The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Chalk Talk 6/08/2022

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SUMMER HAUL PASS

Students can ride Pasco County Public Transportation buses on regular routes all summer, for just $20.The special rate is effective June, July and August 2022.

Summer Haul Passes are available at these locations:

• GoPasco Administrative Office, 8620 Galen Wilson Blvd., New Port Richey

• Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Office, East/West Pasco Government Centers

• Pasco-Hernando State College bookstores, in Dade City, New Port Richey and Wesley Chapel

• County libraries

For more information, please visit bit.ly/SummerBusPass.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

• William Brockman, of Lutz, Dean’s List at Tallahassee Community College

• Austin Brown, of Lutz, Dean’s List at Tallahassee Community College

• Mya Cobb, of Lutz, Diversity Scholarship at Appalachian University (Boone, North Carolina)

• Hannah Coleman, of Lutz, Dean’s List at Tallahassee Community College

• Jaelyn Evans, of Odessa, Dean’s List at Mississippi College (Clinton, Mississippi)

• Kassidy Gordon, of Lutz, Dean’s List at Tallahassee Community College

• Jenny Han, of Odessa, President’s List at Georgia State University

• John Martinez, of Dade City, Dean’s List and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration Management, from Union University (Jackson, Tennessee)

• Ryleigh McElroy, of Lutz, Dean’s List at Tallahassee Community College

• JoAna Mucklow, of Odessa, Chancellor’s Honor Roll at the University of Mississippi. Mucklow is majoring in general business.

• Mykayla Christine Parise-King, of Lutz, Honor Roll of the Academic Dean at Mars Hill University (North Carolina)

• Brynnan Popper, of Odessa, Dean’s List at Tallahassee Community College

SUMMER MEALS PROGRAM

Pasco County Schools Summer Food Service program began June 6 and will continue through July 29.

Breakfasts and lunches will be provided Monday through Thursday to anyone age 18 and younger, at various West Pasco, Central Pasco and East Pasco schools.

Students attending PLACE or Extended School Year programs will receive meals on campus while attending the program.

For school locations, visit Connectplus.pasco.k12.fl.us/summerfoodpasco/si te-locations/.

Additionally, buses will be available at these lo- cations, also Monday through Thursday:

• Hilltop Landings Apartments, 37611 Colina Drive, Dade City

• Resurrection House Park, 37124 Lock Street, Dade City

• Trilby United Methodist Church, 37504 Trilby Road, Dade City

• Zephyrhills YMCA, 37301 Chapel Hill Loop, Zephyrhills

• Crystal Springs Community Center, 1655 Partridge Blvd., Zephyrhills

For questions and information, email .

FEE ADJUSTMENT MEETING

Pasco-Hernando State College’s (PHSC) District Board of Trustees (DBOT) will consider approving proposed adjusted course-related fees at its board meeting on June 21 at 6 p.m., at the North Campus.

Fee adjustment proposals are reviewed and approved for DBOT consideration by PHSC’s Council of Academic Affairs, a committee that includes representation by administrators, deans, academic department chairs, program directors, faculty and staff.

Many fee adjustments relate to vendor increases for workforce courses, laboratories and program testing. Some fees may be covered by financial aid, scholarships and grants.

For details regarding proposed fee adjustments, justification for the fees and fee implementation details, visit Policies.phsc.edu, and click on Policies and Procedures, Public Disclosures.

Published June 8, 2022.

Pasco Schools’ employees to receive a 4% supplement

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Pasco County Schools’ teachers and non-instructional staff have ratified a contract resulting in one-time supplements.

Under the agreement, teachers will receive a one-time lump sum supplement equal to 4% of their salary, and the base teacher salary will be raised to $45,200 in accordance with state statute, according to information posted on the union’s website.

The non-instructional personnel also will receive a 4% lump sum payment. But the agreement also sets minimum amounts of the supplements for non-instructional staff. For those working six hours or more per day, the minimum supplement would be $700; for those working fewer than six hours per day, the minimum would be $350.

Additionally, the agreements include increases to the district’s contributions toward employee health insurance and Florida Retirement System benefits for the 2021-2022 school year, and nominal salary adjustments to teacher salaries based on a small increase to the state’s Teacher Salary Increase Allocation (TSIA) categorical, according to the district’s news release.

The United School Employees of Pasco (USEP) and the school district also have agreed to return to the bargaining table immediately, to begin negotiating additional salary improvements for 2022-2023.

On the Instructional contract, out of the 2,686 votes cast, 92% favored the contract. On the non-instructional side, 91% of the 1,998 votes cast favored the contract, according to the USEP website.

Pasco County School Board members approved the agreement in their May 17 meeting, taking action then to avoid a delay in issuing the supplements to employees.

Employees are expected to receive the supplements on June 17, according to a school district news release.

