The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Safety, flexibility are the bywords as college students return

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With COVID-19 safety protocols in place and enrollments either declining or flat, Pasco County’s colleges and universities have welcomed back students for the fall semester.

Whether it was Saint Leo University or the campuses at Pasco-Hernando State College, most courses were offered online to keep class sizes small. Zoom video conferencing technology was utilized for full interactivity, while hybrid/in-person attendance demanded face masks, hand-sanitizing and social distancing.

Students gather with face masks at Saint Leo University. (Courtesy of Renee Gerstein/Saint Leo University)

Seat configurations were redone. Plexiglass shields were installed in high-transaction, high-touch point areas. Some student activities were abandoned, while others were offered virtually.

“The keyword for everyone these days is flexibility,’’ said Saint Leo Senior Vice President Melanie Storms. “Of course, there will be a learning curve. But we’re very comfortable with what we’re doing.’’

After a record-breaking 2019, which featured a 40% enrollment increase, Storms said Saint Leo will have the same number of new students (1,000) as last fall. There is a 30% reduction in new international students and a 10% decrease in students living on the main campus. Enrollment in Saint Leo’s online programs are up 16% over last year.

“We got out early with a plan and were very transparent with our students about what we were planning to do,’’ Storms said. “We often talk (in the administration) and wonder what our enrollment might have been had there not been COVID. We might have seen another pretty substantial increase. We believe the fact that we have held steady is a reflection of how strong our new class is and the flexibility we’re providing them.’’

Saint Leo students could choose their educational method — either hybrid (alternating in Group A and Group B between in-person and Zoom), connected (exclusive Zoom in a scheduled class period with other students) or online.

Regardless of the choice, all Saint Leo students are required to have at least one class fully online, so overall traffic at campus sites could be kept at acceptable levels (maximum 50% of the normal population, maximum of 15 students in all classes).

“It’s a lot to take in, but we have a team solely dedicated to analyzing this and manipulating the boxes,’’ Storms said. “We went through the classrooms and determined where we’d need to be for comfortable occupancy. We backed that into the scheduling software and worked to make sure students would have the right mix and be optimized in their educational experience.

Saint Leo University’s social distancing reminder.

“We’re all doing things we’ve never done before. Many students are just navigating their lives and saying, ‘Sometimes I’m on Zoom, sometimes I’m online, sometimes I’m in the classroom.’ It’s interesting that one-third of our students selected connected (Zoom), but our housing is only down 10%. So we anticipate a lot of students coming to live with us who are (solely) studying in the Zoom capacity. It’s a new world. We’re getting our feet wet and making adjustments on the fly.’’

At Pasco-Hernando State College’s Porter Campus, in Wesley Chapel, and its East Campus, in Dade City, course offerings will largely be online or Zoom. There are notable exceptions, particularly in the health sciences programs, where students need access to laboratories and specialized equipment or disciplines, such as welding or law enforcement.

Porter Campus Provost Kevin O’Farrell said his enrollment was down 24% from last fall during a recent snapshot, but he was optimistic about an upswing due to students making last-minute decisions.

“I know the word ‘unprecedented’ has probably been overused, but there’s no other way to describe the challenges faced by all levels of higher education,’’ O’Farrell said. “At the same time, I’ve been so heartened by the level of innovation and ingenuity everybody is using. I always say, ‘Don’t let a crisis go to waste,’ and by that I mean, it’s an opportunity to rethink all of our processes and problem-solving.

“We went to a virtual waiting room for students to utilize time with advisors. I think that’s going to become a standard now. When the pandemic goes away, I think people would rather wait at home to speak with an advisor instead of sitting in the lobby. We’ll go back to some things, but we’ve found better ways to do other things.’’

At the state college’s East Campus, Provost Ed Goolsby said his faculty has adapted well to working remotely, although some prefer occasionally utilizing their on-campus office.

“They can work from there, but they just won’t be teaching on campus for the most part,’’ Goolsby said. “There will always be a place for the face-to-face teaching and I know some students want that level of accountability. We’ll just have to see what the environment is moving forward to the spring semester and beyond.

“I think we have shown — and we have been forced to show — that education can adapt. We have seen the words ‘fluid’ and ‘pivot’ quite a bit, but those are words that describe what we need to do,” he said.

By Joey Johnston

Published August 26, 2020

Chalk Talk 08/26/2020

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Meal applications available
Pasco County Schools is accepting free and reduced-price household meal applications for the 2020-2021 school year, and will serve free breakfast at 49 schools.

In accordance with the National School Lunch Act, households that are below the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines may qualify for free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch benefits. Households must complete a new application each school year.

Visit PascoSchoolMeals.com for a link to the online application, frequently asked questions, income eligibility guidelines, cafeteria menus and more.

Schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area that will serve free breakfast are: Centennial Elementary, Centennial Middle, Chester Taylor Elementary, James Irving Education Center, Lacoochee Elementary, Pasco Elementary, Pasco High, Pasco Middle, Quail Hollow Elementary, R.B. Stewart Middle, Rodney B. Cox Elementary, San Antonio Elementary, West Zephyrhills Elementary, Woodland Elementary and Zephyrhills High.

For information, call Pasco County Schools Food & Nutrition Services at (813) 794-2522.

Gift card drive
United Way of Pasco is hosting a Stuff the Bus Gift Card Drive for Teachers.

Those interested can donate a preloaded gift card from a favorite school supplies retailer, to be delivered to Pasco County school teachers.

Mail gift cards to the United Way of Pasco, 17230 Camelot Court, Land O’ Lakes FL 34638.

Donations also can be made online at UnitedWayPasco.org/stuff-the-bus-2020.

Deployed graduate returns
Zephyrhills native and 2013 Zephyrhills High School graduate Desiree Moon returned home on Aug. 9, marking the end of a seven-month deployment aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69).

