The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Chalk Talk 07/25/2018

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(Courtesy of Jo-Ann Johnston)

Learning new skills to help students
Twenty teachers from Pasco County attended the fifth Teacher Technology Summit Institute at Saint Leo University in June. The event helps teachers gain new skills in working with classroom technology to improve students’ learning. This year, educational tools were added to expose  young students to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects. From left: Jessica Heck, Chester Taylor Elementary School, Zephyrhills; Pamela Peters and Carla Torres, Pine View Middle, Land O’ Lakes, look at a small robot called ‘Dash’ that children can learn to program.

Hearing screenings
The Sertoma Speech and Hearing Foundation of Florida screened more than 17,000 students at more than 60 schools last year and is looking for volunteers to do the same this year when school begins in August.

No previous training is required. The screening process is simple and a brief demonstration is provided. The average screening time is two hours to three hours.

Volunteers are free to choose which schools they would prefer.

All volunteers must pass a background check.

Prospective volunteers can fill in an application at Pasco.k12.fl.us, and click on the Volunteer Application at the bottom of the page. Under ‘Preferences,’ choose Sertoma Speech & Hearing.

Hopefest
The Freedom Center will present Hopefest on July 27 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Wesley Chapel Elementary School, 30243 Wells Road.

There will be free backpacks, school supplies, music, food, carnival games and more.

In order to receive a free backpack, each child must present a ticket.

To register, visit FreedomIsHere.org.

For information, call (813) 414-1664.

Back to School Bash
The Sertoma Speech and Hearing Foundation will host a Back to School Bash, presented by the Standing Strong Outreach Ministry, on July 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Centro De La Restaurancion, 6541 Orchid Lake Road in New Port Richey.

There will be music, face painting, bounce houses, school supplies raffles and more.

For information, call (727) 505-0108.

School supply drive
Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppes and the Kiwanis Club of Greater West Pasco are partnering for a Back to School Supply Drive through July 31.

Items needed include backpacks, colored pencils, crayons, erasers, folders, glue sticks, markers, notebooks, paper, pencil cases, pens, scissors and yellow pencils.

Donations will be distributed to students in need in Pasco County elementary schools at the start of the school year.

Shoppers who donate new school supplies will receive a voucher for 25 percent off a single item in the store.

For shop locations, visit GHPPC.org. For information about the drive, call Kirsty Churchill at (727) 845-5707.

Hillel offers preschool
Hillel Academy, Tampa’s accredited Jewish day school, and the Tampa JCCs and Federation, have announced that Tampa JCC Preschool will be offered at Hillel, beginning in the fall, for children ages 3 and 4.

Hillel’s location in Carrollwood will be the third for Tampa JCC Preschool.

The preschool will follow the same curriculum and philosophical approach as the other locations in Citrus Park and South Tampa, but it will mirror the Hillel Academy schedule, August through May, from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., weekdays.

For information, contact Jen Goldberg, executive director for education at the Tampa JCCs and Federation, at or (813) 769-4738.

For information about Hillel Academy’s offerings, financial aid and touring schedule, call (813) 963-2242, or email .

Stamps scholar
The 13th class of Stamps Scholars includes 230 top students from across the country attending 30 partner universities. Selected from almost 300,000 applications, the scholars have diverse academic interests such as medicine, education, engineering, history, public policy, and visual and performing arts.

Stutee Acharya, of Land O’ Lakes, was awarded a Stamps Scholarship and will attend the Georgia Institute of Technology in the fall. She plans to study neuroscience.

Stamps Scholars are chosen for academic excellence, leadership experience and exceptional character.

At many partner universities, the scholarship covers the total estimated cost of attendance for four years of undergraduate study, and also includes an enrichment fund that scholars can use for academic and professional development, ranging from study abroad to internships to independent research.

Stamps Scholars are known for their significant contributions to their local campuses and communities around the world and, for many, the scholarship allows them to study at the top colleges for their career path.

To meet the other scholars, visit StampsFoundation.org/yearbook.

