The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Pasco Schools shifting start times

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The Pasco County School Board has adopted a new schedule for school starting and ending times, effective in January.

The board unanimously approved the shift, during its Nov. 2 meeting, knowing that the new scheduling will disrupt virtually every school and student throughout the district.

They said a shortage of bus drivers forced their hand.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning

Board members and Superintendent Kurt Browning said other options were explored, but, in the end, none of them could ensure the on-time arrival of students to school.

“We are, and have been, very concerned about the loss of instructional time for our students,” Browning said. “We have had numbers of our students coming to our schools upwards of an hour late.

“We are somewhat in a desperate place to ensure that we can fill the gap for those 60 to 65 drivers that we do not have,” Browning added.

“There’s nobody in this district that likes this plan, including the superintendent. I don’t like it. I don’t like anything about it,” he added.

However, he noted, having students arrive late is not appealing, either.

The district has been flooded with suggestions for how to solve the problem.

It has tried different strategies, but all of them fell short, according to Betsy Kuhn, an assistant superintendent who oversees the district’s transportation departments.

People suggested the district ask parents to drive students to school.

The district did.

The response was too small to reroute buses and take any off the road, Kuhn said.

Some recommended the district charge bus riders.

It can’t because it has a state obligation to transport students living two miles or more from school, Kuhn added.

Some said the answer is higher pay for drivers.

“I’ve gotten lots of emails (in which) people say, ‘If you just pay $20 an hour, this will all go away,’” Kuhn said.

She supports a pay raise for bus drivers, but said, “we know, from looking at other districts and from looking around the country, that pay alone does not solve this problem.

“While we do want to do that, and hope it is something we can do in the very near future, it’s not going to be the quick fix here,” Kuhn said.

School board chairman Allen Altman said some have recommended that schools run on a split schedule. Those riding a bus would be on one schedule; and others arriving on their own, would be on another.

“I’ve talked to some of our school people,” Altman said. They essentially told him that would be impossible.

Kuhn concurred: “School operations would be an issue.”

Board members also heard from scores of people explaining the negative impacts that shifting the school day will cause.

Two parents came to the board’s Nov. 2 meeting to share their concerns.

One said his wife teaches in the district.

He said the new school starting and ending times creates a child care issue.

Spending money for child care, in essence, lowers his wife’s teaching salary.

Although she loves teaching, from the family’s economic standpoint, they might be better off if she took a job where she could work from home.

Another parent raised concerns about traffic safety issues.

The new schedule has Wiregrass Ranch Elementary and Wiregrass Ranch High School starting at the same time.

Both schools are located on Mansfield Boulevard.

He’s concerned about having so many vehicles coming and going at the same time.

Board members expressed empathy for the impact the scheduling changes will have on families, students and the community. But they said the district must do what it can to ensure students don’t miss out on instructional time.

The superintendent initially had called for the new schedule to be in effect for the second semester of this school year and for the entire school year, in 2022-2023.

But he has stepped back on that recommendation, agreeing, instead, to reassess the situation in May to determine whether the change will be necessary for next school year.

The district also will continue its efforts to recruit more drivers.

One way it hopes to entice applicants is by making sure potential drivers know that the district offers flexible scheduling.

Drivers can take morning shifts, afternoon shifts, or both. They also can choose to work only on specific days of the week, Kuhn said.

PROPOSED BELL TIMES
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
School                         Start                End
Bexley                         10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Centennial                   9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Chester Taylor            10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Connerton                   10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Denham Oaks             10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Double Branch            9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Lacoochee                   8:10 a.m.         2:20 p.m.
Lake Myrtle                 9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
New River                   10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Oakstead                     10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Odessa                        10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Pasco                           8:10 a.m.         2:20 p.m.
Pine View                    10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Qual Hollow                10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Rodney B. Cox             8:10 a.m.         2:20 p.m.
San Antonio                9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Sand Pine                    9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Sanders                       9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Seven Oaks                 9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Starkey Ranch K-8       9:10 a.m.         3:30 p.m.
Veterans                     9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Watergrass                 9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Wesley Chapel            9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
West Zephyrhills         10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Wiregrass                    8:10 a.m.        23:20 p.m.
Woodland                   10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.

MIDDLE SCHOOLS
School                         Start                End
Centennial                   8:10 a.m.         2:30 p.m.
Rushe                          7:15 a.m.         1:42 p.m.
Cypress Creek             8:10 a.m.         2:30 p.m.
John Long                    9 a.m.              3:20 p.m.
Pasco                           7:10 a.m.         1:30 p.m.
Pine View                    9:10 a.m.              3:30 p.m.
Stewart                       9:10 a.m.              3:35 p.m.
Starkey Ranch K-8       9:10 a.m.         3:30 p.m.
Weightman                 8:10 a.m.         2:30 p.m.

