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B.C. Manion

Teachers bring dream to life at Montessori school in Dade City

March 21, 2023 By B.C. Manion

Kameeka Shirley and LaTania Scott were chatting over lunch one day when the teachers came to a realization that changed their lives.

“We were just talking about what we wanted for our children and what we wanted for ourselves,” Scott said.

Scott told Shirley: “I want to start a school.”

Shirley responded: “Me, too.”

“That’s literally how it started,” Scott said.

Kameeka Shirley, left and LaTania Scott, are co-founders of Blazing Stars Montessori School in Dade City. Both women are entirely sold on the educational approach and wanted to bring it to Dade City. (B.C. Manion)

At the time, they were teachers at a public Montessori charter school.

Now, they are running Blazing Stars Montessori School, at 12212 Fort King Road, in Dade City.

The school, which opened on Jan. 9, operates out of a 2,400-square-foot building that was previously occupied by a daycare.

It now serves 10 children, including two in after-care. The school continues to enroll students for this year and has begun accepting applications for the coming school year.

The school is affiliated with Wildflower Schools, a network established in Massachusetts, which helps teachers found and run micro-schools.

Blazing Stars is one of two Wildflower Schools in Florida, but there are hubs in other parts of the country, as well, Shirley said.

At the moment they are part of a hub made up of schools which don’t have any other Wildflower Schools nearby. But once more spring up in the area, they’ll form their own hub.

Scott noted: “Wildflower Schools are schools started by teachers, ran by teachers. So we are the admin, sometimes the cleaning crew. We are also the teachers, and our children attend.”

Blazing Stars’ enrollment includes Shirley’s 4-year-old son Kaden, and Scott’s 6-year-old son Maxwell and 4-year-old son Clayton.

The teachers wanted to launch the school for their personal happiness and for the happiness of their children, they said.

Both teachers are totally sold on the value of the Montessori approach to learning.

“I am just a pure Montessorian. I have never taught anything but Montessori,” said Scott, who has taught using that approach for 18 years. She also trains other teachers in the Montessori method.

Blazing Stars Montessori School is a private school that has brought the Montessori method of education to Dade City.

She’s excited about teaching in a small setting.

“I’m looking forward to being able to do Montessori, without any of the red-tape,” Scott said.

Shirley noted: “We will only ever be a two-classroom school.”

The school’s capacity if 47, and if it ever adds a higher level,  it would branch off to another location.

The idea is to keep the numbers low enough to provide a highly personalized education.

Blazing Stars begins working with children at age 3, but Shirley emphasized it is a school, not a daycare.

Its primary level serves children ages 3 through 6 and its lower elementary level serves children in ages 6 through 9.

Montessori instruction is not like a traditional school.

In a traditional setting, children sit at desks. At Blazing Stars, they move around, from room to room, picking up physical objects to help them understand abstract concepts.

The same materials can be used at various stages of learning, to build on understanding and help convey different lessons.

The hands-on approach provides a sensorial-based experience.

For instance, when a child is learning the difference between short and long, he can see and touch materials of different lengths.

Strings of beads, which can be easily counted, are used to teach mathematics.

The level of sophistication changes, as children progress through the system.

Cheyenne Chandler works with her child, Elliana, during a recent visit at Blazing Stars Montessori School, in Dade City. (Courtesy of Roda Routes Photography)

It’s a system of education that allows children who learn quickly to advance, while granting more time for students who need it.

“Montessori is the place where no child is left behind because every child works at their (own) pace,” Scott said.

Besides doing work indoors, the teachers think the children benefit from being out in nature and plan to use a sensory garden to help them learn.

Shirley said the lessons go beyond mere academics.

“We want to build an intentionally diverse community. We want students to know how to interact with many different kinds of people, with different ideas. 

“How do you respectfully disagree? How do you advocate for your needs, in a way that others can understand?”

“We want children to learn how to graciously be a part of our community,” Shirley said.

Scott emphasized the importance of being connected to the community.

“We want everybody to understand that we are part of the community and we want the community to be part of what we are doing here to help grow our children,” she said.

Montessori typically has been associated with high-income families, but both Shirley and Scott said Blazing Stars intends to help families who are interested in having their children enroll in the school, to explore all of their options.

They don’t want families to foreclose on the possibility of this type of education.

“Our equity principle is very important to us, that we make Montessori accessible to all families,” Shirley said.