Student achievements

  • Alexia Faith Acebo, of Lutz, received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alabama.
  • Rachel Carlson, of Lutz, was named to the spring Dean’s List at the University of Maine.
  • Lyra Joy Francisca Escobar, of Lutz, graduated from The College of St. Scholastica, in Minnesota, with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy.
  • Paige Manjrawala, of Lutz, received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Business Administration-Management from Berkeley College, New Jersey.
  • Clare O’ Keefe, of Lutz, was named to the spring Dean’s List at Endicott College in Massachusetts, where she is majoring in sports management.
  • Russell Ludwig Perciavalle Jr., of Lutz, a graduate of Washington and Lee University in Virginia earned a place on the Presidents List.
  • Summer Solovitch, of Dade City, was named a 2018 Presidential Scholar at Missouri Valley College for the fall and spring semesters.

Back to school haircuts
My Salon Suite of New Tampa, 20707 Center Oak Drive, will provide free haircuts, in exchange for school supplies, Aug. 5 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For every $5 to $10 of donated school supplies, a child will receive a free haircut. The donated supplies will be given to Quail Hollow Elementary and Metropolitan Ministries.

There also will be free food, face painting and more.

For information, call (813) 501-0600.

Donate new supplies
David Weekley Homes will host its fourth School Supplies Drive through Aug. 6.

Donations can be dropped off at the Design Center, 9006 Brittany Way in Tampa, or at any David Weekley model home in the Tampa area.

For a complete list of supplies needed, visit tinyurl.com/y7bhpk3w.

Eighth annual Stuff the Bus for Teachers
United Way of Pasco County is conducting its eighth annual Stuff the Bus for Teachers. The campaign is set for Aug. 3, Aug. 4 and Aug. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Supplies that are collected will be distributed by Pasco County Schools.

A school bus will be stationed at Walmart shopping centers to collect donations at the following locations:

  • Walmart-Port Richey, 8701 U.S. 19
  • Walmart-New Port Richey, 8745 State Road 54
  • Walmart-Lutz 1575 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
  • Walmart-Wesley Chapel 28500 State Road 54

Volunteers at all locations will hand out shopping lists and collect the donations.

On Aug. 6, volunteers will gather at the The Mike Fasano Hurricane Shelter, 11611 Denton Ave., in Hudson, to sort and pack the supplies.

Volunteers are needed at the donation sites and at the packing sites.

For information, contact Melinda Velez at or (727) 835-2028.

This summer camp offers insights into solving crimes

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As many high school teenagers spend their summer break relaxing and having fun, a small group of students used their free time another way — dusting fingerprints, analyzing blood spatter patterns and studying forensic clues.

These campers were learning how to solve crimes as part of Saint Leo University’s inaugural Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Summer Camp.

Saint Leo criminal justice instructor Dr. Bobby Sullivan, far left, lectures campers on various fingerprinting techniques at the university’s Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Summer Camp. Sullivan has more than three decades of policing experience, including as a detective sergeant and commander of the narcotics, intelligence, street gang, and counter-terrorism units. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

The camp gave high school juniors and seniors a hands-on and behind-the-scenes look at evidence collection, documentation and preservation of evidence through a variety of mock crime scenes.

About a dozen rising high school juniors and seniors from Texas, Pennsylvania and Georgia, as well as Florida, took part in the weeklong camp at the university’s main campus on State Road 52 in St. Leo.

The camp was led by Saint Leo faculty members with extensive experience in the criminal justice system, as well as a host of experts in criminology. The camp offered a realistic glimpse at the hard work and critical thinking needed to locate, preserve and analyze evidence.

Activities included casting foot and tire impressions, and learning about the use of insects in crime scene decomposition.

Campers also learned how to locate and dig up human remains. And, they learned how to conduct interviews and interrogations, and to present their findings.

Saint Leo CSI campers practice documenting a crime scene outdoors, as Saint Leo assistant professor of criminal justice Joseph Cillo looks on.

The camp also included a field trip to the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office Forensics Services Section to learn about latent prints and blood spatter, tour an evidence locker, and view a vehicle being processed for evidence by forensic experts.

The camp culminated in three mock crime scenes, where students had to apply the knowledge they had learned throughout the week. The exercise included collecting and documenting evidence, and then presenting it to a mock grand jury. One such scenario required students to process a car used in a simulated kidnapping and homicide.

Many campers hope to someday work in a crime lab or law enforcement.

Alona Beadles, a rising high school senior from Atlanta, wants to be an FBI agent.

Leesburg’s Amanda Phillips, too, dreams of working for the agency.

Others, including Bradenton’s Vincent Gulbrandsen, want to become a forensic or behavioral analyst.

