The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Browning has concerns about recommended state test

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Students across Florida will face a new standardized test next year to replace the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test 2.0.

Florida Education Commissioner Pam Stewart has selected a replacement test, but not everyone is embracing it.

“I don’t agree with the choice that she’s made,” Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning said.

Florida has joined a host of other states in the pursuit of Common Core Standards — now known as the Florida Standards — which define what students should know as they proceed through school in order to graduate from high school fully prepared to enter college and the work force. Browning has been making the rounds for more than a year, talking to parents, teachers, administrators and civic groups about the importance of adopting the more rigorous standards, and also of the importance of being able to measure the district students’ progress against students across the nation.

The test Stewart has selected won’t allow those national comparisons, Browning said.

With the FCAT, the district could compare itself to other Florida districts, but that’s where it stopped, Browning notes.

“With this new assessment, we still can’t compare ourselves to other states,” he said.

The superintendent said he’s also concerned that the field-testing for the new assessment is being done in Utah.

“Utah is nothing like Florida,” Browning said. “In addition to that, we find out that it’s not the entire assessment that’s being field-tested, but just questions that are being field-tested.

“Right now, we’re just going in there saying, ‘Well, if it’s good enough for Utah, it’s good enough for Florida.’ I disagree with that.”

Stewart selected the not-for-profit American Institutes for Research to provide the new English language arts and mathematics assessment.

Browning noted the new assessment is not a done deal until it gains approval from the state Board of Education.

“The Legislature certainly has the opportunity to chime in on what assessment is used,” Browning said. And if state lawmakers do, Browning asks them to approve “an assessment that provides transparency, that truly measures student growth,” and that would allow for comparability with performance by students in other states.

Pasco School Board member Cynthia Armstrong agrees with Browning’s objections. Armstrong is concerned the test doesn’t allow comparisons across the nation, and she also is worried about the field-testing being done in Utah, which is much less diverse than Florida.

When Stewart announced her selection of the assessment, she posted prepared letters to teachers and parents.

In the March 17 letter to teachers, the education commissioner noted she has heard repeatedly from teachers that they want “tests that provide a more authentic assessment of our students’ grasp of Florida Standards.

“These assessments will do that,” Stewart said, “because they will include more than multiple choice questions. Students will be asked to create graphs, interact with test content, and write and respond in different ways than on traditional tests.”

The education commissioner also told teachers the “new question types will assess students’ higher-order thinking skills, which is in keeping with the higher expectations of the Florida Standards.

In a March 17 letter to parents, Stewart explained the new Florida Standards, upon which the new test will be based.

“As many of you know, your children will have new goals to meet with the adoption of the Florida Standards,” Stewart wrote. Simply put, these standards are the detailed expectations of what every child should be able to do at each grade level.

“The new standards were developed with unprecedented input from Florida teachers, educators and the public,” Stewart wrote. “The emphasis with these standards is for your children to think critically and analytically and go beyond memorization.”

Published April 2, 2014

Chalk Talk 04-02-14

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ChalkTalk-CorbettYoung thespians receive accolades at festival
A team of 28 middle school performers from Corbett Preparatory School of IDS took honors in every category the students entered at the Florida Junior Thespians State Festival. Corbett Prep Thespian Troupe 88622 received superior ratings and two best in show awards at the festival in Melbourne Feb. 7 and Feb. 8. (Courtesy of Blythe Sobel)

WRHS scholarship opportunity
Wiregrass Ranch High School’s PTSA will award six $350 scholarships to the school’s seniors or PTSA members.

There will be three academic and three citizenship scholarships awarded. Applications and information can be found at WiregrassPTSA.org.

Deadline to submit an application is April 4 at 2:30 p.m.

HCC open houses
Hillsborough Community College will host several upcoming campus open houses. Each event will have refreshments and giveaways.

• Plant City Campus, 1206 N. Park Road: April 8, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Guests can tour environmental science, advanced water treatment and other programs. Admissions, financial aid and career opportunity information will be available.
For information, email .

• SouthShore Campus, 551 24th St., N.E., in Ruskin: April 15, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Guests can pick up program information, tour the campus, view nursing lab demos and more. Financial aid and admissions materials will be available.
For information, email ">.

• Brandon Campus, 10414 E. Columbus Drive in Tampa: April 16, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Program, admissions and financial aid information will be available.
For information, email .

JLMS carnival
The John Long Middle School Parent-Teacher-Student Association will host its seventh annual Round Up Carnival April 11 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the school, 2025 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

The event will include food, games, prizes, rides, inflatable obstacle courses, human hamster ball, laser tag, 4D video game van and more. Armbands and tickets will be sold in the cafeteria the week of April 7 during student lunches.

For information, call Jill Nasso at (813) 235-6699.

Pine View band event
The Pine View Middle School band will present its seventh annual Night Under the Stars April 12 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes High School’s John Benedetto Stadium, 20325 Gator Lane.

There will be music, food, a silent basket auction, drum line battle, and a battle of the bands.

For information, call (813) 794-4800.

Students named to All-Florida Academic Team
Eight Pasco-Hernando State College students were nominated to the 2014 Phi Theta Kappa All-Florida Academic Team. Students were selected based on academic achievement, leadership and community service.

