Education

Charter school finds a home

July 1, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Garden Montessori Charter School has signed a five-year lease on a new 22,000-square-foot home in a former fitness facility in Wesley Chapel.

“It’s a beautiful property,” John Selover, a consultant for the charter school said. “We’re really excited about it.”

Garden Montessori Charter School has signed a five-year lease on the property now known as Sports and Field, at 2029 Arrowgrass Drive. (Photos courtesy of Garden Montessori Charter School) — Garden Montessori Charter School has signed a five-year lease on the property now known as Sports and Field, at 2029 Arrowgrass Drive.
(Photos courtesy of Garden Montessori Charter School)

In addition to the building at the Sports and Field Inc. location, at 2029 Arrowgrass Drive, there’s a large fenced play area, Selover said.

“When we move in there this year, we’ll have temporary walls and partitions, with the idea that we’ll make that more permanent down the road,” he said.

The school is opening this fall with an enrollment of around 215 children, in kindergarten through second grade.

Selover said many people believe that Montessori education is a private-school only type of situation.

But Garden Montessori School is a charter school, meaning there’s no tuition for children attending the school.

The Sports and Field building, which has been leased to Garden Montessori Charter School, has an exterior rock wall.

The same is true for Countryside Montessori Charter School, which is located in Land O’ Lakes.

Garden Montessori School has its roots in a private preschool and kindergarten that has been offering the Montessori approach to education since 2009.

Parents of some of those children were interested in continuing to pursue that type of education in elementary school, and the school sought permission from Pasco County to open a charter elementary school.

There are still some seats available at Garden Montessori Charter School.

General information and enrollment details can be found at GMCSWC.weebly.com.

Published July 1, 2015

Chalk Talk 06-24-15

June 24, 2015 By Mary Rathman

Rotary club donates $500 to Lutz Elementary
The Rotary Club of Lutz donated a $500 Barnes & Noble gift card to the Lutz Elementary School media center. The schoolchildren signed a thank you card presented by Julie Hiltz, Lutz media specialist, to Valerie Andrews, president of the Rotary Club of Lutz. Also at the presentation was Mary Fernandez, principal of Lutz Elementary.

Pasco County Schools provide free summer lunches
Pasco County Schools and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and local agencies are partnering for the 2015 Summer BreakSpot Summer meal program.

The program was established to ensure that low-income children receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Meals and snacks are provided at no charge to children ages 18 and younger when school is out for the summer.

To learn more about Florida’s Summer BreakSpot sites and to find a location, visit SummerFoodFlorida.org.

Rasmussen College offers new health sciences programs
Rasmussen College will launch three new health sciences programs including a health and wellness bachelor’s degree, a medical administrative assistant certificate and a pharmacy technician certificate.

All three programs are currently enrolling for the summer semester, starting July 6.

For information, visit Rasmussen.edu/degrees/health-sciences/.

Girls’ robotics camps
Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52, will offer day camps on robotics during July for girls entering grades five through eight, generally ages 8 to 14.

The camps are tentatively scheduled for the weeks of July 13, July 20 and July 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The camp fee of $120 covers the cost of materials, lunch, snacks and a field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry.

For information, contact Monika Kiss at (352) 588-8836, or email .

Summer career camps
Pasco-Hernando State College will offer academic career-themed summer camps for middle and early high school students.

Each camp will run for four half-days, Monday through Thursday, at the East Campus in Dade City, 36727 Blanton Road.

STEAM Career Camp: July 13 to July 16 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Fire Science Career Camp: July 27 to July 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Each camp session is limited to 15 students. Additional camps are available at the West Campus in New Port Richey.

For information and costs, or to register, visit PHSC.edu/summercamp, or call (727) 816-3256.

Pasco students earn merit scholarships
Two Pasco County school students have been awarded the College-Sponsored National Merit University of Central Florida Scholarship.

Lisa Goldsworthy, Sunlake High School, is considering a career in health care.

Emily Suvannasankha, Land O’ Lakes High School, is considering a major in writing.

For information on the National Merit Scholarships, visit NationalMerit.org.

Suellen Smith receives humanitarian award
Suellen Smith, cafeteria manager at Zephyrhills High School, received the Community Humanitarian Award from the Florida School Nutrition Association at the 2015 FSNA Annual Conference in Daytona Beach.

The award recognizes an individual who has applied his or her knowledge and expertise to help others in their community in a humanitarian effort.

Throughout the year, Smith has collected clothing and accessories for students who cannot afford prom and homecoming attire, organized the collection and distribution of new backpacks filled with toiletries, food and basic school supplies, and served as homecoming coordinator.

Smith’s latest project is a student-mentoring program. She also raised $3,500 for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life.

Justin Lyles graduates from Thomas University
Justin Lyles, of Land O’ Lakes, graduated from Thomas University with a bachelor of science in business administration-marketing.

Lyles was one of 285 students receiving degrees during the annual commencement ceremony.

Thomas University is located in Thomasville, Georgia.

