The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Chalk Talk 03/01/2023

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GTE Scholarships
GTE Financial will award $3,000 scholarships to a number of GTE student-members, to support education and reward young adults who are dedicated to academic pursuits and community involvement. The scholarship is for undergraduate degree-seeking students and trade school students only. High school seniors pursuing an undergraduate degree and current undergraduate students at both colleges and universities are eligible to apply. For information and to apply, visit GTEFinancial.org, and click on Education and then Student Scholarships.

‘Grease’ performance
Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School, 13631 Hays Road in Spring Hill, will present the musical “Grease” on March 2, March 3 and March 4 at 7 p.m., and a matinee on March 4 at 2 p.m. The cost is $15 for adults and $10 for students. For information, email .

Scholarship application
The Law Firm of Farah & Farah will award an Empowering Greatness Scholarship. A scholarship committee will use a rubric to rank all completed applications. The top 10% of applicants will advance to a judges’ panel for review and final selections. Participants and winners will be notified of the results by May 1. The deadline to submit an application is March 3. For more information, visit FarahAndFarah.com, click on “About” and then “Scholarship.”

Home-school sewing
The Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center, 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa, will host “Home-school Sewing for Beginners” on March 8 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Participants will practice using pins, sewing on a machine, ironing and more, to make an upcycled tote bag.  The class is for ages 9 and older, including adults. To register, visit PascoLibraries.org.

Pasco Pepin school expected to be built by 2024

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Pasco County Schools has moved a step closer in its partnership with Pepin Academies, to establish Pepin Academy at Kirkland Ranch, a new charter school for third- through 12th-graders.

The school will be on the campus of Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, at 9100 Curley Road in Wesley Chapel.

It will be built to accommodate 400 student stations, and beyond standard classrooms, it will have an administrative suite, media center, student dining/multipurpose room, music room, art room, and other elective classrooms/labs, according to information in the Pasco County School Board’s Feb. 7 agenda packet.

The project also may include infrastructure for a future gym if the gym cannot be accommodated within the current construction budget.

Other parts of the plan include exterior covered play areas, playgrounds and a playfield. 

Also, there will be an on‐site parent pickup and drop‐off driveways, the agenda materials say.

The school board and Pepin Academies are listed as owners in the agreement approved with Hepner Architects, as part of the school board’s consent agenda.

Pepin Academies selected Hepner for the project, which has a construction budget of $14 million. Construction is expected to be completed by summer of 2024.

The agreement includes providing basic services: architectural design, civil engineering, landscape/irrigation design, structural engineering, other engineering, and a criteria‐based fire sprinkler design.

The architect proposed a fixed fee in the amount of $908,000, for basic services, which includes  $75,800 for civil engineering basic services.

The school board’s action follows the approval of a contract in November — between Pepin and the school board — which sealed the deal on the unique partnership.

The school construction must meet all state requirements, and Pepin and the school board have agreed to fund the construction of the school using impact fees.

When it approved the partnership, the school board also approved a memorandum of understanding, as well as a step-in agreement for the district to take over the school, should the charter school cease operations.

Pepin Academies are full-time exceptional student education day schools that offer a standard diploma option for students with learning and learning-related disabilities in grades three through 12, according to Pepin’s website.

Pepin Academies operates a Pasco campus in New Port Richey, one in Tampa and one in Riverview. It provides individualized instruction, focused on providing academic and social achievement, its website says.

The new charter school will be the third school on the Kirkland Ranch campus. Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, a magnet school for grades nine through 12, is already operating, and Kirkland Ranch K-8 is set to open in August 2024.

Published February 22, 2023

Chalk Talk 02/22/2023

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(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

A sneak peek at Angeline Academy
The Pasco County School District offered an updated look at the Angeline Academy of Innovation, a new 6-12 magnet school that will come to the in-progress ‘town’ of Angeline in Northern Land O’Lakes. Angeline Academy is under construction on an 18.8-acre site, south of State Road 52, north of the Ridge Road extension and west of Sunlake Boulevard. The school will be situated in a community that will be home to H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco County 775-acre campus. In October 2022, JoAnne Glenn was named the school’s first principal. The new school will open in August for the 2023-2024 school year.

Reading Challenge
Pasco County Libraries offers a “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” Reading Challenge, for ages up to 5 years old. Parents can sign up children to log books before going into kindergarten, to encourage early reading and literacy. For information, visit PascoLibraries.org.

