Education

Chalk Talk 11/13/2019

November 13, 2019 By Mary Rathman

Bahamas school supply drive
Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) is collecting donations of school supplies to assist the schoolchildren of the Bahamas. An estimated 18,000 children and their families have been displaced since Hurricane Dorian struck the islands on Sept. 1.

From left: Pastor Stephan Knowles, Strong Tower Community Church, Abaco; Senior Mistress Agartha Francis, teaching assistant, Thompson Junior High School, Nassau; PHSC alumnus D’Angelo Ferguson, CEO, Alfred and Nancy Stuart Foundation; and, Andrew Dean, teaching assistant, Thompson Junior High School. (Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

Ten schools were destroyed on the island of Abaco alone, while many other schools sustained damages.

The children of the Bahamas, some of whom lost family members, classmates, and their homes are transitioning to schools that are undamaged but strained to accommodate additional students.

Donations of classroom supplies will be accepted at all PHSC libraries.

Each college store also is accepting donations and selling discounted supplies to anyone contributing to the drive.

Needed items include new backpacks, flash drives, notebooks, binders, calculators, pens, pencils, art materials, and other typical classroom supplies.

The deadline to donate is Dec. 5, as the items will be shipped to the Bahamas in December.

Campuses are in Dade City, Wesley Chapel, New Port Richey, Brooksville and Spring Hill.

For information, email Lucy Miller, director of community outreach, at .

Schools take a break
As a reminder, Pasco and Hillsborough county students will have a Thanksgiving/Fall break from Nov. 25 to Nov. 29. All students will return to classes on Dec. 2.

Volunteers needed
The GFWC Pasco Junior Woman’s Club is looking for dependable high school students for a variety of volunteer opportunities.

The club is a 501© nonprofit organization, and time spent volunteering will count toward the necessary Bright Futures scholarship hours.

For information, text the word ‘volunteer’ to (813) 461-3131.

Feeding Pasco food drive
The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office’s annual Feeding Pasco Kids food drive is in full swing.

The proceeds from the drive will go directly to local organizations whose mission is to provide support for homeless children and students.

This year, the recipients include the Pasco Schools system and Metropolitan Ministries.

Donation boxes are placed in the lobbies of the Pasco Sheriff’s office buildings throughout the county.

Several area churches also agreed to have boxes in their buildings to assist with the food collection.

Monetary donations can be made by check or money order to Pasco Sheriff’s Charities, with “Food Drive” in the ‘for’ line, and mailed to Food Drive Donations, Pasco Sheriff’s Charities, 8700 Citizen Drive, New Port Richey, FL 34654.

The deadline to donate is Dec. 13.

For information, call (727) 844-7759.

Education month
The District School Board of Pasco County, along with the Florida Department of Education, recognizes November as Florida Family Engagement in Education month, to highlight the role parents and families have in student education.

Parents, grandparents, guardians and extended families are encouraged to be involved throughout the year.

Parent-teacher conferences are one of the ways to be involved and stay engaged in your student’s education.

For engagement ideas, visit PTAOurChildren.org.

Band yard sale
The Zephyrhills High School Band will host an indoor yard sale on Nov. 16 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Zephyrhills First Nazarene, 6155 12th St., to help fund a trip to Washington D.C., to march in the 2020 National Memorial Day parade.

For information, call Meggan Nichols, the ZHS Band sponsor fundraiser coordinator, at (813) 403-0700.

Barbeque benefit
The Great American BBQ, benefiting Hudson Elementary School, will take place Nov. 16 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at SunWest Park, 17362 Old Dixie Highway in Hudson.

There will be eating competitions, live music, volleyball and cornhole, and a contest for the best sauce. Admission is $5.

For information, call (727) 674-1464.

School choice expos
Pasco County Schools will host expo-style events, one on each side of the county, to inform Pasco County families about the upcoming school choice application windows and innovative program options.

Nov. 18 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at River Ridge High School, 11646 Towne Center Road in New Port Richey
Nov. 21 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Wesley Chapel High School, 30651 Wells Road

The expos will feature informational sessions that cover the general application process.

In addition, many Pasco County schools will showcase unique educational options, such as STEM and STEAM magnet schools, the Cambridge International Education Programme, International Baccalaureate, Wendell Krinn Technical High School, Career Pathways, Pasco eSchool, and more.

The school application choice window will run from Dec. 3 to Dec. 13 for middle and high schools, and from Jan. 21 to Jan. 31 for elementary schools.

