the lowest recorded levels in 30 years.

Here are some of Lesley Deutch’s key points:

  • Median housing resale price in Tampa market is expected to be up 7.6 percent in 2018.
  • Single-family permits in Tampa market are expected to be up 11 percent in 2018.
  • Tampa’s employment is expected to be up 2 percent, which is more than 26,600 jobs.
  • There’s a two-month supply of resale inventory, which is virtually none.
  • Tampa is ranked No. 2 in the United States for people moving into the area, based on U-Haul truck rental pricing.
  • A consumer preferences survey by John Burns Real Estate Consulting reveals that three community features important to buyers are safety, location and street appeal.
  • The John Burns survey also shows that important home features are design, price and function.
  • The vast majority (84 percent) of buyers desire a detached, single-family home, and 62 percent expect to pay $250,000 to $450,000 for it.

Published February 28, 2018

This flea market — a woman’s club tradition — has bargains galore

By

The Old Lutz School, at 18819 N. U.S. 41, was abuzz with activity on Feb. 26, as scores of volunteers prepared for the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club annual flea market.

“It’s our second largest fundraiser of the year,” said Pat Serio, a club member, as she consulted with other club members about where to put various donations.

Pat Serio is holding a cigar box purse that will go for $15. (B.C. Manion)

“It’s always much anticipated by the community because we’ve been doing it for so many years. We started out many decades ago,” Serio added.

“We started out at the Train Depot Park, but we quickly outgrew that, and we’ve been at the Old Lutz School ever since.

“We fill each of the classrooms with items, and we have a larger and larger footprint outdoors, adding tents each year,” she said.

Donations come in from the community and from the woman’s club members.

“We have everything from antiques and collectibles – silver, china, crystal in one special room. We have a home goods room, with kitchenware and décor items. We have a huge selection of beautiful clothing. Ladies, men, children’s clothing.

Club member Jean Palmieri sorts through hardcover books that will be sold for $1 each at the flea market, March 2 and March 3, at the Old Lutz School.

“Outdoors we have florals. We have a little mini-garden center, with artificial flowers and plants. We have toys, baby equipment, sports equipment, tools — something for everybody,” Serio said.

Volunteers were all over the place, getting ready for the sale. They were hanging clothes on racks, putting housewares on shelves, carrying donations inside, or arranging them in tents outside.

Club member Jean Palmieri was helping to sort books.

“We have a huge collection of books. Hardcover books are only $1. Soft covers are a quarter,” Serio noted.

But, those aren’t the only good deal, she added. “We have super bargain prices.”

“All proceeds go back to the community. This is our second-largest fundraiser of the year. Second only to the big arts and crafts show,” Serio continued.

The proceeds support scholarships and provide assistance to a wide assortment of community causes, including schools, libraries, Boy Scouts, and so on.

There will be a food booth, with hot dogs, breakfast items and soft drinks.

And, there will be a plant booth, too.

“The funniest thing is that we club members are our best customers. We donate the bulk of the goods, and we buy the bulk of the goods. We buy each other’s clothing, then next year, these fashions show up in the clothing racks of donations again,” Serio said.

It’s also a great place to catch up with old friends, Serio noted.

Club member Helen Fornino holds a painting and asks Pat Serio, another club member, where the item should go.

“Our women see neighbors and former neighbors. People come back, year after year, even after they’ve moved.

“It’s always the first weekend in March, so they know to anticipate that,” Serio said.

Old-time Lutz residents and former residents also enjoy spending time at the Old Lutz School, Serio noted.

“They reminisce about going to school there. So many people come through and they go, ‘This was my classroom.’

“They get all nostalgic,” Serio said.

Palmieri, who has been a woman’s club member for three years, said she enjoys being involved.

She said she joined because she wanted to help the community.

But, she said, pitching in has rewards of its own.

“It helps me feel good to know that I’m doing something beneficial for other people,” Palmieri said.

GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club annual flea market
Where: Old Lutz School, 18819 N. U.S. 41 in Lutz
When: March 2 and March 3, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Cost: Free admission
Details: Bargain hunters will find plenty of good deals during this market, which features everything from crystal and china to pots and pans. There’s furniture, hardcover books, potted plants and all sorts of other stuff. This is the club’s second-largest fundraiser of the year. Proceeds are used to support scholarships and benefit a wide assortment of local community groups.