Here, camper Amanda Philips, of Leesburg, is in the process of casting a footprint. Phillips, a rising high school junior, wants to have a career in the FBI someday.

“I have always wanted to do something with solving crimes in some way,” said Gulbrandsen, who’ll be a senior at Lakewood Ranch High School.

Learning body decomposition and blood spatter patterns fascinated him most, along with the various techniques used in documenting a crime scene.

Said Gulbrandsen, “I really enjoyed learning about blood splatter…and how you can track which way the killer went with a weapon, or, you can track where the murder takes place, depending on the direction of the spatter.”

Charlotte Braziel, a Saint Leo criminal justice instructor and retired Tampa FBI agent, is the brainchild behind the CSI camp.

At the FBI, Braziel was senior team leader for the Tampa Evidence Response Team and a certified instructor of crime scene management, case management, presentation skills and defensive tactics.

As Braziel taught students crime scene techniques, she often referenced her past experience in the field, such as working high-profile cases on John Gotti Jr., and the Gambino organized crime family.

To drive home a point in other discussions, Braziel would mention other widely known cases, such as the O.J. Simpson murder case.

“They like the fingerprints. They like the blood spatter. They like the stuff that’s on TV,” Braziel said of the experience of teaching the campers.

In one midweek lesson, Braziel stressed the importance of crime scene photography, and how investigators and detectives need to take at least four basic photos — long-range, medium, close-up and close-up with scale.

Two other key takeaways from the photography lesson — you can never take too many photos; and, never, ever delete a photo. “Every time you go somewhere, you take a photograph,” she noted.

Real-life investigations not much like TV
In an adjacent classroom, Dr. Bobby Sullivan, another Saint Leo criminal justice instructor with more than three decades of policing experience with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, pointed out the nuances of rigor mortis and lividity, and how forensic entomologists use maggots from a dead body to establish when a person died, and whether or not a body was moved.

Learning fingerprinting techniques was one of high school campers’ favorite exercises at the inaugural Saint Leo CSI Summer Camp.

Sullivan would certainly know, with his lengthy background as a former detective sergeant and commander of the narcotics, intelligence, street gang, and counter-terrorism units.

“Establishing the time of death is huge in an investigation, because now we know approximately when this person died…and we can figure out what (our suspect) was doing at 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon,” Sullivan told the campers.

Saint Leo assistant professor Joseph Cillo, meanwhile, gave students a different perspective into the criminal justice system.

Cillo, a former Los Angeles defense attorney and an expert on serial killers and mass murderers, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court, detailed the importance of forensic evidence collection in building an airtight criminal case.

In one demonstration, Cillo scattered handfuls of Milk Duds on a classroom floor — telling students to imagine each as a piece of evidence and a piece to a puzzle in crime solving. “You have to put them together to make a clearer picture,” Cillo said, “and you have to do it sufficiently so that defense attorneys can’t tear your evidence up.”

Retired Tampa FBI agent Charlotte Braziel, right, shows camper Samantha Stephenson, of Palatka, how to describe and document items at a crime scene, as part of Saint Leo University’s inaugural Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Summer Camp, which ran from June 24 to June 29. The camp offered a realistic glimpse at the hard work and critical thinking needed to locate, preserve and analyze evidence.

Students discovered pretty quickly that what’s shown on TV dramas, like Criminal Minds, NCIS and CSI are, for the most part, embellished and sensationalized.

They also come to find out associated jobs within forensics oftentimes include long hours and tedious work, not to mention they’ll be placed in the center of unsavory crime scenes.

Sullivan explained what forensics work is really like can be a slap in the face to a lot of kids: “They’re watching CSI, and they’re seeing women running around in miniskirts and high heels, carrying guns and interviewing bad guys, and locking up the bad guys. They’re not seeing that you never see a bad guy, you never see a suspect — you are so focused on the crime scene and the evidence that the only time you may see a suspect is at trial when you’re testifying. You never talk to him, you don’t interview him, you don’t get in shootouts with bad guys; most forensics people don’t even carry guns, so, that’s kind of the wake-up call,” he said.

Though the assortment of TV crime dramas millions watch aren’t quite the real thing, campers did observe some likenesses, such as the fingerprinting technology used to nab suspects.

“It’s not like TV, but occasionally you’ll see something similar, but it’s not the same,” Philips said.

