The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Chalk Talk 02-18-15

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(Courtesy of Woodland Elementary School)
(Courtesy of Woodland Elementary School)

Super Kids named for February
The Kiwanis Club of Zephyrhills has named its Super Kids for February. Given the recognition from Woodland Elementary School were, from left, Sheyla Del Toro Lopez, Marissa Mesuch, Eric Deyarmin, Ruperto Saucedo-Borja, Fabian Ramirez, Haley Keetch and Kevin O’Toole. The club chooses one student per grade level and one exceptional student education student for good citizenship and consistently following the rules.

Info sessions for Garden Montessori
Garden Montessori Charter School is a tuition-free, public kindergarten through sixth grade school slated to open in August, serving the Wesley Chapel area.

There will be a parent information session Feb. 18 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway.

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

SAT test and strategy session
The Princeton Review practice SAT test and strategy session will be offered Feb. 21 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the Wiregrass Ranch High School cafeteria, 2909 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Students should bring a scientific or graphing calculator and sharpened No. 2 pencils.

Students must stay until the test is over.

The fee for the day is $15 prepay by Feb. 20, and $20 at the door.

Registration forms are available at WiregrassPTSA.org, or can be picked up in the Student Services office.

For information, call Angela Palmer at (813) 388-1556, or email .

Open house at Land O’ Lakes Christian
Land O’ Lakes Christian School, 5105 School Road in Land O’ Lakes, will host an open house Feb. 22 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Teachers and staff will be available to answer questions, classrooms will be open for tours, and the curriculum will be displayed for review.

The school, preschool through high school, offers full accreditation, affordable tuition, character training, college prep classes, and a fine arts and athletics program.

For information, call the school at (813) 995-9040.

American Mathematics Competition
Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo, will offer the AMC 10 or AMC 12 exam for secondary students in grades 12 and lower to take part in the American Mathematics Competition, on Feb. 25 at 4 p.m.

Both exams use multiple choice in which students use algebra and geometry concepts to solve problems.

Participation is free.

For information on the competition, visit MAA.org/math-competitions/amc-1012.

To register, contact Jacci White at (352) 588-8338 or , or contact Siamack Bondari at (352) 588-8279 or .

Relay For Life benefit dinner
The Lacoochee Elementary School Relay For Life team, Lacoochee Eagles, will host a benefit dinner Feb. 28 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Dade City Moose Lodge, 17107 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

The cost of a chicken dinner is $7, and $8 for a pulled pork dinner. The dinner is dine-in or carryout. Desserts will be sold separately for $1.

There will be a raffle, a 50/50 drawing and music.

For information, call Hope Buchanan at (352) 524-5600.

Jeans for Teens drive a success
Students at Long Middle School in Wesley Chapel collected 145 pairs of jeans during the recent Jeans for Teens drive.

Jeans for Teens has collected more than 2.5 million pairs of jeans through Aeropostale and jean drives in more than 12,000 schools.

School choice has begun
The Pasco County Schools’ school choice application period is now in progress.

Parents can access applications on the district website at PascoSchools.org, and click on the school choice banner at the top.

If a student is currently attending a school on school choice, parents do not need to reapply unless their address has changed after initial approval, they reside outside Pasco County, or the student will be moving to the next school level (for instance, elementary to middle, or middle to high).

Families who live in another county and want to request assignment to Pasco County must submit a release from their home county within the open enrollment period.

Applications not fully completed will not be considered.

Requests for more than one child need to be submitted individually.

The application period runs through March 1.

Saint Leo wins diversity award
The HR Tampa Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management named Saint Leo University as the recipient of the 2014 HR Tampa Diversity Award.

The award is given to the HR Tampa member company that has best shown how it values diversity and inclusion in its workplace. Five Tampa Bay region businesses submitted applications.

The university is consistently ranked among the top 100 degree-granting institutions for minority students, and has created two departments focused on international success for its staff, faculty and students — Multicultural and International Student Services and International Programs.

New Wesley Chapel charter uses Montessori method

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When school begins in the fall, a new educational option will be available for parents of children in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Garden Montessori School has been approved as a charter school in Pasco County, meaning that there’s no tuition for children attending the school.

Ella Selover attends the private pre-school that has inspired the creation of Garden Montessori Charter School which will open this fall in Wesley Chapel. Deadline for applications is Feb. 27. (Courtesy of Garden Montessori School)
Lilly Selover attends the private pre-school that has inspired the creation of Garden Montessori Charter School which will open this fall in Wesley Chapel. Deadline for applications is Feb. 27.
(Courtesy of Garden Montessori School)

The new charter has its roots in a private pre-school 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.

“It’s going to continue the Montessori that’s here,” said John Selover, a consultant to the school.