Stepping away, after a decade of progress

June 17, 2015 By B.C. Manion

When Katherine Johnson came to Pasco County a decade ago, the educational institution she was leading was known by a different name.

It had fewer campuses, fewer students and a smaller endowment fund, too.

When Johnson came on board, the college was known as Pasco-Hernando Community College and had three campuses.

Pasco-Hernando State College President Katherine Johnson poses with members of the Porter family during a school celebrating the new campus. From left are J.D. Porter, Bill Porter, Johnson, Don Porter and Quinn Miller. (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College) — Pasco-Hernando State College President Katherine Johnson poses with members of the Porter family during a school celebrating the new campus. From left are J.D. Porter, Bill Porter, Johnson, Don Porter and Quinn Miller.
(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

In 2010, the college added its Spring Hill campus, and in 2014, it opened Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

The college also added baccalaureate degree programs in 2014 and changed its name to reflect its four-year degree programs.

During the past decade, the college increased its graduation by 43 percent — a statistic that is perhaps most meaningful to Johnson, who herself graduated from what was then called a junior college.

Johnson continued her education to complete a doctorate and become a college president, but it all began with the opportunity offered at the junior college.

She is passionate about the educational opportunities offered by institutions like Pasco-Hernando State College.

“My father couldn’t afford to send me to college. He was a railroad worker. My mother was a homemaker, and I didn’t have stellar grades. I wasn’t a poor student, but I wasn’t a stellar student, either,” she recalled.

“Sometimes, community colleges are viewed as the red-headed stepchild — that we take any and all (students) — but quite honestly, I think that’s a wonderful mantra.”

She believes that community colleges are sometimes the first option, sometimes the only option and sometimes the last option.

Some students choose to attend a community college because they are on scholarship. Others choose it because it’s their only feasible option. And, sometimes they choose it because they can’t get in any other postsecondary institution.

“We are an open-door institution,” Johnson said.

Besides being an option for students on a traditional path, schools like PHSC offer opportunities for people who are in the work force or who have lost their jobs and need to develop new workplace skills.

“We’ve had to adjust our programs of study, not just here at PHSC, but everywhere due to technology, the changing work force, certainly, the economics, particularly crawling out of this recession,” Johnson said.

Katherine Johnson, president of Pasco-Hernando State College, retires on June 30, after a decade of leading the school. (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College) — Katherine Johnson, president of Pasco-Hernando State College, retires on June 30, after a decade of leading the school.
(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

“People had to learn to be flexible. They had to come back and learn new skills. And, so I think that the nimbleness of our institutions has provided access to perhaps many students who never even thought about coming back to college,” Johnson said.

She uses these three As to describe PHSC’s mission: “It’s accountability, accessibility and affordability. Those three As truly make an equation for success,” Johnson said.

“Those are the three As that I’ve always tried to tie our mission to, so that we don’t lose our way,” she said.

The college is focused on providing educational opportunities.

“Students, students, students – are at the heart of what we do,” Johnson said.

While she has played a visible role in steering the college through change and growth, she is quick to point out that there are many people behind the scenes who have played a vital role in the college’s daily operations, and its long-term success.

As Johnson prepares to leave her post, she’s delighted that the administration building at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch will bear her name.

“I was shocked that that would be a recommendation by the board, and that it would be so warmly engaged and approved by the board. I’m obviously humbled and honored to have my name on one of the buildings at Porter,” she said.

She recalled meeting Don Porter on her first day as college president.

At that very first lunch, Porter told Johnson about his vision for higher educational opportunities for students living in the community. The family’s later contribution of 60 acres for the campus played an instrumental role in making that vision come true,

“Don Porter has to be smiling from up above because this was his vision. This was Tom’s vision, God rest his soul, as well, and certainly Bill and J.D.”

The campus could not have happened without the Porter family, Johnson said.

“We couldn’t have afforded to buy that land,” she said, and she thinks it is fitting that the campus bears the family’s name.

“To know that that gift, for perpetuity, will forever change lives of students is a pretty strong legacy that we’re delighted to have associated with the Porter family,” Johnson said.

Now, the campus serves not only students living in Pasco and Hernando counties, but also students from Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

“We certainly have picked up tremendous enrollment from our sister counties,” Johnson said, noting that the campus is convenient and offers attractive programs.

As PHSC looks to the future, it will be under the direction of Tim Beard, who becomes the college’s fourth president, effective July 1.

Johnson plans to move to Gainesville to join her husband, who has already moved to their retirement home.

She plans to sit out a year because of the state retirement system requirements, but after that, she’s interested in working part-time training potential college administrators through the Institute of Higher Education at the University of Florida.

“I don’t see myself being idle,” Johnson said.

As she reflects upon her life as an educator, she said she’s grateful for both its challenges and opportunities.

She said she couldn’t have asked for a better career.