But, that realization didn’t deter some campers, including Gulbrandsen, who still want to work in criminology.

After the camp, the high-schooler is even more sure it’s the route he wants to take: “I’m very interested in going into the forensics field,” Gulbrandsen said.

Published July 18, 2018

Rosebud Continuum approved as a private school

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Field trips to Rosebud Continuum are a regular, bi-weekly event for students at Academy at the Lakes during the school year.

Students learn about gardening and sustainable practices for an environmentally friendly world.

Now, Rosebud’s staff members are preparing for a future that will expand its outreach to more schools.

The 14-acre Rosebud Continuum features a Florida Native Plant Trail, with a wildflower meadow. (File)

The Pasco County Planning Commission on July 11 approved a special exception permit that will allow Rosebud to operate as a private school.

The expectation is for more students from area schools to come for tours and hands-on-learning. Rosebud also plans to apply to Pasco County Schools for inclusion on a list of approved student support programs and resources.

Rosebud will not be a day school, but instead will be a go-to location for other schools interested in environmental programs, said Jerry Comelias, the site and educational director for the Rosebud Continuum, at 22843 Hale Road in Land O’ Lakes.

Teachers also could attend workshops to learn about Rosebud and sustainability, with a goal of being their students’ tour guides.

“We want to train the trainers,” said Comelias. “We want to make the world a better place.”

In addition to Academy at the Lakes, Blake High School students, from Hillsborough County, were among those making trips to Rosebud in recent months.

Students aren’t the only groups that tour Rosebud.

Visitors from Haiti came earlier this year to learn natural growing practices that they can use at home.

Comelias is a graduate of the Patel College of Global Sustainability at the University of South Florida.

Rosebud Continuum is a partnership between the Patel College, and Sonny and Maryann Bishop, who own the 14-acre site.

Sonny Bishop is a former National Football League player, and a Lakota Sioux.

Rosebud reflects the Bishop family’s philosophy of preserving and advocating for ancient traditions of sustainability, once commonly used in Florida.

The site features a sustainability farm, a wildflower meadow, goats, aquaponics, hydroponics, Florida native plants, beekeeping, and biodigesters that convert food waste into fuel and fertilizer.

The site also has a two-story brick home, a brick garage, a basketball and volleyball court, a hoop-house and a shed.

The metal shed will be designated as a classroom, and the hoop-house will be a greenhouse classroom.

No new structures are planned.

Summer months are mostly about maintenance and cleaning up, and getting geared up for the coming school year, Comelias said.

Tours through the Florida Native Plant Trail, with the wildflower meadow, though, are available on request, he said.

For information, call Comelias at (813) 331-7170, or email .

Published July 18, 2018

Pine View achieves IB designation

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Pine View Middle School has become the first public school in Pasco County to be authorized as an IB Middle Years Programme World School.

Principal Jennifer Warren and members of the school’s staff recently attended the Pasco County School Board’s meeting, where they were congratulated for their accomplishment.

The school received a letter dated May 30 from Siva Kumari, director general of International Baccalaureate, informing them that the school had met the requirements to receive the authorization.

“As an IB World School offering the Middle Years Programme, you are part of a global community of schools committed to developing knowledgeable, caring, young people who will be ready to negotiate their futures successfully, and make contributions resulting in a more harmonious and peaceful world,” Kumari wrote.

“We commend your school’s educators, administrators, students and families for their active roles in choosing to offer the Middle Years Programme,” he added.

An International Baccalaureate team visited Pine View Middle in the spring to determine whether the school should receive the distinction.

The team spent two days at the school, interviewing staff, students and parents, and observing classrooms to ensure that the IB framework has been embedded in Pine View’s learning environment, Warren said, in an interview following the visit.

Becoming an IB Middle Years Programme World School is a lengthy process.

Pine View, at 5334 Parkway Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, became a candidate school in May of 2015, and began implementing the program at the start of the 2015-2016 school year.

Pine View Middle also has been designated as a magnet school, which means that students who live outside of the school’s attendance zone can apply to attend the school.

Those living within its boundaries have first choice, and then remaining slots are opened up to those living outside the boundaries.

Pine View’s mission is “to provide a rigorous, world-class education, which inspires students to become active, compassionate and collaborative lifelong learners who understand and respect other people and their differences,” according to the school’s website.

