Education

Partnership aims to counter rumors with facts

August 26, 2015 By B.C. Manion

As the 2015-2016 school year begins this week in Pasco County Schools, the school district and Pasco County Sheriff’s Office have formed a new partnership to give parents timely, accurate information when threatening situations occur on or near a school campus.

The partnership aims to give parents a place to turn when they’re hearing reports about potential dangers and they want to find out the facts.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning holds a smartphone and talks about how easy it is for information to spin out of control during a school emergency. To counter the spread of inaccurate information, the school district and the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office have set up social media sites to provide timely, factual information to parents and the public during school emergencies, Browning said. Pasco County Sheriff’s Capt. James Mallo, at right, also took part in the news conference.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

“Safety of our students is our top priority,” said Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning, at a news conference last week to announce the partnership.

Efforts by law enforcement and school personnel can be undermined when inaccurate information begins circulating in social media, Browning said.

“One of the challenges that we face is the instant communications that the students have, and we all have, as a society. It’s a reality and certainly a challenge.

“What we have found is, that when we get into these types of situations, the social media, the texting, the cellphones really wreak havoc,” Browning said.

“It’s important for parents to have accurate information in an emergency or a potential emergency situation,” the superintendent said.

So, the school district and the sheriff’s office have established social media sites where parents can obtain accurate information.

“It’s important for parents join us in this partnership, for the sake of their children’s safety,” Browning said. “We created social media sites that we want parents to turn to first for information during these times of emergencies.

“It’s also important that principals in schools and staff have the ability to concentrate on their school, not answering questions at this time from parents in their community,” he added.

When parents come to campus during an emergency, they can put themselves at risk, Browning said.

The idea is to get a unified message out, said Capt. James Mallo, of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office. The posted message will be approved by both the sheriff’s office and school district.

Mallo gave an example of an incident that occurred last year, when this kind of system would have been useful.

“We had a bank robber that left the bank and ran across the school property,” he said, but there wasn’t a system to let people know quickly what was happening.

Drew Patel and Maddie Toth, both students at Land O’ Lakes High School, think the social media sites set up by the school district and sheriff’s office will help dispel rumors, and give parents the information they need during a school emergency.

“We want to make sure that the parents and teachers and students and everybody have one place to go to get this message, so that when you do have something like that happen — and a bad guy running around the area of the school — we can put out a single message that’s unified,” he said.

That takes the guesswork out of what’s happening, Mallo said.

The combination of inaccurate information and social media can create significant distractions, as law enforcement and school personnel are trying to handle a potentially dangerous situation, both men said.

“I can’t begin to tell you what a challenge it is as a school community, when we have either a controlled situation on campus or a complete lockdown.

“Everybody that has one of these things,” Browning said, holding up a smartphone. “And students are texting moms and dads.

“You know how the game of Rumor goes. They heard there was a gun on campus. The next thing you know, they’re texting mom or dad that there’s a gun on campus — when there’s not a gun that’s been confirmed on campus,” Browning said.

“We now have the ability to provide that information very quickly and accurately, to keep moms and dads calm, and let them know that first and foremost, their students are safe,” the superintendent added.

Seventeen-year-old Drew Patel, a senior at Land O’ Lakes High School, said he likes the idea of the central clearinghouse for information.

“It provides a direct line of accurate information to the parents. They know what’s going on at the school where their kids are at,” he said.

“I think it’s a great idea,” added Maddie Toth, 17, a junior.

It will help prevent the spread of rumors, she said.

Parents will be able to go to the sites “and see the real information,” she said.

“I think it will work,” Patel said.

Social Media Resources
Here are the places where parents can go to get the latest information about school safety, crime prevention and public awareness information about Pasco County Schools:

Facebook: Facebook.com/pascosheriffschoolsafety
Twitter: @PSOSchoolSafety
Instagram:
Pasco Sheriff’s School Safety Internet Page: PascoSheriff.com/PascoSheriffSchoolSafety

What parents can expect in a school crisis
There are different kinds of school emergencies. Here is what parents can expect.

Crisis response: A coordinated response between the first responders and school personnel during an extraordinary event that could significantly impact the safety and welfare of school children and/or school staff. This kind of crisis can include, but not be limited to any overt act or threat of extreme violence, severe weather occurrence or a tragedy.

Controlled campus: This occurs when there is a potential threat or safety concern that requires a greater degree of control.

Lockdown: This occurs when there is a direct threat to the school campus itself, or the student body.

Parents are not allowed on campus and will be provided instruction as to a reunification time and location, if necessary. Parents are advised to use the social media sites to obtain information.

Published August 26, 2015

Sunlake grad earns AP distinction

August 26, 2015 By Michael Murillo

When Alex Minnick was a senior at Sunlake High School back in June, he had to submit a 24-piece portfolio for his Advanced Placement Drawing class. They were on display at a scoring event in Salt Lake City, Utah, where judges determined an overall score of one through six.

As it turns out, no sixes were awarded, and only around 15.5 percent of the approximately 18,000 entries earned a 5, which was the highest score awarded by the judges.