After departing its home port of Norfolk, Virginia, in January, for a Composite Training Unit Exercise, the aircraft carrier remained underway and deployed to the Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Moon is an aviation support equipmentman aboard the carrier. Moon is responsible for being a mechanic on all equipment that supports aircraft functionality and safety.

Serving in the Navy is a continuing tradition of military service for Moon, who has military ties with family members who have previously served.

Moon’s grandfather was in the Navy and retired as a chief boatswain’s mate, and her oldest sister and brother are currently serving in the Army.

Social Work Conference
Saint Leo University has opened registration until Sept. 1 for its sixth annual Social Work Conference, scheduled to take place, through Zoom, on Oct. 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The conference is open to social work professionals and interested community members.

The theme is “Strengthening Generations of Families and Communities.”

Presentations will be solution-oriented and topics that may include family or school violence, trauma, mental illness, and obstacles to successful re-entry to society for individuals coming out of prison.

The conference guest speaker is Cpl. Alan Wilkett of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, who has been recognized for his extensive work in fighting human trafficking and training community groups in areas of crime prevention.

Continuing education credits will be processed for $20. Registration for attendees not affiliated with Saint Leo University is $20.

For information, visit SaintLeo.edu/annual-social-work-conference, or email and use the words “2020 Social Work Conference” in the subject line.

Schools benefit from donations
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s five offices collected donations in July for the Pasco County School District’s ABC (Assist, Believe & Care) Program. The program was created to provide financial assistance to students and their families who are experiencing economic hardship, especially when those needs interfere with the student’s ability to be academically successful.

The donations will go into a fund that teachers can use when they see or learn of a need a child may have.

Each tax collector office earmarked $2,000 for a school in need, totaling $10,000 in donations countywide, Fasano said.

The schools chosen by each office to receive funds are:

  • Dade City office: Pasco Middle School
  • Gulf Harbors office: Sunray Elementary School
  • Land O’ Lakes office: Charles S. Rushe Elementary School
  • New Port Richey office: Moon Lake Elementary School
  • Wesley Chapel office: Woodland Elementary School

To maintain appropriate social distancing, letters with checks were sent to the principal of each school identified.

For information about the charitable giving programs at the Pasco Tax Collector’s Office, call Assistant Tax Collector Greg Giordano at (727) 847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

Early education rankings
The personal finance website, WalletHub, has released a report on 2020’s States with the Best & Worst Early Education Systems.

WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 12 key metrics. The data set ranges from the share of school districts that offer a state pre-K program to the number of pre-K quality benchmarks met and total reported spending per child enrolled in Pre-K.

The quality of early education in Florida ranked as follows (1 is Best, 25 is average):

  • 10th – Total State Head Start Program Spending per Child Enrolled in Preschool
  • 14th – Share of 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds Enrolled in Pre-K, Pre-K Special Education and Head Start
  • 28th – Income Requirement for State Pre-K Eligibility
  • 37th – Monthly Child Care Co-Payment Fees as a Percent of Family Income
  • 43rd – Total Reported Spending per Child Enrolled in Preschool

For the full report, visit WalletHub.com/edu.

 

COVID-19 complicates school start

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Students in Pasco and Hillsborough counties are set to begin a new school year on Aug. 24, but not all of the students will be headed to campus.

In Pasco County, students have three options for learning — amidst the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Some students are expected to arrive at Pasco campuses on Aug. 24, while others opt for two versions of online learning. In the mySchool Online version, students are connected virtually to their assigned schools. With Pasco eSchool, they have more flexibility in the schedule and pace of learning.

In Hillsborough County, classes begin on Aug. 24, with all students beginning the school year through online learning only, until campuses open for students on Aug. 31. Like Pasco, Hillsborough is offering three learning options — face-to-face instruction and two virtual approaches.

Pasco and Hillsborough county students are set to return to school on Aug. 24, either in-person or virtually. (B.C. Manion)

Of course, there’s nearly a week before school begins, so it’s not inconceivable that these plans could change again.

As of press deadline for The Laker/Lutz News, there were two legal actions pending over whether school districts must comply with Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran’s Emergency Order that requires a face-to-face learning option on public school campuses.

The school year is already starting later than initially planned, with both Hillsborough and Pasco starting on Aug. 24, rather than Aug. 10.

The Hillsborough County School Board then voted to begin the district’s school year with four weeks of online-only instruction.

That decision came after a panel of medical experts advised against reopening schools until the COVID-19 positivity rate declined to about 5%.

Corcoran, however, rebuffed Hillsborough’s temporary online-only plan.

Corcoran said Hillsborough’s new plan was inconsistent with the reopening plan the district previously had submitted to the state that had been approved.

Hillsborough Superintendent Addison Davis then took a trip to Tallahassee, to seek middle ground.

That didn’t work.

After Davis returned, the district announced that “state leaders rejected two different phased-in models our district proposed that would have delayed our brick-and-mortar opening while ensuring our most vulnerable student populations were served in a face-to-face capacity.”

So, Hillsborough’s school year will begin with one week of online, with brick-and-mortar campuses opening on Aug. 31, for students choosing that option.

Meanwhile, in Pasco County, the school district plans to follow its Aug. 24 opening plan.

However, the United School Employees of Pasco has filed a lawsuit, seeking return to online learning only, until the COVID numbers come down, per the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning and the Pasco School Board have stood behind the district’s reopening plan. Not following that plan, they have said, would jeopardize state funding.

The Florida Education Association’s motion for injunctive relief from Corcoran’s Emergency Order has been scheduled for mediation Aug. 18, and if necessary, for court hearings on Aug. 19 and Aug. 20.

The decisions being made at the state and school board levels have caused parents and teachers to make a variety of personal decisions.

Ben Langston, of Long Lake Ranch in Lutz, said he and his wife, Rene, decided to enroll their children, Connor and Avery, in a private school.

The Langstons had been planning to send the children to Oakstead Elementary, but switched those plans because of the uncertainty with what will happen with public schools.

