The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

B.C. Manion

Planting seeds to grow gardeners

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The room at the rear of the Land O’ Lakes Community Center was buzzing with chatter as children made their way around the various stations — creating caterpillars out of egg cartons, turning peanut butter jars into terrariums, and creating worm condos out of recycled soda bottles.

Master gardeners from Pasco County Cooperative Extension shared their enthusiasm for gardening as they talked to the youngsters about worms, air plants and compost.

Pasco County Cooperative Extension master gardeners Juanita Fawley and Mary Ellen Gotto help Makenzie Haworth, 7, build a worm condo. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Pasco County Cooperative Extension master gardeners Juanita Fawley and Mary Ellen Gotto help Makenzie Haworth, 7, build a worm condo.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Master gardeners Mary Ellen Gotto, Juanita Fawley and Stan Groves helped Makenzie Haworth, 7, of New Tampa, as the young girl built a worm condo.

Amy Perkins, who is Makenzie’s mom, said the event helps connect kids with nature, and gives them a chance to experience gardening.

“It’s great exposure,” Perkins said.

“We put this on every year for children,” Gotto said. “It’s educational for children.”

Master gardener Chris Storch helped Caleb Hicks, 9, as he assembled his terrarium. The Connerton Elementary School student attended the event last year and wanted to come back when he heard it was being held again, said Land O’ Lakes resident Ted Beason, the boy’s grandfather.

Storch enjoys seeing the children’s delight.

“They love it, getting their hands dirty and digging into it,” the Lutz woman said.

Vicki Arndtz, a Pasco County master gardener from Zephyrhills, thinks the event gives children from all backgrounds a chance to learn the love of growing plants and vegetables.

“Not every child has an unlimited budget to experiment with gardening,” Arndtz said.

At the terrarium station, children could choose from a wide assortment of recycled containers. There were recycled peanut butter jars, a cheese puff container, pretzel jars and Beanie Babies collectible cases.

After selecting the container, the children added rocks, a weed cloth, soil, plants and decorative items, such as colored stones, gems and coins.

Carolyn Watson, of Land O’ Lakes, was there with her granddaughter, Grace Heller.

“My granddaughter and I love to plant plants together,” Watson said.

The 7-year-old, who attends Corbett Preparatory School, said she’s grown carrots, impatiens and miniature sunflowers with her grandmother.

The master gardeners share a passion for gardening, Arndtz said, and enjoy sharing their enthusiasm.

“Only an eclectic group like this could get excited over worm compost,” she said, laughing.

There’s always something new to learn, Storch said. For instance, gardeners who move to Florida from northern states have to learn about the spring and fall gardening seasons, she said.

“Timing is everything,” Storch said, especially when it comes to growing vegetables in Florida.

To learn more about the Pasco Cooperative Extension, visit Pasco.IFAS.UFL.edu.

For more information about gardening, visit http://solutionsforyourlife.com.

Published August 13, 2014

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As a new school year begins, be sure kids can hear teachers

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A child’s hearing difficulties are not always easy to spot.

That’s why volunteers like Alice Jones of Zephyrhills can play such an important role in a child’s life.

Alice Jones, of Zephyrhills, recently was honored for her volunteer work for the Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida. She conducts hearing tests at various Pasco County schools, to help detect hearing loss in children. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Alice Jones, of Zephyrhills, recently was honored for her volunteer work for the Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida. She conducts hearing tests at various Pasco County schools, to help detect hearing loss in children.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Jones — recently named Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida’s volunteer of the month — has spent the past several years traveling to various Pasco County schools to conduct hearing tests for children.

The 76-year-old goes to schools within roughly a 20-mile radius of her home, sitting with children who are wearing earphones, and asking them if they can hear the sounds coming through the wires. When they can’t, Sertoma lets the school know, so they can inform the child’s parent.

Most of the time the youngsters can hear. But when they can’t, there are places where they can plug in for help, said Barbra Antonelli, an audiologist at the New Port Richey site for All Children’s Outpatient Care Center of Pasco.

Children can be born with hearing loss or it sometimes develops as they grow older, said Judith Reese, an audiologist at JC Audiology in Lutz. Federal law requires screening of infants. That typically occurs before the baby leaves the hospital, or during a follow-up visit soon after.

Some Pasco County public schools have staff members who conduct hearing screenings, but others use volunteers to do the checks. Sertoma volunteers, like Jones, conduct hearing tests for kindergarten, first- and sixth-graders in Pasco County public schools.

The organization always is looking for more help, Jones added. She got involved because a member of the Zephyrhills Noon Rotary Club asked members to volunteer.

Schools where Jones has helped out over the years include Connerton Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes, Veterans Elementary School in Wesley Chapel, West Zephyrhills Elementary and Stewart Middle schools in Zephyrhills, and Pasco Elementary and Pasco Middle schools in Dade City.

There are various causes of hearing loss, Reese said.

“One of the things that happens most often in children is a temporary hearing loss that is due to ear infections or even a build up of fluid in the ear,” Reese said. “Those are easily treated by medical professionals.”