Alex Minnick's favorite piece is the one he drew of his sister, Michelle. (Photos courtesy of Alex Minnick) — Alex Minnick’s favorite piece is the one he drew of his sister, Michelle.
(Photos courtesy of Alex Minnick)

Minnick was surprised when he learned his score.

“I thought I would get a three or a four,” he said.

The Lutz resident tends to be critical of his own work, but he devotes considerable time and effort to each piece.

He estimates that it typically takes eight hours or more to complete a piece, and he generally prefers the quiet of his room, so he can focus on his work.

When he finishes, he often feels more relieved, than satisfied.

“Most of the time, I’m just exhausted because I’m really critical of what I do. So when I look at the final piece, it’s not exactly how I planned it originally, but it still turns out fine,” Minnick said.

One piece that turned out fine involves hands, which Minnick said was a challenge. They’re easy to get wrong, he explained, because people know when they don’t look right. And, he noted, they need to be expressive and convey strength.

Another difficult piece shows Minnick looking at his reflection in a mirror. That one took closer to 14 hours to complete. He said he had to work hard to get the face in the reflection just right.

Still, he doesn’t think it’s perfect.

“I feel like it’s a good starting point, but I don’t feel like it’s one of my stronger pieces,” Minnick said.

Hands are difficult to draw, Alex Minnick said. They need to look realistic and convey the appropriate emotion at the same time. After significant practice, he’s improved his technique.

If the artist sounds like an unforgiving critic, it’s because he specializes in a type of art with little room for error. Realistic pieces are supposed to look like the subject. Any deviation is noticed and detracts from the goal, which is to represent the subject in an authentic manner. Other subjects, such as a depiction of a reflection in a chrome faucet, are actually easier for Minnick to create. Because those images are supposed to look distorted, a viewer can be more forgiving — the eye doesn’t expect the image to be normal.

As a fan of art, Minnick’s preferences deviate from his own talents. His favorite artist is M.C. Escher, known for his famous and challenging works that often depict physically impossible images. The viewer sees staircases and other visuals, and tries to reconcile them with the physical world, but they don’t match up, creating an optical illusion of sorts.

In fact, departures from realistic depictions of subjects tend to interest Minnick.

“I like surrealist art, because I’m not too good at that. So, it’s something I like because it’s different from what I do,” Minnick said.

He’ll continue his own style at Pasco-Hernando State College, where he’ll continue to study art.

His teacher from Sunlake High School’s 2D AP Studio, Carolyn Frances, is impressed by Minnick’s talents.

“The AP Studio process challenges the student to reach expressive and artistic milestones that match the rigor and skills required of college-level studio art students,” Frances said, in a news release. “Alex is definitely ready for the college studio experience.”

While Minnick acknowledged that he’s not perfectly happy with his Advanced Placement submissions, his friends and family were excited about his score.

He has learned to accept that, even though he still sees aspects in his art that didn’t come out the way he wanted, he’s been recognized for excellence with a score that the vast majority of students won’t achieve.

“I still see the things I don’t like, but now that I know that I got a five, I’m more accepting of those things,” Minnick said.

This piece, depicting his reflection in a mirror, took Alex Minnick nearly 14 hours to complete. Minnick spent a lot of time on getting the reflection image correct.

Published August 26, 2015

Trip to Tokyo offers new perspectives

August 26, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Colby Tomasello recently returned from Tokyo, Japan, where he took part in the TOMODACHI Toshiba Science & Technology Leadership Academy.

The Land O’ Lakes High student was among a group of eight students and four teachers from the United States who were selected to make the trip.

Colby Tomasello (back row, third from right) joins other participants at the 2015 TOMODACHI Toshiba Science & Technology Leadership Academy in Tokyo. (Photos courtesy of Toshiba) — Colby Tomasello (back row, third from right) joins other participants at the 2015 TOMODACHI Toshiba Science & Technology Leadership Academy in Tokyo.
(Photos courtesy of Toshiba)

He spent a week working in collaborative teams with Japanese students, to tackle challenges that required thinking outside of the box.

He also did some sightseeing and had a chance to see firsthand what life is like on the island nation of Japan.

The pace of activities was busy, said Tomasello, who won an essay competition to receive the expenses-paid trip.

Each day began around 7 a.m., with lights out around 10 p.m., he said.

“We had a lot of work to do,” explained Tomasello, who was still attending Pine View Middle School, when he was selected for the U.S. team.

Besides the challenges he and other students tackled, he also had the chance to ride on one of the world’s fastest elevators, master the technique of eating with chopsticks and check out the way people live in Tokyo.

His biggest surprise was how similar Tokyo is to major U.S. cities.

“The layout was very modern,” he said.

Colby Tomasello, right, receives a congratulatory handshake from Toshiba America Inc. executive R. Steven Tungate for his participation in the 2015 TOMODACHI Toshiba Science & Technology Leadership Academy in Tokyo.

The number of people he encountered who speak English surprised him, and he was impressed by the way Japanese people, in general, treat strangers.

“People are very polite. They’re very respectful. They bow a lot,” Tomasello said.

He also observed that the Japanese lifestyle appears to be more environmentally friendly than the American way of life.