Retirement receptions for Katherine M. Johnson
Pasco-Hernando State College will host several upcoming farewell receptions for president Katherine Johnson:

Wednesday, June 17
9 a.m., West Campus in New Port Richey, 10230 Ridge Road

9 a.m., West Campus in New Port Richey, 10230 Ridge Road
12:30 p.m., North Campus in Brooksville, 11415 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
4 p.m., Spring Hill Campus in Spring Hill, 450 Beverly Court

Thursday, June 18

9 a.m., East Campus in Dade City, 36727 Blanton Road
12:30 p.m., Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch in Wesley Chapel, 2727 Mansfield Blvd.
4 p.m., West Campus in New Port Richey, 10230 Ridge Road

A decade of progress
During Katherine M. Johnson’s 10-year tenure, Pasco-Hernando State College has:

° Increased its graduation rate by 43 percent

° Increased its foundation’s assets by 50 percent

Added the Spring Hill and Porter at Wiregrass Ranch campuses
Transitioned to a state college offering baccalaureate degrees.

Published June 17, 2015

Students help ‘Lost Boys of Sudan’

June 10, 2015 By Kathy Steele

The Skype call from Salva Dut, one of the “Lost Boys of Sudan” is likely something the sixth-graders at Pine View Middle School will never forget.

Social media for 15 minutes linked two worlds – the one of privilege in America and the other of poverty in South Sudan.

Jackson Hilborn, left, McKenzie Lee, Hannah O’Conner, Destini Randall, and on the front row, Aimee Fuss, all age 12, were among Pine View Middle students who collected money to help the nonprofit Water for South Sudan. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo) — Jackson Hilborn, left, McKenzie Lee, Hannah O’Conner, Destini Randall, and on the front row, Aimee Fuss, all age 12, were among Pine View Middle students who collected money to help the nonprofit Water for South Sudan.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

About 40 students filled the seats in the media center to listen to Dut and ask him questions about his life and his nonprofit, Water for South Sudan.

Pine View Middle was among more than 80 schools worldwide to accept the Iron Giraffe Challenge. The students collected more than $1,300 in donations to aid in drilling wells that deliver safe drinking water to villages in South Sudan.

As one of the top donors, the school was placed in a drawing. The prize was the Skype call from Dut.

Their funds are part of nearly $75,000 collected in total from all schools. The Iron Giraffe is the nickname, given by Sudanese children, to a drill used to bore wells.

“It kind of made me feel good to help people who aren’t as privileged as we are,” said 12-year-old Jackson Hilborn. “I didn’t know much about Sudan. It really helped me learn about other cultures and how they live.”

Hilborn and others in sixth grade language arts classes had read “The Long Walk to Water, “ a book by Linda Park that includes a biography of Dut as well as a fictional story of a young Sudanese girl. They also studied water issues, viewed a documentary on the Sudan and the Lost Boys, and saw the movie, “The Good Lie”, starring Reese Witherspoon.

“We were super psyched about the Skype,” said sixth-grade language arts teacher Chrissy Arrington.

Students delved into a culture they never knew existed.

“They are so in a bubble here,” Arrington said. “It’s opened their eyes where they see how much water they use and what other countries have.”

The fundraising by the students will help many people, Dut said. “You should be proud of yourselves,” he told the students.

He also spoke briefly about his experiences as a “lost boy” and answered questions posed by students.

The “lost boys” were orphans who fled the fighting that overtook their villages during Sudan’s second civil war from 1983 to 2005. Some were as young as age 5. They endured violence and years of hardships at refugee camps.

His story was inspirational to the students.

“He had a rough start to life, but he has changed things to where he’s doing something great,” said 12-year-old Hannah O’Conner.

Dut fled to Ethiopia, then led 1,500 lost boys to a Kenya refugee camp. In 1996, he was among 3,000 lost boys chosen to relocate to the United States. He went to school, found work and became an American citizen.

“The United States was different,” Dut said. “It was a cultural shock for me.”

Adjusting to cold weather was a particular challenge. But the abundance in America also was revealing. “Just going to a grocery store where you can see all the food and eat three times a day was awesome,” he said.

Dut thought all his family had died. But nearly 20 years after he escaped from the war, he learned his father was alive in South Sudan but ill from a water-borne disease. Dut returned home and started his nonprofit to bring clean, drinking water to people who had no access to water.

“I drilled one well. That was that,” said Dut who now has dual citizenship. But “good people” pushed him to do more.

Now more than 257 wells are pumping water to serve about 500,000 people.

“He doesn’t want other people to go through the same thing,” said 11-year-old Destini Randall. “It made us happy that we got to help out and saved people so that they can get healthy.

Published June 10, 2015

Goodbye, Mrs. Fernandez

June 10, 2015 By B.C. Manion

In her 38 years as an educator, Mary Fernandez relied on this simple guiding principle: Is it what’s best for children?

In sorting through the myriad issues and competing interests that a principal faces in the day-to-day work of running a school, that principle provided clarity when making decisions, Fernandez said.

Fernandez joined Lutz Elementary School’s staff in 1993, as an assistant principal.