They want Connor and Avery to have an in-school experience, rather than online, because they believe it offers a superior form of learning.

Cindy Smith, an art teacher at Land O’ Lakes High School, on the other hand, has made a different decision: She’s retiring after 31 years in Pasco County Schools.

“It was very difficult. It took me months to decide it,” said Smith, who taught Art 1 through Advanced Placement.

“I didn’t feel like it was wise to go to school and expose myself to the possibilities of COVID, at my age,” Smith said.

She doesn’t think that virtual teaching is effective for secondary art classes, although she said it would be a safer option until COVID-19 cases decline.

The teacher said she’ll miss teaching and her students.

“I’m sad about it. I’m sad for my friends. I’m sad for my students. How horrifying to think any one of them could die because of one person, or a few persons’ decisions,” Smith said.

She added: “I’m concerned that parents may not be taking this seriously enough.

“I don’t think they understand the hazards and the dangers and the concerns that we, as teachers, have. We love our students, we love our jobs, but to put us in a danger, death-threatening kind of situation is unreasonable,” Smith said.

Despite the focus on COVID-19, there also are other developments associated with beginning the 2020-2021 school year, and that includes the opening of Cypress Creek Middle School.

The new school, on Old Pasco Road, will serve students in grades six through eight.

Students who have been housed in a portion of Cypress Creek High School now will be moving to Cypress Creek Middle.

Other students previously assigned to John Long Middle, will join them, providing long-needed relief from crowding at John Long Middle.

Students from Wiregrass Ranch High also have been reassigned to Cypress Creek High, but the full effect of that boundary change won’t be immediately felt because the school district grandfathered the junior and senior class at Wiregrass Ranch.

Two new public charter schools also are opening this year, in Wesley Chapel — Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel and Innovation Preparatory Academy in the Connected City area of Wesley Chapel.

Published August 19, 2020

InPrep delivers innovation, through teachers and technology

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Innovation Preparatory Academy, a public charter school opening in Wesley Chapel next week, is suited for a world that has become increasingly customized and on-demand.

InPrep, at 7800 Avery Scope Way, will deliver face-to-face instruction, live instruction for remote learners, and a hybrid option — which allows students to attend school on campus two days a week and learn remotely on the other three.

The school is part of the Connected City campus being developed by Tampa-based developer Metro Development Group.

Sara Capwell is the principal of Innovation Preparatory School, a pubic charter school that is opening this year in the Connected City area of Wesley Chapel.(Courtesy of Innovation Preparatory Academy)

The Connected City encompasses two Metro Places communities, Epperson and Mirada, each featuring Metro’s exclusive ULTRAFi high-speed internet technology — the fastest internet speeds available with up to 1 Gigabit of speed.

“We wanted to make sure that as part of the Connected City there was a school that supported the big vision of Connected City,” said Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations with Metro Development Group.

Goyani, who grew up in India, said the educational system there was rigid. This school, by contrast, will provide an on-demand, customized form of education.

Principal Sara Capwell said the school’s technology, blended with its instructional method, will deliver a personalized approach to education.

“All of our students are assessed at the beginning, when they first join us. We will develop plans for them that target their areas of need, and extensions, enrichments, as well,” Capwell said.

Whether students are learning face-to-face or remotely, they’ll be able to join in with their teachers and classmates.

“Students will be able to engage in small group instruction with their instructors and peers, utilizing the iPads and specialized cameras that the teachers will have that will be able to follow the teacher, and the teacher’s interactions with the kids,” Capwell said.

It’s as close as students can get, she said, “to actually being there together.”

“If I’m a first-grader, for instance, and it’s time for reading class and I’m at home, I’ll join in. The platform we’re using is Schoology.

A rendering of the front of the school, in an aerial view.

“All of my courses will be in one area, one folder on my iPad, where I can click on my reading link. When I go there, I’ll have my Zoom access for that class, right there, too. My assignments are right there. And, if the teacher wants to assign me an assignment that the other kids don’t have, it’s there, too.

“Then, I click on the Zoom. I interact with the teacher. I can raise my hand and ask questions. I can collaborate with a peer, using the cameras,” Capwell said.

Goyani added: “We wanted to make sure that everyone has access to the same software, the same learning platform, and then they have the hardware device at home, so they’re not left behind.”

To ensure that all students will be able to fully participate, the school is providing a device for each student, regardless how many children a family has, Capwell said.

Kartik Goyani, a vice president with Metro Development Group, said the opening of Innovation Preparatory Academy represents the fruition of a dream that began more than four years ago. He grew up in India, where the education system was rigid. He’s excited about the possibilities that InPrep will offer its students.

Classes also will be recorded, so if a child has to miss a live session, it can be viewed later.

Another thing that sets the school apart is its collaborative approach to teaching, the principal said.

“Grade-level instructors instruct together, as a team, with a grade level of students,” Capwell said. “Each teacher has an area of expertise, that he or she has been hired for, and that is the primary expert teacher for that content area, and the other teachers actually provide support throughout that content time, as co-teachers and co-facilitators. They pull small groups. They provide direct instruction to individual students or small groups, while the content expert is providing the direct, overall instruction.”

The school has adopted a WISH model of education, which stands for wellness, innovation, science and health.

To promote wellness, the school has a partnership with AdventHealth West Florida. It also has two indoor wellness tracks. In addition to wellness walks, there will be other wellness activities, such as yoga and meditation, Capwell said.

The idea is to make wellness a part of daily life, Goyani said.

The school also will emphasize science, technology, engineering and mathematics, Capwell said.

InPrep is part of Charter Schools USA, Inc.

It will serve students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade, but initially is opening as a K-6 school, and will add grades seven and eight in in subsequent years.

InPrep will have a maximum enrollment of 615 this year, with students coming from Wesley Chapel, Dade City, Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes and other communities, Capwell said.

Both she and Goyani are excited about opening the new school.