“This is very good news for thousands of employees who have been waiting to receive these supplements,” Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning, said in the release. “This is extremely well-deserved.”

In addition to the supplements that were approved this year, the Pasco County School Board is pursuing a ballot initiative asking voters to improve a property tax increase to support pay raises.

The school board voted on May 3 to place the initiative on the Aug. 23 primary ballot.

The referendum question asks voters to approve up to a maximum of 1 mil in funding to be designated for improving pay for teachers, bus drivers and other district personnel, except for administrators.

At an April 5 school board workshop on the topic, it was estimated that a 1 mil increase would yield an average instructional boost of $4,000; for non-instructional, $1,700.

District calculations show that Pasco’s median home cost of $325,000, and assuming a $25,000 homestead exemption, a property owner would pay $300 more per year, if the increase is 1 mil.

Specifically, the ballot question asks for a yes or no vote on whether to levy an additional tax, not to exceed 1 mil, beginning July 1, 2023 and ending no later than June 30, 2027.

The proceeds, according to the ballot question, will be used “for essential operating expenses to maintain salaries competitive with the market, attract and retain high-quality teachers, bus drivers and other non-administrative school support employees.”

There also is a requirement for “annual reporting to Pasco County taxpayers for transparency of the use of these funds.”

The board’s vote to pursue up to a full mil, followed persistent requests by Don Peace, president of USEP. The union leader has repeatedly cited the loss of personnel to other districts that pay better.

Peace said the district also needs another source of money to fill vacancies, to reduce the burden on existing staff, and to attract quality personnel to the district.

The union leader also has pledged USEP’s full support in efforts to secure passage of the referendum and, during a recent school board meeting, assured taxpayers that if the referendum is successful, the union will be paying close attention to how the proceeds are spent.

Published June 01, 2022

In a class of his own

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His grade point average is anything but average.

Then again, there’s nothing average about Gaither High valediction Dylan Mazard and his off-the-charts intelligence.

“When he was just 2 years old, I would come home from work, exhausted. He would read to me — just climb into bed and read to me before bedtime, said his father, Thomas Mazard, who has been a guidance counselor at Gaither High School for 13 years.

He’s amazed at his son’s accomplishments.

Gaither High valedictorian Dylan Mazard set a county and state record for the highest grade point average (GPA) ever, posting an 11.84 weighted GPA thanks to honors and Advanced Placement courses. He will continue his education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), already having earned his associate’s degree through dual enrollment. (Mike Camunas)

“I still don’t know how he was able to do it — just finding the drive and time to do all (the classes). We weren’t looking to break any records,” he said.

But that is exactly what Dylan did.

When the 17 year old graduated with nearly 500 of his classmates on May 23 — he did so with an 11.84 grade point average — the highest ever, not only in the county, but in Florida, too.

It’s a remarkable feat — one that started back when Dylan was in eighth grade and was already taking college-level courses.

“It wasn’t planned, the record,” Dylan said. “These classes, to me, are fun. So, why not take them and experience any class to see if I want to take that a higher level later?”

That higher level for Dylan is now the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT),  beginning in the fall. As he enters, he already will have an associate’s degree that he received from Hillsborough Community College on May 6.

However, Dylan plans to take every course he can en route to earning his major in what MIT calls 6-3: Computer Science and Engineering

“I want to enjoy it,” Dylan said. “I know it’ll be a lot harder, too, but the first semester at MIT is pass/fail only, that way students can get used to the rigors of MIT, know what is expected of them and how to balance school life.

“I love the campus and I’m ready to get up there.”

The fact that Thomas Mazard doesn’t know how his son pulled off his GPA feat is not hyperbole.

“I’m inspired by my son,” Thomas said, “Everything I’ve done for him, I’ve done for all of my students. I have top kids going to Yale and produce Ivy Leaguers almost every school year. Everything that he did at school, every kid here at Gaither has the opportunity to do that, it’s just the will and desire to go do that.

“We’re grateful for the school district to provide these opportunities and get such an impressive GPA. (Hillsborough County School Board) Superintendent (Addison) Davis has done a great job of making parents aware of these available opportunities.”

Dylan loves being in class, he also enjoys a social life that includes friends, movies and working out. He’s also belongs to so many clubs that it would make any college admissions advisor drool.

Dylan is president of National Technical Honor Society and also in the Robotics and Engineering Club at Gaither, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), National Honor Society Beta, Sandy Hook Promise Club, and a Parent Teacher Student Association Board Member as the voice for his class and students when they want to express an opinion at meetings. He also works at the Humane Society, as well as tutor at Gaither, where he logged more than 200 hours with Credit Recovery, which helps high-risk seniors graduate.

Dylan’s teachers have taken notice, not only because of his high GPA, but also to his dedication to education.

