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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Chalk Talk-11-26-14

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Pasco Schools honor veterans
Pasco County Schools hosted a district-wide Veterans Day presentation Nov. 11 at the Wesley Chapel Center for the Arts.

Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley joined Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning and district students and staff to honor and celebrate veterans.

The program was to encourage students to participate in the Vote in Honor of a Veteran program.

Supervisor of Elections outreach ambassadors also conducted voter registrations at all high schools the same day.

Statewide poetry contest
The Florida State Poets Association is looking for middle and high school students to enter its 25th annual Student Poetry Contest.

The contest offers cash awards in both the junior and senior divisions.

Winning poems will be published in FSPA’s annual anthology and entered in the national Manningham Trust Student Contest.

Poems must be postmarked by Dec. 1.

Requirement and details can be found at FloridaStatePoetsAssociation.org.

Library of Congress offers free interactive e-books
The Library of Congress is offering students a set of free interactive e-books for tablets.

The new Library of Congress Student Discovery Sets bring together historical artifacts and one-of-a-kind documents in a range of topics from history to science to literature.

Interactive tools let students zoom in for close examination, draw to highlight interesting details, and make notes about what they discover.

The first six Student Discovery Sets are available now for iPad, and can be downloaded for free on iBooks. These sets cover the U.S. Constitution, Symbols of the United States, Immigration, the Dust Bowl, the Harlem Renaissance, and Understanding the Cosmos.

For information, visit LOC.gov/teachers/student-discovery-sets/.

Wiregrass Ranch High lays groundwork for 10-period day

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It’s not official yet, but Wiregrass Ranch High School officials are moving ahead with planning for a 10-period school day.

The Pasco County School Board is expected to vote on the issue in December. But the school can’t wait to start planning until then, because if it did that, it wouldn’t have time to properly plan, school principal Robyn White said.

Wiregrass Ranch High School assistant principal Shauntte Butcher compares the swarm of students passing through the corridors to the traffic jam at State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard at 5 p.m. (Courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch High School)
Wiregrass Ranch High School assistant principal Shauntte Butcher compares the swarm of students passing through the corridors to the traffic jam at State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard at 5 p.m. (Courtesy of Wiregrass Ranch High School)

School officials have looked at other ideas, she added, but the 10-period day seems to be the best approach for dealing with the school’s burgeoning enrollment.

“While that seems to the most feasible and logical solution right now, we have stayed open to other possibilities,” White said. “We have looked at every suggestion that anybody has given. So far, we haven’t come up with anything better.”

By having a 10-period day, the school can provide a less crowded campus for most of the school day, said White, who has been the school’s principal since it opened in 2006.

When it opened, it had just freshman and sophomores, for a total enrollment of 752. As of last week, the enrollment was 2,333. That figure is expected to grow by least 175 students next school year, bringing the total to nearly 2,500.

Wiregrass Ranch High was built for an enrollment of 1,633. It already has 30 portable classrooms to address the overflow.

The 10-period day would work like this: Sophomores through seniors would begin and end the school day at the same time they do now, 7:25 a.m. and 1:56 p.m., respectively. Freshmen begin at 10:18 a.m., and end at 4:44 p.m.

All of the school’s students would be on campus for three periods each day, but that is manageable because roughly 500 kids are at lunch at any given time, White said. The school now has four lunch periods each day, but will need to add a fifth one next year because of the anticipated enrollment increase.

School officials are aware the new schedule will pose some challenges for parents and for students who are involved in after-school activities. Working parents have voiced concerns that they won’t be able to drop off their children at school because of the later bus runs for freshmen.

The school district is responding to that concern by providing all freshmen the opportunity to ride the bus to school. Normally, those who live too close to school do not qualify for free transportation.

School officials also want to work with parents whose children have special concerns about starting and dismissal times, White said.

There may be a student, for instance, who is heavily involved in dancing or gymnastics after school, White said. It may be impossible for that student to attend practice because of the later dismissal.

There are ways to address that, such as online learning for a period or more, to create flexibility for students to continue pursuing those outside interests, while still meeting academic requirements, White said.

In some cases, the parent would have to provide transportation, in others, it may be possible for the student to ride into school late but leave early.

Every situation will be considered individually, White said, with the aim to be as flexible as possible.

By revising the schedule, the school will be able to take advantage of classroom space that frees up when older students are at lunch or have left the campus for the day, said the school’s assistant principal Shauntte Butcher, who oversees the school’s master schedule.

The overlapping schedule allows students from all four classes to be on campus at once, which White thinks is important. She doesn’t want the freshman class to feel isolated from the rest of the student body.

