The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Chalk Talk 05/12/2021

By

Amara Hays (Courtesy of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce)

Students of the Month
Five students from Raymond B. Stewart Middle School were honored as The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce Students of the Month.

Students are chosen by the teachers and administration for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their individual school, family and community.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, chamber members delivered a certificate and goody bag to each student, in lieu of the ceremony that usually takes place.

The students receiving honors were Logan Forbes, sixth grade; Amara Hays, eighth grade; Nyla Nobles, eighth grade; Karsten Osgood, seventh grade; and Elizabeth Wagoner, eighth grade.

Karsten Osgood
Nyla Nobles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Writers retreat
Saint Leo University will host its eighth Sandhill Writers Retreat, virtually, on May 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., via Zoom.

The retreat is for writers of all experience levels, and sessions and workshops will cover a variety of topics, conducted by prominent writers.

Topics will include: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, nature writing, writing for veterans, spoken word and performance, publishing, and creating literary community.

The complete program showing all classes, teacher biographies, and digital access to a local bookstore carrying titles from the workshop authors is available at SaintLeo.edu/sandhill-writers-retreat.

Fees are between $25 and $45, with additional charges for optional consultations or master classes.

Those attending the retreat and other members of the public also are invited to register to attend a free reading featuring veteran-author Brian Turner, of Orlando, on May 14 at 7 p.m., also via Zoom.

Fee adjustment review
Pasco-Hernando State College’s District Board of Trustees (DBOT) will meet on May 18 at 6 p.m., at the Spring Hill Campus, to consider the approval of proposed adjusted course-related fees.

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.

For details regarding the adjustments, justification for the fees and fee implementation details, visit Policies.phsc.edu/policies-and-procedures/public-disclosure.

Many fee adjustments relate to vendor increases for workforce courses, laboratories, and program testing.

Some fees may be covered by financial aid, scholarship and grants.

Questions or concerns about the proposed fees should be directed to the appropriate dean listed on the web page.

Hillel opens preschool
The Forman Early Learning Center, a Hillel-JCC Jewish preschool, will host a grand opening on May 23 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Hillel Academy, 2020 W. Fletcher Ave., in Tampa.

The expansion program includes children ages 1 to 4, to serve the growing need of Jewish early childhood education in northeast Tampa.

The new 6,500-square-foot center has 10,000 square feet of playground area, right on the academy’s campus.

The Hillel-JCC program is bilingual — Hebrew and English — and is focused on the growth of each and every child as he or she develops.

Children participate in experiential learning, through a Jewish lens, as they transition to elementary school.

In addition to outside time, the program includes music, art, cooking and physical education classes, and runs Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

During the grand opening, visitors can check out the classrooms, play on the playground, view the toddler teaching kitchen and meet the educators.

All children will receive a special gift, too.

Visit HillelAcademyTampa.com/academics/preschool, for information about the early learning center.

In-person graduations
Pasco County Schools will host in-person graduations in school stadiums, unless otherwise noted.

This year, each graduate will be allowed to have four guests — two guests to accompany the graduate on the field, and two seated in the bleachers.

“We know how important it is to the graduates to walk across the stage and receive their diploma in person. And we know how important it is to have family there to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime experiences,” said Kurt Browning, Pasco superintendent of schools.

Here is a complete list of graduation dates and times for the schools in The Laker/Lutz news coverage area:

  • May 26 at 6 p.m.: Marchman Technical College, at River Ridge High Performing Arts Center
  • May 27 at 6 p.m.: Pasco eSchool, Idlewild Baptist Church
  • June 1 at 6 p.m.: Wendell Krinn Technical High School, in the school’s gymnasium
  • June 2 at 7 p.m.: Cypress Creek High School
  • June 3 at 9 a.m.: Zephyrhills High School
  • June 3 at 7 p.m.: Wiregrass Ranch High School
  • June 4 at 7 p.m.: Land O’ Lakes High School
  • June 4 at 7 p.m.: Wesley Chapel High School
  • June 4 at 7:30 p.m.: Pasco High School
  • June 5 at 9 a.m.: Sunlake High School

For more information, email Stephen Hegarty at ">.