Published February 28, 2018

Debate continues over best response to Parkland killings

By

Students, faculty and staff are expected to begin the long journey back toward normalcy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School this week in Parkland.

But, the debate over the best response to the Valentine Day’s slaying of 14 students and three teachers remains embroiled in controversy.

Audience members bow their heads as a prayer is given for the 17 students of Parkland Florida and local student, Christian Robinson, who were killed due to gun violence. (Randy Underhill)

In the aftermath of the shooting spree, conducted by a lone gunman using an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, thousands of angry students descended on Tallahassee demanding that lawmakers take action, to prevent a future tragedy.

There was a lie-in in Washington D.C., walkouts at schools across Florida and almost nonstop coverage of the issues on cable television networks.

Student survivors of the massacre have led the charge in demanding action from lawmakers.

Some are demanding a ban on the sale of AR-15s, which so far does not appear to be making headway.

President Donald R. Trump met with parents of school shooting victims and with student survivors for a listening session.

And, Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Legislature have developed school safety proposals.

The specifics are expected to be fiercely debated, but Scott and legislative leaders expect school safety legislation to be passed before the session ends, which is scheduled for March 9.

At the local level, U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis met in a school safety workshop session with Pasco County School Board members and school district staff.

Nicholas Ketterer, age 15, and Ethan Laws, age 15, both students at Sunlake High School, react to what is being read at the candlelight vigil for the students killed in Parkland, Florida and Port Richey.

Bilirakis asked the district to weigh in on what’s needed to improve school safety and how Washington can help.

“We’re going to have congressional hearings on this issue, the safe school issue. I wanted to hear from our school board,” Bilirakis said.

Assistant Superintendent Betsy Kuhn said the district needs more funding to pay for additional school resource officers, to improve mental health services and to upgrade safety features on school campuses.

Pasco County School Board member Allen Altman concurred that those seem to be the three things at the top of the list, based on conversations he had during visits to nine schools over the course of three days, following the killings in Parkland.

School board member Alison Crumbley said there needs to be “extremely limited access” to military-style weapons.

“I am very concerned that a 19-year-old can purchase military-style weaponry, and has no training for this weaponry. We require training and licensing to drive a car, but not this. I think that’s a huge problem,” she said.

But, Crumbley also made it clear that she supports the 2nd Amendment: “My husband is a sportsman. He hunts. I’m not talking about those types of weapons, or guns.”

She’s against the idea of arming teachers, a suggestion that has been made by some.

Karen Hoffman, of Lutz, sits by herself, silently grieving 17 students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, and local student Christian Robinson, of Chasco Middle School, recently killed in Florida due to gun violence.

“I don’t want that responsibility put on our teachers,” Crumbley said.

Another part of the problem is distinguishing real threats from false information.

Pasco County Sheriff’s Lt. Troy Ferguson told those gathered: “Since Feb. 14, tips are coming in by the hour about suspicious activities, conversations heard online.

“Often, it’s been repeats of stories heard on the news that have been misconstrued as a threat in Pasco County,” he said.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said the district has been swamped with calls and emails since the tragedy in Parkland. Some of the emails have been about threats, others with suggestions to help solve the problem, he said.

Social media exacerbates the problem of false information, Browning said.

“Kids are being reckless on social media,” he said.

“I don’t know how many times they have posted something stupid out on social media and then, when the sheriff’s office shows up at their door, it’s ‘Oh, I was only joking.’ Well, guess what, it is too late,” Browning said.

Browning urged parents to pay attention to what their children are doing on social media.

“There’s consequences. We’re talking about a second-degree felony. Kids don’t get it,” he said.

In the wake of the Parkland deaths, Browning has requested and has received regular patrols from the Sheriff’s Office at all district schools. He also has directed all principals to keep all gates locked and has directed teachers to keep all classroom doors locked.

Browning urges principals, students and staff to maintain a high vigilance regarding who is on their school’s campus.

After listening to the suggestions, Bilirakis said additional funding for school resource officers seems like a “no-brainer.” He also pledges to work on the possibility of seeking a federal grant to improve mental health care services.