Relief is needed, though. Between classes, the corridors are so crowded that Butcher has likened them to State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard at rush hour.

Even such things as pep rallies get more complicated at a school the size of Wiregrass Ranch, White said.

“Our gym only holds 1,200 seating,” she said. “Right now, when we do a pep rally, like we did last Friday, we have to do two pep rallies. We barely fit in there this year with two. We know next year, we definitely have to go to three.”

The longer school day also will have impacts on athletic practices. For one thing, White is expecting to need to rent portable lights to use for football and soccer practices when it begins to get darker earlier in the day.

To help make sure they are taking a comprehensive approach, a committee meets twice a month to consider the various impacts of a 10-period day. People involved with the planning include teachers, parents and students who have experienced a 10-period school day and those who haven’t, White said.

The idea of using a 10-period day is not new. Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel high schools successfully used the approach before Wiregrass Ranch opened, White said.

Those wanting to find out the latest news also are invited to visit the school’s website at WRHS.Pasco.k12.fl.us, and click on the “overcrowded information” tab.

Published November 19, 2014

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Chalk Talk 11-12-14

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WRHS hosts book fair, fundraiser
The Wiregrass Ranch High School Art Department will host a book fair and fundraiser at Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel Nov. 20 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The event will include drama improvisations, music ensembles, a balloon artist, face painting, free gift-wrapping, story telling and raffles.

To support the school online, visit BN.com/bookfairs Nov. 20-23 and use the code 114653098 at checkout.

Fall fundraiser for academy
New LEAPS Academy in Wesley Chapel will host its first Fall Harvest Fundraiser Gala Nov. 21 at 7 p.m., at Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club, 6225 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel.

There will be food, entertainment, door prizes, raffles and a cash bar. Tickets are $50.

For information and tickets, call Sam Natale at (813) 469-6936, email or .

School teams with mission group to send care packages
Throughout the month of October, families and staff of Land O’ Lakes Christian School and First Baptist Church of Land O’ Lakes donated supplies and grocery items to be sent to military men and women serving overseas for Christmas.

Coordinating with the Military Matthew 5 Missions organization and founder Leslie Futch, more than 130 care packages will be shipped out through GTE Financial Nov. 12 to troops serving in Afghanistan.

Statewide poetry contest
The Florida State Poets Association is looking for middle and high school students to enter its 25th annual Student Poetry Contest.

The contest offers cash awards in both the junior and senior divisions.

Winning poems will be published in FSPA’s annual anthology and entered in the national Manningham Trust Student Contest.

Poems must be postmarked by Dec. 1.

Requirement and details can be found at FloridaStatePoetsAssociation.org.

Concept College receives grant
The Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation recently received a $10,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation to support its Concept College program.

Concept College is an outreach program for high school students who are economically disadvantaged, minorities, teen parents, disabled, migrant, retrieved dropouts, or otherwise non-traditional.

The program is coordinated with Pasco and Hernando County school districts to identify at-risk students.

For information on the PHSC Foundation or Concept College, call (727) 816-3410, or visit PHSC.edu/foundation.

Library of Congress offers free interactive e-books
The Library of Congress is offering students a set of free interactive e-books for tablets.

The new Library of Congress Student Discovery Sets bring together historical artifacts and one-of-a-kind documents in a range of topics from history to science to literature.

Interactive tools let students zoom in for close examination, draw to highlight interesting details, and make notes about what they discover.

The first six Student Discovery Sets are available now for iPad, and can be downloaded for free on iBooks. These sets cover the U.S. Constitution, Symbols of the United States, Immigration, the Dust Bowl, the Harlem Renaissance, and Understanding the Cosmos.

For information, visit LOC.gov/teachers/student-discovery-sets/.

 

 

Auto mechanics class for girls only proves popular

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When Wesley Chapel High School decided to launch an auto mechanics class just for girls, instructor Jeff Corliss thought that maybe 10 to 20 girls would sign up.

Instead, so many females expressed an interest that the school set up two sections of the class.

Students in the auto I at Wesley Chapel High School say that enjoy learning about the basic maintenance of cars because they want to be better equipped when they shop for cars or have one repaired. Some taking part in the class are, from left, Bridget Robinson, Rayah Reitnauer, Caitlyn Gaffney, Brittany Buchanan, Savannah Sweet and Clarissa Hagen. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Students in the auto I at Wesley Chapel High School say that enjoy learning about the basic maintenance of cars because they want to be better equipped when they shop for cars or have one repaired. Some taking part in the class are, from left, Bridget Robinson, Rayah Reitnauer, Caitlyn Gaffney, Brittany Buchanan, Savannah Sweet and Clarissa Hagen. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“It kind of spread like wildfire through word of mouth,” said Corliss, who leads the school’s Academy of Automotive Technology. He and Brad Odell, the school’s other automotive instructor, teach the two all-female auto mechanics classes.