Mary Fernandez, principal at Lutz Elementary for the past 11 years, retired this week. She was an educator for 38 years. While she’s stepping away from her full-time duties, she suspects that after giving herself some time to relax, she’ll be involved in education again, but not on a full-time basis. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Mary Fernandez, principal at Lutz Elementary for the past 11 years, retired this week. She was an educator for 38 years. While she’s stepping away from her full-time duties, she suspects that after giving herself some time to relax, she’ll be involved in education again, but not on a full-time basis.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

She took over the school’s top post 11 years ago, becoming only just the third principal to lead the school during the past 40 years.

Fernandez took the reins from Gloria Kolka, who succeeded Eulah McWilliams.

The decision to become an educator came early for Fernandez.

She vividly recalls sitting in her fourth-grade classroom at St. Patrick’s Catholic School in South Tampa, looking at her teacher Rebecca Thomas, and thinking: “I want to be her.”

She never wavered from that desire.

Fernandez attended the University of South Florida, graduating in three years, and began her teaching career at St. Lawrence Catholic School, when she was 21.

“I worked there for seven years. It is absolutely amazing the number of children, that are now adults, that I run into,” she said.

Indeed, one of those former students, Dr. Joe Lezama, of the James A. Haley Veterans Administration Hospital, surprised her at her retirement party.

“It was really quite touching.

“He talked about when he was 9 and he came to my class, and he had just moved to the city. He was lost,” she said. But he settled in, and life moved on.

Last year, he came with his children to the school, and when he walked in the door, he asked: “Are you Mrs. Fernandez?’”

She responded: “You’re my Joey.”

“It’s full circle,” Fernandez said.

After teaching at St. Lawrence, she went on to teach at Citrus Park Elementary, under the direction of Principal Virginia Urbanek, who is now deceased.

“What a great, great mentor she was,” Fernandez said.

When Fernandez told Urbanek she was interested in becoming an administrator, she said Urbanek told her: “Just come every Monday morning and sit with me.”

Urbanek was an early riser.

“From 6:30 to 7:30, whatever she was working on, she let me watch,” Fernandez said.

As the day progressed, Urbanek would pop in to tell Fernandez how she followed through on various issues.

When Urbanek opened Essrig Elementary as its first principal, Fernandez joined the school’s inaugural staff.

She took on her first administrative role at Lutz Elementary.

She was attracted to the school because of the community’s hometown feel.

“Lutz is well known for that,” Fernandez said.

“I didn’t want just a job,” she explained. “I wanted to be part of a family and part of a community, and I never left,” she said.

Despite her many years as an administrator, Fernandez said she has never forgotten what brought her into education in the first place.

“I loved being in the classroom, and I loved the children, and to be honest with you, I miss it every single day.

“But I found that by being an administrator, you could really be involved in so many other children’s lives,” she said.

At Lutz Elementary, she said, “We treat children like our own. If this were your child, how would you want them to be treated?”

It means being caring, but she added, “It also means tough love.”

“We just need to love children and take care of them, and I wanted to share that value with other people,” Fernandez said.

During her years as an educator, she’s seen a greater degree of attention being paid to schools at every level — federal, state, local and community.

She agrees that accountability is important, but she also thinks many communities need to do more to help schools succeed.

“The best schools are in communities that support them. That doesn’t mean wealthy, it means communities that support them.

“Lutz is a unique community. Honestly, my wish would be that a lot of schools could feel the connection to their community like we do,” Fernandez said.

And, while technology and curriculum changes, there are some aspects of education that are timeless, she said.

“You have to work with every child, individually. If you don’t understand them personally, it doesn’t matter what program you give them. You’ve got to reach them individually. You have to reach their heart,” she said.

“You have to know their family. You have to know where they’ve come from. Their values. What they’re afraid of. What their goals are,” she added.

“You have to let them know that you care about them.

“And that,” Fernandez said, “has not changed.”

Published June 10, 2015

Chalk Talk 06-10-15

June 10, 2015 By Mary Rathman

East Pasco Realtors giving back
Christopher Shaheen, president of the East Pasco Association of Realtors, will present scholarships to three local high school graduates at a noon luncheon on June 12 at the American Legion Hall, 37745 Church Ave. in Dade City.

The awards will go to Shelbie Elizabeth Pollock, Zephyrhills High School; Joumana Mehrab, Zephyrhills High School; and Samuel Newlon, Pasco High School.
For information, call (813) 783-3794.

Nursing degree information session
Pasco-Hernando State College will have an information session on its bachelor of science in nursing degree on June 15 at 6 p.m., at its West Campus, 10320 Ridge Road in New Port Richey.

The online BSN program provides additional management, leadership, theory and research training to licensed registered nurses.

Advisors and program faculty will provide information on admission requirements and prerequisite courses, available at all five PHSC campuses.

Admission is free. To RSVP, visit PHSC.edu/rsvp.

Interested students must apply for admission no later than July 24 to be considered for the August class. For more information, visit PHSC.edu/BSN.