Scott put it this way: “Montessori is not for the elite. It’s for everyone. It’s not just for those that can afford it.”

Learn more about Blazing Stars Montessori School
Open House: March 25, 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Information Session: 11 a.m. to noon
Where: 12212 Fort King Road, in Dade City

Published March 22, 2023

 

Planning is ‘a balancing act,’ planning board chairman says

March 21, 2023 By B.C. Manion

When the Pasco County Planning Commission considers a request, it needs to look at the issue from every side, board chairman Charles Grey said during a recent meeting.

“It’s a balancing act. You’ve got to balance the rights of a property owner with the rights and the expectations of the current citizens in the area. So, what we try to do is push and pull until we feel we have a reasonable balance in that area. It’s never going to be perfect,” Grey said, during a March 2 public hearing.

His remarks came during consideration of a request to allow a maximum of 162 townhomes, on a 40-acre site off Caroline Drive, in Wesley Chapel.

Attorney Barbara Wilhite, representing the applicant, said the request calls for 162 on land is designated on the long-range plan for up to 194 units.

The previous zoning allowed single-family detached residences; this one calls for townhomes, which essentially are attached residences, Wilhite said.

The site is within the county’s urban service area and the county has identified future “vision” roads in the area.

Vision roads are roads that are not yet part of any capital improvement plan, but are envisioned as being necessary to serve future growth.

Wilhite said there are two significant vision roads in the area, including a vision road that would extend Bruce B. Downs Boulevard through Wiregrass, Saddlebrook and north to Overpass Road.

The other vision road is an extension of Wells Road, Wilhite said.

“Because of these major roads, there will be higher density and intensity, as you approach these intersections,” Wilhite said.

She also noted there are some advantages of townhome development over detached single-family development.

“One of the benefits of the townhomes is that you have a central amenity,” she said. “By contrast, at individual residences, pools can be within 5 feet of the property line.”

Wilhite also noted: “Townhomes are commonly maintained. If you live in a townhome, you pay your HOA to maintain your roof, your paint, your shrubs, your grass and the landscaping in the common areas. In a single-family subdivision, you pay your HOA to chase your neighbor to try to get them to comply.”

She showed the planning board a visual of the proposed site plan.

“You see a lot of ponds on here because of the density. We have property. We’re able to cluster those townhomes and create a very nice living environment,” Wilhite said.

The attorney acknowledged that neighbors are concerned about additional traffic that will traveling down Caroline Drive, en route to State Road 54.

Several of those neighbors spoke during the public comment portion of the hearing, expressing concerns about traffic.

Others spoke about the incompatibility of a townhome community next to single-family homes, and others mentioned the potential loss of area wildlife and a concern about a potential increase in crime resulting from more people moving into the area.

The developer has agreed to pave Caroline Drive to Pasco County standards.

He also has agreed to install a sidewalk on one side of Caroline Drive.

That concession came after board chairman Grey asked if a sidewalk would be added on Caroline Drive, to address safety concerns.

“In order for me to feel comfortable about approving a new development, it needs to bring something to the existing area they don’t have. It can’t just take,” Grey said.

“If it doesn’t enhance the adjoining areas in some significant way, then why put it there? It’s not ready for it,” Grey said. “We’ve got to look out for our citizens.”

The developer also will do any necessary access management improvements that are required at State Road 54 and Caroline Drive.

Plus, there will be an emergency-access only gate at Tucker Road, but that designation could change in the future if Tucker Road is paved and the county’s future road network is established.

The developer also has agreed to construct a six-foot fence around the project, which will be gated.

The county’s planning staff recommended approval of the request and the planning board concurred, with the exception of Planning Commissioner Peter Hanzel, who voted no.

Hanzel said he would prefer the site be developed with larger, single-family homes.

Published March 22, 2023

Pasco board demands action to resolve permitting issues

March 21, 2023 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County board members are tired of constant delays in processing permits through their system.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley drew attention to the issue during the board’s March 7 meeting.

“I’ve been here six years … and for six years I’ve heard from many, many people that they would no longer do business in Pasco County because they can’t get a permit through our department,” Oakley told his colleagues.

Pasco County Commissioner Ron Oakley is fed up with delays that occur in processing permits through Pasco County’s system. He’s demanding action to improve the county’s performance.

He said he understands that some of the problems are a result of information missing from applications or difficulty in accessing information that’s in the system the county uses to process applications.