For information or to register, visit PascoSchools.org, and click on the Pasco Pathways link.

Fee adjustment review
Pasco-Hernando State College’s District Board of Trustees (DBOT) will consider approving proposed adjusted course-related fees at a Nov. 19 board meeting, at 6 p.m., at the Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, 2727 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

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

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

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

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

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

Saint Leo conference focuses on WWI and its impacts

November 6, 2019 By B.C. Manion

Maybe you’re a history teacher, with a penchant for the World War I era.

This World War I-era poster was created by James Montgomery Flagg in 1918 and printed by the American Lithographic Company of New York. It shows Uncle Sam arm-in-arm with Britannia, accompanied by a lion (U.K.) and an eagle (U.S.A.). It will be included in Marco Rimanelli’s presentation at an upcoming conference at Saint Leo University. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Perhaps you have a fascination for the impacts that World War I had on politics, medicine, diplomacy or, even closer to home — your family’s personal history.

Maybe you’re just curious about what life was like in the wider world, during the time of Downton Abbey.

If any of this resonates with you, an upcoming conference at Saint Leo University could be right up your alley.

The university is inviting teachers, history and political buffs, veterans and the general public to a conference that centers on the history of World War I, and subsequent peace-building efforts.

The Nov. 16 event, called the Centennial of World War I & Peace 1914 to 1919 Interdisciplinary Conference, will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the university’s campus in St. Leo.

The event comes slightly more than a century after the original Armistice Day — Nov. 11, 1918 —which marked the official end of World War I.

The conference is structured around three panels, with presentations by speakers and time allotted for questions and answers, said Marco Rimanelli, full professor of political sciences and international studies at the university.

The presentations will cover:

Military and diplomacy
Medical and health care issues in the Great War
The impact of the League of Nations

Rimanelli’s presentation is entitled “Alliances & U.S. Military in World War I: ‘Doughboys & Trenches, ‘Over There’”

Members of American Company A, Ninth Machine Gun Battalion set up in a French railroad shop on June 7, 1918. (U.S. National Archives and Record Administration)

“We want to try to give an overview,” said Rimanelli, a driving force behind the conference.

“World War I is essential in the emergence of America as a global super power, as well as the beginning of the demise of the European order,” Rimanelli said.

Panelist Dan DuBois, an assistant professor of history, will focus on how World War I played out in East Asia, in his talk entitled “Aye, What has Become of Civilization?: East Asia & The Great War.”

“To understand the current degree of distrust between the United States and China, that really begins in 1919,” DuBois said.

Interspersed between the panels, Saint Leo faculty members will help take conference-goers back to World War I through poetry readings and musical performances from the era.

Chantelle MacPhee, the university’s chair of language studies and the arts, will read “In Flanders Fields,” a World War I poem by John McCrae, a medic from Canada.

“He wrote it in the memory of those he saw perish with him,” said MacPhee , who herself lost great-uncles in World War I.

American troops going forward to the battle line in the Forest of Argonne. France, September 26, 1918.
(U.S. National Archives and Record Administration)

“In Flanders Fields,” she said, “is the most famous in Canada and is recited every Nov. 11, which is called Remembrance Day.”

Conference attendees also will be able to glean an additional sense of what life was like during World War I through an array of posters featuring combat scenes, war memorabilia, and a glimpse of African-American life at that time.

The $12 admission to the conference deliberately was kept affordable to encourage attendance. Admission includes lunch, snacks and beverages and there is no charge for parking.

Also, Saint Leo University alumni, students, faculty and staff will be admitted free, with proper ID.

Teachers attending the conference may also be eligible to apply for continuing education credit, which Saint Leo University will help to document.

Published November 06, 2019

Principal raises the roof to promote literacy

November 6, 2019 By Christine Holtzman

Students at Wiregrass Elementary School have a summer tradition.

They take part, every year, in the Scholastic Book reading challenge.

Several students passing by the courtyard area wave excitedly at Steve Williams, the school principal, as he broadcasts on Facebook Live from on top of the school’s roof to fulfill a promise he made to his students, who logged more than 160,000 minutes in the nationwide Scholastic Book summer reading challenge. (Christine Holtzman)

Two years ago, the students logged in over 43,000 minutes, and came in eighth in the state.

But, Steve Williams, principal of the school at 29732 Wiregrass School Road in Wesley Chapel, knew they could do better.

So, he challenged them to log in more than 50,000 minutes.

If they could, he promised he would spend time reading to them from the school’s roof.

