The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Pasco schools begin looking ahead to new school start times

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But providing the drivers? That’s another issue.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“So, those had to be accommodated.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The shift must be implemented by July 1, 2026.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published December 27, 2023

Chalk Talk 12/27/2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For more information, email .

Pasco school district team tracks down ‘missing’ students

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

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

(Mike Camunas)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She cited some specific examples.

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

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

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

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

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

Published December 20, 2023

Chalk Talk 12/20/2023

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amy Drury is Pasco County’s Literacy Teacher of the Year

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Winning awards is not exactly new for Amy Drury.

Recently, however, she added a big one.

She has been named Pasco County’s Literacy Teacher of the Year.

Drury was honored during the Pasco County School Board meeting on Dec. 5.

Tressa Lima, from the Office of Leading and Learning, shared Drury’s history and accomplishments with board members.

Amy Drury, forefront, was honored as the Pasco County Literacy Teacher of the Year for the 2023-2024 academic year by the Pasco County School Board. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

She told the board it was with great pride and honor that she stood before them “to recognize this amazing educator, Miss Amy Drury,” the county’s Literacy Teacher of the Year for the 2023-2024 school year.

“Amy started her career in Polk County in 2003 as a substitute teacher. She quickly learned that teaching was her calling, and moved to Pasco County Schools, teaching second grade at Woodland Elementary, in 2004,” Lima said.

“She spent 14 years at Woodland Elementary, moving from a second grade teacher to a PLC (Professional Learning Community) facilitator and then moving into the role of the instructional trainer/coach.

“She was recognized as the Teacher of the Year in 2007 for both of her school sites, as well as recognized as the Sam’s Club and Walmart Teacher of the Year winner, as well.

“Since 2018, she joined the ranks at Raymond B. Stewart Middle School as a sixth grade language arts teacher, and then quickly became their instructional trainer/coach for literacy, in the following year.”

Lima continued: “She knows that developing caring adults will develop caring students, and she carries that mantra forward in everything she does.

“Her passion for literacy led both to her taking formal and informal leadership roles within her school, as she serves the community as well.

“I had the pleasure of serving as Amy’s district coach in 2017 and it was awe-inspiring to me to see her deeply ingrain herself in work, while keeping students at the forefront.  She’s truly one-of-a-kind.

“You couldn’t walk the hallways of Woodland Elementary without a student or staff member stopping her to say hello. It was like I was walking with a celebrity.

“She’s someone who anyone can, and does, go to for support because she assists in any way possible.

“She’s extremely knowledgeable and willing to help. She’s truly loved by students, teachers, staff, parents — all alike.

“Most importantly, she’s passionate about literacy for all, for all of her students.

“Prior to her moving to middle school, she told me she felt like she wanted to do more for her students and see them through the continuum of learning.

“She knew how they performed under her watch at Woodland, but wanted to impact them at that point after leaving her as well.

“She told me that she gained inspiration from watching Mrs. (Kimberly) Poe (former principal) hug her students on the graduation stage, as they beamed with pride and excitement, and she thought to herself: ‘This is what it’s all about — students, and joining in their success.

“Every professional development that Amy runs, she does it with her team — rooted in action, support for literacy across disciplines for each student.

“Amy is a true testament for passion and dedication. She’s never afraid to get her hands dirty with the right work. She would never ask anyone to do something that she hasn’t done herself, which makes her truly amazing among her peers and colleagues alike.

“Her forward-thinking and continuous desire to grow and learn makes her an asset to our system, in every aspect.

“She believes each student can be successful, if they have a champion in their corner — someone who is willing to fight for them and let them know that they are worth it and they can do it,” Lima said.

She told the school board that the district has submitted Drury’s name to represent Pasco at the state level.

Drury was asked if she would like to make some remarks.

She responded: “I’d just like to thank Tressa for her kind words. That was beautiful, and my team over here that continues to support me in everything that I do.”

Published December 13, 2023

Kirkland Ranch K-8 is ‘beehive’ of activity

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Crews are working hard, as Kirkland Ranch K-8 continues to make progress toward its August 2024 opening date.

Marcy Hetzler-Nettles, assistant superintendent of middle schools, told the Pasco School Board that she recently had a chance to tour the construction area, along with Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent for support services, and Julie Marks, the school’s first principal.