Whatever the reason, Oakley told County Administrator Mike Carballa that he wants the problem fixed.

“I always hear how long it takes to get a permit. It just continues. I’m just tired of it,” Oakley said. “I think it’s time that we really do something in that department, to straighten it up. It hasn’t changed,” Oakley said.

“I’m just tired of dealing with it. We need to have some changes. It’s got to happen. It can’t go any longer,” he said.

“I don’t know what we have to do, but we have to do something,” Oakley said.

Other county board members weighed in, too.

“I echo Commissioner Oakley,” Commissioner Seth Weightman said, noting he’s been compiling a folder of examples of problems with the process.

He said he’s identified steps within the process where failures are occurring.

Weightman added that these “are real-life examples, not just constructive criticism that the public shares with us.”

Commission Chairman Jack Mariano agreed with Oakley’s observation that too much time is spent following up on issues that should have been handled correctly the first time.

“It is such a burden to follow up over and over with these projects that are going on,” Mariano said.

Mariano said he has faith that Carballa will address the issue.

“He’s already started some changes,” Mariano said.

He also suggested a new approach.

“Maybe we need somebody to just take an application that comes in.

“Get a person to take the application and then let that person then walk it through, set up some type of new system.

“We definitely need some action,” Mariano said.

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey said she’s encountered similar complaints.

She said she had just forwarded some information to county staff about a constituent who has been trying to get a certificate of occupancy for his business since October.

“It just takes too long. It’s too long,” Starkey said.

Published March 22, 2023

Business Digest 03/22/2023

March 21, 2023 By B.C. Manion

CareerSource hiring event
CareerSource Tampa Bay will host an in-person hiring event on March 23 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at James A. Haley VA Hospital, 13000 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Tampa. A variety of career opportunities will be available. Visit https://careersourcetampabay.com/event/james-a-haley-veterans-hospital-job-fair/, to sign up.

Community adds 2,000 acres
Two Rivers, a new master-planned community in southeast Pasco, is expanding into Hillsborough County as developers have secured 2,000 additional acres, according to a news release.

The newly acquired land will add a luxury golf course designed by DMK Golf Design, a spa and other amenities to the approximately 6,000-acre residential, commercial and entertainment destination, the release adds.

The new Hillsborough section, named The Stewards at Two Rivers, will include three villages with estate homes, a private country club with a spa and recreational amenities. The Stewards also features an 18-hole golf course, with designs already underway and plans for a 2025 opening, according to a release.

To learn more, visit TwoRiversFL.com. 

Pasco EDC seeks nominations
Nominations are being accepted by the Pasco Economic Development Council (Pasco EDC) for its 2023 annual awards, which recognizes companies that are having extraordinary economic impact on their community.

The deadline for nominations is the close of business on April 28.

This year, Pasco EDC will recognize the achievements of top companies in Pasco County for their economic excellence in company growth, workforce improvement, and community involvement, according to a news release.

Finalists are interviewed by a committee of volunteers, and the winners will be announced at Pasco EDC’s 35th Annual Awards event on Sept. 7.

Nominees should be a “for profit” business-to-business company operating in Pasco County, excluding municipalities or affiliates.

If you know of a company outside of those parameters that has gone above and beyond their mission to show excellence, they may be nominated for consideration through the Special Contribution category.

Nominations can be submitted online at PascoEDC.com/events/details/35th-annual-awards. 

This year’s categories are:

  • Pasco Establishment Award: The winner in this category must have established its Pasco County operations between January 2022 and December 2022.

This award will recognize a recently established company that is demonstrating substantial progress and/or has the potential for a significant community impact.  

  • Economic Excellence Award: This award will go to a company that established its business in Pasco County between January 2022 and December 2022. It will recognize a business that has made a commitment to improving the overall economic health and quality of life in Pasco County, creating a diverse workforce, and providing exceptional value to customers, all while demonstrating ingenuity, integrity, and leadership. 

Other award categories:

  • International Achievement Award: This award will recognize a business that has demonstrated outstanding achievements in international relations, global leadership, and export growth through its relationship with Pasco EDC, Enterprise Florida, or Global Tampa Bay. Nominees will be scored based on company growth, international program participation, workforce improvement, and community involvement. 
  • SMARTstart Entrepreneur of the Year: This award will recognize an entrepreneur who has engaged in numerous SMARTstart programs. Through their experiences and education, they have turned their passion into a thriving business. Nominees will be scored based on company growth, SMARTstart involvement, and community impact as a leading start-up. 