“The genesis of the (charter) school was that a lot of the parents here were very interested in continuing the Montessori method of instruction. Montessori is much more than a method. It’s kind of a culture of its own,” he said.

Darlene Pla-Tschantz, associate education director, said, Montessori focuses on teaching the whole child.

“It’s based on grace and courtesy,” she said.

The children do a lot of hands’ on work, and the work is designed to build on previous work that has been accomplished.

“In terms of the social piece, it is a community involvement,” she said. One of the values of a Montessori education is giving back to the community in which the sits.

“We have permission to open with up to 270 students,” Selover said. It will begin with kindergarten through second grade and will add a grade each year, until its fifth year of operation, when it will reach 540.

One key difference between this school and traditional public schools is that the children will be taught in multi-age classrooms and they have the same teacher for three years.

“We’re meeting the kid where they’re at,” Selover said.

“Everybody knows the child. They have some history with the child. They’re able to really, truly meet them where they’re at,” he said.

Pla-Tschantz explained: “It’s really not teacher-centered. It’s child-centered, with the guidance, of course, from teachers.

Teachers observe children closely and keep good records, to keep tuned into the child’s progress and where they should be, she said.

Teachers look at benchmarks to make sure that children are reaching them and when they’re not, they ask themselves why children aren’t reaching them and they make recommendations on what they can do to make progress.

Besides paying close attention to a child’s progress, there’s also peer teaching.

The school also pays attention to how the children learn.

“Are they visual? Are they tactile? Are they auditory?” Pla-Tschantz said. Or, perhaps like most people, they learn using more than one style.

The school’s charter application was approved for five years.

Applications are being accepted through Feb. 27.

School officials expect more applications to come in than there are slots, so a lottery system will be used to select the students.

Applications are being accepted through Feb. 27.

A site has not yet been acquired, but officials expect that to be done soon.

Initially, the school will use portable classrooms.

Parents can attend a parent meeting on Feb. 18, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, to learn more about the school.

Questions parents have asked at previous meetings include such practical considerations as the start and end times of school, whether there is before and after care and what kind of lunch program is available, Selover said.

The school will follow the Pasco County code of student conduct. It also will serve Pasco County school lunches, providing free or reduced-price lunches to those qualify.

It will not provide transportation, but will help parents who want to arrange car pools.

Parent information session
Garden Montessori Charter School is a tuition-free, public kindergarten through sixth grade school slated to open in August, serving the Wesley Chapel area.

There will be a parent information session Feb. 18 from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway.

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

Published February 18, 2015

Saint Anthony School celebrates historic milestone

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Saint Anthony School, in San Antonio, celebrated a milestone in its history on Feb.9, when the Rev. Robert N. Lynch, Bishop of Saint Petersburg presided over a Mass and dedicated the school’s new building.

“It was just so beautiful,” said Sister Alice Ottapurackal, the school’s principal.

Saint Anthony School held a dedication celebration on Feb. 9 to celebrate the opening of its new classroom building. (Courtesy of Saint Anthony School)
Saint Anthony School held a dedication celebration on Feb. 9 to celebrate the opening of its new classroom building.
(Courtesy of Saint Anthony School)

In addition to the bishop, there were 13 priests and four deacons taking part in the Mass.

“You should have seen the excitement in the faces of the children. I don’t think they ever saw so many priests,” Ottapurackal said.

In fact, there were so many that six-year-old student Kolbe Williams, said, “I couldn’t really count them.”

Eight-year-old Colton Courtade enjoyed the school’s celebration and the picnic afterward.

But he was especially pleased to be an altar boy.

“I was serving with them (the priests). It was an honor,” Courtade said.

Both children and adults alike said they are pleased with the new brick building, which was designed to architecturally match the existing brick building, constructed in 1922.

Some of the new building’s advantages are the larger classrooms, better lighting and improved technology, they said.

“It’s bright and cheerful,” said 8-year-old Catalina Espada. It has more space and is organized well, she added.

First-grade teacher Franchesca Blocher, is delighted with the new building.

“Oh my goodness, it’s awesome. This is my 17th year at Saint Anthony. It is a true blessing to have this new classroom, this new building.

“The children are so excited to be in the classroom. They love coming in every day. I love coming in every day,” said Blocher, who commutes from Land O’ Lakes to teach at Saint Anthony School.

“Having all of the classes together in the same building, it really is very nice. We can travel through the building and see the older children and they can be an example for my students,” Blocher said.

Katie Kenny, 6, said she’s new to the school this year and is really enjoying the experience.

She said she likes her new friends, her teacher, and the new building, too.

Like many of the younger children, 6-year-old Ryan Potthast is impressed by the lockers that sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders have in the new building.

Potthast also thinks it’s cool that the school has an elevator.

Parents are also impressed.

“It’s a dream come true,” said Mary Kay Connor, whose daughter, Meg, is in second grade.