Free summer VPK program
Primrose School at Collier Parkway, 23021 Weeks Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, is offering a free summer voluntary pre-kindergarten program for eligible families and their children. The program is for those who have not yet used their VPK voucher.

Applications are being accepted. Classes begin on June 15 and run through Aug. 10.

VPK hours will be from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with an hour of rest at 12:30 p.m.

For information, call Angella Hart at (813) 242-7800.

Retirement receptions for Katherine Johnson
Pasco-Hernando State College will host retirement receptions for president Katherine Johnson at each of its five campuses. The upcoming farewell receptions are:

June 17 at 9 a.m., New Port Richey campus, 10230 Ridge Road
June 17 at 12:30 p.m., Brooksville campus, 11415 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
June 17 at 4 p.m., Spring Hill campus, 450 Beverly Court
June 18 at 9 a.m., Dade City campus, 36727 Blanton Road
June 18 at 12:30 p.m., Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd.
June 18 at 4 p.m., New Port Richey campus, 10230 Ridge Road

For information, visit PHSC.edu/calendar.

Summer career camps
Pasco-Hernando State College will offer academic career-themed summer camps for middle and early high school students.

Each camp will run for four half-days, Monday through Thursday, at the East Campus in Dade City, 36727 Blanton Road.

Fine Arts Career Camp: June 22 to June 25 from 9 a.m. to noon
STEAM Career Camp: July 13 to July 16 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Fire Science Career Camp: July 27 to July 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Each camp session is limited to 15 students. Additional camps are available at the West Campus in New Port Richey.

For information and costs, or to register, visit PHSC.edu/summercamp, or call (727) 816-3256.

Middle school math workshop
Sarah Christiansen of Yes You Can Tutoring is hosting her second annual All Aboard! Math workshop June 29 to July 10 at the Historic Atlantic Coastline Train Depot, 32735 Railroad Ave., in San Antonio. The workshop is free and will run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon.

Activities could include team outdoor games, constructing floor plans for a home, playing Derailing the Train (a game similar to Battleship), hearing how to use math in business from a local architect and engineer, and art projects with recycled materials.

Registration is open until June 20 for students in grades five through eight.

For information and a supply list, call Sarah Christiansen at (352) 585-6327, or email ">.

Dade City chamber awards scholarships
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce honored three area students with scholarships for their grade point averages, community service, school participation and essay writing skills. The students were Christian Yann, Courtney Nathe and Camryn Pitts.

The Pasco Education Foundation administered the scholarships.

Student Citizens recognized
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce recognized Student Citizens during a ceremony on May 19. Each month, one student from nine area schools is selected for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their school, family and community.

The students honored were Aaron McHenry, Woodland Elementary School; Devin Echevarria, Chester Taylor Elementary; Victoria Pelfrey, Stewart Middle; Devon Bingham, Heritage Academy; Madison Reidenbach, Zephyrhills High; Roxana Guerra, West Zephyrhills Elementary; Priscylla Peek, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Josie Putney, The Broach School; and Savanna Sanders, Hope Ranch Learning Academy.

Area students earn degrees
Lauren Reid, of Wesley Chapel, graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree of fine arts, visual arts.

Matthew Coakley, of Lutz, graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with a bachelor of art degree from the College of Education.

Samuel Garfunkel, of Lutz, graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University with a bachelor of science degree from the College of Arts and Sciences.

Pasco Tax Collector’s Office raises money for Take Stock in Children
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano announced that $1,081.68 was raised at the five tax collector offices in Pasco County during the month of March for Take Stock in Children.

Take Stock in Children’s mission is to provide a comprehensive program combining the elements of scholarships, mentors and hope to help break the cycle of poverty through education.

The money raised will be used for a six-hour ACT prep class and ACT prep workbooks for the 30 program scholars that will enter 11th grade in 2016.

Stanley Giannet elected to fellowship
Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch’s provost Stanley Giannet has been elected to the Distinguished Fellowship in the National Academies of Practice and the Psychology Academy as a distinguished scholar and fellow.

Distinguished scholars and fellows are elected by their peers for outstanding achievements, and significant and enduring contributions to their profession.

The National Academies of Practice scholars and fellows work together to advise governmental bodies on matters of health care; to influence national health policy and legislation; and to promote quality health care through cooperative advocacy, practice, education and research.

Giannet was provost of PHSC’s North Campus prior to his appointment as provost of the Porter Campus, which opened in January 2014.

‘I’m always up for a challenge,’ teacher says

June 3, 2015 By B.C. Manion

As students head off for summer vacation, Becky Cicione will simply be changing her teaching venue.

The Connerton Elementary School teacher will spend her summer teaching in Pasco County Schools’ science camp for children at Title 1 schools.

“When I do my work in the summertime, it’s an outdoor science camp that’s enhanced by iPads. It’s held through district. We go to different locations.