Pasco schools seek ‘near-normal’

By

As the Pasco County public school district wraps up an academic year that was anything but normal, Superintendent Kurt Browning hopes things will be different in the 2021-2022 term.

Browning discussed his hopes for the district, along with a full range of other topics, during a webinar hosted last week by the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce, as part of its Business Development Year series.

“This year has been incredibly challenging,” Browning told those listening.

“Whoever knew … when everything got shut down (in March 2020) that we would literally be shut down for the fourth quarter and that we’d still be dealing with COVID … more than a year later,” the superintendent said.

Browning praised district teachers, administrators and staff for making rapid adaptations to conduct the rest of last school year virtually.

Then, he said, the district made more adjustments before the 2020-2021 year began to create a new option called mySchool Online. That option has allowed students to learn virtually, following a normal school schedule — being taught remotely by teachers.

When the 2021-2022 school year begins, Browning said mySchool Online will be discontinued. Students will either return to school campuses for in-person learning or learn remotely through Pasco eSchool.

MySchool Online, Browning acknowledged, “had its challenges.”

“We’ve had some students that have been very successful on it. I will tell you that we’ve had some students that have not been very successful,” he said.

Concerns about students lagging behind prompted the district to make an all-out push in an effort to persuade parents of those struggling students to return them to campus.

Some parents simply refused, Browning said.

That’s concerning, the district leader said, because “the performance this year is certainly going to set them up for future success. We just want to make sure our kids are prepared, going forward into the next grade level.”

As of last week, details were still being worked out regarding the summer instructional program and the upcoming school year.

Browning wants to reintroduce activities that were diminished or curtailed by COVID-19.

“Kids need some sense of normalcy. They need to have their clubs. They need to have athletics. They need to have their dances. They need to have the social interaction with other students,” Browning said.

“And so, we are going to try to have as normal of a school opening as we possibly can, starting in August,” Browning said.

At the same time, the district will take guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and will work closely with the Department of Health-Pasco County, he said.

Social isolation, mental health
Browning said he doesn’t consider himself a “touchy-feely” type of guy. But added: “I have been very concerned about the mental well-being of our kids this year.”

When students are learning remotely, they don’t have the safety nets that schools provide, he said.

“Teachers can’t physically lay their eyes on these kids. They can’t see that they’re dirty.

“They can’t see that they’ve got bruises on their arms.

“They can’t see that they’re thinner because maybe they’re not eating.

“At least when they were face-to-face, they could see some things. Teachers could let their administrators know. We could make phone calls. We could do a wellness check with the family. We could provide food. We could provide clothing.

“Not only that, we could provide hope.

“What we found through COVID is that some parents have just not had any hope.”

“My heart just breaks when I hear about these kids that are struggling,” Browning said.

He then told those listening to the webinar about a call he received from a fellow superintendent — who told him two students in that district had committed suicide.

A few weeks later, Browning said, he learned of a Pasco student who had committed suicide and then, a couple of weeks later, another student did.

“I don’t know all of the underlying circumstances to what brought that kid to make that decision,” Browning said. Then, he reiterated: “I have been concerned about the mental well-being of our kids.”

Browning touched on some other topics, too.

In response to a question, he said he expects COVID-19 to have a negative impact on the district’s graduation rate.

He also told listeners that the district will be opening its Starkey Ranch K-8 school in the fall. Located in the Starkey community, off State Road 54, it is the district’s first school specifically designed for kindergarten through eighth-grade students.

The school is expected to have about 1,000 elementary school students and 600 middle school students.

The campus will have a facility that has been dubbed TLC, which stands for theater, library and cultural center.

The TLC will accommodate public library for patrons and students. It also will have a 250-seat theater and three makerspaces.

Michael Francis, conductor for the Florida Orchestra, has been helping the district with its arts planning for the campus, Browning said.

On another topic, the superintendent told the crowd that unlike many districts across the state, Pasco is projected to experience growth in the coming year.

The district also has been included in a 10-county intensive reading pilot project, which will allow the district to provide some intensive literacy help.

Although Browning expects the district to fare well, overall, in terms of the state budget, he said the district needs to improve salaries overall, but teacher salaries, in particular.