The students slayed the challenge — logging more than 160,000 minutes of reading.

And, the principal responded by spending a full day on the school’s roof — about 32 feet above ground — reading through a megaphone to the students below.

Steve Williams, principal of the Wiregrass Elementary School, reads a book into a megaphone, so the students seated in the courtyard below could hear. The top student readers from each group and their classmates earned the right to enjoy a story from the courtyard.

About every half-hour or so, the principal went on Facebook Live to connect with the community and with his students.

Teachers could log in and let their students watch.

The principal read a series of fiction and nonfiction books. He read newspapers and textbooks. He regaled the audience with his thoughts about the characters, plots and illustrators.

As a special treat, the top reader in every grade level was invited to come to the courtyard to listen to the principal read a book to them, from his high perch, through a megaphone.

Williams said that the kids love the fact that their principal is willing to do fun and extreme things.

He summed up the rooftop challenge like this: “Today is really all about supporting literacy.”

Published November 06, 2019

From approximately 32 feet above the ground, Steve Williams, the principal of the Wiregrass Elementary School, waves to passing students and staff members from the school’s roof. Williams spent the whole school day on the roof, reading books through a megaphone, as well as broadcasting on Facebook Live, to promote literacy and to fulfill a promise he made to his students during the summer reading challenge.

Steve Williams, principal of the Wiregrass Elementary School, holds up a book that he will read during one of his broadcasts via Facebook Live. Every half-hour or so, Williams went on Facebook Live to connect with the community and with the students. Throughout the campus, teachers were able to log in and let their students watch.

Chalk Talk 11/06/2019

November 6, 2019 By Mary Rathman

Music to their ears
The GFWC Little Women of Lutz, a teen group mentored and sponsored by the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, presented Lutz Elementary School music teachers with a $500 donation in memory of the late Marilyn Wannamaker. Wannamaker was an advisor to the Little Women for many years, and a past president of the woman’s club. The funds will be used by the school to purchase new sound equipment and xylophones. From left: Genesis Corbin, music teachers Kathy Barbur and Kelly Couthu, and Rachel Lightner.

Student artworks
The Medical Center of Trinity, 9330 State Road 54, will host an Expressions of Thanks Youth Art Contest reception on Nov. 7 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The reception will showcase the artwork honoring our veterans and those serving in the military, submitted by students in Pasco, Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties.

Students in kindergarten through 12 grade entered artwork, poetry and essays.

Light refreshments will be served at the reception.

The artwork will be on display in the hospital lobby through Dec. 1.

For information, call Mary Sommise at (727) 834-4868.

Saint Leo open house
Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo, will host a Fall Open House on Nov. 9 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Check-in and breakfast are available from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., in the Marion Bowman Activities Center gymnasium.

Students will have an opportunity to explore life at Saint Leo and learn about academic programs through the faculty, resource fairs, and academic presentations and demonstrations.

Visitors also can tour the campus, learn about clubs and organizations, meet with financial aid representatives, talk with admissions counselors, and more.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Admission is free.

Prospective students can register at SaintLeo.edu/open-house.

For assistance or questions, email , or call (352) 588-8283.

Car show fundraiser
The second annual Fundraiser Car Show to benefit the bands of Sunlake High School and its Color Guard program will take place Nov. 10 from noon to 4 p.m., at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

There will be live music, special guests, a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle, food and more.

There is a $15 registration fee for all classics, hot rods, muscle cars, customs and motorcycles.

For information, email .

Math competition
Saint Leo University, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo, invites middle-schoolers to participate for free in the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) 8, scheduled for Nov. 13.

This is a national competition developed by the Mathematical Association of America.

Students can apply their knowledge to a 25-question, multiple-choice exam, to be completed in 40 minutes.

Saint Leo can accommodate 30 students. Mathematics faculty will monitor the exam.

Advance registration is required by emailing Kevin Murphy at , with the phrase “AMC 8” in the subject line. Parents also can call Murphy at (352) 588-7192.

Fall hiring event
Pasco County Schools District Office, 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., will host a Pasco County Schools Fall Instructional Hiring Event on Nov. 14 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Participants can meet with administrators from schools across the district and interview for vacant positions.

Qualified applicants need to have a valid teaching certificate or a valid statement of eligibility, or be a recent college of education graduate.

Registration closes at midnight on Nov. 7.

For information, call Meggan Nichols, the ZHS Band sponsor fundraiser coordinator, at (813) 403-0700.