Early detection is important.

“We really like to catch them early because you can have significant delays in speech and language, even if somebody has an ear infection for just a few months,” Reese said. “When they’re developing their speech and language, it can have a big impact on the child.”

Infants who are not startled by loud sounds may have a hearing loss, Antonelli said. If they don’t respond to their name or a dog barking, that may also be another sign.

Sometimes the problem is not obvious, Reese said.

Typically, if a child has an ear infection, parents become aware of it because it hurts.

“So, they’re crying or their ears are real red,” Reese said. “But if it’s just a build up of fluid, they may kind of just disengage, or tug at their ear.”

But sometimes fluid inside the ear doesn’t hurt, but is hindering a child’s hearing. In a case like that, a parent may think that their child is refusing to behave, or lagging behind in school because they’re not trying, Reese said. In fact, it may be that the child didn’t hear his parents or teacher, or didn’t hear them accurately.

It’s not just a matter of hearing sound, Reese explained. It’s also a matter of processing it properly.

Some signs that children may have a hearing loss include errors in articulation, Antonelli said. It also may seem that children don’t listen well or have trouble following directions. Or, they may want the volume on the television turned up.

When children don’t get help, they can experience academic and social difficulties.

If the hearing loss is spotted early, though, those problems can be avoided. Even newborns can be fitted with hearing aids, Antonelli said.

“Basically, they’ll never fall behind,” she said.

For more information, call Sertoma at (727) 834-5479, or visit FamilyHearingHelp.org.

Hearing loss symptoms and getting help

Hearing loss can happen when any part of the ear is not working properly, including the outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, acoustic nerve and auditory system, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The losses can vary greatly and can be due to a number of causes, the CDC says.

Here are some facts from the CDC to help you learn more about symptoms of hearing loss and what to do when they appear.

Signs in babies
• They do not startle at loud noises
• They do not turn to the source of a sound after 6 months of age
• They do not say single words, such as “dada” or “mama” by 1 year of age
• They turn their heads when they see you, but not if you just call their name
• They seem to hear some sounds but not others

Signs in Children
• Speech is delayed
• Speech is not clear
• They do not follow directions
• They often say, “Huh?”
• They turn the television up too high

The signs and symptoms of hearing loss are different for each child. If you think that a child might have hearing loss, ask the child’s doctor for a hearing screening as soon as possible.

Published August 13, 2014

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A year abroad offers student life-changing insights

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When Jennifer Roberts returns to classes at Wiregrass Ranch High School next week, she’ll be a far different person than she was when she last attended classes there.

Roberts, who is entering her senior year, left the United States last September to take part in the Rotary Youth Exchange program, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon.

Jennifer Roberts wraps herself in an American flag and poses with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Her experiences abroad changed her life, she says. (Courtesy of Jennifer Roberts)
Jennifer Roberts wraps herself in an American flag and poses with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Her experiences abroad changed her life, she says.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Roberts)

Roberts went to high school in Zaragoza, Spain — the country’s fourth largest city —situated between Barcelona and Madrid. The 17-year-old said the experience was nothing short of life-changing.

When she arrived there, Roberts barely knew enough Spanish to introduce herself and to say that she’s from Florida. “At first, it was really difficult,” she said.

Even a simple conversation was challenging.

“It makes you miss your native language, because you really have to think when you are speaking another language,” Roberts said.

She mastered some coping skills, to help her through.

“You learn how to just smile and nod,” Roberts said.

She was thrilled when her Spanish-speaking skills had improved to the point where she understood what was going on. When that clarity came, “You just get the moment of joy, ‘Oh, I can understand you,’” she said.

Despite the initial language barrier, Roberts said she felt welcome from the moment she arrived.

“I stayed with two different host families,” she said. “They were amazing. They just accepted me.”

The kids she met at school were nice, too. When they found out she was from the United States, some told her: “Oh, that is so cool.”

Some had misconceptions about Americans, Roberts said. Rampant media reports about guns in the United States have painted the wrong picture.

“They think that Americans just carry guns in their purses,” she said. Some even asked if she had a gun, and if she was carrying one around Spain.

“I was like, ‘I don’t actually know anyone that has a gun in their house,’” Roberts said.

Of course, because she’s a Floridian, some wanted to know if she had alligators as pets. When Roberts told them there was an alligator in the pond of her backyard, some wanted to know how she wasn’t killed by it.

On the pop-culture front, Roberts said, the music and movies are exactly the same. In fact, “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” came out a week earlier in Spain than it did in American theaters.

Going out for dinner is different, though.

“It’s very expensive to go out to eat, so typically people don’t go out unless they’re wealthy,” Roberts said. “There, when you go out to eat, it’s a three-course meal. When you order off the menu, it has three options for the courses. It’s a set price for everything.”

Meals are leisurely affairs, too.

“If you go to lunch, it’s usually a four- to five-hour process,” she said. “Or if they’re trying to rush it, it would be two hours.”

Other differences? There are no drink refills or ice, Roberts said.

While in Spain, she craved fast food and Starbucks.

