Education

Two new schools coming to Central Pasco

January 10, 2023 By B.C. Manion

Two new schools are planned to accommodate burgeoning growth in Central Pasco.

One is a K-8 school planned for a site on the east side of Skybrooke Boulevard, south of State Road 54.

The other is a charter elementary school that will be operated by Dayspring Academy. It will be built on a 5-acre site, on Sunterra Drive, in Land O’ Lakes, according to materials in the Pasco County School Board’s Jan. 3 agenda packet.

The school board approved agreements relating to each of those projects.

The school board approved an agreement with Zyscovich Architects relating to the new K-8, which is planned for a 22-acre site. The 170,000-square-foot school will be designed for a maximum of 1,800 student stations, according to materials in the board’s agenda packet.

Construction on that project is expected to begin in October of 2023, with substantial completion expected by June of 2025.

The project will include new buildings, retention ponds, landscaping parking and stormwater management systems, and other required site infrastructure and connections to off-site utilities, the agenda materials say.

The estimated construction budget for this project is $60 million.

The new charter school is a K-5 school that will have 600 student stations.

The school will be operated by Creation Foundation, doing business as Dayspring Academy.

The school is being built to serve the emerging community of Angeline, a new development spanning 6,200 acres, which is south of State Road 52 and east of the Suncoast Parkway.

Dayspring and the school board have agreed to fund the elementary charter school project through impact fees.

“Dayspring and the school board desire to partner with each other in this endeavor and as such will work to blend the charter school program and curriculum with the future board STEM 6-12 magnet,” according to an agreement previously approved by the school board.

Plans call for the charter school to own and operate the school beginning with the 2024-2025 school year.

The elementary school building concept proposed is a two-story building, of approximately 58,000 square feet, according to board’s agenda materials.

Dayspring has selected Creative Contractors to provide construction management services, and the school district and Dayspring entered into a contract with Creative Contractors, the school board approved at its meeting last week.

The contract includes the fee for the pre-construction services element of this project and the addition of the Angeline Athletic Facilities, to serve the 6-12 Angeline Academy of Innovation.

The 6-12 magnet is scheduled to open this August.

The off-site athletic facilities will include a one-story gymnasium building of approximately 28,166 gross square feet and a one-story maintenance building that will be approximately 1,648 square feet, according to the agenda materials.

Published January 11, 2023

Pasco Schools’ restroom use updated

January 10, 2023 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County Schools will be making a change in its practices regarding restroom use by students on the district’s campuses.

Superintendent Kurt Browning announced, at the Pasco County School Board’s Jan. 3 meeting, a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11^th circuit is prompting the district to change its practice regarding student restroom use.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning informed the Pasco County School Board that within 30 days the district will require students to use restrooms based on their biological sex at birth. The change was prompted by a federal appeals court ruling involving a case that originated in the St. Johns County school district. Browning said the Pasco district and its elected officials must follow the law. (File)

The case — Drew Adams vs. the School Board of Johns County — involved if it was constitutional to separate school bathrooms based on biological sex and whether doing so violated Title IX.

The federal appeals court found that assigning restroom use based on biological sex “passes constitutional muster and comports with Title IX.”

The case involved a student who was born as a girl, but identified as a boy. The case challenged a school district policy requiring students to use bathrooms based on their biological gender or to use gender-neutral bathrooms. The district did not allow bathroom use based on gender identity.

Browning told school board members: “The full appeals court overturned the trial court’s decision, which has been the controlling law, until this newest decision was rendered.

“Due to this court’s ruling, the Pasco district will be updating our practices regarding the use of student restrooms to align with this new decision.

“As superintendent, I have directed staff to, within 30 days, update any existing procedures and guidelines; begin meeting with any impacted students and parents; meet with our principals and student services staff, regarding the revised use of restroom practices.

“The expectation moving forward will be that students use restroom facilities that correspond to the biological sex at birth.

“I also want the board to be aware that any student wishing to use an alternative restroom will be able to seek an accommodation to utilize a private restroom at their school.