Robotic Rumble Rama
Pasco-Hernando State College will host the PHSC Bobcat Robotics Rumble Rama VRC Spin Up Tournament on Feb. 25 at 9 a.m., at its West Campus, 10230 Ridge Road in New Port Richey, Building R, Room 151. For more information, contact Wendy Villa, associate director, Division of Workforce Development, at 727-816-3244 or .

Visit a Storywalk
Pasco County Libraries offers a Storywalk at the Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, 10500 Wilderness Park Blvd., in New Port Richey, in the playground area. Access is at the back, left Nature Trail Loop. Guests can read the story “The Very Last Leaf” by Stef Wade, featuring interactive prompts and fun facts. For information, visit PascoLibraries.org.

Community celebration
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) will host a free community celebration of the college’s 50th anniversary and Black History Month on Feb. 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the PHSC Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel; and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Instructional Performing Arts Center, 8657 Old Pasco Road, in Wesley Chapel. For information, call 727-847-2727, or email .

GTE Scholarships
GTE Financial will award $3,000 scholarships to a number of GTE student-members, to support education and reward young adults who are dedicated to academic pursuits and community involvement. The scholarship is for undergraduate degree-seeking students and trade school students only. High school seniors pursuing an undergraduate degree and current undergraduate students at both colleges and universities are eligible to apply. For information and to apply, visit GTEFinancial.org, and click on Education and then Student Scholarships.

College and Career Fair
Pasco County Schools will host its third annual virtual College and Career Fair on March 1 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., to assist families as they plan for college entrance and/or careers after high school. Topics for presentations include: ACT/SAT support; college admissions process; collegiate athletics; financial aid, Bright Futures, and scholarships; Naviance (college, career and life readiness resource); resources for students with disabilities; and more. For information or to register, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/oll/page/college-and-career-fair.

Scholarship application
The Law Firm of Farah & Farah will award an Empowering Greatness Scholarship. A scholarship committee will use a rubric to rank all completed applications. The top 10% of applicants will advance to a judges’ panel for review and final selections. Participants and winners will be notified of the results by May 1. The deadline to submit an application is March 3. For more information, visit FarahAndFarah.com, click on “About” and then “Scholarship.”

Republican Party scholarship
The Republican Party of Pasco will award a $1,000 scholarship to a high school senior. Student requirements are: 

  • Must be a registered (or preregistered) Republican
  • Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA
  • Be a current senior of any Pasco County high school (public, private, charter, vocational or home-school)
  • Must attend an accredited community college, university or vocational school in Florida

Applicants are required to write an essay and answer the question, “What is the importance of conservative values for young people in today’s world?” The deadline to apply is March 24. For information, visit PascoGOP.com/rpop-scholarship/.

Student achievements

  • Scott Abramson, Odessa: Dean’s List, Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington
  • Chelsea Aquino, Odessa: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Jaime Arredondo, Lutz: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Jackie Figueredo, Lutz: Dean’s List, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne
  • Daniel Higgins, Odessa: Dean’s List, Augustana College, Rock Island, Illinoi
  • Olivia Jablonski, Odessa: Dean’s List, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama
  • Natalia Kaminski, Wesley Chapel: Honor List, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla
  • Brady Lindauer, Land O’ Lakes: Dean’s List, Saint Mary’s University, Winona, Minnesota
  • Brycen Lowe, Lutz: Dean’s List, Carthage College, Kenosha, Wisconsin
  • Max Martino, Lutz: Dean’s List, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne
  • Kelsey Mitchell, Odessa: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Cassidy Mizzi, Lutz: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Aaron Molloy, Lutz: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Holly On, Odessa: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Vasant Ramnarine, Lutz: Dean’s List, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne
  • Angelo Sardegna, Lutz: Dean’s List, Curry College, Milton, Massachusetts
  • Julie Stevens, Odessa: graduate of The University of Tampa
  • Laura Watford, Odessa: Dean’s List, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama

MOSI helping students
The Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) now has a grab-and-go food service. The new “hot vending” concept is helping undergraduate business students at the University of South Florida, according to a news release.

The HUSTLE program is a college-oriented competition designed to educate the maximum number of students in business entrepreneurship through real world experiences, the release said.

