The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Chalk Talk 08-20-14

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(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation)
(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation)

Firefighter inspires PHSC scholarship
The Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation recently received $11,000 from the James Santella Foundation to establish the James Santella Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship endowment will support Hernando County residents, or graduates from a Hernando County high school, who exhibit an interest in a fire rescue or first responder service career. Santella was a 2004 PHSC graduate and a firefighter for Spring Hill Fire Rescue who passed away from Lou Gehrig’s disease. Santella is shown with his wife Kim and son, Connor James.

Medical scholarship fundraiser
The Medical Center of Trinity Volunteers, 9330 State Road 54, is hosting a fundraising event for scholarships for students studying in the medical field.

The fundraiser is Aug. 21-22, from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the lobby of the hospital, and will showcase Masquerade Jewelry and accessories. All items are $5 or less.

There will be a silent auction featuring gift baskets, gift cards, and other items.

For information, call (727) 834-4017.

Still time to enroll at PHSC
Students interested in enrolling for fall term classes at Pasco-Hernando State College should register immediately. Classes begin Aug. 25.

PHSC will introduce three new health programs this fall: pharmacy technician, surgical technology, and health information technology.

There will also be two baccalaureate degree programs: bachelor of applied science in supervision and management, and bachelor of science in nursing.

Students can apply online at PHSC.edu/wise. The application fee is $25.

An additional $20 is assessed during the late registration period. Late registration is Aug. 25 through Aug. 29.

For information, visit PHSC.edu.

Woman’s club awards scholarships
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club has awarded a $1,500 scholarship to the following students:

• Stacey Salazar, Erwin Technical Center

• Keely Johnson, Erwin Tech

• Natalie Robinson, University of South Florida

• Angela Maceta, University of Tampa

• Hannah Saucedo, USF

• David Guirguis, USF

• Barbara Feldhaus, University of Florida

• Garbriella Rivera, Duke University

• Ariana Sinudom, UF

• Ashlea Smyly, USF

• Matthew Burney, USF

• Courtney Noya, Florida Atlantic University

Tampa Catholic reunion
The Tampa Catholic High School Class of 1974 will celebrate its 40th reunion Aug. 22-24 at Tradewinds Island Resort in St. Pete Beach.

For information, call Robin Rogers Nasco at (813) 390-0257, or email .

WRHS senior immersed in German culture
Hannah Williamson, a senior at Wiregrass Ranch High School, participated in the Concordia Language Villages program for a two-week session at Waldsee, the German Language Village, near Bemidji, Minnesota.

Williamson was immersed in the German language and culture through learning groups, authentic foods, holiday celebrations, re-enactments of historic events, conversations and more.

Concordia Language Villages is a recognized leader in global education offering 15 world language programs.

Williamson is the daughter of Chuck and Robin Williamson of Land O’ Lakes.

Planting seeds to grow gardeners

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The room at the rear of the Land O’ Lakes Community Center was buzzing with chatter as children made their way around the various stations — creating caterpillars out of egg cartons, turning peanut butter jars into terrariums, and creating worm condos out of recycled soda bottles.

Master gardeners from Pasco County Cooperative Extension shared their enthusiasm for gardening as they talked to the youngsters about worms, air plants and compost.

Pasco County Cooperative Extension master gardeners Juanita Fawley and Mary Ellen Gotto help Makenzie Haworth, 7, build a worm condo. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Pasco County Cooperative Extension master gardeners Juanita Fawley and Mary Ellen Gotto help Makenzie Haworth, 7, build a worm condo.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Master gardeners Mary Ellen Gotto, Juanita Fawley and Stan Groves helped Makenzie Haworth, 7, of New Tampa, as the young girl built a worm condo.

Amy Perkins, who is Makenzie’s mom, said the event helps connect kids with nature, and gives them a chance to experience gardening.

“It’s great exposure,” Perkins said.

“We put this on every year for children,” Gotto said. “It’s educational for children.”

Master gardener Chris Storch helped Caleb Hicks, 9, as he assembled his terrarium. The Connerton Elementary School student attended the event last year and wanted to come back when he heard it was being held again, said Land O’ Lakes resident Ted Beason, the boy’s grandfather.

Storch enjoys seeing the children’s delight.

“They love it, getting their hands dirty and digging into it,” the Lutz woman said.

Vicki Arndtz, a Pasco County master gardener from Zephyrhills, thinks the event gives children from all backgrounds a chance to learn the love of growing plants and vegetables.

“Not every child has an unlimited budget to experiment with gardening,” Arndtz said.