“We think this is going to be a school unlike anything else that the state has ever seen —  so that’s the part that I’m most excited about,” Goyani said.  “I can’t wait to welcome parents and kids on Aug. 24.”

Innovation Preparatory Academy, K-6
7800 Avery Scope Way, Wesley Chapel
Principal: Sara Capwell, (954) 202-3500

Other area charter schools*

Hillsborough County
Learning Gate, K-8
16215 Hanna Road, Lutz
Principal: Michelle Mason, (813) 948-4190

Lutz Preparatory, K-8
17951 N. U.S. 41, Lutz
Principal: Bonnie Guertin, (813) 428-7011

Sunlake Academy of Math and Science, K-8
18681 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Lutz
Principal: Dr. Judith Moore, (813) 616-5099

Pasco County
Academy at the Farm, K-8
9500 Alex Lange Way, Dade City
Principal: Ray Polk, (352) 588-0508

Countrywide Montessori Charter School, 1-8
5852 Ehren Cutoff, Land O’ Lakes
Principal: Michael Picone, (813) 996-0991

Imagine Charter School of Land O’ Lakes, K-9
2940 Sunlake Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
Principal: Aimee Williams, (813) 428-7444

Published August 19, 2020

Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel gears up for its first year

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Classes won’t start until Aug. 24, but the staff at Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel has been setting the stage to create a place where education is engaging.

Pinecrest Academy, a new public charter school, is opening on Aug. 24, in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel. (B.C. Manion)

Drop in to the new charter school, at 33347 State Road 54, and you’ll be greeted by a sign at the front desk that reads: “I’m not here to be average, I’m here to be awesome.”

If you sit in the waiting area, you’ll see another sign, this one in the words of Dr. Seuss: “You have brains in your head, you have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”

The new school, near the entrance to Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, is opening for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. Plans call for the school to serve through eighth grade.

Principal Aimee Mielke gave a reporter from The Laker/Lutz News a sneak peek of the school recently, discussing the charter school’s features and curriculum.

Classes don’t start until next week, but the pent-up excitement about opening the new school is almost palpable.

The classrooms are designed for face-to-face instruction, but built-in cameras and microphones enable teachers to provide real-time, distance learning to students who are studying at home.

“Students are receiving live instruction,” Mielke said. “It is like you’re in school.”

“Students will actually log on in the morning. They take the entire day with their teachers, in a live format,” she said. “They do it using a secure single sign-on, that we have specific to our school, called Collegia.”

Throughout the two-story building, there are accent walls in shade of blue and green that add a pop of color, as you pass down the corridor.

In the art room, steel buckets appear to be pouring out colors — represented by colorful fabrics. A sign in that second-story room sets out the expectations:

  • A is to Aim to do your best.
  • R is to Respect yourself, your peers, the art studio.
  • T is to Trust in yourself and your ability to learn.
Pinecrest Academy Principal Aimee Mielke demonstrates how this piece of technology works, while also offering a warm welcome to new students and families who will be joining her school on Aug. 24, when the new charter public school opens. Everyone on campus will be required to wear a mask to prevent potential spread of COVID-19.

In a kindergarten classroom on the first floor, a display board awaits the “amazing work” coming soon.

The new Wesley Chapel charter school is part of the Pinecrest Academy Inc. network, which has developed a reputation for excellence, Mielke said. All of the Pinecrest schools are A-rated schools.

The school will have “extreme high expectations for instructional practices,” the principal said, and will offer students more than typical opportunities to broaden their learning.

For instance, both Spanish and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) will be part of the curriculum delivered to every student, she said.

The maximum enrollment this year is 649, and some openings remain. The school’s maximum capacity is over 1,200, giving it plenty of room to grow.

The extra space is coming in handy this year, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The school will be using its cafeteria, but it is also able to convert some empty classrooms into additional lunchrooms.

That way, Mielke said, “students can still enjoy the ability to sit with friends, and teachers still have the ability to eat with their teams.

“Obviously, the most important thing is safety. That’s the bottom line. But, I really wanted also to protect our teachers’ time, as well.

“With everything going on, it adds that much stress, so whatever I can do to kind of decrease that, I’m trying to do,” she said.

Opening a new school during the midst of a pandemic has its challenges, Mielke said.

This sign is one of a trio of signs in the art classroom. It signals the teacher’s belief that students should trust in themselves and their ability to learn.

“Everybody is going to be nervous, so it’s really about addressing that, as an administrator. “Understanding the social-emotional part of that,” she said.

However, she added: “We have many, many, many things that we’re putting in place from, obviously, masks, to arrows in the hallway, to stickers that say to stand 6 feet apart.”

Another challenge is the ongoing roadwork on State Road 54. An expansion project of the road was expected to be finished before the school opened, but that hasn’t happened.

Mielke said she had a meeting scheduled last week with a supervisor of the Florida Department of Transportation, to discuss the issue.

When school opens, she expects an officer to be directing school traffic to the appropriate entrance off of State Road 54, into the school campus.

Because of COVID-19, the school wasn’t able to have the kindergarten camp it had planned, or the school tours. And, it had to postpone the celebratory ribbon cutting.

But, Mielke said that she and her staff are eager to open the school, and welcome students.

“Our job is to be flexible,” she said.

“You’re going to try to make your families as happy, as comfortable, as you can,” she said.

“We’re excited.”

Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel, K-6
33347 State Road 54, Wesley Chapel
Principal: Aimee Mielke, (813) 355-0002

Other area charter schools*

Hillsborough County
Learning Gate, K-8
16215 Hanna Road, Lutz
Principal: Michelle Mason, (813) 948-4190

Lutz Preparatory, K-8
17951 N. U.S. 41, Lutz
Principal: Bonnie Guertin, (813) 428-7011

Sunlake Academy of Math and Science, K-8
18681 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Lutz
Principal: Dr. Judith Moore, (813) 616-5099

Pasco County
Academy at the Farm, K-8
9500 Alex Lange Way, Dade City
Principal: Ray Polk, (352) 588-0508

Countrywide Montessori Charter School, 1-8
5852 Ehren Cutoff, Land O’ Lakes
Principal: Michael Picone, (813) 996-0991

Imagine Charter School of Land O’ Lakes, K-9
2940 Sunlake Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
Principal: Aimee Williams, (813) 428-7444

*Within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Sources: Hillsborough and Pasco public schools

Published August 19, 2020

Design work begins on new Land O’ Lakes school

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Pasco County Schools has signed a contract with Harvard Jolly Architecture for the design of a new 6-12 School to be built within the Angeline community of Land O’ Lakes.

The architect will be paid nearly $3 million, under terms of the contract approved by the Pasco County School Board on July 28.

The school will be built on an 18-acre site, with a capacity for 1,694 students.

The estimated construction budget is $45 million.

Construction is expected to begin in December of 2021, with completion expected by June 2023.

The construction manager will provide construction management services, with a guaranteed maximum price. The project also will be designed in compliance with a sustainable building rating system.

The school is part of a new community that is expected to become a major job generator, and to be a place where people will live, work, play and learn.

The proposed development — referred in economic development documents initially as Project Arthur, is now known more commonly as the Angeline community.

It is being planned on 7,000 acres, in an area south of State Road 52, east of the Suncoast Parkway and west of the CSX rail line.

Plans call for a 24-million-square-foot corporate business park, which is expected to create large-scale employment opportunities. Supportive services also are envisioned, including residential communities, parks, schools and other uses to be connected through walking and bike trails, the report adds.

The property — which has uplands and wetlands areas — has been used for cattle ranching and a pine plantation for decades, according to a county report.

The landscape includes oaks and pine trees, and forested and non-forested wetlands. It also has open water lakes, which are mostly remnants from prior borrow pit operations, according to the county report.

The report also notes that the project site’s proximity to the CSX railroad line provides an opportunity for commuter rail, in the event that the rail line is converted to a commuter rail line in the future.

Two of the county’s vision roads also go through the project: Ridge Road and Sunlake Boulevard.

The extension of Ridge Road, and the construction of a new interchange at Ridge Road and the Suncoast Parkway also will have a significant impact on the area’s development.

Lee Moffitt Cancer and Research Institute has purchased about 775 acres for a future research hub near the interchange.

Published August 19, 2020

Panelists share insights on youth issues in Pasco

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Each summer, a panel of Pasco County teenagers share their perspectives on substance abuse and other problems facing youths, both in the community and in the school system.

Typically, the event is held at the community center at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.

But, this time, panelists shared their insights again in a July 28 forum held virtually, in light of COVID-19.

The new format didn’t affect the substance: The panelists — who make up Safe Teens Against Drugs (STAND) — still got their points across.

Pasco County youth from Safe Teens Against Drugs (STAND) voiced their perspective on substance abuse, and other community and school issues, during a July 28 virtual meeting hosted by the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP). (File)

The forum was arranged by the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP). This the fifth year that STAND members addressed numerous community stakeholder groups.

They shared their views on various health and safety issues facing Pasco youths.

The group of youth leaders who make up STAND are working to end youth substance abuse in Pasco County by sharing their observations and knowledge with teachers, police, business owners and other community members.

Besides helping to build understanding, they also suggest solutions.

During the hour-long online discussion, STAND speakers warned that vaping, or the use of e-cigarettes, is a growing problem among youth countywide.

Anclote High School student Iker Dorta went so far as to label it “the biggest drug-related issue” in local high schools and middle schools.

Besides vaping nicotine, kids also vape THC (the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana), and other illicit substances that can be smoked, he said.

Iker noted that vaping has become more popular among teens because it’s “easy to hide in your pocket and go to the bathroom and use it.”

Fellow STAND members agreed.

“Vaping is a huge problem in schools and such,” said Chasco Middle School student Alyssa Saldana. “I’ve had some of my friends tell me that one of their older friends offered them a vape, so it’s definitely a big problem that we need to start looking at more.”

Maddie Horn underscored the issue by recalling an incident during a Chasco Middle School pep rally when a student was caught vaping.

“I think it’s a very common thing that’s happening in all our schools,” said Horn, a rising freshman at Gulf High School.

Many teens get roped into substance use through peer pressure and they use substances to become popular, Horn said.

“It’s very much a popularity thing. So, like if one person does it and they become popular, everyone else will want to do it because they want that ‘fame’ in the school,” Horn said.

Besides vaping, marijuana use continues to be “a big issue,” said Land O’ Lakes High School student Jocelyn Meriwether.

“We have a lot of kids who think it’s a cool thing to do, and you have to, like, join the club of high school that way, through smoking weed in bathrooms and trying not to get caught.”

Greater focus needed on mental health
Using substances to become more popular is just one issue, panelists said.

Youths also turn to substances as a way to escape from dysfunctional home life, or to cope with inner feelings, they said.

They urged an increase in mental health services.

“Mental health is the key to everything right now,” Dorta said. “For a 15- or 16-year-old to go through trauma and leave it unchecked…really impales society as a whole, because that’s what’s going to make up our next generation as a whole, so the very next step before overcoming drugs and vaping, first, is taking hold of our minds.”

Panelists said that mental health must be taken more seriously by the Pasco County Schools —  from guidance counselors to teachers and administrators.

They advocate greater funding for staffing at schools to give students quick access to help, when they need to talk to someone about their problems.

As it stands now, instead of an open door policy, a student must make an appointment of sorts by placing a notecard in a counselor’s mailbox, Meriwether said.

Safe Teens Against Drugs (STAND) is a program facilitated by the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP). The group of youth leaders who make up STAND strive to end youth substance abuse in Pasco County by educating teachers, police, business owners and other community members by sharing their observations, and suggesting solutions. (Courtesy of Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention)

“They’ll get to you when they get to you,” she said.

That can be problematic, she added.

