The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Grades slip at numerous local schools

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The Florida Department of Education has released its annual school grades, and the news was not good for numerous Pasco County schools in The Laker/Lutz News’ coverage area.

“As soon as I saw the information, I was pretty distraught,” said Pasco County School Board member Alison Crumbley.

“This has to really be broken down,” she said, noting she has requested a school board workshop to address the issue. “We need to pick this apart. This is priority one — priority one, to figure this out.”

The district needs time to analyze the results, Crumbley said, so she requested the workshop be held following the board’s Aug. 2 meeting.

Overall, 10 central and east Pasco elementary schools slipped by one letter grade. Six elementary schools maintained the same grade as last year, and two improved by a letter grade. Pine View Elementary had the biggest drop, slipping from an A to a C. Sanders Elementary, which opened last school year, received a B. Quail Hollow, which reopened last year, received a C.

All seven middle schools, meanwhile, maintained the grades they received last year, including three As, at Rushe, John Long and Pine View.

But, the news was not as good at the high school level. Four high schools in east and central Pasco dropped a grade, while two remained the same.

No Pasco high school within the newspaper’s coverage area received an A grade. Last year, Wiregrass Ranch High, Land O’ Lakes High and Sunlake each received an A, but this year, they each dropped to a B. Wesley Chapel High, which had a B last year, dropped to a C.

Meanwhile, each of the Pasco charter schools, serving the newspaper’s coverage area — Academy at the Farm, Countryside Montessori and Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes —received an A, mirroring the score they each received last year.

Crumbley said she’s trying to understand why some schools performed at the same level, or even improved, while others slipped.

“Nothing is really straight up, cut-and-dried, in this business, and I do know that,” Crumbley said. “But by the same token, we have to get to the bottom of this. We have to. Period.”

School board member Steve Luikart also expressed concerns.

“Some of the schools slipped and the district slipped. We went from B to C,” Luikart said.

On one hand, Luikart said, “it’s hard to throw mud at something, when you’ve got a change of criteria every year … It’s impossible to nail down data, when the criteria is not consistent.”

On the other hand, he continued: “We’re still competing with everyone else in the state,” he said.

“We’re going to have to look at what we’ve got to do differently to head it back in a different direction. There’s no doubt about that,” he said.

“I’m definitely concerned. It’s very disappointing,” Luikart said.

This chart provides scores for east and central Pasco County schools.

Elementary schools
Centennial Elementary                         2016: D           2015: C
Chester W. Taylor Jr. Elementary                   2016: C           2015: C
Connerton Elementary                         2016: C           2015: B
Denham Oaks Elementary                               2016: C           2015: B
Double Branch Elementary                             2016: B           2015: A
Lacoochee Elementary                         2016: D           2015: F
Lake Myrtle Elementary                                  2016: B           2015: A
New River Elementary                                    2016: B           2015: B
Oakstead Elementary                                       2016: A           2015: A
Pasco Elementary                                            2016: D           2015: D
Pine View Elementary                         2016: C           2015: A
Quail Hollow                                                  2016: C           2015 (Not open)
Rodney B. Cox Elementary                             2016: D           2015: F
San Antonio Elementary                                 2016: C           2015: C
Sanders Elementary                                        2016: B           2015 (Not open)
Seven Oaks Elementary                                  2016: B           2015: A
Veterans Elementary                                       2016: B           2015: A
Watergrass Elementary                                    2016: C           2015: B
Wesley Chapel Elementary                              2016: A           2015: A
West Zephyrhills Elementary                          2016: D           2015: C
Woodland Elementary                         2016: D           2015: C

Middle schools
Centennial Middle                                           2016: C           2015: C
Charles S. Rushe Middle                                2016: A           2015: A
Dr. John Long Middle                                    2016: A           2015: A
Pasco Middle                                                  2016: C           2015: C
Pine View Middle                                           2016: A           2015: A
Raymond B. Stewart Middle School               2016: C           2015: C
Thomas E. Weightman Middle School            2016: B           2015: B

High schools
Land O’ Lakes High                                       2016: B           2015: A
Pasco High                                                      2016: C           2015: C
Sunlake High                                                  2016: B           2015: A
Wesley Chapel High                                       2016: C           2015: B
Wiregrass Ranch High                                    2016: B           2015: A
Zephyrhills High                                             2016: C           2015: C

Charter schools
Academy at the Farm                                      2016: A           2015: A
Countryside Montessori Academy                  2016: A           2015: A
Imagine School at Land O’ Lakes                   2016: A           2015: A

Published July 20, 2016

 

Chalk Talk 07/20/2016

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(Courtesy of Manny Funes)
(Courtesy of Manny Funes)

Daybreak Rotary recognizes salutatorian
The Rotary Club of Zephyrhills Daybreak recognized Zephyrhills High School’s salutatorian, Hannah Madagan, at a recent meeting. Shown with Madagan are Jack Thies, club president, and Manny Funes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Campus Gear now has uniform program
Campus Gear, in San Antonio, is now a vendor for the uniform program at Academy at the Farm Charter School in Dade City, so parents have a convenient place to shop. Store owner Jean Nathe has reconfigured the floor space to accommodate merchandise for the 2016-2017 school year. The store not only has student uniforms, but has extended the Logowear Program for teachers, staff and parents with items like caps, book bags, dress shirts, socks and more.

For information, directions and hours, visit CampusGear.biz, or search for “campusgear52” on Facebook and Twitter.

VPK program enrollment
Primrose School, 23021 Weeks Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, will be offering free voluntary prekindergarten for eligible families and children. The program is for children who have not yet used their VPK voucher and turned 4 years old before Sept. 1, 2016.

Time options available are: VPK-1 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Monday through Friday; and VPK-4 from noon to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday — both begin Aug. 15 through May 26, 2017.

VPK-2 (K4) and VPK-3 (K5) from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday — both begin Aug. 22 through May 17, 2017.