“It really is tough work out there, and with some of the other districts out there having additional sources of revenue that we don’t have, it makes it difficult to compete with those other districts,” Browning said.

Published May 05, 2021

Masks still required in Pasco public schools

By

Pasco County Schools will require masks on its school campuses through the end of the school year, Superintendent Kurt Browning said, recently in a video.

The superintendent said he previously misspoke when he said the district’s requirement was based on the governor’s executive order. Rather, he said, as superintendent he has the authority to require masks in a time of emergency, and the continuing COVID-19 pandemic constitutes an emergency.

Browning said a decision regarding masks for next school year will be made closer to that time.

Meanwhile, Browning also addressed the issue during a recent webinar hosted by the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce.

He said the decision to require masks through the end of the school year made some people happy and others, not.

“It’s not about making people happy, with me, it’s about making sure we have a safe environment for our students and our staff, and the visitors that come into our schools,” Browning said.

“You know, COVID has become very political, unfortunately. People are kind of polarized on two different sides. It’s either they will support vaccines, or they don’t. They support masks, or they don’t.

“We are having to make decisions of what we believe are in the best interest of our kids and our employees, based on CDC recommendations, and depending on where you are coming from — you just don’t subscribe to that, or you do subscribe to that,” Browning said.

Published May 05, 2021

Chalk Talk 05/05/2021

By

Fine arts grants awarded
First National Bank of Pasco (FNBP) awarded six Pasco County schools with fine arts classroom grants for the third quarter of the 2021 school year.

Fine arts teacher Carolyn Frances, left, of Quail Hollow Elementary, accepts her grant from Kathy Balthazard, area sales manager for First National Bank of Pasco. (Courtesy of First National Bank of Pasco)

ArtsFirst is a public-private collaboration between the school district and the bank, where grant applications are submitted by Pasco fine arts teachers and awarded by FNBP based upon the grant’s likelihood of improving student achievement and opportunity.

Most grant requests were made in an effort to purchase supplies to assist with COVID-19 precautions, once classrooms reopened.

Grants were requested for various items, including folding chairs (so students could go outside in the open air), bags of clay, individual art kits, new music scores, communication tools, and mini electric pianos and headphones.

The schools receiving ArtsFirst grants were Anclote Elementary School, Land O’ Lakes High, Pasco High, Quail Hollow Elementary, San Antonio Elementary and Wiregrass Ranch High.

The challenges of learning fine arts online are numerous, and these grants help students return to school in a safe, productive and creative way.

(Courtesy of Florida Recovery Schools of Tampa Bay Inc.)

Donation for Victory High
Victory High School received a $5,000 presented by Pilot Bank. The school is the first Recovery High School in Tampa Bay for students ages 14 to 19 seeing recovery from addictions. From left: Eileen Bedinghaus, Florida Recovery Schools of Tampa Bay Board of Directors chair; Tina Levine, Florida Recovery Schools founder and executive director; and Rita Lowman, Pilot Bank.

Writers retreat
Saint Leo University will host its eighth Sandhill Writers Retreat, virtually, on May 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., via Zoom.

The retreat is for writers of all experience levels, and sessions and workshops will cover a variety of topics, conducted by prominent writers.

Topics will include: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, nature writing, writing for veterans, spoken word and performance, publishing, and creating literary community.

The complete program showing all classes, teacher biographies, and digital access to a local bookstore carrying titles from the workshop authors is available at SaintLeo.edu/sandhill-writers-retreat.

Fees are between $25 and $45, with additional charges for optional consultations or master classes.

Those attending the retreat and other members of the public also are invited to register to attend a free reading featuring veteran-author Brian Turner, of Orlando, on May 14 at 7 p.m., also via Zoom.

Fee adjustment review
Pasco-Hernando State College’s District Board of Trustees (DBOT) will meet on May 18 at 6 p.m., at the Spring Hill Campus, to consider the approval of proposed adjusted course-related fees.

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.

For details regarding the adjustments, justification for the fees and fee implementation details, visit Policies.phsc.edu/policies-and-procedures/public-disclosure.