New online program
Saint Leo University will now offer a Bachelor of Arts degree in emergency management, completely online, and will begin enrolling students in January.

Faculty at the school were inspired to create the new program by the sustained demand across the country for people trained in managing coordinated response to disasters, fires, and other emergencies caused by conditions ranging from coastal flooding and powerful storms, to industrial accidents and criminal actions.

Admissions inquires can be made online at tinyurl.com/y53z4rmm, or by calling toll-free (877) 622-2009.

Bilirakis helps Pasco secure $500,000 safe schools grant

October 30, 2019 By Special to The Laker/Lutz News

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis has helped Pasco County Schools secure a $500,000 federal grant to help keep students and teachers safe.

The funding is part of the STOP School Violence Act, which Bilirakis supported and which became law last year.

Bilirakis advocated for Pasco to receive this grant after speaking with Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco, Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning, members of the Pasco County School Board, teachers and parents, according to a news release from the congressman’s office.

The funds will be used to enable Pasco Schools, law enforcement partners, and mental health providers to facilitate multidisciplinary threat assessments while developing behavioral threat assessment teams to intervene and mitigate potential risks, the release says.

Funding will build on current community engagement by supporting a dedicated school threat assessment coordinator and certified juvenile criminal intelligence analyst.

Pasco County Schools is the 10th largest, among the state’s 67 school districts.

In the release, Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said “we want to thank Congressman Bilirakis for his leadership in protecting our children in Pasco County.

“Funding for threat assessments is one of the best methods for prevention and to help a child in distress before they become a threat to others or themselves.

“We look forward to further partnering with Pasco County Schools and Superintendent Browning on this important initiative,” Nocco added.

Pasco County Schools is one of just eight school districts in the country to receive this competitive grant.

Bilirakis also is the author of the PROTECT KIDS Act, which would provide additional federal funding for School Resource Officers in the nation’s largest school districts, such as Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Published October 30, 2019

Chalk Talk 10/30/2019

October 30, 2019 By Mary Rathman

Monsignor Robert Morris, left, and D. Dewey Mitchell bestow the presidential medallion on Jeffrey D. Senese, at his inauguration as Saint Leo University’s 10th president. (Courtesy of Renee Gerstein, Saint Leo University)

Inauguration at Saint Leo
In a Mass celebrated by Abbot Isaac Camacho, OSB, and a formal investiture ceremony, Dr. Jeffrey D. Senese officially became Saint Leo University’s 10th president, on Oct. 11.

Senese made the Oath of Fidelity using the Douay-Rheims Haydock Bible, published in 1893, and was presented with the presidential medallion, which features the university’s core values of community, excellence, integrity, personal development, respect and responsible stewardship.

In his inaugural address, Senese looked to the future of Saint Leo — the promise of growth in the number of students served, the addition of new programs, the expansion of physical locations, and the creation of partnerships among universities.

Halloween at area schools
These local schools will be hosting a variety of Halloween-themed events:

Bexley Elementary, 4380 Ballantrae Blvd., Land O’ Lakes: Family Literacy Day on Oct. 31 at 9:40 a.m. Families are welcome to attend these classroom collaborations. Call (813) 346-4300.
Centennial Elementary, 38501 Centennial Road in Dade City: Halloween Book Parade on Oct. 31 at 10 a.m., in the bus loop. Call (352) 524-5000.
Wiregrass Ranch Elementary, 29732 Wiregrass School Road in Wesley Chapel: Wiregrass Storybook Parade on Oct. 31 at 10 a.m., in the bus loop. Call (813) 346-0700.
Land O’ Lakes High School, 20325 Gator Lane: Fall Festival with trick-or-treat around the stadium on Nov. 1 at 6 p.m. Call (813) 794-9400.

Saint Leo homecoming
Saint Leo University will host homecoming Nov. 1 to Nov. 3. Alumni and friends are invited to attend the activities over the weekend.

Highlights will include the Class of 1969’s 50th reunion dinner and celebration; Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity’s 30th reunion; Brews & Bites; a Greek Mixer for members of fraternities and sororities; Spirit of Saint Leo Golf Tournament; Brunch with the President; Lions Rally with food trucks and live music; volleyball and men’s soccer games; the homecoming basketball game; and goat yoga.

For the full schedule, and to register, visit Your.SaintLeo.edu/hoco.

For information, call (352) 588-8667, or email .

Jewish scholar to speak
The Saint Leo University Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies will host Jewish studies scholar Ruth Langer on Nov. 5 at 12:30 p.m., in TECO Hall on the campus, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo.