Connor has been associated with Saint Anthony School for 16 years. Her daughters Katie, Anne Marie and Claire already went through their elementary school years there.

The new building allows the school to increase the size of its enrollment from a maximum of 225 to a maximum of 270, Ottapurackal said.

“We still have only one class per grade,” she said, but the larger classrooms can accommodate more students.

It also features a new science lab, Ottapurackal said.

The school serves kindergarten through eighth grade. It doesn’t have early childhood because another Diocesan school nearby offers that, the principal added.

She also noted that the St. Petersburg Diocese’s Forward in Faith Capital Campaign made it possible to build the new building.

Next on the agenda is remodeling of the old building, Ottapurackal said.

The library is now sharing space with the Spanish class, but it will be moved to the old building once that is remodeled.

Once that project is done, the cafeteria, library, computer lab, Spanish, music and art will be in the old building, the principal said.

The old building is being used for art and lunch now, but once the renovation begins, the parish center will be used for art and lunch.

The dedication festivities drew hundreds of people, including former graduates of a school that has served generations of families since its inception in 1883.

It’s a community that takes tremendous pride in the school and is always willing to help, Ottapurackal said.

In fact, on moving day which was held Jan. 6 over the Christmas break, volunteers — including students — stepped forward to help.

“It’s just amazing,” she said.

The school didn’t even have to hire a crew.

“That’s the beauty of this community,” Ottapurackal said. Besides providing free labor, they even brought equipment and boxes to use in the move.

“Even the children were carrying their books,” she said.

She smiled broadly, as she described the day of the school’s dedication.

“We had Mass, then a dedication ceremony outside the building, then right after that an open house and then a reception back in the parish center. Our children had a picnic in the park.

“It was just a beautiful day,” she said.

Even the weather cooperated, Ottapurackal said.

“We didn’t have rain until everything was over.”

Published February 18, 2015

Meet Saint Leo’s new president: William J. Lennox, Jr.

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When Saint Leo University began the search for its next president, it knew it was looking for a star.

Instead, the search committee found three stars.

William J. “Bill” Lennox, Jr. addresses the audience at the Feb. 6 announcement of his selection as the next president of Saint Leo University. He'll start work later this summer. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)
William J. “Bill” Lennox, Jr. addresses the audience at the Feb. 6 announcement of his selection as the next president of Saint Leo University. He’ll start work later this summer.
(Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

William J. “Bill” Lennox, Jr., a retired United States Army three-star lieutenant general, has been named as the ninth president in the university’s history. He was introduced at a campus news conference on Feb. 6. He assumes his new post this summer.

“It feels great,” Lennox said about taking on his new job. “I think it’s an amazing institution.”

Lennox is familiar with Saint Leo University. He served on the school’s board of trustees for six years before deciding to take on the president’s role.

Lennox has been part of the selection process from its inception, but not always in the role of a candidate for the job.

As a member of the search committee, he had turned down consideration before they began exploring other options.

The search committee found very qualified candidates out of more than 100 applications, Lennox said, but when they couldn’t reach a consensus, he was asked to reconsider. This time he said yes.

While running a college is no easy task, Lennox comes to the job with plenty of experience. He previously served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point for five years, an institution where he also received his bachelor’s degree in 1971. As superintendent, he performed similar duties to a president at a civilian college. Lennox believes that experience will help him in his new challenge.

In fact, Lennox sees similarities between the famous military academy and Saint Leo.

“Both of them are very interested in education, but education with an intent in mind, and a values system that backs that intent,” he said. A strong focus on students and a supportive faculty are also characteristics of both institutions, he said.

While Lennox comes to Saint Leo with plenty of accolades, he also has some pretty big shoes to fill.

Outgoing president Dr. Arthur F. Kirk, Jr. is retiring at the end of the academic year after serving in that role since 1997.

Under Kirk’s leadership, the university has more than doubled its student body, more than doubled its degree programs, renovated many facilities and added new land and buildings to its campus.

Lennox steps into the role with admiration for his predecessor’s success.

“I’ve been very impressed with the work Art Kirk has done,” he said. “Art’s a tough guy to follow.”

While he’ll be spending the next few months becoming more familiar with the institution’s financials and other details, Lennox has already identified potential challenges he’ll face when he steps into his new position.

Saint Leo, which has been at the forefront of higher education online programs, is facing stronger competition as more schools increase their presence on the Internet, Lennox said. And, as an institution with a strong military presence with learning centers at various military bases and community colleges, government budget cutbacks will provide new challenges as they serve that market.

Lennox also knows that the university has overcome obstacles in its history, so he won’t have to face them alone. Lennox plans to tap into his staff’s talents to help find solutions together.

“The strength of St. Leo is a culture that the faculty and the staff have come up with some great solutions to those problems in the past, and I want to encourage that and take advantage of that,” Lennox said. “There are some real experts out there and I want to capitalize on their knowledge and their strength in these different areas, and see what we can do.”