It allows the students to apply their classroom knowledge, determination, and skill sets to operate a real business, all while having the chance to win one of two cash prizes totaling $100,000 to be shared with teammates.

The student team of  “Just Baked Smart Bistro” offers guests grab-and-go sandwich options, desserts and treats, with both breakfast and lunch options available daily. In addition, MOSI also is offering deli sandwiches, salads, sodas and snacks at its expanded MOSI Marketplace gift shop.

For more information on the competition and program, visit HustleUSF.com.

Chalk Talk 02/15/2023

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David Peterson, crossing guard of the year (Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)

Crossing Guard Of The Year
Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO) has announced school crossing guard David Peterson was named Florida’s 2022 School Crossing Guard of the Year Award by the Florida Department of Transportation last week. Peterson currently is assigned to Starkey Ranch K-8 School in Odessa, and helps more than 500 students a day to cross to school safely and with a positive attitude. Peterson also reaches out to area preschools, offering to provide safe crossing presentations to students transitioning to elementary school next school year. He builds relationships with students, their parents and guardians and school staff to ensure everyone makes it to and from school safely.
PSO school crossing guards and traffic control officers play an extremely important role in the community, as they help students travel school routes safely and ensure drivers are cautious in school zones.

Reading Challenge
Pasco County Libraries offers a “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” Reading Challenge, for ages up to 5 years old. Parents can sign up children to log books before going into kindergarten, to encourage early reading and literacy. For information, visit PascoLibraries.org.

Student achievements

  • Jacquelyn Claire Abanses, Lutz: Dean’s List, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  • Trinity Alvarez-Wilson, Lutz: Dean’s List, Tallahassee Community College
  • Skylar Barnes, Lutz: Dean’s List, Tallahassee Community College
  • Cole Benjamin, Odessa: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Averie Bennett, Odessa: Dean’s List, Tallahassee Community College
  • William Brockman, Lutz: Dean’s List, Tallahassee Community College
  • Robert Cooper, Lutz: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Evan Cuervo, Lutz: Dean’s List, Presbyterian College, Clinton, South Carolina
  • Matthew Daniels, Lutz: President’s List, Tallahassee Community College
  • Jamie Denney, Lutz: Dean’s List, Tallahassee Community College
  • Alyssa Gomez, Odessa: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Sarah Grossman, Lutz: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Tristan Hilson, Lutz: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Yazan Jesri, Lutz: Dean’s List, Tallahassee Community College
  • Jaya Krishna Kappaganthula, Odessa: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Tyler Knight, Odessa: Dean’s List, Tallahassee Community College
  • Michael Leonardo, Odessa: Dean’s List, Tallahassee Community College
  • Hope Lelekacs, Odessa: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Michelle Loefstrand, Odessa: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Asley Mantei, Odessa: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Madison McElhone, Odessa: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Ryleigh McElroy, Lutz: Dean’s List, Tallahassee Community College
  • James Moore, Odessa: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Emma Morrison, Lutz: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Samantha Park, Odessa: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Miller Raeckers, Lutz: Dean’s List, Tallahassee Community College
  • Angelina Santana, Lutz: Dean’s List, University of Tampa
  • Adachi Selas, Lutz: Dean’s List, University of Tampa

Robotic Rumble Rama
Pasco-Hernando State College will host the PHSC Bobcat Robotics Rumble Rama VRC Spin Up Tournament on Feb. 25 at 9 a.m., at its West Campus, 10230 Ridge Road in New Port Richey, Building R, Room 151. For more information, contact Wendy Villa, associate director, Division of Workforce Development, at 727-816-3244 or .

Visit a Storywalk
Pasco County Libraries offers a Storywalk at the Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park, 10500 Wilderness Park Blvd., in New Port Richey, in the playground area. Access is at the back, left Nature Trail Loop. Guests can read the story “The Very Last Leaf” by Stef Wade, featuring interactive prompts and fun facts. For information, visit PascoLibraries.org.

Community celebration
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) will host a free community celebration of the college’s 50th anniversary and Black History Month on Feb. 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the PHSC Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel; and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Instructional Performing Arts Center, 8657 Old Pasco Road, in Wesley Chapel. For information, call 727-847-2727, or email .

Student is Honey Queen
The American Beekeeping Federation has announced Selena Rampolla was selected as the 2023 American Honey Queen at the American Beekeeping Federation Conference and Tradeshow in Jacksonville.

