The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Chalk Talk 11/08/2023

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(Courtesy of Susan and Alan Lee)

Living an integrity-centered life
Skylar Lee, 18, a senior at Cypress Creek High School, has earned the highest recognition the American Heritage Girls (AHG) offers to members — the Stars & Stripes Award. The AHG is a Christian-based Scouting-like program dedicated to the mission of building women of integrity through service to God, family, community and country.

Award recipients have completed these requirements to achieve the honor:

  • Earning a total of 16 merit badges
  • Having held a leadership position in their Troop for a minimum of six months
  • Planning, developing and providing leadership to others in a 100-plus hour service project
  • Writing a Life Ambition/Spiritual Walk essay and resume
  • Receiving at least three letters of reference
  • Passing a Board of Review

Lee chose to serve Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church (OLOR) by raising more than $17,000 to purchase and set up two custom-made votive stands and kneelers for the church —something the church never had and whose parishioners asked for them.

She has served as flag ceremony coordinator for four years and announcement leader for one year. Lee also has received the President’s Volunteer Service Award six years in a row, including five Gold awards for volunteering more than 1,230 hours over the last five years.

She has earned 29 merit badges, as well as faith-based medals and awards.

During the OLOR project, Lee also served as a teen leader and altar server captain, completed in high school golf (2nd Team All-Conference, ranked 86th in state high school golf), and became a member of the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars.

She also is a Best Buddies volunteer for special education peers.

Lee is the daughter of Alan and Susan Lee, lives in Lutz and is a member of Our Lady of the Rosary. 

She will be recognized in a Court of Honor Ceremony on Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m., at the Hillside Community Baptist Church in Brooksville.

Pasco Pathways Expo
Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice will host its Pasco Pathways Expo 2023 at two locations:

  • Nov. 14, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Sunlake High School, 3023 Sunlake Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
  • Nov. 16, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.: Cypress Creek High School, 8701 Old Pasco Road, Wesley Chapel.

For information, to see a list of attending schools, and to register, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/expo/.

(Courtesy of Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce)

Students honored as Citizens of the Month
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce has recognized its Student Citizens of the Month for October. Students are chosen by the teachers and administration of their individual schools for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their school, family and community. Back row, from left: Jeremiah Simpkins, Suncoast Credit Union; Lucy Huber, Zephyrhills Airport; Jaxson Nichols, Chester Taylor Elementary; Katie Frier, Zephyrhills Christian Academy; Hailey Dester, Academy of Spectrum Diversity; Mayor Melonie Monson; and Ashley Breaux, AdventHealth Zephyrhills and Dade City. Front row, from left: Chick-fil-A cow; Sophia Longsdale, Woodland Elementary; and Daisy Hagler, Heritage Academy. Not pictured: Evan Nicholas, CES Elementary; Rain Pierre, Children’s Educational Services; Liela Villanueva, Stewart Middle School; Brodie Dykes, West Zephyrhills Elementary; and Dylan Fleshood, Zephyrhills High School.

A Taste of OLLI
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of the University of South Florida (OLLI-USF) will host “A Taste of OLLI” on Nov. 16 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at BayCare Hospital Wesley Chapel, 4501 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Ground Floor Classrooms A-C. This is a free event for individuals ages 50 and older residing in the suburban north Tampa communities to learn more about OLLI-USF and to sample its lifelong learning courses and lectures.

The guest instructors will be Sheryl Long and Robert Jacob, who will present condensed versions of their lectures about “Women Inventors Who Didn’t Make the History Books” and “Florida Pirates: Truth, Legend, Myths,” respectively. Free refreshments also will be offered.

To reserve a spot, call 813-974-5848, Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

Educator grants
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) has awarded $108,304 in grants to 51 educators within the District as part of the Splash! school grant program, according to a news release.

The program provides up to $3,000 per school to enhance student knowledge of freshwater resources in kindergarten through 12th grade.

The Splash! grants encourage hands-on student learning through STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) activities, as well as engagement of the greater school community through awareness campaigns.

Each school district allocates a portion of their annual youth education funding provided by the District to support the Splash! grants in their county.

The following schools/teachers in Pasco County were awarded grants:

  • Dr. Mary Giella Elementary School, Meagan Brinkman
  • East Pasco Education Academy, Dr. Jose Olmo
  • Hudson High School, Shamsher Lamba
  • J.W. Mitchell High School, Dennis Koslin
  • Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel, Megan Jungferman
  • Zephyrhills High School, Catherine Sutton

Grants are available to support water education programs and activities that are focused on water cycle basics, freshwater or estuarine ecosystems, water quality and water conservation.

For more information, visit WaterMatters.org/SchoolGrants.

Helping make an impact in the community

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Himani Patel just wants to help.

Help the community.

Help people.

Even help her classmates.