This rendering depicts what the new Kirkland Ranch K-8 is expected to look like, when construction is completed on the new school in Wesley Chapel. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools/Hepner Architects)

Hetzler-Nettles told the school board that watching Principal Marks take in the sight was delightful.

“It was like Christmas morning, for a child unwrapping a gift, to see her eyes light up,” Hetzler-Nettles said.

Hetzler-Nettles also said crews at the work site are clearly focused on the tasks at hand.

“It is a serious beehive out there right now. It’s amazing the amount of crews that are all in – welding, electrical, they’re pulling cables. They’re putting up drywall, all over the place,” Hetzler-Nettles said.

“It looks fantastic and it’s coming together quite nicely. It’s going to be very exciting to see it, once it is done.”

The school, at 33137 Innovation Drive, in Wesley Chapel, will be on the east side of the campus of Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation.

During a previous presentation to the board, Peter Hepner, of Hepner Architects, offered details about the project. He said there will be play courts and a covered play area outdoors, as well as parking lots for staff and visitors, and a drop-off area for students.

The first floor will have spaces for administration, prekindergarten, primary classrooms, and elementary art, music and skills labs.

The student dining area includes a stage and there will be outdoor dining, too.

The second floor includes primary and intermediate classrooms, a media center and a teacher planning area.

On the third floor, there will be middle school classrooms, art and music areas, a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Center and science labs.

Creative Contractors is the construction manager for the Kirkland Ranch K-8 project.

The school has been described on the school district’s website as a “state-of-the-art dedicated magnet school experience for young creators, innovators and entrepreneurs located near the Epperson community.”

The website notes that the school will have the magnet themes of World Languages and Entrepreneurship woven throughout the student experience. 

Students will begin with their language acquisition in kindergarten and will have the opportunity to earn high school World Language credits in their middle school years, the website says.  

The website also notes that Kirkland Ranch K-8 is the only school in Pasco County that offers a magnet entrepreneurship program, from kindergarten through eighth grade. The course progression allows students to cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets and capabilities beginning in elementary school.

Those wishing to attend the school can apply during the Pasco Pathways Application Window, between Jan. 8 to Jan. 19.

Published December 13, 2023

Pasco County Schools seeks to reduce absenteeism through new approach

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Pasco County Schools will have three four-day weekends during its regular 2024-2025 school year in a bid it hopes will reduce student absenteeism.

The school board approved the proposed school calendar during its Dec. 5 meeting.

“We are hoping — and I think we are going to include this in our attendance campaign — that by placing those four-day weekends strategically, I think there’s one in October, one in February and one in April, that we can encourage our students and families to take their mini-trips or vacations on those long weekends, instead of taking off instructional days,” said Kevin Shibley, an assistant superintendent.

“So, we’re going to try to market that to our families,” he added.

Pasco County School is adopting a new calendar for the 2024-2025 school year. The new approach includes four-day weekends in October, February and April. District staff and board members hope that families will take advantage of those mini-breaks, rather than pulling kids from school on regular days. (Mike Camunas)

School board member Alison Crumbley told Shibley: “I’ll add to your encouragement on that.”

Her colleague, Cynthia Armstrong, agreed: “That’s an excellent message because it is very frustrating when I see parents randomly taking students out for vacations.”

The new calendar also includes one full professional development (PD) day in the fall, instead of four early release days (ERD).

“I think the idea is that we can get some quality time with our teachers early in the school year with that full day of PD and then use the ERD days in the second semester to do follow-up and extension of that learning, in small chunks, as the school year continues,” Shibley said.

Consolidating the four ERDs also yields more student instructional time, overall, Shibley noted.

Shibley also pointed out a similar strategy is already used by some high-performing Florida school districts.

Elected school district leaders said they did not receive a great deal of feedback on the issue.

School board member Colleen Beaudoin said one teacher asked if the district could start the school year later in August, but Beaudoin explained that the district starts earlier so it can deliver as much instruction as possible before testing begins.

“Also, it allows us to finish the first semester prior to Winter Break, which is really important, especially at the secondary level,” Beaudoin added.

Another teacher asked if the work day after Spring Break could be shifted to before Spring Break, but Beaudoin said that would create scheduling difficulties for teachers because it would result in a week with a work day and a half-day, making it difficult for teachers to plan.

Armstrong said she received mixed feedback regarding the four-day weeks.