HIGH SCHOOLS
School                         Start                End
Cypress Creek             7:10 a.m.         1:37 p.m.
East Pasco Education Academy    8:10 a.m.         2:35 p.m.
East Pasco Education Academy    9:10 a.m.         3:35 p.m.
Land O’ Lakes              7:10 a.m.         1:35 p.m.
Pasco                           7:15 a.m.         1:45 p.m.
Sunlake                       7:10 a.m.         1:44 p.m.
Wesley Chapel            7:10 a.m.         1:34 p.m.
Wendell Krinn             8:10 a.m.         3:05 p.m.
Wiregrass Ranch         8:10 a.m.         2:36 p.m.
Zephyrhills                  7:10 a.m.         1:36 p.m.

Note: These schools are located in or near The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. For a complete list of schools and proposed bell times, visit the Pasco County Schools’ website at Pasco.k12.fl.us.

Published November 10, 2021

School board approves $52.7 million magnet school

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Work is moving ahead on a new magnet school for sixth- through 12th-grade students, which is expected to usher in a broad array of new opportunities for students.

The Pasco County School Board approved a $52.7 million contract with Ajax Building Company, during the board’s Nov. 2 meeting.

The 6-12 school is planned on an 18.8-acre site within the community of Angeline, south of State Road 52, north of the future Ridge Road extension and west of Sunlake Boulevard.

The school board, acting as the Pasco County School Board Leasing Corporation, previously approved the sale of bonds to finance the new magnet school and to complete projects at Hudson and Gulf High schools. The sale of $80 million in bond was completed on Nov. 2.

The school site is within Angeline, which is being billed as a wellness community. Angeline will be developed on thousands of acres of land, east of the Suncoast Parkway and south of State Road 52.

Within that area, Moffitt is planning its Pasco County campus. The cancer center’s presence in Pasco is expected to include a massive research and corporate innovation district. It has site entitlements that encompass 24 million square feet, and include plans for a hospital, research and development space, office, manufacturing, laboratories, pharmacies, educational facility/university, hotel, and commercial space. The multiyear, multiphase project is expected to create 14,500 jobs.

At a previous school board meeting, Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent for Pasco County Schools, reported that Moffitt and Pasco-Hernando State College are working together “to develop a very unique school setting.”

The school is designed for 1,700 students, according to the Ajax contract.

Plans call for a facility with 186,882 gross square feet.

It will have:

  • A one-story administration building
  • A one-story dining/multipurpose area, with a fully functioning kitchen
  • A two-story media and band area
  • A four-story classroom wing

Other parts of the site development include parking, drives, walkway canopies, an aluminum shade system, fencing, a walking trail, sidewalks, underground utilities, landscaping, irrigation and other infrastructure.

Construction is expected to take 18 months, with the closeout taking 1.5 months, bringing the total to 19.5 months, according to the contract.

Substantial completion is expected in April of 2023, with a final completion in June of 2023.

Harvard Jolly is the architect on the school district project.

Published November 10, 2021

Chalk Talk 11/10/2021

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Essay contest winners
Home-schooled Land O’ Lakes fifth-grader Lee Ellis claimed first prize in the ninth annual Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller Constitution Essay Contest, by “eloquently emphasizing the meaning and enduring importance of the famed opening phrase of the United States’ founding document,” according to a news release.

Land O’ Lakes student Lee Ellis won first place in this year’s constitution essay contest sponsored by the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller’s office. (Courtesy of Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller)

Ellis wrote in his essay, “Did you know that ‘We the People’ means everyone? The rich, the poor, the young, the old, whites, blacks, men and women are all a part of ‘We the People.’

The student noted, significantly, that the Constitution does not “give” rights, but, instead, it guarantees them. This distinction, vital to our governing philosophy, often is misconstrued.

An excerpt from Ellis’ essay states, in the release: “The Constitution is very important because it sets the framework that our government and legal systems still follow today. This framework protects the basic rights of ‘We the People’ and stops the government from having too much power. …It protects our right to privacy, our right to choose our religion, our right to vote, our right to do things we like, and so much more!”

Rounding out the top three winners are Oakstead Elementary’s Aubrey Ofoulhast Othamot (second place) and Christian Crossings Acacdemy’s Jake Whitman (third place).

The top three students will receive trophies and gift cards at an upcoming Pasco County School Board meeting.

This year marked the first time students other than those attending Pasco County district schools broke onto the medals stand.

Honorable mentions were given to Izabella Crockett, Emma Saclarides, Cody VanOpdorp, Treyson Workentin, Noa Ron, Paul Patrocinio, Rosaria Cage, Destin Martin, Amalia Esajas, Analise Ossa (Oakstead Elementary), Gianna Matos, Ayden Satnarain, Andrea Martinez Campos (Saint Anthony Catholic School), Nadia Koutereba, and Audrey Floyd (Christian Crossings Academy).

Read the top three essays online at PascoClerk.com.

Academy grand opening
The Prelude Academy of the Arts, 14249 Seventh St., in Dade City, will host a grand opening that will include these events:

  • Nov. 12 at 9 a.m.: Ribbon-cutting and refreshments
  • Nov. 13 from 9 a.m. to noon: Open House with an instrument petting zoo
  • Nov. 14 at 4 p.m.: Concert in the Park (free, at Agnes Lamb Park), featuring the Homegrown New Music ensemble and the students of Prelude Academy

Virtual Pathways Expo
Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice will host virtual expos on these dates, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.:

  • Nov. 15 for West Pasco schools
  • Nov. 18 for East Pasco schools

For a list of schools in each zone and for information on how to register, email .