So, at the end of her sophomore year at Land O’ Lakes High, Patel founded Impact Service — a volunteering club, run by volunteers for volunteers. The club will help student volunteers connect with meaningful volunteering opportunities that are outside the school, making it easy for members to help the community.

Himani Patel, a senior at Land O’ Lakes High, founded the Impact Service club to serve as a conduit to connect high schoolers with meaningful volunteering opportunities. Since it was founded, it has grown to more than 80 members, who have completed more than 488 service hours. They have helped multiple charities, including Metropolitan Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Feeding Tampa Bay, Akshaya Patra, Mental Health America and American Heart Association. (Mike Camunas)

In less than two years, the club has grown to more than 80 members, who have donated hundreds of service hours to local charity organizations. They have helped Metropolitan Ministries, Habitat for Humanity, Feeding Tampa Bay and others.

“We are the middle man. For the lack of a better term, we’re like customer service for our members, making it as easy as possible for them to volunteer or find a place to volunteer,” Patel said. “We have a lot of clubs at school that do volunteering inside the school, like IB (International Baccalaureate) events and prom and things like that, but not many organizations here that make an impact outside of school.

“We’ve strived to create an environment where everyone is genuinely passionate about helping in the community,” she added. “I didn’t create this group for volunteer hours. I created this club for those who are really passionate about helping others less fortunate.”

Patel, an avid volunteer herself, formed Impact Service, knowing there were many who wanted to give back to the community, not just in her high school.

The response was overwhelming.

At more than 80 members, it is one of the school’s largest clubs, plus more than 488 hours were completed by club members last school year.

The club also raised $635 (the most of any organization within the school for donations) within six months and donated to multiple charities, such as Feeding Tampa Bay, Akshaya Patra, Mental Health America and American Heart Association. The club was even invited by Big Brothers Big Sisters to assist in the Gasparilla Publix Run earlier this year.

“We connect them with the organization because I do want people to experience actually going to the Feeding Tampa Bay warehouse and volunteering,” Patel said. “Then, they are putting in the work, sweat and tears and can collaborate with the same passionate people who genuinely want to help the community.

“With some clubs, you always see numbers dwindle, but not us.”

While volunteer hours aren’t required to graduate from high school in Florida, those hours are required in order to be eligible for Bright Futures Scholarships. But Patel said that’s not really the point of the club, nor are members even using Impact Service to log volunteer hours.

In fact, most times, members already have the required hours to be eligible and are volunteering because they genuinely want to.

“Our club helps facilitate students getting volunteer hours because they know we’re getting them to places that are actually focused on making an impact,” she added. “My main thing was I wanted to help my community, so the hours are a side note. “Impact members genuinely want to be involved with these organizations and volunteering,” she said.

With that kind of dedication from Patel and the members, it makes being the club sponsor an easy job — just ask Dora Gallagher.

“Oh, yes, it is super easy because (Patel) is in charge,” said Gallagher, who teaches Spanish. “She does everything. She looks for the places to volunteer, does the contact, sets up the dates and times and informs all the participants. Honestly, I don’t do that much (laughs).

“She is on top of everything and making sure the club is doing exactly what the goal says it is setting out to do.”

Gallagher tells students Impact Service isn’t like other clubs, in that they actually put in the work and set out to help the community in meaningful ways.

“A lot of clubs are just that — a club or a name or don’t do much,” she added. “This one is actually participating in volunteering in several places that make an impact in the community.

“As a teenager, to see her do that, it’s impressive, and I’m impressed to see that they are actually volunteering. Other clubs I have sponsored, which were student-led, didn’t do much — not this one.”

As Patel heads toward graduation in May 2024, she plans to hand off leadership of the club to very capable hands that will continue it when she heads to college.

But that won’t stop Patel, as she plans to turn the club into a 501(c)3 (when she turns 18), so it can be an organization outside the school. She also plans to get Impact Service a website, all the while creating the same type of on-campus club at whichever college she ends up attending.

“I really just want to help people in the community, especially those who are underprivileged, and really, my ultimate goal is work for a nonprofit for underprivileged kids who can’t afford health care,” the IB student said. “The reason I created Impact Service was to help the community.

“Our whole purpose is to make the world a better place.”

Impact Service Club
Details: Founded by Land O’ Lakes High senior Himani Patel, Impact Service was created to connect high schoolers with meaningful volunteering opportunities. The club has donated time and resources to multiple charities, including Metropolitan Ministries, Habitat for Humanity and Feeding Tampa Bay. The club only includes  Land O’ Lakes High students now, but Patel wants the club to become a community-wide effort, and others are welcome to join.
Membership cost: $15 for entry and shirt
To learn more about Impact Service or to join, email .