At the terrarium station, children could choose from a wide assortment of recycled containers. There were recycled peanut butter jars, a cheese puff container, pretzel jars and Beanie Babies collectible cases.

After selecting the container, the children added rocks, a weed cloth, soil, plants and decorative items, such as colored stones, gems and coins.

Carolyn Watson, of Land O’ Lakes, was there with her granddaughter, Grace Heller.

“My granddaughter and I love to plant plants together,” Watson said.

The 7-year-old, who attends Corbett Preparatory School, said she’s grown carrots, impatiens and miniature sunflowers with her grandmother.

The master gardeners share a passion for gardening, Arndtz said, and enjoy sharing their enthusiasm.

“Only an eclectic group like this could get excited over worm compost,” she said, laughing.

There’s always something new to learn, Storch said. For instance, gardeners who move to Florida from northern states have to learn about the spring and fall gardening seasons, she said.

“Timing is everything,” Storch said, especially when it comes to growing vegetables in Florida.

To learn more about the Pasco Cooperative Extension, visit Pasco.IFAS.UFL.edu.

For more information about gardening, visit http://solutionsforyourlife.com.

Published August 13, 2014

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As a new school year begins, be sure kids can hear teachers

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A child’s hearing difficulties are not always easy to spot.

That’s why volunteers like Alice Jones of Zephyrhills can play such an important role in a child’s life.

Alice Jones, of Zephyrhills, recently was honored for her volunteer work for the Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida. She conducts hearing tests at various Pasco County schools, to help detect hearing loss in children. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Alice Jones, of Zephyrhills, recently was honored for her volunteer work for the Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida. She conducts hearing tests at various Pasco County schools, to help detect hearing loss in children.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Jones — recently named Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida’s volunteer of the month — has spent the past several years traveling to various Pasco County schools to conduct hearing tests for children.

The 76-year-old goes to schools within roughly a 20-mile radius of her home, sitting with children who are wearing earphones, and asking them if they can hear the sounds coming through the wires. When they can’t, Sertoma lets the school know, so they can inform the child’s parent.

Most of the time the youngsters can hear. But when they can’t, there are places where they can plug in for help, said Barbra Antonelli, an audiologist at the New Port Richey site for All Children’s Outpatient Care Center of Pasco.

Children can be born with hearing loss or it sometimes develops as they grow older, said Judith Reese, an audiologist at JC Audiology in Lutz. Federal law requires screening of infants. That typically occurs before the baby leaves the hospital, or during a follow-up visit soon after.

Some Pasco County public schools have staff members who conduct hearing screenings, but others use volunteers to do the checks. Sertoma volunteers, like Jones, conduct hearing tests for kindergarten, first- and sixth-graders in Pasco County public schools.

The organization always is looking for more help, Jones added. She got involved because a member of the Zephyrhills Noon Rotary Club asked members to volunteer.

Schools where Jones has helped out over the years include Connerton Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes, Veterans Elementary School in Wesley Chapel, West Zephyrhills Elementary and Stewart Middle schools in Zephyrhills, and Pasco Elementary and Pasco Middle schools in Dade City.

There are various causes of hearing loss, Reese said.

“One of the things that happens most often in children is a temporary hearing loss that is due to ear infections or even a build up of fluid in the ear,” Reese said. “Those are easily treated by medical professionals.”

Early detection is important.

“We really like to catch them early because you can have significant delays in speech and language, even if somebody has an ear infection for just a few months,” Reese said. “When they’re developing their speech and language, it can have a big impact on the child.”

Infants who are not startled by loud sounds may have a hearing loss, Antonelli said. If they don’t respond to their name or a dog barking, that may also be another sign.

Sometimes the problem is not obvious, Reese said.

Typically, if a child has an ear infection, parents become aware of it because it hurts.

“So, they’re crying or their ears are real red,” Reese said. “But if it’s just a build up of fluid, they may kind of just disengage, or tug at their ear.”

But sometimes fluid inside the ear doesn’t hurt, but is hindering a child’s hearing. In a case like that, a parent may think that their child is refusing to behave, or lagging behind in school because they’re not trying, Reese said. In fact, it may be that the child didn’t hear his parents or teacher, or didn’t hear them accurately.

It’s not just a matter of hearing sound, Reese explained. It’s also a matter of processing it properly.

Some signs that children may have a hearing loss include errors in articulation, Antonelli said. It also may seem that children don’t listen well or have trouble following directions. Or, they may want the volume on the television turned up.

When children don’t get help, they can experience academic and social difficulties.

If the hearing loss is spotted early, though, those problems can be avoided. Even newborns can be fitted with hearing aids, Antonelli said.