“I realize that this change in practice may not sit well with some students and some adults, but it is important to note that we, as a district, and as elected officials, are required to abide by the laws of the state of Florida and those of the United States.

“This change in district practice and procedure does both of those.”

“I will continue to update the board, as to our progress in implementing these changes, but my hope is that over the next 30 days, most of those changes will be in effect,” Browning said.

On another topic, Don Peace, president of United School Employees of Pasco, informed the board that negotiations between the school district and union are approaching a conclusion and he hopes the proposed contract can be ratified soon.

He also told board members the union is eager to hold conversations regarding the distribution of funds raised through a referendum approved by voters to improve employee salaries.

“We are hopeful that the plan that we agree to will entice highly qualified individuals to come to work in Pasco County and can help fill the 230 or so jobs still vacant in this district.

“If we can agree on a plan that respects experience, loyalty and longevity, I do believe it will go a long way toward filling the vacancies that we still have,” Peace said.

“We must also be cognizant to respect employees’ time,” the union leader added. “There is far too much being implemented by either the state or the district which cuts into student instructional time.

“The primary reason that every true educator gets into the profession — yes, I said, profession — is to educate tomorrow’s leaders, today. Teachers are the foundation of all future job opportunities.

“We grow our students by delivering high quality instruction. We must get to a place, locally here in Pasco, and in our state, where we are attentive to the needs of those professionals when they speak out.

“Communication, as we heard from the Gallup Poll, can be and must be improved, at both the state and the local levels,” Peace said.

Published January 11, 2023

Chalk Talk 01/11/2023

January 10, 2023 By Mary Rathman

SAT prep workshop
Pasco County will host an educational SAT Prep workshop on Jan. 17 through Feb. 7, every Tuesday and Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., at Wesley Chapel District Park, for high-school age youth.

The program is limited to 25 students. The cost of the eight-session workshop is $350.

For information and questions, call 813-345-3145.

Open house
Tampa Fine Arts Academy, 17886 U.S. 41 in Lutz, will host these upcoming events:

• Jan. 18 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.: Ribbon-cutting and Open House. Light refreshments will be provided.

• Jan. 21 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.: Open House and Lesson Giveaway. Participants can visit the school’s new location (there also is one in Wesley Chapel) and meet the teachers. There will be refreshments and kid-friendly activities, as well as prizes such as a free ukulele and lessons.

For information about either event, call 813-591-3004.

New course offered
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of South Florida will offer a new course entitled, “Imprisoned Without Trial: Japanese Internment in WWII,” presented by Denny Kato, starting on Jan. 26 and ending on Feb. 16.

There will be four classes each Thursday, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Unisen Senior Living, 12401 N. 22nd St., in Tampa.

The course will discuss the fear, hatred and racism toward the Chinese and Japanese that began in the mid-1800s, culminating with the incarceration of more than 120,000 people of Japanese descent in designated camps throughout the country during WWII.

Thirteen members of Kato’s family were sent to those camps.

The cost of the course is $40 for OLLI members.

For more information, contact Denny Kato at or 727-215-5345.

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.

Chalk Talk 01/04/2023

January 3, 2023 By Mary Rathman

Aquaculture comes to the classroom
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) Marine Fisheries Enhancement Center has been working with school administrators, teachers and students to bring Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement Research into the classroom for more than two decades, according to an FWC news release.

Partners from the Coastal Conservation Association and Duke Energy work together to unload 500 red drum fingerlings at a middle school in Auburndale. (Courtesy of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)

The Aquaculture program is designed for students from fifth grade through college, and aims to teach students the basic principles of aquaculture, marine research and how stock enhancement plays a role in supporting Florida’s marine fisheries.

Over the past two years, the FWC has partnered with the Duke Energy Mariculture Center and the Coastal Conservation Association that provided hatchery-reared red drum fingerlings to several participating schools, along with the Energy and Marine Center in Pasco County, the release said.

Through the partnership, school classrooms participating in the Aquaculture program were provided with the fingerlings, starter feed and technical advice on how to raise the fingerlings. Information on system development and grant opportunities also are provided.