Cardel Homes celebrates 50th anniversary
Cardel Homes, celebrating a half-century in business, is a veteran in the residential development industry. It now operates as an integrated homebuilder and land developer in four regions, offering a wide range of products, including single-family homes, townhomes, condos and resort properties, according to a news release. Cardel is an international builder with operations in Florida, Colorado, Alberta and Ontario.

Angeline Academy to help prepare the way for AI careers 

March 14, 2023 By B.C. Manion

It’s almost impossible today to watch any news program without hearing about an innovation relating to Artificial Intelligence, or AI, for short.

There already are plenty of jobs in the field — just waiting for people who are equipped to tackle the challenges.

Angeline Academy of Innovation — a magnet school in Pasco County — plans to help provide additional options to its students and to address that talent gap through its Artificial Intelligence coursework.

It is adding the AI option to the curriculum at the magnet school, set to open at 8916 Angeline School Way, near the Suncoast Parkway and Ridge Road in August. 

Initially, the school will serve students in grades six through 10, but plans call for adding grades 11 and 12.

JoAnne Glenn is the school’s inaugural principal.

She explained the school’s decision for adding AI, in an email to The Laker/Lutz News.

Specifically, she said:

  • AI jobs are plenty, with hiring growing by 32% in the last couple of years and expected to increase.
  • There is a high talent gap—not enough qualified applicants for vacant positions.
  • AI professionals earn top salaries, well north of $100,000 yearly.
  • As a rapidly evolving industry, growth opportunities in AI careers are diverse.
  • AI careers are flexible—AI experts can be a freelancer, consultant, researcher, practitioner, or even build AI products as entrepreneurs.

Angeline’s content will address the five big ideas in AI, Glenn added. Those are: “perception; representation and reasoning; machine learning; human AI interaction; and societal impacts of AI.”

Angeline Academy of Innovation is taking shape in the emerging ‘city’ of Angeline. The magnet school for grades six through 12 is expected to live up to its name — by offering curriculum options and learning experiences aimed to help students prepare for an ever-evolving world of work. The school recently announced it will offer coursework focusing on Artificial Intelligence, or AI, for short. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

The course content also includes practical experiences in AI system design, deployment, and evaluation. 

The sequence of the four courses relies on equipment and materials that already are part of the school’s Computer Science and Cybersecurity pathway, enabling the school to provide AI coursework.

The introductory semester course is called Artificial Intelligence in the World, Glenn said. There’s also a Procedural Programming course.

After accepting her role, Glenn created a video to explain Angeline’s philosophy and mission, as well as providing practical details about what to expect at the school.

She told viewers that Angeline’s planning is intentional to make its “learning experiences exciting and engaging, and connected to the real world to prepare our students for their lives after high school.”

She went on to explain: “Our key levers to support this work include rigorous instruction; a compassionate school environment that ensures that our students feel cared for and supported; equitable instructional practices, meaning we believe in having an open door; and, allowing students to feel supported in taking academic risks and trying new things.

“These three levers are actually the foundation that we believe are essential to ensuring that our students leave our system prepared for college, career and life,” she added.

The high school will offer career academies, as well as opportunities to merge some fields — enabling students to create a more personalized track.

The school will be near Moffitt Cancer Center’s Pasco County campus, which has been christened Speros FL.

The school district has been collaborating with Moffitt to give students the chance to experience internships, externships and the opportunity to work directly with scientists, doctors and other experts.

Construction activities are ramping up on Moffitt’s 775-acre campus, with the first phase of the project in the northwest corner of its property near the Suncoast Parkway and Ridge Road.

A Moffitt official previously reported that Moffitt likely will build on about 500 acres of the land, leaving views of nature for patients.

The Moffitt site is entitled for up to 24 million square feet of development, but its current master plan calls for about 13.5 million square feet of mixed uses.

At full build out, the campus is expected to have about 140 buildings, according to a previously published report in The Laker/Lutz News. It also is expected to attract cancer researchers and life sciences companies from around the globe.

Upcoming School Choice Window
A second school choice window will be open from April 12 to April 19. Students and families from the central Pasco region who are interested in joining grades six through 10 at Angeline Academy of Innovation are invited to apply using the School Choice application in the school’s  parent portal.
Seats in grades six through eight are awarded by lottery, while high school students must meet minimum requirements for grades and standardized tests.
For more information, visit tinyurl.com/2y8shnef.