To learn more about Primrose School at Collier Parkway, call Angella Hart at (813) 242-7800.

Zephyrhills High 40th
Zephyrhills High School will host a 40-year reunion for the Class of 1976 on July 23 at the Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club in Wesley Chapel.

Cocktails start at 5 p.m. There will be music, food and a cash bar.

Anyone from other classes who have friends or siblings in the 1976 class also can attend.

For information, email Cyndi Craig or Suzanne Pulliam Bahr at , or Keith Reeves at .

School health care fair
St. Rita Catholic Church, 14404 14th St., in Dade City, will host a “Back to School Health Care Fair” on July 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be free fun, food and games, backpacks and school supplies, school and sports physicals, and dental screenings.

Providers will include Catholic Charities St. Andre Free Medical Clinic, Foundations of Life Pregnancy Center, Pasco County Public Defender’s Office Mobile Medical Unit, Moffitt Cancer Center “Yo me cuido” program, Premier Dental, Staywell, and more.

For information, call (352) 521-1218.

Feeding and Reading
Pasco County Schools students who are receiving summer meals from the free lunch bus will receive free books Tuesday through Thursday, through Aug. 4.

The books will be sorted into reading levels for prekindergarten through second grade, third grade through fifth grade, sixth grade through eighth grade, and ninth grade through 12th grade.

The book bus, staffed by school board members, district employees and local elected officials, will stop at each lunch bus location to distribute books to the children.

Backpack Bash
The Turning Point Church, Harvest Christian Fellowship, and the Dade City Youth Council will host a “Back to School Backpack Bash” on Aug. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Turning Point Church, 14312 17th St., in Dade City.

There will be backpacks, school supplies, games, bounce houses, music, food and drinks, health resources and haircuts.

For information, call The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce at (352) 567-3769.

Health & Safety Fest
Premier Community Healthcare will host its third annual “Health & Safety Fest” on Aug. 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Lewis Abraham Boys & Girls Club, 38724 Mudcat Grant Blvd., in Dade City.

There will be free book bags with supplies to the first 250 students. The event also will include refreshments, giveaways, face painting, entertainment, health screenings and resources, and school physicals (limited slots available).

For information or to schedule a physical, call (352) 518-2000, ext. 9228.

Saint Leo professor at national summit
Candace Roberts, professor of education at Saint Leo University, spoke at the request of the federal Department of Education at the EdTech in Teacher Prep Innovators Summit in Alexandria, Virginia, in June.

In addition to teaching future teachers, Roberts served as chair of the undergraduate education department at Saint Leo’s School of Education and Social Services for seven years.

At the summit, Roberts spoke on the innovative methods developed at Saint Leo to train future kindergarten through 12th-grade teachers in the effective use of classroom technology. She also described how Saint Leo strengthened the technological elements throughout its teacher preparation program, so that teachers graduating from the university use classroom technology effectively to help students discover and absorb knowledge at demonstrably deeper levels.

Cox Elementary 90th
R.B. Cox Elementary School, in Dade City, is preparing for its 90th year celebration for alumni, current students, current and former staff, families, and the Dade City community, and is asking for photos and memories. The school also will create a montage video, and are looking for alumni interested in being interviewed.

The first event of several celebrations will be the “90th Year Celebration Kickoff” on Sept. 30 at the elementary school.

If you would like to share photos, memories or be interviewed, email .

For information about the celebration, call Margaret “Megan” Fortunato at (727) 644-8561.

Chamberlain High 50th
The Chamberlain High School Class of 1966 is planning a 50-year class reunion on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15. The committee needs help locating the Class of 1966 graduates.

If you graduated in 1966 and would like to have your name included for future updates and information, send your name (including maiden name), email, current address, home and/or cellphone number, and spouse’s name to

If you know anyone else in the class who has not yet been contacted, email their name and contact information to the same email address.

 

Using technology to enrich learning

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There was a quiet buzz around the room, as teachers conferred with their colleagues.

They were working in teams, planning projects they will use in the coming year that will infuse technology into their daily teaching.

The 20 teachers, from across Pasco County, were part of the Teacher Technology Summer Institute that recently wrapped up at the University of Saint Leo, near Dade City.

Kristen Fuqua and Alyse Buckalew, teachers at Pine View Middle School, both took part in the Teacher Technology Summer Institute at Saint Leo University. The institute aims to help teachers harness the power of technology in their classrooms. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Kristen Fuqua and Alyse Buckalew, teachers at Pine View Middle School, both took part in the Teacher Technology Summer Institute at Saint Leo University. The institute aims to help teachers harness the power of technology in their classrooms.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

They were there on their own time — eager to learn how they can take advantage of technology to improve student learning.

In selecting teachers for the technology institute, the university wasn’t looking for evidence of “tech wizardry” in the applications, said Holly Atkins, associate professor of education at Saint Leo. Rather, it was seeking “teachers who are very student-centered, and really eager and open to learning more.”

Saint Leo fully understands the value of infusing technology in classrooms, Atkins said.

“We have a foundation of people who have the idea that the best use of technology is when it moves from the teacher’s hands to the students, so that they are engaged and they are creating,” she said.

“We not only encourage, we require, our student teachers to really become proficient at using the technology,” Atkins said.

But, the university has noticed it students often face a different scenario when they begin their student teacher experiences.

“Some of these students (student teachers) said, ‘My teacher doesn’t know how to use the tools. My teacher doesn’t let me use the tools,’” Atkins said.

The technology institute is part of the university’s service to the community, Atkins said.

“But, it also serves our education department and our own students, because the teachers that are in there (the institute) right now, almost all of them have received clinical instructor training. This enables them to host a student teacher,” Atkins said.

Teachers at the institute each could choose a technological tool to take back to their classroom. Their options were a class set of Virtual Reality headsets, a Microsoft Surface Pro, an iPad or a MimeoTeach, which is a toolbar that turns any whiteboard into an interactive whiteboard.