To help promote healing in the aftermath of the Parkland shootings, the Pasco County Council PTA held three candlelight vigils across Pasco County.

Brandon Bracciale, principal at Chasco Middle School, attended the one at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex.

While the Parkland community was grieving the deaths of 17 people, Chasco Middle has been grieving the loss of Christian Robinson, a 14-year-old who has died, after a gunshot wound to the head on Valentine’s Day. He was in a car in Port Richey when he was shot.

“He was a very popular student,” Bracciale said.

Bracciale said the Parkland slayings have had a local impact.

He said his wife, an art teacher at Sunlake High School, noticed that her students were somber in the days following the Parkland deaths.

And, his middle school daughter, who attends Rushe Middle School, plans to participate in a nationwide school walkout, set for March 14.

As an educator, he believes that bulletproof windows and doors would help make schools safer. He also believes that restricting access to assault weapons and improved mental health care would help.

Victims of the Valentine’s Day shooting spree at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland: Alyssa Alhadeff, 14; Scott Beigel, 35; Martin Duque Anguiana, 14; Nicholas Dworet, 17; Aaron Feis, 37; Jaime Guttenberg, 14; Chris Hixon, 49; Luke Hoyer, 15; Cara Loughran, 15; Gina Montalto, 15; Joaquin Oliver, 17; Alaina Petty, 14; Meadow Pollack, 18; Helena Ramsey, 17; Alex Schachter, 14; Carmen Schentrup, 16; Peter Wang, 15

Source: CNN

New school emphasizes ‘student-centered’ learning

By

When the North Tampa Christian Academy opens this fall in Wesley Chapel, it will be offering an approach to education that sets it apart from others, said Sandra Doran, Head of School.

“When you look at a traditional classroom, time is the constant and mastery of content is the variable,” Doran said. “In our school, we want to make mastery of content the constant and time more of the variable.

Sandra Doran, head of school at North Tampa Christian Academy, wears a hard hat at the 43-acre construction site in Wesley Chapel. The new school is slated to open on Aug. 20.

“Why am I going to punish a student who says, ‘I need more time.’ Because what they are saying is, ‘I want to do this work.’

“What is your ultimate goal? Your ultimate goal is for the child to learn this material,” she said.

That means taking accountability, the head of school said.

“We shouldn’t be asking the question: ‘Am I mean, if I don’t accept late work?’

“We should be asking the question: ‘Why am I not creating a context that’s motivating students … who care about producing quality work in a timely manner?’ — and take some of that ownership upon ourselves.

“We’re creating a context. All behavior occurs in a context.

“If students are not engaged, that’s on us,” Doran said.

North Tampa Christian Academy will put the student at the center, she said.

“We will work to individualize programs for each individual student,” Doran said.

So, if a student needs more time to master rigorous reading skills, the student will receive it.

“On the flip side, if your child is advanced in reading or math, we will not be holding them back,” she said.

“Is this someone who is sitting around bored because they’re being put in a box, and they’re not able to reach their full potential?” she asked.

“Our entire goal is to say: ‘How can we best tailor a program for your child?’

“That’s really all parents want to know,” Doran said.

The school’s mission is to create an environment where students “think, choose, create and solve for God’s glory,” Doran said.

“The question is: ‘Are you creating beauty in the world or are you solving a problem?’” she said.

The school will have online curriculum, hands-on learning, peer tutoring, books, technology, small group instruction, large-group instruction and team teaching.

The school’s design also sets it apart from others.

Now rising at 5619 E. County Line Road, North Tampa Christian Academy was designed by Fielding Nair International, a globally acclaimed architectural firm, with the specific intention to support research-based teaching practices, Doran said.

Buildings have flexible spaces, which can be easily be reconfigured to meet instructional needs.

The school day also has been designed to provide an hour each day for common planning time for teachers, she added.

“That’s huge in the research. If teachers work together and bounce ideas off each other, research shows that they are far more effective,” she said.

The school’s planned opening date is Aug. 20. It will serve children as young as age 2, all the way through senior year of high school.

Tuition is $11,900 for kindergarten through grade four; $13,900 for grades five through eight; and $15,900 for grades nine through 12.

The school will have a music program, as well as afterschool athletics, which will likely include volleyball, basketball and soccer.