“It is amazing because (toward the end of their high school time), many students give up a little — he never gave up,” ” said Gaither engineering teacher Ibrahim Ayoub, who taught Dylan in Applied Engineering and Technology and Advanced Engineering Application.

“He is going to have an amazing career and be one of the kids that we’ll be looking forward to seeing in the future,” Ayoub added.

Dylan knows this wouldn’t have been possible without his supportive family.

“I wouldn’t say (learning something new) just clicked, but it definitely came to me a lot easier than you would expect at that age,” he said.

“I had a huge support system, especially my parents who were always proactive, not reactive — staying one step ahead at all times, so if I ever stumbled, they would check to see if I needed anything,” he added. “I just wanted to work hard and take advantage of everything high school had to offer.”

GPA explained
Gaither High valedictorian Dylan Mazard has now posted the highest grade point average (GPA) ever, not only in Hillsborough County, but in the state of Florida. This is his weighted GPA, which means more rigorous courses receive higher point values, increasing a student’s potential GPA. There have been some high GPAs in Hillsborough County.

Here are a few:
2022 – Dylan Mazard – Gaither – 11.84
2019 – Katherine Metheny – Newsome – 10.58
2014 – Dhara Patel – Plant City – 10.03
2012 – Ravi Medikonda – King – 9.30

Published June 01, 2022

Pasco County Schools announces bell times for 2022-2023

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Pasco County Schools has announced its planned bell times for the coming year — as it continues struggling with a bus driver shortage.

In the school year that just wrapped up, the district changed its bell times at mid-year because it couldn’t attract enough drivers to cover all of its routes.

It was a massive shuffle, affecting schools across the district.

Some of the shifts were relatively minor, but there were 24 elementary schools that didn’t begin the school day until 10:10 a.m.

In the coming year, six elementary schools and two other schools will have that 10:10 a.m. start time.

At a May 17 school board meeting, the board adopted next year’s bell schedule.

They did so, after Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent for support services, recapped why the start and end times had to be shifted across the district in the 2021-2022 school year, which concluded last week.

“At the beginning of this school year, transportation had 420 routes,” Kuhn said. “As you are fully aware, we did make some significant changes for second semester, beginning second semester with 367 routes. At this point in time, we have 353,” Kuhn said.

Changes have been made for the coming year with the goal of creating the most efficient plan  possible, while ensuring that students can be transported to and from school safely. The district also made significant efforts to reduce the number of schools with 10:10 a.m. start times, she said.

“We went from 24 elementary schools to a proposal of six elementary schools and then two additional schools, East and West Pasco Education Academy, starting at that time.

“This proposal is certainly not perfect, but we believe it is a big improvement and will allow us to take the steps that we need to, to be as efficient as we can, given our driver shortage,” she said.

Kuhn also told board members: “It is important to note that even with this very efficient plan, we will be starting the school year down 22 drivers, if we have everyone currently employed with us, staying with us.

“We will be focusing efforts again and continuing on recruitment and, very importantly, retention this summer and throughout the next school year,” Kuhn said.

School board member Colleen Beaudoin also noted that the district will revisit the issue, should the district’s bus driver situation improve significantly.

Kuhn confirmed potential changes could occur, but noted that even if the district added a several drivers, they would need to be in the right area of the district in order for changes to work.

However, Kuhn said the district is open to making changes, if they are possible, and will bring a proposal forward if that happens.

Board Chairwoman Cynthia Armstrong told Kuhn: “We know you’re working hard on that and we also know how important it is to our parents that we get it right, so we’re going to keep working on it and do the best we can.”

School board member Megan Harding said she understands “how frustrating this (10:10 a.m. start time) can be to our families, and our school teachers and staff.”

But Harding added: “It does come down to the number of buses. (Kuhn) did explain to me that determining which schools are in which tier — I thought she put this perfectly — is like a puzzle.”

The district needs to balance the number of buses evenly, so that it does not have more buses in one tier, compared to the other, Harding said. It also has to look across six bus garages.

“Additionally, even when the tiers are balanced, with the number of buses per tier, transportation staff has to look at the routes to make sure they fit together.

“Given our driver shortage, we have to be as efficient as possible, so students arrive to school on time and are picked up on time,” Harding continued.

Besides being short on regular drivers, the district also is short on relief drivers, Harding noted.

To find out the bell times for your school next year, visit the district’s website, Pasco.k12.fl.us.

Published June 01, 2022

Chalk Talk 06/01/2022

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Cambridge recognition
San Antonio Elementary School has been recognized by Cambridge Assessment International Education (Cambridge International) as a Demonstration Center, an honor that means it can serve as a model for the prestigious program, according to a news release.

Demonstration Centers are qualified to host showcase events for teacheres, school administrators, and district leaders from around the nation who are interested in learning about Cambridge International.