Rampolla is the 21-year-old daughter of Faye Turke and Renato Rampolla of Lutz and Tampa.

She graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Florida with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She enjoys exploring the arts and sciences with specific interests in photography, neuroscience, and honey bees. In her free time, she likes to read, practice photography, play 8-ball pool, draw, and help keep bees.

Prior to being selected as the American Honey Queen, Rampolla served as the 2022 Florida Honey Queen. In that role, she promoted the honey industry in schools, through farmers’ markets, fairs, festivals, and media interviews.  

Rampolla will spend the next year promoting the beekeeping industry throughout the United States in a wide variety of venues, including fairs, festivals, schools, media interviews, and virtual presentations.

GTE Scholarships
GTE Financial will award $3,000 scholarships to a number of GTE student-members, to support education and reward young adults who are dedicated to academic pursuits and community involvement.

The scholarship is for undergraduate degree-seeking students and trade school students only.

High school seniors pursuing an undergraduate degree and current undergraduate students at both colleges and universities are eligible to apply.

For information and to apply, visit GTEFinancial.org, and click on Education and then Student Scholarships.

College and Career Fair
Pasco County Schools will host its third annual virtual College and Career Fair on March 1 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., to assist families as they plan for college entrance and/or careers after high school.

Topics for presentations include: ACT/SAT support; college admissions process; collegiate athletics; financial aid, Bright Futures, and scholarships; Naviance (college, career and life readiness resource); resources for students with disabilities; and more.

For information or to register, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/oll/page/college-and-career-fair.

Chalk Talk 02/08/2023

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African acrobats
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) will host the Zuzu African Acrobats on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m., at the PHSC Instructional Performing Arts Center, 8657 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel. Admission is free and open to the public. For information, contact Luther Buie, associate dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Multicultural Student Affairs, at 727-816-3192 or .

Student achievements

  • Christian Hewett, Odessa: Bachelor of Science in commerce and business administration, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
  • Maitri Milan Mehta, Lutz: graduate of Campbellsville University, Kentucky
  • Chase Memmer, Odessa: Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
  • Jose Soto, Lutz: Bachelor of Science in commerce and business administration, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa
  • Kiera Aliese Young-Hardeman, Bachelor of Social Work, Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas

Cambridge exam awards
Forty-six Pasco County students received prestigious awards from Cambridge International for outstanding performance on Cambridge examinations, including two students from Anclote High School who posted the highest possible score on one of the rigorous exams, according to a news release.

Pasco County has three high schools that offer the rigorous Cambridge courses: Anclote High, Hudson High and Pasco High.

“All the Cambridge courses are demanding, and the exams are extremely challenging, so this recognition says a lot about the students’ ability to achieve at the very highest level,” said Pasco Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning in the release.

“The students, their families, and their teachers have a lot to be proud of,” said Browning.

The Cambridge Awards celebrate the success of students taking Cambridge examinations around the world. More than a million students study Cambridge International programs in over 160 countries.

As a global organization with a 160-year history and part of the University of Cambridge, Cambridge Assessment International Education partners with schools and districts around the world with a shared goal of making education transformation a reality. This program is part of an internationally benchmarked program that allows students to earn college-level credit in high school.

In addition to the students who earned the Top in USA Award or the Scholar Award with Distinction, 43 more students from Anclote, Hudson High and Pasco High received awards of Merit or Scholar for posting impressive scores on three or more Cambridge exams.

Student exhibit
Pasco-Hernando State College’s (PHSC) Social and Human Services Club, in partnership with Growth & Recovery Counseling, will host a discussion with virtual guest speaker, Rachel Rifkin from the National Alliance for Eating Disorders. Those attending also will have the opportunity to view the student exhibit, “Awareness through Art.”

The event will take place on Feb. 23 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at PHSC’s Spring Hill campus, 450 Beverly Court, Spring Hill, in the Rao Musunuru M.D. Conference Center.

For information, contact Eddie Williams, associate professor and Human Services program director, at 352-340-4865 or .

Saint Leo earns honors
Saint Leo University earned honors in four categories for providing the best online bachelor’s and master’s programs in the United States, according to the 2023 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Programs edition, a news release said.