Donate to AMSkills
The five Pasco County Tax Collector’s offices are accepting donations during the month of November for AMSkills, a nonprofit program created to prepare qualified individuals interested in learning skills to work in the manufacturing field.

Based in Pasco County, AMSkills offers programs from entry-level training to job placement assistance throughout the Tampa Bay area.

“AMSkills is bringing hands-on skills training to youth and adults in low- to mid-income neighborhoods through the use of our Mobile Workshop…,” said Tom Mudano, president and CEO, in a news release.

“Donations received will provide additional skills training to these individuals, free of charge, helping them launch a new career they may have never considered before,” said Mudano.

Pasco Tax Collector Mike Fasano noted, in the release, “I have long been a proponent of technical education as an alternative to college, especially for those with talents and abilities that are best suited to manufacturing and technology.”

For details regarding the charitable promotion, contact Greg Giordano, assistant tax collector, at 727-847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

For information about AMSkills, visit AmSkills.org, or contact Robyn Liska, director of development, at 727-301-1282, ext. 126.

(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

A plethora of goodies for Connerton
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club donated a number of pies for Connerton Elementary’s Fall Festival, Halloween costume accessories for the children’s costume school parade, and volunteered to stuff more than 48 colorful, soft plush animals (pictured) for each of the kindergartners. Connerton Elementary is one of four schools that the club has taken under its wings and sponsors. For information about the club and membership opportunities, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org, or its Facebook page.

Internet outages are disrupting learning, union leader says

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The president of the United School Employees of Pasco (USEP) is calling upon the school district’s leadership to resolve internet outages.

“We’ve also been receiving numerous calls and emails regarding the district internet failures. Outages, many for long periods of time — sometimes daily — are occurring at schools, which have interfered with lesson delivery, data reporting and the printing of much-needed educational materials,” Don Peace, president of the union, told the Pasco County School Board at its Oct. 19 meeting.

“We have heard of a problem with the current provider and urge the district to make quick work of a solution, even if it means selecting a different provider,” Peace said.

“Internet disruptions do negatively impact learning in the classroom,” he added.

He also reiterated the need to reduce the amount of time teachers spend on data entry.

“As I’ve stated previously, USEP feels it is incumbent on district staff to look at ways to eliminate redundancy and paperwork — OK, data input — for our teachers.

“Where we can combine state and district mandates, we should.

“Teachers need not be clerical workers.

“We do understand the need for supportive data,” he said.

However, he added, “teachers are primarily tasked with delivering instruction to their students and that’s where the bulk of their time should be spent.”

Peace also touched on negotiations.

“Many significant decisions will be made in the upcoming weeks, including economic improvements,” he said. “USEP and district staff must be able to work together for the benefit of all.”

Published November 03, 2021

Chalk Talk 11/03/2021

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Edwin Narain (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Board secretary named
Tampa executive and former Florida legislator Edwin Narain was named secretary of the Board of Trustees of his alma mater, Saint Leo University, for a two-year term. Narain earned two degrees from Saint Leo — a Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 2007 and a Master of Business Administration in 2009. He has served on the university’s board since 2016. Narain also earned his Juris Doctor from Stetson University College of Law.

Merit semifinalists
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has announced the names of approximately 16,000 semifinalists in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program.

To become a finalist, the semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application in which they provide information about the semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. The nominated student also must have an outstanding academic record, be endorsed by a high school official, write an essay, and earn SAT or ACT scores that confirm the student’s performance on the qualifying test.

Semifinalists that will be designated to the finalist level will be notified in February.

National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring of 2022.

Students that were named as semifinalists in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area are:

  • Devin T. Connerney – Gaither High
  • Sohan Malladi and Daniel J. Urbonas – Land O’ Lakes High
  • Kenneth P. Chew – Pasco High School
  • Louis E. Cohen – Sunlake High
  • Meryl A. Bentz, Andrea L. Burgess, Erin S. Kim and Vivian Rao – Steinbrenner High
  • Eric T. Reichard – Wiregrass Ranch High

For more information, visit NationalMerit.org.

Grant awarded
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that a project to build a technical training complex in Hernando County has been awarded a $6.1 million grant through the Florida Job Growth Grant, according to a news release.

The Citizen Success Center (the technical training complex) is a joint project between Pasco-Hernando State College, the Hernando School District, and Hernando County Government.

All three entities collaborated on the grant application.

The complex is set to be located on 17 acres at the Brooksville Tampa Bay Regional Airport, and has an expected completion date of fall 2023.

The grant funds will be used to prepare the county’s property and add the necessary infrastructure prior to the start of construction.

It will offer convenient, streamlined workforce training to prepare residents for direct entry into positions available in Hernando County.