“Only 20 percent of their vehicles are all gasoline,” he said.

At the hotel where he was staying, the beds were smaller than a typical bed in the U.S., and turning on the room’s lights and running the air conditioner required the room key.

During the week, he took part in a contest to build a tower out of straws and tape that would withstand a simulated earthquake.

“We designed future communities. They’re supposed to be smart communities,” Tomasello said.

“We also saw a SMART home designed by Toshiba,” he said, which featured solar panels and other self-sustaining features.

He worked with a team that was made up of Japanese and American students. One Japanese student on his team was fluent in English, and the other wasn’t.

They worked well together, he said. When the student who spoke little English had trouble understanding, the other student translated, Tomasello said.

Bill Nye, a representative for the 2015 TOMODACHI Toshiba Science & Technology Leadership Academy, speaks to this year’s participants at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.

Tomasello noted that both Japanese students were much more fluent in English than he is in Japanese.

One lesson he learned during his trip had nothing to do specifically with the challenges at hand, he said.

He learned that the American approach to tackling a problem isn’t necessarily the only approach, or always the best approach.

Tomasello’s selection for the essay competition was based on his previous participation in the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision program.

Students in grades eight through 11, and high school teachers who are members of the NSTA (National Science Teacher Association), were eligible to apply.

Their Japanese counterparts were selected from high schools that promote strong achievement in science and mathematics, as well as have strong international student exchange programs.

Tomasello isn’t the only member of his family who has fared well in the ExploraVision competitions.

“My sister (Catie) has won four times, and I have won twice,” he said. One of those wins came when he was on a team with his sister.

Published August 26, 2015

Big changes in store for Pasco schools

August 19, 2015 By B.C. Manion

A lot of change is in store for Pasco County Schools during the 2015-2016 school year.

Students arriving at Sanders Memorial Elementary STEAM Magnet School will find not only a new campus, but a new way of learning, too.

Wiregrass Ranch High School is expecting nearly 2,500 students this year. To reduce crowding, the school will operate on a 10-period day, with some students arriving earlier and leaving earlier, and others arriving later and leaving later. All of the student body will be on campus during three periods a day. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Wiregrass Ranch High School is expecting nearly 2,500 students this year. To reduce crowding, the school will operate on a 10-period day, with some students arriving earlier and leaving earlier, and others arriving later and leaving later. All of the student body will be on campus during three periods a day.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

They’ll be attending classes in the Pasco school district’s first magnet school program, with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

Students arriving at Quail Hollow Elementary School, will find a school that’s undergone a massive makeover — replacing the formerly “open” space with traditional classrooms, with doors and windows.

The school’s makeover isn’t entirely complete, but district officials don’t expect the work that’s yet to be done to disrupt the opening of school.

At Pine View Middle, students and staff will be embarking on a quest to become the first school in the district to be designated as a Middle Years Programme by the International Baccalaureate Organization.

It typically takes a candidate school about three years to meet the requirements to receive the designation.

Across the United States, there are 45 private and 538 public MYP programmes, including 65 in Florida and four in the Tampa area, including Carrollwood Day School and Corbett Preparatory School of IDS.

Pasco County Schools are set to begin classes on Aug. 24. (File Photo)

At Wiregrass Ranch High School, the school district is using a 10-period day to cope with soaring enrollment.

The school was built for 1,675 students, and its projected enrollment in 2015-2016 is 2,438.

To alleviate crowding, the district is having students arrive and depart from campus in two shifts.

Sophomores through seniors will begin and end the school day at the same time they do now, 7:25 a.m. and 1:56 p.m., respectively. Freshmen will begin at 10:25 a.m., and end at 4:50 p.m.

All of the school’s students will be on campus for three periods each day, but that is manageable because roughly 500 kids are at lunch at any given time, according to Robyn White, the school’s principal.

Wiregrass Ranch has had four lunch periods each day, but is adding a fifth one because of the anticipated enrollment increase.

Besides changes in facilities and programming at some schools, students also will be greeting new administrators at several Pasco schools.

Jason Petry is leading Sanders Elementary in Land O’ Lakes, and Kara Smucker is the principal at Quail Hollow in Wesley Chapel.

Angie Stone, the new leader at Zephyrhills High, is returning to the place where she began her career in Pasco County Schools.

Students attending Pasco Middle School in Dade City will be greeted by Principal Jeff Wolff, and those arriving at San Antonio Elementary School will be welcomed by Principal Kim Anderson.

In another big change, district employees will be heading into a new school year with a settled contract.

The contract, which has not yet been ratified, calls for an average 3 percent raise for district employees.

While details are still being finalized, the district’s plan is for district employees to receive their raise in their paychecks beginning Sept. 4, which is the first pay date for teachers.

The contract also calls for no increases in the employee contribution in the single employee health plan. The district is one of the few districts in Florida that offers a fully paid single employee health option.

A new benefit in this year’s contract is a Voluntary Sick Leave Donation program, set to begin in October. This program allows district employees to donate their sick leave to other district employees who are experiencing a documented major medical emergency, illness, accident or injury (or whose spouse, minor child, or dependent child under legal guardianship has a document major medical emergency, illness, accident or injury).

