The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Class of 2020: Graduations delayed

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The public school districts in Pasco and Hillsborough counties have announced delayed graduation ceremonies to help seniors mark their rite of passage during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hillsborough County public school graduations will be held in July, according to a district announcement.

Pasco County graduations will be held in August, Pasco County Superintendent Kurt Browning said, during the Pasco County School Board’s April 21 virtual meeting.

“We know that students and parents are anxious to know what these plans are,” Browning said.

“As soon as the dates are set in August, we will push those dates out to moms and dads, and the students and the school administrators,” he said.

The superintendent also said that a virtual celebration is being planned, in the interim.

“We believe it’s important to mark the final week of school with a celebration, so staff is working on a virtual celebration leading up to the last week,” Browning said.

School Board Chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin said, “I really want to thank the superintendent and staff for sharing their plans for graduation, because I have gotten quite a few phone calls and comments from people in our community, and everyone is very concerned about recognizing our seniors. And, I know all of us and all of you share that angst.”

Board member Megan Harding said she wanted to let seniors know that she understands “how heartbreaking” the news was, that students would not return to campus and that graduations would be delayed.

“I want to remind them to finish strong and know that we’re cheering you on, and we are going to be creative and find ways to honor the Class of 2020,” Harding said.

The revised Hillsborough public school graduation dates are listed on that district’s website. As of this time, here are the dates and times set for high schools that are in, or near, The Laker/Lutz News coverage area are:

  • Freedom: July 18, 9 a.m.
  • Gaither: July 15, 9 a.m.
  • Steinbrenner, July 16, 8 p.m.
  • Wharton, July 17, 12:30 p.m.
  • Sickles, July 20, 4 p.m.

All of the Hillsborough County ceremonies are scheduled to take place at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall.

Published May 06, 2020

Chalk Talk 05/06/2020

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Academy at the Lakes fifth-grade student Sam Baker takes part in a virtual science class, to help to build an elevated garden.

Creative engagement
Academy at the Lakes was ahead of the curve by closing its school before any local public school. It has received numerous positive messages from parents and they are finding creative ways to engage students through virtual learning.

The Academy hosted a “Virtual House Week Competition,” during which students did different challenges each day for points for their “House” in the school (there are four Houses). The first day, students sent in videos of themselves washing their hands to the tune of the school song, and the submissions were very creative.

Piper Kienast, a senior kindergartner at Academy at the Lakes, takes part in the school’s virtual learning. (Courtesy of Academy at the Lakes)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Teacher Appreciation Week
According to the National PTA, “teachers change the lives of millions of children every day—their immense work and impact moves us beyond words… And, with the abrupt end to the physical school year, our teachers have done even more to continue education with virtual classrooms and learning at home lessons. All to ensure every student has the tools they need to reach their full potential.
“It’s in these challenging times that we recognize and appreciate how our nation’s educators play such a pivotal role in our children’s lives—inspiring a lifelong love of learning and discovery, and making a difference in their well-being and long-term success.”

This year, Teacher Appreciation Week is May 4 to May 8.

For information and ideas, visit PTA.org/home/events/PTA-Teacher-Appreciation-Week.

Dream Award
Scholarship America has announced the 2020 recipients of the Dream Award, a renewable scholarship for students who have overcome challenges to pursue their college ambitions.

Local student Alexandra Joseph, a criminal justice major at Saint Leo University, is one of the recipients of the award. Joseph’s hometown is St. Leo.

A celebration to honor this year’s recipients is scheduled for May 7.

Scholarship America is the nation’s largest private scholarship provider. Since the Dream Award was created in 2014, 108 students have been awarded scholarships totaling nearly $2 million.

Community input needed
Pasco County Schools’ After School Enrichment Programs department (ASEP) is looking for input from the community through an online survey, as the district gets ready to apply for a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant from the Florida Department of Education.

The purpose of the grant proposal is to extend the district’s before and after school academic enrichment opportunities for students by providing a new and free academic support program at three select elementary schools and four select middle schools.

The new program will focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) curriculum and offer enriching hands-on experiences.

If the grant is awarded, the program would start next school year.

Families are encouraged to share their input to help identify specific needs and potential offerings.

Parents and students who wish to participate in the survey can visit MyASEP.com, and click on the Parent or Student icon next to the “thoughtexchange” logo.

Virtual commencement
Pasco-Hernando State College will continue remote operations, and all campuses will remain closed to students, public and most employees, through June 1.

Student services, advising, admissions, financial aid, library, tutoring and other college services remain available.

Employees are accessible via phone, email and virtual platforms.