“The college is excited to be involved in this joint effort to create a dynamic, student-centered educational facility with the mission of building specific skills to meet local employers’ needs in key career and technical fields” said Stanley M. Giannet, Ph.D., executive vice president and chief academic officer and college provost, in the release.

“Quality workforce training is vitally important to the economic health of our community and a significant component of our PHSC mission,” said Giannet.

Cox Elementary events
Staff members from the New River Library and the Hugh Embry Library will visit students at Rodney B. Cox Elementary School, 37615 Martin Luther King Blvd., in Dade City, for these upcoming events:

  • Fall into Reading Drive-Thru Festival: Nov. 4 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Students can receive goodies to encourage reading and learning.
  • Early Release Day Craft: Nov. 10

For more information, call the New River Library at 813-788-6375.

Rabbi to speak
The Saint Leo University Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies will host a free lecture on Nov. 4 starting at 7 p.m., at Congregation Schaarai Zedek, 3303 W. Swann Ave., in Tampa.

The guest speaker will be Rabbi Dr. David Novak from the University of Toronto, on the topic of “Is There a Universal Moral Law? Natural Law in the Catholic and Jewish Traditions.”

Another guest speaker, Dr. Vincent Lloyd, will follow Novak’s address and the two will share some reflections.

To attend, reserve a seat online at Zedek.org/ccjs.

Saint Leo food drive
Saint Leo University’s Tampa Education Center will collect food through Nov. 18 for Metropolitan Ministries, whose mission is to care for the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless, according to a news release.

Saint Leo University-Tampa is in the former Berriman-Morgan Cigar Factory building, at 1403 N. Howard Ave., in Tampa.

Canned goods and nonperishable food may be dropped off between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For information, contact Rod Kirkwood at or 813-743-3228.

College honors
Saint Leo University was named as one of the best regional universities in the South, in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings, according to a news release.

In addition, Saint Leo was named to the Top Performers on Social Mobility list.

About 1,466 U.S. bachelor’s degree granting institutions were assessed on 17 measures of academic quality.

Only regionally accredited institutions that enrolled first-year (freshmen) students to four-year bachelor’s degree programs are considered for the honors.

Among regional universities in the South, Saint Leo ranked 29th overall and 39th for social mobility.

The Top Performers on Social Mobility ranking measures the extent schools enrolled and graduated students who received federal Pell Grants (those typically coming from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000).

Early release days
Pasco County Schools again will utilize a monthly, early release time to allow for staff to engage in professional development aligned with student needs, and district and school priorities.

Upcoming early release dates are: Nov. 10, Dec. 8, Jan. 12, Feb. 2, March 9 and April 13.

On each of these days, students will be released two hours early.

The bell times, including the early release times for each school, can be found online at Pasco.k12.fl.us/site/pcs_bell_schedule.

Honor Society hosts fundraiser
The Martinez Middle School National Junior Honor Society will host a donation drive to benefit Hope Children’s Home, on Dec. 11 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Stonebrier basketball gazebo, 3741 W. County Line Road in Lutz.

Guests can bring a blanket or lawn chair, and eat, relax and listen to live music with local metal band, Actual Purgatory. The Bacon Boss food truck will be on site from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Kona Ice will be on site from noon to 2 p.m.

Accepted donations include: Nonperishable items (such as canned veggies, box/bag cereal, canned soup); household items (such as paper plates/bowls, aluminum foil, dryer sheets); school supplies (such as white board cleaner, binders, post-its); and, gently used clothes/shoes for boys and girls ages newborn to 18 years old.

For questions and a more detailed list of acceptable donations, email Annie Hayman at .

Free STEM DAY
Main Event announced its launch of an accredited, in-center educational program, Play Academy. Play Academy was created to help create the ultimate field trip experience for students.

In honor of National STEM Day on Nov. 8, Main Event will offer a STEAM curriculum from 3 p.m. – 6 p.m., free for all walk-in guests, accessible at all locations. This one day offering is the first and only time a small taste of Play Academy will be accessible to the public.

With any bowling purchase, customers will have the opportunity to try out the Play Academy Bowling Lab. Following the bowling lab, customers will be able to participate in more scientific experiments, including a DIY tie-dying T-shirt activity or a DIY ice cream creation.

Main Event has been working to transform games into problem-solving, captivating classwork for a fun and engaging learning experience.

Driver shortage causes disruptions

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A change is being proposed that will shift starting and ending times for school days — to address a bus driver shortage in Pasco County Schools.

The proposal, if approved, would take effect on Jan. 4.

All schools would have some adjustment to their start and end times, with most shifts being 30 minutes or less, according to school district officials.

District staff addressed the issues and presented a proposed solution during a workshop with the Pasco County School Board on Oct. 19.

Superintendent Kurt Browning also outlined the issues in two videos on YouTube. One video is addressed to families and the other to district staff.

Pasco County Schools’ buses cover hundreds of routes each day and the district simply doesn’t have enough drivers. To solve the problem of getting students to school on time, the district is proposing a massive scheduling shift. (File)

In essence, Browning noted that the district struggles every year to hire and retain all of the bus drivers that it needs, but this year, the shortage is worse than ever.