Helpful info
Transportation issues?
Pasco County Schools has set up a special Transportation Call Center during the first week of school.

If you have a problem, call the numbers listed below, on Monday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

(813) 794-2500; (727) 774-2500; or (352) 524-2500

Want to buy breakfast or lunch?
The current meal prices are:

Reduced price breakfast: 30 cents

Reduced price lunch: 40 cents

Full price breakfast: $1.35 (elementary) and $1.50 (secondary)

Full price lunch: $2.25 (elementary) and $2.60 (secondary)

Want to register?
Students entering a Florida public school for the first time need:

Current immunization records
Proof of a physical examination, dated and signed by a licensed health professional within the last 12 months
Evidence of age, such as a birth certificate
Social Security Number, if available
Proof of Florida residency, such as a water bill, electric bill, gas bill, or an executed lease agreement
A copy of the student’s last report card, if applicable
Legal guardianship records, if applicable

Note: Students entering kindergarten for the first time must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1 to attend kindergarten. Pre-Kindergarten and Head Start/Early Start programs are available to students who will not make the deadline.

Published August 19, 2015

New volunteer teams expand Sheriff’s Office’s reach

August 19, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Representatives of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office are preparing to patrol area waters, respond to natural disasters and investigate crime scenes.

But they aren’t deputies or detectives.

They’re regular citizens taking part in one of the Sheriff’s Office’s three new volunteer programs.

Holly Taylor is one of the new volunteers on the Forensic Services Volunteer Team. The Pasco County Sheriff's Office has three new groups of volunteers, serving different departments. (Photos courtesy of Susan Miller) — Holly Taylor is one of the new volunteers on the Forensic Services Volunteer Team. The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has three new groups of volunteers, serving different departments.
(Photos courtesy of Susan Miller)

The Volunteer Corps Marine Crime Unit, the Volunteer Agriculture Response Team and the Forensic Services Volunteer Team are accepting applications from students who are studying related courses in college and from anyone else who is interested in taking an active role in helping the county. Volunteers will undergo a background check and fingerprinting, and must be available for a minimum number of hours each month.

“I think this is going to be a great addition. It’s going to be a wonderful opportunity to get people involved and helping out in the community,” said Susan Miller, a forensic shift supervisor at the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Services department. Volunteers for her department will need to be available for a minimum of 16 hours a month and will be dispatched to crime scenes to assist deputies.

It is a hands-on method of lending support to the Sheriff’s Office, but there are limitations. The marine unit isn’t authorized to pursue or board any vehicles. They use their own craft to patrol neighborhood waterways and report any suspicious activity to the Sheriff’s Office, much like a neighborhood watch program — but this one’s on the water.

The agriculture team will work on mending fences, and corralling and handling livestock and other animals in the event of a disaster situation.

The forensics team will work on property crimes such as auto burglaries. Their job will be to collect information, fingerprints and any related evidence at the scene.

Collecting fingerprints is one of the jobs volunteers like Steve Lovelace learn when they join the Forensic Services Volunteer Team.

Forensics team volunteers will receive specific training related to their duties, Miller said. She worked with other supervisors to create a 40-hour course that volunteers will complete. They’ll learn the science and processing procedures regarding fingerprinting, applicable photography information, and how to identify and collect relevant evidence.

Miller also expects them to learn that forensics work is interesting, but not the action-filled, drama seen on popular television shows.

It’s not glamorous work, either, Miller said. “You’re really out there working hard.”

Crimes aren’t neatly solved in an hour, and there’s a lot more paperwork than you’ll find on the television screen, but it still can be an enjoyable experience for those interested in the field, she said.

Volunteers will be dispatched to crime scenes and will help the county with the many auto burglaries that occur on a daily basis. Miller said there were around 1,500 such incidents in Pasco County during the past year.

While it’s a new program, there are some volunteers already taking the course, and a small number in the field for her department, Miller said. She’s pleased with the results so far, and hopes more people take advantage to learn new skills and volunteer for the Sheriff’s Office in a meaningful way.

“It’s going to be great to have the help and to have the added presence in the community,” she said.

For information about the new volunteer groups, call the Pasco Sheriff’s Office Human Resources Department at (727) 844-7791 or (800) 854-2862, ext. 7791.

To download an application, visit PascoSheriff.com/volunteer-opportunities/.

Published August 19, 2015

New Catholic school opens in Lutz

August 19, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School had its first day of classes in its new home on Aug. 17.

The school is operating in a new structure on the campus of St. Timothy Catholic Church, at 17524 Lakeshore Road in Lutz.

Most Holy Redeemer, which was founded in 1954, took on its new name last year, but didn’t move to its new campus until this academic year.

Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School had its first day of classes in its new home on the campus of Saint Timothy Catholic Church on Aug. 17. This photo was taken just days before classes began. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Mother Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School had its first day of classes in its new home on the campus of Saint Timothy Catholic Church on Aug. 17. This photo was taken just days before classes began.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The school, for children in kindergarten through eighth grade, has an enrollment of 355 students, said Principal Johnnathan Combs.