“Basically, they’ll never fall behind,” she said.

For more information, call Sertoma at (727) 834-5479, or visit FamilyHearingHelp.org.

Hearing loss symptoms and getting help

Hearing loss can happen when any part of the ear is not working properly, including the outer ear, middle ear, inner ear, acoustic nerve and auditory system, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The losses can vary greatly and can be due to a number of causes, the CDC says.

Here are some facts from the CDC to help you learn more about symptoms of hearing loss and what to do when they appear.

Signs in babies
• They do not startle at loud noises
• They do not turn to the source of a sound after 6 months of age
• They do not say single words, such as “dada” or “mama” by 1 year of age
• They turn their heads when they see you, but not if you just call their name
• They seem to hear some sounds but not others

Signs in Children
• Speech is delayed
• Speech is not clear
• They do not follow directions
• They often say, “Huh?”
• They turn the television up too high

The signs and symptoms of hearing loss are different for each child. If you think that a child might have hearing loss, ask the child’s doctor for a hearing screening as soon as possible.

Published August 13, 2014

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A year abroad offers student life-changing insights

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When Jennifer Roberts returns to classes at Wiregrass Ranch High School next week, she’ll be a far different person than she was when she last attended classes there.

Roberts, who is entering her senior year, left the United States last September to take part in the Rotary Youth Exchange program, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon.

Jennifer Roberts wraps herself in an American flag and poses with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Her experiences abroad changed her life, she says. (Courtesy of Jennifer Roberts)
Jennifer Roberts wraps herself in an American flag and poses with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Her experiences abroad changed her life, she says.
(Courtesy of Jennifer Roberts)

Roberts went to high school in Zaragoza, Spain — the country’s fourth largest city —situated between Barcelona and Madrid. The 17-year-old said the experience was nothing short of life-changing.

When she arrived there, Roberts barely knew enough Spanish to introduce herself and to say that she’s from Florida. “At first, it was really difficult,” she said.

Even a simple conversation was challenging.

“It makes you miss your native language, because you really have to think when you are speaking another language,” Roberts said.

She mastered some coping skills, to help her through.

“You learn how to just smile and nod,” Roberts said.

She was thrilled when her Spanish-speaking skills had improved to the point where she understood what was going on. When that clarity came, “You just get the moment of joy, ‘Oh, I can understand you,’” she said.

Despite the initial language barrier, Roberts said she felt welcome from the moment she arrived.

“I stayed with two different host families,” she said. “They were amazing. They just accepted me.”

The kids she met at school were nice, too. When they found out she was from the United States, some told her: “Oh, that is so cool.”

Some had misconceptions about Americans, Roberts said. Rampant media reports about guns in the United States have painted the wrong picture.

“They think that Americans just carry guns in their purses,” she said. Some even asked if she had a gun, and if she was carrying one around Spain.

“I was like, ‘I don’t actually know anyone that has a gun in their house,’” Roberts said.

Of course, because she’s a Floridian, some wanted to know if she had alligators as pets. When Roberts told them there was an alligator in the pond of her backyard, some wanted to know how she wasn’t killed by it.

On the pop-culture front, Roberts said, the music and movies are exactly the same. In fact, “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” came out a week earlier in Spain than it did in American theaters.

Going out for dinner is different, though.

“It’s very expensive to go out to eat, so typically people don’t go out unless they’re wealthy,” Roberts said. “There, when you go out to eat, it’s a three-course meal. When you order off the menu, it has three options for the courses. It’s a set price for everything.”

Meals are leisurely affairs, too.

“If you go to lunch, it’s usually a four- to five-hour process,” she said. “Or if they’re trying to rush it, it would be two hours.”

Other differences? There are no drink refills or ice, Roberts said.

While in Spain, she craved fast food and Starbucks.

“Before I left, I was not a big fast-food person, but after you’re away, you kind of miss it,” Roberts said. “You kind of miss things like Chick-fil-A.”

She was never so happy to see a taco in her life as she was when a Taco Bell opened in the Spanish city where she lived.

“The only time I got to go to Starbucks was when I was in Madrid, Barcelona or at the airport,” Roberts added.

During the school year, she studied nine subjects, with different classes on different days. At her school, the students stayed in a group together throughout the day, while teachers changed classrooms.

Besides her time in Spain, Roberts had the chance to tour other European countries, including stops at the Berlin Wall, and in Paris where she got to see the Eiffel Tower and the “Mona Lisa.”

As she traveled about, Roberts noticed how similar Spanish is to French and Italian, and now she wants to learn those languages, too.

Roberts thinks her experiences abroad will help her in a future career, whether it be law, politics or international affairs.