A virtual commencement ceremony for spring semester graduates will be hosted on the college’s website on May 26.

Registration for online summer classes is underway and information about fall semester classes will be announced soon.

For information, visit PHSC.edu.

LearningExpress app
LearningExpress is offering test prep for college entrance and high school equivalency exams; workplace tools, such as reading, writing, math and science; and recommendations for further preparation, through the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (HCPLC) and a recently released app.

To use the app:

  • Create an account through HCPLC at tinyurl.com/y9vado24
  • Download the app from Play Store or the Apple Store
  • Log into the app with the LearningExpress ID and password created through the website

Users must have a Hillsborough County library card to create an account to track their progress.

Hotline and informational website
Manisha Snoyer, co-founder of SchoolClosures.org, offers help and/or advice on a wide range of issues including: remote learning, finding meals, emergency childcare, live tech support, financial security, psychological support, and free tutoring, according to an email.

The informational website, along with a hotline, is a coordinated effort run by more than 150 volunteers and more than 80 partner organizations (including Khan Academy, Modulo, Revolution Foods, Class Dojo, Crisis Text Line and many more).

The hotline is staffed by volunteers with expertise in education and social services. Parents can call the hotline (1-855-264-2051) for help on planning a child’s education, planning healthy meals, or just to talk.

Teachers also are invited to visit the website or call the hotline, both of which are bilingual (Spanish).

School remains in session, online

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Students aren’t returning to campus, but leaders in the Pasco County school district are encouraged by the progress students are making online.

The district went to online learning on March 31, after Gov. Ron DeSantis closed school campuses until at least April 15, due to concerns about the threat of the spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

DeSantis has since announced that school campuses would remain closed for the remainder of the school year.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said that he supports keeping the campuses closed because he could not “in good conscience” reopen the campuses.

Still, the district remains engaged in online instruction, the superintendent said during the board’s April 21 meeting.

Vanessa Hilton, chief academic officer for the district, shared some statistics from the district’s foray into distance learning.

“We definitely have some trends in the data,” she told school board members, and those listening in on the meeting.

“Monday engagement is always higher for each week so far,” Hilton said.

But, she also noted: “We do have students engaged throughout the week. Even on Saturday and Sunday, we average 20,000 to 36,000 participation, which are actions of engagement.

“Overall, in Week 3, we had about 98% engagement of students,” she said.

School board member Alison Crumbley responded: “Wow — to those numbers you shared. Ninety-eight percent engagement is unbelievable to me.”

The school board member said that Pasco County’s efforts are vastly different than what’s happening around the country.

She said she recently listened to a call-in show, which involved people from around the country.

“Many kids have no devices. Some districts aren’t even doing anything,” Crumbley said.

Hilton also told board members that the district is in the process of issuing hot spots to some families to enable Internet access.

“Those will be prioritized initially for some of our homeless families and families that really are away where there would be infrastructure for Internet,” she said.

“Since Day 1, I wanted to let you know that we have had over 43 million page views and access of files, and just under 15 million modules of units of study.

“We had 7,278,753 assignments submitted; 4,438,379 engagements in discussions; and, 1,214,552 announcements — which are direct communications between teachers and leaders to the students and families, that we miss so much.”

Kevin Shibley, assistant superintendent for administration, provided an update regarding device distribution to students.

“We are just shy of 18,000 computers that we have issued to students, to aid them in distance learning. We are continuing to have schools enter devices that they have distributed to students, so I expect that number to continue to creep up in coming weeks,” Shibley said.

Hilton also told board members that the district is issuing hot spots to some families to enable Internet access.

Hilton also noted that some changes have been made.

“Through feedback of families and students — students themselves, very resourceful students themselves, and staff — we have made adjustments, particularly to our elementary workload, to minimize stress and ensure that learning continues,” Hilton added.

The district also has been creating weekly parent newsletters, teacher newsletters and periodic secondary student newsletters, she said.

Plus, she noted, “our teachers also have their own collaborative space on Facebook. It’s incredibly impressive, impressive evidence of their sharing and learning together across the district.”

Finally, she reported that on April 20, students submitted 111,150 assignments.

“We had almost 66,000 users working across the day, and at the peak time — which is about midday for us — almost 21,000 students were learning at the same time together,” Hilton said.

School board members heaped praise on the efforts of district staff, teachers and parents, grandparents and guardians.

Board chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin said she’s seen the collaboration taking place among teachers, and she recognized that the volume of student assignments being completed also means that a significant amount of grading is being done by teachers.

She also added: “I have seen our school-based teachers and leaders, and they are extremely creative in the ways they are connecting with the students and each other.