The International Baccalaureate “aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

“To this end, the organization works with schools, governments and international organizations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment.

“These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right,” according to IB’s mission statement, which is posted on Pine View’s website.

Published July 18, 2018

School district acquires new school site in Northwood

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Taylor Morrison of Florida Inc., has conveyed a site for a future elementary school in the Northwood residential development.

Northwood is a master-planned community in southern Pasco County, on the north side of County Line Road, east of Interstate 75 and west of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard.

The community is nearing build-out.

Taylor Morrison agreed to provide approximately 15 acres, more or less, of usable uplands for the school site, in exchange for impact fee credits estimated at a value of $450,000.

In addition, Taylor Morrison dedicated easements for an already-constructed stormwater pond and access from road from County Line Road.

The school site has already been filled and graded.

For the access road to be built in the proper alignment with the road to the south of County Line Road, a small triangle of property must be acquired from a third party, according to a school district document. District staff has negotiated that purchase and a future board item will be brought to the school board for its approval.

The Pasco County School Board approved the transaction, without discussion, as part of its consent agenda at its July 3 meeting.

Published July 18, 2018

Prepare your kindergartener for success

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Kindergarten is supposed to be fun and educational, and allow children an opportunity to blossom. It is usually the first time the tykes are away from their parents for a significant amount of time.

While most kindergartens don’t exactly have GPA requirements, for a child to succeed there are a few milestones that should be reached before they toddle through the door, according to Alise McGregor, founder of Little Newtons, an early education center in Minnesota and Illinois.

(MetroCreative)

“New parents especially can have a hard time understanding that there are actually things their child should know prior to kindergarten,” McGregor said, in a news release.

Children should know some basics to make kindergarten a better experience, she said.

McGregor recommends these typical things a child should know before entering kindergarten:

  • Basic shapes. The child should have learned basic shapes like the square, circle, rectangle and triangle in preschool. If not, parents should teach them. In kindergarten, they will likely be introduced to the hexagon, star, heart and octagon.
  • The letters of the child’s name. They should at least be able to recognize the letters of their name. In kindergarten, they will learn uppercase letters and begin lowercase letters. They also will begin to learn how to write freehand without tracing.
  • Numbers 1 to 10. Some children will be able to count to 100 by the time they reach kindergarten, but all should at least be able to count to 10. Numbers will be used starting the first day of school.
  • Social skills. The child should be able to follow directions, to be able to be separated from the caregiver, and be able to use a restroom independently. Children who scream and cry when separated disrupt the rest of the class. Teachers simply do not have time to supervise individual students who cannot independently use a restroom.

Getting your child off on the right foot early is important, McGregor says.

By teaching basic skills prior to attending kindergarten, success will come easier.

Published July 18, 2018

Chalk Talk 07/18/2018

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(Courtesy of Lighthouse Preschool)

Lighthouse Preschool coming soon
Lighthouse Preschool will open its doors in August, but families with 3- and 4-year-olds are invited to visit now to learn more about its early childhood programs. The school is at 7017 Boyette Road in Wesley Chapel. For more information, call (813) 994-8678, or visit LighthousePreK.com or Facebook.com/lighthouseprek.

Hearing screenings
The Sertoma Speech and Hearing Foundation of Florida screened more than 17,000 students at more than 60 schools last year and is looking for volunteers to do the same this year when school begins in August.

No previous training is required. The screening process is simple and a brief demonstration is provided. The average screening time is two hours to three hours.

Volunteers are free to choose which schools they would prefer.

All volunteers must pass a background check.

Prospective volunteers can fill in an application at Pasco.k12.fl.us, and click on the Volunteer Application at the bottom of the page. Under ‘Preferences,’ choose Sertoma Speech & Hearing.

College workshop
The Robert W. Saunders Sr. Public Library, 1505 Nebraska Ave., in Tampa, will host a College Readiness Workshop for high school students July 21 at 10:15 a.m.

Assistance will be provided to help high school students understand resources for researching potential colleges, scholarships and other financial help, as well as how to prepare applications and get ready for the next chapter in life.

For information, call (813) 273-3652, or visit HCPLC.org.

Program applications
Pasco-Hernando State College is accepting applications for the Bachelor of Science in nursing online degree program that will start in August.

Those interested must complete an application and submit an essay no later than 7:30 p.m., July 24.