The institute addresses the four elements that teachers need to be successful at infusing technology into their teaching, Atkins said.

Teachers need the technological tool, they need training, they need time to practice using it and they need teams — so they can encourage and help each other enhance their skills.

“A teacher’s toolbox today should be broadening, rather than shrinking,” Atkins said. “So, it should be filled with chart paper and markers and all that good stuff, and also iPads and interactive whiteboards. It’s not an ‘either/or’ it’s an ‘and.’,” she said.

Like any other tool, technology needs to be used when it’s appropriate, Atkins said.

“So, just like any kind of skilled craftsman, the accomplished teacher looks at student learning needs, opens up his or her toolbox and says, ‘What’s the best tool to make this happen?’”

Atkins said.

This year’s crop of 20 teachers came from schools including Pine View Middle School, Pine View Elementary and Sanders Memorial S.T.E.A.M. Magnet Elementary in Land O’ Lakes and Quail Hollow Elementary in Wesley Chapel.

They were enthusiastic about the opportunity to build on their technological skills.

“Being at Sanders, we’re very fortunate. We already have a 1-to-1 ratio with devices,” said Megan Bender, a third-grade teacher.

But she was delighted to learn more about various apps and websites, and to hear the creative approaches used by other teachers.

“Getting all of these ideas is so exciting,” Bender said.

Mitzi Whitaker, another Sanders teacher, noted that both teachers and students came to the magnet school from across Pasco County.

So, they arrived there with various levels of technical knowledge, Whitaker said.

Even with a year of experience behind them, technology is constantly evolving, she said.

“We’re going to always be changing up our game,” Whitaker said.

This is the third year that Saint Leo has hosted the technology institute, which was paid for with grants the first two years and from the university’s budget this year.

The university also added a Teacher Technology Leadership Institute, also paid for through university funds.

The leadership institute involved 10 teachers who had completed the technology institute, Atkins said.

As part of their leadership development, those teachers will serve as mentors during the coming school year to the teachers who just finished the technology institute.

The teachers in the technology institute will be conducting a research project throughout the school year, measuring the success of a particular technology tool in connection with student learning.

They’ll convene at the the end of the school year to see how the research went.

Jennifer Ippolito and Desi Krell, teachers at Pine View Middle, welcomed the chance to work on teams for the research.

They said they already work together on projects, and the institute has helped them take that collaboration to the next level.

Julie Saez, a teacher at Watergrass Elementary School, was thrilled when she was selected to be part of the leadership institute.

She said she knew it would be worthwhile because of her positive experience at the technology institute.

“The collaboration with everybody was exactly what I needed,” she added, noting that she formed lasting friendships and established valuable professional relationships.

“We’re like-minded people — always looking for new, upcoming technology,” Saez said.

Published July 13, 2016

Chalk Talk 07/13/2016

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VPK program enrollment
Primrose School, 23021 Weeks Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, will be offering free voluntary prekindergarten for eligible families and children. The program is for children who have not yet used their VPK voucher and turned 4 years old before Sept. 1, 2016.

Time options available are: VPK-1 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Monday through Friday; and VPK-4 from noon to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday — both begin Aug. 15 through May 26, 2017.

VPK-2 (K4) and VPK-3 (K5) from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday — both begin Aug. 22 through May 17, 2017.

To learn more about Primrose School at Collier Parkway, call Angella Hart at (813) 242-7800.

Ribbon cutting
The Pasco Education Foundation and Take Stock in Children Program will host a ribbon cutting for its new location and expansion on July 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., at Pasco County Schools District Office, Building 8, 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. Guests can meet the staff and learn more about the organizations’ goal to help advance student achievement. Admission is free.

For information, contact Jannah McDonald at (813) 794-2705 or .

Zephyrhills High 40th
Zephyrhills High School will host a 40-year reunion for the Class of 1976 on July 23 at the Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club in Wesley Chapel.

Cocktails start at 5 p.m. There will be music, food and a cash bar.

Anyone from other classes who have friends or siblings in the 1976 class also can attend.

For information, email Cyndi Craig or Suzanne Pulliam Bahr at , or Keith Reeves at .

Backpack Bash
The Turning Point Church, Harvest Christian Fellowship, and the Dade City Youth Council will host a “Back to School Backpack Bash” on Aug. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Turning Point Church, 14312 17th St., in Dade City.

There will be backpacks, school supplies, games, bounce houses, music, food and drinks, health resources and haircuts.

For information, call The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce at (352) 567-3769.

Local students make deans’ lists
The following students were named to the Dean’s List for the spring semester at their respective schools.

  • Kelly R. Barry, of Odessa, Clemson University, South Carolina
  • Rebecca Cohen, of Lutz, University of Iowa
  • Mackenzie Morgan Cuffe, of Odessa, Clemson University, South Carolina
  • Cameron B. Hair, of Lutz, Columbia College, Salt Lake City, Utah
  • Gareen Lewis, of Lutz, Seton Hall University, New Jersey
  • Emily V. Logan, of Lutz, Iowa State University
  • Angel Ramos, of Wesley Chapel, Missouri Valley College
  • Leah Rios, of Wesley Chapel, Missouri Valley College

Columbiettes award scholarships
The Columbiettes of Our Lady of the Rosary Council 8104, in Land O’ Lakes, has awarded scholarships to Megan Martinez, Natalia M. Matallana and Alexis B. Singh.

Florida Library Association selects president
Elana Karshmer, librarian and associate professor at Saint Leo University, has been elected president of the Florida Library Association. Karshmer’s term began on June 28. She has been with Saint Leo since 2007.

Karshmer holds a master’s degree in library and information science from the University of South Florida, as well as a master’s degree in literature from New Mexico State University.