This is a free, one-hour lecture on “Rabbis and the Ancient Synagogue.”

Langer is an ordained rabbi and holds a doctorate in Jewish liturgy from Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio.

She is a professor of Jewish studies at Boston College and associate director of its Center for Christian-Jewish Learning.

For information, visit SaintLeo.edu.

Medal recipients visit schools
As part of a year-long collaboration with the Medal of Honor Character curriculum and convention team, eight Pasco County schools hosted Medal of Honor recipients.

The schools were selected based on their commitment to exemplifying character traits within their school buildings.

The Medal of Honor recipients shared their experiences and stories of bravery with the students.

The speaking engagements took place at Deer Park Elementary, New Port Richey; Centennial Middle, Dade City; Pine View Middle, Land O’ Lakes High and Rushe Middle, Land O’ Lakes; Paul Smith Middle, Holiday; Hudson High, Hudson; and Wiregrass Ranch High, Wesley Chapel.

Table rentals for the yard sale are now available. Rent a 5-foot round table and an 8-foot by 10-foot spot for $15; rent an extra table and spot for $10; and rent an extra spot for $5.

The building will open at 7 a.m., for setup.

The deadline for renting is Nov. 8.

For information, call Meggan Nichols, the ZHS Band sponsor fundraiser coordinator, at (813) 403-0700.

Financial aid tip
As high school seniors and their parents look into the college financial aid process, they may come across some unfamiliar terms.

The Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) gives this short glossary of financial aid terms that students and parents should be aware of:

Conversion scholarship/loan. This type of scholarships requires students to provide certain services. If they don’t provide the service, the scholarship becomes a loan.
Cost of attendance. The total cost of one year of college: tuition, fees, room, meals, supplies, transportation and personal items.
Expected family contribution (EFC). This is the amount the student and family are expected to pay for the student’s education, based on a formula set by Congress.
FAFSA. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid must be submitted by students applying for federal and state aid. Visit FAFSA.gov, to apply.
Financial need. The difference between the cost of attendance and the EFC.
Institutional aid. The scholarships, grants and other financial aid programs provide by the college.
Verification. The process of making sure the information submitted on the FAFSA is correct. The federal government requires colleges to have certain students’ FAFSA information verified.

The KHEAA is a public, nonprofit agency that helps to provide information about financial aid and financial literacy at no cost, to improve students’ access to college.

For more information, visit KHEAA.com.

Chalk Talk 10/23/2019

October 23, 2019 By Mary Rathman

Promoting education and literacy
Sunrise Rotary Club has donated books for the last 10 years to local elementary schools with money raised from events and matching grants through the Pasco Education Foundation. Every year, Sunrise Rotary raises funds to promote education and literacy, and provide food bags and scholarships. To date, the group has provided 1,100 books, worth $15,000. Accepting donations, from left: Principal Latoya Jordan, Lacoochee Elementary; Principal Nena Green, Pasco Elementary; Principal Kimberly Napal, Cox Elementary; Pasco County Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning and Sunrise Rotary President Cindy Harper. Not pictured is Principal Gretchen Rudolph-Fladd, Centennial Elementary.

Trunk-or-treat fundraiser
Wesley Chapel High School, 30651 Wells Road, will host its first Trunk or Treat on Oct. 25 at 6 p.m., in the school’s bus loop.

For information on this fundraiser, contact Brad O’ Dell at (813) 794-8700 or .

Scare Fair Open House
Keiser University will host a Scare Fair Open House on Oct. 30 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at its New Port Richey campus, 6014 U.S. 19.

There will be a costume contest with prizes, pumpkins to decorate and take home, trunk-or-treat, games, music, food and the WQYK-FM 99.5 station.

Guests also can learn about the school’s programs, including health care, nursing, business, legal studies, criminal justice, technology and psychology.

To RSVP, visit KUOpenHouse.com. For information, call (727) 484-3110.

Self-confidence workshop
The Hugh Embry Library, 14215 Fourth St., in Dade City, will present a Character Development Workshop with Latoya Desamour on Oct. 28 at 6 p.m., for grades one to five, with an adult. This will be an interactive discussion about bullying and self-confidence.

Dinner will be provided.

Registration is required by calling (352) 567-3576.

Principal challenge
Wiregrass Elementary School’s Principal Steve Williams challenged students to read books through the Scholastic platform over the summer, log their reading minutes, and earn incentives at each level.

Williams made a promise to read from the school’s roof all day, to further promote literacy and reading.