Published November 01, 2023

Chalk Talk 11/01/2023

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(Courtesy of Pasco County)

A campaign good for the ‘sole’
Pasco County government and constitutional offices collected more than 9,000 pairs of shoes and socks for kids in Pasco County schools, during the 2023 Two Good Soles Shoes and Socks Drive. This year’s drive resulted in 3,198 pairs of shoes and 5,939 pairs of socks. The community effort helps students put their best foot forward. Since 2016, the campaign has collected 18,340 pairs of shoes and 45,685 pairs of socks, which social workers distribute to students enrolled in Pasco County Schools.

Sunlake Ravenfest
The Sunlake Academy of Math & Science PTSO (Parent Teacher Student Organization), 18681 Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz, will host a Ravenfest fundraiser on Nov. 4 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fall festival will include inflatable games, vendors, bubbles, food trucks, lawn games, a goat petting zoo, raffle, and face painting. Admission is $5; children age 2 and younger are free. For tickets, visit SunlakePTSO.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/260279.

Robotics Rumblerama
Middle and high school robotic teams will battle it out with their bots at the 2023 Over-Under VEX Robotics Rumblerama Competition on Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College West Campus, 10230 Ridge Road in New Port Richey, in the gymnasium. For information, contact Aaron Ellerman at 727-816-3259 or .

Florida Bar competition
The Florida Bar announced its annual High School Appellate Brief Writing & Moot Court Competition, an event that provides a unique experience in the world of law and advocacy.

The opportunity offers high school students the chance to gain a firsthand understanding of the appellate process by engaging in brief writing and oral argument exercises based on a fictitious case, according to a news release.

The competition, sponsored by The Florida Bar’s Law Related Education Committee, is open to high school students across Florida. Students work in teams of two, coached by a teacher or qualified sponsor, to draft a brief for either the petitioner or the respondent, using only the cases, citations, and legal authorities provided in the case problem.

District competition winners will advance to the State Finals in Tallahassee, where they will present their arguments before a panel of appellate judges. The highest-scoring teams will proceed to the Final Round, in which they will argue before the Florida Supreme Court. In addition to an overall winner, awards will be presented for the Best Brief and Best Oralist, recognizing both individual and team achievements.

For more information and registration details, visit FloridaBar.org/flmootcourt.

Outstanding youth recognized
The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners recognized six outstanding young people on Oct. 18, as the board presented its Youth Excellence and Achievement Awards (YEA! Awards) during its meeting. The YEA! Awards recognize three middle school and three high school students in Hillsborough County who display initiative, innovation, and commitment to themselves and others, while pursuing leadership excellence. This year’s recipients are: 

  • Success Despite Difficult Odds — Gavin Shreeve, Randall Middle School; Caitlin Conrad, Steinbrenner High School
  • Leadership — Nathaniel Freeman, Williams Middle IB School; Hunter Anderson, Durant High School
  • Volunteer or Community Service — Gabrielle Lee, Farnell Middle School; Jayen Patel, Hillsborough High School

For more information, visit HCFLGov.net/YEA.

Free essay review
CollegeConfidential.com, an online platform that leverages the power of community to provide unfiltered guidance on college admissions and higher education, has launched a free essay review service for the 2024-2025 academic year college applicants, according to a news release. The online platform provides the largest college forums in the world, access to thousands of schools (including virtual campus tours), and the collaborative strength of students, families and experts, the release says.

The essay review service is designed to help college-bound students confidently tell their unique stories and convey their personalities, strengths, accomplishments, and the contributions they will make on campus. Key features of the service include:

  • 100% free and accessible to students
  • Essays are reviewed by select community member volunteers who possess decades of experience helping students refine college essays.
  • Essay feedback is secure, private and confidential.
  • Access to additional college application resources
  • Exclusive decision date calendar and helpful college lists

Students interested in using the free essay service should follow these steps: Visit CollegeConfidential.com and register or log in if you have an existing account; join the Students Essay Reviews private group and access the Essay Feedback private community; and follow the instructions to submit an essay help request.

To learn more, visit CollegeConfidential.com.

Union leader says pay improvements in Pasco schools among best in state

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The leader of the United School Employees of Pasco (USEP) said the county’s school system could be held up as a model for other districts in the state — in terms of pay improvements for teachers and non-administrative personnel.

“We feel that this has been one of the better two-year salary improvements in the state. Thank you to the board for allowing us this opportunity,” Don Peace, USEP’s president said during the Pasco County School Board’s Oct. 17 meeting.

Improved pay for district bus drivers may be helping the district to turn the corner on the shortages. It still reported 27 vacancies last week, but had seven people enrolled in training, the largest number it had in a class in over two years. (Mike Camunas)

“Thanks also to the staff’s negotiating teams, negotiators and superintendent for allowing this to happen,” Peace added.

Peace reported that the negotiating teams for the district and the union have completed the negotiations process on economic issues early in the year for the second year in a row.

“We were able to come to terms on a 3.5% across-the-board increase for all qualified employees,” Peace said.