Students representing PHSC are Sasha Stanek and Michael Wilson of Dade City, Ana Chambers and Melissa Espinosa of Spring Hill, Jasmine Frey and Hongyan Lu of Hudson, Leanore Masi of Brooksville, and Tonya Mason of Dunedin.

Corrections and Law Enforcement Academy
Pasco-Hernando State College is now accepting applications for Law Enforcement Academy programs for summer and fall at East Campus, 36727 Blanton Road in Dade City.

A new part-time evening Law Enforcement Academy will begin May 12. Application deadline is April 7.

The next daytime program will be offered in the fall term, starting Aug. 18. Application deadline is June 23.

The programs prepare cadets for work in the field as certified police officers, and are based on 770 hours of training.

For information, call (352) 518-1364, or visit PHSC.edu.

Shelton honored in Tallahassee
Jacquelynn Shelton of Pasco County, a Take Stock in Children high school senior, was recently honored with a 2014 Leaders for Life Fellowship.

The fellowship rewards scholars for excellence in leadership, academics, community involvement and good citizenship. With tuition costs covered through Take Stock in Children, the Leaders for Life Fellowship ensures the student’s freedom from non-tuition related expenses of attending college, according to organizers.

Extension pesticide session
University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension of Pasco County will offer a free open pesticide exam session April 17 from 9 a.m. to noon in Clayton Hall on the Pasco County Fairgrounds.

All categories will be offered except pesticide control operator and limited.

A valid pesticide license is required for those who apply or supervise the application of restricted-use pesticides.

To RSVP, call (352) 793-2728, ext. 234, by April 15.

For information, email Cami Esmel McAvoy at .

Nurse assistant scholarships
The American Red Cross St. Petersburg office has been selected to receive 10 nurse assistant training program scholarships for training service members and veterans, or their immediate family or caregivers.

The St. Petersburg Red Cross Nurse Assistant Training Center is one of seven sites in the country selected to receive the scholarships from a partnership between the Wounded Warrior Project and the American Red Cross.

Students who complete the Red Cross nurse assistant training course are qualified to take the state exam to become a certified nurse assistant.

For information, or to be considered for a scholarship, call (727) 898-3111, ext. 7562.

‘Bee Bully-Free’ in Zephyrhills
Zephyrhills area schools are encouraging students, teachers and staff to wear black and yellow on the last Friday of each month as part of the “Bee Bully-Free Initiative.” The initiative provides stickers and coloring book pages for schools that request them, participates in the Great American Teach-in, and provides certificates and awards for students who transform from bullies into kinder versions of themselves.

Upcoming black and yellow Fridays are April 25 and May 30.

For information on the initiative, visit Facebook.com/beebullyfree.

 

Superintendent pushes new standards, parent involvement

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As the Pasco County school district shifts to a more rigorous set of educational standards, Superintendent Kurt Browning has been making the rounds to explain the changes to parents.

At a series of community forums, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning explained the Common Core State Standards. The system defines what students should know as they proceed through school so they can graduate from high school fully prepared to enter college and the work force. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
At a series of community forums, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning explained the Common Core State Standards. The system defines what students should know as they proceed through school so they can graduate from high school fully prepared to enter college and the work force.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

During his most recent stop at Wiregrass Ranch High School — the final of 13 community meetings — Browning told parents that the district must change the way teachers teach and students learn. He also called for greater involvement by parents to help prepare students for entering school and to reinforce learning at home.

The district’s current performance must improve, Browning said, especially since the district is ranked 34th out of the state’s 67 districts.

“I’m not the least bit happy with 34,” Browning said.

Society has changed and the district must change, too, to meet its goal of producing students who are ready for college, careers and life, Browning said.

“We’ve got to make a connection between what’s happening in the real world and in the classroom,” Browning said.

Along those lines, the district is shifting to Common Core State Standards and raising the bar on expectations. The standards define what students should know as they proceed through school in order to graduate from high school fully prepared to enter college and the work force.

“We’re embracing a new way of teaching and learning,” said Rayann Mitchell, a senior supervisor in the division of curriculum, assessment and instruction.

The new standards are causing teachers to think differently about the way they teach, Browning said.

Instead of standing at the front of the classroom lecturing, teachers are now pushing for more collaboration between students and self-directed learning, Mitchell said. When parents visit a classroom, they may see different ways of teaching and learning. Instead of being seated in neat rows, students may have their desks pushed together so they can collaborate on projects, divvy research assignments and share what they’ve learned.

Teachers are being challenged in new ways, too. They’re using technology to help deliver lessons, and they’re using a new set of educational standards. The standards aim at helping students develop a deeper understanding of concepts and an ability to use their knowledge to tackle new academic challenges, Mitchell said.

Under Common Core, students will spend more time reading for information and less on literature as they advance through their school years. Elementary students will spend about half of their time on literary texts and the other half reading for information. Secondary students will spend about 30 percent of their time reading literature and the rest reading information.

Students will read a wide range of information and also will dig deep into content, Mitchell said.

“We want them to be able to pick up anything they want to read and to be able to figure it out,” she said.

In mathematics, the shift is toward developing a deeper understanding so that students can use efficient and effective ways to solve problems. Besides communicating their math knowledge through writing, they’ll also be expected to explain it, orally.

Teachers need to help students become self-directed learners, Mitchell said.

School districts cannot use a one-size-fits-all approach to instruction. “Every child learns differently,” Browning said. “There are going to be some kids that just aren’t going to get it.”