The university received honors in:

  • Best Online Bachelor’s Programs in Psychology, ranked 36th
  • Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans, 75th
  • Best Online Bachelor’s Programs, 124th
  • Best Online Bachelor’s Programs in Business, 127th

“Saint Leo is celebrating 25 years of offering online education, so it’s fitting that the university is being honored for providing outstanding online degrees,” said Dr. Edward Dadez, Saint Leo president, in the release.

“In 1998, the university took a risk and entered the online field. Now, through online classes, students can study anywhere and anytime that is convenient for them. It was an investment that paid off for the university and especially for its students,” said Dadez.

This year’s edition of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Programs evaluates more than 1,800 online bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, in four categories: Engagement; Services and Technologies; Faculty Credentials and Training; and Expert Opinion.

To see the rankings, data, and methodologies for U.S. News & World Report’s Best Online Programs edition, visit USnews.com/education/online-education/rankings.

Community celebration
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) will host a free community celebration of the college’s 50th anniversary and Black History Month on Feb. 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the PHSC Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, and from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Instructional Performing Arts Center, 8657 Old Pasco Road, in Wesley Chapel.

For information, call 727-847-2727, or email .

Stick bridge competition
Saint Leo University’s Department of Natural Sciences will host its annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition on March 9 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., in Selby Auditorium in Lewis Hall, at the campus at 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo.

Saint Leo University and Pasco County high school students are invited to design and build bridges to compete in the contest.

The winners will be selected in two categories: the strongest bridge that can hold the most weight and the most aesthetically pleasing bridge that receives the most votes from the audience.

Teams of one to three students may compete, and members should come up with a name for their bridge.

The goal of the contest is to build the strongest bridge using only Elmer’s glue and no more than 200 standard Popsicle sticks. Entries must bridge a 1.2-meter span as described in the contest rules.

Last year’s winner was “Bridge to the Starz” that held 66 pounds.

High school faculty who would like to enter their students, as well as interested students, may participate by emailing by Feb. 18, then pick up a kit, design a bridge build (test if you want to) and then join in the competition on March 9.

The public is invited to attend the event to watch the teams compete.

Resolving bad behavior by students is no easy fix, officials say

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Pasco County School Board members and union president Don Peace have cast a spotlight on a persistent problem on district campuses that they think requires more action.

They want the school district to increase its efforts and try new approaches to address disruptive and sometimes dangerous behavior by students.

During the school board’s Jan. 17 meeting, Peace, president of United School Employees of Pasco (USEP), reported that the union has been hearing about “quite a few situations where students are acting out in such a manner as to cause harm and injury to employees.

United School Employees of Pasco president Don Peace

“One of the things that we collaboratively can, and should, work on is student behavior.

“No employee comes to work with the expectation of being bitten, kicked, hit or spit upon by their students.

“Together, the district and the union must take a stand on this type of behavior and protect employees and their right to perform work in a safe environment.

“As you have your district staff meetings, I would ask that student behavior, especially outbursts against employees, be examined,” Peace said, during the portion of the meeting when USEP offers remarks to the board.

School board member Cynthia Armstrong told her colleagues that she’d done an extensive review of comments in a Thought Exchange that the school district did on school safety.

Pasco County School Board member Cynthia Armstrong

Thought Exchanges are used to help the district to get a big picture look on various topics.

Armstrong noticed that concerns were raised about student behavior.

“The discipline issue is really quite disturbing to me,” Armstrong said. “I know we’ve talked about the discipline issue before. You know, discipline — it’s just getting harder and harder. I just want to make sure we don’t give up because it’s hard to do.

“It’s too important to say, ‘That’s just the way it is. That’s just the way kids are.’

“It’s not acceptable. We’ve got to figure out and not lose sight, so that students can feel safe, students can learn. And, I know we’ve reached out, saying we’ve got to get parents’ help in order to be successful.

“We can continue to do that, but whether the parents are on board or not, we have to figure out a way that we can get a handle on the discipline.”

School board member Colleen Beaudoin added: “Especially with these large class sizes, teachers really need support.”

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning

School board chairwoman Megan Harding agreed that teachers need the district’s backing.

Armstrong added: “I know it’s resources. It takes time. It takes people to work through all the discipline issues but we just might have to make that a priority.”

Superintendent Kurt Browning noted that the district has 86,000 students and that these problems are being caused by a small fraction of students.

