Education

Chalk Talk 01/17/2024

January 16, 2024 By Mary Rathman

VPK sites for 2024-2025 school year
Pasco County Schools has released a list (subject to change) of the VPK (Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten) school sites for the 2024-2025 academic school year. VPK is a state-funded, free, three hours per weekday early learning program designed to prepare children for success in kindergarten.

VPK sites for VPK students only: Kirkland Ranch K-8, Mittye P. Locke Early Learning Academy, San Antonio Elementary, Trinity Elementary and Veterans Elementary

VPK Inclusion sites for VPK & ESE (Exceptional Student Education) students: Bexley Elementary, Centennial Elementary, Chester Taylor Elementary, Connerton Elementary, Cotee River Elementary, Denham Oaks Elementary, Double Branch Elementary, Fox Hollow Elementary, Gulf Highlands Elementary, Gulf Trace Elementary, Hudson Primary Academy, James Marlowe Elementary, Lake Myrtle Elementary, Longleaf Elementary, Oakstead Elementary, Odessa Elementary, Quail Hollow Elementary, Seven Oaks Elementary, Seven Springs Elementary, Watergrass Elementary and West Zephyrhills Elementary

For more information on the early childhood programs and frequently asked questions, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/ecp/page/vpk.

School Choice ends Jan. 19
The Pasco County Schools school choice application window will close on Jan. 19 at 4:30 p.m. The Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice application will be available via the myStudent parent portal.

The application window will be for all school choice options, including STEM and STEAM magnet schools, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, Wendell Krinn Technical High School, Angeline Academy of Innovation, Kirkland Ranch K-8, International Baccalaureate (IB), and the Cambridge Programme.

The Notification and Acceptance Window will run from March 4 to March 13.

For more information, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/ed_choice.

Student achievements

Daniel Acosta, of Lutz: Dean’s List, Southern New Hampshire University
Emily Bentley, of Lutz: Chancellor’s List, Western Carolina University
Sean Corcoran, of Odessa: Chancellor’s List, Troy University
Riley Hall, of Wesley Chapel: President’s List, Mercer University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
David Hernandez, of Lutz: Dean’s List, Southern New Hampshire University
Mark Lucas, of Lutz: Provost’s List, Troy University
April Prier, of Lutz: Chancellor’s List, Troy University
Dylan Schaffer, of Lutz: Dean’s List, Rockhurst University
Chase Thurber, of Odessa: Chancellor’s List, Western Carolina University
Laura Vigna, of Wesley Chapel: President’s List, Mercer University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Tax Collector Essay Contest
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano is accepting entries in his 2024 high school essay contest, which runs through Jan. 26 at 5 p.m. The contest is for high school students (grades nine to 12), in public/charter, private, parochial, nonpublic and home-schools.

Students must answer the question, “What is the most important responsibility of the county tax collector and why?” in 500 words or less. Entries will be reviewed and judged on how well the student communicates his/her response to the question, as well as overall essay structure, appearance and readability.

All submissions must include the student’s name, school, grade and contact information.

Students in public/charter schools should submit their essays to their principal, who will forward them to the tax collector’s office. Private, parochial, nonpublic or home-school students should send their essays to: Jose Rodriguez Sierra, communications specialist, Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office, P.O. Box 276, Dade City, FL 33526. Entries also may be delivered to the New Port Richey office, 4720 U.S. 19, New Port Richey, FL 34652, c/o Jose Rodriguez Sierra. Students can send entries via email to , too.

The winner will be notified by telephone no later than Feb. 29. For information or questions, call 727-847-8165, ext. 3826.

Science Festival
The 2024 St. Petersburg Science Festival is scheduled for Feb. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg campus, 140 Seventh Ave., S., and Poynter Park, along the waterfront. Families can explore the wonders of hands-on science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM).

The event is held in conjunction with MarineQuest, the open house of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute. Guests can walk from one event to the other.

Admission is free to both the festival and MarineQuest.

Spectrum Scholars applications
Charter Communications Inc., has opened applications for Spectrum Scholars, the company’s annual scholarship program for underrepresented college students with financial need.

Each of the rising college juniors selected for the 2024-2025 program will receive a $20,000 scholarship, a Charter mentor and the opportunity for a paid internship with the company.

In its fourth year, Charter has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships through Spectrum Scholars, but the benefits for students of participating in the program extend far beyond financial assistance.