“We have 43 acres here, and we left woods on both sides of the campus. There will be trails in those woods. There will be science explorations going on in those woods,” she said.

The school’s educational philosophy emphasizes the importance of taking actions in a purposeful way.

The school will use project-based learning, she said.

“Every project has to have a real-world result. You either have to be adding beauty to the planet or solving a problem,” Doran said.

A project, for instance, could focus on chronicling the story of a group of marginalized people and the completed work could “help increase community and global awareness of community needs,” she added.

Along those lines, the school doesn’t expect to operate in isolation.

“In terms of the community, we want to give and take with the community,” Doran said. “We feel like we have something to offer the community, but the community has something to offer to us.

“We want to help, and be a resource and a source of light and joy for the community, whether their children come to our school or not. We want to avail ourselves of the rich resources that we’re finding in the community,” she said.

For more information about the school, call (813) 591-0309. To read answers to frequently asked questions or to take a virtual tour, visit NorthTampaChristian.org.

Published February 28, 2018

Episcopal Church has first Wesley Chapel home

By

While it’s a long way from having the permanent worship space and congregation it intends to have, the Episcopal Church has found an initial home at a business park in Wesley Chapel.

The church, at 3758 Maryweather Lane in Wesley Chapel, is now having monthly meetings on the second Wednesday of the month, which begins with evening prayer at 6:30 p.m., and then is followed by a core group meeting.

The Rev. Adrienne Hymes is busy in the process of planting an Episcopal Church in Wesley Chapel. Core team members are working to prepare the way. A soft launch is expected in June, with the aim for an official launch in November. (B.C. Manion)

It currently has four core group members, but needs a dozen to create the various teams needed to launch the church, said the Rev. Adrienne Hymes, whose official title is Diocesan Missioner for Church Extension.

The core group is focusing on the areas of theological and spiritual formation; discipleship, evangelism and mission. Efforts continue to recruit additional core group members.

Members of that group need to be people with vision — who can see things that are not yet there, Hymes said.

While much work remains to be done, Hymes is encouraged by the progress so far.

“The Holy Spirt has really been active in this ministry,” she said. “It (the church planting) is moving faster than the plan on paper.”

The church is planning a soft launch in June, when it will transition to weekly Wednesday evening prayer meetings and core group meetings. It also will begin Sunday 9 a.m. services.

The hope is for an official launch of the church in November, Hymes said.

The church opened at its current location during the week of Ash Wednesday, allowing it to have its first Ash Wednesday service there. Fourteen people attended.

These milestones are important, Hymes said, noting they provide encouragement to the people who are working to help establish the Episcopal Church in Wesley Chapel.

Hymes said she knows there is a need for the church in the community.

“There are Episcopalians here. They don’t want to drive. They want to go to church where they live,” she said.

She also knows that having a church in Wesley Chapel makes it possible for people to be more involved in their community.

“Discipleship is determined by distance,” she said. She said she’s heard from Episcopalians, “‘Yeah, we’d love Sunday service, but I’d also like to be able to do Bible Study during the week. I also want to be able to learn more about the Book of Common Prayer during the week,’” she said.

But, that’s difficult to do, if your church is 20 miles away, she said.

When people reach out to her to let her know that they’re interested in attending an Episcopal Church in Wesley Chapel, she makes it clear that this church is still in its formative stages.

She tells people when they come: “Don’t have any expectations other than: ‘We’re here to be present for God’s people.’”

Some things that need to be done before the church can have a formal launch include coming up with a name for the church, establishing child care provisions and setting up its music program, Hymes said.

While the church continues to plan and work toward its future, it continues moving forward.

For instance, it is hosting a six-week Lenten Series, which began on Feb. 21 and concludes on March 28.

The Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida, which has 77 churches, has been wanting to establish a presence in Wesley Chapel for many years.

If you’d like to get involved or would like to know more, contact Hymes at (813) 418-1281 or .

Lenten series
Here is the schedule for the rest of the Lenten Series being hosted by the Episcopal Church in Wesley Chapel.