Many fee adjustments relate to vendor increases for workforce courses, laboratories, and program testing.

Some fees may be covered by financial aid, scholarship and grants.

Questions or concerns about the proposed fees should be directed to the appropriate dean listed on the web page.

In-person graduations
Pasco County Schools will host in-person graduations in school stadiums, unless otherwise noted.

This year, each graduate will be allowed to have four guests — two guests to accompany the graduate on the field, and two seated in the bleachers.

“We know how important it is to the graduates to walk across the stage and receive their diploma in person. And we know how important it is to have family there to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime experiences,” said Kurt Browning, Pasco superintendent of schools.

Here is a complete list of graduation dates and times for the schools in The Laker/Lutz news coverage area:

  • May 26 at 6 p.m.: Marchman Technical College, at River Ridge High Performing Arts Center
  • May 27 at 6 p.m.: Pasco eSchool, Idlewild Baptist Church
  • June 1 at 6 p.m.: Wendell Krinn Technical High School, in the school’s gymnasium
  • June 2 at 7 p.m.: Cypress Creek High School
  • June 3 at 9 a.m.: Zephyrhills High School
  • June 3 at 7 p.m.: Wiregrass Ranch High School
  • June 4 at 7 p.m.: Land O’ Lakes High School
  • June 4 at 7 p.m.: Wesley Chapel High School
  • June 4 at 7:30 p.m.: Pasco High School
  • June 5 at 9 a.m.: Sunlake High School

For more information, email Stephen Hegarty at .

Chalk Talk 04/28/2021

By

Rebecca Schulkowski (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

New board appointment
Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the appointment of Rebecca Schulkowski to the District Board of Trustees (DBOT) for Pasco-Hernando State College.

Schulkowski, director of operations for Mease Dunedin Hospital and Mease Countryside Hospital, is leading the construction of BayCare’s new 318,000-square-foot hospital in Wesley Chapel.

“Dr. Schulkowski brings over 20 years of administrative and clinical experience to the DBOT,” said Timothy Beard, PHSC president. “We look forward to her leadership and guidance.”

Schulkowski’s position on the board began on March 26. She succeeds Al Hernandez who served on the DBOT since March, 2017.

The appointment is subject to the confirmation by the Florida Senate.

CyberCamp scholarships
The University of South Florida’s (USF) CyberCamp is a virtual experience open to students in grades three to 12, and graduating high school seniors who are interested in the rapidly growing field of cybersecurity.

Scholarships are being offered through the support of businesses and individuals, and all funds are distributed based on need.

The application window for the USF summer camp program is open until April 30, at bit.ly/3flHM4x.

To learn more about the elementary cybercamp, visit bit.ly/usfelemcybercamp.

For middle school camp, visit bit.ly/usfmiddlecybercamp.

For high school camp, visit bit.ly/usfhighschoolcybercamp.

In-person graduations
Pasco County Schools will host in-person graduations in school stadiums, unless otherwise noted.

This year, each graduate will be allowed to have four guests — two guests to accompany the graduate on the field, and two seated in the bleachers.

“We know how important it is to the graduates to walk across the stage and receive their diploma in person. And we know how important it is to have family there to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Kurt Browning, Pasco superintendent of schools.

Here is a list of graduation dates and times for the schools in The Laker/Lutz news coverage area:

  • May 26 at 6 p.m.: Marchman Technical College, at River Ridge High Performing Arts Center
  • May 27 at 6 p.m.: Pasco eSchool, Idlewild Baptist Church
  • June 1 at 6 p.m.: Wendell Krinn Technical High School, in the school’s gymnasium
  • June 2 at 7 p.m.: Cypress Creek High School
  • June 3 at 9 a.m.: Zephyrhills High School
  • June 3 at 7 p.m.: Wiregrass Ranch High School
  • June 4 at 7 p.m.: Land O’ Lakes High School
  • June 4 at 7 p.m.: Wesley Chapel High School
  • June 4 at 7:30 p.m.: Pasco High School
  • June 5 at 9 a.m.: Sunlake High School

For more information, email Stephen Hegarty at .