Published March 15, 2023

Pasco officials are optimistic as they plan county’s 2024 budget

March 14, 2023 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County has taken a pulse on its economy and the prognosis is good.

Pasco County Budget Director Robert Goehig gave the Pasco County Commission an overview of the county’s economic conditions, as the board prepares to make decisions for the county’s 2024 budget.

He began his presentation this way: “We’ve all heard the horror stories out there, ‘There’s going to be a recession, there’s not going to be a recession. There’s going to be an economic downturn, there won’t be an economic downturn.’

“One thing we know is that with the exception of the wild swing in the economy at the beginning of COVID, the economy has been growing at about 2% per quarter for the past 10 years.

“We expect that trend to continue for the near upcoming future and if there is a recession, we believe that our area, because of the growth in our region, we are much more able to withstand the negative impacts of any recession — more so than other areas of the economy.”

That being said, Goehig said Pasco isn’t immune to increased labor costs resulting from record-low unemployment rates and higher costs due to inflation.

The region’s inflation rate is 9.6%, which primarily affects health care, energy, vehicle and construction costs, Goehig said.

On a brighter note, though, “tourism is back to where it was prior to the pandemic,” he said.

That’s important in Pasco because about 12% of the county’s sales tax revenue is generated by visitors to the county, he said.

The county’s building activity remains strong.

“We are at record highs in our building permits and for that reason we are expecting the 2024 taxable values to be at, or a little below, where they were in 2023.

“As  you can see, in 2023, taxable values increased by 16.7%,” Goehig said.

This year, the county expects the increased values to be between 12% and 16%.

“In 2023, new construction was at an all-time high, even higher than 2008,” Goehig said.

“We are expecting that to reduce to kind of the average. We are not expecting this to stay at this very high level forever. And, we’re certainly not expecting it to drop off like it did during the Recession.”

For planning purposes, if the county’s taxable assessed values increase by 12%, that would yield an additional $35.5 million in property tax revenues, the budget director said.

Of that, portions would go to the Sheriff’s Office, the Community Redevelopment Agencies and for transportation improvements.

Once those are subtracted, the county would have about $18.4 million for new initiatives and to address budget increase requests from the county’s constitutional officers.

If the county’s values increase by 16%, the board would have about $25 million in additional property tax revenues, Goehig said.

He also gave the board an overview of expected revenues from the half-cent sales tax, Penny for Pasco and Local Option Fuel Tax revenues.

The half-cent sales tax and Penny for Pasco are expected to have increased revenues in the 5% to 6% range. The Local Option Fuel Tax revenues have been growing at a rate of about 2% a year and that trend is likely to lessen as more electric vehicles hit the road, Goehig said.

As it builds its budget, the county must allocate more funds for personnel that will be needed at the expanded jail, a new library and new fire station. Plus, it plans to take over the Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus, which has been operated by Radd Sports.

So, while more revenues are expected to come in, the county’s administration is recommending that spending in the 2024 budget is divided between new initiatives and capital spending.

The capital spending would address existing needs and it can be pulled back, if the county needs to make an adjustment, Goehig said.

In essence, he said: “We’re entering into the 2024 budget year optimistic, but we want to stay agile, in case there is a recession or something comes up that we need to respond to.”

The county board is expected to have a workshop on May 16 to discuss the upcoming budget in greater detail.

Pasco County’s 2024 budget outlook
Key expense drivers for Pasco County’s 2024 budget

  • Increased operating costs for expanded jail
  • Opening of a new fire station and a new library
  • Assuming operations of Wiregrass Sports Complex
  • Increased Medicaid costs
  • Increased employer-paid health care and retirement costs
  • Increased property and worker’s compensation insurance costs
  • Increased employee compensation costs
  • Inflationary impact on costs of health care, construction materials and vehicles

Revenue outlook

  • Expect growth of at least 12% in taxable assessed values, putting the county in a good position for the 2024 budget year.
  • Expect record growth trends to slow at some point, so county administration recommends a spending plan that splits new revenues, new initiatives and capital spending.

Source: Pasco County Budget Director Robert Goehig’s economic outlook

Published March 15, 2023

Pasco board discusses tax rate, potential new assessments

March 14, 2023 By B.C. Manion

As the Pasco County Commission looks ahead to the county’s 2024 budget, discussions are emerging about the county’s millage rate and whether new municipal service taxing units (MSTUs) should be established to address specific county needs.