At the end of the school year, the fingerlings are harvested and transferred to another facility or returned to the FWC to be used for outreach and education exhibits.

Through the program, FWC biologists work with teachers to develop curriculum that meets Florida Sunshine State Standards and provides students the opportunity to design aquaculture (fish-raising) systems, perform daily animal husbandry (care) routines, and conduct research projects such as salinity tolerance tests, feed studies, and water quality/chemistry investigations, the release said.

To learn more about the program, or to refer a teacher or school, email ">.

Student achievement
Kali Christie, of Dade City, has been named to the fall Dean’s List at the University of Saint Mary, Leavenworth, Kansas.

Scholarship applications
Supervisor of Elections Brian E. Corley is now accepting applications for the Florida Supervisors of Elections (FSE) Scholarship.

Applications for the scholarship can be accessed online at PascoVotes.gov, and are due in the supervisor’s office by March 10.

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

Applicants must be registered Florida voters and have lived in the state for at least the preceding two years. Those applying also must be at least a junior in college.

Students must be enrolled or accepted as a full-time student in a senior college or university in Florida and have at least a C average or above for the previous year.

Additional requirements, guidelines, and eligibility information can be found at PascoVotes.gov by selecting the 2023 FSE Scholarship Application under “Noteworthy” on the homepage.

Applicants will be personally interviewed by Corley, who will then select one finalist from Pasco County for consideration by the FSE Scholarship Committee.

Financial aid tips
The Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) offers these financial aid tips for students and their families:

Net price calculators can be used to estimate college costs. Graduating high school students can get an idea of how much it may cost to attend a college or technical school by using the school’s net price calculator. The calculator gives families a clearer idea of expenses at each school, so they can compare, plan and save. Students and parents must enter information about the student’s academic record and the parents’ finances to get a net price estimate for the cost of attending a trade school, two-year community college or four-year school. Families should look at the net price, not the net cost. The net price is how much a family can expect to pay toward a student’s technical or college education, including loans.
Know your school’s satisfactory academic progress standards. Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is an important phrase in the language of student aid, according to KHEAA. The SAP comes into play after a student has taken college or technical school classes and is applying for student aid for the next school year. All colleges that award federal student aid must have SAP standards, which are based on three areas: GPA, pace and maximum time frame. The GPA students may vary by school, major and whether a student is pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree. To meet the pace standard, students must pass a certain percentage of classes they take in a given period of time. Maximum time frame means students have to finish their degree within a given number of attempted credit hours.

KHEAA is a public nonprofit agency that helps to improve students’ access to college, by providing information about financial aid and financial literacy at no cost to students or parents.

For more information, visit KHEAA.com.

New ‘Angeline’ school to offer unique options for Pasco students

January 3, 2023 By B.C. Manion

Angeline Academy of Innovation is set to open in the fall, ushering in new education choices for middle and high school students in Pasco County Schools.

The magnet STEM program is scheduled to open in August 2023. Initially, it will serve grades six through 10, but the school will add grades 11 and 12 in coming years.

JoAnne Glenn, the school’s inaugural principal, provided details about the school in a video carried on Pasco County Schools’ YouTube channel.

She explained the school’s philosophy and mission, while also providing some nuts-and-bolts details about what to expect.

JoAnne Glenn is the first principal of Angeline Academy of Innovation, a new magnet school slated to open in August 2023. (File)

“Angeline Academy of Innovation represents our district’s realization of our theory of action,” Glenn said in the video. “The theory of action says that if we move as a system to create an environment where our students and our schools have the support that they need, then we can expect to see the best outcomes for our students.

“Angeline Academy represents a new approach to realizing this theory of action, and we’re excited to change and test some of the new ways that we can deliver education,” she continued.

The school’s planning will be intentional, to make its “learning experiences exciting and engaging, and connected to the real world to prepare our students for their lives after high school,” Glenn said.

“Our key levers to support this work include rigorous instruction; a compassionate school environment that ensures that our students feel cared for and supported; equitable instructional practices, meaning we believe in having an open door; and, allowing students to feel supported in taking academic risks and trying new things,” she said.