She thinks they will help in her day-to-day life, too.

“After being an exchange student, you don’t sweat the little moments,” Roberts said.

Published August 13, 2014

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Chalk Talk 08-06-14

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(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

Pasco-Hernando State College honored the Porter family of Wiregrass Ranch by erecting this permanent display on a wall at Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a satellite of the college that opened in January. The Porter family donated 60 acres to the college to open the satellite in Wesley Chapel.

Back to school drive
The Children’s Home Society of Florida is having a back-to-school drive through Aug. 11 to help foster children.

There are separate needs for elementary, middle and high schools, including backpacks, index cards, pens, markers, transparent tape, calculators and wide-ruled paper.

The drop-off location is 4250 Oak Fair Blvd., in Tampa, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For information, call Rachelle Duroseau at (813) 949-8946, ext. 237, or email .

Meet the teacher at Oakstead
Oakstead Elementary School, 19925 Lake Patience Road in Land O’ Lakes, is hosting its Meet Your Child’s Teacher Day Aug. 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The event is for all students and parents to visit the classrooms, meet the teachers, join the PTA, pay supply fees, and sign up for transportation.

For information, call (813) 346-1500.

Liberty Middle open house
Liberty Middle School, 17400 Commerce Park Blvd., in Tampa, is hosting an open house Aug. 14. Guests can meet the principal and teachers, staff members, guidance counselors, and representatives of the PTA.

Sixth-graders are invited to attend at 2 p.m., and seventh- and eighth-graders at 4:30 p.m.

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

Medical scholarship fundraiser
The Medical Center of Trinity Volunteers, 9330 State Road 54, is hosting a fundraising event for scholarships for students studying in the medical field.

The fundraiser is Aug. 21-22 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the lobby of the hospital, and will showcase Masquerade Jewelry and accessories. All items are $5 and under.

There will also be a silent auction featuring gift baskets, gift cards and other items.

For information, call (727) 834-4017.

(Courtesy of Marcus Price)
(Courtesy of Marcus Price)

Bodhi Price, a student at Woodland Elementary School in Zephyrhills, recently performed in Sarasota’s Circus Arts Conservatory’s Summer Showcase on his birthday, July 11. Bodhi would like to become a stuntman, actor and performer, and circus training is part of his plan to achieve his goal.

Still time to enroll at PHSC
Students interested in enrolling for fall term classes at Pasco-Hernando State College should register immediately. Classes begin Aug. 25.

PHSC will introduce three new health programs this fall: pharmacy technician, surgical technology, and health information technology.

There also will be two bachelor degree programs in supervision and management, and in nursing.

Students can apply online at PHSC.edu/wise. The application fee is $25.

An additional $20 is assessed during the late registration period. Late registration is Aug. 25-29.

For information, visit PHSC.edu.

New schools, new programs on tap for 2014-15 school year

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The days of relatively easy rush-hour commutes are approaching an end as students, teachers and other employees gear up for a new school year.

Students in Pasco County Schools begin the 2014-15 school year on Aug. 18, and Hillsborough County public schools begin classes a day later.

These children arrive at school at Quail Hollow Elementary School on the last day the school had classes before closing down for renovation. Quail Hollow is slated to open in the 2015-16 school year. (File Photo)
These children arrive at school at Quail Hollow Elementary School on the last day the school had classes before closing down for renovation. Quail Hollow is slated to open in the 2015-16 school year.
(File Photo)

Wiregrass Ranch High School already is urging students and parents to give themselves ample time to arrive.

“Traffic in the morning is always busy,” Robyn White, the school’s principal, noted on the Wiregrass Ranch website. “With 40 buses arriving, 500 student drivers, 200 employees and hundreds of parents driving to school, you must arrive early to prevent being late to school.”

If that’s the scene at just one school, imagine how it will play out across two massive school districts.

In addition to traffic generated by Hillsborough and Pasco public schools, there also are thousands of students in both counties attending private schools and charter schools, including Academy at the Lakes, Land O’ Lakes Christian School, Countryside Montessori, The Reading Corner, Learning Gate Community School, Imagine School and Academy at the Farm, just to name a few.

The traffic jams will begin in earnest when students return to classes, but the volume will pick up a bit earlier as teachers and other school employees begin reporting back to work to get ready for another year.

Many parents are already hitting the malls, discount stores and local shops to buy their kids new school clothes and supplies for the coming year. Parents who want to be in the know should check their school’s website to make sure they are getting the supplies that their kids will need. Most websites offer a list of supplies that differentiates between grade levels.