Timothy Beard receives leadership award
Pasco-Hernando State College President Timothy L. Beard accepted a prestigious education leadership award on behalf of the college at the Governor’s Degrees to Jobs Summit in Orlando. The summit brought business and education leaders together to focus on college affordability with an emphasis on stronger, Florida-based job opportunities for college graduates.

Gov. Rick Scott presented Beard with the Leadership Award, recognizing PHSC for significant improvements in meeting new performance benchmarks established by the State Board of Education.

Cox Elementary 90th
R.B. Cox Elementary School, in Dade City, is preparing for its 90th year celebration for alumni, current students, current and former staff, families, and the Dade City community, and is asking for photos and memories. The school also will create a montage video, and are looking for alumni interested in being interviewed.

The first event of several celebrations will be the “90th Year Celebration Kickoff” on Sept. 30 at the elementary school.

If you would like to share photos, memories or be interviewed, email .

For information about the celebration, call Margaret “Megan” Fortunato at (727) 644-8561.

Chamberlain High 50th
The Chamberlain High School Class of 1966 is planning a 50-year class reunion on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15. The committee needs help locating the Class of 1966 graduates.

If you graduated in 1966 and would like to have your name included for future updates and information, send your name (including maiden name), email, current address, home and/or cellphone number, and spouse’s name to

If you know anyone else in the class who has not yet been contacted, email their name and contact information to the same email address.

Joint reunion of Zephyrhills’ schools is a big hit

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More than 200 people turned out for the 46th annual Zephyrhills High School Alumni, Teachers & Friends Reunion on June 26, according to Clereen Morrill Brunty, one of the organizers.

The event was at the Zephyrhills Lions Club, 5827 Dean Dairy Road.

Casey Harrison, left, a member of the Class of 2016, was the youngest member of the Zephyrhills Alumni at the gathering, and Bernice (Curtis) Rooks, a member of the Class of 1940, was the oldest. Rooks is also a retired Zephyrhills teacher. (Photos courtesy of Clereen (Morrill) Brunty)
Casey Harrison, left, a member of the Class of 2016, was the youngest member of the Zephyrhills Alumni at the gathering, and Bernice (Curtis) Rooks, a member of the Class of 1940, was the oldest. Rooks is also a retired Zephyrhills teacher.
(Photos courtesy of Clereen (Morrill) Brunty)

Anyone who attended or worked at a school in Zephyrhills, from elementary through high school, was welcome — and their families were there, too.

The event featured a covered-dish luncheon, with participants bringing a dish to share.

Zephyrhills Mayor Gene Whitfield did the honors of leading the Pledge of Allegiance at the gathering.

The event began with registration at 11 a.m., followed by a covered dish luncheon at 1 p.m., and announcements and recognitions at 2 p.m.

The youngest and oldest alumni present were Casey Harrison, a member of the Class of 2016, and Bernice (Curtis) Rooks, a member of the Class of 1940. Rooks also is a retired Zephyrhills teacher.

JoAnne (Hile) Randall, a member of the Class of 1972, made the longest trip to attend the reunion. She traveled all of the way from Salem, Oregon.

The King family won the bragging rights for the most family present. Thirteen came, but only 10 could be rounded up for the photo.
The King family won the bragging rights for the most family present. Thirteen came, but only 10 could be rounded up for the photo.

The King family won the bragging rights for turning out in the greatest number. Thirteen of them joined in the festivities.

“It’s always the last Sunday in June,” said Brunty.

There’s no admission, but donations are accepted to defray the expenses of renting the hall, table service, iced tea and other incidentals, said Brunty, who has been involved with the event for about 30 years.

The event has been held at various locales over the years, Brunty said, noting it has been at the Lions Club for the past 15 years.

The reunion committee was made up of Jerry Pricher, president, class of 1969; Lenora (Pollock) Stokes, vice president, class of 1969; Clereen (Morrill) Brunty, secretary and treasurer, class of 1973; Lisa (Bruce) Cooksey, historian, class of 1986; Gail Fisher and crew, kitchen chair; Nancy Lail, scholarship chair, class of 1974; and, Cynthia Craig, 50/50 chair. Brunty also is chair of the registration committee and the alumni contact.

Ron Cherry is surprised by his brothers, Hap Cherry and Floyd Cherry, and their daughters, at Zephyr Park.
Ron Cherry is surprised by his brothers, Hap Cherry and Floyd Cherry, and their daughters, at Zephyr Park.

The event gives alumni a chance to mingle with old friends and introduce their families to their former classmates, Brunty said.

Delaney Copeland, of the Class of 2016, also received the Community and Alumni Providing Scholarship, in the amount of $500. The number and amount of scholarships vary from year to year based on donations that are received to support the scholarships, Brunty said.

Another special event took place the previous day at Zephyr Park, when Ron Cherry, a retired teacher and administrator at Zephyrhills High, was surprised by the dedication of a park bench in his honor near the park’s tennis courts.

JoAnne (Hile) Randall, a member of the Class of 1972, came all of the way from Salem, Oregon, to attend the reunion. She traveled the greatest distance to get there.
JoAnne (Hile) Randall, a member of the Class of 1972, came all of the way from Salem, Oregon, to attend the reunion. She traveled the greatest distance to get there.

Planning for the surprise has been going on for a couple of years, Brunty said. “And, he still didn’t know anything about it.”

“There was about 50 people,” Brunty said, including past and present teachers.

He was clearly touched by the honor, she said.

The family said “they’d rather give him something while he’s alive … Why do it in the memory of somebody? Do it in the honor of somebody.”

For additional information about the Zephyrhills High Alumni Association, contact Brunty at .