The settlement, coupled with proceeds from a voter-approved referendum stipend plus last year’s 5.4% increases, combined to create an average increase in compensation to instructional employees of 17.8% over the last 14 months, Peace said.

He characterized that as “an exceptional amount compared to other districts around the state.”

The district’s School Related Personnel, also known as SRPs, saw significant increases, too.

Voters approved a referendum to pay higher taxes to improve the pay for Pasco County Schools’ teachers and non-administrative personnel. The improvement in pay for teachers and school-related personnel over the past two years is among the best in Florida, according to Don Peace, president of United School Employees of Pasco. He thinks the Pasco district could become a model for other districts in the state. (File)

“All told, with the 8.9% average referendum money, combined with the newly negotiated 3.5%, along with last year’s increases, SRP employees have seen salary increases from anywhere from 17.3% to a staggering 41.4% over the last 14 months.” Peace said.

“The economic settlement also included long-awaited athletic and academic supplement increases as well,” Peace said.

As a former coach, he said he knows those supplement increases are long overdue.

“They haven’t been changed in probably 20-something years,” Peace said.

The district also agreed to cover higher costs for employee health insurance, agreed to pay increases to the Florida Retirement System benefits, and to cover the cost of fingerprinting employees. It also will pay a health and wellness incentive for qualified employees.

The district also agreed to preserve a fund to pay teachers who voluntarily give up a planning period to deliver instruction. That fund addresses the void created by a lack of qualified substitutes to teach those classes.

The district also has improved its pay for bus drivers, in its quest to address a shortage of drivers that has been felt across the nation.

Bus drivers and relief drivers each have been moved up a pay grade, plus they received a $1-an- hour wage increase negotiated earlier in the year and a return-to-work incentive due to bus drivers being deemed a critical shortage area.

Peace said that Kevin Shibley, assistant superintendent for administration, reported that improved pay had reduced the number of unfilled positions this year.

Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent of support services, said the district has 27 bus driver vacancies right now, which is an improvement over the past. She also said seven people are enrolled for bus driver training — the most the district has had in a single training class during the past two years.

Published October 25, 2023

Land O’ Lakes to get a new K-8 public school

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The Pasco County School Board has approved the construction of a new K-8 public school, on a 22-acre site south of State Road 54 and east of Skybrooke Boulevard.

The school, which has a guaranteed maximum price of $68,670,132, was designed by Zyscovich Architects. Ajax Building Company LLC is the construction management firm overseeing the project.

Jose Murguido, of Zyscovich, provided a presentation to school board members on Oct. 17.

“It’s truly a very exciting moment,” he told board members, before he began describing details of the new school, which is designed for 1,800 students.

A rendering of the new K-8 public school to be built, approved by the Pasco County School Board. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“This is like none other in Pasco County. I’m very, very excited to share this with you,” Murguido said.

The school will be a single building, of two and three stories. It also will have an enclosed gymnasium.

There will be ample parking, as well as “a very, very generous drop-off queue making sure that we keep the traffic on Skybrooke moving smoothly,” he said.

The school also has a track, a multi-purpose playfield, basketball courts and a courtyard that can be used for outdoor learning.

The school is being built in an area where Pasco is experiencing explosive growth, he said.

“It is a school that’s urgently needed,” he said.

“The school basically divides the parking from the athletic playfields and the basketball courts,” he said.

“The way that the school is designed recognizes the learning needs of each of the grade levels that are in here,” he said.

The youngest children will be on the ground floor, along with the school’s administration, the media center and the gymnasium.

There’s a commons area in the center of the school.

“I call it the heart of the school — this is where the dining room, but also the celebrations are. You’ll see the stage in that location there, as well as ample dining facilities.

“It has a breakfast outdoor area, off to the left-hand side and a dining porch on the right-hand side, not only to promote outdoor dining, but also outdoor learning.

“The kitchen is right behind that,” he said.

The school has “a very, very robust music program,” Murguido added, and features art labs, as well.

The second floor is designed for children in second grade through fifth grade.

A map of the area where a new K-8 public school was approved to be built on a 22-acre site south of State Road 54 and east of Skybrooke Boulevard.

“They’re arranged in neighborhoods, so the age cohorts are kind of together in those areas.

“Then, of course, on the top, you have basically your middle school component — sixth, seventh and eighth. It has all of the science labs in that area,” he said.

He added: “It’s a very handsome building. It’s civic. It’s a public institution, so it makes a statement to the community.”

The single-building approach also promotes safety, Murguido said.

A single building, he said, “is the safest school that you could design. We design schools for the U.S. military and that’s the way you do it. So, this is an exceedingly safe facility.”

The school also is set up for ample bus service, he added. Plus, there is more than 4,600 feet of queuing, which will keep traffic off the area streets.