“Our principals and our teachers are really going all out. Their posts have been entertaining, inspiring, innovative and heartwarming.”

Marcy Hetzler-Nettles, assistant superintendent for middle schools, gave a shout-out to Rushe Middle School students who had been planning to put on the play, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.”

When the show was cancelled because of COVID-19, a student put together a video of cast members singing the song, “Happiness,” which he sent to drama teacher Jeff Roush.

Also, Tom Schimmer, author of “Grading from the Inside Out,” made a surprise pop-in visit during a Zoom book study group meeting of teachers, Hetzler-Nettles added.

Monica Isle, assistant superintendent for high schools, told the board about an act of generosity made by seniors from Sunlake High School. They made a donation to Keystone Community Church’s Second Serving program, after their trip to Grad Bash was canceled. They had raised the money to pay for buses to Grad Bash.

Isle also mentioned the band from Mitchell High School will be doing a virtual concert series.

David Scanga, assistant superintendent for elementary schools, told the board that elementary school principal Todd Cluff has been doing nightly readings for students from “Little House on the Prairie.”

Scanga added: “I thought that was an excellent book to choose, in terms of a family that’s rather isolated and dependent on themselves to entertain and survive.”

Scanga also observed that “teachers and administrators are finding fun ways to engage,” which he thinks offers a good way to build connections with families.

Board member Megan Harding also expressed appreciation for the dedication of the district’s teachers and to the help provided by parents and guardians.

She said she’s attended some teacher Zoom meetings with their students.

“I’ve been blown away,” Harding said. “Those students are engaged. They are excited to be there.

“They miss their teachers, their teachers miss them.”

Harding also praised the parents and guardians.

“I know this isn’t something that they signed up for. They’re trying to work from home and to try to help their child be academically successful, and they’re also trying to keep their household afloat while ensuring their children are doing their schoolwork. I want to thank them for their partnership. I want to  thank them for doing their best to balance it all,” she said.

Published April 29, 2020

Serving meals to children in need

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Efforts are ongoing to keep children fed during this time of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

As school district officials know, for many children their school meals are their only reliable source of food.

So, both the Pasco and Hillsborough County school districts have set up meal distribution sites and have been providing meals to students ages 18 and under.

At the Pasco County School Board’s April 21 audio meeting, Betsy Kuhn, assistant superintendent of support services, provided this update.

“Today (April 21) was our fifth week in meal service, since schools closed,” she said.

During the week of March 23, the district served approximately 5,500 students per day, with prepackaged meals at its original feeding sites.

On March 31, it began distributing prepackaged meals once a week, with each student receiving five breakfasts and five lunches for the week. That week, it served 80,680 meals to over 8,000 students at 27 sites and 16 bus stops.

On April 21, it served 143,000 meals to 14,300 students, which was slightly less than the week before.

All in all, the district has served more than 536,200 meals since the school closure began, Kuhn said. The district has received some donations, to add to its prepackaged foods, she said, noting it has received fresh corn and cucumbers.

She also noted that Connerton Elementary was scheduled to be added on April 28, as one of the district’s distribution sites.

“We have had a huge demand in the Central Area,” Kuhn said, noting that 1,400 students were served on April 21 at Pine View Elementary.

The Pasco distribution program will cease on May 19, but is set to begin again on June 2, with some modifications.

In other news, Pasco Schools Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd said the district will be joining

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco, Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano, State Rep. Ardian Zika and State Sen. President Wilton Simpson to initiate a food drive.

“Even though we’ve been very successful at feeding our students, we remain concerned that as summer approaches, it’s going to become more difficult,” Gadd said.

He noted that Fasano is donating a substantial amount of food.

He also said “we’ve also reached out to some not-for-profits around the state that are shipping fresh produce throughout the state, and we’re trying to make connections with them, and we’re very optimistic that that’s going to occur.”

School board members Allen Altman and Cynthia Armstrong expressed appreciation for the ongoing efforts.

“I think it’s never been more evident that our schools are much more than education opportunities. What this system, what our employees and community support have done to support families in the last month, is nothing short of amazing,” Altman said.

He also noted that he hopes when the pandemic passes, “people will remember how much the public school system contributed to the community.”

Armstrong said it has been heartwarming to see the gratitude expressed by people receiving the food.

“Seeing the handmade thank you signs that the students have made and they hold up in the windows, really makes you appreciate what we’re able to do for our students’ families,” Armstrong said.

Meanwhile, in Hillsborough County, on April 15, the district began distributing food one day per week—with students receiving one week of food at a time.

“Due to new CDC guidelines and a statewide stay-at-home order, our district wants to minimize contact between Student Nutrition Services workers and our families. We believe one-day-a-week food distribution will be safer for the community as a whole,” the website says.