Cambridge International is dedicated to helping schools deliver the best education possible by providing comprehensive support, including teacher professional development and training, classroom resources, and membership of a global learning community, the release said.

“This is a huge honor for San Antonio Elementary School and for our entire school district,” said Kurt Browning, Pasco superintendent of schools, in the release.

“This speaks volumes about the quality of our teachers and the leadership here. The opportunity this provides our students is incredible,” said Browning.

Pasco Middle School also has been honored as a Demonstration Center.

Visit CambridgeInternational.org for more information.

Finance Challenge
Land O’ Lakes High School is one of the top four teams in the United States for essential skills in personal finance, after winning the Florida state championship and national semifinal rounds in the National Personal Finance Challenge, according to a news release.

The team scored an all-expense-paid trip to New York City on June 5, to compete with three other teams in the national finals.

Organized by the Council for Economic Education (CEE), the Finance Challenge allows high school students to demonstrate mastery of earning, spending, saving, investing, and managing credit and risk.

Only 24 states require students to take a course in personal finance to graduate, according to the CEE and its 2022 Survey of the States.

The Land O’ Lakes team includes Andrew Domonkos, Allen Ho, Rishabh Kanodia and William Shelton, coached by teacher Andrew Camp.

Summer meals program
Pasco County Schools Summer Food Service program will begin on June 6 and continue through July 29.

Breakfasts and lunches will be provided Monday through Thursday to anyone age 18 and younger, at various West Pasco, Central Pasco and East Pasco schools.

Students attending PLACE or Extended School Year programs will receive meals on campus while attending the program.

For school locations, visit Connectplus.pasco.k12.fl.us/summerfoodpasco/site-locations/.

Additionally, buses will be available at these locations, also Monday through Thursday:

  • Hilltop Landings Apartments, 37611 Colina Drive, Dade City
  • Resurrection House Park, 37124 Lock Street, Dade City
  • Trilby United Methodist Church, 37504 Trilby Road, Dade City
  • Zephyrhills YMCA, 37301 Chapel Hill Loop, Zephyrhills
  • Crystal Springs Community Center, 1655 Partridge Blvd., Zephyrhills

For questions and information, email .

Student achievements
• Roland Anthony Chacon, of Lutz, earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Mars Hill University, North Carolina.
• Tyler Jacob Lala, of Odessa, graduated with a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Mars Hill University.
• Madison Nichols, of Odessa, was named to the Dean’s List at Nazareth College, Rochester, New York.
• Dylan Schaffer, of Lutz, earned a spot on the Dean’s List at Rockhurst University, Kansas City, Missouri.

Award recipients
Pasco-Hernando State College announced the recipients of the annual NISOD (National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development) Excellence Awards.

The 2022 honorees include: Julie Hendrickson, associate professor and department chair, biological services; VickieAnn Laubach, Ed.D., assistant professor, nursing, and simulation coordinator, health and nursing programs; and Curtis Scaglione, professor and program director, information technology.

NISOD’s awards recognize men and women each year who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment and contribution to their students and colleagues.

“Recognizing those individuals who have contributed to student success and their colleges’ mission is something we look forward to doing each year,” said Dr. Edward J. Leach, NISOD executive director, in a news release.

The NISOD membership organization is committed to promoting and celebrating excellence in teaching, learning and leadership at community and technical colleges.

For information, visit NISOD.org.

Chalk Talk 05/25/2022

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Kylie Culver, Saint Leo University Class of 2022 valedictorian, addresses graduating students on May 14. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Saint Leo awards degrees
More than 1,200 students earned degrees from Saint Leo University, during two commencement ceremonies on May 14, according to a news release. Doctoral, master, bachelor and associate degrees were awarded.

Kylie Culver, of Tampa, served as valedictorian of the Class of 2022. In her commencement address, Culver noted how the graduates successfully completed their degree programs through a global health crisis.

“The Class of 2022 has been through a lot,” said Culver in the release.

“Not only did we have the regular challenges that come with being college students – making sure we got good grades, making friends, managing our time, and social lives, but we also have the additional challenge of living through a pandemic,” noted Culver.

Salutatorian for the class was David Pacheco, of Brentwood, New York.

Free summer program
The City of Zephyrhills will present the 2022 Free Summer Recreation Program from May 31 to July 7, Mondays through Thursdays, from 8 a.m. to noon, at Stewart Middle School, 38505 10th Ave., in Zephyrhills.

The program is limited to 120 students who have completed any grade in kindergarten through fifth grade, in 2021-2022.

For information and to register, visit www.ci.zephyrhills.fl.us/225/Summer-Recreation-Information.