The district must address those needs. “We’re about pushing kids, but we’re not about pushing kids along,” he said.

Students may complain to their parents that school is hard, Browning said. But school is supposed to be challenging. It isn’t supposed to be easy. Learning requires work.

There are many ways that parents can help. Parent involvement begins before children enter school, he added, noting some youngsters arrive at school without knowing such basic things as the alphabet, colors, numbers or seasons.

Having nonfiction materials at home for children to read, engaging children in family projects, and helping with homework, are among the ways parents can support their children’s education, Browning said.

Sometimes, children are frustrated by homework because they say they haven’t learned a concept yet in school, one parent noted on a comment card. The district’s policy is that homework is intended to reinforce what’s been learned in school. It’s a way to practice new learning, Mitchell said. If materials are being sent home and the child doesn’t understand, parents should reach out to teachers.

Browning encourages parents to talk with teachers, and if they can’t resolve their issue there, to talk with principals. He invites them to take their issues up the chain of command until they reach him if problems cannot be resolved.

The community forums have been informative, Browning said. For one thing, the district has learned it needs to communicate more with parents. To that end, it will launch a monthly newsletter next school year to keep in touch with parents. The newsletter will be emailed to any parent submitting an email address.

The community meeting also addressed some misconceptions about the Common Core standards. Skeptics have claimed that Common Core are standards that are being pushed on local districts by the federal government, but Browning said that isn’t true.

The National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers collaborated with teachers, researchers, education experts, and members of the higher education and business communities to design and develop the standards.

Local school districts are in charge of the educational materials used to ensure students meet those standards, Browning said.

This year, Florida students will continue taking the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, Browning said. Next year, there will be another assessment, though state officials have not yet decided what that will be.

The school district’s goal is to equip students for challenges they’ll encounter beyond high school. So, Browning told parents that when international companies locate in Tampa Bay, “I want your kids to be able to compete for those jobs.”

Sources of help for parents:

• PTA.org

• ParentToolKit.com

• K12Blueprint.com/ccss

• The ‘In Sync’ education link at Pasco.k12.fl.us.

Published March 19, 2014

Land O’ Lakes teen prepares for big summer adventure

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Many teenagers would be content to spend their summer vacation learning how to drive, getting a part-time job or hanging out at the beach. But 16-year-old Amy Deeb has much bigger plans.

Amy Deeb, a sophomore at Sunlake High School, received a scholarship from the U.S. Department of State to study Hindi this summer in Indore, a city in central India. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Amy Deeb, a sophomore at Sunlake High School, received a scholarship from the U.S. Department of State to study Hindi this summer in Indore, a city in central India.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

She’ll jet off to New York on July 5 where she’ll spend three days being prepped before traveling another 7,600 miles to spend the summer in Indore, a city in central India. The Sunlake High School student will be immersed in the sights, sounds, language and culture of the place – and she’ll spend at least 120 hours in class learning Hindi.

Deeb’s travel expenses and classes are being covered through a scholarship provided by the U.S. Department of State’s National Security Language Initiative for Youth program. She’ll stay with a host family and receive a stipend to cover her day-to-day expenses in India.

The program is intended to encourage youths to develop language skills in Arabic, Mandarin, Korean, Persian (Tajiki), Russian, Turkish and Hindi. The initiative is aimed at helping prepare Americans become leaders in a global world, according to the NSLI for Youth website.

While in school, Deeb will focus on reading, writing, speaking and listening, so that by the end of her program, she’ll be familiar with the Devanagari alphabet and will possess and understand Hindi grammar and the different dialects of Hindi, according to the program’s website.

Not only will Deeb learn a new language, but she’ll also learn new sounds and how to make them. She’ll have a chance to explore the context in the language, including Indian crafts, music and dance, as well as yoga and the Bollywood film industry, the program’s website says.

Deeb is counting the days before her departure. She knows throwing herself into a new place without extensive background in the language or culture is a somewhat daunting challenge. But she is ready to embrace it.

“Complete immersion,” she said, is a very cool way to learn about another culture and language.

When she applied for the scholarship, Deeb said she had to rank three languages she was interested in studying. Hindi was her No. 1 choice.

“I figured if I’m going to go for it, I may as well pick something that’s so, in my mind, different from what I could ever experience in America,” said Deeb, who has aspirations of becoming a surgeon working in foreign countries.

She has her sights set on work in fetal surgery. “I think it would be interesting to be kind of like a pioneer in fetal surgery,” Deeb said.

She expects to be in class about six hours a day during the week. She’ll spend other time with her host family and on cultural excursions.

Deeb studies American Sign Language, but doesn’t take other language classes. She believes her sign language studies will help her be more observant of others than she might have otherwise been.

But she admits she doesn’t have a clue about speaking Hindi.

“I could be just terrible at Hindi – it’s a definite possibility,” Deeb said, but it won’t be for a lack of effort or enthusiasm. “I’m going to throw myself in there and hope for the best.”

Deeb said she found out about the scholarship program from two of her cousins who live in Tucson, Ariz. Both of them have been selected to study Mandarin, and one of them is currently involved in a yearlong program, Deeb said.

Deeb found out about the program when she was 13 and knew then that she wanted to apply when she turned 16. She’s delighted she was chosen.