The selected students for the new class of scholars will have the opportunity to complete the two-year professional development program, designed to introduce them to new career paths and expand their networks, with the potential for full-time employment with Charter post-graduation. Students also get unique access to networking and professional development opportunities including the Scholars Summit, a three-day event hosted at Charter’s corporate headquarters in Stamford.

Fifteen students will be selected for the 2024-2025 Spectrum Scholars class.

For more information on how to apply, as well as program eligibility and selection criteria, visit https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/scholarships/SpectrumScholarsApp2024.

The deadline for applications is March 1. Winners will be announced in May and scholarships will be awarded in August.

Pasco Schools adding capacity to address increasing enrollment

January 9, 2024 By B.C. Manion

As Pasco County continues to grow, questions are popping up regarding the school district’s ability to handle increased enrollment spurred by new development.

Jon Moody, who sits on the Pasco County Planning Commission, raised the issue during the planning board’s Dec. 7 discussion of a proposed change to the county’s comprehensive plan.

The request is being made to set the stage for a 200-unit townhome development and commercial uses, at U.S. 301 and Roanoke River Way, in Zephyrhills.

Moody asked Chris Williams, who sits on the planning board as the school district’s representative, about the planning report accompanying the request.

“It says right now that Chester Taylor is operating at 133%, it will be 136% with the next K through 8 opening in 2029, so is there anything on the horizon quicker to give relief to the elementary school?” Moody asked Williams.

Williams, who is the school district’s director of planning, told Moody that the district currently is in negotiations with the developer of Two Rivers, a massive project between Morris Bridge Road and U.S. 301, off State Road 56, in Wesley Chapel.

“I’m not sure how that is going to wind up,” Williams said. The district would like to build an entire campus on the Two Rivers’ property, but is aiming for at least a K-8 school there.

“We’re also getting ready to rebuild West Zephyrhills Elementary and completely build a brand-new school behind the current school, and add capacity to that. And that is projected to be done, probably 2025 or 2026,” Williams said.

“And potentially, when that reopens, my intention might be to rezone those schools: Woodland (Elementary), West Zephyrhills Elementary, Chester Taylor (Elementary) — and try to redistribute some of those populations,” Williams added.

The district also plans to add a wing to Chester Taylor Elementary to increase its capacity.

“Adding a wing (at Chester Taylor) won’t solve the problem in and of itself, but adding a wing and doing some rezoning will help us,” Williams said.

The school district planning director also noted that in the coming school year the district will open the new Kirkland Ranch K-8 magnet school on the campus of Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, off Curley Road in the north part of Wesley Chapel, across from Epperson Ranch.

“That could have a little bit of impact on the Zephyrhills area,” Williams said. However, he added, it likely will have a far greater impact on the Wesley Chapel and San Antonio areas.

Two Rivers is already under development and those students will begin coming to Chester Taylor immediately, the school district planning director said.

Moody noted that given the current situation, the proposed land use change would exacerbate an existing problem.

Williams agreed, but said the district is working on solutions.

“Long term, I’m fine with this (proposed land use change), but, in the short term, we’re working on those plans (to increase capacity),” Williams said.

Published January 10, 2024

Chalk Talk 01/10/2024

January 9, 2024 By Mary Rathman

Pasco Schools calendar
The remainder of the Pasco County Schools calendar includes these upcoming dates, according to its website.

Early Release Days: Jan. 10 (CANCELLED), Feb. 14, March 13 and April 10.
Holidays: Jan. 15, Martin Luther King Jr. Day; Feb. 19, President’s Day; March 8, Teacher Planning Day; March 25 through March 29, Spring Break; and April 12 (no school).
The last day for students will be May 24.

For additional information, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/calendar. The website also has a link to printable Student/Teacher School Year Calendar Dates for 2024-2025.

Career exploration
The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative will host “Career Exploration for Middle School Students” on Jan. 17 at 4 p.m., at the Lutz Branch Library, 101 Lutz Lake Fern Road. Participants can explore potential careers and identify career options. To register, visit the calendar feature at HCPLC.org.

Student achievements
These students were recognized to the fall Dean’s List at their respective schools: Lillian Hilt, of Land O’ Lakes, Carson-Newman University, Jefferson City, Tennessee; Drew Pitts, of Lutz, Carson-Newman University; and Kevin Spillane, of Odessa, Berry College, Rome, Georgia.