He noted that the district has tried different strategies to solve that, he said, including financial incentives, job fairs, waiving background check fees and using an all-hands-on-deck approach.

Those efforts have helped, but have not solved the problem, the superintendent said.

“The result of this acute shortage is that many of our students are late arriving at school in the morning, which results in loss of instructional time, and they are late arriving at home in the afternoon and early evening, which puts a strain on families.

“Our bus drivers and our transportation department are doing a remarkable job under very difficult circumstances.

“Still, chronically late buses remain the norm.

“This is unacceptable.

“We have now devised a strategy that we believe will solve the problem,” he continued.

“In short, by having some schools start earlier and some start later, we can widen the window of opportunity for us to transport students on time,” he explained.

“This proposed solution was not our first choice. It will have a district-wide impact on families, including those who do not rely on school buses for transportation,” he acknowledged.

“For some, the impact will be a minor tweak to some morning and afternoon routines. For others, the impact will be significant and will require some planning,” he said.

However, the superintendent said: “We cannot continue to have a large group of students who are chronically late, arriving at school, through no fault of their own.

“This challenge is not unique to Pasco, but it is up to us to solve it.

“We have a responsibility as a school community to do everything we can to provide all students with an opportunity to learn.

“And that includes having a consistent and predictable start and end to their school day.”

During the school’s evening Oct. 19 meeting, Don Peace, the president of United School Employees of Pasco (USEP), said, “it is clear that making the proposed changes will be a monumental undertaking with numerous issues that must be worked out, not only for transportation employees, but worksite employees, students, parents and community partners, as well.

“I think we can safely say that every issue or concern will not be able to be worked out to everyone’s benefit, therefore communication and collaboration between district staff and USEP are key to reducing those problematic concerns to a minimum.

“We, as a district, have never attempted an undertaking this large in mid-year. Clearly, thinking outside the box to create solutions for all should be employed.

“It is in everyone’s best interest to minimize as much transitional stress as possible, and new and untried methods of operations may be necessary,” Peace said.

Even before the school year began, district staff had been raising the warning flag about the bus driver shortage.

The inability to attract drivers is not unique to Pasco, as school districts across the nation are facing the same problem.

The impacts from the lack of drivers are numerous: including the loss of instructional time; unpredictability for students, families, schools and employees; and the stress and turnover in the transportation department, exacerbating the problem — according to a presentation created by district staff for the school board.

The vast majority of schools would begin their day at 7:10 a.m., 8:10 a.m., 9:10 a.m., or 10:10 a.m., under the proposed bell times.

The school board is expected to consider and vote on the issue at its 9:30 a.m. meeting on Nov. 2.

The board meets in the board room, in Building 3, at the school district’s headquarters at 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

PROPOSED BELL TIMES 

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
School                         Start                End
Bexley                         10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Centennial                   9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Chester Taylor            10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Connerton                   10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Denham Oaks             10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Double Branch            9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Lacoochee                   8:10 a.m.         2:20 p.m.
Lake Myrtle                 9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
New River                   10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Oakstead                     10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Odessa                        10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Pasco                           8:10 a.m.         2:20 p.m.
Pine View                    10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Qual Hollow                10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Rodney B. Cox             8:10 a.m.         2:20 p.m.
San Antonio                9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Sand Pine                    9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Sanders                       9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Seven Oaks                 9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Starkey Ranch K-8       9:10 a.m.         3:30 p.m.
Veterans                     9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Watergrass                 9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Wesley Chapel            9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
West Zephyrhills         10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.
Wiregrass                    9:10 a.m.         3:20 p.m.
Woodland                   10:10 a.m.       4:20 p.m.

MIDDLE SCHOOLS
School                         Start                End
Centennial                   8:10 a.m.         2:30 p.m.
Rushe                          7:15 a.m.         1:42 p.m.
Cypress Creek             8:10 a.m.         2:30 p.m.
John Long                    9 a.m.              3:20 p.m.
Pasco                           7:10 a.m.         1:30 p.m.
Pine View                    9 a.m.              3:20 p.m.
Stewart                       9 a.m.              3:25 p.m.
Starkey Ranch K-8       9:10 a.m.         3:30 p.m.
Weightman                 8:10 a.m.         2:30 p.m.

HIGH SCHOOLS
School                         Start                End
Cypress Creek             7:10 a.m.         1:37 p.m.
East Pasco Education Academy    7:10 a.m.         1:35 p.m.
East Pasco Education Academy    8:10 a.m.         2:35 p.m.
Land O’ Lakes              7:10 a.m.         1:35 p.m.
Pasco                           7:15 a.m.         1:45 p.m.
Sunlake                       7:10 a.m.         1:44 p.m.
Wesley Chapel            7:10 a.m.         1:34 p.m.
Wendell Krinn             8:10 a.m.         3:05 p.m.
Wiregrass Ranch         8:10 a.m.         2:36 p.m.
Zephyrhills                  7:10 a.m.         1:36 p.m.