“I’m teaching the same things as I would teach the boys in auto I, but I put a different spin on it,” Corliss said.

The emphasis of the class, also known as the Lady Wildcat Pit Crew, is on how to handle roadside emergencies, how to maintain a car at home, and how to choose a new or used car, he said.

The girls recently learned how to do an oil change. On Nov. 5, they practiced what they had learned by doing an oil change on a car that belongs to Corliss’ wife.

As the students prepared to do the oil change, the girls did the routine checks that are done at a garage when a car comes in for an oil change. They checked the fluid levels, the belts, the tire pressure and tread.

As they went along, Corliss stopped them occasionally to share some tips. When filling a coolant reservoir, for instance, Corliss recommends turning the coolant bottle sideways, instead of tilting it forward, to prevent unwanted spills.

He also offered reminders about signs of wear on belts and tire tread.

The girls appeared to be taking everything in. They weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty, either.

Corliss hopes the class will give the girls information they can use for life. He wants them to know what to do if they wind up stranded by the side of the road.

He also wants to equip them with knowledge to help them when they’re having their car repaired, or they’re purchasing a new or used car.

“I was young the first time I went to a car dealership, and I probably got taken advantage of just as much as anybody else,” Corliss said.

To help counter that, he plans to invite a used car manager and a new car manager to come to the school to present lessons on the ins and outs of buying a car.

“What should you be looking at? What kind of repairs will this car need? Is it worth the asking price?” Corliss said. “When I go looking at a used car, I already know what it’s going to cost to fix it. I’ve got that as a bargaining chip. I want to give that to the kids, too.”

At a repair shop, he said, it’s easy to be intimidated by a lack of knowledge. He offers this advice: “I would ask to see the part and have them explain to you why you need to spend that money. Don’t just take their word for it.”

“Have them explain in detail,” Corliss added. Be wary of people who use vague terms and who can’t explain why a part no longer works.

In some cases, it’s worth getting a second opinion, even if that requires paying for another diagnostic test. “Have them explain in detail, what does that actually mean?” he said.

The girls usually are in class three days a week, and are in the shop two days a week. If something especially interesting is going on in the shop, Corliss said he has the flexibility to rearrange his class schedule so the girls can take a look.

For many of the girls, the class may be their only exposure to the world of auto mechanics. But for others, it could be the start of a new career path.

“If they want to use this as jumping-off point they can,” Corliss said. “They can move on through the rest of the academy.”

Rebecca Jarke, the assistant principal who oversees the academy, said she’s happy that the school has launched this class.

“On so many levels, it’s just empowering for girls,” Jarke said.

After taking the class, the girls will be better equipped to go to a repair garage or a car dealership and “talk the talk,” Jarke said, because they’ve had a chance to develop knowledge.

“It’s a safe learning environment,” she said. “It levels the playing field for them to be able to ask questions, and learn the skills necessary to be able to talk about cars and have those conversations without feeling intimidated.”

The class also may enable some students to discover a career path they may not have otherwise considered, Jarke said.

Students give the class good marks. Caitlyn Gaffney, 16, said she wanted to take the class to learn basic car knowledge skills.

“I figured I could come here and learn the skills I needed, in case I were to break down on the side of the road,” she said.

She feels confident she’ll learn that in her class.

“Mr. Corliss, he’s a pretty good teacher,” Gaffney said.

Brianna Proctor, 16, said she’s learned quite a bit in the class, and is gaining confidence in her knowledge.

“I didn’t know about cars before,” she said.

People always think boys know more about cars than girls, Proctor said. With what she is learning, however, she thinks she may be able to work on her own car one day.

Freshman Abigail Monticco said her grandfather used to work for Ford, so she had a natural interest in the class. The class was appealing, she said, because she wants to know the basics. She also likes the idea of being able to know whether someone is trying to rip her off.

Beyond all that, the 14-year-old said she enjoys the other students in the class and the feeling of family they share.

“It’s fun,” Monticco said. “We all love Corliss.”

Published November 12, 2014

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Chalk Talk 10-29-14

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Jeff Borden
Jeff Borden

Saint Leo University announces new vice president
Jeff D. Borden is the new associate vice president for Teaching and Learning Innovation at Saint Leo University.