Commissioner Seth Weightman got the conversation rolling by reminding his colleagues that in the coming tax year, the new school tax will go online and the county is considering new taxing districts for road paving and dredging.

That’s on top of the average increase in property taxes, he said.

The newly elected commissioner said he wanted to go on record that he recognizes the various tax increases and said the board must be mindful in setting its tax rate for the coming fiscal year.

Commissioner Gary Bradford, also new to the board, agreed with Weightman.

“Some of these are a choice. That’s us, up here, making those choices,” Bradford said.

But veteran board members Ron Oakley, Kathryn Starkey and Jack Mariano made it clear that they have no appetite for reducing the county’s current millage rate.

The millage rate is the tax rate assessed against property, with one mil equaling $1 for every thousand dollars of assessed property value.

Florida law caps the maximum amount of the increase that can be applied annually and some property owners qualify for additional reductions in specific categories.

In addition to supporting the current millage rate, Starkey is advocating for a countywide MSTU to address the shortage of playing fields and parks. Mariano also raised the prospect of establishing an MSTU aimed at the county’s drainage needs.

An MSTU provides a mechanism for collecting taxes from a delineated area to address specific needs.

Pasco already is eyeing an increase in its park impact fees, which are charged against new development to address impacts of growth. 

“I know we’re talking about raising the impact fees, but that is not money that you can bond and that’s going to take a while to build up so that we have capital money to go build some more parks,” Starkey said.

“But an MSTU we can bond. I’m not saying it should be a big number. I think it should be, you know, $25 or something like that. But it gets some money in the hopper quickly and we can bond it and go build some soccer fields and baseball fields because we are way behind.

“We actually have a Starkey Little League District now and they have no field to play. It’s the first new Little League since I moved here 30 years ago,” she said.

Mariano noted that the Southwest Florida Water Management District has reduced the number of grants that are available locally. He thinks residents would support an MSTU to tackle drainage problems to reduce flooding problems.

Commissioner Ron Oakley is standing firm on the county’s current millage rates.

“You can’t cut back millage. 

“There’s a day coming that won’t always be values like we’ve had in the last few years,” the commissioner said.

“If you change the millage rate, you change the ability to ever get that back.

“We’ve got a lot of things happening in our county to be premiere, but it costs money to be premiere,” Oakley said.

Commission Chairman Mariano agreed.

“It’s a different game from what it was, I’ll say, 18 years ago. People want services. I think they like what the board’s doing. I think we should continue on, providing services that they’re asking us for. We’re not just raising taxes, we’re giving them the services they want,” Mariano said.

Published March 15, 2023

Pasco school board member is pushing to expand school choices

March 7, 2023 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County School Board member Colleen Beaudoin is asking the superintendent’s staff to consider adding more school choices in Central Pasco.

“I’m a big supporter and believer in neighborhood schools and we have fantastic neighborhood schools across our county. But families want choices,” Beaudoin said.

Pasco County School Board member Colleen Beaudoin wants to increase choices for students in Central Pasco, by adding some new options for some schools within the area. (File)

“As we start planning for our summer budget meetings, I’d just like to ask staff to please explore the feasibility of adding some Cambridge Programmes, a fine arts magnet and/or some other advanced academic opportunities in our Central Pasco elementary schools.

“I want to reiterate that I am hearing from people in our community that are looking for these opportunities for their elementary children.

“Parents are going to be given more and more choices, and I believe public schools — Pasco public schools — are the best choice and we have the opportunity to expand on the great work already being done,” Beaudoin said, during the school board’s Feb. 21 meeting.

In essence, the Cambridge Programme is a rigorous academic program that uses an international curriculum and seeks to develop learners who are reflective, confident, engaged, responsible and innovative. It is already offered at some schools in East Pasco and West Pasco.

School board member Alison Crumbley said she was glad that Beaudoin raised the issue because she, too, supports expanding the Cambridge Programme into some Central Pasco schools.

On another topic, Megan Harding, the board’s chairwoman, asked Superintendent Kurt Browning to continue working to address behavior issues by elementary students who are disrupting classrooms.

“I’m still getting messages and phone calls every day about extensive behaviors that are occurring at the elementary level,” Harding said.

For instance, she said, “It’s hard when a child throws a water bottle and then they’re brought back into the classroom. The teacher doesn’t feel supported.