Note: These schools are located in or near The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. For a complete list of schools and proposed bell times, visit the Pasco County Schools’ website at Pasco.k12.fl.us.

Published October 27, 2021

Efforts continue to bolster safety in Pasco’s school district

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Efforts to improve the safety and security of Pasco County Schools is an ongoing effort, as the school district works to reduce potential threats throughout the system.

The Pasco School Board recently approved a safety plan that must be submitted to state offices by Nov. 1, outlining steps the district is pursuing to make its campuses safer.

The board approved the plan on Oct. 19, following a closed-door session on school safety. The session was private because of a need for confidentiality relating to security issues.

Entry buzzers have been installed at schools across Pasco County. Visitors push the doorbell and are buzzed in, individually. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Michael Baumaister, the district’s chief of safety and emergency operations, gave a brief overview of the security plan during the board’s meeting.

District has a strong relationship with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, as well as the municipal police agencies, Baumaister said. “We work very closely together.”

The district is always looking to improve its safety, but, he added: “I think we’re on the right track.”

“Ever since Marjory Stoneman Douglas, a lot of changes have been made to the school system,” he said, referring to the 2018 Valentine’s Day shooting spree that left 17 dead and 17 injured at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, a community in South Florida.

The public outcry, including persistent student protests, prompted state legislators to mandate safety upgrades on school campuses across Florida. The annual safety plan that must be submitted to the state is one of the requirements of the state legislation.

During the recent board meeting, Baumaister said: “As we move forward, we’re going to start looking strategically at some of our older schools that we may have to add additional things to, to enhance our safety posture.

“We use our best practices. Our security assessments that are done by law enforcement. The assessments that are also done by the school principals. We look at all improvements that are out there — new technologies, and we roll that all up with what we want to move forward with in our planning for the future,” he said.

The district also is continuing to work on various projects.

“As large as a district as we are, things take time, and we are moving along pretty well,” he said.

The district uses a work-order system to make minor repairs at schools, Baumaister said.

He explained: “These are the small projects. You can send a technician out; fix a fence. Repair a camera, things like that.”

The district also continues to add security cameras to schools.

“By the end of next year, we should have cameras in every one of our campuses,” he said.

He noted: “They’re not in the classrooms, they’re in the hallways. So, it just gives us a posture so we can keep eyes on what’s going on.

“If there’s ever an emergency, with our agreement with the sheriff’s office, they can then look in to see what’s going on at that moment, to see what may be happening.

“We took all of these lessons from Marjory Stoneman Douglas and what went on there, and try to learn from it and make improvements in our district, so we never experience anything like that here.”

He also noted that the district is using window security film, to harden the exterior of its schools. The goal is to make it hard for intruders to penetrate.

“If somebody is trying to break a window, they probably don’t have good intentions,” he said.

The security film helps keeps students and staff safe, he said. Also, “it gives time for law enforcement, and for the security guardians and for the SROs (School Resource Officers) to take action and get to the area” where there are attempts being made to penetrate the building.

“Our emergency radio communications, we’re always looking to improve them. We study them. We look for better ways to do it,” he said.

He also noted that the district has completed its project to add a doorbell system for all of its schools.

The doorbell gives school staff the ability to find out who is visiting and why, before allowing access.

Baumaister also emphasized the need to have a plan and to make sure that school staff understands it.

“This way, if something is ever to occur, they already have a plan of action in place.

“We do plan on testing our plans.

“We’re going to do small exercises with the schools, to talk about our plans and make sure that that’s fresh in their minds, and that they are always constantly keeping them updated and keeping them current,” he said.

Published October 27, 2021

Redistricting proposals advance for a vote

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The Pasco County Commission has selected its preferred map for new voting districts for the five seats on its board.

And, the Pasco County School Board is set to make a similar choice at its Nov. 2 meeting.

Both government bodies also are planning public hearings on the issue.

County Administrator Dan Biles said the county’s proposed redistricting map took into account feedback from individual commissioners, geographic features and a need to balance population between districts. (File)

The county commission’s public hearing is being advertised for Dec. 7; the school board’s is expected on Nov. 16.

The school board’s desire to weigh in on the redistricting discussion before the county board made a choice, however, didn’t happen.

The school board had taken up the issue at its Oct. 5 meeting, addressed it again on Oct. 19.

School board member Megan Harding thanked the district’s Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd for trying to arrange an opportunity for the school board and county board to work together on redistricting.

The school board had hoped to establish the same district boundaries as the county commission. That’s what it did the last time redistricting occurred.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t get to work with the county,” Harding said. “It’s unfortunate that we now have to have two separate maps.”

Redistricting occurs every 10 years, based on the population figures collected in the decennial census.

The figures are used to apportion the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Florida Legislature redraws the districts from which Florida voters elect their members of their U.S. House of Representatives, state senators and state representatives.

The Florida Constitution also requires county commissions to develop a redistricting plan every decennial census to keep commission districts as nearly as equal in population as practical.

Political observers are keenly interested in the process because the way the lines are drawn can influence outcomes of elections.