Student achievements

  • Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society, welcomed new initiates from 78 universities. These local students were inducted: Jenna Boudrea (Lutz), University of South Florida; Madelynne Eash (Odessa), Jacksonville University; Hannah Everich (Lutz), University of South Florida; Dylan Gellett (Lutz), University of South Florida; Andrew Nissensohn (Lutz), Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia; and Zachary Rashas (Lutz), University of South Florida.
  • Andrea Denton, of Wesley Chapel, was recognized to the President’s List at Midwestern State University, Wichita Falls, Texas.
  • Timothy Elko, of Lutz, earned a Master of Science from the University of Mississippi Graduate School. Elko majored in sports analytics.
  • Belmont University, Nashville, Tennessee, has recognized Danielle Frances and Jenna Freligh, both of Lutz, to the Dean’s List.
  • Wolfang Louk, of Lutz, and Faith Quinn and Grace Quinn, of Wesley Chapel, were named to the Dean’s List at Benedictine College, Atchison, Kansas.
  • Southern New Hampshire University named these local students to its President’s List: Jennifer Nalley, Odessa; Masum Rahman, Odessa; and Allie Ungerecht, Lutz.
  • Madison Nichols, of Odessa, earned a bachelor degree in psychology, at Nazareth College, Rochester, New York
  • Sean Saccomanno, of Land O’ Lakes, was recognized to the Dean’s List at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin.

Kids Tag Art fundraiser
Hillsborough County Tax Collector Nancy Millan presented the results of its first ever Kids Tag Art Program to the Hillsborough County School Board. The inaugural event raised $33,769, and will provide $1,200 for art supplies and materials to each participating eleentary school, according to a news release.

The Kids Art Program is a creative fundraiser that gives Title I, fifth-grade elementary school students the opportunity to showcase their artistic abilities by designing front license vanity plates in art class.

The plate designs are printed on metal plates, and then sold to family, friends and to the public.

Proceeds from the plate sales and sponsorships go back to the participating schools, to help support their arts program.

Humanitarian Awards
High school students throughout Pasco County recently were honored during the Florida Holocaust Museum’s 2022 Anne Frank Humanitarian Award event.

The award recognizes the outstanding humanitarian actions of high school juniors who have worked to better the lives of others at their schools and in their communities.

“These students are already leaders, being honored for their acts of kindness and for making a difference in our community,” said Superintendent Kurt Browning in a news release.

The winners in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, are: McKenna Yingling, Cypress Creek High School; Aross Adhikary, Land O’ Lakes High; Johana Morales, Pasco High; Benjamin Borton, Sunlake High; Angelica Chirino, Wesley Chapel High; Kate Niehoff, Wiregrass Ranch High; and Jamarius Giles, Zephyrhills High.

Fee adjustment meeting
Pasco-Hernando State College’s (PHSC) District Board of Trustees (DBOT) will consider approving proposed adjusted course-related fees at its board meeting on June 21 at 6 p.m., at the North Campus.

Fee adjustment proposals are reviewed and approved for DBOT consideration by PHSC’s Council of Academic Affairs, a committee that includes representation by administrators, deans, academic department chairs, program directors, faculty and staff.

Many fee adjustments relate to vendor increases for workforce courses, laboratories, and program testing. Some fees may be covered by financial aid, scholarships and grants.

For details regarding proposed fee adjustments, justification for the fees and fee implementation details, visit Policies.phsc.edu, and click on Policies and Procedures, Public Disclosures.

Planet Fitness offers pass
Planet Fitness is offering a High School Summer Pass program through Aug. 31, for all high-schoolers ages 14 to 19.

Students will be able to work out at no cost, at any Planet Fitness location.

The fitness center aims to help teenagers stay physically and mentally fit over the summer, by providing a way to exercise for free while school is out.

The program, which used to be called the Teen Summer Challenge, first launched in 2019, and more than 900,000 teens signed up.

To encourage teens to take advantage of the program, all participants automatically will be entered into a sweepstakes awarding one person, in each state, with a $500 scholarship.

Additionally, one grand prize of a $5,000 scholarship will be awarded at the end of the summer.

The scholarships can be used for academic or athletic activities, or other programs.

Teens can preregister for the program online at PlanetFitness.com/summerpass.

Pasco Schools begin ramping up ‘engagement’ efforts

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When it comes to engaging with families and the community, there are some bright spots in Pasco County Schools — but there’s no consistency.

Alison Crumbley

The issue exists throughout the district, and at every level, those are some of the key findings in a report shared with the Pasco County School Board at a workshop in April.

The district has identified community engagement as one of its top priorities and, as it attempts to make improvements, it has been working with TNTP, a national consulting company.

A Landscape Analysis has been done to get to know Pasco and its needs.

“Every community is unique,” said Janet King, of TNTP.

“So, we really need to start by understanding the place’s unique history, needs and priorities.