“Families will be able to pick up a week’s worth of nutritious meals every Wednesday at the same 147 sites, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. This will include one pound of lunch meat, a loaf of bread, milk, juice and nutritious snacks.

“Students will receive enough food for each school day. Buses also will be transporting foods into specific neighborhoods for pick up every Wednesday.

Each student will receive a bag of food that needs to be refrigerated, and one that can stay at room temperature.

“It’s important to note that these food bags will weigh over 10 pounds together. If you are walking up or riding a bike to a Grab-and-Go site, please have your child bring their empty backpack to provide a simple way to transport the food,” the website says.

For a list of frequently asked questions, visit HillsboroughSchools.org.

Feeding  sites
Additional sites have been added to Pasco County Schools’ drive-thru feeding sites. Here is the current list of active sites within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area. The sites are open Tuesdays only, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bags of food include breakfast and lunch for five days, for each student.

The sites are:

  • Chester W. Taylor Elementary
  • Connerton Elementary
  • New River Elementary
  • Pasco High School
  • Pasco Middle School
  • Pine View Elementary
  • Quail Hollow Elementary
  • Rodney B. Cox Elementary
  • San Antonio Elementary
  • West Zephyrhills Elementary
  • Zephyrhills High School

Published April 29, 2020

Rasmussen College moving to vacant Target store

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Rasmussen College soon will bring higher education to a vacant Target Super Store — the shuttered anchor at Suncoast Crossing plaza, off State Road 54 in Odessa.

The college plans to relocate from its current 25,000-square-foot education center at State Road 54 and Sunlake Boulevard, in Land O’ Lakes.

Developers are proposing to repurpose the former Target store, which closed in 2016.

Rasmussen College will be moving down the road and will soon be making a transition to Rasmussen University. (B.C. Manion)

A conceptual plan filed with Pasco County shows Rasmussen occupying more than 44,000 square feet. One and possibly two other tenants would fill the remaining shell space, separated from Rasmussen by an enclosed courtyard.

The flexible plan allows about 100,000 square feet to 115,000 square feet for a single business, or a split design with two businesses at 60,000 square feet and 40,000 square feet, respectively.

“It’s great to see something is moving in there,” said Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore. “We never want to see an empty building. It seems like Rasmussen is growing. We’re definitely happy they are here. It’s a good location for them.”

The approximately 173,000-square-foot Target property is owned by 24/7 DeBary LLC, which acquired the site from Target in July 2017.

A May 11 preapplication meeting is scheduled with Pasco County planners to consider the “Suncoast Crossing 1” redevelopment proposal, according to county records.

24/7 DeBary is an affiliate of MVP Holdings Inc., a Tampa-based owner of restaurants, including PDQ and Glory Days Grill. A company representative could not be reached for comment.

The Target store – in a mall with about 30 stores – opened in 2006, as growth along State Road 54 was taking off. The Great Recession that began two years later with the real estate and housing market collapse ushered in hard times for Pasco County’s economy.

But, the closure in January 2016 caught many by surprise just as a turnaround and renewed growth was taking hold.

Target officials closed 13 stores nationwide due to what they described as poor performance. The Suncoast Crossing store was among those singled out.

This Target Super Store, which has been vacant since 2016, is expected to become the new home to Rasmussen College. Besides changing its location, the college also is expected to become a university.

More than 140 employees lost jobs, though Target officials said employees would be offered transfers.

“I was very upset when Target closed,” said Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey. “I called corporate office to reconsider.”

After Target’s departure, she had hoped the site might attract new tenants that would create a retail and business complex similar to nearby Northpointe Village – at State Road 54 and Suncoast Parkway. The complex in recent years attracted new businesses along Northpointe Parkway, including Mettler Toledo, a global manufacturer of precision scales and services used in research, and the packaging and production of food and pharmaceuticals; and TRU Simulation + Training,  which provides flight-training solutions, technical support and customer service for commercial and military markets.

But, she said, “I think Rasmussen will do well at that location (Suncoast Crossing). I’m heartened they are a for-profit college, so they will stay on the tax rolls.”

Rasmussen plans to make an announcement on its relocation plans in the “near future.”

“Due to key regulatory steps that still need to take place, Rasmussen College cannot yet share information regarding plans to relocate to a new campus,” according to an email from Molly Andersen, spokeswoman for Rasmussen College.

The new site, with substantially expanded space, comes as Rasmussen College is preparing for a new direction in its education model. By October, the college is expected to become Rasmussen University.