“It’s very selective,” Deeb said, noting about 3,500 students apply nationwide for scholarships for all seven languages. About 400 or fewer receive scholarships.

Her application included three essays, biographical information and a copy of her transcript. Finalists also underwent personal interviews, which lasted about 40 minutes.

The main qualities the program requires are enthusiasm and aptitude, Deeb said.

She seems to qualify on both counts. Deeb has a 4.4 GPA on a 4.0 scale, with extra points awarded for rigorous coursework.

And, her enthusiasm is obvious.

“I can’t even imagine in my mind what it’s going to be like to go there. I am so excited,” Deeb said.

For more information about the National Security Language Initiative for Youth program, visit NSLIForYouth.org.

Published March 19, 2014

Chalk Talk 03-19-14

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

PHSC trustees attend legislative conference
Pasco-Hernando State College’s trustee board attended the Association of Florida Colleges Trustee Legislative Conference in Tallahassee in February. The conference provides college trustees the opportunity to learn more about the Florida College System legislative budget request and other substantive issues being monitored there. Attending the conference and a reception at the governor’s mansion were, from left, PHSC board vice chair Leonard Johnson, PHSC trustee Edward Blommel, Libby Blommel, Gov. Rick Scott, trustees Judy Parker and Morris Porton, and PHSC president Katherine Johnson.

 

Students compete at National History Day Fair
More than 100 students participated in Hillsborough County’s National History Day Fair. This year’s theme was “Rights and Responsibilities,” and students created projects on the Berlin Wall, the Holocaust, the Great Depression, capital punishment and students’ educational rights.

Students at Liberty Middle School in New Tampa who won awards included Will Rojka and Amere Nelms for the judge’s award for presentation, and Amanda Yelvington for the Student Advocate Award.

Rojka and Nelms developed the project “Rights of Jews During the Holocaust,” while Yelvington won for “Schools: Rights for All.”

Wesley Chapel students collect cat food
The safety patrol program at Wesley Chapel Elementary School, 30243 Wells Road, is collecting cat food through March 21 for The Labor of Love Animal Rescue, as its community service project.

The group’s goal is to collect 2,000 cans of cat food for the rescue. Businesses and schools are invited to join in the food drive.

For information, call Chris Gorman at (813) 794-0100.

College info event in Spanish
Hillsborough County Public Schools Guidance Services will host a college information event in Spanish March 22 at 9:30 a.m., at Wharton High School, 20150 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., in Tampa.

The meeting is to inform Hispanic students and their parents about preparing for college, applying to college, and the financial aid and scholarship process.

For information, call (813) 631-4710.

WRHS scholarship opportunity
Wiregrass Ranch High School’s PTSA will award six $350 scholarships to the school’s seniors or PTSA members.

There will be three academic and three citizenship scholarships awarded. Applications and information can be found at WiregrassPTSA.org.

Deadline to submit an application is April 4 at 2:30 p.m.

Hillsborough schools joins 100K
Hillsborough County Public Schools has been invited to join a national network of partners with the overall goal of developing and training 100,000 science, technology, engineering, and math teachers by 2021.

Hillsborough is the only school district in Florida, and one of only seven school districts in the nation, to be chosen to participate.

The effort brings corporations, school districts, universities, foundations, museums, federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations together to address the challenges of increasing the number of effective science, technology, engineering and mathematics teachers.

Local students make dean’s list
The following local students were named to the dean’s list at their respective schools:

• Ahmed AlTonobey, of Lutz — Virginia Tech
• Alan Westbay, of Lutz — Mercer University, Georgia
• Alexis Setteducato, of Lutz — Mercer University
• Austin Schonbrun, of Lutz — Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, N.C.
• Cynthia Pumphrey, of Lutz — Springfield College, Springfield, Mass.
• Devan Dampier, of Odessa — Clearwater Christian College
• Dominic Prado, of Odessa — Wake Forest University
• Eric Boyd, of Odessa — Springfield College
• Lauren Lopez, of Lutz — Clearwater Christian College
• Lin Larson, of Lutz — University of Iowa
• Melvin Shepard, of Lutz — Springfield College
• Rachel Wilder, of Lutz — Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn.
• Rebecca Hamm, of Odessa — Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta

Shelton honored in Tallahassee
Jacquelynn Shelton of Pasco County, a Take Stock in Children high school senior, was recently honored with a 2014 Leaders for Life Fellowship.

The Fellowship rewards scholars for excellence in leadership, academics, community involvement and good citizenship. With tuition costs covered through Take Stock in Children, the Leaders for Life Fellowship ensures the student’s freedom from non-tuition related expenses of attending college.

Student Citizens honored by Chamber

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce recognized Student Citizens at a February ceremony. Each month, one student from 10 area schools is selected for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their school, family and community.

Among those recognized were Giovanni Maduko of Florida Autism Center of Excellence, Henry Charlebois of Woodland Elementary School, Madison Watson of West Zephyrhills Elementary School, Lailani Perez of Heritage Academy, Dylan Peters of Zephyrhills High School, Kendra Williamson of Stewart Middle School, Javier Ayala of East Pasco Adventist Academy, and Shelby Stevanus of Taylor Elementary School. Also present for the ceremony were chamber executive director Vonnie Mikkelsen, chamber president Carolyn Sentelik, and facilitator A.J. Hernandez.