Student achievements

  • Joel Perdomo, of Lutz, has earned a place in The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most-selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Perdomo was initiated at the University of Southern Mississippi.
  • Marissa Schabes, of Lutz, was recognized to the fall Dean’s List at Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina. Furman is a private, undergraduate liberal arts and sciences university.

Free VPK offered
Pasco County Schools offers free VPK for three hours a day, for the 2021-2022 school year.

Children must be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1, to be eligible.

For information, contact the Pasco Schools VPK office at 813-794-2672.

Hillsborough Schools plans deep cuts to avoid state takeover

By

Hillsborough County School Board members spent much of the day and evening of April 13 discussing the district’s need to make deep cuts to avoid losing financial control of the district.

“Hard decisions have to be made to protect this organization,” Superintendent Addison Davis told board members, and the public.

If the district doesn’t reduce its expenses, the Florida Department of Education will take over, and the cuts it makes will be less surgical in nature, Davis said.

The state will tell the district “what to do for every cent and dollar,” Davis said, essentially stripping the board and superintendent of their financial power.

Board members and Davis discussed the need to make more than $100 million in cuts during a board workshop in the morning and a board meeting in the evening.

Davis said he came to Hillsborough County with the mission of improving the district’s academic performance.

His 13-month tenure in the district, however, has been dominated by dealing with budgetary shortfalls.

“I didn’t know that Hillsborough was in any type of a financial deficit,” the superintendent said.

“We’re losing students, which is equivalent to losing leaders, teachers, district staff and support staff. That’s a reality,” Davis said.

Numerous speakers criticized the district’s planned reductions.

“As a career Hillsborough County educator, who loves this district, I am thoroughly disappointed and disheartened by where we stand today. These cuts are not good for students, schools, employees, or our communities,” said Rob Kriete, president of the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association.

“The cuts that you are going to bring are going to destroy what little morale is left,” another speaker said.”

Others questioned the district’s plans to cut its number of assistant principals and reduce staffing levels at individual schools.

“Don’t balance the budget on the back of our schools,” a speaker urged.

“There is a lot of talk about transparency, but there’s not a lot of evidence of this,” a speaker said.

Davis said if anything, he has over-communicated the district’s financial situation. “It hasn’t been a secret,” he said, noting he’s done media tours and given talks to numerous groups about the district’s dire financial straits.

He also told board members: “We gave every school a staff allocation model for their schools. We didn’t change anything that hasn’t historically been in Hillsborough County. We’re just implementing that model.”

The district’s plan, however, reduces the number of assistant principals.

That decision has prompted concerns about how the reduced staffing will affect student safety and behavior.

As one speaker put it: “Our already overwhelmed assistant principals are going to become even more overwhelmed, coming off a very difficult year.”

School board member Nadia Combs told Davis: “I do believe that we are top-heavy in this district. I do believe that the cuts need to come from the top and go down.”

The district needs to find a landing place for the assistant principals affected by the cuts, Combs said.

“When people are identified as an assistant principal, it’s because they’ve done a great job as a teacher. They’ve gone above and beyond, as a teacher.

“I strongly believe that we need to look at every single one of our assistant principals and make sure they have a landing somewhere.”

“Some of these assistant principals just found out on Friday that they are going to be let go. Some of them have been in this district for 25 or more years.

“We have 24,000 employees. I think we can find a place for those 50 people,” Combs said.

Davis responded: “I would love to guarantee every assistant principal a job.

“I have a contract that I have to follow. Teachers have the first right in that contract.”

Davis added that master schedule reviews will continue during the summer to determine how many positions can be regained, based on the newest enrollment projections.

He also noted that while the college and career counseling position may be eliminated, 23 of the district’s 28 career counselors are certified to be counselors and will move to those positions.

Of the remaining five, he said, one has retired and two have found new positions, leaving the district down to two.

School board member Jessica Vaughn asked if the district could use federal CARES Act money, to help address the shortfalls to give the district more time to find long-term solutions.

But, Ro Johnson, the district’s new chief financial officer, said the district should not use one-time money to support staffing because ultimately the personnel would need to be cut once that money ran out.