Parents also can benefit from attending “meet the teacher” day at elementary schools and orientation sessions for older students to get a better feel for their child’s campus and the school’s rules. Again, all that information is available on schools’ websites.

The coming school year is ushering in new educational options for students in both school districts. Pepin Academies has a new public charter school in New Port Richey that will serve students with special learning needs throughout Pasco County.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the county, Darby Christian Academy in Dade City will offer a community school model, based on a biblical worldview. That school, a ministry of Darby Community Church at 14745 Bellamy Brothers Road, offers instruction for kindergarten through 10th-graders.

Stewart Middle School and Zephyrhills High School are adding The Infinity Academy, a program that blends online instruction with classroom learning to give students the chance to quickly move through material they master, but spend more time on lessons that cause them to struggle.

Both schools also are offering a program called AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. At Zephyrhills High, AVID will be available for 60 incoming ninth-graders who will take it as an elective. The class will focus on organizational skills, text coding, reading and writing coaching, and math and science tutorials.

At Stewart, the AVID elective will be offered for students in grades six through eight.

In Hillsborough County, the public charter Lutz Preparatory School has added a middle school. This year, the school will serve sixth- and seventh-graders. Next year, it intends to add eighth grade.

Three elementary schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area have new principals.

Claudia Steinacker will lead Cox Elementary School, and Christina Twardosz is at the helm of Centennial Elementary School, both in Dade City. Gretchen Rudolph-Fladd is the new principal at Veterans Elementary School in Wesley Chapel.

This school year also signals the first full year of operation for Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a new satellite of Pasco-Hernando State College.

The college campus is next door to Wiregrass Ranch High and not far from Wesley Chapel High School, which is expected to lead to enhanced educational opportunities for the high school students and to give the college a chance to recruit more future students.

Pasco County Schools Calendar 2014-15
Aug. 18 — Students’ first day
Sep. 1 — Labor Day
Oct. 20 — Teacher planning day
Oct. 27— Report card distribution
Nov. 24-28 — Thanksgiving break
Dec. 22-Jan. 2 — Winter break
Jan. 5 — Teacher planning day
Jan. 12 — Report card distribution
Jan. 19 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb. 16 — President’s Day
March 16-20 — Spring break
March 23 — Teacher planning day
March 30 — Report card distribution
April 3 — Non-student day
May 20 — Seniors’ last day
May 25 — Memorial Day
June 3 — Students’ last day
June 11 — Final report card distribution

Hillsborough County Schools Calendar 2014-15
Aug. 19 — Students’ first day
Sept. 1 — Labor Day
Oct. 20 — Teacher planning day
Nov. 3 — Elementary report card distribution
Nov. 7 — Secondary report card distribution
Nov. 11 — Veterans Day
Nov. 24-28 — Fall break
Dec. 22-Jan. 2 — Winter break
Jan. 19 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan. 20 — Non-student day
Feb. 2 — Elementary report card distribution
Feb. 10 — Secondary report card distribution
March 9–13 — Spring break
March 16 — Student’s return to school
April 3 — Non-student day
April 13 — Elementary report card distribution
April 17 — Secondary report card distribution
May 25 — Memorial Day
June 5 — Elementary report card distribution
June 5 — Last day of school
June 12 — Secondary report card distribution

– Compiled by Ashley Schrader

Published August 6, 2014

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Saint Leo University hosts free Beginning Teacher Boot Camp

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Beginning educators may feel a bit shell-shocked, as they navigate through their first year of teaching. But a July 25 seminar at Saint Leo University aimed to combat those feelings.

The free half-day session, led by instructor Beverly Ledbetter, was filled with practical advice — in essence, a road map — to help new teachers protect themselves against potential pitfalls as they launch their careers.

Hilary Berbach, left, and Samantha Crumpler are starting their teaching careers in Pasco County this year. They took advantage of the free table of goodies that instructor Beverly Ledbetter brought to use as props in her ‘boot camp’ for beginning teachers. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Hilary Berbach, left, and Samantha Crumpler are starting their teaching careers in Pasco County this year. They took advantage of the free table of goodies that instructor Beverly Ledbetter brought to use as props in her ‘boot camp’ for beginning teachers.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The boot camp, now in its third year, is a public service offered through Saint Leo’s School of Education and Social Services. The university is at 33701 State Road 52, in East Pasco County.

Teachers at the session came from numerous schools, including Wesley Chapel and Wharton high schools, Rushe Middle and Woodland, Seven Oaks, Pasco, Double Branch, R.B. Cox, San Antonio and Wesley Chapel elementary schools.