“Before I left, I was not a big fast-food person, but after you’re away, you kind of miss it,” Roberts said. “You kind of miss things like Chick-fil-A.”

She was never so happy to see a taco in her life as she was when a Taco Bell opened in the Spanish city where she lived.

“The only time I got to go to Starbucks was when I was in Madrid, Barcelona or at the airport,” Roberts added.

During the school year, she studied nine subjects, with different classes on different days. At her school, the students stayed in a group together throughout the day, while teachers changed classrooms.

Besides her time in Spain, Roberts had the chance to tour other European countries, including stops at the Berlin Wall, and in Paris where she got to see the Eiffel Tower and the “Mona Lisa.”

As she traveled about, Roberts noticed how similar Spanish is to French and Italian, and now she wants to learn those languages, too.

Roberts thinks her experiences abroad will help her in a future career, whether it be law, politics or international affairs.

She thinks they will help in her day-to-day life, too.

“After being an exchange student, you don’t sweat the little moments,” Roberts said.

Published August 13, 2014

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The power of friendship revealed through barrel racing event

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Lots of people don’t know a thing about barrel racing. There are probably even fewer who have heard of Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

But even if those who don’t have a clue about either of those, chances are they’ve had a friend or two in life that has made them feel special. And, along the way, if that friend were in trouble, they have wanted to be there to help.

Kristy Bryant Flynn, front, and Tanya Dadez enjoy Busch Gardens during Flynn’s healthier days. (Courtesy of Tanya Dadez)
Kristy Bryant Flynn, front, and Tanya Dadez enjoy Busch Gardens during Flynn’s healthier days.
(Courtesy of Tanya Dadez)

That’s what motivated San Antonio resident Tanya Dadez to organize Kristy’s Can-Cer Vive Benefit Barrel Race. She hopes the event will ease some of the financial burdens the disease has caused to Kristy Bryant Flynn, her lifelong friend.

Part of the event’s name is a play on the words “can survive.”

Slated for Saturday, the barrel race is expected to draw at least 100 competitors. It’s a timed race, and those clocking the fastest finish — by racing through the course without hitting a barrel — will win cash awards.

In addition to the races, spectators can see riders and their horses checking out the arena in exhibitions that begin a couple of hours before the competition kicks off.

Many riders will compete with more than one horse, Dadez said.

Admission is free, but barbecued meals will be available for purchase, at $7.50 a plate, including drinks. There also will be vendors and a silent auction, with bidders vying for about 50 different items.

Planning for the event began months ago when Dadez began discussing the idea with Dennis and Tammie Rogers, owners of Double R Arena in Dade City. They generously agreed to host the event, Dadez said.

Ierna’s Heating & Cooling, Chandelle Veterinary Associates and Embroider Too all stepped up to contribute funds to sweeten the purse for the barrel race winners.

Charlene Ierna was quick to help out, Dadez said. She’s also been a dear friend of Flynn’s for years as they both played on the same softball team when they were kids.

Ierna also asked Hungry Harry’s Family Bar-B-Que to get involved, Dadez said. The popular barbecue restaurant agreed, donating meals and drinks, with proceeds to benefit Flynn’s family.

Dadez said she felt compelled to find a way to help.

“Kristy and I have been best friends since kindergarten. We went to Sanders Elementary, Pine View Middle and we both graduated from Land O’ Lakes High School,” she said.

Flynn began noticing symptoms she didn’t understand when she was in her 20s. She couldn’t take hot showers, for instance, because they nearly knocked her out. She frequently dropped dishes and other items, because she couldn’t get a tight grip on them.

And then, when she bent over to pick up the items, she felt nauseous when she began to straighten up.

Flynn was diagnosed with her condition in 2008. The disease is a form of blood cancer, and there is no known cure. It is especially rare for someone as young as Flynn to have the condition, according to medical websites.

There has been progress in developing medications, but so far Flynn has not responded well to drugs now available for long-term treatment.

Dadez, who is a barrel racer herself, said she knew that barrel races sometimes are hosted for charitable causes, so she decided to organize this one. She hopes the fundraiser will lessen the financial pressures that Flynn, her husband, Scot, and the couple’s children have faced since Flynn had to stop working.

“She’s just the epitome of innocence and wholesome and everything good that you could possibly imagine,” Dadez said. “She never says an ill word about anybody. She’s an angel, really. I just love her to death.”

Dadez said Flynn wanted to pitch in when she heard about the fundraiser.

“She said, ‘I feel really bad. I feel like I need to be doing something,’” Dadez said. “I said, ‘This is for you and your family. I want you to come out and enjoy, have a good time. This is all about you. You don’t have to worry about anything. We’ve got everything covered.’”

Even though Flynn wants to help, she acknowledges she probably wouldn’t be able to do much. On some days, just making breakfast is about all she has the energy to do. On other days, she runs out of breath just walking out to the family’s mailbox.

Flynn would like to work, but she can’t because she never knows from one day to the next how much energy she’ll have. When she has done a few hours of work, she has found herself wiped out for days afterward, she said.