School Choice ends Jan. 19
The Pasco County Schools School Choice application window opened on Jan. 8 and will close on Jan. 19 at 4:30 p.m. The Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice application is available via the myStudent parent portal.

The application window will be for all School Choice options, including STEM and STEAM magnet schools, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, Wendell Krinn Technical High School, Angeline Academy of Innovation, Kirkland Ranch K-8, International Baccalaureate (IB), and the Cambridge Programme.

The Notification and Acceptance window will run from March 4 to March 13.

For more information, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/ed_choice.

All submissions must include the student’s name, school, grade and contact information.

Students in public/charter schools should submit their essays to their principal, who will forward them to the tax collector’s office.

Private, parochial, nonpublic or home-school students should send their essays to: Jose Rodriguez Sierra, communications specialist, Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office, P.O. Box 276, Dade City, FL 33526.

Entries also may be delivered to the New Port Richey office, 4720 U.S. 19, New Port Richey, FL 34652, c/o Jose Rodriguez Sierra.

Students can send entries via email to , too.

The winner will be notified by telephone no later than Feb. 29.

For information or questions, call 727-847-8165, ext. 3826.

Admission is free to both the festival and MarineQuest.

National Scholars Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting applications for the USDA 1890 National Scholars Program, which aims to encourage students at 1890 land-grant universities to pursue food and agriculture career paths. The deadline to apply is March 1.

Administered through the USDA’s Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, the scholars program is available to eligible high school seniors entering their freshman year of college, as well as rising college sophomores and juniors.

The program is a partnership between the USDA and the 19 historically Black land-grant universities that were established in the Morrill Land Grant Act of 1890. The USDA partners with these 1890 universities to provide scholarship recipients with full tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Scholarship recipients attend one of the 1890 universities and pursue degrees in agriculture, food, natural resource sciences, or related academic disciplines. The scholarship also includes work experience at the USDA through summer internships.

Scholars accepted into the program are eligible for noncompetitive conversion to a permanent appointment with the USDA upon successful completion of their degree requirements by the end of the agreement period.

The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program awarded 100 scholarships in the 2023 cohort of 1890 Scholars.

Young people can complete and submit their e-applications online at USDA.gov/partnerships/1890NationalScholars.

For more information, email .

Students in store for real-world experience

January 2, 2024 By Mike Camunas

It’s not uncommon for high school students to get a part-time job.

They may work at the mall or a fast-food restaurant or Publix, but not every teen finds themselves in the workforce.

Angeline Academy of Innovation students Davina Horowitz, left, Michael Colon, center, and business instructor and teacher Chad Mallo, right, work the counter at the Bullseye Corner Store at the first-year school in Land O’ Lakes. The store, which opened in December, will be fully student run, with Mallo’s students gaining real-world experience in retail, customer service, marketing and advertising, managerial fields and more. The store will feature fun items for students, as well as school-branded gear. (Mike Camunas)

Angeline Academy of Innovation, the first-year magnet school in Land O’ Lakes, is looking to change that.

In December, the school opened Bullseye Corner Store, which will be run by students, many of them taking business and other like-minded classes. They’ll be unpaid “employees,” but still do everything an employee might do at, say, Gap or American Eagle, all from sales, customer service, managerial skills, marketing, advertising, social media promotion, ordering, quality control, stocking and even housekeeping.

“We’re going to operate this like a real-world store,” Angeline business instructor and teacher Chad Mallo said. “So it’s similar to the real-world experience, not a cookie-cutter class or experience, that way they know what to do whether here or at their first real job or next job.”

Mallo thought having a student fully run store would be beneficial to them, especially beyond what he can teach or talk about in a classroom. Which is why whoever is hired at Bullseye will be required to apply with a resume and have a sit-down interview.

Angeline Academy of Innovation business instructor and teacher Chad Mallo will guide and educate his students to run Bullseye Corner Store at the first-year school in Land O’ Lakes, where they’ll learn real-life skills on how to work in customer service, as well as build a resume and apply for jobs.

“I want them to go through the whole real-world process,” Mallo added. “It won’t just be sales. They’re going to have job titles and responsibilities like they would at any other store or business and they’ll all have to do their jobs.”

Bullseye Corner Store will actually have two sides to it.