The BSN program prepares currently licensed RNs who have an Associate in Science in nursing, or diploma graduates of nursing programs, with additional skills in management, leadership, theory and research.

For information, visit PHSC.edu.

Hopefest
The Freedom Center will present Hopefest on July 27 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at Wesley Chapel Elementary School, 30243 Wells Road.

There will be free backpacks, school supplies, music, food, carnival games and more.

In order to receive a free backpack, each child must present a ticket.

To register, visit FreedomIsHere.org.

For information, call (813) 414-1664.

Back to School Bash
The Sertoma Speech and Hearing Foundation will host a Back to School Bash, presented by the Standing Strong Outreach Ministry, on July 28 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Centro De La Restaurancion, 6541 Orchid Lake Road in New Port Richey.

There will be music, face painting, bounce houses, school supplies raffles and more.

For information, call (727) 505-0108.

School supply drive
Gulfside Hospice Thrift Shoppes and the Kiwanis Club of Greater West Pasco are partnering for a Back to School Supply Drive through July 31.

Items needed include backpacks, colored pencils, crayons, erasers, folders, glue sticks, markers, notebooks, paper, pencil cases, pens, scissors and yellow pencils.

Donations will be distributed to students in need in Pasco County elementary schools at the start of the school year.

Shoppers who donate new school supplies will receive a voucher for 25 percent off a single item in the store.

For shop locations, visit GHPPC.org. For information about the drive, call Kirsty Churchill at (727) 845-5707.

Back to school haircuts
My Salon Suite of New Tampa, 20707 Center Oak Drive, will provide free haircuts, in exchange for school supplies, Aug. 5 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For every $5 to $10 of donated school supplies, a child will receive a free haircut. The donated supplies will be given to Quail Hollow Elementary and Metropolitan Ministries.

There also will be free food, face painting and more.

For information, call (813) 501-0600.

Donate new supplies
David Weekley Homes will host its fourth School Supplies Drive through Aug. 6.

Donations can be dropped off at the Design Center, 9006 Brittany Way in Tampa, or at any David Weekley model home in the Tampa area.

For a complete list of supplies needed, visit tinyurl.com/y7bhpk3w.

Pasco Schools Childcare Department Gets New Name
Pasco County Schools has renamed its Place Department to reflect expanded programming.

The new name is the Office for After School Enrichment Programs.

To learn about the variety of programs the department operates or for enrollment information, parents should contact the school their child attends.

Scholarship fund
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce presented a check for $1,500 to The Pasco County Parks Recreation and Natural Resources Residents Scholarship Fund.

The fund helps families to attend summer camp programs in the county, and were generated from the chamber’s annual Land O’ Lakes Music Festival.

PHSC Foundation names new board member

The Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation has added a new director to its board. Sharon Hayes, BSN, MBA, has been named to fill a vacant seat for a term that ends in 2019.

Hayes, of Tierra Verde, is the chief executive officer for Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point in Hudson.

The PHSC Foundation is governed by a volunteer board from Pasco and Hernando counties.

Eighth annual Stuff the Bus for Teachers
United Way of Pasco County is conducting its eighth annual Stuff the Bus for Teachers. The campaign is set for Aug. 3, Aug. 4 and Aug. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Supplies that are collected will be distributed by Pasco County Schools.

A school bus will be stationed at Walmart shopping centers to collect donations at the following locations:

  • Walmart-Port Richey, 8701 U.S. 19
  • Walmart-New Port Richey, 8745 State Road 54
  • Walmart-Lutz 1575 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
  • Walmart-Wesley Chapel 28500 State Road 54

Volunteers at all locations will hand out shopping lists and collect the donations.

On Aug. 6, volunteers will gather at the The Mike Fasano Hurricane Shelter, 11611 Denton Ave., in Hudson, to sort and pack the supplies.

Volunteers are needed at the donation sites and at the packing sites.

For information, contact Melinda Velez at or (727) 835-2028.

Day school turns 50
Independent Day School/Corbett Prep is turning 50 and looking for alumni who attended the Independent Day School in Tampa for an anniversary celebration scheduled for Aug. 18.

The school is asking for stories and photos from former students who were enrolled anytime between the school’s founding in 1968 to the present day.

To share memories, help with planning or attend the event, email Lisa Herscovici at , or join the Facebook group at Facebook.com/groups/IDS50.