His appointment is effective on Nov. 7.

“Jeff will be an incredible asset to Saint Leo,” Arthur F. Kirk Jr., president of Saint Leo University, said in a release announcing the appointment. “For two decades, he has focused on trying to transform higher education. He has proven himself to be a forward-thinking innovator, and his efforts will help shape our institution’s future initiatives.”

Before joining Saint Leo University, Border spent 12 years in management positions with Pearson Education, the world’s leading learning company. Most recently, he was vice president of Instruction and Academic Strategy.

HCPS information sessions
Hillsborough County Public Schools will offer information sessions for its program to attract and train high quality teachers for students with disabilities, and for the Science and Mathematics Accelerated Readiness program for teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Both sessions are Oct. 30 at 6 p.m., at CareerSource Tampa Bay, 9215 N. Florida Ave., Suite 101, in Tampa.

For information, call (813) 840-7032, or visit Path.mysdhc.org or Smart.mysdhc.org.

Bishop McLaughlin open house
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic School, 13651 Hays Road in Spring Hill, will host an open house Nov. 2 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

There will be family tours, and individuals can sign up for shadow dates.

Step-Up scholarships are accepted.

For information, call (727) 857-2600, or visit BMCHS.org.

Rushe Middle chili cook-off
Rushe Middle School, 18654 Mentmore Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, will host a chili cook-off Nov. 3 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Guests can sample mild to hot chili served by teachers and staff members, the PTSA and school resource officers.

There also will be live music.

Donations will be accepted at the door to support the Rushe Junior Justice Club.

For information, call Chris Snyder at (813) 346-1200.

Learn more about Academy at the Lakes
Academy at the Lakes, 2331 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, is hosting coffee and conversation groups for anyone interested in learning more about the school. All sessions are from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

  • Nov. 3 at 10:30 a.m., at The Lodge at Wilderness Lake Preserve, 21320 Wilderness Lake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes
  • Nov. 10, Grand Hampton Clubhouse, 8301 Dunham Station Drive in Tampa

For information, call Luci Ward at (813) 909-7919.

WRHS hosts marching championships
Wiregrass Ranch High School, 2909 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, will host the Wiregrass Ranch Marching Music Regional Championship Nov. 8, at its stadium.

There will be vendors and food concessions. All proceeds will benefit the WRHS marching band.

Admission is $15. Children 5 and younger are free.

For information, email .

Rushe mystery book reveal
Rushe Middle School’s We Be Book’ n book club will reveal the mystery book that will be used for its schoolwide reading incentive Nov. 11 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Barnes & Noble at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28152 Paseo Drive, Suite 100, in Wesley Chapel.

Students will be led through a scavenger hunt at the store to find clues to the final reveal.

For information, call Linda Cobbe at (813) 794-2717 or (813) 361-8349.

October student citizens honored
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce recognized October Student Citizens at a recent ceremony for their exemplary effort, achievement, and contribution to their school, family and community.

Students honored were Madison Tyner, Heritage Academy; Shaune Xavier Hamilton, West Zephyrhills Elementary School; Marlon Farr, Zephyrhills High School; Chandler Ross, The Broach School; Samantha Hines, Stewart Middle School; Jaedyn Seigler, Woodland Elementary School; Sommer Engh, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Patricia Hansen, Taylor Elementary School; and Caleb Salings, The Monarch School.

A doctor, a dean, and a determination to help others

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Some people take years into their adult life to figure out what career they want to have. But Dr. O. John Maduko, academic dean at Rasmussen College in Land O’ Lakes, always knew what he wanted to be when he grew up.

It wasn’t a job at a college. He wanted to be a doctor.

Dr. O. John Maduko enjoys his position as academic dean at Rasmussen College in Land O’ Lakes, but family is never far from his mind. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Dr. O. John Maduko enjoys his position as academic dean at Rasmussen College in Land O’ Lakes, but family is never far from his mind. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“At an early age I just knew what I wanted to be, to go into medicine,” he said.

And that’s exactly what Maduko — now O. John Maduko, M.D. — became. And if not for some life-changing events, he might still be practicing to this day.

But when his fiancée Amanda was pregnant with their son, she developed a condition that prevented the use of her right arm and required surgery. Knowing she needed help caring for their child, and realizing that a 90-hour workweek wouldn’t be conducive to an ideal family life, Maduko left the rigors of the medical field for a career in academics where he helps others find and improve their career paths.