“I know that we have zero tolerance at the secondary level, but maybe we need to talk about that tiered plan at the elementary level, that we mentioned before,” Harding said.

“I just hope that we can continue those conversations,” Harding said.

Published March 08, 2023

Pasco-Hernando State College president announces retirement

March 7, 2023 By B.C. Manion

Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) President Timothy L. Beard has announced his retirement, effective Jan. 31, 2024.

The college also has launched a national search for Beard’s successor.

Beard is stepping down from the post after a 17-year tenure at the college.

When he departs, he will have held the college’s top post for nearly nine years.

Jamal Roberts became the first student to graduate from Pasco-Hernando State College with a bachelor of applied science in supervision and management. He took advantage of one of PHSC’s two four-year programs. Roberts received his diploma from Dr. Timothy Beard, the college’s president, in December 2015. (File)

Before that, he was vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management for eight years, according to a college news release.

The search for Beard’s successor is being led by Myers McRae Executive Search and Consulting, in collaboration with a committee made up of community stakeholders and PHSC faculty, staff and students, the news release says.

The new president will take over leadership of an educational institution that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

In reflecting on the college’s history, during a previous interview with The Laker/Lutz News, Beard recounted PHSC’s humble origins.

“We were known as ‘College without Walls.’ We didn’t have a building. All we had, for the most part, was a dream and an idea.”

Classes would be held wherever the college could get space and recruiting for students was done everywhere, including back alleys, Beard said.

Over time, the college transitioned from Pasco-Hernando Community College to Pasco-Hernando State College.

It now has six locations, serving nearly 10,000 students each year.

It has a $69 million operating budget, and a workforce of roughly 1,000 employees — including  nearly 550 full-time faculty and staff.

The college also has expanded its programs, now offering about 100 career program options. It has two bachelor’s programs and bestows associate’s diplomas and assorted certifications.

Under Beard’s leadership, the college’s operating budget has increased by nearly 40%, the release says.

At the same time, PHSC Foundation assets increased more than 60%. Beard personally has raised several hundred thousand dollars to establish and fund scholarships.

During his time at the helm. PHSC constructed the $18 million Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC), located in Wesley Chapel.

The Pasco-Hernando State College’s Instructional Performing Arts Center, also known as IPAC, is a teaching facility, but also a venue for community events and performances. The project, on Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel, was completed during Dr. Timothy Beard’s tenure as president of Pasco-Hernando State College.

It also is currently collaborating with Pasco Fire/Rescue to construct a new $5 million Burn Center and Fire Academy training center at PHSC’s East Campus in Dade City.

That campus also houses the future STEM Student Success and Community Engagement Center.

Meanwhile, in Hernando County, PHSC is establishing a Corporate College at the Dr. Dennis Wilfong Center for Success, at the Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport, according to the release.

The Corporate College, in collaboration with industry partners, will provide career and technical training for in-demand, skilled, higher-paying positions within the region.

Beard is PHSC’s fourth president, following Katherine M. Johnson, who followed Robert W. Judson, who followed Milton O. Jones.

In the release announcing his retirement, Beard shared these sentiments: “Serving as PHSC’s president has been the crowning achievement of my career.

“The college has made exceptional progress, thanks to the guidance of our trustees and the dedication of our administrators, faculty and staff.

“I remain in awe of the transformative power of education. To greet students as they enter PHSC, often unsure of their potential, and watching them grow, graduate, pursue successful careers and join the college’s more than 60,000 alumni, is gratifying. 

“Most of our graduates choose to work and reside within our district and contribute to our vibrant, growing communities.

“The decision to retire after nearly 40 years in higher education has been difficult, but the time is right to pass the baton to a new leader,” Beard said.

The college’s board of trustees also issued a statement regarding Beard’s performance, as he prepares to step away from the post.

“The board has been impressed by Dr. Beard’s steadfast dedication, his tireless service and student-centered leadership,” John Mitten, chair of the PHSC’s nine-member District Board of Trustees (DBOT), said, in the statement. “The sincerity, warmth and enthusiasm he brings to the presidency continuously forges strong stakeholder relationships, enhances the college’s image locally and throughout the state and garners support for the college and our programs.

“His leadership will be missed by the trustees, faculty, staff, students and the entire community,” Mitten said.

The college’s board of trustees expects to introduce the college’s fifth president to the community September 2023.

Information on PHSC’s presidential search, including details about the application and nomination process, is available at MyersMcrae.com.