One side of the store will feature items like pens, stickers, toys, candy and other school supplies that students can obtain once they have enough Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) points to cash in. These items will be donated by parents.

On the other side of the store, it will actually sell, for money, school-branded gear with the school logo and mascot, The Archers. These will range from shirts, sweatshirts, hats and more, however, as part of their jobs, the students will market and research the store and see what items are their best sellers or in demand.

The monies made from these sales will go back into the school, usually to help fund field trips or other projects.

“All that stuff, we’re learning in class,” freshman shop worker Davina Horowitz said. “We’re learning how to fill out applications, resumes, interview techniques — all of which were used to work at the school store, but also for more jobs. … We’re given the opportunity to run (the store), to have the responsibility to run it because usually admin or staff volunteers run a school store.

Bullseye Corner Store co-workers Davina Horowitz, left, and Michael Colon go over some housekeeping and customer service items for their ‘jobs’ at the store at Angeline Academy of Innovation in Land O’ Lakes, which will be fully run by students.

“I think that makes it more of a school store because having students run it, that really not only gives us the experience, but really makes a school store — and it’ll be great that students are running it.”

“We have to go through the roles and learn the responsibilities,” sophomore co-worker Michael Colon added. “We will learn what a manager really does and what they go through. It’ll be interesting because we’ll be learning about it on the job, both at the store and in class.

“We’re a school store, but run by the students — that’s what makes us different from other school stores.”

Mallo’s classes also collaborated with the school’s Career Technical & Agricultural Education team — Michael Marchesano, Nichole Matthews, Loc Hoang and Lisa Witfoth — to include those students as part of running the store. The students combined to pick the name of the store and work out all the details.

Angeline Academy of Innovation Business Instructor and teacher Chad Mallo, right, speaks with four of his students, from left to right: Davina Horowitz, Lianna Gonzalez, Michael Colon and Brandon Miller, at the school’s newest business, Bullseye Corner Store.

They also approved store designs and builds that came from Mark Fox, director of maintenance services, and Jimmy Witfoth, senior crew chief, who would eventually install the cabinets. They also approved the neon sign, which was built and installed by Kelvin Valle of Transonic Laser Engraving.

And the store is already seeing anxious customers.

“Hey, if you build (it), they will come (laughs),” Mallo added.

But the real excitement is coming from, believe it or not, the student employees, who are ready to get their hands on the real-life experience. They’re ready to sell and even deal with customers.

“This is going to give us a lot of experience for other jobs,” Horowitz said. “We may not get paid, but it will pay off.”

“I’m excited to get it up and running,” Colon said. “No, I’m not getting paid, but the experience is great, which I think we’re all looking forward to, especially finally having customers.”

Mallo agrees.

“We’re covering everything,” Mallo said. “I tell the students to have a smiling face, even if customers are rude, but don’t be confrontational. If there is a ‘situation,’ try to de-escalate it, just like you would teach an employee in the real world.

“And to keep a smile, and if all else fails, come get Mr. Mallo (laughs).”

Published January 03, 2024

School boards want to have a say in reducing public school regulations

January 2, 2024 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County Schools has joined other school boards around the state in seeking changes to state regulations relating to schools.

School board member Colleen Beaudoin put it this way during the board’s Dec. 5 meeting: “This is an opportunity to help shape the future.

“Florida has expanded vouchers and scholarships, and now it is time to further the deregulation to help traditional public schools, as well.

“We are not asking on compromising on accountability — I am sure that we all agree that accountability is important,” Beaudoin said.

“It’s just that we don’t want students penalized, or kept from graduating, because of one score on one assessment, and these are decisions best made by educators, working with their parents.

“This is important advocacy that we can do right now.

“We can even ask our parents for help,” she said.

She told her colleagues: “I’m sure you probably got some of the same emails as I’ve received from parents.

“There was one just last week about a child who has met all of the graduation requirements, except for a test score. So, I hope we can do something to help these students,” Beaudoin said.

School board chairwoman Megan Harding agreed.

She said a letter that will be sent to state lawmakers notes the number of students within the district that have been affected by that.

School board member Cynthia Armstrong said the board’s approach must be positive, to avoid risking deregulation all together.

Harding agreed: “So, I do want to make it positive, 100%, but I do think it’s important that we do put how it’s affecting our kiddos,” she said.

Armstrong responded: “That’s a positive thing. The deregulation would help our kids.”