Becky Cicione helps Alice Clark as she tries to get her electronic device to work. Meanwhile, Matthew Graves tries to work through a mathematics problem. Students at Connerton are allowed to bring their own electronic devices, with a parent’s permission, Cicione said. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Becky Cicione helps Alice Clark as she tries to get her electronic device to work. Meanwhile, Matthew Graves tries to work through a mathematics problem. Students at Connerton are allowed to bring their own electronic devices, with a parent’s permission, Cicione said.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“Every week, I have a new school. I spend four days with those kids,” she said, doing hands-on experiments.

When she’s not teaching the summer classes, though, she teaches fifth-graders at Connerton Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes.

Her favorite age group is between 9 and 14, she said.

“That’s the age group where they start to develop their real personalities,” she said. She enjoys trying to teach them crucial information as they begin to exhibit “that teen attitude,” she said. “I’m always up for a challenge.”

She also enjoys using technology in her classroom to help students learn.

She doesn’t use technology every day because the school doesn’t have enough equipment to make that happen, but she sees its value.

During a recent mathematics class, for instance, Cicione posed a number of questions, which students worked out on iPads, which had been checked out for the class.

Except for some technical glitches, the students worked quickly through a series of problems.

Cicione projected the work and the answers on a board, so students could see the results.

At the same time, the computers tracked the students’ work — giving the teacher a tool she can use to help her pinpoint which students are struggling, as well as to see who is staying on pace or excelling.

She used an app called NearPod that allows her to see and save each child’s response to her questions. She can use the information she gleans to provide immediate support when students need it.

The teacher thinks that her use of technology may have contributed to her recognition by Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet during a spring meeting at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

Cicione doesn’t know who nominated her for the Shine Award, but she was pleased by the recognition.

The Governor presents medals to the recipients throughout the year, to show appreciation for Florida’s exceptional teachers and for their commitment to improving the state’s education system.

Cicione said someone from the state Department of Education called Connerton Principal Aimee Boltz informing her that Cicione had been nominated and asking if the teacher was a worthy candidate.

“My principal (Aimee Boltz) goes, ‘Absolutely,’ ” Cicione said.

“She called me right away. She said, ‘You would not believe this. You have been nominated for the Shine award.’ ”

Then the principal announced it over the school intercom.

“My kids start cheering and jumping up and down.” Cicione said.

When Cicione returned to the school with the medal, her students were excited, the teacher said.

“The kids wanted to see it. They wanted to touch it. They were like, ‘Mrs. Cicione, you have to hang it up.’ ”

She told her students: “This is for you guys because I’m here, for you.”

Now in her fifth year of teaching, Cicione said the award was a shock.

“I kept thinking to myself, ‘I’m so young. I just turned 28.’ ”

Many of the other recipients, she said, had been teaching for decades.

At Connerton, she teaches mathematics and science to fifth-graders.

She thoroughly enjoys her job.

“I just love kids. I love working with them. They take you for who you are. They love you no matter what, and all they want is love,” Cicione said.

She recalls beginning to develop a love for math during second grade.

Her teacher was amazing, she said.

“He just was so kind. He made math so much fun,” she said.

One of the things she likes about teaching math is that it is a universal language.

She’s had students who were still learning English, but their eyes light up when they see that they’re facing math problems, she said.

“They’re like, ‘Ah, numbers. I get it.’ ”

Because math came easy to her, she said she’s been able to find ways to help make it easier for her students.

“I do a lot of small group. I do a lot of one-on-one,” she said.

She also pairs kids up as study buddies, to help each other.

“Kids learn well from each other. In order to learn better yourself, teaching it kind of reinforces those concepts.”

But she’s also mindful that some children are ahead of the curve and need more challenging work.

When she encounters that, she gives those students more difficult work and while they’re busy with that, she’ll use time to give struggling students additional help.

“It’s a balancing act. Every group of kids, it’s different,” she said.

As much as she enjoys teaching, there’s a job she would like even more.

She’d love to give teachers the technology support they need, she said.

“When things break down, we need it fixed right away. I’m very tech savvy. I love to fix things,” she said.

She’d also love to teach teachers how to use technology and to tap into all of the ways it can help to enrich lessons.

“If you don’t have someone to show you the way, you’re kind of lost,” she said.

At one point, Pasco County Schools had positions that were designed to do the kind of work she’d like to do, but those positions were eliminated by budget cuts.

With the increasing use of technology in schools, Cicione thinks that kind of position will one day be restored.

“That’s like my dream job. I know it will come back,” Cicione said.

Published June 3, 2015

Educator says caring is key to helping others learn

June 3, 2015 By B.C. Manion

It doesn’t take a detective to figure out Julie Hiltz’s philosophy of education.

The media specialist spells it out, quite literally, on a sign displayed in the media center at Lutz Elementary School.

Students coming into her domain will see a sign listing six declarations.