Despite the challenges, Flynn remains upbeat.

Besides helping to raise money for Flynn, Dadez said she thinks the event will be fun for the entire family. Those attending will have a chance to see horses up close, watch competitive races, eat a nice meal, check out the vendors, and bid on items at the auction.

Spectators should be sure to bring lawn chairs to the event, Dadez added.

Initially, Dadez was hoping to raise at least $3,000 for her friend.

“I do believe, and I’m pretty hopeful, that we’re going to be able to exceed that,” she said.

If you go:
WHAT: Kristy’s Can-Cer Vive Benefit Barrel Race, featuring about 100 racing around barrels, vying for the fastest time and cash prizes
WHERE: Double R Arena, 32640 Amberlea Road, Dade City
WHEN: Aug. 16, exhibitions begin at 4 p.m., show begins at 6 p.m.
COST: Admission for spectators is free. Entry fee for riders is $40 a horse. Event also features barbecued dinners, vendors and a silent auction.
INFO: Tanya Dadez, (813) 787-6448

Published August 13, 2014

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New schools, new programs on tap for 2014-15 school year

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The days of relatively easy rush-hour commutes are approaching an end as students, teachers and other employees gear up for a new school year.

Students in Pasco County Schools begin the 2014-15 school year on Aug. 18, and Hillsborough County public schools begin classes a day later.

These children arrive at school at Quail Hollow Elementary School on the last day the school had classes before closing down for renovation. Quail Hollow is slated to open in the 2015-16 school year. (File Photo)
These children arrive at school at Quail Hollow Elementary School on the last day the school had classes before closing down for renovation. Quail Hollow is slated to open in the 2015-16 school year.
(File Photo)

Wiregrass Ranch High School already is urging students and parents to give themselves ample time to arrive.

“Traffic in the morning is always busy,” Robyn White, the school’s principal, noted on the Wiregrass Ranch website. “With 40 buses arriving, 500 student drivers, 200 employees and hundreds of parents driving to school, you must arrive early to prevent being late to school.”

If that’s the scene at just one school, imagine how it will play out across two massive school districts.

In addition to traffic generated by Hillsborough and Pasco public schools, there also are thousands of students in both counties attending private schools and charter schools, including Academy at the Lakes, Land O’ Lakes Christian School, Countryside Montessori, The Reading Corner, Learning Gate Community School, Imagine School and Academy at the Farm, just to name a few.

The traffic jams will begin in earnest when students return to classes, but the volume will pick up a bit earlier as teachers and other school employees begin reporting back to work to get ready for another year.

Many parents are already hitting the malls, discount stores and local shops to buy their kids new school clothes and supplies for the coming year. Parents who want to be in the know should check their school’s website to make sure they are getting the supplies that their kids will need. Most websites offer a list of supplies that differentiates between grade levels.

Parents also can benefit from attending “meet the teacher” day at elementary schools and orientation sessions for older students to get a better feel for their child’s campus and the school’s rules. Again, all that information is available on schools’ websites.

The coming school year is ushering in new educational options for students in both school districts. Pepin Academies has a new public charter school in New Port Richey that will serve students with special learning needs throughout Pasco County.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the county, Darby Christian Academy in Dade City will offer a community school model, based on a biblical worldview. That school, a ministry of Darby Community Church at 14745 Bellamy Brothers Road, offers instruction for kindergarten through 10th-graders.

Stewart Middle School and Zephyrhills High School are adding The Infinity Academy, a program that blends online instruction with classroom learning to give students the chance to quickly move through material they master, but spend more time on lessons that cause them to struggle.

Both schools also are offering a program called AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. At Zephyrhills High, AVID will be available for 60 incoming ninth-graders who will take it as an elective. The class will focus on organizational skills, text coding, reading and writing coaching, and math and science tutorials.

At Stewart, the AVID elective will be offered for students in grades six through eight.

In Hillsborough County, the public charter Lutz Preparatory School has added a middle school. This year, the school will serve sixth- and seventh-graders. Next year, it intends to add eighth grade.

Three elementary schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area have new principals.

Claudia Steinacker will lead Cox Elementary School, and Christina Twardosz is at the helm of Centennial Elementary School, both in Dade City. Gretchen Rudolph-Fladd is the new principal at Veterans Elementary School in Wesley Chapel.

This school year also signals the first full year of operation for Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a new satellite of Pasco-Hernando State College.

The college campus is next door to Wiregrass Ranch High and not far from Wesley Chapel High School, which is expected to lead to enhanced educational opportunities for the high school students and to give the college a chance to recruit more future students.