Published July 6, 2016

Chalk Talk 07/06/2016

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(Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)
(Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

Zephyrhills High students are strapped in
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point awarded a $500 prize to the students of Zephyrhills High School for the ‘most improved safety belt use’ while driving. ‘Battle of the Belts’ promotes seatbelt use among teens and student organizations were asked to create a unique campaign for their high school to encourage fellow students to wear their seatbelts during every ride in a motor vehicle. Other award categories were for highest seatbelt use, best school campaign, best public service announcement, best poster and best essay. At the check presentation were, from left, Theresa Radeker, the hospital’s trauma program director; the GEICO gecko; Carmen Hoyne, the hospital’s trauma coordinator; and Lt. Steve Frick, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office’s school resource officer representing Zephyrhills High.

Local students receive degrees
Evan Whiting, of Odessa, was among nearly 2,800 graduates who received degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in May. Whiting earned a Master of Science degree from Graduate Studies.

Baylor University in Texas bestowed degrees upon Desiree Joy Braun, of Land O’ Lakes, and Aaron William Hatrick, of Zephyrhills. Braun received a Bachelor of Science in biology, and Hatrick received a Master of Arts in English.

Meghan Sfraga received a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Georgian Court University, central and south New Jersey’s only Catholic university.

Thomas University in Georgia handed out degrees to Andrea Roman, of Lutz; Allison Thomas, of Port Richey; and Jordan Patton, of Trinity. Roman received an associate of arts in liberal studies, Thomas received a Bachelor of Arts in humanities, and Patton received a Bachelor of Science in early childhood education.

Devin Brockington, of Zephyrhills, graduated from Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls, Iowa, with an associate of arts degree in liberal arts.

Levi Mitze, of Dade City, received a Bachelor of Arts from the College of Liberal Arts, Mercer University in Georgia.

Jacqueline Michelle Stickney, of Wesley Chapel, received a bachelor’s degree in fine art from Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. Stickney majored in sequential art, with a minor in graphic illustration.

40th class reunion
Zephyrhills High School will host a 40-year reunion for the Class of 1976 on July 23 at the Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club in Wesley Chapel.

Cocktails start at 5 p.m. There will be music, food and a cash bar.

Anyone from other classes who have friends or siblings in the 1976 class also can attend.

For information, email Cyndi Craig or Suzanne Pulliam Bahr at , or Keith Reeves at .

School supply drive
Gulfside Hospice thrift shops and the Kiwanis Club of Greater West Pasco are partnering for the annual Back to School Supply Drive now through July 26. Items collected will be donated to students in need at Pasco County elementary schools at the start of the school year. Last year, 250 supply filled backpacks were donated to eight Pasco County schools and Healthy Families.

Anyone who donates new school supplies at any of Gulfside’s thrift shops will receive a voucher for 25 percent off a single item in the store.

Items needed include backpacks, colored pencils, crayons, erasers, folders, glue sticks, markers, notebooks, paper, pencil cases, pens, scissors and yellow pencils.

For information about the drive, or to have donation box at your location, call Kirsty Churchill at (727) 845-5707.

Help stuff the bus
Volunteers are needed for the sixth annual “Stuff the Bus for Teachers” on July 29, July 30 and July 31. There are shifts available from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. There are sort and pack dates, too. To sign up, visit tiny.cc/2016StuffTheBus or UnitedWayPasco.org.

The Walmart donation sites are on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard in Lutz, State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, Gall Boulevard in Zephyrhills, State Road 54 in New Port Richey, U.S. 19 in Port Richey and U.S. 19 in Hudson.

For questions, call (727) 835-2028.

Fundraiser for scholarships
The volunteers of Medical Center of Trinity will host a fundraiser to raise money for scholarships on Aug. 11 at Spartan Manor, 6121 Massachusetts Ave., in New Port Richey.

There will be a fall fashion show sponsored by Stein Mart, a gift auction and dinner.

The cash bar will be open at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:15 p.m., and the fashion show.

Tickets are $30 and go on sale July 1, and can be purchased from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the hospital’s cafeteria, 9330 State Road 54 in Trinity, by cash or check only.

The deadline to buy tickets is Aug. 5.

Cox Elementary 90th celebration
R.B. Cox Elementary School, in Dade City, is preparing for its 90th year celebration for alumni, current students, current and former staff, families, and the Dade City community, and is asking for photos and memories. The school also will create a montage video, and are looking for alumni interested in being interviewed.

The first event of several celebrations will be the “90th Year Celebration Kickoff” on Sept. 30 at the elementary school.

If you would like to share photos, memories or be interviewed, email .

For information about the celebration, call Margaret “Megan” Fortunato at (727) 644-8561.

Chalk Talk 06/29/2016

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)
(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Woman’s club awards $16,000 in scholarships
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club awarded a total of $16,000 in scholarship funds to eight area students. From left are, Samuel May, $5,000 Lutz Volunteer Fire Department Endowed Fund; Gordon Brown, former Lutz Volunteer FD director; Sydney Labban, $1,000; Cathy Mathes, woman’s club president; Nicole Sommer, $1,000; Barbara Nicholson, scholarship chair; and Mariah Berberich, $1,000. Other recipients not pictured: Stephanie Pishock, $5,000 Lutz Volunteer FD Fund; Hailey Cuervo, $1,000; McKenna Smith, $1,000; and Tessa Brooke Rodd, $1,000. JC Audiology, Jay Nelson, Jerry McCarthy State Farm and Fraternal Order of Police Pasco Lodge 29 have all helped to supplement the 2016 Scholarship Fund with donations.

Pilot Club honors ‘top dogs’
The Pilot Club of Zephyrhills recognized ‘Top Dog’ students at Stewart Middle School for fourth quarter academics and leadership roles in the school. The students receiving a certificate and gold dog tag were Joshua Pellegrino, Jaylen Tucker, Adela Reynel, Jessica Amidon, Rebekah Glenn, Zane Grimm, Joanna Correa, Joshua Iturralde and Abigail Wilder.

Donate books
The new Chick-fil-A at Cypress Creek Town Center, 2349 Sun Vista Drive, in front of the Tampa Premium Outlets, will be collecting new children’s books for Lutz Elementary School.