School board member Cynthia Armstrong complimented the architectural firm.

“I know this is your first project here. Thank you for coming up with such a great plan,” she said.

Murguido responded: “Thank you, (we) appreciate the opportunity, greatly.”

Armstrong also applauded the firm’s ability to fit all of the necessary components onto a small site, while also leaving ample queuing room for parents to pick up and drop off children.

The neighborhood also will appreciate that, the school board member said.

Board member Alison Crumbley added: “Less calls, less emails, less problems. And, I like all of the arts.”

Assistant superintendent Betsy Kuhn said the plan is to use the school to relieve crowding in area schools, but there also will be some spaces reserved to serve magnet students.

Primary spaces include administration, media, band/music, dining/kitchen and classrooms.

The school board’s approval provided a notice to proceed on the project, effective Oct. 17.

The project is scheduled for substantial completion as of April 24, 2025, with final completion slated for June 2, 2025, according to materials in the school board’s agenda packet.

Published October 25, 2023

Chalk Talk 10/25/2023

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Saint Leo welcomes Buffalo Soldier
Saint Leo University, 33701 County Road 52 in St. Leo, will host a Research Symposium on Oct. 26 at 11 a.m., at the Student Community Center, in the Greenfelder-Denlinger Boardrooms. The guest speaker will be 101-year-old U.S. Army veteran Roy Caldwood.

Guests can discover “living history” as Caldwood shares his journey of resilience and valor during World War II and later as a corrections officer at Rikers Island. 

U.S. Army veteran and Buffalo Soldier Roy Caldwood (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Those who cannot attend in person may attend via Zoom at SaintLeo.edu/caldwood.

RSVPs are required to attend Zoom and participants are asked to email .

Caldwood served in Italy during World War II as part of the renowned Buffalo Soldiers, the 92nd Infantry Division of the U.S. Army, named after the 19th century African American cavalrymen.

He holds the esteemed title of being the last known Buffalo Soldier in the state of Florida, recognized by the National Buffalo Soldier organization.

He also is a U.S. Army Bronze Star recipient and the author of the memoir, “Making the Right Moves: Rikers Island & NYC Corrections.”

Earlier this year, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor proclaimed April 5, 2023, as Roy Caldwood Day. He also received the New York City Department of Corrections Medal of Honor.

Signed copies of “Making the Right Moves: Rikers Island & NYC Corrections” will be available for sale at the event at Saint Leo University.

Requests for accommodations can be made by emailing . For more information, visit saintleo.edu/accommodations.

For more information, contact Dr. Janis Prince, chair of the Department of Social Sciences, at 352-588-7254 or .

Sunlake Ravenfest
Sunlake Academy of Math & Science’s PTSO (Parent Teacher Student Organization), 18681 Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz, will host a Ravenfest fundraiser on Nov. 4 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The fall festival will include inflatable games, vendors, bubbles, food trucks, lawn games, a goat petting zoo, raffle, and face painting.

Admission is $5; children age 2 and younger are free. 

For tickets, visit SunlakePTSO.membershiptoolkit.com/form/m/260279.

Robotics Rumblerama
Middle and high school robotic teams will battle it out with their bots at the 2023 Over-Under VEX Robotics Rumblerama Competition on Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Pasco-Hernando State College West Campus, 10230 Ridge Road in New Port Richey, in the gymnasium.

For information, contact Aaron Ellerman at 727-816-3259 or .

Chalk Talk 10/18/2023

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Lake Myrtle Elementary’s new mural by artist Britt Ford represents the school’s commitment to character education.
(Courtesy of Lake Myrtle Elementary School)

Taking the Turtle Pledge
Lake Myrtle Elementary School in Land O’ Lakes recently hosted an unveiling ceremony to showcase a mural in its cafeteria funded by The Tampa Foundation. The artwork represents the school’s commitment to character education through its daily Turtle Pledge.

The pledge is recited by the school’s students every day and embodies the principles Lake Myrtle strives to instill in every student:

  • I pledge to be a kid of character.
  • I’ll be worthy of trust.
  • I’ll be respectful and responsible, doing what I must.
  • I will act in fairness; I’ll show I care.
  • I’ll be a good citizen and do my share.

Three Florida colleges rank in top five
A study by the university ranking site Research.com analyzed more than 1,700 higher education institutions across America and its territories, looking at the average cost of their tuition and fees, room and board charges, and books and supplies.

The study was based on the universities that rank in the top 10% of Research.com’s Best Colleges ranking, to discover the institutions that offer high quality education at the most affordable price, according to a news release.

The University of Florida-Gainesville topped the ranking as the most affordable college — its average total cost for one year of $20,045 makes it the most affordable college in the country. Tuition is an average of $8,285, while average room and board charges are $10,950. The cost of books and supplies, at $810, is the lowest of all entries in the top five, the release says.