“We need to keep in mind that we have so many more kids in our classrooms that want to be there, that want to learn,” he said.

That being said, the superintendent agreed that the small number of students creating the problems are disruptive.

“We do need to problem-solve,” Browning said.

He said it may shock some to learn that the grade level that’s most problematic in Pasco Schools is kindergarten.

The superintendent’s theory is that these children have not been in a structured environment and when they get to school, they think they can rule the roost.

“We do need to partner with our parents. We cannot do this without Moms and Dads. We just cannot,” Browning said. “We continue to problem-solve. It’s probably the most frustrating issue that I’ve had to deal with as the superintendent in the last 10 years that I’ve been here.”

Harding noted: “It’s not even fighting at elementary. It’s disrespect and disruption.”

She added the district needs to nip those behaviors in the bud.

“If we don’t catch those behaviors in kindergarten, it’s just going to spiral, spiral, spiral, spiral. (If) We want to keep our teachers in the classroom, we need to have that backup for them,” Harding said.

Armstrong emphasize the need to take action, to make the issue a priority.

“It’s great that we’re saying it’s not a tremendous number, then maybe we can find the resources to address those kids, whether it’s alternate punishments — maybe we have to get more creative.”

Published February 01, 2023

Superintendent forums focus on school safety issues

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Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning recently hosted two family forums, with a focus on school safety.

One event was set for Jan. 31 at Fivay High School, 12115 Chicago Ave., in Hudson (after The Laker/Lutz News went to press). A similar event was held at Pasco Middle School on Jan. 24.

In the runup to the forums, the school district conducted a Thought Exchange on the issue of school safety. In a Thought Exchange participants are asked to respond to a question that’s intended to encourage a broad range of responses. The Thought Exchange also allows participants to indicate if they agree with thoughts that are expressed by others.

Steve Hegarty, public information officer for Pasco County Schools, said, in this case, “The question that we asked was: ‘What thoughts, concerns or suggestions do you have to enhance safety in our schools?’”

Pasco County Schools has taken steps to improve safety on campuses, through increased security at school entry points. (File)

The Thought Exchange was open to the community, to students, to staff and to parents.

During the Pasco County School Board’s Jan. 17 meeting, Hegarty shared some of the feedback that was submitted.

About 4,000 responses were received, he said.

“The way that Thought Exchange works is that you can put a thought in there, you can put a concern.

“You can also rate some idea that somebody else put in there, something that resonates with you, something that you agree with. So, you can rate it as high as a five or as low as a one.

“We learned the things that were most top of mind with folks and the things that resonated with folks.

“What we learned was there’s a lot of different ways you can look at safety.

“Some people think in terms of crosswalks and traffic,” he said.

Others think about bullying or mental health issues.

“Nearly 400 mentioned something about cameras and fencing and things at the physical plant to make it safer at our schools,” Hegarty said.

“The next one is misbehavior.

“The way I look at it, cameras, metal detectors, etc., is sort of outside threats to our safety.

“The second one is more internal.

“There are a lot of parents, students, staff, etc., that weighed in and thought there are some students that are perhaps creating an unsafe environment with their behavior in our schools, so that is a concern that rated pretty highly with parents, students and staff,” Hegarty said.

School Resource officers and School Safety got a big thumbs’ up from respondents, he added.

“They want to see them. They want them to be visible. Many would like to see a lot more in our schools. “That came up again and again.

“We wanted to hear from folks,” Hegarty said. “If they had ideas, we wanted to hear them. If they had concerns, we wanted to address them.”

More information on a variety of safety-related issues was available at the superintendent’s forums.

Published February 01, 2023

Pasco celebrates its 90.2% graduation rate

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Pasco County school officials recently celebrated news of the school district’s 90.2% graduation rate.

“It’s higher than the surrounding counties. It’s 2.9% higher than the state average,” said Kurt Browning, the school district’s superintendent, during the Pasco School Board’s Jan. 17 meeting.

“I want to thank folks in our district that worked very, very hard to ensure success of our students, being able to get across the line. But also some things, such as the way we code things in our system, making sure that the data is clean, the data is correct.

“It’s a collective effort on a lot of people’s part,” Browning said.

“I just could not be more proud of the work this district put in to make sure that our kids were successful,” he added.

School board members also chimed in, sharing congratulatory remarks and expressing appreciation for district staff.