School board chairman Lynn Gray and school board member Henry “Shake” Washington said principals need to play a key role in deciding what happens at their schools — because they are in the best position to know what the school needs.

Davis told board members he understands the educational sacrifices that the district is having to make.

“As a superintendent, I would never make these decisions, if our back were not against the wall,” Davis said adding, “I don’t want to be one of the leaders that kicks this can down the road.”

Hillsborough County School Cuts
Hillsborough County Public Schools must make budget cuts to avoid being taken over by the Florida Department of Education.

Planned cuts include:

  • 1,000 positions (It is not known yet how many people the district will cut)
  • Furlough days: Each administrative position will be required to take furlough days
  • Fewer assistant principals: The district expects to trim about 47 AP jobs
  • Elimination of college and career counselors; those services will be provided by school counselors

Published April 21, 2021

Chalk Talk 04/21/2021

By

(Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)

Showing up for students
With year-end events canceled due to the pandemic, Wendell Krinn Technical High School hosted a Formal Friday, in which students elected a king and queen, and listened to music during their lunchtime. School Resource Officer (SRO) Cpl. Locascio, of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, dressed for the formal occasion, in which he took part. SROs with the sheriff’s office do more than just provide a law enforcement presence at schools, as they help students in various ways, each day, and care deeply about the community they serve.

Virtual career fair
Saint Leo University’s Human Services Department will host its annual Virtual Career Fair on April 24 from 9 a.m. to noon. The fair’s theme is “Career Competency and Readiness,” and is free and open to the public.

The hosts for the event will be Dr. Amina Abdullah, chair of human services, and Dr. Michelle Boone-Thornton, associate chair.

In addition to professionals in the human services field, representatives from Saint Leo’s Career Services and the Center for Teaching & Learning Excellence will provide information.

The sessions will focus on:

  • Resume preparation: Categories and terms to use on a resume
  • Applicant tracking software: Strategies to advance a resume, through computer prompts
  • Interview preparation: Questions to ask during the interview
  • Interview practice: An opportunity to practice interview skills
  • Job search platforms: How to locate positions in human services

There will be open discussion time and an opportunity to ask the panel questions.

To register, visit tinyurl.com/4nkdna66.

For information, contact Dr. Abdullah at 412-229-7431 or , or visit SaintLeo.edu/online-human-services-bachelors.

Executive director named
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) has named Lauren Baker Murray as the inaugural executive director for the school’s new Instructional Performing Arts Center. Murray joined PHSC on March 15.

Murray is a Tampa native, and has more than 20 years of administrative and academic experience in higher education and the performing arts.

She most recently served as the music chair at the Patel Conservatory at the Straz Center in Tampa. During her tenure, she doubled the enrollment in music programming, and worked collaboratively with higher education and secondary school leaders to create custom arts programming in the region.

Murray has served as an associate director of the School of Music at the University of Northern Colorado and as the coordinator of artistic programming in the School of Music at the University of South Florida.

She also has served as director of operations and education for the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and is an accomplished oboe instrumentalist.

Murray has a Bachelor of Music Education from Stetson University, a Master of Music from Yale University, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas.

Free VPK offered
Pasco County Schools offers free VPK for three hours a day, for the 2021-2022 school year.

Children must be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1, to be eligible.

For information, contact the Pasco Schools VPK office at 813-794-2672.

Students attend WrestleMania
AdventHealth, philanthropist Thaddeus Bullard (also known as WWE Superstar Titus O’Neil) and the Bullard Family Foundation joined forces to put smiles on the faces of several Hillsborough County students and teachers, with surprise tickets to WrestleMania 37, according to an AdventHealth news release.

AdventHealth and the Bullard Family Foundation consistently work together to provide services and resources, including free physicals and health screenings, to help underserved and underprivileged communities.

The WWE superstar hosted the two-night event at Raymond James Stadium on April 10 and April 11.

Bullard also recently visited Gulf Middle School in New Port Richey to unveil the school’s new Innovation Lab, which will provide opportunities for students to learn and play in a safe and fun environment during and after school.

Last year, Bullard approached Pasco County Schools with a proposal to partner with the school district to help kids. That partnership has resulted in Innovation Labs at both Gulf Middle and Pasco Middle.