Pasco County Schools Calendar 2014-15
Aug. 18 — Students’ first day
Sep. 1 — Labor Day
Oct. 20 — Teacher planning day
Oct. 27— Report card distribution
Nov. 24-28 — Thanksgiving break
Dec. 22-Jan. 2 — Winter break
Jan. 5 — Teacher planning day
Jan. 12 — Report card distribution
Jan. 19 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb. 16 — President’s Day
March 16-20 — Spring break
March 23 — Teacher planning day
March 30 — Report card distribution
April 3 — Non-student day
May 20 — Seniors’ last day
May 25 — Memorial Day
June 3 — Students’ last day
June 11 — Final report card distribution

Hillsborough County Schools Calendar 2014-15
Aug. 19 — Students’ first day
Sept. 1 — Labor Day
Oct. 20 — Teacher planning day
Nov. 3 — Elementary report card distribution
Nov. 7 — Secondary report card distribution
Nov. 11 — Veterans Day
Nov. 24-28 — Fall break
Dec. 22-Jan. 2 — Winter break
Jan. 19 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan. 20 — Non-student day
Feb. 2 — Elementary report card distribution
Feb. 10 — Secondary report card distribution
March 9–13 — Spring break
March 16 — Student’s return to school
April 3 — Non-student day
April 13 — Elementary report card distribution
April 17 — Secondary report card distribution
May 25 — Memorial Day
June 5 — Elementary report card distribution
June 5 — Last day of school
June 12 — Secondary report card distribution

– Compiled by Ashley Schrader

Published August 6, 2014

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Tilling the soil to share earth’s bounty

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It’s around 8 a.m. on a Saturday, and a volunteer crew is hard at work in a garden at Tims Memorial Presbyterian Church in Lutz.

Renee White is yanking plants out of a raised bed, like a one-woman wrecking crew. Her husband Mike is on the other side of the garden trying to make sure that he’s placing a wood post in the right spot for a new raised bed.

A group of volunteers at Tims Memorial Presbyterian Church has created The Mustard Seed Garden Ministry. The crops they grow help to feed the hungry. The flowers they grow feed the soul. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
A group of volunteers at Tims Memorial Presbyterian Church has created The Mustard Seed Garden Ministry. The crops they grow help to feed the hungry. The flowers they grow feed the soul.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Eric Kopp is working up a sweat, first sawing wood for the new garden bed, and then fixing a water pipe that’s broken.

Meanwhile, Ann Marks and Princess Layne are tending to other garden chores. Marks is scooping up piles of vegetation that Renee White has cleared out of a bed and carrying it to a compost heap. Layne is stripping okra leaves off a plant to allow sunlight to reach other plants.

The volunteers are part of The Mustard Seed Garden Ministry.

They launched the project last year, first finding an area on the church’s property that would work for a garden, said Renee White, who is a Hillsborough County master gardener.

To plant the garden they needed flat terrain, water and sun. They also needed a spot that wasn’t already being used by another group at the church, she said.

“Of all the places that we surveyed on the 11 acres, this was the one that fit everything,” White said.

The volunteers set about transforming a 65-by-55-foot patch of land into a thriving garden.

The idea for the garden came from members of the mission committee, White said.

“Several of us had the idea,” she said. “We have this property, why don’t we use it to God’s glory by taking care of people who don’t have fresh food.”

At the moment, okra, peppers, cherry tomatoes, basil and flowers are growing in the garden. At other times of the year, they plant different crops.

The plants are grown in raised beds, and the gardeners rotate what they grow to reduce problems with fungus, disease, nematodes and other pests.

They also grow a variety of flowers on the front side of the garden.

“We have our pollinators up front here,” White said.

Besides attracting bees and butterflies, the flowers create a beautiful view for passersby and visitors to the church grounds.

As they harvest the garden, they donate its yield to the First Baptist Church and Grace Family Church in Lutz, which both feed the hungry. They also donate produce to Christian Social Services in Land O’ Lakes, which gives it to people in need.

The Mustard Seed Ministry raises money for garden supplies by going to local produce markets and having their own farmer’s market at the church. Whatever they don’t sell, they donate to Christian Social Services.

“One day, it may be tomatoes and broccoli and cabbage and lettuce. On another day, it may be something else,” White said. That’s in addition to donated crops from their garden.

The ministry also allows people to use 4-by-4-foot plots for a $10 annual donation. Layne is growing okra and flowers in one of those plots.

“I just love gardening, and where I live, I do not have a lot of gardening space,” said Layne, who lives in Willow Bend. “So, this is my garden away from home.”

She enjoys helping in the garden ministry, too.

“I just love being active in my church,” Layne said.

Kopp said this is his first experience in serving on an outreach ministry, and he’s glad he signed on.

“I own a landscaping company, so it’s a pretty natural thing,” Kopp said.

Marks, who lives in Wesley Chapel, said she comes from a long line of gardeners. Unlike them, she said, she’s not a skilled gardener. “Weeding is my specialty,” she said, but she enjoys being involved. “It’s all community. It’s pulling our strengths together to help out people who can’t help themselves.”

Published August 6, 2014

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Saint Leo University hosts free Beginning Teacher Boot Camp

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Beginning educators may feel a bit shell-shocked, as they navigate through their first year of teaching. But a July 25 seminar at Saint Leo University aimed to combat those feelings.

The free half-day session, led by instructor Beverly Ledbetter, was filled with practical advice — in essence, a road map — to help new teachers protect themselves against potential pitfalls as they launch their careers.