It might sound difficult to leave a position you love and had worked so hard to achieve. But for Maduko, it wasn’t a tough decision at all.

“It was easy because it was my wife and it was my son,” he said. “So it was a no-brainer.”

Family always has been a big part of Maduko’s life. A first-generation American hailing from California, his Nigerian-born parents set down rules from their hard-working culture that he and his younger siblings would follow growing up. That was to live life to the fullest, but always aspire to be educated and informed.

Expectations are high, and there’s no time for making excuses or becoming complacent. And when challenges occur, you face them and continue moving forward.

But while he’s moving forward with a career outside the medical field, Maduko hasn’t exactly hung up his stethoscope for good. You never stop being a physician, he said.

Maduko is involved in programs like Doctors Without Borders, a humanitarian organization that provides care and assistance in parts of the world that need it the most. He pursues efforts to improve medical conditions in Latin America and West Africa, and has future plans with his brother — also a medical doctor — to be involved in health care in the Tampa area.

Now, five years after leaving the medical field, he’s found a home with Rasmussen as academic dean at the East Pasco campus. But if that sounds like a radical departure from his chosen career, it actually has many similarities, Maduko said. He’s able to use his knowledge and expertise to help people find solutions to problems, provide valuable advice, identify paths to success, and search for ways to improve their quality of life.

But instead of possibly seeing a patient once, Maduko can now foster longer-lasting relationships with students.

Sometimes that means having difficult conversations. Like a medical professional dealing with patients, an academic dean needs to be able to provide honest assessments of a situation and outline realistic options and consequences. But, also like a medical professional, it needs to be done in a way that’s respectful and empowering.

“The key is to give them hope, to maintain their dignity, to give them respect, to be transparent,” Maduko said. “You never want to sugarcoat it, but at the same time, you want to inform in the way that at least they can take hold of what’s going on.”

While he helps students face and overcome challenges, Maduko’s had a few of his own. His wife regained function in her arm and they now have a 2-year-old daughter, Giuliana. But his son, Giovanni, now 4, was diagnosed with autism.

Like his father, Giovanni is growing up in a focused home where everyone is expected to accomplish as much as they can, with plenty of hard work and without excuses. And he’s rising to the challenge. Giovanni is on the high-functioning side of the spectrum, has a growing vocabulary, is adapting well to school, and is learning to express himself.

Maduko is motivated by his son’s drive and what he’s been able to accomplish.

“I look at him and he is an inspiration to me every day, because he doesn’t know anything else but to learn something, do his best, try and master it, and try to learn something else,” he said.

Maduko also is motivated to see what students and the college can accomplish together. He served as health science chair at Rasmussen’s Ocala campus before transferring to Land O’ Lakes to become academic dean about a year ago. Maduko was impressed with Rasmussen’s philosophy to empower its staff, allowing faculty to seek opportunities to improve the current way of doing things instead of simply adhering to whatever procedures are in place.

“They’re very innovative in terms of what can we do to improve our processes, improve the experience for students,” he said.

Part of improving that experience is interacting with those students and helping them find a successful path that works for their life situation and career goals. And when he speaks to them, Maduko uses the same philosophy he learned growing up, and the same mindset that has been successful with his own family: Don’t give up, and don’t stop moving forward.

“I tell students and I tell loved ones that I can’t promise you the win, I can’t promise you how much and I can’t tell you how tough the road is going to be,” Maduko said. “But I can promise you that if you put your hard work and your will and your dedication into something, you will reap the benefits.”

Published October 15, 2014

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Chalk Talk 10-15-14

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Learn more about Academy at the Lakes
Academy at the Lakes, 2331 Collier Parkway in Land O’ Lakes, is hosting ‘coffee and conversation’ groups for anyone interested in learning more about the school.

All sessions are from 10:30 a.m. to noon at these locations:

• Oct. 27, Seven Oaks Community Center, 2910 Sports Core Circle, in Wesley Chapel

• Nov. 3, The Lodge at Wilderness Lake Preserve, 21320 Wilderness Lake Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes

• Nov. 10, Grand Hampton Clubhouse, 8301 Dunham Station Drive in Tampa

For information, call Luci Ward at (813) 909-7919.

HCPS information sessions
Hillsborough County Public Schools will offer information sessions for its PATH program for teaching students with disabilities, and its SMART program for teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Both sessions are Oct. 30 at 6 p.m., at CareerSource Tampa Bay, 9215 N. Florida Ave., Suite 101, in Tampa.

For information, call (813) 840-7032, or visit Path.mysdhc.org or Smart.mysdhc.org.