School board member Alison Crumbley noted: “The district wants to make sure its advocacy is student-focused.”

Assistant superintendent Betsy Kuhn said statistics were compiled by district staff to help the district’s lobbyist, but the letter itself will have a more general tone.

Harding expressed appreciation for the research that was done to gather the statistics.

“Thank you for that. I know that was an undertaking, so I appreciate that,” Harding said.

Published January 03, 2024

Chalk Talk 01/03/2024

January 2, 2024 By Mary Rathman

These students have a passion for service
The National Elementary Honor Society (NEHS) of Woodland Elementary, in Zephyrhills, hosted a dance fundraiser and raised enough money to donate $1,000 to two local charities — The Thomas Promise Foundation and the Helping Hearts Café, according to the Pasco County Schools’ Facebook page. The NEHS provides students in grades four to six a place to develop and apply their passion for service, while obtaining the skills to be confident young leaders for years to come, according to its website. Membership in the NEHS is centered on recognizing students for their accomplishments while challenging and equipping them to develop further as leaders through service to their school and community.

Creative Writing residency
Saint Leo University’s Master of Arts in Creative Writing Program will host a mini-residency in January at the campus, 33701 County Road 52 in St. Leo.

Jan. 5, 5 p.m.: Craft discussion and reading by faculty member and military veteran Brooke King, followed by dinner with faculty members at 7 p.m.
Jan. 6, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Craft discussions on writing and publishing, an open mic, and faculty readings

The mini-residency will take place in person and via Zoom. The cost is $25, which can be paid online at SaintLeo.edu/creativewriting. For information or to RSVP, email Anne Barngrover at . Requests for special accommodations can be made by emailing . For information, visit SaintLeo.edu/accommodations.

Storytelling Workshops
The Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative will host its annual five-week Storytelling Festival Workshop Series, recommended for students in grades two to seven. Participants can learn to tell a story (combining public speaking, literacy skills and creative theater arts) for an audience and may have a video of their storytelling posted on the library’s YouTube channel.

Workshops at the Lutz Branch Library are scheduled for Tuesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., on Jan. 16, Jan. 23, Jan. 30, Feb. 6 and Feb. 13. Registration is encouraged online at tinyurl.com/yexny9kj and registers a child for the entire series.

Admission is free to both the festival and MarineQuest.

The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program awarded 100 scholarships in the 2023 cohort of 1890 Scholars.

Young people can complete and submit their e-applications online at USDA.gov/partnerships/1890NationalScholars.

For more information, email .

Pasco schools begin looking ahead to new school start times

December 26, 2023 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County Schools know a thing or two about changing up school start times.

After all, they did that in response to a shortage of school bus drivers.

But now they are beginning to talk about how they’re going to adjust starting times to comply with a new state law.

The legislation says that no high school can start earlier than 8:30 a.m., and no middle school before 8 a.m., said Cynthia Armstrong, a Pasco County School Board member.

School start times will be later for secondary public school students under a state law that takes effect July 1, 2026. (File)

“This is based on the perceived notion from research that teenagers do better if they have a chance to sleep later,” Armstrong said.

Meeting the mandate will require putting more buses on the road, said Betsy Kuhn, the school district’s assistant superintendent for support services.

Supplying the buses isn’t a big issue because the district has cut so many routes in the past couple of years it has buses that aren’t currently operating, Kuhn said.

But providing the drivers? That’s another issue.

Armstrong said she recently attended a panel discussion about the issue at the Florida School Boards Association meeting.

Representatives of three school districts that have already shifted their starting times shared their experiences, she said. One was a large district; one of medium size; and, the third was small.

“The small county had actually started this back in the 1990s, when they first redid their bus schedule, to have some tiering,” Armstrong said.

“The middle-size county had been doing it for like 10 years,” she said.

Hillsborough County just began doing so in the last couple of years, Armstrong added, noting she is particularly interested in learning more from them.

“Across the board, they all had middle school starting last. Across the board, they all said communication early, early, early in the process was so important,” Armstrong added.

“They all had workshops with parents. They had surveys that went out to all of the stakeholders, including teachers, including families, including the community. They also really listened to the teachers.

“They got HR (human resources) involved because there were some concessions. Some teachers wanted to move from elementary to middle school, or vice versa depending on their family needs or their second-job needs.

“So, those had to be accommodated.