“This transition is more than a name change,” said Rasmussen President Trenda Boyum-Breen in a video message. “This is our next step toward a vibrant future. We are student-centered in our approach and future facing in our impact.”

Andersen in her email said additional details on Rasmussen’s transition to a university would be available soon.

Minneapolis-based Rasmussen College traces its beginnings to 1900, as a business school. The private college is a regionally accredited institution with more than 20 campuses nationwide. Its focus is on workforce and career-oriented education programs and degrees across several fields, including nursing, health science and business.

Of six Florida campuses, two are in Pasco — in New Port Richey and the soon-to-be closed location in Land O’ Lakes.

It’s not clear what is next for the Land O’ Lakes site.

Bayshore Properties LCC, affiliated with BayCare Health System, purchased the property in January for about $6.5 million, according to county records.

Representatives for Bayshore declined to comment at this time.

By Kathy Steele

Published April 22, 2020

Pandemic keeps students home from school

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Florida’s elementary and secondary campuses will not reopen this school year, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on April 18.

Instead, students and teachers will continue with the distance learning model, which began in March. That approach began as a way to limit the potential spread of coronavirus disease-2019. (COVID-19).

The national death toll for the pandemic reached 37,202 as of April 20, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The economic meltdown has resulted in the loss of more than 22 million American jobs, according to national reports.

In explaining why he decided to close school campuses, DeSantis said “We spoke with a lot of folks throughout the state.

“There was some differing opinions. Some parents were not interested in their kids going back. Some others — it’s been tough around the house, they would have liked to have seen them go back,” the governor said, during a news conference that was carried live on WTSP 10 News.

“We’ve got pretty good momentum for distance learning. It’s obviously not the ideal situation, but given where we are in the school year, we felt that was the best decision to go forward,” he said.

DeSantis said he asked if there would be a huge academic benefit of reopening schools, but most people didn’t think so.

“I think the last thing you want to do is force everyone in school and have half the kids not show up, because the parents didn’t want (it) — their teachers didn’t want to do it.

“It was an easier decision for me to make, knowing that we’ve done so well with the distance learning,” DeSantis said.

In a YouTube video posted on the Pasco County Schools’ website, Superintendent Kurt Browning said the district’s campuses will remain closed, but that distance learning will continue through May 27.

Browning said he agreed with DeSantis regarding the closure of campuses.

“Due to the potential health and safety risks, I could not in good conscience direct our students, teachers and staff to return in this environment,” the superintendent said.

In regards to distance learning, Browning said: “Most of our teachers and students have made tremendous progress. They have acclimated to our new normal with creativity and energy.”

He acknowledged that the district continues “to work with a very small number of students who have not yet engaged.”

Browning added that “student feeding days will continue on Tuesdays.”

The numbers are increasing each week, but the district’s food and nutrition staff, and army of volunteers are getting the job done, Browning said.

He also touched on the topics of graduations and proms.

“These are once in a lifetime experiences, and we know how important they are. We remain hopeful, and at the same time, we are weighing our options.

“We still have several weeks to make sure that our seniors have a graduation that is memorable and meaningful,” Browning said.

He added: “We know many students and teachers have a need to retrieve their belongings form school. When we left for Spring Break more than a month ago, I’m sure there were many personal belongings left in lockers and desks and cabinets. We know it’s important that you have an opportunity to retrieve your things, but it must be done safely.

“Your school will inform you about their specific plan, soon,” Browning said.

Hillsborough County public schools announced the extended closure on its website, and noted its eLearning will continue through May 29.

“We know you have many questions about your student’s grades, as well as activities and events planned during the fourth quarter. We will be providing you additional details in the coming days, including information regarding graduation ceremonies,” according to the website.

The district also announced that all May graduations will be canceled, but that it has worked with the Florida State Fairgrounds to secure alternate dates in July.

“We know this is heartbreaking for students. Especially our seniors. All extracurricular activities will be canceled during this timeframe. But, we have worked with select seniors, school-based leaders and district staff to develop multiple options for school graduations.”

In addition to announcing the campus closures, DeSantis also announced that a task force will begin work this week to “develop a three-stage approach to reopening the state: short-term, medium-term and long-term.”

The task force will meet telephonically and is expected to have its recommendations for short-term steps to DeSantis by April 24.

“Then, once we get that in place, they’re going to look to the medium- and long-term strategies,” the governor said, noting the task force will include small business owners, industry representatives and elected officials, including Wilton Simpson, incoming president of the Florida Senate, and Chris Sprowls, incoming speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.

DeSantis also gave updates on Florida’s testing efforts, and announced that the state would begin publicly reporting the names of nursing homes and long-term care facilities that have reported cases of COVID-19.