That’s up from the enrollment at the Most Holy Redeemer campus last year, which finished out last school year with 239 students.

All but two of those students are attending classes on the new campus. The two that aren’t moved away to Orlando, Combs said.

The students are coming to the school from St. Timothy, St. Paul, Our Lady of the Rosary, St. Mary and Most Holy Redeemer parishes, he said.

Four classrooms at the school are still under construction, Combs said. But when they are finished, the school will have a capacity for 600 students.

Construction costs for the school are around $8 million, said Dr. Michael Tkacik, secretary for ministries for the Diocese of St. Petersburg.

The school will be celebrating a mass and a dedication ceremony on Sept. 10 at 2 p.m., he said.

Tkacik said enrollment in the Diocese’s Catholic schools has been holding steady for the past couple of years.

As he looks to the future, Tkacik said he is “guardedly optimistic.”

He points to projects such as Tampa Premium Outlets and other construction activity as a sign that the economy — stalled for several years — is showing new signs of life.

The school on Saint Timothy’s campus is inspired by Mother Teresa of Calcutta and is rooted in the Catholic faith, according to its website. Its mission is “to develop young people who strive for academic excellence, recognize the dignity of each individual and foster service to others,” the website says.

Its fundamental reason for existence is to help children learn about Jesus and to develop their Catholic faith, Combs said. Of course, he added, academics are important.

The Pope John Paul II Youth Center, also on St. Timothy’s campus, has already opened.

The facility will be used by the school during the school day and also will be used for athletics.

Published August 19, 2015

Saint Leo welcomes its first Fulbright Scholar in Residence

August 19, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Students at Saint Leo University will be learning about different languages, culture and music this fall.

That type of education isn’t new for the university. But the type of educator delivering it is unprecedented in the university’s history.

Dr. Vasumathi Badrinathan is Saint Leo’s first Fulbright Scholar in Residence to teach at the university. Her curriculum will include language, culture and communication, and her music background also will be highlighted during her stay. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University) — Dr. Vasumathi Badrinathan is Saint Leo’s first Fulbright Scholar in Residence to teach at the university. Her curriculum will include language, culture and communication, and her music background also will be highlighted during her stay.
(Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Dr. Vasumathi Badrinathan will be the university’s first Fulbright Scholar in Residence. She has left her native India, where she’s taught for nearly three decades, to spend a semester educating students in her areas of expertise.

And while she’s only recently made it to Florida, she’s already impressed with what she’s seen.

“I’m delighted to be a part of this really old university with this beautiful, green campus. I’m discovering something new every day,” Badrinathan said. “I’m very, very happy to be here.”

Saint Leo is very happy to have her, too.

The school made the formal request to bring her to campus under the Fulbright program, which offers cultural exchange opportunities for students, educators and institutions. Badrinathan teaches French at Ramnarain Ruia College, University of Mumbai, and is fluent in a half-dozen languages, including several spoken in India. She’s also a vocalist of southern Indian classical music and has performed in international music festivals.

Those qualifications made her an attractive educational and cultural asset for a university looking to enhance its students’ learning experiences. And the Fulbright program offered exactly that kind of opportunity.

The Fulbright program was founded in 1946 by J. William Fulbright, a United States Senator and the longest serving chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, with a tenure of nearly 16 years.

The program provides grants to send students and educators from the United States to foreign countries to learn and share cultural ideas, and it brings foreign students and educators to the United States.

The program provides 8,000 grants per year, with more than 160 countries participating. Since its inception, more than 360,000 participants have taken advantage of the opportunity to visit another country and culture.

Those statistics now include Badrinathan, who is looking forward to getting in the classroom and teaching a curriculum that includes language, culture and communication. But she isn’t bringing a rigid teaching method with her. Instead, she wants to learn about her students, and find the best ways to educate them based on how they react and interact with the curriculum.

“Flexibility is one of the cornerstones of an educator. You need to be flexible, you need to be adaptable, and you need to bear in mind that you’re dealing with human beings, after all,” she explained. “Absolutely, flexibility is the name of the game.”

For Badrinathan, that means not only sharing her personal experiences and knowledge with lessons, but also with music. She’s collaborating with the university’s music department to perform a special concert in October that will contain elements of both western and Indian music. Being entrenched in India’s culture and music as a performer enhances her ability to communicate those experiences as an educator, she said.

The teacher isn’t just here to teach. She’s also here to learn.

While Badrinathan has traveled around the world learning, teaching and performing (she earned her doctorate in French while studying in France), this is her first trip to the United States. And she expects to not only share her experiences and knowledge in the cultural exchange, but to also partake in the exchange.

“It’s going to be very enriching, because when you’re in a new scenario, you’re always open to new things,” Badrinathan said. “I think it’s going to be a great learning experience for me as well.”

Published August 19, 2015

Chalk Talk 08-19-15

August 19, 2015 By Mary Rathman

Meet the Teacher days
These elementary schools will host a Meet the Teacher Day on Aug. 20, in the cafeteria:

Connerton Elementary, 9300 Flourish Drive in Land O’ Lakes, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Guests can meet the teachers, visit the classrooms, get bus passes, pick up car line tags, pay student fees and join the Parent-Teacher Association. For information, call (813) 346-1800.
Double Branch Elementary, 31500 Chancey Road in Wesley Chapel, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests can purchase planners, pay school fees, get transportation information, drop off school supplies and meet the teachers. For information, call (813) 346-0400.