Tallahassee’s Florida State University offers the second most affordable high-quality college education. The average cost of books and supplies is $1,000, tuition comes in around $7,493, and room and board charges average $11,565 — all adding up to $20,058 for the university, which has a 37% acceptance rate.

In fourth place is the University of South Florida in Tampa. Its total average cost for the year is just $18 more than third place New Mexico State University, at $20,078. The tuition average is $6,410, room and board charges come to $12,568, and books and supplies are $1,100.

Purdue University in Indiana placed fifth.

Hispanic student scholarships
As Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations continue throughout Florida and beyond, the Duke Energy Foundation is committing $75,000 to the Hispanic Heritage Scholarship Fund to create educational opportunities for Hispanic students in central Florida, according to a news release.

The grant will help the fund provide college scholarships for local Hispanic students and expand the number of professional development workshops to support transitioning to the workforce. A large portion of the grant will be used to award eight additional scholarships, and the remaining dollars used for the fund’s annual scholarship award ceremony.

Since 2000, the scholarship fund and its partners have awarded 494 Hispanic Heritage Scholarships totaling more than $2 million, the release says.

For nearly a decade, Duke Energy Florida and its Foundation have provided about $230,000 in scholarships and sponsorships to support the fund.

Pasco Pathways
Pasco County Schools will host a Pasco Pathways Expo on Nov. 14 at Sunlake High School, for west county, and on Nov. 16 at Cypress Creek High, for central/east county. More information will be sent out in next month’s Pasco Post.

Holiday Card Lane
The Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce is calling on local schools and artists to collaborate in reimagining its Holiday Card Lane for this and future generations. The cards adorn the paths of Sims Park in downtown New Port Richey throughout the holiday season and are sponsored by local Pasco County businesses.

The chamber is seeking creative ideas and expertise:

  • Material innovation: Looking for environmentally friendly materials to replace the heavy plywood traditionally used. The new materials should be sustainable, transportable and weather-resistant.
  • Artistic Expression: Looking for artists to infuse their unique styles and celebrate the spirit of the season while incorporating sustainable themes.
  • Community Involvement: This is an opportunity for schools and artists to gain exposure and engage with the local community.

Artists, schools or anyone who fits the bill should reach out to the chamber at 727-842-7651. Ideas, suggestions and contributions are welcome.

Fish art contest
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC)’s annual Fish Art Contest is now open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade. In partnership with Wildlife Forever, FWC announced a second annual category for a Florida Native Fish Award, in addition to the national Fish Art Contest that students can qualify for by submitting a Florida native species from the specified list below.

Grade brackets awards will be kindergarten through third grade, fourth through sixth grade, seventh through ninth grade, and 10th through 12th grade.

Students can submit an original piece of physical artwork featuring any fish including one or more of these Florida native species from the same category:

  • Category 1: Freshwater: largemouth bass, striped bass, black crappie, bluegill, redear sunfish, spotted sunfish, channel catfish, Florida gar, chain pickerel, bowfin
  • Category 2: Saltwater: snook, redfish, spotted seatrout, flounder, tarpon, mahi-mahi, Spanish mackerel, hogfish, queen snapper, black grouper

Digital artwork will not be accepted.

Students also must submit a piece of creative writing, no longer than one page, about the chosen species (required for grades four to 12) and a Florida State-Fish Art Contest entry form.

The deadline to enter is Feb. 28.

To enter, visit WildlifeForever.org/home/fish-art/fish-entry-forms/florida-entry-forms/.

Chalk Talk 10/11/2023

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(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Flying high with career funds
Pilot Company has donated $10,000 to Pasco High School, to support its Career, Technical, and Adult Education (CTAE) programs, specifically those in the business, marketing, and agriculture career pathways. The ceremony took place at Flying J’s State Road 52 and Interstate 75 location. Flying J is a corporation dedicated to positively impacting communities nationwide, with a strong commitment to education.

Need a Homecoming outfit?
The Cinderella & Prince Charming Project, a division of Marjorie’s Hope, has a new location at the Gulf View Square Mall, 9409 U.S. 19 in Port Richey, in the Gemini Moon Rising Store, across from Spirit Halloween. Students need a high school ID to choose an outfit. Upcoming dates are Oct. 13, Oct. 14, Oct. 20 and Oct. 21. Hours are Fridays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Astronomy Club eclipse viewing
Saint Leo University’s Astronomy Club will host an eclipse-viewing event on Oct. 14 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at 33701 County Road 52 in St. Leo, in the Bowl area near the Student Community Center. The club will provide free solar eclipse glasses, while they last. There also will be activities for all ages, including decorating eclipse glasses and eclipse demonstrations. The club also hopes to stream the live event on a big screen.

The viewing area is a grassy lakeside space and those attending will have to walk down a small hill to reach the activities. Requests for accommodations can be made by emailing .