Information about presidential search also is available at PHSC.edu/about/leadership.

Published March 08, 2023

Proposal aims to create Odessa Town Centre plan

March 7, 2023 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County is engaging in a process aimed at providing a cohesive approach to future development on about 81.5 acres at the southwest corner of Gunn Highway and County Road 54.

County planners began working about two years ago with a consultant to create what is now being called Odessa Town Centre.

The site is within Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey’s district and she advocated for a  county-initiated land use change to try to prevent piecemeal development of the property.

The county board had been set to vote on transmitting the proposed plan to state agencies for review, during its Feb. 21 meeting. That action was delayed because the plan area had been  expanded, requiring additional public notice before the board could consider the request.

The county board is now set to vote on the issue at its March 21 meeting, during its 1:30 p.m. session at the government center at 8731 Citizens Drive, in New Port Richey.

At the county board’s Feb. 21 meeting, Starkey provided background to her colleagues: “This is Gunn (Highway) and (State Road) 54, where the old flea market used to be.

“We were very worried that it was going to be piecemealed … People were swirling all around it, wanting to buy it.

“They all want to put (in) multi-family, and, there’s great job potential there, if we do it right,” Starkey said.

The Pasco County Planning Commission has already heard the issue and recommended unanimously to transmit the request for state review.

The proposed plan includes areas designated for light industrial, business park, mixed-use office and retail, and high-density residential.

Transmittal of the plan for state review is a preliminary step before it can come back before the county board for a final vote.

At the planning board’s meeting, Planning Commissioner Jon Moody said he wanted to make sure that none of the current property owners — regardless of how much land they own  — get left behind.

David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney, said a condition could be included in the comprehensive plan’s sub-area policies, to ensure that property owners within the area would be able to pursue a master-plan development, regardless of property size.

The plan doesn’t preclude current property owners from continuing their current use, or pursuing another one that’s within their current zoning.

If they wish to rezone, however, they would be subject to the rules of the new Odessa Town Centre plan.

Nectarios Pittos said a primary aim of the Odessa Town Centre plan is to designate land that would be appropriate for job-generating uses.

Attorney Joel Tew, who represents a mixed-use developer from Miami, said his client is currently seeking an MPUD to develop about 20 acres on the western portion of the Odessa Town Centre area.

His client embraces the need for a master plan for the area, Tew said.

“We think it’s a great vision. It’s a great plan.

Gerald Speer, who lives on Blissfield Road, said he’s one of the “small guys” within the proposed Odessa Town Centre.

“I have one-third acre. I have the smallest amount of property of the 27 people that’s in this. I am the one who’s going to suffer badly,” Speer said.

If Blissfield is widened, as shown on the conceptual plan, Speer said when he steps out his front door, he’ll be stepping into the street.

“My house is 1,800 square feet and there’s nowhere else in this town where I could move that I would like better than where I am now. Where I’m at now, I’ve got hospitals, I’ve got grocery stores, I’ve got everything.

“I’m almost 70 years old, and I’m kind of stuck, because it’s going to be very hard for me to move.”

Speer said he’s already dealt with dirt being kicked up into his house from nearby construction activity and that he’s seen traffic increase substantially on Old Gunn Highway.

“The road is terribly overburdened, and wait until they build the Lowe’s (which is going on the old flea market site). It’s going to be even worse,” he said.

“What have I got to look forward to? Where am I going to find an 1,800-square-foot house?

“I’m going to lose this. I know I’m going to lose this,” he said.

Virginia Loe has property on Interlaken Road, sought assurances that she’ll be able to continue with her plan to have a log cabin on her land.

Planning Commission Chairman Charles Grey said the proposed land use change would not force her to change her plans.

“You can still use the property,” Grey said. “You’re not compelled to do a commercial or industrial use there. You can do what you had planned.”

Moody responded to Speer’s comments.

“I understand. I’ve been here since I was 6 years old,” Moody said. “The corner of Gunn (Highway) and  Highway 54 (State Road 54) — it was cows. But that’s not what it is today.

“I’ve been here 50-plus years, too.

“State Road) 54 is not what (State Road) 54 was when I was a child.

“There’s nothing we’re going to do to stop this, and I’d rather have a good plan and a cohesive plan rather than for us to repeat some of the sins of the past that happened along U.S. 19, along the west side of the county.

“In this one, I’ve got to give credit where credit is due, this is some good planning,” Moody said.

Published March 08, 2023

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