Liberty Middle Open House
Liberty Middle School, 17400 Commerce Park Blvd., in New Tampa, will host an Open House on Aug. 20. Sixth-graders can attend from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and seventh- and eighth-graders from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Homeroom assignments and bus information will be mailed prior to Open House.

For information, call (813) 558-1100, or visit Liberty.mysdhc.org.

Sneak a peek at reopened schools
Both Sanders Memorial and Quail Hollow elementary schools have been closed for more than two years for rebuilding and remodeling, and will host open houses to showcase the new looks.

Aug. 20, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School, 5126 School Road in Land O’ Lakes
Aug. 21, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Quail Hollow Elementary School, 7050 Quail Hollow Blvd., in Wesley Chapel

PHSC offers engineering technology program
Pasco-Hernando State College now offers degree and certificate programs in engineering technology. Courses will be available beginning Aug. 24.

The program is designed to prepare students for employment in high technology fields such as advance manufacturing.

The engineering technology associate in science degree will teach engineering principles that solve complex manufacturing problems using computer-aided design and evaluation, and simulation techniques.

For information, call (855) 669-7472, or visit PHSC.edu.

Home-school event at MOSI
The Museum of Science & Industry, 4801 E. Fowler Ave., in Tampa, will host a Home-school Educators Open House Aug. 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Guests can meet MOSI’s home-school educators, discuss upcoming programming, participate in STEAM activities and watch an educational film. Proof of home schooling is required. Admission is free. The film is $5.

For information, visit MOSI.org.

Spotlight on academic partnerships
Saint Leo University and TECO Energy will participate in the “Education Connection: Spotlight on Academic Partnerships” program Aug. 26 from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., at the University Club of Tampa, 201 N. Franklin St., in Tampa.

Panelists will discuss the impact of academic/business partnerships on the growth of the regional economy. Participants can learn about these collaborations and the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce’s Education Connection initiative.

Registration and breakfast are from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m., followed by the program. Individual admission is $20.

For information and to register, visit Web.TampaChamber.com/events.

Volunteer for Bee Bully-Free program
Bee Bully-Free, a Zephyrhills-based project, is looking for volunteers for its new initiative, W.A.S.P. — Woodland Academic Support Program. Volunteers will start working with students at Woodland Elementary School in September.

Trained volunteers will help students practice reading skills, approach math from a variety of angles, improve grammar, meet deadlines, polish organizational skills and more. Volunteers may also help in the classroom, cafeteria or media center, run errands, and assist with special events.

There will be a 30-minute Child Protection Training and BBF Orientation on Aug. 30 at 5 p.m., at Goin’ Postal, 4941 Fourth St., in Zephyr Park.

There will be a social hour with beverages and snacks after the program.

Interested volunteers must first be approved by the Pasco County School District.

For information, and instructions on registering online, call (813) 782-1500, ext. 104, or email .

PHSC expands internship program in Arts
Pasco-Hernando State College will offer Associate in Arts degree-seeking students an opportunity to participate in an internship course, beginning in fall term 2015.

For information about this and other internship programs, call (727) 816-3334, or email .

Oakstead leadership retreat
Oakstead Elementary School, 19925 Lake Patience Drive in Land O’ Lakes, recently hosted a Fifth Grade Leadership Retreat for students, administrators and teachers.

The day was designed to identify students’ leadership styles, explore student goals for the coming school year, and discuss school-wide issues and how the students can be involved.

Throughout the day, the retreat offered a meet and greet with music and chants, a team-building cups session, personality tests, a discussion on well-being and bully prevention, goal setting, and reflections at the closing of the session.

For more information, call C.J. Huffman at (813) 346-1503.

Open House at Denham Oaks
Denham Oaks Elementary School, 1422 Oak Grove Blvd., in Lutz, will host an Open House on Sept. 8 for students and parents as follows:

6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., for pre-kindergarten through Grade 2
6:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., for Grade 3 through Grade 5

Pizza will be served in the cafeteria. PTA members and their children get a free slice of pizza and a drink. The cost for non-members is $3 per person.

For information, call (813) 794-1600.

Get school immunizations early
The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County reminds parents to have their children immunized early to avoid the back-to-school rush. Parents of kindergartners and seventh-graders are encouraged to review their children’s immunization record to ensure readiness for the upcoming school year.

If parents do not have a copy of the child’s immunization record, they should ask their provider about Florida Shots, the database that records immunizations. Students entering college also are encouraged to ensure their immunizations are up to date.

The following vaccines are required for children entering preschool and kindergarten through grade 12: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella, polio, chickenpox and hepatitis B. Students entering college should check with health services at their respective college regarding requirements.

For information on upcoming back-to-school immunization events, visit Pasco.FloridaHealth.gov/.