“Some kids can’t wait. They need to talk and if they don’t have someone to talk to they’re going to go to drugs and skip over using their resources.

“We have those situations where we want to talk to somebody about this, but no one’s available,” Meriwether said.

Piggybacking off that thought, Horn mentioned some counselors won’t take a particular student’s mental health issues seriously. Instead, they write it off as teen angst.

Other times, she said, counselors just focus on a student’s grades — instead of talking to them about what has been bothering them at school, or outside of it.

Horn put it all like this: “Let’s say you’re being bullied. Like, you’ll go in talking about that issue, but then they’ll change to subject to, ‘Oh, how are your grades doing?’”

That, she added, “doesn’t make the bullying situation or whatever your situation is, any better.

“I don’t think there are enough people in our schools to help us going through our issues. Like the teachers say they can help, but they can only help when it’s convenient for them,” Horn said.

COVID-19’s far-reaching impacts
The unintended consequences of COVID-19 on school-age youth was another deep talking point among panelists.

With a lack of school structure, boredom at home and few extracurricular or athletic activities available — because of the pandemic — panelists said they’re not surprised if fellow teens are currently experimenting with new substances, or abusing them more frequently than they did before the pandemic hit.

Meriwether observed: “Kids now are at home and don’t have a lot to lose, so they’re trying new things. Parents will have stuff at home that kids can just get into, because it’s not being locked up, because everyone’s home all day.”

Safer-at-home orders also have allowed youth to hide side effects that otherwise might’ve been caught if they were in school or school-related activities, she added.

Because of that and other reasons, panelists generally seemed in favor of having some sort of option to return to brick-and-mortar schools.

Horn summed it up like this: “I get a little depressed because I’m not able to go and see my friends, and school was something I enjoyed. It’s very isolating to do online school for such a long time when you don’t have groups to attend and you don’t make friends outside of online school, so like I found peace in going to school. Like, the fact that I can’t go to school is very sad, because I like going to school, I like being around other people and seeing new faces, and it’s just easier to learn.”

Dorta, meantime, expressed worry for youth who’ve had to handle online learning in the face of troubling home or family environments.

Traditional schooling usually offers “a dip from harsh reality” for those kids,” he said.

“You can’t push online school onto a lot of people, especially when those kids have trouble at home. …Imagine if you’re bringing school to their house, which they can’t even feel safe or concentrate in,” he said.

Dorta wants to see schools reopen. But, he added: “Seeing how (COVID-19) is going on, I don’t know how it’d work and I don’t really know if it’s the best option, but knowing a lot of kids that are struggling, at least have them refer to a source that they can go to outside of their house.”

Others, including Gulf Middle School’s Yahkaira Barbosa, expressed hesitation about returning to school at the moment.

“I’m dying to go back to school, but the way things are, it’s probably best not to because it’s going to be awhile until a vaccine comes out,” Barbosa said.

Safe Teens Against Drugs (STAND) is a program facilitated by the Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP).
STAND members include Iker Dorta, Anclote High School; Alyssa Saldana, Chasco Middle School; Jocelyn Meriwether, Land O’ Lakes High School; Maddie Horn, Gulf High School; Jakob Horn, Bayonet Point Middle School; Billy Kritsotakis, Harry Schwettmann Education Center; Joel Meriwether, Sunlake High School; Jeromy Vaughn, Gulf Middle School; Austin Vaughn, Chasco Middle School; and Cheyenne Howard, of Dade City.

STAND’s mission is to:

  • Change youth perspectives of drugs
  • Reduce accessibility of drugs
  • Reduce marketing of drugs to young people
  • Create an environment where young people in recovery can thrive

To learn more about STAND, contact ">.

Published August 19, 2020

Chalk Talk 08/19/2020

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Scholarship winners
The Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative (WREC) announced its 2020 scholarship winners.

Recipients in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area are:

  • Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School: Kayla David and Brandon Glenn
    • Cypress Creek High School: Alexis Aponte, Aliyah Clarke, Julianna Greenberg, Jocelyn Hammett, Noel Martinez-Pla and Rebecca Radcliff
  • Land O’ Lakes High School: Natalie Mosko, Rachel Pinsky, Arelis Rodriguez Martinez and Loretta Thompson
  • Pasco High School: Marycarmen Adruskiewicz, Susan Hammond and Abigail Miramon
  • Sunlake High School: Jack Walker
  • Wesley Chapel High School: Jayla Alfaro, Madilyn Corgin, Shayla Hobot, Seth Laney, Taylor McKinney, Gigi Palmer, Joanne Trangluu and Ashlyn Walters
  • Wiregrass Ranch High School: Jarvis He, Crighton Methe, Antonio Perez, Kanishkh Ramesh, Emilie Ramos, Alysia Sanchez and Mackenzie Sholl
  • Zephyrhills High School: Luis Montez

Human services webinar
Saint Leo University’s Undergraduate Human Services Program will present a panel discussion on Aug. 20 at 6 p.m., through Zoom.

Human services professionals conduct interviews, identify problems and set goals, as well as provide referrals to individuals in need of service.

The webinar, entitled “Human Services in Action,” will be a live, interactive session featuring four Saint Leo alumni who earned their Bachelor of Arts degrees in human services, and are now working in entry-level and administration positions at a nonprofit agency, for a local government, and at an organization that serves veterans, seniors, families and youths.

Information will include strategies that help the transition from being a student to working as a knowledgeable professional in the human services/social services field.

There also will be a Q&A session at the end of the discussion.

The event is free.

For information on how to join, email Dr. Amina Abdullah-Winstead at .

Creating more space for students
Students and staff at Wendell Krinn Technical High School added additional space on campus to help with social distancing, by assembling picnic tables.

The goal was to set up three outdoor classrooms and more outdoor seating for the cafeteria.

“Having additional classroom space outdoors will make it a lot easier to create social distance, and that will create a healthier environment for everyone,” said Principal Christopher Dunning, in a school news release.