Lennox, 65, is at an age when many people consider slowing down, and with three children and five grandchildren he could spend his days in leisure. But it’s not in his nature to be idle. His spouse of 43 years, Anne, is used to him taking on engaging work and putting in considerable energy to ensure his endeavors are successful.

And, he’s ready to continue Saint Leo’s successful path and meet its future challenges head-on.

“I’m going to quote Art,” Lennox said of the university’s retiring president. “He says ‘Our best years are in front of us.'”

Published February 18, 2015

Navigating through today’s ‘Teen World’ isn’t easy

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Being a teenager has never been an easy time, but with today’s technology, poor decisions and impulsive actions can go viral in an instant.

And, with Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter it’s so much easier for kids to get themselves into trouble these days — sometimes with deadly consequences.

Stacie Gavin, Terri Vanderhook and Laura LoPresti organized an event aimed at providing resources and advice to parents and teenagers as they confront the challenges of being a teenager in today’s technology-driven world. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Stacie Gavin, Terri Vanderhook and Laura LoPresti organized an event aimed at providing resources and advice to parents and teenagers as they confront the challenges of being a teenager in today’s technology-driven world.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Teenagers aren’t the only ones facing new challenges in this cyber age.

Parents also have trouble helping their children navigate through their teen years.

To help both groups, Steinbrenner High School’s Parent Teacher Student Association recently held a “The World of a Teen,” forum to discuss challenges confronting today’s teenagers.

A panel of experts covered issues ranging from dating, drugs, alcohol, stress, social media.

They also talked frankly about such topics as sexting and sexploitation, human trafficking, date rape, drug and alcohol abuse, depression, self-mutilation, eating disorders and various kinds of anxiety.

More than 160 people turned out for the event, prompting Laura LoPresti, one of the organizers to remark as she addressed the crowd: “This is obviously a topic of interest.”

The forum offered a safe space for both parents and their children to ask questions.

They jotted them on index cards and LoPresti read them to panelists.

Parents wanted advice about how to keep track of their child’s online behaviors.

It’s a serious issue, said Michelle Gonzalez, a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Parents must monitor what their children are doing online — on whatever kind of electronic device they are using, said Gonzalez, who investigates the exploitation of children on the Internet, including such issues as sextortion and sexting.

Deputy Tony Bennett, who is the school resource officer at Steinbrenner, told parents there are computer apps that can track their children’s computer behavior. He advised parents to contact him and he’d give them a list to check out.

Dating is another dangerous arena for teenagers, said Erica Ruiz, of The Spring of Tampa Bay, Inc.who works with dating abuse prevention and intervention programs.

“One in three or four teens will experience some form of teen dating violence,” she said, noting the violence can be either physical or verbal.

It’s an issue that’s often not on parents’ radar, Ruiz said.

“Take it seriously,” she urged parents.

Cindy Floyd, a licensed clinical psychologist with a practice in Wesley Chapel, said many of clients she sees have eating disorders, body image concerns, depression and anxiety.

Separation anxiety is another issue that teenagers sometimes have as they prepare to leave home for college.

“Are they socially and emotionally prepared for that transition?” she asked.

Parents often are reluctant to talk about drugs and alcohol with their children, said Sonya Bufe, of The Phoenix House, a substance abuse treatment center.

But it’s a necessary discussion.

In fact, parents, in general, need to talk to their children routinely to know what’s happening in their lives, said Ray Hewitt, who also works for The Phoenix House.

Kids often have an entirely different view of their future than their parents have for them, Hewitt said.

It’s important to know what they’re thinking and feeling and the only way to do that is keep the lines of communication open, he said.

While clients struggle with various anxieties, it’s important for parents to know that help is available, said Karan Lamb, a licensed psychologist with a practice in Carrollwood.

“Treatments are very effective,” she said, but if anxieties are left unchecked, they can develop into deeper problems.

The panelists offered a wide range of advice to parents. They talked about signs that can indicate that a child is being bullied. They gave advice on what to do if your child begins to hang out with a kid you think is trouble. They also offered practical suggestions to help parents prepare their children for independence.

Floyd, who has never been part of this type of panel, praised the Steinbrenner PTSA for arranging the program.

“I think it is so crucial for parents and families to be involved in the ins and outs of their teens’ lives,” Floyd said. “When parents are present, it’s just such a different experience for the teenager.”

She was impressed by the turnout.

“There’s some vulnerability that comes with these questions, especially for the parents to be sitting alongside their teen. I think it’s really neat that they were open and reflecting to their teenager — ‘We’re open and we’re capable of hearing about this stuff, so come talk to us.’ ”

She said the theme that emerged from the panelists’ remarks was this: “Get to know your teenager. Be in their life. Know what they’re looking at. Know what stresses them out. Know who their friends are.