Volunteers help Sanders gear up for first day

August 12, 2015 By B.C. Manion

A group of volunteers showed up at Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School last week, eager to help the school gear up for its first day of classes as Pasco County’s first magnet school.

The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce sent out a call for volunteers, and people responded.

Lots of volunteers turned out to pitch in at a volunteer day organized by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. The crew included neighbors, parents, chamber members and a school board member, too. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — Lots of volunteers turned out to pitch in at a volunteer day organized by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. The crew included neighbors, parents, chamber members and a school board member, too.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

There were chamber members, parents of children who will be attending the school, community residents and other community volunteers.

Pasco County School Board member Cynthia Armstrong was among those ready to get to work.

“We’re so excited about this school opening. It’s a long time coming, to have a magnet school in Pasco County,” Armstrong said.

“Seeing the outpouring of support for it — the number of students that applied to go to this school — just really lets us know that’s what the parents want, and we’re here to make sure that we offer the educational opportunities that they want for their students,” Armstrong added.

Sandy Graves, a member of the Central Pasco Chamber and a Land O’ Lakes resident, has a special place in her heart for Sanders.

That’s where she went to school for all but one year of elementary school, Graves said.

She said she’s excited about the opportunities awaiting children who will be attending the school, which will focus on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

Some parent volunteers were at the workday, too.

Nicole Bradshaw said her 5-year-old daughter, Emily, is just starting kindergarten.

She said her daughter has attended a voluntary kindergarten program that had a STEAM approach to education, and she’s thrilled that she’ll able to continue that approach to education.

Krystin Leonard was helping to sort and pack student planners. She said her daughter, Brielle, is in voluntary prekindergarten, and she hopes she’ll be able to attend Sanders next year.

“I like the immersive learning,” she said, noting that children are learning about the same themes, through different subject areas.

“When I saw they (Pasco County Schools) were opening a STEAM school, I jumped on it,” said Bradshaw, who lives near State Road 52 and the Suncoast Parkway.

She also likes the hands-on approach to learning.

“They need to get their hands dirty. They need to touch stuff and not just be learning from a book, or being recited to. They need to be in there and doing it,” she said.

Debra Wheeler and her 10-year-old daughter, Madison, were also there to volunteer.

Madison will be a fifth-grader and is excited about going to a new school.

It was a difficult choice, Debra Wheeler said, noting her daughter has attended Connerton Elementary until now.

“It was a big decision for us, because so many years we’ve been going to the same elementary school,” she said. “So, that was the debate: Do you stay with something consistent, or do you try something new?

“When we saw what Sanders was offering — you can’t pass that up,” she said, noting all three of her children will be attending new schools this year. One will be Sanders, another at Pine View Middle School and another at Land O’ Lakes High School.

During the work session, volunteers were scattered about the school, helping to sort and deliver student planners; stapling maps of the school together to help parents find their way around; putting on laptop covers, to protect the laptops; and helping to assemble shelves and sort books.

There was a sense of camaraderie, as the volunteers pitched in.

Sanders Principal Jason Petry welcomed the help.

“When Sandy (Graves) called me, she was very adamant about getting out here,” Petry said. “I love it.

“We came up with a list of things that could be done that could take a lot of stress off of us,” he said.

“It’s good for the community to be involved in the school,” he added, noting that Sanders has been in Land O’ Lakes since 1948.

Dan Paasch, a district aide for U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, was pitching in during a volunteer work session at Sanders Memorial STEAM Elementary School. He was helping to sort and deliver student planners.

The school has been closed for five years. The school district had planned to renovate and reopen it sooner, but the economy tanked and those plans were put on hold.

As the school reopens this year, it looks like a brand new school and is equipped with the latest in technology, has bright furniture, and is designed with teachers and students in mind.

Assistant Principal Kelly Edwards is excited about being at Sanders.

The school has many special features, including collaboration areas which are designed to foster collaboration in learning.

“It looks like you stepped into MOSI (the Museum of Science and Industry),” Edwards said. “It looks like you stepped into 2030,” she said.

School board member Armstrong is delighted by the community’s enthusiasm for Sanders.

“STEAM, all the way!” Armstrong said.

Sanders Open House
What: Open House
Where: Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet, 5126 School Road, Land O’ Lakes
When: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., on Aug. 20
Why: To give people a chance to tour Pasco County Schools’ first magnet school, and to see the school’s new buildings and renovated existing buildings.

Published August 12, 2015

New PHSC president drafts game plan for success

August 5, 2015 By B.C. Manion

As a very young boy, Tim Beard would walk a mile each way to buy a newspaper at the store so he could devour stories about his beloved St. Louis Cardinals.

He admired such players as Lou Brock, Joe Torre and Bob Gibson — and delighted in reading about their pursuits.

Tim Beard is dressed casually during a summer day at his office at Pasco-Hernando State College. But the new president of PHSC is anything but casual in his ambitions for the college. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — Tim Beard is dressed casually during a summer day at his office at Pasco-Hernando State College. But the new president of PHSC is anything but casual in his ambitions for the college.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

He recalled that he was only 5 or 6 years old when he was making those treks to the store.