Nancy Cerezo, associate professor of education at Saint Leo, offered a bit of advice, too. She urged the teachers to seek assistance if they are encountering difficulties.

“If you don’t ask for help, they don’t know you’re drowning,” she said. “Do not be afraid to seek help from people on your faculty, on your campus. Ask seasoned teachers, ask the principal, ask the librarian — ask someone.”

Ledbetter talked to the teachers about what they should and shouldn’t do on campus. It’s a good idea to circulate with other teachers and school staff, to get to know them and to become known, she said.

“Know people’s names,” she advised. “That helps you.”

It’s especially smart to know the school’s bookkeeper, its guidance staff, custodians, lunchroom workers and union representative, Ledbetter said. All of them can help teachers succeed in different ways.

Teachers also should know they will get a supply budget, she said, so they don’t need to empty their wallets for classroom items. However, they must account for how they spend that money, so they should be sure to keep their receipts.

“Anything you buy for your classroom is tax-deductible,” Ledbetter added.

Another piece of advice is how to interact with students.

“Never put yourself in the position to be alone with a student, because you never know what they are going to say,” she said.

If a teacher wants to help a student after school, that’s fine – just be sure another teacher or other students are present, Ledbetter said.

Play it safe when it comes to school attire, too, Ledbetter said. Female teachers must avoid revealing clothing.

Male teachers must be aware of how they position themselves near students. They should avoid bending over a female student, to avoid accusations of impropriety, she said. Teachers need to read their contracts to make sure they know what is appropriate and inappropriate in the classroom.

Some things are just common sense, Ledbetter said. “If you have any doubts about something, don’t do it.”

Technology can be a useful aid to instruction, but also must be used with care, she said. Check with the school’s media staffer to be sure the material is appropriate for use in the classroom.

Also, avoid talking on your cellphone during class, Ledbetter said.

“Be careful of jokes in the classroom,” she added. “You never know how a student is going to take a joke.”

Another concern is how to deal with money, especially since misappropriating school funds is an infraction that can result in losing retirement benefits, Ledbetter said.

“Before you handle student money, know the procedures at your school,” she said. “If you’re on a field trip and a student asks you to hold their lunch money, think twice.”

Hilary Berbach, who will teach kindergarten at Woodland Elementary School in Zephyrhills, and Samantha Crumpler, who will teach kindergarten at San Antonio Elementary School, were among those attending the seminar. Crumpler said she’d already heard warnings about not being alone with children and being careful with money, but she liked Ledbetter’s advice about getting to know the school’s bookkeeper and saving receipts for school supplies for tax deductions.

Berbach liked Ledbetter’s suggested survival kit for teachers. She said she’d never considered how useful it would be to have safety pins around in case a need arises.

Both teachers are eager for school to start.

“I’m very nervous and very excited,” Berbach said. “I want to get in my classroom and set things up and meet my students. I’m so excited to know who my students are.”

A Beginning Teacher’s Survival Kit
Veteran educator Beverly Ledbetter suggests beginning teachers assemble a supply kit to prepare them for that first day of school.
Her suggested kit is not filled with tradition school supplies, such as markers, scissors, glue and paper. Instead, she recommends:

• Sanitizer wipes
• Facial tissue
• Eyeglass cleaning cloths
• Small set of screwdrivers
• Safety pins
• Sewing kit
• Hand lotion
• Clip of keys
• Umbrella
• Peanut butter crackers
• Cough drops
• Bandages for paper cuts or blisters

Published August 6, 2014

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County’s vo-tech program needs some TLC, Luikart says

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After spending decades as a teacher and administrator in Pasco County Schools, Steve Luikart was ready to enjoy retirement. That is, until a letter to the editor in an area newspaper caught the attention of his wife, Nancy, and his life would never be the same.

Steve Luikart feels he’s earned another term on the school board, especially since there’s still much work to do on the district’s vocational technical program. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
Steve Luikart feels he’s earned another term on the school board, especially since there’s still much work to do on the district’s vocational technical program.
(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“The letter writer wanted to know when someone with the background and experience in the school system would run for the school board,” Luikart said. “My wife got me up at 5:30 that morning and made me read it. ‘Do you know what I’m saying?’ she asked me. I said, ‘Yes, I do.’”

Later that week, Luikart was in the supervisor of elections office, filing paperwork to run for school board, a seat he won in 2010 with 45 percent of the vote in a three-person race. Since then, Luikart has called himself a representative of the men and women who work in the school system, providing a voice he says they may not have otherwise.

“I know how the teachers feel, and how the custodians feel, and how the cafeteria and support staff feel,” he said. “I have worked with all those folks for so long, I can bring a different perspective when some of these things come up” on the board.