All of the equipment, furniture and electronic devices were donated by Skanska and Microsoft in partnership with the Bullard Family Foundation.

Union Park Charter Academy has one year to get finances in order

By

The Pasco County School Board has refused a 5-year extension of Union Park Charter Academy’s contract, instead granting it a one-year term.

The decision came during the board’s April 6 meeting, at the recommendation of Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning.

Board members backed the superintendent, despite the urgings of numerous parents and of representatives of Charter Schools USA and the school’s governing board.

Superintendent Kurt Browning

Browning said the school district has no desire to shut down the charter school, but said this action is necessary to ensure the charter gets its financial house in order.

Parent after parent told school board members that Union Park has gone to extraordinary lengths to meet the needs of their children, to maintain open lines of communication with parents and to engage families.

They said their children are thriving and they believe the school needs the five-year contract extension to provide stability.

In addition to the obvious support of parents — representatives for the school said they were surprised by the district’s decision to offer just a one-year term.

“Union Park Charter has met all criteria to be renewed for five years,” said Valora Cole, board chair of the Florida Charter Educational Inc., which is the governing board for Union Park Academy.

Eddie Ruiz, Florida State Director for Charter Schools USA, told school board members that there was no basis for just a one-year term.

He told the school board that Charter Schools USA has been operating for 20 years and this has never been an issue.

Independent auditors have done audits and there have been no negative findings, he said.

“We’re happy to work with staff, but a one-year renewal really will not help our school. It really will hurt our school. And so, we really are asking for what we deserve, which is a five-year renewal,” Ruiz said.

But Mary Tillman, director of internal audit for Pasco County Schools, said there were issues of overspending during the school’s first two years of operation. She also noted that the budgets are based on enrollment projections that were not achieved.

The school did not produce evidence of any budget amendments to address that issue, Tillman said.

The district’s auditor added: “I have no doubt that Charter Schools USA has the resources to support this school but we haven’t seen that in writing.”

Another problem, according to Tillman, is that the budget was missing information.

“I don’t know how to analyze budgets when not all of the numbers are there,” Tillman said.

Browning said his email box was flooded with messages, which conveyed the sense that the school district was preparing to close Union Park.

“It is not the intent of this superintendent or district to close a charter school,” Browning said.

Published April 14, 2021

Pasco County Schools preparing for two new STEAM schools

By

The Pasco County school district plans to close Centennial Elementary School in Dade City and Marlowe Elementary School in New Port Richey, and reopen them as STEAM magnet schools.

The acronym STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

The conversion of the schools will begin at the conclusion of the 2020-2021 school year, based on an action approved by the Pasco School Board on April 6.

The staff allocations at both schools will be updated for the 2021-2022 school year to reflect these conversions and the newly approved STEAM teacher job description will be used at both schools, as well as at Sanders Memorial Elementary School.

Identified instructional staff members will begin professional development this summer and that will continue into the 2021-2022 school year, with implementation of STEAM curriculum and specialized instructional strategies occurring throughout the 2021-2022 school year.

The student populations and boundaries for both schools will remain status quo for the 2021-2022 school year, with proposed boundary changes to remove the school boundaries for both schools planned for the school board’s consideration and approval this fall.

The boundaries for Centennial and Marlowe will be absorbed into other nearby schools.

Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, the student populations at Centennial and Marlowe  will be determined through the district’s Pasco Pathways process — with priority preference for attendance given to existing students at both schools.

The district is converting the schools to provide more choices to parents, Superintendent Kurt Browning said, during a previous discussion of the issue.

Board member Colleen Beaudoin said parents have been seeking the additional option.

Published April 14, 2021

Chalk Talk 04/14/2021

By

(Courtesy of Eliza Smith)

Land O’ Lakes teen to compete
Miss Land O’ Lakes Teen USA Eliza Smith, a sophomore at Land O’ Lakes High School, will be competing in the 2021 Miss Florida Teen USA pageant July 16 to July 18, in Orlando.

Smith has a GPA of 4.6, with all honors and AP classes. She has been a member of the National Junior Honors Society, and has received a nomination for the Future Leaders of Medicine Award.