“These are kids, so continue participate in their lives, deeply, so that you know if they’re depressed, if they’re anxious, if they’re engaging in something inappropriate,” Floyd said.

Terri Vanderhook and Stacie Gavin, worked with LoPresti to organize the event.

They said their goal was to inform parents about resources that may be helpful and to provide some practical advice as they deal with the daily challenges of raising a teenager.

Lisa Kiev-Chen, who attended the forum with two of her three children, said the panelists provided plenty of food for thought.

Two big things she took away from the event were this: “Talk less. Listen more,” she said.

She said listening to the experts also reinforced her belief in the importance of sharing family meals together, even when the kids would prefer to do something else.

She also was reminded of the importance of bringing the kids into discussions and listening to their point of view.

Published February 18, 2015

Applicants reduce size of proposed Lutz school

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Applicants for a charter school in Lutz have reduced the proposed enrollment for the kindergarten through eighth-grade school, but opponents say it’s still too big.

Charter Schools Inc. of Boca Raton has amended its request for a private charter school at the southwest quadrant of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard.

The public hearing on a request by Charter Schools Inc. of Boca Raton to allow a charter elementary and middle school on 7.4 acres at the southwest quadrant of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard has been scheduled for March 16, marking the fourth time a public hearing date has been set on the request. (File Photo)
The public hearing on a request by Charter Schools Inc. of Boca Raton to allow a charter elementary and middle school on 7.4 acres at the southwest quadrant of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard has been scheduled for March 16, marking the fourth time a public hearing date has been set on the request.
(File Photo)

The proposed charter school, Sunlake Academy, would be developed in two phases.

Initially, the applicant asked for permission for up to 1,020 kindergarten through eighth-grade students.

After significant public opposition, the request has been scaled back to a maximum of 870 students, with 670 students in phase one and 200 in phase two.

The request would be subject to the applicant’s ability to secure the necessary water and sewer permits, and would require an updated traffic analysis before the second phase would be allowed, according to revised conditions of approval provided by Michael Horner, a professional planner representing the applicant.

A public hearing on the application originally was scheduled in December, was scheduled again in January and then again in February.

Now, the hearing date is scheduled for March 16 at 6 p.m., at the Fred B. Karl County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.

In addition to reducing the potential enrollment, the applicant would use staggered start and dismissal times to avoid off-site traffic impacts, would provide substantially greater buffering than required by county regulations, would agree to a number of improvements to facilitate access into and out of the school site, and would meet various other conditions.

The charter school request is facing considerable opposition from area residents.

When a community meeting was held on the issue at a hall across the street from the proposed school site, more than 90 people showed up.

The meeting was primarily an opportunity for those gathered to learn how the hearing process worked and to decide whether they wanted to create a legal fund to fight the project.

After the meeting, the legal fund was created and people took to the streets to circulate petitions in neighborhoods near the proposed school.

Mike White, president and founder of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, who has played a primary role in organizing the opposition, said that the scaled-back plans are still too intense for the location.

Horner said the delay was sought to ensure that the applicant has all of the information needed for the land use hearing master, who decides whether to approve or deny the request.

A number of area residents, community organizations and homeowner associations have gone on record against the request, sending emails to county staff, outlining their objections.

In a Dec. 23 email to the county, Todd Caroline, who lives in Lake Fern Villa, notes that the project would back up to his property line.

“It is already a struggle to get out of our community morning, afternoon and evening due to a poorly built intersection at Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake (Boulevard). Ever since Steinbrenner (High School), Martinez (Middle School) and McKitrick (Elementary School) have opened, it has only gotten worse,” Caroline wrote.

James Lather, another opponent, said the Lutz Citizens Coalition vehemently opposes the application because of the inappropriate size, scope and density of the project for the proposed location.

Area resident Joanne Plazza noted that she’s lived in the area since 1987 and has never objected to any previous project. But, she said, this school would add traffic to an already congested area.

Opponent Sharon Bard, of 22232 Yachtclub Terrace, put it like this: “I am very much against this. I travel Lutz Lake Fern often and the added traffic would be horrific.”

White said opponents don’t object to schools, just schools that are proposed for unsuitable locations.

Published February 11, 2015

 

Sanders Memorial Elementary: Past and Future

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Notifications went out last week to parents of students who have been accepted for the inaugural year of Sanders Memorial Elementary STEAM Magnet School.

Sanders’ roots in Land O’ Lakes date back to 1948.

Gertrude Godwin was known for being a strict disciplinarian, who was devoted to teaching. She’s shown here with her second-grade class at Sanders Memorial Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes. (Courtesy of Andrea Frank)
Gertrude Godwin was known for being a strict disciplinarian, who was devoted to teaching. She’s shown here with her second-grade class at Sanders Memorial Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes.
(Courtesy of Andrea Frank)

The school was closed for a few years, pending reconstruction, but the crash of the housing market stalled that redevelopment.