Luikart championed the opening of health clinics across the county that he said not only helps keep employees healthy, but saves the school district money in medical costs. Luikart also pushed for a program led by England’s University of Cambridge that provides accelerated methods of academic study, as well as an aeronautics program at Sunlake High School.

“One of my main goals, if I’m re-elected, is to look at our vocational technical programs and get more involved,” Luikart said. “I want to find out more what the students and the community need, because we need to be able to train our students who are not going on to college, and who are not getting higher paid jobs coming out of high school.”

The vo-tech programs have been something close to Luikart’s heart in his more than three decades as an educator. He was a second-generation graduate of Gulf High School in New Port Richey, and returned to the high school after college to become an educator.

Luikart’s first job was as a work experience coordinator and he focused on freshmen who were at high risk of eventually dropping out of school. He would work with them to make sure they had the necessary life skills to succeed on their own, including how to fill out job applications and to balance a checkbook.

“The expectation was that just about 8 (percent) to 10 percent would actually stay in school and graduate,” Luikart said. “I didn’t take what I did lightly, and my graduation rate was actually closer to 60 (percent) to 70 percent, and the state came in and adopted my curriculum elsewhere.”

Whenever Luikart travels around the country, he visits various vo-tech programs, looking for ideas. He realized in observing those programs, Pasco’s vocational technical programs are falling short.

“They are nowhere close to the levels they should be at,” he said. “We have to make sure that when these students graduate, they will get two steps in front of the average guy. We need to expand some of the programs that we’re offering.”

Luikart also wants to break out various career academies so that they are more centralized and accessible to students across the country, and not just specifically with a high school, like the culinary academy at Land O’ Lakes High School.

“If I’m at Sunlake, I have to drive over to Land O’ Lakes High School and try to enroll in it,” Luikart said. “If these academies were part of the Marchman Technical Education Center, it would become more economically viable from the district’s standpoint.”

Luikart says he wants his next four years to be like the last four on the board, and that starts with listening to everyone affected by the board’s decisions.

“I don’t rule with a heavy hand,” he said. “I rule with the people.”

STEVE LUIKART
Non-partisan candidate for Pasco County School Board, District 5

OCCUPATION
Retired administrator, Pasco County Schools

ELECTED OFFICE
Pasco County School Board, 2010

FAMILY
Nancy Luikart, wife
Steve Luikart, son
Jamie Golubeff, daughter
Shawna Luikart, daughter

RESIDENCE
New Port Richey, lifelong

FUNDRAISING
through July 25
$9,786

Published August 6, 2014

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Yacht says school district needs protection from itself

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It’s not uncommon to find education leaders with the “doctor” title before their name. But Marc Yacht is not one of those kinds of doctors. He’s actually a medical doctor, the retired director of the Pasco County Health Department.

Health in education is important to Marc Yacht, but so is protecting public education from those who want to privatize all of it. (Courtesy of Marc Yacht)
Health in education is important to Marc Yacht, but so is protecting public education from those who want to privatize all of it.
(Courtesy of Marc Yacht)

And he now wants to lend his medical knowledge and experience to Pasco County Schools as a member of the school board.

“I’m advocating for more nursing services in the schools, since many children now have chronic medical problems that require more attention,” Yacht said. “I also would like to offer my expertise when it comes to health policy issues that come before the school board. That’s a big one for me, and something we haven’t really had since Marge Whaley left a number of years ago.”

However, Yacht is not looking to just address medical needs in the school district. He also wants to rein in what he says is the district’s out-of-control dependence on charter schools and voucher credits, which eats money that could’ve otherwise been spent on improving public schools.

“We are No. 43 nationally when it comes to public schools,” Yacht said. “We are so low on the list for funding, it really concerns me when money is being drained from public schools for charter schools.”

More than 87 percent of voucher credits, he said, are going to religious schools.

“That is a Constitutional issue for me,” Yacht said. “I am a 100 percent advocate for public education, and I feel no Florida tax dollar should go to religious or private schools. Yet, I’m hearing no voices about this. I’m not hearing anything from school boards or superintendents addressing concerns about how significant tax dollars are being drained.”

Teachers also are getting unfairly blamed for a school’s poor performance, Yacht said.

“We do not understand the problem that children have when they are coming into a school,” he said. “Much of it is poverty, and they don’t have the resources others do. And our teachers are being demoralized by all this, plus they haven’t received a raise for five years, so that’s not helping much either.”

One thing that Yacht hopes to share with fellow board members, if elected, is to be more open-minded to the concerns brought to them by the community. Far too often, it seems the board has made up its mind in advance, and what parents and students feel is usually left on the table.