Corrections and Law Enforcement Academy
Pasco-Hernando State College is now accepting applications for Law Enforcement Academy programs for summer and fall at East Campus, 36727 Blanton Road in Dade City.

A new part-time evening Law Enforcement Academy will begin May 12. Application deadline is April 7.

The next daytime program will be offered in the fall term, starting Aug. 18. Application deadline is June 23.

The programs prepare cadets for work in the field as certified police officers, and are based on 770 hours of training.

For information, call (352) 518-1364, or visit PHSC.edu.

Trustees appointed to PHSC board
Gov. Rick Scott has appointed John Dougherty to the District Board of Trustees for Pasco-Hernando State College. Scott also reappointed Morris Porton, who has served on the board since November 2011.

Dougherty, of Spring Hill, has 25 years experience as a certified public accountant and financial planner. He is a managing member of the investment advisory firm Dougherty & Associates.

Porton, also of Spring Hill, is a senior vice president at Florida Traditions Bank with 44 years of banking experience.

Adult education info session
Saint Leo University will host an information session on its degree programs March 25 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College, 10230 Ridge Road in New Port Richey.

Undergraduate, adult education and masters students are invited.

Guests can meet with an admissions counselor and are asked to bring a copy of their transcripts. Financial aid and scholarship information also will be available.

To make a reservation, call (352) 588-8879, or visit SaintLeo.edu/rsvp.

Wiregrass Ranch has impressive science fair results

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Ryan De Vroeg’s fascination with military weapons and armor began when he was just a little kid.

He recalls watching the Military History channel when he was quite small, and being drawn to stories about how weapons work and how they’ve evolved.

Wiregrass Ranch High School student Ryan De Vroeg has a new enthusiasm for competing in science fairs since his teacher, Branden Anglin, encouraged him to explore a topic of interest to him. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
Wiregrass Ranch High School student Ryan De Vroeg has a new enthusiasm for competing in science fairs since his teacher, Branden Anglin, encouraged him to explore a topic of interest to him. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

So, when his Wiregrass Ranch High School teacher encouraged students to do science fair entries based on their interest areas, De Vroeg decided to study the impact force of a composite material, in a quest to design safer armor to protect soldiers and law enforcement personnel.

De Vroeg, whose study involved carbon fiber, said he was inspired by a desire to improve protection for military personnel and law enforcement officers. His entry at the Pasco Regional STEM Fair — which focuses on science, technology, engineering and mathematics — won first place in the engineering category and was named the most outstanding exhibit in materials science by the ASM Materials Education Foundation.

De Vroeg now moves on to compete at the Florida State Science and Engineering Fair slated for April 8-10 at Lakeland Center in Lakeland. He is one of four Wiregrass Ranch High students who advanced beyond the regional fair. Other students with winning entries were Vasili Courialis, Tyler Glantz and John Pease.

Courialis, who now attends Sunlake High, designed an experiment to determine whether or not manipulating the center of gravity in an SUV could reduce the rollover rates of the vehicle. His entry was chosen to be one of two representatives for Pasco County at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in May.

Glantz looked at rocket design and which design would decrease fluid drag on a rocket in the atmosphere. Pease measured the impact force of a soccer ball, and looked at ways he could reduce that force to help protect soccer players at all levels.

“This the first time Wiregrass Ranch has sent students to both state competition and international competition as well,” said Branden Anglin, who teaches biology and biology honors, and coordinates the science fair for Wiregrass Ranch. “This is a tremendous achievement, considering that this the first year that Wiregrass Ranch sent a student to regional fair.”

This is also De Vroeg’s first science fair.

“I wasn’t really a fan of science fairs when I was younger because teachers just forced me to do something out of a book,” De Vroeg said. However, he changed his attitude because of Anglin’s approach.

The science fair, Anglin said, is not about a grade.

“All too often, we approach it as a requirement for the science classroom,” he said. “We assign the project, let the kids go, and expect them to come back with a decent project. That leads to students turning to the Internet and giving us canned projects in return.”

A science fair helps spark scientific interest in students, Anglin added.

“If I were to force students to do a science fair project only on a slim range of topics, I would get back less-than-exciting projects that were merely a copy of a project found online,” he said.

Giving students a range of options allows them to own the process, he said.

“I then help them to refine that project, and make it into a high-quality project that they can be proud of,” Anglin said.

He thinks teachers can use science fair projects to share their passion for understanding how the world works. And he shares that with students about their science fair projects as well.

“I tell them I want them to try to change the world, and not settle for anything less than their best,” Anglin said.

He believes this gives students an opportunity for an authentic way to experience science.

“They aren’t just reading a textbook or taking notes, they are actually doing science. They are being scientists,” Anglin said. “Many students, myself included, change their career path after advancing to state or international competition.”

De Vroeg’s new interest in scientific competitions may bode well for the young man, Anglin said.

“Ryan is one of my most enthusiastic students when it comes to scientific discovery,” he said. “He has a lot of great ideas, and, if he pursues those interests, he will make a dramatic impact on the world of material engineering.”

He’s particularly impressed by De Vroeg’s grasp of concepts, especially in light of his youth.

“To do this kind of work as a freshman in high school is almost unheard of,” Anglin said. “Ryan has positioned himself to be a competitor at the regional, state, and international level over the next three years if he stays dedicated to his craft and really focuses on generating unique and applicable projects.”