Books will be collected at the new restaurant on June 29 and June 30. Serving as a free library exchange, the children books will be placed in a nearly 3-foot Book House that was hand-built from old and reclaimed wood, and provided by the Chick-fil-A Foundation.

The restaurant will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

PLACE program summer schedule
All Pasco County Schools sites will operate on a 10-hour day/four-day work schedule for the next five weeks. Pasco County Schools will be closed on these non-work days: July 1, July 4, July 15, July 22 and July 29.

On each of these weeks, the district office complex will be open 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Wednesday, and 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday. The exception is the week of July 4, when the district is closed on Monday, and extended hours will be in effect Tuesday through Friday.

PLACE, the district’s before and after school activity program, will be closed on July 4, Aug. 11 and Aug. 12.

PLACE will maintain normal weekday hours of operation, 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., throughout the summer.

For information about PLACE, visit http://ConnectPlus.pasco.k12.fl.us/do/place/.

40th class reunion
Zephyrhills High School will host a 40-year reunion for the Class of 1976 on July 23 at the Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club in Wesley Chapel.

Cocktails start at 5 p.m. There will be music, food and a cash bar.

Anyone from other classes who have friends or siblings in the 1976 class also can attend.

For information, Cyndi Craig or Suzanne Pulliam Bahr at , or Keith Reeves at .

Ten outstanding student leaders
Pasco-Hernando State College awarded 10 students with the Dr. Felisha R. Barker Outstanding Student Leader award at the 2016 Student Activities Awards Banquet.

The awards are presented in memory of the late Dr. Felisha R. Barker, a past outstanding student leader, and PHSC academic and club advisor.

The student leaders named were Skyler Brake and Kayla Moulds, Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch; Virgil Carter and Casandra Renteria Granados, East Campus in Dade City; Michael Dumas, Norman Widamen Jr., and Danielle Opdycke, West Campus in New Port Richey; Spencer Szasa-Daubert, Spring Hill Campus; and Marie Gill and Tyler Williams, North Campus in Brooksville.

Chamber awards scholarships
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce recognized three Pasco High seniors, Deanna Rodriguez, Ali Jordan and Diana Ryan, with scholarships at a business breakfast in May.

The keynote message and college update were given by Dr. Stanley Giannet, vice president of academic affairs and faculty development/college provost of Pasco-Hernando State College. The breakfast was sponsored by Growers Fertilizer Corporation.

Fundraiser for scholarships
The volunteers of Medical Center of Trinity will host a fundraiser to raise money for scholarships on Aug. 11 at Spartan Manor, 6121 Massachusetts Ave., in New Port Richey.

There will be a fall fashion show sponsored by Stein Mart, a gift auction and dinner.

The cash bar will be open at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:15 p.m., and the fashion show.

Tickets are $30 and go on sale July 1, and can be purchased from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the hospital’s cafeteria, 9330 State Road 54 in Trinity, by cash or check only.

The deadline to buy tickets is Aug. 5.

Hospital presents four scholarships
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s Volunteer Association presented four $2,000 scholarships to graduating seniors in Pasco County.

The scholarship recipients were Vaibhav Gandhi (Gulf High School) who volunteered 695 merit hours/350 actual hours and has been a courier; Felicia Kirsch (Fivay High School) who has volunteered at Welcome Center A and as a courier for a total of 498.36 merit hours/474.52 base hours; Nidhi Patel (Gulf High) who has volunteered as a courier with 377 merit hours/189 actual hours; and Alyssa Rutman (Fivay High) who has volunteered as a Welcome Center A courier with 488.32 merit hours/468.37 actual hours.

Chalk Talk 06/22/2016

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Pasco community job fair
Pasco County Schools is partnering with county agencies and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office to host a job fair on June 29 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., in the Land O’ Lakes High School gymnasium.

Representatives from the school district and several schools, Pasco Sheriff’s Office, and Pasco County government: clerk of court, emergency services (911), property appraiser, supervisor of elections and tax collector will be available to talk to job applicants.

Participating employers are seeking applicants for the following positions:

911 dispatcher, accounting/finance, bus drivers/assistants, clerical/administrative support, food services, information services, instructional/childcare, law enforcement/corrections, and maintenance/skilled trades.

For information, visit the district’s website at PascoSchools.org, and click on the link in the Job Fair banner at the top of the page.

Land O’ Lakes High School is at 20325 Gator Lane in Land O’ Lakes.

Fishing tournament nets $36,000 for students
Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation’s 10th annual Catch and Release Fishing Tournament raised $36,000 for PHSC students, faculty and staff.

Twenty-one chartered boats carried Foundation supporters for a full day of fishing while raising money.

The PHSC Foundation was established in 1975 to support student programs, instructional resources, staff development and facilities for the college.

For information, call (727) 816-3410, or visit PHSC.edu/foundation.

Tampa Catholic has new principal
After a national search, the Diocese of St. Petersburg announced that Robert Lees will be the next principal of Tampa Catholic High School. Lees will replace Tom Reidy, who is leaving to take a position at a Catholic school in Michigan. Lees will begin on July 1.

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Lees spent the last 13 years at Cardinal Mooney High School in Sarasota. In the past, he has served as a teacher, coach, athletic director and assistant principal, and holds two degrees from John Carroll University.

Saint Leo excels in cyber defense
Saint Leo University and its bachelor of science in computer science have met the standards required of a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education. The recognition is jointly sponsored by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security, and has been awarded to Saint Leo through the year 2021.

The Saint Leo computer science degree can be earned through classroom or online instruction offered by the university’s Donald R. Tapia School of Business.

Outstanding juniors
Two high school juniors were chosen to attend the Seminar 4 Tomorrow’s Leaders, a leadership training program for high school students.

The Sunrise Rotary Club of Dade City sponsored Olivia Landry, of Tampa Catholic High School, and the San Antonio Rotary Club sponsored Brianna Bush, of Zephyrhills High School.