Julie Hiltz, a media specialist at Lutz Elementary School, was honored in the spring by Gov. Rick Scott for her work in education. She has worked at Lutz Elementary for 12 of her 13 years as an educator. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Julie Hiltz, a media specialist at Lutz Elementary School, was honored in the spring by Gov. Rick Scott for her work in education. She has worked at Lutz Elementary for 12 of her 13 years as an educator.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“I believe in you. I trust in you. I will listen to you. I care for you. You are important. You will succeed,” Hiltz concludes the list by adding a red heart, followed by her name.

Apparently, Hiltz’s ability to help others succeed has helped her to be successful, too.

She received a Shine Award for her work in education from Gov. Rick Scott, during a spring Florida Cabinet meeting at the Florida State Fairgrounds.

She doesn’t know who nominated her for the recognition, but she believes the award may have been linked to her work as a Teacherpreneur, with the Center for Teaching Quality.

For the past two years, Hiltz has divided her time between Lutz Elementary and the Center for Teaching Quality.

“It’s considered a hybrid teaching role,” said Hiltz, an educator for 13 years.

As a Teacherpreneur, Hiltz has worked with teachers and professional development groups in Volusia, Seminole, Highlands, Lake and Escambia counties.

The hybrid approach gives educators a chance to keep a foot in the classroom and take on a leadership role, without having to leave the classroom entirely to become an administrator, she explained.

The idea is to find ways to keep good teachers teaching by providing an avenue for them to help shape education beyond their classroom’s walls, she said.

“We want to find a way to keep good teachers in the classroom. There’s got to be a way for them to have some kind of additional influence and additional challenges, without saying ‘You need to go into administration,’ ” she said.

In some ways, teaching hasn’t changed much over generations. Teachers go about their day teaching, mostly in isolation, she said.

“We pass each other in the hallway, but we’re not able to get into one another’s classrooms to see people teaching, to find out what they’re doing,” she said.

“As a teacher, you don’t know (that) what you’re doing is spectacular or wonderful. You just assume everybody is doing it,” Hiltz said.

“Maybe they’re just this one step away from being a master teacher. Maybe there’s just one thing, if they added, would take them to the next level,” she said.

The Center for Teaching Quality celebrates effective teachers, encourages them to share their expertise and offers opportunities for growth, she said.

Hiltz said she has enjoyed her experience as a Teacherpreneur, noting that besides working with teachers and professional development teams, the experience also gave an opportunity to broaden her understanding of state funding, policies and regulations.

But after a two-year stint in that hybrid role, she’s ready to return full-time to Lutz Elementary.

She said she wants to use her skills to help both students and teachers.

The use of technology has changed the delivery of instruction, she said.

In her work as a media specialist, she said, “there’s been a lot more emphasis of not just book circulation and literature appreciation, but research skills, accessing online resources, using the technology that they’re using in the classrooms — providing support for that.”

In an increasingly digital world, students take in information differently than they did in the past, she said. There’s also been a shift away from rote memorization and an increased emphasis on being able to solve problems, in multiple ways.

Despite those changes, though, Hiltz believes the key to effective teaching remains the same.

“It goes back to basic relationship building with your students,” she said.

“Early on, I had a mentor who said, ‘Kids don’t care what you know, until they know you care,” Hiltz said.

It’s important to find a hook to engage students in a lesson, she said.

But it goes deeper.

“You’ve got to find what motivates them and why they’re going to care about what you have to tell them,” she said.

“The students in your rooms have different needs. They learn different ways,” she said.

And, while it’s hard to watch students struggle, that’s part of the learning process, Hiltz added.

“They need to know it’s OK to make mistakes. They need to know how to treat each other and, frankly, how to treat themselves,” she said.

Hiltz said she was honored by the governor’s award.

That recognition, however, appears to be icing on the cake for the educator.

“I love my job. I cannot imagine doing anything else,” Hiltz said.

Published June 3, 2015

Chalk Talk 05-27-15

May 27, 2015 By Mary Rathman

Land O’ Lakes Christian students place in national competition
High school students at Land O’ Lakes Christian School competed in the 38th annual American Association of Christian Schools National Competition in Greenville, South Carolina in April.

Four students captured national honors in the fine arts competition, and senior Zeke Hall and junior Tommy Campbell finished in the top six in their preaching categories.

The National Fine Arts Competition winners were Bethany Greene, third place biology testing; Jessica Del Monte, third place, Spanish testing; Sherry Jiang, third place art/calligraphy; and Ruth Zhang, third place algebra/geometry testing.

Mitchell High class reunion
There will be a Mitchell High School class of 2005 reunion on June 6 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., at Jackson’s Bistro, 601 S. Harbour Island Blvd., in Tampa.

The cost of the cocktail reception is $75 per person and includes a three-hour open bar, hors d’oeuvres, sushi bar and a deejay. Also included is a complimentary wristband for an after-party at Backjack’s Lounge and Island bar.

All Mitchell High faculty, staff and alumni are invited.

For information, visit EventBrite.com/e/jw-mitchell-high-school-co-2005-reunion-tickets-13321140891.