The students met the challenge and cumulatively logged more than 160,000 reading minutes, and on Oct. 11, Williams hit the roof and spent the day reading textbooks, newspapers, and storybooks chosen by the students.

Top student readers from each group, along with their classmates, visited the courtyard throughout the day to have Williams read a story to them through a megaphone.

Orchestra performance
The Florida Orchestra performed “One Giant Leap: 50th Anniversary of the Moon Landing” for Pasco County Schools at The Center for the Arts at Wesley Chapel, on Oct. 15.

Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas music teachers developed a curriculum guide with the Florida Orchestra, and youth concerts are the culmination of the effort.

This anniversary performance explored space travel and music about the skies above, and featured visuals from NASA’s exploration of the lunar surface.

The event also introduced the musical instruments of the orchestra to the students.

Honor Society ceremony
Wendell Krinn Technical High School in New Port Richey recognized and celebrated students who excelled in their career and technical education programs with a National Technical Honor Society Induction Ceremony on Oct. 16.

Students were honored for their GPAs and attendance, and received certificates.

Pasco County School is redrawing boundaries

October 16, 2019 By B.C. Manion

Turnout was light for a public workshop regarding school boundaries held last week at Wiregrass Ranch High School.

Thousands of students will be affected by the proposed changes, but the vast majority of changes relate to Cypress Creek Middle School, which is set to open in the fall of 2020.

The school district initially had planned to open both a high school and a middle school on the campus at 8701 Old Pasco Road.

Chris Williams, director of planning for Pasco County Schools, explains proposed boundaries for Cypress Creek Middle School, during a public workshop on proposed school boundary changes. (Christine Holtzman)

But, the district was short on funding, so initially the high school buildings were used to house students in grades six through 12.

When the new middle school opens next fall, students in grades six through eight will shift to the new building.

But, boundary changes are needed to fill up remaining capacity at both the middle school and the high school.

The proposed changes primarily affect the Seven Oaks neighborhood, said Chris Williams, director of planning for Pasco County Schools.

Specifically, the school district is proposing that 613 students now zoned to Wiregrass Ranch High School be shifted to Cypress Creek High School, and seven students zoned to Pasco High School be rezoned to Cypress Creek High School.

If that’s approved, the estimated enrollment at Cypress Creek High School would be 2,080, in a school which has a permanent capacity of 2,090.

After the proposed shift, Wiregrass Ranch would have an enrollment of 1,606 students, in a school with a permanent capacity of 1,633. Pasco High would have an enrollment of 1,602, in a school with a permanent capacity of 1,491.

The proposed boundary changes also call for shifting over to Cypress Creek Middle, an estimated 446 students now zoned to John Long Middle and five students now zoned to Pasco Middle.

If those changes are approved, Cypress Creek Middle would have an estimated 1,554 students, in a school with a permanent capacity of 1,600. John Long Middle would have 1,167 students, in a school with a permanent capacity of 1,327. Pasco Middle would have 918 students, in a school with a permanent capacity of 875.

Under the proposal, seven students living along State Road 52, at the north end of Old Pasco Road, would be reassigned from Pasco High to Cypress Creek High.

That shift is being proposed because where they live is a straight shot to Cypress Creek High, Williams said. “We felt that made sense.”

Alex Morales, of Wesley Chapel, center, and his wife Jessica, speak with Wayne Bertsch, communications and government liaison for Pasco County Schools, about their concerns relating to proposed school boundaries. The Morales family lives in Seven Oaks, a neighborhood that is currently zoned for Wiregrass Ranch High School, but under the new proposal, will be zoned for Cypress Creek High School.

The district also is proposing to shift an attendance area with 17 students in San Antonio Elementary over to Quail Hollow Elementary.

“These kids currently go to San Antonio Elementary, Pasco Middle and Pasco High. So, now they’re going to go to Quail Hollow Elementary, Cypress Creek Middle and Cypress Creek High,” Williams said.

In another proposed change, an attendance area with 143 students now zoned to Wesley Chapel High would be reassigned to Zephyrhills High. That would bring Zephyrhills High’s enrollment to 1,780, at a school with a permanent capacity of 2,004. It would bring Wesley Chapel High’s enrollment to 1,438, at a school with a permanent capacity of 1,506.

Williams said the change addresses a previous boundary shift.

“We rezoned some kids several years ago out of Wiregrass and John Long into Wesley Chapel and Weightman. We kind of shifted these kids over to Stewart Middle, but there wasn’t room at Zephyrhills, so they went to Wesley Chapel.