Bright Ideas STEM contest
Bright House Networks is looking for students in the Tampa Bay area who are at least 14 years old by Oct. 31, to enter its Bright Ideas STEM contest.

Using STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — students must dream up the coolest inventions to make life, the community, or even the world, a better place.

The contest ends at 9 p.m., Oct. 31. Online voting is Nov. 3-13, and judging will be Nov. 14-Dec. 5. Finalists will be announced Dec. 15.

The best ideas from each of six Bright House Networks service areas nationwide will compete head-to-head on TV in front of a studio audience in Orlando.

The winner will have a chance to work with a leading innovation firm to make his or her idea a reality.

Registration is free.

For details, visit BrightHouse.com/brightideas.

Bishop McLaughlin open house
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic School, 13651 Hays Road in Spring Hill, will host an open house Nov. 2 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

There will be family tours, and individuals can sign up for shadow dates.

Step-Up scholarships are accepted.

For information, call (727) 857-2600, or visit BMCHS.org.

Rigberg named Chef of the Year
Land O’ Lakes High School has announced that Chef Michael Rigberg was named Chapter Chef of the Year by the local ACF Tampa Bay Culinary Association.

The American Culinary Federation promotes the professional image of American chefs worldwide through education among culinarians at all levels, from apprentices to certified master chefs.

Rigberg has also been elected to chapter president with a two-year term beginning Oct. 15, 2014.

Rigberg’s local honor follows his July induction into the American Academy of Chefs. That ceremony took place at the American Culinary Federation National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. It’s an honor bestowed to men and women who have distinguished themselves in the culinary arts.

September Citizens of the Month
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce has congratulated the September Citizens of the Month.

The students selected were Gabriel Sabella, Academy at the Farm; Amiliah Isaac, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Catherine Beard, Saint Anthony School; Jesssenia Mahamud, Centennial Elementary; Stephanie Alejo, Lacoochee Elementary; Jayden Parsons, Pasco Elementary; Esmeralda Nunez, Cox Elementary; Michael Coats, San Antonio Elementary; Paige Miller, Centennial Middle; Rosa Cruz Madrid, Pasco Middle; Christopher Brand, James Irvin Education Center; Julian Lopez, Moore-Mickens Education Center; and Conner Harm, Pasco High.

ZHS class reunion
The Zephyrhills High School Class of 1974 will have its 40th reunion Oct. 17-18. For information, call Brenda Kendrick Downie at (863) 816-4798, or visit ZHSCLassof1974.weebly.com.

PHSC receives Special Contribution Award
Pasco-Hernando State College was honored with a Special Contribution Award at the Pasco Economic Development Council’s 28th Annual Industry of the Year Awards Banquet.

Pasco EDC recognizes local companies that exhibit exemplary growth in technology, innovation, job creation, capital investment and community service.

PHSC celebrated a record year in 2014 with the completion of construction of the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch totaling $59.3 million in capital investment, and the announcement of offering four-year degrees.

National Manufacturing Day observed
As part of National Manufacturing Day, 3,000 students from 35 counties toured 95 high-tech manufacturing facilities across the state on Oct. 3.

Students in Pasco and Hernando counties toured 11 high-tech facilities in the region, including Accuform Signs, Aircraft Tooling and Design, Alumi-Guard, Cal-Maine Foods, Intrepid Machine, Mary Lame Wrought Iron, PharmaWorks, Seaway Plastics, Southeast Bottling Company, Topline Energy Systems and Huff Carbide Tools.

The tours offer students a chance to expand their knowledge about and learn about  high-tech careers and opportunities associated with manufacturing.

Bikes serve as reading incentives
Gary Cucchi, owner of Horance Mann Insurance Agency, delivered bicycles to a number of schools, including Chester Taylor Elementary School in Zephyrhills, as part of a reading incentive program.

One boy and one girl from the school will be selected to receive a new bicycle in the second semester.

Taylor Elementary is just one of 15 Pasco County schools Cucchi delivered bikes to.

Library of Congress offers free interactive e-books
The Library of Congress is offering students a set of free interactive e-books for tablets.

The new Library of Congress Student Discovery Sets bring together historical artifacts and one-of-a-kind documents in a range of topics from history to science to literature.

Interactive tools let students zoom in for close examination, draw to highlight interesting details, and make notes about what they discover.

The first six Student Discovery Sets are available now for iPad, and can be downloaded for free on iBooks. These sets cover the U.S. Constitution, Symbols of the United States, Immigration, the Dust Bowl, the Harlem Renaissance, and Understanding the Cosmos.