Published March 12, 2014

 

New academy will offer a head start for careers in agriculture

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The agricultural industry is big business in Florida, and a new academy starting next year aims to give Central Pasco County students a competitive edge in that sector.

(Courtesy of Land O' Lakes High School)
(Courtesy of Land O’ Lakes High School)

Florida’s agricultural industry employs approximately 2 million people and contributes more than $104 billion to the state’s economy, according to the “2013 Florida Agriculture by the Numbers” report published by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

With its 47,500 farms, the state ranks 18th in the nation. In 2012, Florida ranked first in the nation in the value of its production of oranges and grapefruits, according to the report.

But agriculture goes well with growing crops and tending cattle, said John Hagen, chairman and chief executive of Pasco Economic Development Council. It offers myriad opportunities in science and technology, as the industry seeks to find ways to get greater yields and prevent environmental damage.

Central Pasco students who are interested in the industry will have a new opportunity to prepare for career opportunities in agriculture as Land O’ Lakes High School launches its Academy of Agritechnology next fall. Land O’ Lakes High has had a strong chapter in the National FFA Organization ever since the school opened in 1975, said school principal Ric Mellin.

The academy will offer many of the same courses as the school has offered in the past, but also will begin providing opportunities for students to earn industry certifications while still in high school, Mellin said.

The program will be open through the Pasco County’s school choice option to students attending Central Pasco high schools, Mellin said. That means students who would normally attend Sunlake or Wiregrass Ranch high schools who have an interest in the program can apply to attend Land O’ Lakes High.

The application period for the coming school year has closed, but Mellin expects that the program will grow gradually in coming years.

About a half-dozen students from outside Land O’ Lakes High boundaries have expressed an interest, Mellin said. He also expects a large number of Pine View Middle School students who will attend Land O’ Lakes High next year, to enroll in the program. Pine View has a strong FFA program.

This program will give students an opportunity to prepare for careers in agriculture, as well as food and natural resources management. Students will learn about such things as animal and plant production and processing, marketing, agricultural mechanics, communications, human relations, and employability skills.

They also will have opportunities to do laboratory work, prepare student projects and take advantage of cooperative education opportunities.

One of the key strengths of having academies like this in high school is the opportunity it presents for a student to try out a career area before heading off to college, said Hagen, who chairs a committee that provides advice to the school district on its career academies. Students sometimes arrive at college thinking they want to pursue a particular career, but once they delve into it, they discover it’s not what they expected.

Career academies give students greater insight into what they may encounter, he said. They also can help students develop skills that give them a leg up on the competition when they enter the work force.

Published March 12, 2014

More than 125 years of Benedictine service began with just four nuns

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Construction crews from Creative Contractors Inc., are busily erecting the future home of the Benedictine Sisters of Florida. They are building the new Holy Name Monastery on the south side of State Road 52 near Wichers Road. The project includes a chapel, private living quarters with 20 bedrooms, a library to house archives and spiritual books, and meeting spaces for large and small groups.

The Benedictine Sisters of Florida lived in a three-story, wood-frame hotel building from the time they arrived until a more modern monastery was built in 1960. A team of oxen moved the hotel building on 1911 from San Antonio to the current monastery’s site, west of Saint Leo University. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
The Benedictine Sisters of Florida lived in a three-story, wood-frame hotel building from the time they arrived until a more modern monastery was built in 1960. A team of oxen moved the hotel building on 1911 from San Antonio to the current monastery’s site, west of Saint Leo University. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The funds for the new monastery are coming from $3.4 million in proceeds from the sale of the current monastery and land to Saint Leo University, as well as a $500,000 capital campaign. So far, the capital campaign has raised slightly less than $175,000, which includes a $100,000 one-to-one match challenge grant. The sisters must raise $100,000 by June 30 to receive that grant.

The building, which was designed by Klar & Klar Architects, is well under way.

It’s possible that the sisters may move in as early as this summer, said Sister Roberta Bailey, prioress of the Benedictine Sisters of Florida.

The sisters are leaving a massive multi-story structure where they have lived since 1960. That structure has become too large for the sisters and too expensive to operate, maintain and renovate.

The sisters are celebrating their 125th anniversary of living and working in Pasco County.

The original quartet of sisters traveled from Elk County, Pa., to San Antonio, arriving there on Feb. 28, 1889. Another sister joined them a few months later.

“They were called down to be teachers of the children of the German immigrants,” Bailey said.

When they arrived in San Antonio, they lived in a three-story wooden hotel. A team of oxen moved that building in 1911 to the current monastery’s site, west of Saint Leo University.

After arriving, the sisters went straight to work.

By March 11, 1889, the sisters had assumed the administration and staffing of Saint Anthony School. A short time later they began to staff the school in St. Joseph and also opened Holy Name Academy.

The sisters opened St. Benedict’s Preparatory School for young boys in 1920, and that school operated until 1959. Holy Name Academy closed five years later. Both were boarding schools.

After they closed, the sisters directed their energies toward providing services for nearby Saint Leo College.

Over the years, the sisters have had a hand in many organizations.

They have served on boards for such charitable organizations as Sunrise Spouse Abuse Shelter, Saint Leo University Haitian Mission Project, Florida Association for the Education of Young Children, Catholic Charities, Coalition for the Homeless, Hospice, Habitat for Humanity and DayStar Hope Thrift Store and Food Pantry.