“The bulk of these kids go to Chester Taylor Elementary, then they go to Stewart and then they go to Wesley Chapel,” Williams said.

The planning director also noted that “Wesley Chapel has all of this growth coming from Epperson Ranch.

“So, we think it makes sense to fix the feeder pattern. Elementary and middle doesn’t change: They’ll still go to Chester Taylor and Stewart Middle. But, now they’ll go to Zephyrhills (High),” Williams said.

Zephyrhills High has room because the district just built a new classroom wing there.

As of last week, Williams had not received any feedback on the proposed shift affecting Zephyrhills High.

Overall, he has received about three dozen comment cards regarding the proposed boundary shifts changes — the vast majority coming from the Seven Oaks neighborhood.

As is often the case, those commenting said they’d bought their home in a specific neighborhood because of the school their child would attend, or they objected to the change because the new school is farther away from their home than their current school.

When the district drew up the original boundaries for Cypress Creek Middle High, it announced it would likely be shifting the Seven Oaks neighborhood over when the new middle school opened.

But, apparently that word did not get out to everyone, Williams said.

Jessica and Alex Morales, who live in Seven Oaks, said they moved into the neighborhood so their daughter could finish high school at Wiregrass Ranch. But, it now appears that their son, who is a freshman at Wiregrass Ranch, will be reassigned to Cypress Creek High next fall.

They attended the public workshop to see if there was any possibility their son could stay at Wiregrass Ranch High.

“We had moved from New York. He met all of his friends in sixth grade,” Jessica Morales said.

Under the proposal, he’ll be attending a high school that’s different from many of his friends.

“We’re trying to lessen that blow,” she said.

The family also has a second-grader they need to think about, too, she said.

They are planning to learn more about what Cypress Creek High has to offer.

Williams said there are other boundary changes proposed that would affect an area near State Road 52 and the Suncoast Parkway that is currently undeveloped, but has been approved for a massive development.

The proposal calls for assigning the entire area to Mary Giella Elementary, Crews Lake Middle School and Hudson High, Williams said.

Under the current boundaries, some of that future growth would have been assigned to Land O’ Lakes High, Pine View Middle and Connerton Elementary.

Anyone who wishes to comment on the district’s proposed boundaries can fill out a comment form by going to the district’s website, at Pasco.k12.fl.us.

The Pasco County School Board will have a public hearing on the proposed boundaries on Nov. 5 at 6 p.m., at 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes. The final public hearing is set for the same location on Nov. 19 at 6 p.m.

Published October 16, 2019

Chalk Talk 10/16/2019

October 16, 2019 By Mary Rathman

Donation helps include more students
Through the TD Charitable Foundation, TD Bank has donated $15,000 to support the sponsored admission program at The Florida Aquarium for under-served students in the Tampa Bay area. This is the sixth year the aquarium has received the contribution that will once again help children, youth and families who would otherwise face challenges to visit The Florida Aquarium. ‘Educating the next generation about the importance of our marine environment and wildlife is at the core of what we do, and thanks to the TD Charitable Trust, we will be able to inspire more children this coming year,’ Roger Germann, the aquarium’s president and CEO said, in a release.

Manufacturing Day
Pasco County Students participated in the annual Manufacturing Day on Oct. 4 and toured selected businesses where they learned about the manufacturing partner assigned to their field of study.

The Office of Career and Technical Education staff accompanied the students on the tours.

The event highlights the importance of manufacturing in our economy and draws attention to the many high-skilled jobs available.

School programs, such as Manufacturing Day, help to prepare students as our future workforce.

Options Night
Lutz Prep Charter and Learning Gate Community School will host a High School Options Night for seventh- and eighth-grade students Oct. 17 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Lutz Prep, 17951 U.S. 41 in Lutz.

Parents and students can learn how to make an informed high school decision regarding private, charter, traditional, magnet and IB schools.

For information, email Brian Bethune at .

Catholic scholarship
Saint Leo University again will offer the Catholic Promise Scholarship, which helps to make higher education more accessible to Catholic high school students in Florida.

The scholarship will be offered for undergraduate students for the fall 2020 semester at University Campus in St. Leo.

The scholarship will award students who have attended four years at a Catholic high school, with an annual scholarship of $14,000 toward tuition at the Saint Leo University Campus.

The scholarship is renewable each semester for up to four years, providing up to $56,000 in financial aid by the time the student graduates.