The worst example, he says, was when the school board decided last year to allow a cell tower to be built at Seven Oaks Elementary School in Wesley Chapel.

“Parents came before the school board and really addressed concerns,” Yacht said. “They didn’t just come mad, they came with information. More than 50 of them spoke in front of the school board. But still, in the end, there were four votes for the cell tower, and only one against.”

Yacht isn’t sure a cell tower would actually have long-term health effects on students learning near it, but it just didn’t need to happen.

“There are lots of places to put a cell tower, so why do you need to put it on school grounds?” he said.

The school board also needs to refocus some of its attention on the larger issues affecting the county, Yacht said. Far too often, time is wasted in areas it shouldn’t be.

“The school board deals with a lot of minutiae, like when a teacher needs to get disciplined or a child apologizes for bad behavior,” Yacht said. “They are getting involved, and it’s kind of like Nero fiddling while Rome is burning. They are looking at smaller issues when the house is falling down.”

Yacht’s focus is to protect the very education system he says is being threatened by the push of privatization. And he’s ready to do that from a spot on the school board.

“We have to start looking at the larger issues, because if we don’t, public schools are going to be gone,” Yacht said. “That is the agenda of this (state) government, and we can’t let it happen.”

MARC YACHT
Non-partisan candidate for Pasco County School Board, District 5 

OCCUPATION
Retired director, Pasco County Health Department

FAMILY
Helen Yacht, wife
Philip Yacht, son
Becky Yhap, daughter
Susan Michelle Hinkle, daughter

RESIDENCE
Hudson, since 1987

FUNDRAISING
through Aug. 1
$3,953

Published August 6, 2014

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Wesley Chapel school offers individualized instruction

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A small private school, tucked in an office park off Ancient Oaks Boulevard in Wesley Chapel, offers a style of education tailored to the individual needs of children.

Hailey Ferrara works on a lesson at the white board during last school year at the New LEAPS Academy in Wesley Chapel. It is a school that aims to prepare its students to live independent lives. (Courtesy of New LEAPS Academy)
Hailey Ferrara works on a lesson at the white board during last school year at the New LEAPS Academy in Wesley Chapel. It is a school that aims to prepare its students to live independent lives.
(Courtesy of New LEAPS Academy)

The school, which calls itself New LEAPS Academy, is licensed for kindergarten through 12th grade. But so far, it has students ranging from kindergarten through fifth grade.

The school specializes in serving students with special needs. Its acronym, LEAPS, stands for:

• Listening to needs
• Educating to abilities
• Achieving goals
• Partnering with families
• Succeeding

As the school enters its second year of operation, it has an enrollment of 16 students. The hope is to increase that enrollment to 20 by the time classes begin on Aug. 18, said Deb Natale, the president and co-founder of the school, at 27724 Cashford Circle, Suite 101, in Wesley Chapel.

“There are no other schools that do what we do,” Natale said, noting what makes her school unique is that it serves children with a wide range of disabilities, instead of serving only children with a particular disability such as autism or hearing loss.

Natale said the Wesley Chapel and New Tampa area needs this kind of school. And she knows this firsthand. She and her husband Tony, who is on the school’s board and is chairman of fundraising, have a granddaughter who has special needs.

Each student is evaluated individually to gain an understanding of his or her needs, said Jessie Wamsley, the lead teacher and school manager. Goals are set for each student, and educational plans are revised as a child progresses.

“We fit our curriculum to fit the students’ needs,” Wamsley said, versus trying to use a one-size-fits-all approach. “Our classroom is purposely small, so the kids do get that one-on-one attention.”

Children who attend the school have a variety of challenges, Wamsley said. Some do not speak, for example, and the school uses various strategies to help those children communicate, including using American Sign Language.

Some children have anxiety issues and others have learning disabilities, the women said.

Tuition is $8,700 and the school accepts McKay scholarships, which are available through the state for children with special needs. Special services, such as speech therapy and occupational therapy, also are available from specialists for additional fees.

The school’s aim is to prepare its students to lead independent lives, Natale said. Its goal is to help each child reach his or her potential, Wamsley said.

While the school serves children of diverse needs, it is not equipped to help every child, Wamsley said. Some children have severe medical or behavioral problems that are beyond the reach of the school’s capabilities.

Parents who are interested in learning more about New LEAPS Academy are invited to come in for a visit to see if the school can meet their child’s needs, Natale said.

To arrange a meeting time, call (813) 973-7938.

For more information about the school, visit NewLEAPS.org.

Published August 6, 2014

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