In August, the school now made up of a combination of new structures and redeveloped buildings will open as Pasco County’s first magnet program.

It will focus on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

Sanders received 1,690 applications from across Pasco County. The school will serve kindergarten through fifth grade and can accommodate 762 students.

While students streaming into the school this fall will be greeted by the latest in technology and new approaches to learning, the school’s history also will be honored through a special display.

Some people don’t need a special display to remind them how the school used to be.

Andrea Macomber Frank is one of five grandchildren of Gertrude Godwin, who taught at Sanders for about five decades.

“Of course, her children, our mother, aunt and uncle went there also,” said Frank, who now lives in Daytona Beach.

Long-time residents of Land O’ Lakes likely recall her grandmother, who was known as a strict disciplinarian, said Frank, who was in the area during the holidays with her brothers, Bruce and Mike Macomber.

“She used to thump people,” Bruce Macomber said.

“She could pinch you,” Mike Macomber added.

Her approach to discipline wouldn’t fit in today, they said, but her devotion to teaching would.

Because she was their grandmother, they had the benefit of learning from her at home and at school.

“She taught me to read when I was 3 years old,” Bruce Macomber said.

Their grandmother had high expectations, especially of them, they said.

“You were always expected to be a little better than everybody else because if you weren’t, the principal didn’t come to you, they went to your grandmother.

“In the ninth-grade, we all went on strike one day because we wanted to have a school dance and they wouldn’t let us have a school dance. So we all sat out by this huge pine tree. There were only about 20-some kids in our class.

“And, all of a sudden I hear yelling out the window: ‘Bruce Macomber, you and those kids get up right now and get back in your class,’ ” he said.

She commanded respect.

“The kids would listen to her,” he said.

She taught generations of families, and when she died, the church was packed with people who came to pay their respects, they said.

They don’t know what she would make of the new approaches that will be used at Sanders when it opens, but they know she would support efforts to provide a quality education for children.

During a news conference, announcing that applications were being accepted for Sanders, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said that the district’s first magnet school makes it clear that the district recognizes the need to offer more educational choices.

“As a district, we know we need to compete for the students we serve,” Browning said, at the time.

Published February 11, 2015

Library dazzles patrons

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It offers new technology and an airy look

Some boxes are still unpacked.

A few books are being catalogued before getting stacked on shelves.

An item or two, such as window blinds, are on order.

An arched window and high ceiling allows for natural lighting to give the new library in Zephyrhills something of a Barnes & Noble feel. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)
An arched window and high ceiling allows for natural lighting to give the new library in Zephyrhills something of a Barnes & Noble feel.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photo)

Outside, workmen are getting ready to pave a parking lot.

Not everything is completely done yet, but the new Zephyrhills Public Library is open for business and humming with activity – in hushed tones, of course.

One recent morning a steady stream of people walked through the front door. One inquired about a book request. Others logged onto computers. Some just wanted a quiet reading nook.

So far, the library has proved quite popular.

“We are getting very heavy traffic,” said Vicki Elkins, director of library and museum services. “We have people coming in that we’ve never seen at the old library.”

The new structure replaces a building that was partially constructed in 1964 and partly built in 1981.

That building was torn down to make way for this new one.

The paved parking lot, when completed, will have a drive-through book drop-off.

Although the library opened on Dec. 30, a grand opening has not yet been scheduled.

“I refer to it as a great Christmas gift,” Elkins said. “We can offer so much more now than we could in the old library.”

At nearly 8,500 square feet, the new library, at 5347 Eighth St., is more than double the size of its predecessor.

Its amenities include a meeting room with a galley, separate teen and children’s rooms, and two study rooms.

The library also will soon have Wi-Fi.

Patrons also will find 16 computers there — twice as many as there were in the old library.

And, they can use their library cards to book computer time. This is especially helpful when the computers are all in use, Elkins said.

When patrons want to print materials, they can preview their order and its cost.

The library’s youngest patrons will find three computers set aside for them in the children’s room.

New books targeted at young readers will be added to the teen room.

Another plus: A local resident donated about 300 books, mostly classics.

In the past, the library had its summer reading program at Alice Hall Community Center. Now it can be in the new children’s room and in the adjoining meeting room.

There also is potential for additional programs, Elkins said.

Nonprofit and community groups have already found out about the meeting room and have begun signing up for it, Elkins said.

The vision for the new library emerged nearly 10 years ago, and the city began setting aside countywide tax revenues from the Penny for Pasco program.

In 2008, the country’s economic downturn prompted a rearrangement of priorities.

“It was put on the back burner,” Elkins said.