Smith aspires to attend Duke University, to major in health sciences with a minor in psychology, with the hope of becoming a physician’s assistant.

Her platform, “Be Bold Be Beautiful Be You,” strives to educate people about the importance of mental illness awareness, reduce the stigma around them, and learn how to better support someone with a mental illness.

Free VPK offered
Pasco County Schools offers free VPK for three hours a day, for the 2021-2022 school year. Children must be 4 years old on or before Sept. 1, to be eligible. For information, contact the Pasco Schools VPK office at 813-794-2672.

Victory High open house
Victory High School will host an open house on April 14 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., in the Calvary Chapel Worship Center, Room 111 and Room 112, 6825 Trouble Creek Road in New Port Richey.

The open house is for new students, ages 14 to 19, seeking recovery from addictions, who are interested in enrolling in the private high school.

Preregister by emailing .

For information on the school, visit VictoryHighSchool.net.

Scholarship deadline extended
The deadline to apply for college scholarships of up to $5,000 from Hillsborough County Social Services and the Community Action Board has been extended to April 16.

Application materials can be downloaded on the county’s scholarship application page, at Tinyurl.com/ffzrrth8.

Detailed instructions on how to apply also can be found on the page.

Students may submit completed applications online only. Recipients will be notified in writing prior to the fall semester.

For questions, call Irina White at 813-272-5074.

Award recipients
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) has announced the recipients of its annual NISOD Excellence Awards, which recognize men and women each year who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment and contribution to their students and colleagues.

The National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) award recipients are:

  • Carolanne Azan, DBA, assistant professor, Bachelor of Applied Science in supervision and management
  • Karen Lotz, assistant professor, Bachelor of Nursing
  • Jonathan Spiewak, instructor, mathematics

Because the 2020 conference was canceled, PHSC also recognized these honorees:

  • Gary Cors, J.D., professor and paralegal program director
  • Gloria Pray, assistant professor, economics and director of business programs
  • Jeremy Scarbrough, Ph.D., instructor, philosophy

Prepaid scholarships
Hillsborough County Public Schools, in partnership with the Florida Prepaid College Program, is offering two scholarships to students worth a total of $9,000.

Superintendent Addison Davis’ Future of STEM Scholarship is a two-year Florida college plan worth $8,000, and is designed to encourage new teachers in areas with critical shortages. The scholarship will be awarded to a senior student attending Hillsborough County Public Schools who will study to become a teacher in a STEM subject.

Davis’ Preparing Students for Life Scholarship is a Florida 529 Savings Plan worth $1,000. It will be awarded to a parent or guardian who attends a kindergarten registration event or begins the registration process prior to April 30. The eligible student’s name will be drawn at random.

For information about both scholarships, visit bit.ly/HCPSscholarship.

Course fee adjustments
The Pasco-Hernando State College’s Board of Trustees will consider approving proposed adjusted course-related fees at its April 20 board meeting, at 6 p.m., at the West Campus in New Port Richey.

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.

All fees charged by vendors are negotiated by the college, with additional fee increases and decreases expected in the coming academic year.

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

Republican scholarships
The Republican Party of Pasco Scholarship Committee is now accepting applications for Pasco County Schools’ graduating seniors, including pubic, home-schools, charter and private schools.

Graduating seniors from any Pasco County high school are eligible if they meet this criteria:

  • Must be a registered or preregistered Republican
  • Have a cumulative 3.0 GPA
  • Complete a 650-word minimum essay on the topic: “What is the importance of conservative values for young people in today’s world?”
  • Extra points will be given for club and social activities, volunteer hours and campaign participation
  • Must be planning to attend an accredited community college/university or accredited vocational school in Florida

Applications can be found online at PascoGOP.org, at the individual’s high school career counselor’s office, or at the Pasco Republican Party office in Hudson.

Applications and essays must be emailed to , or to RPOP, 12043 Cobblestone Drive, Hudson, FL 34667, Attention: Sandy Graves, scholarship chair.

For information and questions, call 727-863-5400, or email .

The deadline to apply is 5 p.m., April 30.

Five $1,000 scholarships will be awarded in May.