“Right up to the last minute, we had teachers and administrators working with kids, getting them across that finish line,” said school board member Colleen Beaudoin.

Don Peace, union president of the United School Employees of Pasco, congratulated the district for its performance.

He added: “I’m sure all of us would like to see the rate higher in the upcoming year summary. It’s important for us to keep the bar high, but attainable, for our students.”

While celebrating the moment, Browning expressed a word of caution.

“We will see what happens this coming year,” Browning said, referring to a potential state change that could increase a score needed for students to meet graduation requirements.

“We’re not sure what we’re going to see this May. That will be the benchmark year. But we are going to have to be creative and really problem-solve,” Browning said.

During a staff meeting on the morning of Jan. 17, Browning said that Dr. Monica Isle, the assistant superintendent for high school, shared some “staggering figures” regarding the number of seniors who do not currently meet graduation requirements.

“Raising the requirement could have ‘a dramatic impact’ on the district’s graduation rate,” Browning said.

Efforts will continue to ask the state to give more consideration to its required score, Browning said. At the same time, district staff will be making every effort to ensure its students are successful, regardless of the score required by the state.

Published February 01, 2023

Pasco County Schools continues to struggle with teacher vacancies

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Pasco County Schools has submitted a class size appeal with the Florida Commissioner of Education, as the district lacks a sufficient number of teachers to fully staff its schools.

Superintendent Kurt Browning and the Pasco County School Board discussed the problem during the Jan. 17 board meeting.

Browning said the district has complied with state class size requirements for years, but hasn’t been able to achieve that this year.

“We cannot find the teachers to staff these classrooms,” Browning said.

School board member Cynthia Armstrong said the district is diligently searching to fill the vacancies.

“In the past, class size has been a budget issue. We didn’t have the money to hire the teachers. “We’re in a totally different situation now. We would love to hire the teachers. We are just having to look behind every tree to find them,” Armstrong said.

Board colleague Colleen Beaudoin agreed.

“We’re trying really hard to fill these positions. We don’t want to go over class size. Nobody wants to do that. We’re doing everything we can to hire highly qualified teachers.

“It’s not acceptable to have kids sitting in a classroom without a highly qualified teacher. And sometimes having a class size a little bigger to have a student have a highly qualified teacher is what we have to do. It’s not ideal, but our students need highly qualified teachers,” she said.

Board chairwoman Megan Harding added: “I’ve heard from a lot of my peers who actually have really big class sizes, especially in kindergarten. Really big.”

Pasco isn’t alone in its inability to fill all teacher vacancies, the shortage is being experienced across the state and nation.

While the school district awaits word on the state’s decision regarding its class size appeal, it also has submitted a class size compliance plan to the Florida Department of Education for consideration, in case its appeal fails.

The compliance plan explains how each school plans to meet the class size requirement for the October 2023 Full-time Equivalent (FTE) student survey.

Browning told board members that he appreciated the discussion around the district’s class size compliance plan.

“The state’s process is a little backwards,” Browning said. “We had to file the appeal by the sixth of January, which is the week we returned from Christmas break. So you file your appeal regarding class size, but they don’t make a determination regarding whether they’re going grant the appeal until after the deadline for the compliance plan to be brought to the board and approved.

Although he appreciates the district’s substitute teachers, Browning said, “there’s nothing like having that highly qualified teacher, in front of those students, every day. That’s what makes a difference.

“I’m hoping the department (Florida Department of Education) will grant us our appeal because that would mean significantly less penalty for us. But we will wait and see. We have done everything the state has asked us to do. We’ve made our case to the state. Now, we sit and wait.”

Both Harding and Beaudoin reported that requests have been made to the state legislators to amend the Florida Retirement System to enable retired teachers to return to become substitute teachers. As it stands now, there’s a mandatory waiting period.

Changing the state’s retirement system would enable the district to address staffing shortages.

“They would be highly qualified.” Harding said.

Don Peace, union president for the United School Employees of Pasco, said beyond finding new teachers to fill openings, the district needs to consider ways to retain teachers.

He pointed to comments in a Gallup survey that “include concerns with teacher workload, communication and data collection.”

Plus, Peace noted:  “We need to continually look at removing add-ons to our teachers and let them concentrate on delivery of instruction to students.”