“These three levers are actually the foundation that we believe are essential to ensuring that our students leave our system prepared for college, career and life,” she added.

Beyond talking about the philosophical underpinnings of the new campus for middle and high school students, which is at 8916 Angeline School Way, Glenn showed renderings of what the new building will look like.

The floor plan includes workspaces for each of the school’s career academies, as well as collaboration spaces for students and teachers.

The high school will feature four primary career academies and will offer opportunities for students to merge some fields to create a more personalized track, Glenn said.

It will have a Biodesign Academy; a Computer Science and Applied Cybersecurity Academy; an Engineering and Applied Robotics Academy; and, an Entrepreneurship Academy, which will be woven through the other pathways to enable students to leave to become their own bosses and open their own businesses.

At the middle school, there will be two primary magnet pathways that are broad and intended to support the work in each of the high school pathways, Glenn said.

“From ninth through 12th grade is a highlighted progression of coursework that emphasizes engineering. These are the courses that define the engineering path, and an exciting thing about these courses is that each one of them offers the opportunity for students to earn an industry certification and/or college credit, as they go,” Glenn added.

“In our Biodesign Pathway, we will begin with emphasis on biomedical applications. That is growing, in part, because of the partnership that will be forged with the Moffitt Cancer complex that will be across the street. We’re excited about the opportunities for our students to be able to do internships, externships there, as that complex develops, and the opportunities for them to be able to work directly with practicing experts, scientists and doctors, and learn about some of the ways that Moffitt is tackling the challenge of cancer.

“Our high school Cybersecurity Pathway, you can see, is a pretty solid course of study here, and represents not just cybersecurity, but a strong grounding in computer science, as well.

This is a rendering of what Angeline Academy of Innovation will look like. The new magnet school, being built in Central Pasco, is expected to provide a wide array of new opportunities for students. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“So, you’ll see that there are many courses tailored to students building their cybersecurity knowledge, as well as their computer science or programming skills, along the way.

“Additionally, we have an Applied Robotics Pathway, which includes a significant number of courses that are shared with the engineering and/or cybersecurity track, and so, our students will have a sequence of robotics courses and the opportunity to plug in courses in either the Engineering or Cybersecurity tracks, depending on where their interests lie and what future course of study or work they would like to pursue,” she said.

“As a district, we’ve made a decision to brand our elementary STEAM schools, with that label, emphasizing arts.

“As a secondary administrator, I believe the arts actually power innovation in our secondary STEM programs. Angeline will have solid arts offerings. However, as a magnet school, one of the things that we try to do is bring something new, or innovative or unique that helps distinguish our programs from other schools. So, you’ll see the emphasis on more technology-grounded experience in our visual arts and music offerings.

She also said that the actual high school course offerings may vary from the presentation.

“In high school, our courses are driven by what students sign up for and what they are interested in,” Glenn explained.

Initially, no sports program had been planned for Angeline, Glenn said. However, she said, the community made it clear it felt that students would be best served if the district included athletics.

Angeline’s site isn’t large enough to accommodate an athletics program, but the district plans to partner with some other organizations and to provide a shuttle service from the school property to a piece of land the district owns at U.S. 41 and Tierra del Sol. There are plans for an athletic facility there.

At this point, Angeline is expected to have these athletic offerings: boys and girls cross country, boys and girls swimming and diving, boys and girls golf, girls volley, boys and girls wrestling, competitive cheer, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, girls weightlifting, boys and girls track and field, boys and girls lacrosse, boys and girls tennis, and boys weightlifting, according to Pasco County Schools’ information page about Angeline.

There are no plans for football and sideline cheer, baseball or softball.

The school selection process for middle school students will be based on a lottery system. High school students will need to meet some entry requirements, established for magnet and innovative programs, Glenn said.

Those who are interested in attending Angeline can make their interest known during the School Choice window, which opens on Jan. 9 at 8 a.m. and runs through Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m.