The seminar included “rap sessions” where the leaders of tomorrow are divided into groups of 16 to 18 delegates and meet with Rotarians to discuss topics of interest.

The program was on the Florida Southern College campus over Father’s Day weekend.

Lutz student gives back
Cameron Reidy, of Lutz, took part in Lake Forest Academy’s annual Service Learning Day. Students and faculty took 22 different service trips around the north Chicago, Illinois, suburban area to volunteer at local organizations.

The LFA community planted 1,000 trees, packed 15,380 meals at Feed My Starving Children, packaged 5,500 pounds of meat at Northern Illinois Food Bank, filled 1,000 bags of sand, visited and performed for senior citizens, and cut brush at various forest preserves.

Reidy took part in cutting brush and planting trees at Lake County Forest Preserves.

Fundraiser for scholarships
The volunteers of Medical Center of Trinity will host a fundraiser to raise money for scholarships on Aug. 11 at Spartan Manor, 6121 Massachusetts Ave., in New Port Richey.

There will be a fall fashion show sponsored by Stein Mart, a gift auction and dinner.

The cash bar will be open at 5:30 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:15 p.m., and the fashion show.

Tickets are $30 and go on sale July 1, and can be purchased from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the hospital’s cafeteria, 9330 State Road 54 in Trinity, by cash or check only.

The deadline to buy tickets is Aug. 5.

Cami Ash on mission trip to Hungary
Cami Ash, of Lutz, will spend the summer with Harding University’s Global Outreach program, completing a mission trip to Hungary.

Summer mission trips range from two to six weeks and are geared toward students who have never been on an overseas mission trip or who are not interested in long-term mission work in the future. The groups are led by a university faculty member and fulfill specific mission goals such as teaching English, hosting vacation Bible school, or completing other projects with area churches.

Ash, a nursing major, is one of more than 80 students that will complete internships and mission trips in more than 20 countries as a part of the university’s Global Outreach program this summer.

PHSC receives $40,000 grant
The Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation received a $40,000 grant from the Edward K. Roberts Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County.

The contribution will provide scholarships to PHSC students in the summer and fall semesters of 2016. Preference is given to part-time students who may not qualify for other financial aid. The Edward K. Roberts Fund donation in 2015 provided scholarships for 80 PHSC students.

For information about the PHSC Foundation, call (727) 816-3420, or visit PHSC.edu/foundation.

Cox Elementary 90th celebration
R.B. Cox Elementary School, in Dade City, is preparing for its 90th year celebration for alumni, current students, current and former staff, families, and the Dade City community, and is asking for photos and memories. The school also will create a montage video, and are looking for alumni interested in being interviewed.

The first event of several celebrations will be the “90th Year Celebration Kickoff” on Sept. 30 at the elementary school.

If you would like to share photos, memories or be interviewed, email .

For information about the celebration, call Margaret “Megan” Fortunato at (727) 644-8561.

50-year class reunion
The Chamberlain High School Class of 1966 is planning a 50-year class reunion on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15. The committee needs help locating the Class of 1966 graduates.

If you graduated in 1966 and would like to have your name included for future updates and information, send your name (including maiden name), email, current address, home and/or cellphone number, and spouse’s name to

If you know anyone else in the class who has not yet been contacted, email their name and contact information to the same email address.

Resetting U.S.-Russia relations, one hug at a time

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A long, long time ago, in a country far, far away, a new president’s secretary of state presented her Russian counterpart with what clever minds at Foggy Bottom must have imagined was simple genius: a “reset” button, symbolizing the Obama administration’s desire for a fresh start between our nations.

We’ve seen how that worked out.

Anyone seeking an enduring USA-Russia reset needs to program his GPS for a low-slung block house off 20 Mile Level Road in Land O’ Lakes. There, amid the managed chaos and loving clutter of a makeshift family, is the nerve center of a genuine international coming-together.

Daniil Shcherbinin and Sam, a rescue coonhound mix, in the woods near their Land O’ Lakes house. (Photos courtesy of Eric Wilson)
Daniil Shcherbinin and Sam, a rescue coonhound mix, in the woods near their Land O’ Lakes house.
(Photos courtesy of Eric Wilson)

Four boys from St. Petersburg, Russia, have spent their coming-of-age school years here under the guidance of transplanted Hoosier Eric Wilson. And, they enjoyed value-added assistance from the village network that is nearby Academy at the Lakes, the lads’ welcoming school.

The quartet — Gleb Barkovskiy, Maxim and Tioma Stepanets and Daniil Shcherbinin — has shrunk, through graduation, to a duo of Tioma and Daniil. By late August, the household will shrink again to Wilson and Tioma, plus languid Sam, the rescue coonhound mix. By then, Daniil, 18, will have been dispatched to Springfield, Ohio, and Wittenberg University.

How are the other alumni doing?

Barkovskiy, the son of a former Soviet nuclear submarine captain and a rising senior at Bucknell, is interning at Goldman Sachs. Max Stepanets is a rising sophomore at Alma College in Michigan, where he’s a member of the football team and majoring in business.

As for Shcherbinin (“Sher-ben-in,” but for simplicity’s sake, hereafter Daniil), he anticipates a summer of unofficial occupations. Here on a restrictive student visa, this perfect prospect for stocking the top shelves at Publix — he’s 6 feet 5 — ruefully concedes he can’t collect “a regular paycheck,” but he needs to save for college expenses.

So he’ll mow lawns, paint houses, help out with the household’s pooch-sitting operation, “move really heavy furniture” and do whatever other honest odd jobs come his way. After all, if he’d wanted to be idle and tempted into troublemaking, he could have stayed in Russia.

That depressing prospect is the future Katerina Ilina, a real estate agent in a perpetually tough market, was hoping her only child could avoid when she presented him nearly 10 years ago for evaluation by an associate of the Renaissance Project.