As the economy brightened in recent years, some thought was given to renovating the existing library but Elkins said, “It was not in good shape for a remodeling.”

A combination of Penny for Pasco revenues and private donations paid for the $2.2 million construction costs.

The plain façade of the old library seemed out of tune with the historic look of downtown Zephyrhills, so Elkins said architects at Harvard Jolly were asked to review photos of the old City Hall, high school and train station.

The result was a red brick building with a classic look.

Kathleen Munn recently brought her daughter Charlie Hernandez for a first tour of Zephyrhills’ new library. Mother and daughter were going to report back to 10-year-old Lilly Hernandez, Munn’s granddaughter and Hernandez’ daughter.

As a youngster, Charlie Hernandez would check out more than a dozen books a week to take home.

No one loves books more, Munn said.

But she said that old library, even for a book lover, was “old, dark and dank.”

Now Munn can’t wait to return with her granddaughter to the new library.

“This is big and fresh and adds a bit of class to Zephyrhills,” Munn said. “It feels like a Barnes & Noble to me. It’s light and bright and airy.”

Published February 4, 2015

Chalk Talk 02-04-15

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(Courtesy of Chiles Elementary School)
(Courtesy of Chiles Elementary School)

Launching marshmallows in the name of science
Fourth-grade students at Chiles Elementary School in New Tampa researched energy and motion by launching soft projectiles, better known as marshmallows. The team of Khalys Hamm and Victoria Radulescu-Pop took the school’s top honor among the classmates with their version of a Marshmallow Flyer.

School choice began Feb. 1
The Pasco County Schools’ school choice application period began Feb. 1.

Parents can access applications on the district website at PascoSchools.org, and click on the school choice banner at the top.

If a student is currently attending a school on school choice, parents do not need to reapply unless their address has changed after initial approval, they reside outside Pasco County, or the student will be moving to the next school level (for instance, elementary to middle, or middle to high).

Families who live in another county and want to request assignment to Pasco County must submit a release from their home county within the open enrollment period.

Applications not fully completed will not be considered.

Requests for more than one child need to be submitted individually.

The application period runs through March 1.

Info sessions for Garden Montessori
Garden Montessori Charter School is a tuition-free, public kindergarten through sixth grade school slated to open in August, serving the Wesley Chapel area.

There will be parent information sessions Feb. 5 and Feb. 18, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway.

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

Academy at the Farm fundraiser
The Mustang Mad Dash, a 5-kilometer and one-mile fun run, will be Feb. 7 to benefit Academy at the Farm Charter School in Dade City.

The race will start at First National Bank of Pasco, 13315 U.S. 301 in Dade City.

Packet pick-up and late registration is at 6:30 a.m., followed by the 5k race at 8 a.m.

Advanced registration is $35, and $40 after Jan. 30.

Participants should dress up as their favorite Alice in Wonderland character, or create a mad hat to run in.

For information and registration, call (352) 588-9737, visit FriendsOfTheAcademy.org, or email .

Scholastic chess tournament
The Academy at the Lakes Chess Club is hosting a Scholastic Chess Tournament in its gym, 2331 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, Feb. 8 at 1 p.m.

There will be rated and unrated sections for kindergarten through 12th grade. Advance registration by Feb. 4 is $20. Day-of registration is $25 and runs from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Participants should bring a clock and chess set. Concessions will be available.

There will be trophies and medals for the top individual finishers.

For information, email Steve Abrahams at .

‘The World of a Teen’ panel discussion
Steinbrenner High School, 5575 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road in Lutz, will present “The World of a Teen” Feb. 10 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., for teens and parents.

There will be a panel discussion on dating, driving, drugs, alcohol, stress, social media, health, peer pressure and more.

For information, call (813) 792-5131.

Pilot Club honors Top Dogs
The Pilot Club of Zephyrhills recognized its Second Quarter Top Dogs from Stewart Middle School at a recent luncheon.

Students honored for academics and leadership roles were Adriana Garcia, Isaiah Lawrence, Donald Roach, Lindsey Binnicker, Zachary Schneidmiller, Adam Reid, Abigail Sloan, Emily Jennings and Cresencio “Roel” Siller.

For information about the Pilot Club, call Deborah Lincoln at (941) 993-6563.

Watergrass students score first place with essays
The Tampa Chapter, National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution chose Watergrass Elementary School to participate in its premier Constitution Day essay project. Claire Donahue and Riley Cartel received first place awards. Each won a medal, certificate and $25.

Fourth-grade teacher Renee Marsella was awarded a copy of the book “We the People,” and a copy of “We the Kids” was donated to the media center.

The essays were typed and published for the school in a commemorative booklet.

SAT test and strategy session
The Princeton Review practice SAT test and strategy session will be offered Feb. 21 from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the Wiregrass Ranch High School cafeteria, 2909 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Students should bring a scientific or graphing calculator and sharpened No. 2 pencils.