For information, visit LOC.gov/teachers/student-discovery-sets/.

Estabrook’s knack for collaboration receives honor

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As an educator, Dave Estabrook was known for his ability to look at issues from various vantage points and collaborate with others to solve problems and help people thrive.

On Oct. 2, his contributions to education and to the Land O’ Lakes community were honored at a ceremony to dedicate the first phase of the David R. Estabrook Center for Collaboration at Charles S. Rushe Middle School on Mentmore Boulevard in Land O’ Lakes.

Dave Estabrook, an educator for 35 years, is honored for his many contributions to Pasco County Schools and the Land O’ Lakes community. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
Dave Estabrook, an educator for 35 years, is honored for his many contributions to Pasco County Schools and the Land O’ Lakes community. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Rushe principal David Salerno, who followed in Estabrook’s footsteps at two points in his career, described Estabrook’s leadership style.

“Immediately, I observed a leader who made it his mission to seek input from many stakeholders — as many stakeholders as possible — when making decisions,” he said. “Not only that, he specifically sought out people that he thought may have a different point of view. He believed in the importance of considering all aspects of problems before recommending a solution.”

Estabrook hired Salerno to be an assistant principal at Pine View Middle School after Estabrook moved up to become the school’s principal. Salerno would later follow Estabrook as principal of Rushe.

“I learned from him that the best way to effectively collaborate, to bring about a meaningful change, is to build strong relationships centered on both communications and trust,” Salerno said.

The ceremony to honor Estabrook was carried over the school’s closed-circuit television. Superintendent Kurt Browning, Assistant Superintendent Ray Gadd and Chief Financial Officer Olga Swinson were there. So was school board member Joanne Hurley.

Estabrook’s wife Lori, his daughter and son-in-law Mallory and Chris Mullis, and Lori’s daughter and son Amy Harris and Geoff Hartwig, were there, too.

The ceremony marked the dedication of the David R. Estabrook Center for Collaboration.

“This is quite an honor,” Estabrook said. “It was quite an honor to be the first principal of Rushe Middle School, too. It was truly significant serving in a school that was named after someone who was just an outstanding leader — Chuck Rushe — and a friend of mine, as well.”

Opening and managing a school presents many kinds of challenges, Estabrook noted.

“We worked through them and worked collaboratively, and made this a great school. And it continues to be a great school under Principal Salerno’s leadership,” he said. “Collaboration, to me, is not exclusive to just adults. It should be incorporated into the teaching and learning process.”

Salerno said it is fitting that Rushe’s media center be renamed in Estabrook’s honor because the retired educator was a master at collaboration.

In keeping with his desire to help others to grow and thrive, Estabrook and his family donated $19,000 to help create the center for collaboration that now bears his name. The Pasco Education Foundation matched that gift.

Helping students collaborate with each other is precisely what the new center aims to do, Salerno said.

“About a year ago, we decided we wanted to do something with collaboration and technology,” he said. “We received input from teachers, students and parents, and the overwhelming consensus is that we wanted to make sure that we increased technology and made sure that we have students collaborate.”

Many people remember the old school library, Salerno said.

“In those school libraries, it often was forbidden to utter a sound,” he said. “You were hushed and sent to the principal’s office. You found yourself sent back to class.

“Fast-forward to today, where our goal is to see places like this, and it’s alive with learning.”

The goal is for students to lead study groups, Salerno said, and use technology to help them research real-world issues. The center now has collaboration stations that are equipped for students to work together to tackle a variety of challenges.

They can go to websites and use different apps to develop various skills. For instance, there’s a Crime and Puzzle app that aims to help them learn to make inferences, to form a hypothesis, and to analyze evidence.

Other learning opportunities focus on improving vocabulary and grammar skills, and becoming skillful of supporting each other’s efforts. They also are given opportunities to develop their research skills through challenges that go beyond reading from a single source.

The center is just in its first phase, Salerno said. He expects to add more equipment later, as funding allows.

He envisions a place where students want to visit, not just during class, but before and after school.

He pictures it as being a place that welcomes students to gather — kind of like having a Starbucks or a Barnes & Noble on campus — but without the snacks and coffee.

Published October 8, 2014

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New bus stop at Porter campus adds transportation options

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A new bus stop at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch has provided another transportation option for students attending the Pasco-Hernando State College, and staff members working there.