The sessions begin with a simple supper at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The next two sessions will be led by Brother Eric Mukasa, a former Benedictine Monk:

Feb. 28: Christian Charity
March 7: Ministering with Meaning

The last three sessions will be led by The Rev. Adrienne Hymes
March 14: Developing Your Spiritual Toolbox
March 21: Practicing Theological Reflection
March 28: Pastoral Care for the Faith Community

Published February 28, 2018

If you enjoy eating and reading, this club is for you

By

They came in carrying plates, casserole dishes and plastic containers holding an assortment of food — inspired by books they had read.

One brought in a chocolate cake, inspired by “The Help.”

Another brought a platter of corn dogs and a bottle of lemonade — an homage to “State Fair.”

John Flack and Debbie Lopez serve themselves some of the goodies that members of the Zephyrhills Library’s Cookbook Club brought to the January meeting. (B.C. Manion)

A third had a plate of chocolate chip cookies, a tip of the hat to “Murder She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery.”

There were other items, too, including a casserole of bread pudding, a butterscotch cake, and a container of spring rolls.

As they arrived, members of the Cookbook Club at Zephyrhills Public Library began chatting, as if they’d just seen each other the day before — even though the club only meets once a month.

And, they wasted little time in getting themselves down to the business — and pleasure — of tasting each other’s offerings.

The club, formed slightly over a year ago, was the idea of Andi Figart, the library’s former director.

Club meetings are on the fourth Wednesday of the month, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., in the community meeting room at the library, 5347 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills. (Please note, the time sometimes changes, so it’s a good idea to call ahead).

Essentially, it’s a club made up of people who enjoy reading and cooking, or at the very least enjoy sampling different foods.

Each month, the club convenes and club members share food they have made, or have purchased, to reflect a particular theme they selected during the previous gathering.

January’s theme for the Zephyrhills Public Library’s Cookbook Club was recipes inspired by books you have read.

In January, for instance, the theme was foods based on books that members have read.

For February, club members chose a “Red, White and Blue” theme, so they’ll bring foods reflecting those three colors.

Generally, around a half-dozen or so club members come to the meeting.

There are no culinary or literary credentials needed to belong to this club.

Club members said they welcome anyone who would like to join them.

Dave Domino, who acknowledges he’s not a cook, comes regularly, with a container of freshly cooked spring rolls.

He shared his recipe for the spring rolls once: “Go over to Best Thai. You put out your credit card and you bring them (spring rolls) back here.”

Domino said the sessions are a great way for the community to use the library. It also gives library patrons a chance to mingle with library staff, he said.

“Everybody’s nice,” added Diana Flack, a club regular, who was there with her husband, John.

This bread pudding casserole was inspired by The Outlander books by Diana Galbadon.

Club members said they enjoy socializing and sharing their food.

“It’s fun,” Flack said. Plus, she picks up some good recipes.

“Somebody made a really awesome enchilada casserole, and I got that recipe and I made it last night, actually. I make it a couple of times a month,” she said.

Over the months, the club has had Italian, chocolate, Greek and vegan themes, to name a few.

“We’ll have to do Portuguese sometime,” Flack said. “I make a wicked Portuguese kale soup.

“A lot of my friends I went to school with were Portuguese.”

Allyson Schmitt, who has been a member for about six months, came up with the idea for January’s theme. She made a butterscotch cake, inspired by the Butterbeer in the Harry Potter series of books.

People share recipes they have from a variety of sources, said Debbie Lopez, senior circulation clerk at the library. Some bring in recipes from their personal cookbooks, or that they have found online. Some find recipes in cookbooks at the library, too, she said.

For more information about the club or other library activities, call (813) 780-0064.

Zephyrhills Public Library Cookbook Club
Where: The Zephyrhills Public Library, 5347 Eighth St., in Zephyrhills
When: Fourth Wednesday of the month, 12:30 p.m. (but, call ahead to make sure there hasn’t been a change in schedule)
Details: This group meets once a month to share their love of reading and eating. They bring dishes to share, based on a specific theme.
Cost: Attendance is free; participants are asked to bring a dish to share
Info: Call the Zephyrhills Public Library for more information, at (813) 780-0064

Published February 21, 2018

Helping your relationships thrive — not just on Valentine’s Day

By

You come home from work and you see your husband sprawled out on the couch watching television, while dishes are piled up in the sink.

You get mad.

You’re thinking: Really, he’s just sitting there while there’s work that needs to be done?