They have been town mayors and commissioners. And, they continue to have a hand in a variety of good works.

For instance, they provide a Thanksgiving meal to more than 200 people each year. They also give annual scholarship assistance to a few Saint Leo University students. They open their home to provide lodging and meals for religious women from developing countries who are pursuing their degrees.

The size of the religious community has gone from more than 60 sisters at one point to 13 sisters now, but they continue to play an active role, both in community life and spiritual support.

“We try to respond to what the needs are in the local area. It’s just that right now we’re so few that everyone wears many hats,” Bailey said.

They also call upon the power of prayer to help others in need. Anyone can call with any kind of prayer request, Bailey said, noting the requests often mirror what’s happening in society at large.

A parent might call with a prayer request for a child, or someone who is ill or injured may call in with a request, Bailey said. There are others who are going through a crisis of faith and ask for prayer to help them through it.

Sometimes, it’s a practical request, she said.

“Someone may call in, ‘I have a big test this afternoon, can you pray?’” Bailey said. “We have a book of prayer intentions that sits outside the chapel doors.” Whenever a sister passes by, she looks at the book and says a prayer for the people who have called in their intentions.

Despite their long history in Pasco County, the sisters’ work is not yet done, Bailey said.

“We’ve been here a good long time and we’re here to stay,” Bailey said.

To learn more about the Benedictine Sisters of Florida, visit BenedictineSistersOfFl.org, or call (352) 588-8320.

Published March 5, 2014

Chalk Talk 03-05-14

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(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Sunlake band soars in finals
Sunlake High School’s Soaring Sound band was recognized at a recent school board meeting after taking second place at state finals, winning the entire music caption, as well as the ensemble visual caption, visual effect captions, and part of the music effect. With Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning are, from left, band director Tonya O’Malley, drum majors Nonna Stutzman and Matthew Csontos, Sunlake principal Steve Williams, and school board chair Alison Crumbley.

 

Wesley Chapel students collect cat food
The safety patrol program at Wesley Chapel Elementary School, 30243 Wells Road, is collecting cat food through March 21 for The Labor of Love Animal Rescue, as their community service project. The group’s goal is to collect 2,000 cans of cat food for the rescue. Businesses and schools are invited to join in the food drive. For information, call Chris Gorman at (813) 794-0100.

Liberty Middle makes waves at STEM
Students from Liberty Middle School in New Tampa were honored in various categories at the recent Hillsborough Regional Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Fair.

• Kurt Rodriguez, first place, U.S. Air Force Achievement Award – Junior

• Sierra Eckhardt, first place junior division, International Society for Optics and Photonics; and overall second place, junior medical/Health category

• Casey Cubitt, overall second place, junior engineering

• Angelina Vann, first place, junior chemistry; and American Chemical Society Outstanding Chemistry Presentation in Middle School

WRHS scholarship opportunity
Wiregrass Ranch High School’s PTSA will award six $350 scholarships to the school’s seniors or PTSA members.

There will be three academic and three citizenship scholarships awarded. Applications and information can be found at WiregrassPTSA.org.

Deadline to submit an application is April 4 at 2:30 p.m.

PHSC program receives perfect audit
The Law Enforcement Academy at Pasco-Hernando State College received a perfect audit for 2011-12 from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was conducted in 2013 by evaluation of expenditures, record keeping, facilities, administrative operations, instruction and curriculum. PHSC will offer two crossover academies – corrections to law enforcement and law enforcement to corrections – beginning April 7. A new part-time evening Law Enforcement Academy will begin May 12. All programs will be at the East Campus in Dade City. For information, visit PHSC.edu.

Congressional art competition
The office of U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Lakeland, is hosting the 2014 Congressional Art Competition for Florida’s 15th Congressional District, in conjunction with the Polk Museum of Art, for students in grades 9-12.

Artwork must be delivered to the museum, 800 E. Palmetto St., in Lakeland, between March 12 and March 14.

Unaccepted works must be picked up between March 17 and March 19.

The exhibition of students’ artwork is from April 12 through May 18, with an awards reception on May 3.

For complete information, visit House.gov, and click “Student Artist Program.”

Supervisor of elections scholarships
Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley is accepting applications for the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections Scholarship.

The association will award three $1,200 scholarships statewide to a political science/public of business administration or journalism/mass communications major.

Applications can be found online at PascoVotes.com. Deadline is March 17.

Additional guidelines and eligibility information can be found at PascoVotes.com by selecting the “2014 FSASE Scholarship” link.

Nurse assistant scholarships
The American Red Cross St. Petersburg office has been selected to receive 10 Nurse Assistant Training Program scholarships for training service members and veterans or their immediate family or caregivers.

The St. Petersburg Red Cross Nurse Assistant Training Center is one of seven sites in the country selected to receive the scholarships from a partnership between the Wounded Warrior Project and the American Red Cross.

Students who complete the Red Cross nurse assistant training course are qualified to take the state exam to become a certified nurse assistant.

For information, or to be considered for a scholarship, call (727) 898-3111, ext. 7562.