This sign lets potential passengers know there’s a bus stop nearby. Pasco County Public Transportation has added a stop at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, giving students and faculty at Pasco-Hernando State College another transportation option. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
This sign lets potential passengers know there’s a bus stop nearby. Pasco County Public Transportation has added a stop at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, giving students and faculty at Pasco-Hernando State College another transportation option. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Pasco County Public Transportation added the stop, effective Sept. 29, in a loop near the college’s parking garage. The satellite campus opened in Wesley Chapel last January.

The bus route runs along the State Road 54 corridor. Buses stop at the campus every two hours, from 8:07 a.m. to 6:07 p.m. Students riding the bus are eligible for discount fares and passes when they produce a valid PCPT photo identification card.

The bus stop features a covered shelter where riders can wait.

“This is a wonderful addition to the Pasco County Public Transportation system,” PCPT director Mike Carroll said, in a release. “I encourage students who use the campus to consider using the bus service as their main way to commute to school.”

Students who catch the bus will save money on gas and transportation costs, he said.

Cross County Route 54 also includes stops in Zephyrhills, Shops at Wiregrass, The Grove, the Target Shopping Center and Medical Center of Trinity.

Porter Campus provost Stan Giannet said the college appreciates PCPT’s decision to include a bus stop there.

“We have received inquiries from students about the bus stop, and based on these inquiries, current enrollment and future enrollment projections, we believe that the location will be utilized by a good number of students,” Giannet said.

The campus began its fall semester with an enrollment topping 2,100 students, an increase of nearly 300 students over its initial enrollment in January.

Published October 8, 2014

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Free seminars about county services aim to educate, motivate

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With so many different agencies providing services throughout Pasco County, figuring out exactly what each one offers can be confusing.

But the Community Awareness Series at Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch aims to make things easier to understand with free lectures that focus on different service providers.

Sonia Rodriguez, associate dean at Pasco-Hernando State College, put together a series of free seminars providing information about community-based organizations and agencies. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Sonia Rodriguez, associate dean at Pasco-Hernando State College, put together a series of free seminars providing information about community-based organizations and agencies. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

The six-part series began with a presentation by Pasco County Community Services on Sept. 5, and continued with the Florida Department of Health on Sept. 19.

The next seminar will take place Oct. 10, focusing on the Sunrise Domestic and Sexual Violence Center, followed by the American Cancer Society on Oct. 24. Veterans Services Pasco County and the Coalition for the Homeless of Pasco County will round out the series in November.

The series helps satisfy one of the college’s strategic goals of increasing awareness in the community, PHSC associate dean Sonia Rodriguez said.

“Most institutions are microcosms of their environment, and there are a lot of agencies and information out there that people don’t know about,” she said. “Or they have a situation going on where they don’t know where to seek help or find an avenue in which to help someone else.”

Rodriguez has been with the college for 20 years, and was involved with a similar program on their north campus in Brooksville. Attendees often are people who not only want to learn about the specific services each agency offers, she said, but also find out how they might be able to volunteer time or donate to their cause.

The room is set up to hold 60 people, and it was around half-full for the first presentation. Rodriguez considers that a good start. She believes that more people will attend later events as word gets out, and as certain topics generate more interest. The second presentation attracted around 35 people.

She picked the agencies with members of her staff, choosing the ones she thought would be of interest to the community. As the series progressed in Brooksville, different agencies would ask to be featured, providing more topics and covering a wider variety of services.

The popularity grew until it became a weekly series, and Rodriguez hopes to see the Wiregrass Ranch campus offerings to eventually grow to that level.

While she wants to see as many people take advantage of the Community Awareness Series as possible, Rodriguez said the people who might utilize the services directly might not be the ones actually attending the seminars. While unwanted pregnancy and domestic violence issues exist in the county, for example, those topics are unlikely to draw the individuals involved with them.

“The people who need it the most are the people that you probably can’t get to come to something,” Rodriguez said. Instead, individuals who know someone in need might be the ones in attendance.

The college also encourages its faculty and students to attend, since they might interact with people who need those services. The knowledge they gain from the presentations could help them in assisting others.

Each session lasts 90 minutes, with a 60-minute presentation and a 30-minute question-and-answer session. Each agency decides what kind of seminar to give, and could include a PowerPoint presentation, or different agency members speaking on specific topics.

Feedback has been positive so far, and Rodriguez hopes they’ll continue to be well received by the students and faculty, as well as the community in general.

“Pasco-Hernando State College’s mission is to be a part of this community,” she said. Before we were a state college we were a community college, so community never leaves our mission.”

Each seminar starts at 10 a.m., at the conference center in Building B. The Wiregrass Ranch campus is located at 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

For more information about the Community Awareness Series, visit PHSC.edu.

Published October 8, 2014

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