Veronique Polo is a life coach at CREATION Wellness Center, which is part of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. She will be facilitating a class aimed at helping people to have thriving relationships. (B.C. Manion)

You’re not thinking: He’s exhausted. He just finished a tough day at work and he’s stressed out. He needs to relax a little.

These are the kinds of things that occur often in relationships and can sometimes result in a fight.

Choosing to “believe the best” of the other person, however, can help avoid conflicts and help relationships thrive.

That’s just one of the eight tips that Veronique Polo, a life coach at CREATION Wellness Center in Zephyrhills, will discuss on Feb. 22 at 1 p.m., during “Eight relationship tips — A class on taking any relationship from conflicting to thriving.”

CREATION Health is part of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, which is part of the Adventist Health System.

Polo said the advice she’ll be providing applies to relationships of all types, including romantic and family, as well as friendships, neighbors and colleagues.

She said the tips came from books she has read and her life experiences.

The goal, she said, is to provide practical information, which people can use in their day-to-day lives.

“So many times you go to a class, and you’re like, ‘Well, that’s great theory, but how does that work in my life?’” Polo said.

The life coach said “The 5 Love Languages,” a book by Gary Chapman, can help people better understand the needs of those they are close to in their lives.

Chapman’s book discusses these five love languages: gifts, words of affirmation, acts of service, quality time and touch, Polo said.

“The most important thing about the love languages is understanding what the person needs.

Not just what is natural to you,” she said.

She used this example: “One of my dearest friends, she loves gifts.

“I can text her how much I appreciate her. I can wash her car. She will like those things, but what really she appreciates is if I get her a little necklace that’s meaningful, or a gift card,” Polo said.

To her friend, a gift demonstrates that someone thought about her and what she likes, and went out to spend both time and money to get it for her.

For someone else, quality time may be much more important.

“There’s no right or wrong love language,” Polo said.

The key is understanding your loved one’s needs and making a commitment to seek to meet them.

She describes it like this: “There’s a love tank, and you are either going to fill it or not.”

She also noted that relationships can’t be one-sided.

“There are deposits and withdrawals, and people can’t keep making withdrawals, if they don’t make deposits,” she said.

The way to discover your loved one’s love language is to observe them, she said.

What someone gives, is likely their love language and what they want to receive, Polo said.

A wife might be wondering: ‘Does he really love me?’

Meanwhile, her husband is thinking: ‘I always give her gifts. I’m always telling her I love her.’

The thing is, her love language might be quality of time or acts of service — and the husband is totally missing it, Polo said.

So, the wife’s love tank is not being filled, Polo said.

That’s why it’s so important to communicate, the life coach added.

“Don’t suffer in silence.

“So many times when we feel hurt, misunderstood —  we regress, we isolate ourselves. That just inflames the problem,” she said.

Communication is a two-way street, she added.

“Don’t assume what your mate is thinking. Ask them questions.

“Being open about your thoughts and your feelings is how you get clarity in a relationship,” Polo said.

It’s also important to realize that each of us is responsible for our own happiness, Polo said.

“We blame others. We think: ‘I’m not happy because I don’t have money. My husband doesn’t make me happy, or my kids are brats. Or, whatever. It’s everybody else’s fault but yourself. You need to realize, you’re in control.

“It’s not your circumstance that makes you happy. It’s how you see it,” Polo said.

What: “Eight relationship tips — A class on taking any relationship from conflicting to thriving.”
Where: Florida Hospital Zephyrhills CREATION® Health Wellness Center Education Room, 38233 Daughtery Road, Zephyrhills
When: Feb. 22, 1 p.m.
Cost: Free, but registration is required
Info: (813) 779-6476 to register

 

Eight relationships tips:

  • If you can’t listen, don’t talk.
  • Believe the best.
  • Safety, security, love, acceptance
  • Learn about the love languages. They are: Gifts, words of affirmation, acts of service, quality time, touch. (What someone gives is likely their love language, and what they want to receive)
  • You can’t control others, only yourself.
  • Stubbornness is the silent killer.
  • Take responsibility for your happiness.
  • Don’t suffer in silence. (Your mate can’t read your mind and you can’t make them guess — that’s unfair.)

Source: Veronique Polo, life coach at CREATION Health Wellness Center in Zephyrhills

Published February 14, 2018