Independent Day School changed its name to Corbett Prep in 2012 and is located at 12015 Orange Grove Drive in Carrollwood.

For information, call (813) 961-3087.

PHSC fall registration underway
Registration is underway for fall sessions at Pasco-Hernando State College. The course schedule is available online at Info.PHSC.EDU/Course-Schedule.

New students should apply online at PHSC.EDU/Admissions.

For information, visit PHSC.edu.

Help kids succeed, donate school supplies

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Every year, students are asked to bring supplies from an ever-growing list to school on the first day.

Efforts are underway to help students who need supplies for the 2018-2019 school year.
(File)

Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano is sponsoring a countywide Back-to-School Supply Drive, throughout the month of July, to help alleviate the burden of the families that may not be able to afford the supplies required.

“Gone are the days when a notebook, a pencil and some book covers, often made out of old shopping bags, were what most kids needed,” Fasano said, in a news release.

“Now in addition to backpacks, earbuds, USB drives and a variety of pens, pencils, tape, crayons and other items, they are expected to buy supplies for the classroom as well.”

Too many families struggle to provide for their own children, let alone provide towels, wipes and items for other students to use, he said.

All five tax collector offices will be collecting donations of school supplies. Cash donations also can be made, at any of the locations.

To mail a check, send to Tax Collector Mike Fasano, P.O. Box 276, Dade City, FL 33526. Note on the memo line: Back-to-School Backpack Promotion.

Schools in each community will receive the supplies soon after the promotional campaign ends.

For more information about the Pasco Tax Collector’s Back-to-School Supply Drive, contact Assistant Tax Collector Greg Giordano at (727) 847-8179, or visit PascoTaxes.com.

Office locations also can be found at the website.

Published July 11, 2018

Chalk Talk 07/11/2018

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Taking stock in the future
Take Stock in Children, a program with the Pasco Education Foundation, awarded 44 Pasco County 12th-graders a Take Stock in Children scholarship. These students completed a multi-year commitment to the program by maintaining good grades, attendance, behavior, and remaining drug and crime-free. Each student will receive a tuition-paid scholarship for up to four years of college.

Forty-four Pasco County 12th-graders received a Take Stock in Children scholarship.
(Courtesy of Pasco Education Foundation)

Recipients pictured: Marwa Ali, Alivia Aguilar, Gabrielle Bryant Brown, Ajhani Burgess, Frankkeishia Butler, Adib Butt, Emily Chappell, Kody Condento, Elizabeth Cooper, Karina Deschamps, Kobie Doerr, Brionna DuPree, Dale Dupree, Eden Faison, Christopher Feliciano, Henry Ferreiro, Samorie Floyd, Paola Gines, Reynaldo Gonzalez, Faith Graves, Michael Guastella, Josiah Guzman, Haley Jacobs, Alyssa Laliberte, Arturo Leis-Pretto, Jordan Meath, Ashanti Mitchell, Jordan Nowak, Aviana Poole, Gwendolyn Price, Jamyra Rainey, Samantha Rodriguez, Kimberly Ruiz, Rachel Ryel, Natalie Santos, Darryl Scott, Yaisel Sifuentes Soto, Chelsea Smith, Tichino Smith, Kiersten Spatz, Shelby Stanley, Kayla Stedman, Elizabeth Sutton, Cordelia Truesdale and Katherine Wiggins.

Take Stock in Children is an award-winning program that provides scholarships, mentors and hope for a better future to deserving, yet at-risk, children.

To learn more, visit TakeStockPasco.org.

College workshop
The Robert W. Saunders Sr. Public Library, 1505 Nebraska Ave., in Tampa, will host a College Readiness Workshop for high school students July 21 at 10:15 a.m.

Assistance will be provided to help high school students understand resources for researching potential colleges, scholarships and other financial help, as well as how to prepare applications and get ready for the next chapter in life.

For information, call (813) 273-3652, or visit HCPLC.org.

Program applications
Pasco-Hernando State College is accepting applications for the Bachelor of Science in nursing online degree program that will start in August.

Those interested must complete an application and submit an essay no later than 7:30 p.m., July 24.

The BSN program prepares currently licensed RNs who have an Associate in Science in nursing, or diploma graduates of nursing programs, with additional skills in management, leadership, theory and research.