The plan was to identify promising St. Petersburg boys and invite them to attend a posh private school in Boca Raton, where they would be groomed to become citizen ambassadors for America back home.

Daniil Shcherbinin with his mom, Katarina Ilina, at an airport.
Daniil Shcherbinin with his mom, Katarina Ilina, at an airport.

Alas, the original plan soon collapsed. By then, however, Wilson wasn’t just on board, he’d become a passionate believer and the boys’ best advocate. Long story short, he found a like-minded administrator at Academy at the Lakes, and through a combination of scholarships, fundraising schemes, donations, a generous landlord, philanthropic medical professionals and stretching Wilson’s teacher’s paycheck, they’ve made it work. (Read more about their efforts here: http://renproject.org.)

It hasn’t hurt that each of the Russians has been an exemplary student and — as much as any teenager is capable — a model citizen. Daniil captained the football and basketball teams, served as student body vice president and played Mr. Darling in the school’s springtime production of “Peter Pan” — notably, without attempting a British accent.

The amateur thespian explains: “When I try to do an English accent, my Russian really comes out.” (Not that he hasn’t waxed the Volga boatman when it might charm an American girl, or get him out of a tight spot with a teacher, he concedes.)

Otherwise, looking for highlights in an eventful senior year, two stand out: First, the March afternoon he learned he’d been accepted, with generous underwriting, at Wittenberg. Second, the recent two weeks he spent here, with his mom, during Katarina’s first visit to America.

What did she learn? Americans are uncommonly welcoming to newcomers. “Everyone is so friendly,” she says. “Everyone wants to hug.” Maybe, she says, it’s the residue from Stalin, an era of suspicion, but Russians are rarely so open to strangers.

Experiencing it for herself, Katarina came to appreciate how this kid from a factory district —where V.I. Lenin once lectured on communism — had become upbeat and open-hearted, phonetically, “dobriy” in Russian. What a contrast to his somber, pessimistic peers back home.

Here she saw real evidence of that elusive reset. And, for those back home who fret their countryman has gone native, not to worry. When he’s not fetching and lifting this summer, Daniil will be immersed in Russian literature, Mikhail Bulgakov’s fantasy parable, “The Master and Margarita.”

“I am proud to be Russian,” he says flatly. “I never want to lose that.” Neither does anyone else in the Renaissance Project. They like him just the way he’s turned out.

And, so this happened. On the day of the open house on 20 Mile Level Road, when teachers and friends came to celebrate Daniil’s graduation, they brought presents for him, and for Katarina.

Gifts for the graduate Katarina understood. But for her? Why? “We brought you gifts,” explained one of the moms, her eyes shining, “because you shared your gift — your only son — with us.”

They hugged and wept happy tears. Because that’s what moms, wherever they’re from, do.

It’s from such embraces, real, lasting resets emerge.

Tom Jackson, a resident of New Tampa, is interested in your ideas. To reach him, email .

Published June 15, 2016

A graduation ceremony for one

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Some days don’t go exactly as planned.

Just ask Danielle Bunin.

The Land O’ Lakes’ resident was in line on April 30 waiting for the procession to start for her commencement ceremony at Saint Leo University.

While waiting, Bunin —six months pregnant at the time — stepped away from the crowd to get some fresh air. She passed out, fell down and landed on her stomach.

Bradley Bunin, left, holding 2-year-old Ashton Bunin, beams with pride as his wife, Danielle Bunin, holds the master’s degree given to her by Saint Leo University President William Lennox. (Courtesy of Ben Watters/Saint Leo University)
Bradley Bunin, left, holding 2-year-old Ashton Bunin, beams with pride as his wife, Danielle Bunin, holds the master’s degree given to her by Saint Leo University President William Lennox.
(Courtesy of Ben Watters/Saint Leo University)

After an ambulance ride and four hours in an emergency room, Bunin heard the good news that her baby would be fine. But, she had missed a graduation that meant so much to her and her family.

She had expected to receive her second degree from the university that day — a master’s in business administration in human resource management.

“She was really looking forward to making that walk,” said her husband, Bradley Bunin. “She was so upset that she didn’t make it.”

It turns out that the staff at Saint Leo wanted to make things right.

On June 6, Bunin received her degree at a commencement ceremony held just for her at Saint Leo’s main campus, off State Road 52 in St. Leo.

She received her degree from William Lennox, the university’s president.

Family members looked on, with pride.

Bradley Bunin’s brother, Matthew Bunin, flew in from Las Vegas to attend the ceremony.

“It’s inspiring to see what she has accomplished,” her brother-in-law said.

Danielle Bunin and Lennox stood in caps and gowns outside the president’s office, framed under an archway.

After receiving her degree, Bunin responded with gratitude.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. It’s incredible that you were able to make this happen,” she said.

Lennox said personally bestowing the degree to her meant something special.

“We know how much work goes into this. It’s important to do this,” he said.

Saint Leo has nearly 16,000 undergraduates and graduates who enroll in course work at more than 40 locations in seven states, and online from anywhere.

Lennox said the university reaches out in particular to students who are in mid-career seeking to expand their possibilities.

“That takes an awful lot of work from the family,” he said.

Danielle Bunin gave credit to her husband.

She works at home as a social media marketer. Bradley Bunin is a salesman with an IT company.

She often spent nights doing coursework and taking tests that had to be finished within specific deadlines.

Her husband would free up her time and watch after the couple’s 2-year-old son, Ashton.

“It was a team effort,” she said.

Danielle Bunin and her family might also qualify as “Team Saint Leo.”

Bradley Bunin is a Saint Leo graduate.

His wife received her bachelor of arts degree two years ago when she was then pregnant with Ashton. At that ceremony, Danielle Bunin’s mother, Lorene Mervis, also received her bachelor of arts degree in sociology.

The next order of business is awaiting the arrival of the newest Bunin – a second son.

The baby is due in August.

Published June 15, 2016