“Even within a district, communities are not monolithic, so it’s really important to look across a county and to understand that different parts of a county have different ways of accessing information, and different challenges and different resources that we need to understand before we build any kind of plan or solution.

“Finally, without this understanding, any improvement efforts are not likely to last because it’s not responsive to what families and community members most want and need, and works for them,” she said.

The Landscape Analysis included:

  • Market research: Taking a deep look into Pasco’s unique history, demographics, landscape and growth patterns
  • Asset mapping: Peeling back the layers of who’s doing great work in Pasco and who could be great potential partners
  • Insights Survey: Surveyed 38 representative schools, using TNTP’s survey, to enable the results to be benchmarked nationally
  • Listening Tour: Conducted focus groups, one-on-one sessions and superintendent-led sessions. In short, the sessions asked: “What are your experiences? What’s working? What can be improved?”

The efforts included:

  • 5,397 caregiver/stakeholder surveys
  • Eight parent/caregiver focus groups, including two conducted in Spanish
  • 42 community stakeholder interviews
  • Five student focus groups
  • Four teacher focus groups
  • Five superintendent-led listening tour sessions

In total, the efforts have included more than 70 hours of listening, said TNTP’s King, who shared findings from TNTP’s work during an April workshop with Pasco County School Board.

Colleen Beaudoin

Vanessa Hilton, the district’s chief academic officer, said TNTP was brought in to help the district to develop its capacity to improve its efforts regarding community engagement.

The district also formed its own Community Engagement Task Force, made up of district personnel representing different departments, roles and responsibilities. The task force includes school board member Alison Crumbley and assistant superintendent Dr. Kim Moore.

Hilton said the district realizes “we have lots of bright spots around the district in regards to our school efforts, but not yet, an intentional, meaningful strategy from the district level.”

Efforts to establish authentic engagement are important because it has a real impact on student achievement, King said.

“Research shows that when families and communities are engaged, it makes a real difference for students. Increased family engagement has been linked to higher test scores, increased school readiness, better attendance and decreased suspension rates for students,” she said.

Assistant Superintendent Moore noted that some of the school system’s challenges stem from its rampant growth. In the 1999-2000 school year, the school district’s enrollment was 46,458; now, its 82,377.

“That growth puts a strain on our resources. It puts a strain on how we operate as a school district,” Moore said.

“We have to look at putting in systems so our community feels that they can come in and interact with us, and be an authentic partner with us,” Moore said.

“Many of our community leaders, they want to partner with us. They don’t know how. They don’t where to go, to connect with us,” she said.

Cynthia Armstrong

They call the district and they get passed from one person to the next.

“That increases their level of frustration and then they give up. They want to work with us. They want to support our students,” Moore said.

Steve Hegarty, public information officer for Pasco County Schools, said, in general, the district pushes out information. And, when it seeks feedback, it doesn’t routinely reach back and let people know what it did with the feedback it received.

The lack of systemwide expectation for school-based family engagement has resulted in inconsistent experiences for families, Hegarty said.

One of the issues is the variety of tools that is used to communicate with parents.

The variety of communication methods and styles can be confusing.

“If you’re a parent with three kids in the system, you might have three different ways that you’re being communicated with,” Hegarty said, adding that can be frustrating for parents.

School board member Crumbley said improving community engagement is crucial.

“This is really such important work because it touches everything we do in the school district. Everything. It really does. It has so much to do with the success of our students and our families,” Crumbley said.

She’s particularly alarmed by the survey results that reveal the connection in secondary is far below the national average.

School board member Colleen Beaudoin said she wasn’t surprised by the findings, noting these issues have persisted for years.

She suggested the district build on what’s working.

Beaudoin also pointed out the need to devise training that is focused and avoids wasting staff time.

Kurt Browning

School board member Megan Harding asked: “If we’re trying to engage the community, shouldn’t we have some parents on that task force as well? We need to be sure that we are listening to those groups.”

Harding likes the idea of holding town hall meetings, to add a forum for engagement.

Board Chairwoman Cynthia Armstrong said when people want to know more about a school, they’ll visit its website.

She’s visited nearly all of them and she’s not impressed by the inconsistency she found.

“There’s nobody in charge of the websites at the schools. It’s whoever has an interest in it.

“That just doesn’t work, from what I saw,” she said.

While one school may offer a plethora of information; another might just say when lunch money is due.

Both Armstrong and member Allen Altman also said greater efforts are needed to inform the general public — who do not have children in school — about accomplishments within the district.

When he talks to people who don’t have students in the district, Altman said that many have no clue about the positive things that are happening. Instead, they only know the negative news they’ve read or heard.

Shifting mindset
Superintendent Kurt Browning agrees that much work lies ahead, and added that establishing authentic community engagement will require a broad-scale commitment.

“It cannot be just a small group of people in this district running, managing the community engagement work. It has got to be a districtwide effort. Not only that, but I’ll also say, community-wide.