Hilary Berbach, left, and Samantha Crumpler are starting their teaching careers in Pasco County this year. They took advantage of the free table of goodies that instructor Beverly Ledbetter brought to use as props in her ‘boot camp’ for beginning teachers. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Hilary Berbach, left, and Samantha Crumpler are starting their teaching careers in Pasco County this year. They took advantage of the free table of goodies that instructor Beverly Ledbetter brought to use as props in her ‘boot camp’ for beginning teachers.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The boot camp, now in its third year, is a public service offered through Saint Leo’s School of Education and Social Services. The university is at 33701 State Road 52, in East Pasco County.

Teachers at the session came from numerous schools, including Wesley Chapel and Wharton high schools, Rushe Middle and Woodland, Seven Oaks, Pasco, Double Branch, R.B. Cox, San Antonio and Wesley Chapel elementary schools.

Nancy Cerezo, associate professor of education at Saint Leo, offered a bit of advice, too. She urged the teachers to seek assistance if they are encountering difficulties.

“If you don’t ask for help, they don’t know you’re drowning,” she said. “Do not be afraid to seek help from people on your faculty, on your campus. Ask seasoned teachers, ask the principal, ask the librarian — ask someone.”

Ledbetter talked to the teachers about what they should and shouldn’t do on campus. It’s a good idea to circulate with other teachers and school staff, to get to know them and to become known, she said.

“Know people’s names,” she advised. “That helps you.”

It’s especially smart to know the school’s bookkeeper, its guidance staff, custodians, lunchroom workers and union representative, Ledbetter said. All of them can help teachers succeed in different ways.

Teachers also should know they will get a supply budget, she said, so they don’t need to empty their wallets for classroom items. However, they must account for how they spend that money, so they should be sure to keep their receipts.

“Anything you buy for your classroom is tax-deductible,” Ledbetter added.

Another piece of advice is how to interact with students.

“Never put yourself in the position to be alone with a student, because you never know what they are going to say,” she said.

If a teacher wants to help a student after school, that’s fine – just be sure another teacher or other students are present, Ledbetter said.

Play it safe when it comes to school attire, too, Ledbetter said. Female teachers must avoid revealing clothing.

Male teachers must be aware of how they position themselves near students. They should avoid bending over a female student, to avoid accusations of impropriety, she said. Teachers need to read their contracts to make sure they know what is appropriate and inappropriate in the classroom.

Some things are just common sense, Ledbetter said. “If you have any doubts about something, don’t do it.”

Technology can be a useful aid to instruction, but also must be used with care, she said. Check with the school’s media staffer to be sure the material is appropriate for use in the classroom.

Also, avoid talking on your cellphone during class, Ledbetter said.

“Be careful of jokes in the classroom,” she added. “You never know how a student is going to take a joke.”

Another concern is how to deal with money, especially since misappropriating school funds is an infraction that can result in losing retirement benefits, Ledbetter said.

“Before you handle student money, know the procedures at your school,” she said. “If you’re on a field trip and a student asks you to hold their lunch money, think twice.”

Hilary Berbach, who will teach kindergarten at Woodland Elementary School in Zephyrhills, and Samantha Crumpler, who will teach kindergarten at San Antonio Elementary School, were among those attending the seminar. Crumpler said she’d already heard warnings about not being alone with children and being careful with money, but she liked Ledbetter’s advice about getting to know the school’s bookkeeper and saving receipts for school supplies for tax deductions.

Berbach liked Ledbetter’s suggested survival kit for teachers. She said she’d never considered how useful it would be to have safety pins around in case a need arises.

Both teachers are eager for school to start.

“I’m very nervous and very excited,” Berbach said. “I want to get in my classroom and set things up and meet my students. I’m so excited to know who my students are.”

A Beginning Teacher’s Survival Kit
Veteran educator Beverly Ledbetter suggests beginning teachers assemble a supply kit to prepare them for that first day of school.
Her suggested kit is not filled with tradition school supplies, such as markers, scissors, glue and paper. Instead, she recommends:

• Sanitizer wipes
• Facial tissue
• Eyeglass cleaning cloths
• Small set of screwdrivers
• Safety pins
• Sewing kit
• Hand lotion
• Clip of keys
• Umbrella
• Peanut butter crackers
• Cough drops
• Bandages for paper cuts or blisters

Published August 6, 2014

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Soaring above life’s everyday routine

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When people see a colorful hot air balloon gliding across the sky in Land O’ Lakes or Wesley Chapel, or other nearby places — chances are the beauty of the balloon is what captures their attention.

But that’s a mere glimpse into the stories that play out every week in the hot air balloons operated by American Balloons, based in Land O’ Lakes.

Balloon pilot Tom Warren shoots flames into the interior of a balloon, to heat the air in the balloon. The hot air is what gives the balloon its lift. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Balloon pilot Tom Warren shoots flames into the interior of a balloon, to heat the air in the balloon. The hot air is what gives the balloon its lift.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Just a few weeks ago, a couple got engaged during a flight that Tom Warren piloted out of Zephyrhills. After the groom-to-be popped the question, the balloon operator guided the balloon to a landing in the middle of the fiancée’s family’s property in Dade City where a big group was waiting.