The staff and students got a helping hand from Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an organization of volunteers that builds and donates bunk beds for families in need.

The tables were made of pressure-treated wood and built from scratch.

Host an exchange student
ASSE International Student Exchange Programs (ASSE) is looking for local families to host boys and girls ages 15 to 18, arriving soon, to attend community high schools, according to an ASSE news release.

Students from all over the world have been selected to participate based on their strong academics and citizenship; all they need now are host families.

Students are equipped with pocket money for personal expenses, along with accident and illness insurance. Host families can choose their students from a wide variety of backgrounds, countries and personal interests.

Participants can share our country, its own family, and culture, with an exchange student. During this temporary period of social distancing, there is a need to look forward to and celebrate opportunities to show hospitality and care toward others.

ASSE’s top concern is the health of the host families, host communities and exchange students. Even as the U.S. and many other countries continue to live under temporary travel restrictions, ASSE is reassuring participants that the students will not travel unless it is considered safe to do so by the U.S. and foreign agencies entrusted with public health and safety.

To become a host family, or to find out how to become involved with ASSE in your own community, call (850) 866-6508 or the ASSE Southern Regional Office at (800) 473-0696, or visit Host.ASSE.com, to begin an application.

‘Adopt’ a classroom or student
Pepin Academies Foundation has launched its inaugural “Adopt-a-Classroom” and “Adopt-a-Student” campaigns to help equip teachers and students with needed school supplies for the 2020-2021 school year.

Individuals and businesses can participate by sponsoring or “adopting” a classroom or student. There also is an option to donate to a specific Pepin Academies campus.

The classroom funds will provide teachers with academic enrichment materials, as identified by the teachers for individual classroom needs.

The student funds will provide students with a backpack filled with school supplies that will be delivered directly to their school for pickup.

Donations to either campaign can be made securely online through the Pepin Academies Foundation website, or through the Pepin Academies Foundation’s Amazon wish list.

Pepin Academies are public, tuition-free charter schools in Tampa, Riverview and New Port Richey that serve students with learning disabilities in grades three to 12.

Shoe & Sock Drive underway
The fifth annual Two Good Soles Shoe and Sock Drive is underway, as the Pasco County government and constitutional offices work together to collect footwear for kids in Pasco County schools, through Oct. 26.

Donations can be dropped off to the collection boxes at Pasco County Government locations, and the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller, Property Appraiser and Tax Collector offices countywide.

Last year’s record-setting drive resulted in 3,057 pairs of shoes and 13,285 pairs of socks.

Items collected will be donated to Pasco County Schools at the end of October, directly benefiting local students.

For information, visit PascoCountyFl.net/civicalerts.

Union seeks ‘online-only’ school option

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Pasco County Schools is continuing its plans to offer face-to-face instruction as one of its options when school resumes on Aug. 24 — but, the union representing teachers and other school district employees is continuing its efforts to block that.

In a posting on the United School Employees of Pasco’s website, union officials inform their members that they are continuing efforts to seek an injunction that would prevent a return to brick-and-mortar classrooms when school begins.

The union is waiting until this week for formal actions to avoid interfering with efforts by the Florida Education Association, which is pursuing legal action on behalf of educators across the state, the posting says.

This latest USEP announcement follows a rally by teachers and parents at school district headquarters on Aug. 4, seeking to persuade the Pasco County School Board to adopt an online-only opening of schools, until the number of positive COVID-19 cases declines.

Don Peace, president of USEP, appeared at the school board’s meeting that day, again urging the board to only open schools online.

“We are not saying we don’t want a return to brick-and-mortar. We are saying we don’t want to return to brick-and-mortar now,” Peace said.

“Pediatricians and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) are saying that we should not be heading back to schools at this time.

“When the positivity rate shows a downward trend and is below 5%, which is the level that ironically triggered the stay-at-home order back in April, then and only then would it be prudent to have a conversation on returning in a face-to-face format,” Peace said.

Peace said the district should rely on the data, in determining if students, teachers and staff return to schools.

“We have the means to use technology, in order to save lives,” Peace said.

Speakers offering public comment also told board members that they don’t think it’s safe to return.

Patrick Connolly, of Zephyrhills, said that there will be significant problems with staffing, if staff members apply their self-screeners with fidelity. And, he said, “if we don’t apply these screeners with fidelity, we will have the virus running rampant in our community.”

Jeremy Blythe, a Pasco teacher for five years, said he wishes he was excited to begin a new school year. Instead, he said, ““I’m afraid, I am angry and I’m sad.

“Being a teacher has prepared me to do many things, but what I cannot prepare for is the idea that I will have to bury a colleague or a student. I don’t want my family to have to bury me, either, if we head back to campus before it is safe,” Blythe said.

Superintendent Kurt Browning reiterated the district’s stance of reopening, with three options for parents: bricks-and-mortar, mySchool Online and Pasco eSchool.

“We are between that proverbial rock and a hard place, where we find ourselves with that emergency order,” Browning said.

“There’s been a lot of discussion, comments made out there about funding.

“The fact remains that when you read the emergency order, it is very clear that funding is tied to the fact that school districts need to open with bricks-and-mortar.

“You have to truly connect the dots, but if you want funding, and you want to be held harmless from funding reductions, then the expectation is that districts will open bricks-and-mortar.

“If we do not get funding from the state, our teachers do not get paid. Our bus drivers do  not get paid. Staff, in general, does not get paid.

“It’s going to be tough to keep lights on,” Browning said.

Browning said district staff is doing everything it can to ensure safety.

However, he added: “We’re not going to prevent it, but we are in the business of trying to minimize the impacts, or the spread of COVID,” the superintendent said.

He noted: “Even after all of the news reports, the data that’s out there — we still have 66% of our families that are wanting to return to bricks-and-mortar.

“By virtue of that, we need to be able to staff and provide that for them,” Browning said.