In the case of Pasco County’s proposed district lines, County Administrator Dan Biles told the county board at its Oct. 12 meeting: “After we sat down with each of you and each of you gave us feedback of what you’d like to see, with respect to your district, we kind of combined all of that and tried to come up with a compromise map.”

His preferred option, was based on input from each commissioner, consideration of geographic boundaries and the goal of balancing population.

Incumbent school board member Alison Crumbley would have been carved out of her district, if the school board had adopted the map that the Pasco County Commission has proposed under its redistricting plan.

“What we tried to do was follow major arterials, collectors, as best we could,” Biles said.

“I know it’s not necessarily perfect, but it’s what we could do best to balance the population across the county, based on the feedback you gave us and make it reasonably easy to describe what your district boundaries are to the members of the public,” he said.

He also noted: “The difference between the largest and the smallest district is less than 2%.”

Commissioner Mike Moore made a motion to approve Biles’ preferred option, which was approved unanimously by the board.

The board is scheduled to have a public hearing and vote on the proposed map at its Dec. 7 meeting, at 1:30 p.m., in New Port Richey.

After the vote, Commission Chairman Ron Oakley invited Gadd, who was in the audience, to address the county board.

Gadd told commissioners: “What I have to say is now irrelevant. In all deference to Mr. Biles, because I know he worked hard in putting this together.”

Gadd told the county board that the school board and county commission met in a workshop on Aug. 16, 2011, regarding the last redistricting effort.

“We adopted the same districts. The school board did that by resolution,” Gadd said.

The board was interested in taking the same approach, but didn’t have the opportunity, Gadd added.

“We thought it was a good idea to have commission districts and school board districts that were the same. In the past, we cooperated on that,” Gadd said.

The county’s proposed map won’t work for the school board because it carves school board member Alison Crumbley out of her district, he said.

“I think it’s unfortunate that the school board and the county didn’t meet to discuss this issue, prior to that decision being made,” he said.

Some county board members said it appeared that a small tweak might be able to resolve the issue, but Gadd said: “None of our school board members have seen these maps. I don’t know what any of them think of these maps.”

School Board Attorney Dennis Alfonso and Superintendent Kurt Browning addressed the issue during the school board’s Oct. 19 meeting.

Alfonso told the board that the county’s proposed map can’t be used by the school board “because it would be contrary to the law.” He explained that a map cannot affect an incumbent’s position.

Proposed maps have been circulated to board members, Browning said.

The issue will be discussed at the board’s Nov. 2 meeting, and the proposed maps will be published as part of that agenda, the superintendent said.

Browning said based on the board’s Nov. 2 action, a resolution and map will be placed on the board’s Nov. 16 meeting, to set the new districts for each of the five school board members.

By the numbers

Proposed commission districts:
District 1: 113,431
District 2: 112,918
District 3: 111,299
District 4: 111,763
District 5: 112,480
Total Pasco County population: 561,891
Average population per district: 112,378

Pasco County, census data
Total population, 2020: 561,891
Total population, 2010: 464,697
Numeric change between 2010 and 2020: 97,194
Percent change: +20.9%

Published October 27, 2021

Chalk Talk 10/27/2021

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Law enforcement graduates
Law enforcement officers from five Florida counties, who make up the 22nd cohort of Saint Leo University’s Command Officer Management Program, received their diplomas on Sept. 16.

The 22nd cohort of Saint Leo University’s Command Officer Management Program. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Lake County Sheriff Peyton Grinnell was the keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony.

The Saint Leo program was designed to provide onsite education that prepares law enforcement officers for the transition to command staff, by addressing areas such as leadership, ethics, human resources, critical incident management, and other relevant administrative competencies.

The 18-credit hour certificate program consists of six courses during six months (three terms) for undergraduate or graduate academic credits.

Class graduates and their agencies are:

  • Citrus County Sheriff’s Office: Sgt. Bobby Price
  • Lake County Sheriff’s Office: Sgt. Timothy Beary, Sgt. Robert Casaburi, Sgt. Brian Forst, Sgt. Gerald Green, Sgt. David McDaniel, Sgt. Nate Pickens, Lt. Elvin Rodriguez (class president), Cpl. Bret Rutzebeck, Cpl. Keith Sommer and Sgt. Billy Walls
  • Pasco County Sheriff’s Office: Sgt. Eric Cayer and Lt. Luby Fields
  • Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office: Lt. Joseph Mitchell and Lt. Ivan Nelson
  • Sumter County Sheriff’s Office: Sgt. Dave Clark and Sgt. Clinton Hayes

Saint Leo is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of College and Schools (SACS).

For more information on the program, contact Nikki Heister at or 352-588-8487.

Saint Leo food drive
Saint Leo University’s Tampa Education Center will collect food from Nov. 1 through Nov. 18 for Metropolitan Ministries, whose mission is to care for the homeless and those at risk of becoming homeless, according to a news release.

Saint Leo University-Tampa is in the former Berriman-Morgan Cigar Factory building, at 1403 N. Howard Ave., in Tampa.

Canned goods and nonperishable food may be dropped off between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

For information, contact Rod Kirkwood at or 813-743-3228.