“But they all said you had to start the process at least a year in advance, as far as getting the communication out and getting the feedback. That was extremely important,” the school board member said.

Armstrong said Hillsborough used a tool — a random generator — that proved particularly helpful.

When someone recommended changing the start time at a particular school, a district staffer could show that person how all of the other schools would be affected by the change.

It helped to build understanding about the interconnectivity of the system, Armstrong said.

Armstrong said she’d like Pasco’s staff to find out more about that tool.

“It really made it easier for the parents to understand they couldn’t just randomly change that one school to suit them,” Armstrong said.

Of all the talking points covered by the speakers, one stood out, the school board member said.

“The big, big message was, ‘Start early. Make sure the message gets out to everybody, so they have plenty of time to adjust whatever they need to adjust to make it work.”

School board member Colleen Beaudoin wants to make sure that families are aware that changing the start times is a legislative mandate, not a local option.

“I don’t want anyone to start panicking that this is happening right away,” Beaudoin said.

The shift must be implemented by July 1, 2026.

School board member Al Hernandez wanted to know if the shift will have a financial impact on the district.

Kuhn responded: “There’s costs, for sure, but for me the biggest cost is adding drivers.

The district estimates it would need to add about 35 bus drivers. That is problematic, she said, because the district has 26 vacancies.

“To add to that would be very concerning,” Kuhn said.

Armstrong also noted that speakers at the conference did not provide evidence that the early start times have resulted in a substantive academic difference.

“I will say that none of those counties said that they’d seen any change in attendance or any change in academics,” she said. “It seemed that if a student was going to be late 10 minutes, they were late 10 minutes … if they were going to be late, they were going to be late.”

She also directed this comment at district parents who many want to weigh in on the issue: “If you are opposed to this, you need to reach out to your legislators because this is not something we’re going to have control of. We will have control in how we address it and how we comply, but we have to comply with it.”

Published December 27, 2023

Chalk Talk 12/27/2023

December 26, 2023 By Mary Rathman

Rohil Agarwal is Pasco County Schools’ 2023-2024 Star Senior. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

This student is a rising ‘star’
Pasco County Schools has announced Rohil Agarwal, a senior at Land O’ Lakes High School, as the district’s Star Senior for the 2023-2024 academic year. The award, which involved a rigorous selection process from among 15 finalists, recognizes Agarwal’s exceptional scholarship, leadership, service and citizenship achievements.

Agarwal has excelled in the International Baccalaureate Programme, maintaining a 4.7959 weighted GPA and a 4.0 unweighted GPA, earning him the designation of National Merit Semifinalist and AP Scholar with Distinction.

He also has held significant positions such as co-president of the DataEthics4All AI Youth Council, president of Mu Alpha Theta, district president of FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America), co-founder of the Coding Club, and president of HOSA (Future Health Professionals, formerly known as Health Occupations Students of America).

Agarwal has developed and taught ethics courses, directed AI hackathons, and led global tech talks. His community service includes volunteer work with Ekal Vidyalaya, and participation in GatorGrowl and Open House events.

The honoree also has multiple President’s Volunteer Service Awards and a recognition as a Sunshine State Scholar. He achieved first place in the National Congressional App Challenge, and achieved success in various state and regional competitions in HOSA, National History Day, and Robotics.

Agarwal’s extracurricular activities include: student researcher at Florida State University’s Young Scholars Program, a software engineer intern at Axiamatic, a key member of the Robotics FIRST Tech Challenge team, and a leader in Mu Alpha Theta and FBLA.

On the side, he has contributed as a graphic designer and private math tutor.

Creative Writing residency
Saint Leo University’s Master of Arts in Creative Writing Program will host a mini-residency in January at the campus, 33701 County Road 52 in St. Leo.

Jan. 5, 5 p.m.: Craft discussion and reading by faculty member and military veteran Brooke King, followed by dinner with faculty members at 7 p.m.
Jan. 6, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Craft discussions on writing and publishing, an open mic, and faculty readings

Commencement, nurse pinnings
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) hosted commencement and nurse pinning ceremonies on Dec. 12 and Dec. 13, at its West Campus in New Port Richey.

PHSC President Timothy L. Beard presided over the commencement ceremonies for a final time before retiring in January. Jesse Pisors, Ed.D., is slated to assume the PHSC presidency role.