“Beyond setting clear expectations, the district needs to develop tools and provide training, to shift the mindset,” the superintendent said.

The effort needs to involve “all district staff, whether you’re a bus driver, an entry operator, a school teacher, a principal, a superintendent,” Browning said.

Efforts to develop a plan of action are under way and more details are expected in June.

Community Engagement in Pasco Schools

Some key findings

  • Many community leaders want to partner with the district, but don’t know where to go or what the district needs.
  • District communication practices with community leaders tend to be one-way; stakeholders want more transparency and opportunities to provide feedback.
  • Where there are bright spots, there are not system-wide expectations for school-based family engagement, resulting in inconsistent experiences for families.
  • A lot of information is provided to caregivers at the school level, but it is not streamlined, consistent or focused on how they can support their student.
  • Parents want to know what their children are learning and how they can help.

Issues identified
Comments contained in TNTP’s report reveal the school district has myriad issues, when it comes to communication and engagement.

Here are some comments from the report:

  • “It is great to know that it is blue T-shirt day, but I want to know what my children (are) learning and how they are doing.” (Elementary and middle school caregiver)
  • “I left voicemails and never got a response. As a community partner, that is disappointing. I hope that they are not missing other opportunities.” (Community organization staff member)
  • “Sometimes community input and engagement is more of a ‘checking a box’ exercise, rather than meaningful participation.” (Community Engagement Task Force member)
  • “Each teacher communicates differently. There are many portals, that we, as parents, have to access.” (Elementary school caregiver)
  • “The communications from teachers are inconsistent.” (Elementary school parent)
  • “I wish the teachers all shared a cohesive communication standard.” (Caregiver)
  • “We should have town halls and be asked: ‘What do you think?’” (Community leader)

Source: TNTP Community Engagement report

Published May 18, 2022

Ms. Staney retires for a second time, this time at 75

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As staff members arrive at Sand Pine Elementary each day, they know one thing for certain: Corey Staney already will be there.

The 75-year-old second-grade teacher is first to arrive in the morning and the last to leave at the end of the day.

“Her work ethic — it’s legendary,” said Shay Peck, a fellow second-grade teacher.

Ms. Staney is also known for her warmth.

Sand Pine Elementary second-grade teacher Corey Staney, 75, speaks to her classroom about proper grammar and elements of an article during a lesson. Stanley has been an educator for 53 years, has been at Sand Pine since 2007, and plans to retire at the end of the 2021-2022 school year. (Mike Camunas)

“When I first started here (at Sand Pine), I was 25 and she was so welcoming,” Peck said. “She taught me to be kind, always.”

Staney’s presence is comforting, too.

“Every school needs a grandma,” Peck said, jokingly, but also lovingly.

Ms. Staney has been a teacher for 53 years, spending the last 15 at the elementary school tucked inside the Meadow Pointe Community.

Her career as an educator may be coming to an end, but she expects to return again.

Well, in a way.

“Oh, she’s already figured out when she can come back — about a year after retiring — to volunteer,” Sand Pine Principal Christina Twardosz said.

Ms. Staney is invested.

The principal said Ms. Staney is the first to say: “‘They (the kids) need us. I need to be here.

“And she is always here. She’s never sick — basically perfect attendance, but she’s also always there for the kids, academically and emotionally,” Twardosz said.

The principal added: “I mean, she’s been teaching longer than I have been here — not (just) at the school — (but) alive in this world!”

The teacher’s colleague, Nathan Moore, said: “People her age, they’d be out on an island or living it up, but she loves what she does.

“You don’t replace Ms. Staney.

“What’s awesome about her is that she cares about her students like no one I’ve ever seen,” Moore said. “She always has her kids on her mind. That’s her passion to not only help them academically, but as a person — to see them grow to their fullest potential.

“To have her as a mentor, it’s been amazing,” he added.

Ms. Staney began teaching, alongside her husband, Joe — a former teacher and assistant principal — in Worcester, Massachusetts.

They met at Worcester State University, formerly Worcester State College, at a time when Ms. Staney was certain she’d be a teacher for life.

But then she had some second thoughts.

“When I was a sophomore, I said to my dad that I didn’t know if I wanted to be a teacher.

“I even left school.

Longtime elementary school educator Corey Staney, left, speaks with Sand Pine Elementary Principal Christina Twardosz. Staney is 75 years old and has been an educator for 53 years. She plans to retire at the end of this school year.

“I went to work for an insurance company and knew right away that wasn’t for me.

“I knew I wanted to be a teacher for sure, so I went back to school, right away, and have been at school ever since.”

After spending 36 years as a teacher in Massachusetts, Ms. Staney and her husband decided in 2005 that they wanted to retire early and move to Florida. The couple had two children and three grandchildren.