“I had some for it; I had some who preferred getting out earlier in the school year. So, it went both ways on that one,” she said.

Don Peace, president of the United School Employees of Pasco, said the union is taking a neutral stance on the issue. He encouraged anyone who wanted to provide feedback to reach out to school board members.

“Some of these things may prove beneficial; others, maybe not so much. It’s hard to say right now.

“I’m not sure I know all of the particulars, but if proper planning and considerations are made, and I do want to note that I have had extended conversations with Mr. Shibley and I think that things are in order for planning, this might work well,” Peace said.

However, Peace added: “Respectfully, if we are going to make significant changes to the calendar, the opportunity to discuss this at an evening session prior to a vote would seem to be in order. This would allow those with concerns to express some to the board before a vote.”

Shibley said that, overall, comments received by the district were positive.

“Staff kind of liked the idea of the four-day weekends, in general,” Shibley said.

School board chairwoman Megan Harding  welcomes the new approach.

“It’s different this time. We’re going to try something new,” she said.

Published December 13, 2023

Pasco County Schools is identifying more gifted students

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Pasco County Schools has seen an increase in the number of students identified as academically gifted since the district began using a screening tool with all district second-graders, according to Vanessa Hilton, the district’s chief academic officer.

“Since that time, we have increased our number of gifted-identified students by 20%, especially in some of the more disproportionate areas,” Hilton said.

She said the district also has launched more professional development opportunities to help increase the number of educators to help serve the district’s gifted learners.

“In June of 2022, we started to offer all five endorsement courses over the summer, so teachers didn’t have to come out of their classrooms, they could do that when they weren’t doing other things, or as they did things for summer.

“We prioritized the teachers who were already teaching gifted learners, and, as a result, in that first year, we had over 250 classes completed,” Hilton told the Pasco County School Board, during its Dec. 5 meeting.

“And then, since we started, we’ve had a total of almost 650 classes completed, and we’ve increased the number of our gifted endorsed teachers by 33%,” she added.

“So, we have done support for students and support for teachers,” Hilton said.

She expressed her gratitude to district departments that help to pull off opportunities for students and staff in this area, including the Office for Leading and Learning, the Office for Student Support Programs and Services, and Accountability Research and Measurement.

School board chairwoman Megan Harding said she has heard positive feedback from a couple of her friends who have been able to take the classes.

“It’s just a great opportunity,” Harding said.

Published December 13, 2023

Zephyrhills’ leaders step up to help school children

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City leaders from Zephyrhills are stepping up to boost literacy efforts among the community’s young children.

City leaders are getting involved in efforts to help school children learn to read. They have volunteered to help a specific group of young children in Zephyrhills’ public elementary schools.

“There’s a commitment from the city to support our literacy efforts. They are doing that not only through their innovative programs at the public library, but they’re also committed to have their city employees volunteer in our schools,” said Poe, the district’s assistant superintendent of elementary schools.

“So, at this time — and they’ve been doing it for over a month —  every week we have the librarian, airport director, finance director and public information officer volunteering at West Zephyrhills Elementary.

“We have the city manager, police chief and public works director volunteering at Woodland Elementary. They have an assigned time, an hour a week, that they do during their work day, with assigned third-graders.

“So, they are working with those students who are really trying to give it their all this year, and we know that’s a high stakes year and we’re focusing our efforts there.

“Also, City Council members Lance Smith and Steve Spina — they are members of the Zephyrhills Noon Rotary — so they heard of the initiative and wanted to get involved, so they and the Rotary members are pushing into West Zephyrhills Elementary, focusing on first-grade learners.

“So, we’re super-excited to know that the efforts are citywide.

“And they’re working along our two elementary schools to impact their youngest citizens.

“We know it takes a village. It’s cliché. We hear it, but we know it does take all of us working together to positively impact our community, and we are all in on literacy this year.”

Published December 13, 2023

Chalk Talk 12/13/2023

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Savory networking for students
Chad Mallo, Angeline Academy of Innovation business instructor, wanted his Entrepreneurship Academy students to have the ability to augment what they have learned in the classroom about focus groups and surveys and be able to apply that knowledge by networking with local startup companies.

He took the opportunity to have a local business owner come to the school to simulate what they learned in their textbook and make it real-world.