Published April 22, 2020

Chalk Talk 04/22/2020

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A variety of colorful rainbows are depicted through Primrose School at Collier Parkway to remind everyone of a ‘brighter’ future. (Courtesy of Primrose School at Collier Parkway)

Weathering the ‘storm’ at Primrose
Teachers at Primrose School at Collier Parkway are missing their Primrose Pals during the pandemic, so they worked hard to add joy by displaying rainbows throughout the building, to remind everyone that “The greater the storm, the brighter the rainbow.”

Students can create their own rainbow, too, and send it to the school on Primrose’s Facebook Page (in the comments section of the rainbow post), or by email to .

Submitted creations will be shared with the teachers on their ‘How You Doing?’ bulletin board.

Primrose also offers Online with Og! for at-home interactive learning activities.

Og the Bookworm represents caring and literacy, and is a Primrose Friend that helps to bring the school experience into the home.

Learn more about Online with Og! at Learning.primroseschools.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saint Leo sticks with online; postpones graduation
Saint Leo University will continue to offer its classes online through the summer.

“This decision was made out of an abundance of caution due to the coronavirus pandemic and the possible need for continued social distancing measures,” according to a news release from the university.

University officials also have postponed all scheduled commencement ceremonies and activities until later this year.

That decision also was made as a precaution in consideration for “all those who will be participating or might need to travel to attend. Health authorities are uncertain of when large-scale social gatherings can safely resume,” the release says.

This change affects numerous commencement ceremonies scheduled in various states, including the Florida commencement that had been scheduled for June 1.

University events planned on campus in June will be canceled or postponed, including all camps and conferences, the release says.

Virtual events planned online, however, will continue as scheduled.

The shift to online classes will apply to both the Summer 1 and 2 terms for all courses, including all accelerated summer courses taught at education centers and University Campus St. Leo. This also affects all other locations throughout Florida and the United States.

As soon as plans are finalized for commencement, students will be notified of the new date by email. Information also will be posted on the Saint Leo website at SaintLeo.edu/commencement.

School district adapts to distance learning

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While parents suddenly found themselves thrust into the role of being frontline teachers, educators in Pasco and Hillsborough counties also found themselves making a big shift when the state ordered school campuses to be closed.

The order is in effect until April 30, and as press time for The Laker/Lutz News it remained unclear whether that will be extended.

During a virtual Pasco County School Board meeting on April 7, district officials discussed how county schools made the switch to online learning.

Superintendent Kurt Browning told the audience viewing the meeting, “When this thing hit, I remember our first meeting in the superintendent’s conference room. We were all a little shell-shocked by the fact that school was going to be closed for an additional week after Spring Break.”

But, district staff stepped up, and by the time the shift was made, the district was well-poised to make the shift.

He credited Joanne Glenn and her eSchool team for the guidance and encouragement they provided to district teachers.

“Our brick-and-mortars classroom teachers, for a large part, most part, have never done virtual education before,” he said. But, once they received the training that the district’s Office of Leading and Learning and the eSchool staff put together, he said, “a lot of the angst disappeared.”

The district also distributed about 17,000 devices to families needing them, including roughly 9,000 for elementary school students and about 8,000 for secondary school students, said Assistant Superintendent Kevin Shibley. A small number of devices were still in the process of being provided for families.

Don Peace, president of the United School Employees of Pasco, complimented the district’s handling of the transition of shifting from direct to distance instruction.

“As we work in our second week of distance learning, I want to recognize our district superintendent and staff for having a Plan B in place,” Peace said.

“A special thanks goes out to Joanne Glenn and the wonderful group of eSchool employees who have willingly served as resources to those in need of help, during this transition period,” he said.

“I also want to thank you for how you are handling the thousands of ‘new teachers’ in our district, by that I mean, the parents, grandparents and guardians who have suddenly been thrust into the role of teacher. They are now the first people asked to help with questions or concerns when students struggle.

“I know in my grandson’s case, resources, tutorials and updates are going out constantly to provide information and reassurance in these situations.

“I would urge all of us to be caring and compassionate when dealing with student and parent concerns,” Peace said.

School board chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin expressed gratitude on behalf of the board for the district’s leadership and extra efforts made by teachers and staff.

“The last several weeks, everyone has been thrust into new ways of teaching and learning, and doing the work that supports that learning,” she said.

“On behalf of the board, we are very grateful to everyone who has worked so hard to make sure our students will continue to have learning opportunities and to have food in their homes.

“Thank you to the district staff who worked through the entire Spring Break getting things put into place.

“Thank you to Mrs. Glenn and the eSchool staff who have been supporting the teachers across the district, 24/7, answering questions and troubleshooting.