Glenn noted: “It is possible through the School Choice Portal in My School to select three options. Families may choose all three options to be different academic programs at Angeline.

“For example, one could submit a first choice request for Cybersecurity, a second choice request for Engineering and Applied Robotics and a third choice request for the BioDesign Academy.

“So that would be something to know, so you don’t feel like you can only select one option at Angeline,” Glenn said.

The notification and acceptance window is from Feb. 27 to March 8.

To learn more about Pasco Pathways and school choice, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us and click on the Pasco Pathways tab.

School Choice opening soon
What: Pasco County Schools’ school choice application window for all school choice options will be open from Jan. 9 at 8 a.m. through Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m.
Applications will be accepted for all choice programs: STEM and STEAM magnet schools, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, Wendell Krinn Technical High School, Angeline Academy of Innovation, International Baccalaureate (IB) and the Cambridge Programme.
Applications for the Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice application are available via the school district’s myStudent parent portal.
The notification and acceptance window is from Feb. 27 to March 8.
To learn more about Pasco Pathways and school choice, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us and click on the Pasco Pathways tab.

Published January 04, 2023

Pasco school construction adds options, addresses growth

December 27, 2022 By B.C. Manion

As 2023 approaches, Pasco County Schools is working on projects to add two new schools and to expand an existing one.

The new construction projects involve Kirkland Ranch K-8, at 33137 Innovation Drive, in Wesley Chapel, and Angeline Academy of Innovation, at 8916 Angeline School Way, in Land O’ Lakes.

The expansion project involves Starkey Ranch K-8, at 12200 Lake Blanche Drive, in Odessa, where a classroom wing is being added.

The Pasco County School Board heard an update on the Kirkland Ranch K-8 project during its Dec. 13 meeting.

This rendering shows what the new Kirkland Ranch K-8 is expected to look like, when construction is completed on the new school in Wesley Chapel. The scheduled completion date is in June 2024. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools/Hepner Architects)

Peter Hepner, of Hepner Architects, gave the board an overview of the design.

The new K-8 school will be built on the east side of the Kirkland Academy campus.

Details, according to Hepner’s presentation, include play courts and a covered play area outdoors, as well as parking lots for staff and visitors and a drop-off area for students.

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

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

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

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

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

During the Dec. 13 meeting, the school board approved a guaranteed maximum price for the Kirkland K-8 project at $38,388,098. That price includes the construction manager’s fee, plus the cost of the work.

The project’s notice to proceed was issued on Dec. 13, and the date for completion is set for June 7, 2024.

In addition to building a new K-8 school on the campus, which is off Curley Road in Wesley Chapel, the school board has entered into a partnership with Pepin Academies, which is planning to operate a charter school on the same campus.

The partnership is unique in the state, according to Pasco school officials.

When the arrangement was announced on Nov. 8, Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent, told the board: “This is an exciting partnership — a lot of learning ahead of us to figure out how to navigate some of the rules and regulations that the state puts on us, relative to our relationship, but really looking forward to it.”

While those projects are on the horizon in Wesley Chapel, there are other projects that are coming in Central Pasco.

Work continues on the Angeline Academy of Innovation in emerging community of Angeline, in Land O’ Lakes. The school is about 1 mile east of the Suncoast Parkway at exit 25 off Ridge Road.

The STEM magnet school is expected to open with grades six through 10, with plans to become a 6-12 school.

The four-story building — the tallest school in the Pasco district — is under construction near Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned campus.

Moffitt’s planned development is the centerpiece of Angeline, a massive development, which is expected to attract cancer researchers and life science companies from around the globe.

Angeline’s plans also call for an extensive trail network to promote wellness, the latest in internet connectivity and diverse housing products — from apartments to luxury homes — to provide something for everyone.

Angeline Academy of Innovation is scheduled to open in the fall of 2023. Representatives of the school district and Moffitt have long been engaged in discussions over potential partnerships.

In another action on Dec. 13, the school board approved a contract with the Williams Company Tampa for a guaranteed maximum price of $9,587,997, to cover the construction cost and construction manager fees for the addition of a classroom wing at Starkey Ranch K-8, in Odessa.