These ceremonies are dedicated to honoring and recognizing students who earned certificates and diplomas in varying fields of study, as well as those who earned an Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Applied Science degree.

The events included several keynote speakers: alumna Brianna Belle, Pharm.D.; Christa Tanner, Congressional staffer, U.S. House of Representatives; Dorian Howell, former PHSC SGA president; and current graduate Jamileh Hassan, SGA speaker.

Teacher of the Year finalists
Pasco County Schools has announced its three finalists for the 2024 Teacher of the Year award. These educators have been selected for their dedication, innovation and the profound impact they have had on their students and the community. The three finalists are:

Stephanie Bertig, digital media educator, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation
William Rutherford, music educator, Gulf High School
LeAnne John, Agricultural Science and CTE educator, Zephyrhills High School

The winner will be announced at a Star Dinner scheduled for Jan. 25.

The USDA 1890 National Scholars Program awarded 100 scholarships in the 2023 cohort of 1890 Scholars.

Young people can complete and submit their e-applications online at USDA.gov/partnerships/1890NationalScholars.

For more information, email .

Pasco school district team tracks down ‘missing’ students

December 19, 2023 By B.C. Manion

It became obvious during a recent Pasco County School Board meeting that some of the district’s most important work occurs outside of its classrooms.

Thanks to the diligence of the school district’s social services coordinator team, 18 children under the age of 11 who had been “missing” have been located, according to Vanessa Hilton, chief academic officer for the school system.

The team began searching in mid-October for 22 students who had been coded W-22, which stands for “whereabouts unknown,” Hilton said.

By mid-November, the team had reduced the list of missing children to four, whom they were still trying to find, as of the Dec. 5 school board meeting.

“The 18 that were found were either re-engaged in Pasco, found enrolled in another county or state, or who have now been connected to Home Ed,” Hilton told board members.

“The success in this task is completely thanks to that team of social service coordinators, who utilized their determination, skills and creativity to look out for the safety of these younger students.

“At the end of the day, this is a huge win for the vulnerable age group for our students,” Hilton said, expressing her appreciation for the team and its leadership for their commitment.

The school district also has been involved in other efforts to engage the community, Hilton said.

“The Office for Career, Technical and Adult Education has been actively working to increase and enhance our business partnerships for school and district programs,” she said.

She cited some specific examples.

Bosco’s Italian Pizza in Wesley Chapel, for instance, demonstrated pizza-making to the students in the culinary program at John Long Middle School.

The owner of Monarch Media Designs in Wisconsin also got involved by sharing the process for wrapping vehicles to commercial arts students at Marchman Technical College. The expert then judged student designs, resulting in what Hilton described as “a very authentic experience.”

Hilton also thanked the “creative director and brand strategist of The Social Artist, who taught Pasco High School marketing students about the importance of creativity, strategy and technical skills, when developing online content.”

During its Dec. 5 meeting, the school board also:

Redefined the job descriptions for the district’s principals and assistant principals.
Added the position of civil rights compliance manager. This position reports to the general counsel to the superintendent and is responsible for managing and monitoring equal employment and educational opportunity activities, and ensuring compliance with applicable local, state and federal rules and regulations, including the Equal Opportunity Employment Act, the Florida Educational Equity Act (FEEA) and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Added the position of civil rights compliance investigator. This role is responsible for investigations into charges and/or complaints of unfair employment or educational practices that involve race, sex, color, age, religion, national origin, disability or marital status. It also involves preparing documentation, includes follow-up activities, and is responsible for assisting legal department administrators by preparing written reports, documents, case materials and other data as needed.
Extended the closing date on a 15-acre property between Interstate 75 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, at the end of Dunham Station Road, for a charter school. The closing date on that transaction is now scheduled for Jan. 16.
Approved an amendment to the purchase of a school site within the Villages of Pasadena Hills, an area that’s located between Dade City, San Antonio and Wesley Chapel. The district is tentatively planning a K-8 school on a parcel that is part of the Evans family property. Closing on the property was expected on Dec. 8 and the amendment was needed, in order for closing to take place on time.

Published December 20, 2023

Chalk Talk 12/20/2023

December 19, 2023 By Mary Rathman

The Montrond family received a red carpet welcome when they moved into a home provided through PulteGroup’s Built to Honor program, in partnership with Building Homes for Heroes. (Courtesy of Building Homes for Heroes)

Gold Star daughter graduates
Nazeraeh Montrond, a Gold Star daughter who received a brand-new, mortgage-free home in Wesley Chapel in August 2022, graduated from the University of South Florida on Dec. 8.