“Thank you to our communications team for pushing out all of the information, in multiple formats.

“Thank you to the teachers who have had to make this difficult transition to distance learning in such a short time. I have seen you collaborating and problem-solving at all hours to help our students and families.

“Thank you to the students for doing your work, even when it can be difficult to log on and while you are experiencing stressful life circumstances.

“Thank you to the parents for extending grace. We appreciate your patience as we work through some bumps in the road.

“I am confident that this district and our community will get through this and our students will continue to make academic progress,” Beaudoin said.

Assistant Superintendent Betsy Kuhn also expressed appreciation to district staff for pulling together to ensure that meals could be delivered to students who depend on school meals as their only reliable source of food.

The district delivered food to 27 sites and 16 bus stops.

“This was our second week of doing the once-a-week on Tuesdays, where we give out 10 meals to each child who comes through the line,” Kuhn said.

“The unofficial number for today is that served over 121,000. That does not include our bus stops. Those are still being calculated.

“What that means is that we served over 12,000 children in our community. That is up 8,000 served last week. And, the first week we served, March 23, we served about 5,500 students per day.

“This would not be possible without the support and very hard work of FNS (Food and Nutrition Services) and transportation, after school enrichment programs and maintenance,” Kuhn said. Kuhn also gave kudos to human resources for helping to coordinate and schedule 200 volunteers that stepped up to help.

Browning said he’s incredibly proud of district employees.

“We could not be where we are today without everyone in this district pulling together and doing what’s right for our kids,” the superintendent said.

Published April 15, 2020

Library services still available, in a different way

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Hillsborough County libraries have a number of online services and resources available to support and enhance student eLearning.

With schools closed at least through April and teachers doing lessons remotely, online traffic to the Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative’s website has surged.

These are some of the offerings available to help students learn from home:

  • Tutor.com: Take the guesswork out of homework with a live tutor. One-to-one help is available daily from 2 p.m. to midnight.
  • Call the library: Got a question? Call (813) 273-3652, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Ask a librarian: Chat with a librarian from your computer or mobile device about homework or educational needs. The service is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

To access more educational online resources to support student success at home, visit the public library website at HCPLC.org.

Published April 15, 2020

Shift to online learning poses challenges

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When the state of Florida decided to shift to distance learning in March — parents, teachers and students found themselves facing a steep learning curve.

Julia O’Connor says the Pledge of Allegiance before beginning her lessons in her grandparents’ dining room. Her grandfather, George O’ Connor, is overseeing her online learning. (Courtesy of George O’Connor)

“This thing came on pretty quick. We’re all learning on the fly,” said George O’Connor, who is supervising his 7-year-old granddaughter Julia’s instruction, in his Wesley Chapel home.

Normally, Julia attends Sand Pine Elementary. Now, she’s beginning her school day by reciting The Pledge of Allegiance in her grandparents’ dining room.

“The first week was a challenge, getting all of the programs and things like that,” O’Connor said. “We started the second week off yesterday, and it seems to be going a lot better.”

“It’s a least four hours of scheduled work.

“The teachers are holding something on Zoom, like a teleconference with the students. They’re also offering tutoring over the phones, as to how to work the programs,” O’Connor said.

Their granddaughter is staying with her grandparents because her mom, Kim, is an officer with the Tampa Police Department.

Kim O’ Connor, an officer with the Tampa Police Department, waves to her daughter Julia, who is staying with her grandparents while school campuses are closed because of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. (Courtesy of George O’Connor)

Normally, Kim is assigned as a School Resource Officer at Benito Middle School, but while school campuses are closed because of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, she’s assisting the department’s patrol officers.

George said Kim is practicing social distancing, to avoid any potential spread of the virus.

Kim said she and Julia are communicating through texts, FaceTime and games they can play together on their devices.

Meanwhile, George’s other daughter, Meg Lewandowski teaches 10th grade Honors English at Freedom High School and her 6-year-old daughter, Margaret, attends Chiles Elementary in Tampa.

So, Lewandowski is experiencing online both as a teacher, and a parent of an online learner.

“I’ve been an educator for 15 years and this is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” Lewandowski said.

“Trying to reach students through a computer screen and keep them engaged has proven to be a new challenge,” she said.

Margaret Lewandowski and her mother, Meg, get ready for their first day of online education due to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Margaret is in kindergarten at Chiles Elementary. Meg teaches 10th grade Honors English at Freedom High School. Both are getting used to a new routine. (Courtesy of Meg Lewandowski)

But, she added: “I’m finding that my students generally want to succeed, and they want to complete their work and continue with their learning.”