Mallo was able to leverage the standards that his students learn in the classroom and provide the students with an authentic real-world experience by networking with Pasco Economic Development, Dan Mitchell with SMARTstart Incubator and local start-up Dre’s Island Food Services, when students taste-tested a brand new sauce from Dre’s.

Angeline Academy of Innovation students taste-tested a brand-new sauce with business owner Chef Keary Simms of Dre’s Island Food Services, and EDC SMARTstart Program Director Dan Mitchell, along with business teacher Chad Mallo. (Courtesy of Chad Mallo)
Alexander Brigagao, center, expresses his excitement to taste-test a sauce sample.
Angeline Academy student Lucca Woodard, center, samples an item from Dre’s Island Food Services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teen study session
The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12119 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will host a Teen Time Study Session on Dec. 20 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., for grades eight to 12. Students can link up with a peer or simply make use of a quiet place to study. For information, call 727-815-7126.

Congressional Award bestowed
Alyssa Hayman, of Steinbrenner High School in Lutz, has been awarded the Congressional Award Bronze Medal — Congress’ highest recognition for civilian youth. The medal honors youth for their commitment to voluntary public service, as well as personal development and physical fitness, according to a news release.

Hayman earned the medal by completing at least 100 hours of voluntary public service (sharing their time and talent for the betterment of the community), 50 hours of personal development (developing social and life skills as well as interests), and 50 hours of physical fitness (spent in any way to improve their health and quality of life). Additionally, participants must spend at least two days and one night exploring a new environment or culture.

Hayman has been working to achieve the award for more than seven months, the minimum time frame to earn the Bronze Medal.

Any interested motivated student, age 14 through 24, can participate in the award program by setting and achieving individual challenge goals as listed above. The award adapts to meet the needs of every participant as they set goals according to their own interests and level of abilities.

Congressional Awards are earned, not “won,” the release says.

For more information about the program, call 202-226-0130, or email .

Keelin Dailey (Courtesy of Dawn Dailey)

Student enters National All-American Miss
Keelin Dailey, an eighth-grader at Pine View Middle School, represented Land O’ Lakes in the National All-American Miss pageant in Orlando, in the preteen age division. Dailey placed as third runner-up in the nation in the Photogenic category.

Dailey said she started entering pageants to boost her confidence, to learn important life skills like public speaking and interviewing, to have fun dressing up in fancy outfits, and to make new friends around the state and around the country.

Dailey noted the act of kindness she experienced from other pageant contestants inspired her to create Keelin’s Be Kind project — she visits the elementary school across the street from Pine View Middle and has been invited to elementary schools around Pasco County to read books to kindergarteners and first-graders.

The student said, “Pageants are an amazing way I can express myself for who I am!” in an essay she wrote for her yearbook advisor.

Dailey also loves to travel, shop, go mudding, and is a black belt in Taekwondo.

Cyberbullying doesn’t stop during holiday break
Students may go on holiday break, but cyberbullying won’t, according to a news release from Stand for the Silent, an organization on a mission to help eliminate bullying nationwide. Kirk and Laura Smalley founded the group after their child took his own life due to bullying.

Cyberbullying can kick into high gear over the holidays with most kids having access to platforms where the bullying can take place and others getting new electronic devices as gifts.

Kirk noted in the release that parents must know about cyberbullying to prevent it, and to put an end to it when it does occur.

“It is an issue that we all need to know about because we are just about all online at one point or another,” said Kirk.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in six high school students report having been cyberbullied. Students in middle school tend to experience the highest amounts of cyberbullying, followed by those in high school. Elementary students do not experience it nearly as much, but the issues and concerns stretch across all academic years.

Parents are urged to know the dangers and realities of cyberbullying and to learn how to identify it taking place and what to do about it.

These are signs that may point to a child being cyberbullied, according to the release:

  • Pulling away from using technology when they used to like it
  • Being secretive about being online or on their phone
  • Quickly turning off a screen when a parent enters the room
  • Behaving nervously when using technology
  • Begins avoiding usual behaviors that they typically enjoy
  • Being upset or mad after using their phone
  • Withdrawing from their family or friends
  • Deleting their social media accounts or creating new ones
  • Noticeable changes in their mood or having difficulty sleeping

Those interested in getting involved can start a chapter in their group, get free curriculum at StandForTheSilent.org/schools/bullyfreeclassrooms/, host a presentation at their school, or donate to help support the cause. For more information, visit StandForTheSilent.org.