Students must stay until the test is over.

The fee for the day is $15 prepay by Feb. 20, and $20 at the door.

Registration forms are available at WiregrassPTSA.org, or can be picked up in the Student Services office.

For information, call Angela Palmer at (813) 388-1556, or email .

American Mathematics Competition
Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo, will offer the AMC 10 or AMC 12 exam for secondary students in grades 12 and lower to take part in the American Mathematics Competition, on Feb. 25 at 4 p.m.

Both exams use multiple choice in which students use algebra and geometry concepts to solve problems.

Participation is free.

For information on the competition, visit MAA.org/math-competitions/amc-1012.

To register, contact Jacci White at (352) 588-8338 or , or contact Siamack Bondari at (352) 588-8279 or .

 

Saint Leo University hosts anti-bullying event

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Quinton Aaron doesn’t look as if he could ever have been the target of bullies. After all, at 6-feet-8-inches, he is a sizeable presence.

Actor Quinton Aaron brought his anti-bullying campaign to Saint Leo University on Jan. 27, as the university is founded on a core value of respect—one of six core values. (Courtesy of Jonathan Shoemaker)
Actor Quinton Aaron brought his anti-bullying campaign to Saint Leo University on Jan. 27, as the university is founded on a core value of respect—one of six core values.
(Courtesy of Jonathan Shoemaker)

These days, he also carries the added aura of being a charismatic actor who landed a breakthrough role in “The Blind Side.”

The movie depicted the story of Michael Oher, the Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman who was adopted when he was a homeless teenager and went on to become a first-round draft choice in the National Football League.

Life was different, though, Aaron said, when he was a skinny youth, with a big forehead and “binocular” looking glasses.

At that point, the actor said, other students often physically and verbally abused him.

And now, he’s determined that other students not suffer the way that he did.

In 2012, the actor started the Quinton Aaron Foundation to focus on anti-bullying and childhood obesity.

Last week he took his anti-bullying program to Saint Leo University where he spoke to a standing room only crowd of nearly 300 people at the Student Community Center.

His foundation and the university’s Office of Residence Life, as part of its Bully Prevention Lecture Series, sponsored the event.

Aaron, who lives in Pasco County, plans to take his program into local schools.

He’s also promoting a free mobile application – CensorOut – that can block hateful messages from being seen by students on social media sites. It is available to Instagram users, but within a month will also be usable with Facebook and Twitter.

“We want to blast this out to the country,” Aaron said.

CensorOut monitors for pre-programmed and self-programmed words or phrases. If hateful messages are posted online, repeat messages can be blocked from being posted. Parents can receive email notification and the message also will be saved as proof of what was said and who sent it.

“It allows kids to stop being bullied and parents to see what these kids are saying,” Aaron said.

Aaron asked the crowd to load the app and many audience members took out their smartphones and did.

“Anything with social media is a great way to get through to kids,” said Kayla Bryant, 19, who plans to become a public school teacher.

“I think it is amazing that he is using his popularity for such a cause. Most adults don’t want to talk about it,” said Bryant, a sophomore at Saint Leo, who herself was bullied in second grade through ninth grade.

The bullying stopped, she said, when “I stood up for myself. I encourage other people to do the same.”

Dade City resident Lucy Payne brought her 8-year-old son, Dallas Payne, and five foster children to Aaron’s presentation. She is past president of the Pasco County Foster and Adoptive Parent Association.

Children get bullied for all kinds of reasons, Payne said. The clothes that they wear, their speech, or just the way they look can make them targets for meanness, she added. “I see what goes on: It’s getting them past that.”

David Tyler, the foundation’s executive director, collected contact information from people interested in internships or part-time work with the foundation.

Tyler met Aaron two years ago in Tampa. He previously worked for actor Danny Glover.

Aaron and Tyler kicked off the anti-bullying program more than two years ago with a 45-day national tour to 66 cities and 32 states. They focused on high schools and middle schools.

Aaron was able to get students to open up about their problems by telling them about his experiences.

During his middle school growth spurt, Aaron shot up to 6-feet-4-inches, weighed more than 300 pounds and wore size 17 shoes.

He also had moved from New York to Augusta, Georgia, and didn’t fit in with the popular crowd.

His mother frequently visited his school to complain to administrators and teachers that school bullies beat and verbally abused her son.

She enrolled him in self-defense classes, and she gave him advice.

“There’s nothing that kid can say that can hold anything,” she told him. “What you have to do is show it doesn’t affect you because it shouldn’t affect you.”

Aaron encourages people to be proactive in standing up to bullies.

“Be vocal in your school,” he said. “I don’t care if you are called a tattle-tale. I just want ya’ll to protect yourselves and spread the word.”

Published February 4, 2015