The retirement, however, was short-lived.

After being in Florida for just two weeks down here, her husband required quadruple bypass surgery and then an angioplasty soon after.

Ms. Staney had help from her daughter, Lisa, to care for her husband, but she needed to find work and needed medical coverage for her husband.

She tutored in the neighborhood and did the same thing at the nearby Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy of Meadow Pointe.

That turned into a preschool teaching position and then she joined Sand Pine as a second-grade teacher.

Over the years, she’s touched thousands of lives, and has even kept in touch with some of them.

Students in her class speak highly of Ms. Staney.

“She’s a perfect teacher,” 8-year-old Kaylanis Rodriguez said. “She’s nice and she always makes us learn new things that we always love to learn about.”

“She has a lot of stories,” added 8-year-old Evan Kalojiannis. “I didn’t know she had been a teacher for so long, but she has a lot of funny stories that help us learn.”

Saying goodbye is never easy, Ms. Staney said, adding it will be especially difficult this year.

Teaching children has been such a source of joy for her.

“They’ll just make your whole day,” said Ms. Staney, flashing a broad smile.

“It’s worth it to get up and see the kids first thing in the morning. I loved every minute of it.”

Published May 18, 2022

Pasco schools feeling the pain of rising insurance costs

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As Pasco County Schools seeks out an additional source of funding for employee pay raises, through a voter referendum, it also is dealing with increasing costs for insurance.

During the May 3 Pasco County School Board meeting, Kevin Shibley, assistant superintendent for administration, briefed the board on rising health insurance costs.

The COVID-19 pandemic, he told the board, “obviously changed the dynamics of our health insurance plan fairly significantly.

‘I don’t think there is anybody in the room that is not aware that the property market in Florida is just in utter chaos,’ – School board member Allen Altman (File)

“You will see that we have experienced a drastic increase in claims to the plan; revenues have been stable, which is good, but when claims are increasing and revenue is not, you start to run into deficit issues.

“We do believe that some of this is a result of increased COVID claims, so we have been using some of the federal relief money to plug those holes, but we are also not convinced that all of the increases are a result of COVID claims, so there are some pretty significant discussions happening within the insurance committee right now, to discuss how to handle those recurring claims that will persist, once the COVID claims run out and we stop receiving bills and invoices for those claims.

“For the current fiscal year, cash flow for the health insurance fund is actually negative $9.4 million, so that is a pretty significant deficit.

“Again, a good portion of that is connected to COVID claims that are being paid by the plan, but not all of them are.

“So, we will continue to work with the committee, about not only ways to raise revenue, but also to restructure the plan and the claims liability and make some claims design changes to bring that budget into balance for next year.”

School board member Allen Altman, who serves on the district’s insurance committee told his colleagues: “There will have to be some changes of some sort, and they’re aware of that. Mr. (Don) Peace and his team (from United School Employees of Pasco) are equal partners on that committee, and they’re already cooperatively working toward moving ahead and trying to get ahead of that.”

The news isn’t good on the property insurance front, either, Altman said.

“I don’t think there is anybody in the room that is not aware that the property market in Florida is just in utter chaos,” Altman said.

He said he recently attended a meeting involving the group that represents hundreds of government entities.

“Florida is now viewed as the most difficult state in the union for a municipality or school district or government entity to get insurance. Both property and liability,” Altman said.

On average, reinsurance costs are running about 30% higher. By comparison, Pasco’s increase is expected to be about 9%, Altman said.

“We’re fortunate. There are some other districts, coastal districts, but south of us, that are struggling to even get a renewal offer,” Altman said.

The entire state is grappling with property insurance issues — prompting calls for legislative action to address the problem.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has called a special session of the Legislature, which is scheduled to convene on May 23 and to end on May 27. The purpose of the session to is consider legislation relating property insurance, reinsurance, the Office of Insurance, civil remedies and appropriations.

Published May 18, 2022

Seeking photos of your favorite grad

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It doesn’t matter if your favorite graduate is finishing prekindergarten, wrapping up fifth grade, moving up from middle school, or collecting a high school diploma or bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree — we want to help you celebrate, by sharing your favorite grad’s photo.

All we need is a photo of a happy, touching or funny moment from the big day, or party.

Posed photos or spontaneous photos are fine. If you send a group shot, please ID the people in the photo from left to right; also, please send us an individual shot of the graduate, too, to give us a better chance of being able to include the graduate on our photo page, or pages.

Be sure to include the graduate’s first and last name, and the name of the student’s school.

Feel free to include a sentence or two, about your favorite grad.

And include your contact information, so we can reach back, if we have questions.

Every photo submitted will be considered for publication.

Please send your submissions by June 1 to ">.

We plan to publish our graduation photo package on June 8.

Published May 18, 2022