Published February 01, 2023

Chalk Talk 02/01/2023

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Saint Leo University’s newly named Center for Adult Learning at University Campus is on the first floor of Saint Edward Hall. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

New year, new name
One of Saint Leo University’s education centers, the former East Pasco Education Center, will now be the Center for Adult Learning at University Campus, according to a news release.

The name change is keeping with the center’s mission of educating adult learners and those of nontraditional college age. Adult learners choose to pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees in order to strengthen their skillsets or reskill and change careers, and Saint Leo’s Center for Adult Learning will focus on assisting students in meeting those goals.

The new center is based on the first floor of Saint Edward Hall, one of the oldest buildings on the campus, which is at 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo.

Degrees offered at the Center for Adult Learning at University Campus include:

  • Associate of Arts: liberal arts; business administration; criminal justice; and information technology
  • Bachelor of Arts: business administration (management, marketing, and technology management); criminal justice (criminalistics and homeland security); educational studies (education and children; education and adolescents; English; social science); elementary education; human resource management; middle grades education (English and social science); psychology (clinical/counseling, developmental, experimental, general); and religion
  • Bachelor of Science: accounting; computer information systems; cybersecurity; and health care administration
  • Bachelor of Social Work: social work
  • Master of Science: criminal justice (behavioral studies, corrections, criminal investigations, critical incident management, forensic science, and legal studies)

Registration is taking place for Spring 2 Semester classes, which begin March 13, and the Summer 1 Semester, which begins May 8.

For information about the Center for Adult Learning at University Campus, email , or call 813-226-2775.

African acrobats
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) will host the Zuzu African Acrobats on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m., at the PHSC Instructional Performing Arts Center, 8657 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel.

Admission is free and open to the public.

For information, contact Luther Buie, associate dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Multicultural Student Affairs, at 727-816-3192 or .

Graduation rates
The Pasco County Schools 2021-2022 graduate rate of 90.2% continues to exceed the state average and is the best among Tampa Bay area school districts, according to a Pasco County Schools news release.

Pasco’s graduation rate slipped by less than one percentage point compared to last year’s rate (from 91.0% to 90.2%), the release said.

The slight decrease reflects a statewide trend, and many districts experienced significant decreases.

The state graduation rate dropped by nearly three percentage points, from 90.1% to 87.3%.

Taking the long view, Pasco’s graduation rate is evidence of steady progress — since 2013, the rate has improved by more than 14 percentage points.

“Despite the challenges our students experienced in recent years, we continue to see steady progress year after year,” said Superintendent Kurt Browning, in the release.

“All our teachers in elementary, middle and high school can share the credit because we know that it takes a team effort to prepare students for college, career and life,” said Browning.

Hillsborough County Public School’s graduation rate for the 2021-2022 year is 87.9%, the release said.

To view the statewide results, visit the Florida Department of Education web page.

Student achievements

  • James Cook, Lutz: Dean’s List, College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts
  • Nicole Marie Farmer, Odessa: Bachelor of Science in finance, University of Maryland Global Campus
  • Matthew Ferguson, Lutz: Bachelor of Science in management studies, University of Maryland Global Campus
  • Alexis Leighty, Lutz: Dean’s List, Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, Tennessee
  • Wolfgang Louk, Lutz: Dean’s List, Benedictine College, Atchison, Kansas
  • Faith Quinn, Wesley Chapel: Dean’s List, Benedictine College, Atchison, Kansas
  • Grace Quinn, Wesley Chapel: Dean’s List, Benedictine College, Atchison, Kansas

Five for Five Dinner
The Republican Party of Pasco will host its third annual Five for Five Dinner (a five-course meal to benefit the club’s $5,000 scholarship fund) on March 2 at the Timber Greens Golf & Country Club, 6333 Timber Greens Blvd., in New Port Richey.

The fundraiser will help a high school student go to a college or trade school of their choice in Florida, with a $1,000 scholarship award.

Check-in and cocktails begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by the dinner at 6 p.m.

The event will feature Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco, Chef Adam, and celebrity sous-chefs Congressman Gus Bilirakis, Sen. Ed Hooper, Rep. Randy Maggard, Commissioner Seth Weightman, and school board member Cynthia Armstrong.

For tickets and sponsorship levels, call Sandy Graves at 813-817-3011, or the Republican Party of Pasco office at 727-863-5400.