Educational fun for Woodland Elementary
M.J. Price of Goin’ Postal in Zephyrhills will visit students at Woodland Elementary School, 38203 Henry Drive in Zephyrhills, with presentations and learning experiences on the following days:

• March 13, “Learn About Butterflies Day.” Students will enjoy colorful displays of a variety of butterflies and learn the differences between moths and butterflies, the butterfly life cycle, butterfly nutrition, and participate in a craft project.

• April 11, “Jelly Bean Day.” Students will play bingo using specially created bingo cards featuring spelling and vocabulary words from their current word lists and jelly bean “markers.”

Award-winner says custodians are often ‘invisible’

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Every day around 2 p.m., Karen Zummo begins her rounds as a custodian at Weightman Middle School.

She picks up papers and pens with a grabber, and then glides through the room with a vacuum to get the smaller scraps. She dumps wastebaskets, wipes down walls, does paint touch-ups and completes other chores to return the school to the neat appearance it had when the school day began.

CustodianYear-Karen Zummo with grabber1
Karen Zummo, winner of the School-Related Employee of the Year award for Pasco County Schools, uses a grabber to pick up large items as she makes her daily rounds. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

Zummo is part of a team of custodians at the middle school in Wesley Chapel who handles typical cleaning chores, and also do set up and breakdown work for meetings, dinners and other special events. They also serve as the painting crew, when a fresh coat of paint is in order.

It’s all part of the routine for Zummo, recently named the School-Related Employee of the Year for Pasco County Schools.

The honor is gratifying, but its significance goes beyond her personal satisfaction, Zummo said.

“A custodian has never won it,” Zummo said of the award. “It’s always a very visible person — an office worker or a teacher’s aide.”

She believes that’s because people tend to underestimate the value of custodians.

“The stereotype is that we’re uneducated, invisible people,” Zummo said.

The truth is that custodians make a significant contribution on a school campus. “It’s more important than anybody gives us credit for,” she said. “It’s our responsibility to get everything clean. By being clean, you’re promoting the health of everybody.”

A messy environment has a subconscious effect on people, Zummo said. She cited a training session she attended where the trainer deliberately made the room messy before the workshop began.

“There were a few papers on the floor,” Zummo said. “I came in and saw it and I thought, ‘Whoa, somebody’s going to get in trouble for this.’”

But the trainer was making a point. He asked the custodians, “What do you think of the room?” Zummo told him that “somebody missed something.”

“How does that make you feel?” he asked. “I don’t like it,” Zummo responded.

Research has shown that students who take a test in a clean environment perform better than those who take a test in a messy room, the trainer explained.

“Nobody realizes this,” Zummo said.

While some staff members appreciate the work that custodians do, others are oblivious, Zummo said. She recalled a time when she went in to clean a classroom and two teachers were discussing personal issues.

Zummo cleared her throat to let them know she was there. They kept talking.

Then she began bumping into desks, on purpose. The teachers kept discussing personal matters.

As a last resort, Zummo revved up her cleaning pace.

“I did a quickie and I got out of there,” the custodian said.

While she understands the importance of the routine parts of her job, Zummo enjoys going beyond that.

Sometimes, she goes beyond the basics by paying attention to small details. If she sees on a whiteboard that a teacher is planning to do a lab, for instance, she’ll ask the teacher if she’d like an extra trash can that day.

Zummo is active in the union. She also pays close attention to safety issues. When she noticed that the carpet in the media center posed a tripping hazard, she reported it and it was replaced. When she saw the need for ladders in every building, they were supplied.

Custodians see everything and can offer helpful suggestions, Zummo said.

When she noticed that new teachers were struggling, for instance, she asked administration if they could work with veteran teachers to learn some tricks of the trade. She also suggested that Wesley Chapel High School students be recruited to pair them with Weightman students who needed tutoring help.

Administrators saw value in both of Zummo’s ideas and implemented them.

The custodian also has worked with students who were assigned to work detail or were earning community service hours. Sometimes their help can lead to more work, but Zummo still likes to work with these students.

She recalls one instance when she was working with four students at the same time and one of them was particularly difficult. But he ended up making the biggest turnaround.

“His whole demeanor in class changed,” she said, noting he even started getting on other kids when they were making a mess on campus.

That’s just one example.

Mimi Cass Clark, a retired mathematics teacher who has known Zummo for years, noted Zummo’s ability to work with students has made an impression.

“Her calm and steady influence has worked wonders on many students, from my observation,” Clark wrote in a letter recommending Zummo for the district award.

“A lot of these kids, they just want somebody to listen,” said Zummo, who has lots of experience listening to kids.

She and her husband Joe have raised 14 boys and one girl. They also have been foster parents, opening their home to 231 teenagers and three younger children over eight years.

While having a busy home life, Zummo has remained dedicated to her job, according to letters written on her behalf.

“Karen’s work ethic is a model for those around her,” wrote Cassandra Pedersen, who met Zummo when she joined Weightman’s staff as a science teacher in 2007.

“When Karen Zummo identifies a problem, she kicks into full Karen mode and searches for a solution. This often results in her bringing creative answers to those who need them,” Pedersen said. “The resolutions benefit the entire school, district and community.

“How often do you meet someone who you can truly say is an asset to everyone?”

Zummo, who has always considered herself to be a “behind-the-scenes” person, is pleased by the district’s recognition of not only herself, but by extension, of other custodians.

“It puts us in a good light for a change,” Zummo said.

Published Feb. 26, 2014.