For more information about the event, email , or call 352-588-7408.

Student achievement
Sravani Gopaluni, of Lutz, participated in the Des Moines University Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program’s 2023 White Coat Ceremony.  The White Coat Ceremony is a rite of passage for students as they begin their medical education and prepare to become compassionate, competent health care providers. Gopaluni accepted the white coat as a symbol of the training aspiring health professionals receive and the accompanying responsibilities they’ve accepted for their future roles.

Literacy tutor training
The Hugh Embry Library, 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City, will offer Adult Literacy Tutor Training on Oct. 14 at 10:15 a.m. Pasco County Libraries is looking for adults who would like to tutor adult individuals that struggle to read charts, instructions, basic texts, etc. For information or to register, visit PascoLibraries.org.

(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation)

Donation helps to bolster scholarships
Pasco-Hernando State College was honored to have Florida College System Foundation board member Tim Morris visit the West Campus to present a donation for student scholarships aimed at relieving the nursing shortage and helping students who are the first in their family to attend college. The gift will provide funding for the Florida Blue Nursing and Allied Health Scholarship, the Helios Education Foundation First Generation Scholars Program, and the Bank of America Dream Makers Scholarship.

Reading challenge
Pasco County Schools’ R.A.C.E. to Read challenge is in full swing — the goal is to collectively read 15 million minutes as a district-wide community. The challenge is open to all students and staff members in Pasco County schools, regardless of age or role within the district. As of a Sept. 29 news release, more than 1 million minutes have already been logged. For more information, visit bit.ly/RaceToRead.

Sunlake school fundraiser
More than 800 students at Sunlake Academy of Math & Science will raise funds for playground equipment, field trips, and other school improvements by performing acts of kindness in the Tampa Bay area and beyond. The campaign will run through Oct. 20.

“Raise Craze,” the annual school-wide fundraiser for kindergarten through eighth grade, empowers children and their families to be good citizens by enlisting sponsors to donate money for each act of kindness performed by the student.

“Instead of selling candy bars, the kids are ‘selling’ acts of kindness that benefit the greater good,” said Lauren Dudley, chair of the Raise Craze Committee, in a news release.

Sunlake students will write letters to hospitalized children across the globe to bring encouragement and raise funds with the help of Letters of Love Global, a nonprofit organization that has provided emotional support to more than 175,000 patients in children’s hospitals.

The academy also is partnering with the Humane Society of Tampa Bay as a school-wide service project to marshal donations for the organization. Students will bring in much-needed items for the Humane Society to further its efforts to provide shelter for displaced animals.

Sunlake Academy is seeking sponsors to further its endeavors to raise money for the 2023-2024 school year. Sponsorships include money and in-kind donations.

For information about the charter school, visit SunlakeAcademy.com, or call 813-616-5099.

Tips for walking to school
National Walking to School Day was recognized on Oct. 4, to promote safer and more welcoming routes for students and families to travel to and from school.

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO) continually works with community support to keep schools and students safe year-round. PSO offers these safety tips:

  • Pedestrians and bicyclists should wear bright colors or something reflective to increase visibility in busy areas.
  • Only cross at the crosswalk where drivers expect pedestrians to be and wait until the crossing guard or signal indicates you may pass.
  • Bicyclists should dismount their bicycles and walk them within crosswalks.
  • No matter how you travel, reduce distractions to prioritize everyone’s safety.

Crossing guards help students and their families stay safe when crossing the street.

Traffic control officers are careful in school zones while managing increased traffic from commuters.

The PSO has openings available for both of these positions at several locations throughout Pasco County. Visit JoinPSO.com for more information or to apply. 

Pasco school officials voice concerns over charter schools

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Pasco County School Board members and Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning are raising concerns involving issues regarding contract compliance of some charter schools operating within the district.

The item regarding the charter school reports was presented for information only, on the school board’s Oct. 3 agenda.

But school board member Colleen Beaudoin pulled the item for discussion.

Pasco school board member Colleen Beaudoin raised questions about some of the district’s charter schools being out of compliance with their contracts.

“I have some questions and concerns with regards to some of the charter schools.

“I notice that Pinecrest and Innovation Prep are out of compliance with the contract, and it appears they didn’t respond to the district’s review or provide clarification or comments,” Beaudoin said.

“And, also there are schools with net deficits, the most significant being Union Park, with the net deficit position of over $1.6 million, so what’s the district’s plan of action to address this?”

Browning said that he, too, had planned to discuss the item.

“I did want to draw attention to three schools. One was Union Park Charter Academy, which is experiencing a $1.6 million net deficit position, as Miss Beaudoin said. That is a concern for us.

“You will also find that there were a number of governance standards they had not met and they did not comment, return any comments at all to Mr. (Jeff) Yungmann (who reviews charter schools) and his staff to answer their deficits.