Drive-Thru Reading
Staff members from the New River Library and the Hugh Embry Library will greet students at Rodney B. Cox Elementary’s “Fall into Reading Drive-Thru Festival” on Nov. 4 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the school, 37615 Martin Luther King Blvd., in Dade City.

Students can receive goodies to encourage reading and learning.

For information, call 813-788-6375.

Rabbi to speak
The Saint Leo University Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies will host a free lecture on Nov. 4 starting at 7 p.m., at Congregation Schaarai Zedek, 3303 W. Swann Ave., in Tampa.

The guest speaker will be Rabbi Dr. David Novak from the University of Toronto, on the topic of “Is There a Universal Moral Law? Natural Law in the Catholic and Jewish Traditions.”

Another guest speaker, Dr. Vincent Lloyd, will follow Novak’s address and the two will share some reflections.

To attend, reserve a seat online at Zedek.org/ccjs.

Honor Society hosts fundraiser
The Martinez Middle School National Junior Honor Society will host a donation drive to benefit Hope Children’s Home, on Dec. 11 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Stonebrier basketball gazebo, 3741 W. County Line Road in Lutz.

Guests can bring a blanket or lawn chair, and eat, relax and listen to live music with local metal band, Actual Purgatory. The Bacon Boss food truck will be on site from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Kona Ice will be on site from noon to 2 p.m.

Accepted donations include: Nonperishable items (such as canned veggies, box/bag cereal, canned soup); household items (such as paper plates/bowls, aluminum foil, dryer sheets); school supplies (such as white board cleaner, binders, post-its); and, gently used clothes/shoes for boys and girls ages newborn to 18 years old.

For questions and a more detailed list of acceptable donations, email Annie Hayman at .

Chalk Talk 10/20/2021

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Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathan Alfonso (Courtesy of Megan Brown, Navy Office of Community Outreach)

Land O’ Lakes native part of ‘Silent Service’
Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathan Alfonso, a 2015 Sunlake High School graduate, joined the Navy five years ago.

Today, Alfonso serves aboard the USS Alaska, one of the world’s most advanced nuclear-powered submarines, as an electronics technician (navigation). His responsibilities include operating a nuclear reactor and performing maintenance on the equipment that monitors the reactor, according to a news release.

Known as America’s “Silent Service,” the Navy’s submarine force operates a large fleet of technically advanced vessels. These submarines are capable of conducting rapid defensive and offensive operations around the world, in furtherance of U.S. national security.

“I joined the Navy for the travel and career opportunities, as well as to make new friends,” said Alfonso, in the release.

According to Alfonso, the values required to succeed in the military are similar to those found in Land O’ Lakes.

“Land O’ Lakes taught me to have a positive attitude and keep an open mind,” said Alfonso.

Program & lab fees meeting
The Hillsborough Community College District Board of Trustees will meet on Oct. 27 at 4 p.m., at the Dr. Gwendolyn Stephenson District Administration Center board room, 39 Columbia Drive in Tampa, to consider a new program fee and lab fee increase.

The proposed fees are limited to covering costs incurred by the college and will not generate a profit.

The new fees, if approved, will go into effect in fall 2022.

To see the press release in full, visit News.hccfl.edu/press-releases.

Comments on the new fees may be sent to , and then will be shared during the meeting.

Merit semifinalists
Pasco County is home to seven National Merit semifinalists from five high schools.

These students are among 16,000 high school seniors nationwide competing for about 7,500 scholarships worth about $30 million.

  • J.W. Mitchell High School: Leonid Alexeyev and Jacob Bolton
  • Land O’ Lakes High: Sohan Malladi and Daniel J. Urbonas
  • Pasco High: Kenneth P. Chew
  • Sunlake High: Louis E. Cohen
  • Wiregrass Ranch: Eric T. Reichard

Scholarship selection weighs a student’s academic record, SAT or ACT scores, participation in school activities, community service, leadership, employment, awards, and other honors and distinctions.

Students also must receive a recommendation from a high school official, and write an essay.

New administrator
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) has named Alysen Heil, Ed.D., as dean of workforce development and career and technical education, according to a news release.

Heil’s experience at PHSC includes roles as the assistant dean of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs and, more recently, assistant dean of workforce programs, career and technical education.

She formerly was a mathematics instructor/chair and co-coordinator of Achieving the Dream and quality enhancement plan (QEP) at Athens Technical College in Georgia, where she was employed for 15 years.

Heil earned an Ed.D. (Doctoral Degree in education) in occupational studies from the University of Georgia; a Master of Science in mathematics from the University of Central Florida; and a Bachelor of Science in secondary education mathematics from the University of South Alabama.

Early release days
Pasco County Schools again will utilize a monthly, early release time to allow for staff to engage in professional development aligned with student needs, and district and school priorities.

Upcoming early release dates are: Nov. 10, Dec. 8, Jan. 12, Feb. 2, March 9 and April 13.

On each of these days, students will be released two hours early.

The bell times, including the early release times for each school, can be found online at Pasco.k12.fl.us/site/pcs_bell_schedule.