The work is expected to be substantially completed by Dec. 11, 2023.

When the school district opened Starkey Ranch K-8 in the fall of 2021, it knew that the development would continue to grow, Chris Williams, director of planning for the school district told The Laker/Lutz News in a previous interview.

But it turned out that in addition to the growth within Starkey Ranch, the magnet school also attracted students who had been attending private schools and charter schools — speeding up the need for expansion, Williams said.

Published December 28, 2022

Chalk Talk 12/28/2022

December 27, 2022 By Mary Rathman

(Courtesy of Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce)

Student Citizens named for December
The East Pasco Chamber Foundation in partnership with The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce recognized nine students as Student Citizens for the month of December. Students are chosen by the teachers and administration of their individual schools for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their school, family and community. These students received the honor: Landon Bevell, Academy of Spectrum Diversity; Megan Kelley, The Broach School; Emily Ortiz, Chester W. Taylor Elementary School; Tristan Geist, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Aaron McClamma, Heritage Academy; Paola Linares, Raymond B. Stewart Middle School; Taylor Mertz, West Zephyrhills Elementary; Mo-Nayia Carter, Woodland Elementary; and Destini Harden, Zephyrhills High.

Student achievements

Isabel Ellison, of Odessa, was initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society, at Florida Gulf Coast University.
Lindsay Ugast, of Wesley Chapel, received a Master of Business Administration from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.
Kevin Spillane, of Odessa, was named to the fall Dean’s List at Berry College in Rome, Georgia.

Brightening up the holidays
Alexis and Alyssa Mitchell of the GFWC Little Women of Lutz, along with Linda Mitchell and Pam Blumenthal, advisors to the Little Women club, delivered their annual Christmas dinner bags filled with treats and the necessities for a holiday meal, to Kim Torres of Lutz K-8. In addition, the club selected the requested gifts to put under the tree of its Christmas Angel recipient family (a single mom with four children). The Little Women are young ladies, ages 12 to 18, who work community service projects in order to meet requirements for school service hours. For information, call Linda Mitchell at 813-389-2910.

Telemedicine launched
Pasco County Schools is partnering with Premier Community HealthCare to launch “The Hub,” so Premier can provide health services via telemedicine, according to a news release.

The first launch was on Dec. 14 at Gulfside Elementary, with a traditional ribbon-cutting, as well as a tour and a hands-on demonstration of the telemedicine equipment.

The initiative is an innovative and proactive approach to school-based health services that makes health care convenient, accessible and affordable, the release said.

The program was established at Gulfside with plans to expand to several other Pasco County schools.

Parents can make appointments for their student to visit virtually with a health professional while at school. A school nurse will assist in the process.

“This initiative is cutting edge and convenient and will provide tremendous benefit to our students and families,” said Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning, in the release.

“We all know that children learn better when they are healthy, and Premier Community HealthCare is going to help us keep our students healthy without even having to leave campus,” Browning said.

Free STEM boot camp
Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo, will host a free STEM Boot Camp for Young Women workshop on Jan. 6 and Jan. 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for graduating high school students.

The camp will introduce the participants to science, technology, engineering, math, data analysis, potential careers, and the university.

The special guest at the workshop will be Russell Goodman, sports analytics expert and a professor of mathematics at Central College in Pella, Iowa.

Participants in the boot camp also will explore the university’s anatomage table, cybersecurity lab, and robotics lab, among other activities.

For more information or to RSVP, email Dr. Jacci White at .

School choice opening soon
The Pasco County Schools school choice application window will open on Jan. 9 at 8 a.m., and close on Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m.

At that time, the Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice application will be available for parents via the myStudent parent portal.

The application window will be for all school choice options, including STEM and STEAM magnet schools, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, Wendell Krinn Technical High School, Angeline Academy of Innovation, International Baccalaureate (IB), and the Cambridge Programme.

Mark your calendar with these important dates:

Pasco Pathways Application Window – Jan. 9 to Jan. 20
Notification and Acceptance Window – Feb. 27 to March 8

To learn more about Pasco Pathways and school choice, visit PascoSchools.org/schoolchoice.