She said her daughter, who is kindergarten, is adjusting.

“We’ve kind of fallen into our routine,” she said. “Her teacher has been great about updating all of her assignments.”

But, she said her daughter misses going to school, and seeing her teachers and friends.

Lewandowski can empathize.

“I miss my routine of going to work and doing my job, a job that I really love,” she said.

On the other hand, she said, “it’s been a great opportunity to just kind of slow down a little bit. We tend to miss out on a lot of things when we’re in our normal rush of going to work and coming home, and doing activities.”

Being able to slow down some, she said, also provides more time to play with Margaret and learn some new games, she said.

Online learning has some advantages
Rowena Mendoza said that social distancing put a damper on Spring Break because her children are accustomed to being able to go somewhere during the break, but they couldn’t this year.

So, when online learning started, Mendoza said it helped her and husband, who are both working at home in IT.

Colin Mendoza, a freshman at Wiregrass Ranch High School, enjoys online instruction because he can get his work done faster, says Rowena, his mom. (Courtesy of Rowena Mendoza)

“It’s very relieving for me, as a mom. I know my kids have things to do during the day, and they’re very focused,” she said.

Plus, 12-year-old Kayla who attends John Long Middle School and 15-year-old Colin, who attends Wiregrass Ranch High, have enjoyed virtual learning because they can work at their own pace.

“My kids like to finish their work ahead of time, so the rest of the week they can do anything,” she said.

But, they do miss their friends and classmates, she said.

Kayla Mendoza, who attends John Long Middle School, enjoys online learning, but says sometime the system can’t keep up with her typing, says Rowena, her mom. (Courtesy of Rowena Mendoza)

Also, there have been some technical glitches. And, with so many users on the system, it is sometimes overwhelmed, she said.

Overall, she thinks the school system has done a good job — but it may need to upgrade its system, she said.

Things haven’t gone so smoothly for some other families.

Angel Shannon’s daughter, Shaylee, is a third-grader at Lutz Elementary.

Trying to help her daughter, while she’s doing her job at home, has been very challenging, Shannon said.

She doesn’t blame the school.

“It’s a fabulous school. We love the school, and I know they are trying very hard.

“The teachers are available, but the problem is, I have a 9-year-old and they’ve never taken instructions off a computer screen for every subject,” she said.

Besides that, they have to log in to different softwares, she said. “I have to sit, not only read the instructions, go over it with her — and it’s like six hours of me, sitting there with her, doing it with her,” said Shannon, a Medicare Advantage sales agent.

“I’m trying to talk on the phone. She’s trying to ask me questions. It’s causing a lot of stress. It’s not going well,” Shannon said.

Plus, she said, she can’t help Shaylee with her Common Core math work.

“This math, I don’t even understand what they’re asking, let alone how to help her.

“To me, it’s so ridiculous — and, I was an honors student. Between my husband and I, we read it, I get so frustrated I have to take a break.

“And then I think, I’ve only got one child. I couldn’t even imagine if there were more than one child in the home — trying to get their schooling done,” said Shannon, noting her husband works as a truck driver and when he gets home from work, she’s still trying to help Shaylee with her schoolwork.

It’s frustrating for both of them, she said.

“This is just for the birds,” Shannon said.

Shaylee Shannon and her mom, Angel, are learning how to try to balance the new situation they’re in now: Shaylee trying to do her schoolwork, and her mom trying to do her job. (Courtesy of Angel Shannon)

She said the principal understands the parents’ frustration and sent home a note, suggesting they not do more than three hours a day, but she worries about her daughter falling behind.

Annaliese Reese, who has a child in middle school and one in high school, understands Shannon’s frustration.

Reese’s 18-year-old son, Dante, a senior at Land O’ Lakes High School does his work, no problem, Reese said.

But, it’s a different story for her 12-year-old daughter, Gabriella, who attends Pine View Middle.

“I think she feels like because she’s not in school, she doesn’t have to do it,” Reese said.

The fact that she and her husband are working makes it tougher, she said.

She also feels for her son, who is missing out on the traditions of senior year.

Clara Reynolds, the president and CEO of The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, said the shift to online learning has added to the stress and anxieties many are facing during this time of COVID-19.

She offered this guidance.

“I think it’s important for parents to remember, you need to set up routines, but you don’t have to try to recreate a classroom environment, where kids are in class for 6 hours a day, in front of a computer,” she said.

“I think you can build it into little bite-sized chunks. Make sure you’ve got some time for enjoyable activities and things like that, because otherwise everybody is going to be very frustrated and anxious,” Reynolds said.

Published April 15, 2020