Literacy and athletics were twin loves in his life, until Beard decided he would spend less energy on athletics and give his full attention to education.

He grew up in poverty in the Panhandle town of St. Joe — and now he leads Pasco-Hernando State College.

Before becoming president of the college on July 1, he served as a vice president at the college for eight years.

He claimed the role vacated by Katherine Johnson, who retired after a decade at the helm.

Beard is clearly excited about the possibilities.

As an internal candidate for the post, Beard said he had the advantage of understanding the college and knowing its pulse.

“I know the institution. I know the flow. I know the community,” Beard said.

As PHSC’s new leader, he’s already starting to carry out his game plan.

He’s identified key focus areas. Those include increasing student retention and degree completion rates, expanding partnerships, and securing more funding to support programs.

To help retain students, Beard is launching an initiative called Retention Behavioral Inventory, or RBI, for short.

He plans to have weekly conference calls with PHSC administrators to keep the goal of improving student retention and degree completion rates at the forefront for the college’s leadership team.

Together, they’ll review the data to see how the college is doing. And, they’ll discuss the numbers, talk about why students withdraw and examine if there is anything they could have done to prevent the withdrawals.

“The big piece is going to be a referral piece,” the college president said. “If we find out that a student withdrew because of finances, can we find a financial source within scholarships or other sources that would have helped this student stay in school?”

Over the years, he said he has observed that most of the time when a student withdraws, there is some type of problem in a personal relationship or a difficulty in paying tuition. Sometimes, students are struggling academically.

“We want to have a referral source, or sources, to make sure these students are receiving the kind of support they need to stay in school,” Beard said.

The college has a fund established by a donor that is specifically intended to help students, who for whatever reason, are not performing well, Beard said.

He wants to find more sources of additional funding for the college.

That could be in the form of private contributions, or through other opportunities available at the state, regional, national or international level, he said.

For instance, he said he recently served as a panelist at a conference for the National Association for Equal Opportunities.

While there, he met some federal officials and learned about some money that might be available for colleges with rural campuses. He plans to pursue that possibility.

He’s also talked with John Hagen, president and CEO of the Pasco Economic Development Council.

Beard said Hagen told him that “the federal government is coming into an agreement with some major companies across the world that want to relocate in the United States. They are talking about community two- and four-year colleges really being around the table to develop curricula and design programs to help meet their work force needs.”

PHSC facts Pasco-Hernando State College has: • A fall enrollment of about 12,000 credit and 4,000 noncredit students • Approximately 550 faculty and staff, plus about 200 adjunct staff members • An operating budget of about $48 million • Campuses in New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Dade City, Spring Hill and Brooksville — **PHSC facts**
Pasco-Hernando State College has:
• A fall enrollment of about 12,000 credit and 4,000 noncredit students
• Approximately 550 faculty and staff, plus about 200 adjunct staff members
• An operating budget of about $48 million
• Campuses in New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Dade City, Spring Hill and Brooksville

That fits in nicely with the kind of work the college is accustomed to doing, Beard said.

During the Great Recession, there was national recognition that college’s like PHSC can play a vital role in helping people learn new skills that equip them for today’s job market, Beard said.

“Our certification programs, our social science degree programs, are designed just for that. To take workers, retrain them, and get them back in the work force within a year,” Beard said.

Besides helping to train people who are in the work force or returning to the work force, the college also wants to help prepare young people for future careers, Beard said.

PHSC wants to partner with the Pasco and Hernando county school systems to begin working with students at a younger age.

“We want to start establishing career pathways with students as early as middle school,” Beard said. And that means making connections with the families of those middle school students, he added.

The idea is to start early, so students graduating from those counties can achieve a degree or certification by the time they’re 21, he added.

Partnerships are essential — to supplement and maximize the college’s resources, Beard said.

“We used to be state-supported, now we’re more state-supplemented. We’ve got to have greater partnerships — with private corporations, with manufacturers,” Beard said.

He also wants to get faith-based groups involved, to provide additional support for students.

Since assuming his post, Beard has been meeting with bankers, manufacturers, faith-based groups and civic organizations.

And it won’t stop there.

“We’re not limiting our connections to just local people, but also regional, state and national,” he said.

He is hopeful that making these connections will bear fruit, and he’s optimistic, too.

“We have some major prospects. So, you stay tuned,” Beard said.

Tim Beard bio
Tim Beard:

Holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and a PhD from Florida State University
Has been married to his wife, Wendy, for 29 years; they have two daughters, Briana, 20 and Sierra, 17
Joined what was then Pasco-Hernando Community College in 2007
Became Pasco-Hernando State College’s new president on July 1

Fun facts about Tim Beard
Some fun facts about the new president of Pasco-Hernando State College, Tim Beard:

Enjoys peach cobbler and banana pudding
Calls intense cardio workouts his “getaway,” and says washing his car and mowing the lawn are “therapeutic”
Says a “church mother” gave him the best piece of advice he’s received. She told him: “Regardless of what you do in life, don’t be a hypocrite. Be real.”

(Courtesy of Lucy Miller, executive director of marketing and communications for Pasco-Hernando State College)

Published August 5, 2015