School Board Chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin said one of her chief concerns involves the inability to provide social distancing in secondary classrooms.

“We cannot ensure social distancing in every secondary classroom,” she said, noting district employees are aware of that, but she’s not sure that parents know that.

Beaudoin did call attention to Pine View Middle School’s efforts to maximize  the space between its students, by clearing the room of extra furniture, extra tables, extra filing cabinets — to increase the distance between desks.

Beaudoin also said that if at some point, the district was to go remote, she wants the public to know that the district staff has been exploring multiple options.

“None are guaranteed, but we have been looking into ways to support families with child care and tutoring, to be able to continue to feed our students and families, and keep our employees working,” the school board chairwoman said.

While Pasco plans to return to school campuses, the Hillsborough County School Board has voted to begin the school year with online-only instruction — a position being rejected by Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran.

To be on the safe side, parents are encouraged to check for the most recent updates on the school district websites and social media platforms, to be sure they have the latest information. The Pasco school district’s website is Pasco.k12.fl.us.

The Hillsborough school district’s website SDHC.k12.fl.us.

Published August 12, 2020

Hillsborough reopening embroiled in controversy

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The Hillsborough County School Board last week voted to begin the school year on Aug. 24, operating online only for the first four weeks of classes.

Within a day of that decision, however, Florida Education Commission Richard Corcoran notified the district that “this blanket, district-wide decision directly contradicts the district’s reopening plan, which was approved because it was consistent with the state’s emergency order.”

In a statement shared with The Laker/Lutz News, Corcoran said, ““The Hillsborough County School Board needs to follow the law, it’s that simple.

“The whole reason the Department created the emergency order was to grant districts maximum flexibility to do what is right for parents and schoolchildren.

“We will not stand idly by while they trample over the majority of parents who want to do right by their children.

“What they did yesterday (Aug. 6) completely eliminated the flexible options for their families and students, and ignored how harmful it can be for students who are experiencing violence, abuse, and food insecurity in their homes, many of whom are already struggling to close achievement gaps. These are urgent circumstances and we cannot, and will not, ignore it,” Corcoran concluded.

Hillsborough County Schools Superintendent Addison Davis issued a response to Corcoran’s letter, indicating the district had received it and was reviewing it with its legal team.

Addison also issued this statement: “Yesterday (Aug.6), the School Board made an informed decision after receiving data and hearing from the Florida Department of Health in Hillsborough County, along with hearing the advice of other local infectious disease and public health authorities.

“The Board acted after serious deliberations and with all due diligence. Our district understood the possibility that such a response from the state might come and it has been clear that the district could face negative implications. We will use this information to have discussions about where we go from here,” Davis said.

Both Corcoran and Davis’ statements came after a special Aug. 6 Hillsborough County School Board meeting that included hours of public comment, and testimony from a panel of medical experts.

During that meeting, the board voted 5-2 to start the school year with online options only. The board also determined they would look at the issue again at its Sept. 8 meeting.

Board members Karen Perez, Lynn Gray, Stacy Hahn, Steve Cona and Tammy Shamburger voted for those actions. Board Chairman Melissa Snively and board member Cindy Stuart dissented.

The board’s vote came after School Board Attorney James Porter told the board it could not change the reopening plan submitted by Superintendent Addison Davis, but could delay its implementation.

Addison’s plan calls for three learning options: Face-to-face instruction and two online choices. After gaining initial board approval, it was submitted to the state and approved. When making that initial vote, though, board members said they wanted to hear from medical experts.

Passions run hot, on both sides
The issue of whether to reopen school buildings has been a flashpoint of controversy.

A parade of speakers urged the school board to either reopen school campuses for face-to-face instruction, or to keep them closed for now.

Speakers wore masks to the meeting, and a district employee disinfected the podium and microphone after each person spoke.

So many people showed up, their comments were limited to 1-minute each. Many exceeded the limit and there were instances when the microphone was muted when people talked too long.

Speakers were passionate on both sides of the issue.

Some staff members said they have medical conditions and are afraid to return to school. Others said they have family members who are medically vulnerable.

Many said the number of COVID-19 cases is simply too high to return to school.

But, those arguing against online only cited a digital divide based on family incomes. They said families need child care, and that mothers, in particular would be forced to quit their jobs so they can oversee their child’s online instruction.

They also cited other issues, such as impacts on mental health, a need for personal instruction, a need to provide services for special needs students and the need to provide food for students who rely on schools for meals.

Members on the medical panel, however, told school board members that the positivity rate of COVID-19 is too high to safely return to school.

One medical expert said he would not support reopening schools as of that day, but might feel differently on Aug. 24, because he expects the positivity numbers to decline.

Dr. Douglas Holt, who leads the Florida Health Department in Hillsborough County, said he was at the meeting to provide technical assistance. He did not take a position on the issue.

School board member Gray said she’s not comfortable reopening campuses at the current COVID-19 positivity rate.

“I personally think that the spread rate of 10-11% is way too high and 3-5% is where we need to go,”” Gray said.

Chairwoman Snively said she didn’t want the board to only focus on the aspect of epidemiology. Having schools open helps bring to light issues such as children who are suffering from child abuse or have mental health, nutritional and other needs.

Because this situation continues to evolve, those interested in staying abreast of the latest developments should check the Hillsborough County School District’s website and its social media channels. Its website is SDHC.k12.fl.us.

Editor’s Note: The Laker/Lutz News received the following statement, after our newspaper went to press:

“Our district explicitly followed the state’s executive order. The order provides school districts the option of not opening brick and mortar “subject to advise or orders of the Florida Department of Health, (or) local departments of health”. Last Thursday, our School Board made an informed decision after hearing from the local public health authority and local infectious disease experts. The panel was asked if we should open our doors and not one medical professional could recommend opening today. The state’s order goes on to say the day-to-day decision to open or close a school always rests locally.”

Tanya Arja – Chief of Communications

Published August 12, 2020