Scholarship applications
There are more than 100 scholarships available for university, college and trade school programs, through the Pasco Education Foundation.

The application window is now open for 2023 high school seniors and will close on Jan. 31.
Interested students should apply at PascoEducationFoundation.org.

Making a splat, in Sunlake

December 20, 2022 By Mike Camunas

These students are going to get unruly.

At Sunlake Academy of Math and Science in Lutz, the public charter school has brought in a new learning tool, one that is gaining popularity and proving, through fun and games, to be quite productive and valuable.

Ann Louis, a fourth-grader at Sunlake Academy of Math and Science in Lutz, stomps on an Unruly Splat floor button, making it light up and keep a score on a nearby iPad. Students at the school are using the first STEM learning tool that combines coding with active play, as students code the rules to create games like whack-a-mole, relay races and dance competitions.

“Just sitting down and learning, that can sometimes be boring for them,” Sunlake STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) Program teacher Manjiri Jakhadi said. “So, it’s nice to get them something that is pretty engaging and fun. Movement is a big thing for them, but the goal is to get more technology in lessons, and that’s the focus of the school and the STEAM lab.

“Getting them up and moving as a way to learn is working out great so far,” the teacher said.

Sunlake recently invested in Unruly Splats, which are programmable floor buttons students can code to light up, make sounds and collect points when stomped on. Using block-based coding on an iPad, students code the rules to create games such as whack-a-mole, relay races and dance competitions.

Brandy Lee, the school’s EdTech coach, brought in the new “toys” about a month ago and is slowly implementing the 24 splat pads into different classes including math, reading and others.

“At first, it was kind of like, ‘What is this?’ and once I saw how it put them in front of the iPad and using the program, it was pretty cool,” Sunlake fourth-grade teacher Amber Hicks said. “Plus, it gets them out of their seat, gets them moving and that can work better than them just sitting there and reading and trying to get them to comprehend what they are learning.

“They are learning this way 10 times better than the traditional way of learning. This is a whole new way of getting them to learn and engage in the material than they would be just reading it to themselves or out loud to the class,” Hicks said.

For sure, students are having fun.

In fact, Unruly Splats’ goal is “to build ridiculously fun learning tools that empower teachers to incorporate STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) into any classroom.”

Which is exactly what Lee and Jakhadi are trying to do with STEAM classes at Sunlake Academy.

“We want to expand it across campus and get teachers excited about it,” Lee said. “And it’s really going to be focused on the coding part, but it is so engaging with the students, who are so excited about it and to use the Splats.”

Sunlake Academy of Math and Science STEAM Program teacher Manjiri Jakhadi, right, is surprised to see how well Kaylianis Beltre did while using a program she and her fellow students coded with Unruly Splats and an iPad.

“We just showed it at the last faculty meeting to the teachers and how it can be used for a multitude of lessons,” Jakhadi added. “The students keep experimenting and learning more each time, learning how to improve its usage and the coding each time, so it’s been pretty obvious from the start that it’s been a great learning tool for them and for us.”

Lee added: “And, they pick up on tech very easily! We practiced five to ten times before we got it, but they got it right away, so maybe we should just let them show us how to teach the lesson! (laughs)”

The students appear to be completely engaged when using the new technology, and they’re learning more than coding.

“I think it’s really fun and it’s a good way to cooperate with other kids,” 9-year-old Leila Dehoyos said. “I like being able to jump around and stomp on them. We have learned to code and let other kids take a turn and not get mad.

“We’re learning a lot by working together as a team.”

So, in the end, the students are keeping to the rules of Unruly Splats.

“I like it a lot,” said 9-year-old Hudson Faedo. “We’re learning how to cooperate and take turns, which is important, because if someone didn’t get a turn, you can make sure they get a turn and share (using the splats) with them.

“Plus, we’re learning to code by stomping on them — a lot! — which is pretty cool.”