“In addition to that, Innovation Preparatory Academy, a number of governance standards were not met. Five of the 11 finance and operations standards were not met.

“Again, there were no corrective comments from Innovation Prep Academy .

Browning said Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel also had not met a number of standards and had not provided comments in response to the district’s concerns.

The superintendent went on to say: “I will tell you that this process is incredibly frustrating to me, because quite honestly, I think the school board has a perfunctory role when it comes to charter schools. Generally, if charter schools don’t get what they want from local school districts, they go to Tallahassee and the department generally grants what they’re asking for.

“I don’t know why they even have us as part of the approval system or even require us to have the reviews, when the reviews really don’t amount to a hill of beans.

“I think all it does is shine a light.

“But it’s frustrating because these are our kids that they are educating.

PPasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning says school boards play a ‘perfunctory role when it comes to charter schools.’

“I’ll tell you, we have standards we have to meet. We will get whacked, as a school district, if we don’t meet those standards. It’s not necessarily the same case for our charter schools.”

Yungmann said the school district, which sponsors charter schools, must monitor them for compliance in areas such as governance, finance, human resources, insurance, facilities, food and nutrition services.

“As part of the review, we do highlight certain areas, and of course, we give the opportunity for the schools to provide school comments.

“Five of the schools did not provide school comments. We even gave them two opportunities. “One was to provide documentation by a certain deadline and the other was to provide school comments,” Yungmann said.

Union Park, which was showing a net deficit of $1.6 million, is now showing one of $1.9 million, Yungmann said.

“To me, as a layman for finance, that’s signal-signs for distress,” he said.

While school districts have little authority when it comes to charters, the school board does vote on charter school extensions.

He pointed out to the board: “these are the same schools that are going to come back to this board, asking for a 10-year or 15-year extension, when their contracts are renewed.”

School board member Alison Crumbley expressed frustration regarding the situation.

“What do we do about a $1.9 million deficit?” she said.

Megan Harding, the board’s chairwoman agreed: “That’s huge.”

Crumbley added: “That’s ridiculous.”

Yungmann said if a charter school is being operated by the same governing board in other counties, they can share funding across the counties.

He also said that a recent state law requires charter school renewals to be granted for at least five years, unless they are deemed to be operating at a Double F status.

Browning told board members: “in large part, your hands are tied.

But he added: “‘We’re just bringing this information to your attention. Your action will come into play when they come back for contract renewals.”

Published October 11, 2023

Improving school safety is a never ending job, district security chief says

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The Pasco County School Board held a closed-door session on Oct. 3 to discuss the district’s security risk assessment and actions to improve safety in the district schools.

Annual assessments of safety on each school campus must be completed by Oct. 1, under Florida law requiring school safety plans.

The law was adopted after 17 people were killed and 17 were injured in the 2018 Valentine’s Day shooting spree at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, in Parkland.

Those shootings spurred a public outcry and persistent student protests. Ultimately, state legislators mandated a series of new steps intended to reduce threats on campuses across Florida.

Michael Baumaister, Pasco County Schools’ district chief of safety and emergency operations, said there are always ways to improve school safety, and, he added, it’s everyone’s job to help. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

The state law also requires that every three years, local school districts must conduct the annual risk assessments in consultation with local law enforcement, fire and emergency management.

The school board held a workshop to discuss findings of those assessments and suggested actions before its regular meeting on Oct. 3.

The meeting was closed due to the sensitive nature of security issues.

At the board’s regular meeting, Michael Baumaister, the school district’s chief of safety and emergency operations, reported: “This year we conducted public safety tours with our partners from the sheriff’s office, fire and emergency management.”

“We reviewed every school.

“Our walk-throughs did identify some areas, small areas, that we can improve upon and we’re making those improvements,” he said.

The security chief also noted that the district’s security efforts are widespread.

“We collaborate with a lot of different departments, not just the schools themselves, but we do reach out to the sheriff’s office, some of our municipal agencies, and within our school district,” he said.

The collaborations also include working with various departments within the school district, such as the facilities, construction and planning teams, as well as others, he said.

“School security is not just my job. It’s everybody’s job. We have an obligation to be part of it,” the safety expert said.

Baumaister thanked the school board for its level of funding support to enhance school safety. He said that’s not true in every school district.

“Most of our recommendations are just to continue what we’ve been doing,” he said.

He asked for the board’s continued support.

“Keep us funded where we need to be, so we can keep moving forward and be where we need to be,” Baumaister said.

“I don’t think there’s ever a sunset on school safety. I think school safety always has to be at the forefront and we always need to continue moving forward. 

“Even if you think your school is as safe as it could be, there’s probably other things you can do to make it safer,” he said.

He also noted: “We have to keep that balance, to keep our schools (as) education centers, not prisons.”

Published October 11, 2023