Applications are being accepted. Classes begin on June 15 and run through Aug. 10.

VPK hours will be from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with an hour of rest at 12:30 p.m.

For information, call Angella Hart at (813) 242-7800.

Community Awareness Series at PHSC
Pasco-Hernando State College will offer its Community Awareness Series for the summer term. Guests can learn about health and human services programs provided by local agencies in Pasco County.

All sessions last about an hour and will be at the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Upcoming seminars will be presented by Grace Maselli, president of National Alliance on Mental Illness Pasco County on June 11; and Sheri Lawrence, vice president of Pasco Mental Health Foundation Inc., on July 9.

For information, visit PHSC.edu/calendar.

Pilot Club honors Top Dogs
The Pilot Club of Zephyrhills recently honored students from Stewart Middle School as Third Quarter Top Dogs

Students were honored for academics and their leadership roles in the school.

Those receiving recognition were Mitchell Byrn, Brenna Hooks, Gisselle Sierra, Meagan Stringer, Jaralee Resto-Ramos, Shania Spittka, Eleanor Wilkinson and Anna Vanlo.

Saint Leo names vice president of academic affairs
Saint Leo University has named Michael Nastanski as its vice president of academic affairs, effective this summer. He will succeed Maribeth Durst, who is retiring after more than 36 years at Saint Leo.

Nastanski has been with the university since 2002, when he joined as a professor of management and marketing. In. 2005, he became dean of the Donald R. Tapia School of Business, and in 2012 also began serving as associate vice president of international affairs.

Host an international student
Education First Educational Homestay Programs is looking for families in the community to host 14- to 18-year-old high school students from France, Italy and Spain. The home stays would be from July 9 to Aug. 3.

Host families can earn 60 community service hours.

For more details and information, contact Courtney Garth, Central Florida program leader for EF Educational Homestay Programs, at (813) 494-7992 or ">.

For information about the EF program, visit EF.com/ehp.

Church home-schooling ministry
Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church, 2348 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, offers a home-schooling ministry with a weekly co-op at the church, social events and more.

For information, call Becky Hyatt at (813) 417-9329, or email .

Scholarship info for deaf students
Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida Inc., and Deaflinx, an online resource for information on deafness, deaf culture and American Sign Language, are teaming up to provide information on educational scholarships to persons who are hard of hearing.

For a listing of 30 scholarships and grants, visit Vicaps.com/scholarship-information.php.

Land O’ Lakes student captures top art prize

May 20, 2015 By B.C. Manion

For the second consecutive year, a Land O’ Lakes High School student has won top honors in U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis’ Congressional Art Competition.

By winning the competition, Izzie Brown will receive two free airline tickets to Washington D.C., to attend a reception, and her work will be on display at the Capitol building for a year.

Izzie Brown, a sophomore at Land O’ Lakes High School, won Best of Show with this entry in U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis’ Congressional Art Competition. (Courtesy of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis) — Izzie Brown, a sophomore at Land O’ Lakes High School, won Best of Show with this entry in U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis’ Congressional Art Competition.
(Courtesy of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis)

Last year, Trevor Nichols won the honor for a pencil drawing of Coach Kris Keppel, who was suffering from pancreatic cancer at the time. Keppel died on Jan. 25, and the portrait that Nichols did was on prominent display at the coach’s funeral at Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Land O’ Lakes.

The Congressional Art Competition included artworks by students in Pasco, Pinellas and Hernando counties.

Brown won Best of Show for a work entitled “Moods of Izzie.”

Bilirakis commented on the annual contest, in a news release.

“I believe the arts are an important component of a well-rounded education, as they stimulate creativity and innovation while allowing students the opportunity to express themselves in a meaningful way,” he said.

“I am glad to be able to bring this special opportunity to the students in my district,” Bilirakis added.

Besides her artistic pursuits at Land O’ Lakes High, Brown also has her own business called Word Tangles.

That business grew out of an assignment from her eighth-grade art teacher at Rushe Middle School. The teacher asked her to create a portrait of the Jamaican singer Bob Marley, which Brown did — using the titles of Marley’s songs to form his image.

Since then, Brown has created portraits of numerous famous personalities using words or, in the case of Albert Einstein, numbers, to shape the image.

Brown said she hasn’t had much time to devote to her business lately because she’s been quite busy doing the work she needs to complete for her Advanced Placement Art class.

She credits her teacher, Cynthia Smith, for helping her manage her time to meet the Advanced Placement workload requirements.

Brown is looking forward to her trip to Washington D.C.

“My mom will be with me in D.C., for the ceremony,” said the high school sophomore, who plans to spend some additional time in the area for vacation.

After leaving Washington D.C., she’ll travel to the national Future Business Leaders of America competition.

While she still has two years left of high school, Brown is already thinking ahead to college.

At the moment, she’s interested in studying abroad at the University of Oslo.

She thinks that would be her ideal school. However, she knows that the competition will be stiff.

“They only accept 60 international students,” she said.

Published May 20, 2015