Unruly Splats
Details: Programmable floor buttons that students code using an iPad or Chromebook to tell Splats when to light up, make sounds, or collect points when stomped on. Using block-based coding, students code the rules to create games like whack-a-mole, relay races and dance competitions.
Info: Visit UnrulySplats.com.

Published December 21, 2022

Pasco Schools to start a few minutes earlier after winter break

December 20, 2022 By B.C. Manion

Pasco County Schools is adjusting schedules again — planning to start the school day four minutes earlier each day, once students return to school for the second semester.

The district had planned some cushioning into its schedule, but lost four days due to Hurricane Ian and then lost another one because of Hurricane Nicole.

To make up for instructional time lost because of Hurricane Ian, the district already has scheduled two student makeup days. One will be on Jan. 3 and the other on Feb. 20.

It also has had to convert all of its second-semester Early Release Days into full student contact days.

But it didn’t have any other options left, when it came to making up for time lost because of Hurricane Nicole.

So, the district has decided to make up that time by starting a little bit earlier each day.

The Pasco County School Board approved the revised bell times as part of the board’s consent agenda at its Dec. 13 meeting.

Items on the consent agenda are voted on in a single action, without discussion.

Published December 21, 2022

Chalk Talk 12/21/2022

December 20, 2022 By Mary Rathman

Gifting some holiday cheer
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club have been busy delivering Christmas bags filled with gifts to Lutz, Denham Oaks and Miles elementary schools, as well as two additional schools, to provide extra cheer to selected families who are in need at this time of the year. The woman’s club also creates holiday projects and makes deliveries to local senior centers, Meals on Wheels, and assisted living facilities, among others. Sabrina Scott and Ellen Brayton are shown as they deliver gift bags to Lutz K-8. For more information on this volunteer organization, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org or its Facebook page.

Useful holiday break tips
Saint Leo University professor of pyschology Dr. Tammy Lowery Zacchilli is offering parents these useful “Holiday Break 101” tips, according to a news release:

Keep the kids busy. Kids get bored when they are home all day. There are many opportunities for winter break camps related to arts and crafts, music, dance, sports, and more. Local aquariums, zoos, and amusement parks also may offer camps. Visit Fun4TampaKids.com/camps/winter-break-camps/.
Start a family tradition. Holiday traditions are important to families, so start one such as baking cookies, volunteering, riding a Christmas train, or starting Elf on a Shelf.
Emphasize gratitude. Parents need to start teaching children gratitude at an early age. It can be difficult, but gentle reminders before a party to say “thank you” can be helpful regardless of the child’s age. Parents also can consider donating gifts through a Giving Tree or preparing boxes for Samaritan’s Purse to help children learn the true meaning of the holidays.
Prepare relatives for your visit. Children have different personalities and respond to situations in different ways, such as being uncomfortable with hugs. You know your child’s personality and behaviors, so it can be useful to have a conversation with relatives before you arrive.

Second student graduates
Victory High School, the first Recovery High School in the Tampa Bay area, celebrated the graduation of its second student, on Dec. 7.

The student started with Victory High in November 2021 and has graduated with honors at the age of 16.

The graduate had a 96% attendance rate and a GPA of 3.93.

Crisis negotiations course
Saint Leo University’s Center for Alternative Pathway Programs (CAPP) and F1RST, Florida’s Forensics Institute for Research Security & Tactics, will offer a Crisis/Hostage Negotiations Course beginning on Jan. 5.

Crisis/Hostage Negotiation Level I is the first in three successive courses that addresses the fundamental tasks of a successful crisis negotiator, to prepare participants to work as part of a coordinated negotiating team, and to handle situations including those involving hostage takers, barricaded subjects, and potential suicide victims.

The course is designed for sworn law enforcement and corrections employees, non-law enforcement members of negotiations teams, and mental health, social work and clergy members who support law enforcement in crisis situations.

It is approved as a full credit basic course toward a 120-hour CSM Certificate of Proficiency.

Crisis Systems Management LLC will present the course on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Jan. 5 through Feb. 2.

For more information, email , or call 877-815-4996.