Nazeraeh lost her father, Army Sgt. Alberto Montrond, in February 2006 to an IED explosion in Afghanistan. In March 2021, Nazeraeh’s mother passed away after a two-year battle with cancer, leaving her the primary caregiver to her three siblings.

Nazeraeh graduated with a bachelor’s degree in health sciences, while raising her two brothers and sister and managing the demands of a full-time job.

She plans to begin her occupational therapy doctoral program at Nova Southeastern University next summer.

Internships at USF
The University of South Florida researchers are looking for University Area Community residents, ages 16 and older, to become paid interns, to help clean up and redevelop Aaran’s Pond at the corner of N. 15th Street and 131st Avenue in Tampa.

Interns can learn how to study water quality, explore new technologies for treating pollutants, and discover preferences for pond redevelopment. There is a flexible schedule of 10 hours per week, from January to May.

For more information, call 813-974-2337, or email .

Pasco County Schools maintain B grade
Pasco County Schools maintained a B grade for 2023, according to the district grades and school grades released by the Florida Department of Education (DOE). These are informational baseline grades. Pasco has maintained a B grade since 2017.

“I’m pleased to see what our schools have accomplished, and two (50%) of our schools are no longer at an F status,” said Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning, in a news release.

“Now that we have the baseline grades, our teachers and administrators are focused on these data and planning for greater accomplishments based on this mid-year reflection. These data will help us to make informed decisions about improvements for the remainder of the year.”

Seventy-seven percent of Pasco schools earned an A, B or C grade, and half of Pasco’s schools earned As and Bs. Of the district’s 94 schools, 26 received an A. Three of the schools moved up from a B to an A. Other highlights this year include 12 schools increased their overall grade, the release says.

Six schools received an “I” (incomplete). Pasco County Schools will be looking at appeals for these schools and will know more information about why they received an “I” once the data file is received. Often, an “I” is given to schools that do not meet the participation rate.

For more information on school-by-school and district level grades, visit FLDOE.org/accountability/accountability-reporting/school-grades/theFlorida.

Delivering cheer during the holiday season
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club delivered Christmas bundles of gifts for distribution to families in need at three local schools: Denham Oaks Elementary (shown here), Miles Elementary and Lutz K-8. For more club information or membership opportunities, visit FWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org or its Facebook page.

Student achievements
-Abigail Greene, of Lutz, was named to the fall Dean’s List at Pennsylvania Western University, California, Pennsylvania.
-Maxwell Gebhart, of Wesley Chapel, earned his Master of Science in Biology from Minnesota State University-Mankato. The school awarded 1,772 degrees to 1,617 students at the end of the fall 2023 semester.

Best College Towns
WalletHub released its report on 2024’s Best & Worst College Towns & Cities in America, as a follow-up to its College & University Rankings.

The top Best Large College Towns, ranked from first to 10th: Austin, Texas; Orlando; Tampa; Las Vegas, Nevada; Raleigh, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Miami; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Columbus, Ohio; and Seattle, Washington

The Best Mid-size College Towns, from first to 10th: Scottsdale, Arizona; Gainesville; Boise, Idaho; Tempe, Arizona; Charleston, South Carolina; Salt Lake City, Utah; St. Petersburg; Tallahassee; Cary, North Carolina; and Irvine, California.

The only city in Florida to make the top 10 in Best Small College Towns was Boca Raton, in the 10th spot.

WalletHub also offered these tips to finding a good college town:

Check out school rankings.
Don’t focus only on academics.
Consider the costs.
Talk to alumni.

For a full report, visit WalletHub.com/edu/e/best-worst-college-cities-and-towns-in-america/8974.

Pasco Citizens Academy
The Pasco Citizens Academy is for those interested in gaining a deep understanding of Pasco County’s budget development, the county’s structure and the essential functions of its constitutional officers and departments. Students of the academy will engage directly with elected officials, state agency partners, department directors and county staff.

Participants can become well-informed ambassadors for the community and eligible to serve on advisory boards and volunteer.

The Spring 2024 session is limited to 25 participants. Apply online at PascoCountyFl-services.app.transform.civicplus.com/forms/26223.

For information and questions, call 727-847-8115, or email .