During another recent week, the balloon operator piloted three engagements and a wedding.

American Balloons has flown hospice patients who wanted to fulfill a final wish, and has taken up wounded warriors so they could experience the freedom of flight, said Jessica Warren, the company’s owner.

It has helped people celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and retirements. It has played a role in solemn events, too, as people bid a final farewell to a loved one.

The couple, who have operated the business for 17 years, enjoys sharing the tranquil experience that ballooning offers.

And, they never know whom they’ll be flying next.

Some passengers travel from far away places to catch a ride on the wind, while others come from just around the block. So far, their oldest passenger was 97, while the youngest were infants.

Their balloons, equipped with doors, can accommodate people who use wheelchairs and have other physical limits.

Passengers have different reasons for boarding the balloon. Jessica Warren was sitting in the lobby one morning at the Hampton Inn & Suites Tampa in Wesley Chapel, checking passengers in.

“This guy came downstairs and began asking questions,” she said.

When she explained the flight, the man wanted to join the group. And he could, because there was room — two scheduled passengers had failed to show up.

It turns out the man was from Puerto Rico and was suffering from a brain tumor, the balloon company owner said. He was traveling the world while he could, dipping into as many new experiences as time would permit.

Whether it’s from a sense of adventure, a penchant for romance, or a matter of mere curiosity, the company attracts enough passengers to fly more than 150 flights a year. It would fly more, but many flights are cancelled because of weather conditions.

One recent Thursday morning, a group of seven passengers gathered at the hotel before dawn to check in for their flight. They came from Wesley Chapel, Lutz, Lake Magdalene, Carrollwood and Tampa.

There was an air of anticipation as the group traveled by van to a field in New Tampa, where the flight would depart.

At the field, the Warrens and their three-member crew sprang into action. They quickly unloaded the massive fabric balloon and spread the envelope flat on the ground. They rigged the balloon’s vents and set up giant fans to inflate the balloon.

Finally, they shot propane flames into the interior to heat the air, which is what causes the balloon to rise.

Within minutes, it was time for passengers to board. Some used footholds to climb into a compartment, while others stepped through an open door into the other side of the basket.

As they prepared to launch, Tom Warren — who has flown balloons all over the world — began his commentary.

The 10-passenger balloon, which stands 90 feet tall and 55 feet wide, is fueled by propane, he said. It can heat up to 208 degrees near the top of the balloon, and that heat is what keeps the balloon aloft.

He controls the balloon’s direction by raising and lowering the balloon, to ride the wind, which blows in different directions and at varying speeds, depending on the altitude.

Every flight is unique, the balloon pilot said.

“We’re not going to go very far today,” Tom Warren said. “There’s not a lot of wind. It’s the kind of crapshoot that God gives you every day.”

On this particular day, passengers can see stands of cypress, shimmering ponds and a gorgeous sunrise as they glide above New Tampa.

They can see the downtown Tampa skyline in the distance and can check out The Shops at Wiregrass, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, and subdivisions nearby.

The balloon pilot has seen some interesting sights through the years. He’s seen boars the size of cows on land within Wiregrass Ranch. He’s seen marijuana being cultivated in a field behind apartments. He’s seen nudists on their back porch in Caliente, a clothing optional community in Land O’ Lakes.

During this particular flight, though, the winds were calm, the wildlife was hiding and the balloon didn’t travel far.

As they disembarked, passengers said they’d had a great time.

“It was so calm. I’m afraid of heights and I wasn’t afraid at all,” said Kathy Rizzo of Wesley Chapel. “It wasn’t at all frightening. It was a very smooth landing.”

“It was quiet and peaceful,” her husband Tom said, noting he especially enjoyed experiencing “the beauty of creation.”

Jimi Gillespie of Carrollwood acknowledged she was bit nervous before the flight.

“I’m a little afraid of heights,” she said, but it turned out that the ride was smooth and not at all intimidating.

Gillespie enjoyed seeing the world from a different perspective.

“It’s a vantage point you don’t typically get, so that was interesting,” she said.

Brian Bernhard of Lake Magdalene has a pilot’s license, so he’s no stranger to flight. But this was his first time up in a balloon.

“I loved it,” Bernhard said.

Jim and Kathy Appleby of Lutz both said they enjoyed the flight. After six cancellations by the balloon company, and three cancellations from themselves, the couple was finally able to go on a ride.

Now, Kathy Appleby said, she can scratch that off her bucket list.

She complimented the balloon pilot and crew.

“We’ve done a lot of this stuff and I thought they were very informative,” she said. “They were very professional.”

The pilot was entertaining too, Tom Rizzo added, noting it’s an outing he’d highly recommend.