Saint Leo will host a Catholic Promise Instant Admit Day on Oct. 19 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in the Greenfelder and Denlinger boardrooms in the Student Community Center, so prospective students and their families can learn more about the scholarship.

A tour of the campus also will be included.

Students should bring transcripts and other documentation in order to be granted admission.

To register, visit SaintLeo.edu/catholic-promise.

For requirements and information, call (352) 588-8238.

Bleachers closed, temporarily
Pasco County Schools engaged a structural engineer to conduct safety inspections of seven high school concrete stadiums.

Two of those schools require temporary closure of bleachers. Locally, Pasco High School visitors’ side bleachers will be closed for maintenance for the rest of the football season, and likely through the end of the school year.

The closure is not expected to affect high school football, cross-country, soccer, track and field, or middle school events at the stadium.

The home bleachers at Pasco High will accommodate both home and visiting team fans.

Local achievements

Luisa F. Caban, of Land O’ Lakes, received a Bachelor of Science in social psychology from Park University’s Davis-Montham Air Force Base Campus in Arizona.
Em Ovalle, of Lutz, was named to the Dean’s List for the winter/spring term at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky.
Hanley Riggs, of Lutz, enrolled at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and joined other freshmen and transfer students for a Towering Traditions orientation for SERVE, an opportunity to complete community service together throughout the greater Nashville area.

Chalk Talk 10/09/2019

October 9, 2019 By Mary Rathman

Dr. Jeffrey Senese
(Courtesy of Mary McCoy)

Saint Leo inauguration
Saint Leo University will celebrate the inauguration of its 10^th president, Dr. Jeffrey Senese. The ceremony will be on Oct. 11 at 2 p.m. at the university’s Marion Bowman Activities at 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo.

Prior to becoming president at Saint Leo University, Senese became the university’s first provost in 2018. He came to Saint Leo after serving as provost at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

For event information, contact Mary McCoy at (352) 588-7118 or at .

Free math hotline
Hillsborough County Public Schools offers a free math homework hotline, available on select Thursdays, for math help on any topic.

Certified math teachers will be available from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Oct. 10, Oct. 17, Nov. 7, Nov. 14, Nov. 21 and Dec. 5.

There also is a ‘live’ show on Spectrum Chanel 635 and Frontier Channel 32, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., or live stream at MHH.mysdhc.org, and students can win prizes and/or answer the challenge question.

For information, contact Maggie Mixon at (813) 272-4927 or .

Parents and students can learn how to make an informed high school decision regarding private, charter, traditional, magnet and IB schools.

For information, email Brian Bethune at .

Teacher fellowship
The American Geographical Society (AGS) has named Anne Cullison, of Sunlake High School, a 2019 AGS Geography Teacher Fellow.

The AGS Fellow program is a year-long professional development opportunity that enables geography teachers to incorporate open source mapping into classrooms, and provides supplementary resources and materials to the selected teachers.

Cullison was one of 50 teachers selected from across the United States to participate in the initiative.

Loan forgiveness
The federal government may forgive all or part of teachers’ and nurses’ federal student loans, if certain requirements are met.

The forgiveness options, according to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA), include:

Teacher loan forgiveness. To qualify, you must teach at least five full years in a low-income school in an eligible district. Depending on the field, teachers may have up to $17,500 in student loans forgiven. For details, visit Ed.gov.
Nursing loan forgiveness. You must be at least a registered nurse and agree to work full-time for at least two years in a critical shortage facility. If the agreement is fulfilled, 60 percent of the loan balance will be forgiven. Another 25 percent will be forgiven if work is done for a third year. Nurses teaching at an accredited school of nursing also may qualify. For details, visit BHW.hrsa.gov.

The Internal Revenue Service does count the amount forgiven as income.

To learn more about KHEAA, a public, nonprofit agency that provides free information about financial aid and financial literacy, visit KHEAA.com.

Invention winners
Two students from Tampa were honored for their innovations at the Florida Invention Convention.

Makana Salim-Uesi, a seventh-grader at Williams Middle Magnet School, took first place for her invention, “RCV H20,” a model of a labor-saving device that can transport and filter water at the same time.

Salim-Uesi’s invention can be useful to people in rural areas and developing countries where access to clean water is extremely limited.

Shreya Mathur, a 12th-grader at Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School, took third place for her invention, “Stress Master,” which enables the user to access any part of their body with a hand-held massager by a 360-degree pivot unit.

Mathur also won the Bailee’s Choice Award.

For information on the convention, visit InventFlorida.org.