American Balloons typically offers more than 150 flights a year, based on weather. The company also handles a wide variety of special events.
For more information or to book a balloon, visit AmericanBalloonRides.com, or call (813) 243-9507.
Flights cost $189 per adult and $125 for children, ages 5 through 15. Discounts are available for groups of six or more.
The company also offers private exclusive flights at $525 per couple. The price includes a hot air balloon ride, a crew to inflate and pack up the balloon, a professional pilot and a traditional champagne toast and breakfast, following the flight.

Published August 6, 2014

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Wesley Chapel school offers individualized instruction

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A small private school, tucked in an office park off Ancient Oaks Boulevard in Wesley Chapel, offers a style of education tailored to the individual needs of children.

Hailey Ferrara works on a lesson at the white board during last school year at the New LEAPS Academy in Wesley Chapel. It is a school that aims to prepare its students to live independent lives. (Courtesy of New LEAPS Academy)
Hailey Ferrara works on a lesson at the white board during last school year at the New LEAPS Academy in Wesley Chapel. It is a school that aims to prepare its students to live independent lives.
(Courtesy of New LEAPS Academy)

The school, which calls itself New LEAPS Academy, is licensed for kindergarten through 12th grade. But so far, it has students ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade.

The school specializes in serving students with special needs. Its acronym, LEAPS, stands for:

• Listening to needs
• Educating to abilities
• Achieving goals
• Partnering with families
• Succeeding

As the school enters its second year of operation, it has an enrollment of 16 students. The hope is to increase that enrollment to 20 by the time classes begin on Aug. 18, said Deb Natale, the president and co-founder of the school, at 27724 Cashford Circle, Suite 101, in Wesley Chapel.

“There are no other schools that do what we do,” Natale said, noting what makes her school unique is that it serves children with a wide range of disabilities, instead of serving only children with a particular disability such as autism or hearing loss.

Natale said the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa area needs this kind of school. And she knows this firsthand. She and her husband Tony, who is on the school’s board and is chairman of fundraising, have a granddaughter who has special needs.

Each student is evaluated individually to gain an understanding of his or her needs, said Jessie Wamsley, the lead teacher and school manager. Goals are set for each student, and educational plans are revised as a child progresses.

“We fit our curriculum to fit the students’ needs,” Wamsley said, versus trying to use a one-size-fits-all approach. “Our classroom is purposely small, so the kids do get that one-on-one attention.”

Children who attend the school have a variety of challenges, Wamsley said. Some do not speak, for example, and the school uses various strategies to help those children communicate, including using American Sign Language.

Some children have anxiety issues and others have learning disabilities, the women said.

Tuition is $8,700 and the school accepts McKay scholarships, which are available through the state for children with special needs. Special services, such as speech therapy and occupational therapy, also are available from specialists for additional fees.

The school’s aim is to prepare its students to lead independent lives, Natale said. Its goal is to help each child reach his or her potential, Wamsley said.

While the school serves children of diverse needs, it is not equipped to help every child, Wamsley said. Some children have severe medical or behavioral problems that are beyond the reach of the school’s capabilities.

Parents who are interested in learning more about New LEAPS Academy are invited to come in for a visit to see if the school can meet their child’s needs, Natale said.

To arrange a meeting time, call (813) 973-7938.

For more information about the school, visit NewLEAPS.org.

Published August 6, 2014

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Proposed school taxes to be lower this year

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After years of gut-wrenching personnel cuts, Pasco County Schools expects to add employees this year, while reducing tax bills for property owners and balancing a budget of nearly $1.2 billion.

The proposed budget is based on a tax rate of $7.15 per $1,000 of taxable value compared to a tax rate of $7.36 this year.

Joanne Hurley
Joanne Hurley

Based on this year’s proposed budget, the owner of a $100,000 home, after $50,000 in exemptions, would pay $357.50 in school taxes, a reduction of $10.50 from the current rate.

The proposed budget anticipates the district’s enrollment to be 67,955, an increase of 925 over last year.

Allocations in the budget include:

• $500,000 to cover costs associated with opening Sanders Memorial, Quail Hollow and Shady Hills elementary schools, which are slated to reopen in the 2015-16 school year.

• $7.9 million for the equivalent of 176 full-time positions, primarily to comply with state class size requirements.

• $2.8 million for professional and curriculum mandates.

• $1.5 million for increased health insurance costs.

The budget assumes a $1 million reduction in district energy costs and $1.6 million in savings from cutting the district’s early retirement program.

The proposed budget also reflects an expected increase of 607 students attending charter schools, receiving McKay scholarships for special needs or enrolled in Department of Juvenile Justice centers. Those 607 students represent $2.4 million in funding, which comes into Pasco, but goes to those programs.

The total projected enrollment for those programs is 3,762, representing more than $23.3 million.

The district expects to have a total of $3.4 million available for salary increases, based on these budget projections.

School board member Joanne Hurley said this year’s budget deliberations are a welcome departure from the previous seven years. In those years, the board was forced to make “painful, painful decisions,” Hurley said.

“It is so nice at this time of the year to say we have a balanced budget,” she said. “This is a real luxury after the past seven years.”

A final public hearing on the district’s budget will be held in September.

Published July 30, 2014

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