For information, visit PHSC.edu.

Scholarships awarded
Hillsborough County officials awarded scholarships to 59 students, to assist them in reaching their goals and recognizing them for their academic achievements.

Hillsborough County Social Services partners annually with the Community Action Board to offer scholarships worth up to $5,000 to eligible students.

Recipients include both high school and college students, and are selected on thorough evaluations of their application materials.

The institutions of higher learning with award recipients include: Bethune-Cookman University, Clark Atlanta University, Hillsborough Community College, Florida A&M University, Florida Atlantic University, Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, Florida State University, Lake Erie College, LIM College, Northwest Missouri State University, Saint Leo University, Southeastern University, University of Central Florida, University of Florida, University of the Ozarks, University of South Florida, University of West Florida and Vanderbilt University.

Student achievements

Dean’s List:

  • Kelly Barry, of Odessa, Clemson University, South Carolina
  • Matthew Berube, of Lutz, Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania
  • Mackenzie Morgan Cuffe, of Odessa, Clemson University
  • Nathan Mansour, of Odessa, University of Dayton, Ohio
  • Caroline Amanda Meisner, of Lutz, Greensboro College, North Carolina
  • Vinayak Ruia, of Lutz, Georgia Institute of Technology
  • Taylor Trumbetti, of Lutz, University of Delaware

President’s List:

  • Amanda K. Clifford, of Lutz, University of Alabama
  • Kelly Mcdermott, of Lutz, University of Alabama
  • Samantha Politano, of Land O’ Lakes, Florida State University
  • Andrew Jacob Scwitzgebel, of Lutz, University of Alabama

Degrees:

  • Alexander Botex, of Lutz, Master of Engineering-mechanical engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology, New York
  • Russell Ludwig Perciavalle, of Lutz, Bachelor of Science-accounting and business administration from Washington and Lee University, Virginia
  • Justin Lee Roberts, of Wesley Chapel, Associate of Arts, Rogers State University, Oklahoma
  • Jasmine Vann, of Lutz, Bachelor of Science-human services from Springfield College, Massachusetts

 

Training underway for Pasco school safety guards

By

Bang. Bang. Bang.

The echoing sound of simulated rounds of ammunition permeate throughout Rushe Middle School in Land O’ Lakes on a recent late June afternoon.

One by one, school safety guard trainees, with 9mm pistols drawn, carefully and methodically traverse stairwells and hallways, checking classrooms, searching to take out a fake assailant armed with an AR-15.

Safety guard training began in June, with a goal of having the guards prepared for duties by August. (Kevin Weiss)

As each active scenario unfolds, Pasco County Sheriff’s Office instructors, such as Sgt. Christopher Squitieri, bark out directives: “Get going, gotta get going! …Know your terrain, where you’re trying to search! Where that gun goes, you go!”

Brice Hayes, a fit 26-year-old with a security background, was out of breath and sweating heavily after one such drill.

When the drill was over, Squitieri debriefed him on the effectiveness in clearing the school, and in assessing and responding to the threat.

Hayes said he pursued the school safety guard position to offer “a helping hand to kids that need help, whether it’s active shooters or a permanent threat in the schools.”

To him, the active shooter drills felt like the real thing, his mind racing throughout.

“You’ve gotta lot of things going through your head, ‘Where’s this guy at? Where’s this guy at? I gotta get to him and kill this guy,’” Hayes said. “There’s no ifs ands or buts about it, no questions — you’ve gotta take the threat out.”

The Pasco County School Board in May approved Superintendent Kurt Browning’s proposal to hire a director of safety and security, and 53 school safety guards, for the district’s elementary schools.

The school board’s action came in response to a 2018 bill passed by the state Legislature and signed by Gov. Rick Scott, in the aftermath of the Valentine’s Day shooting that left 17 dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.

The guards must go through at least 132 hours of training that includes mastering various active shooter drills, where guards must search and take out a fake assailant, and render first aid to shooting victims.

The law requires all school districts to provide security at all schools beginning in the 2018-2019 school year. Pasco County Schools has School Resource Officers in its middle and high schools who will continue to be stationed there.

The school safety guards — which are a less expensive option — will be posted at the district’s elementary schools. The guards, who won’t have arrest powers, will make $20 per hour.

Safety guard training began in June, with a goal of having the guards prepared for duties by August.

Before they are stationed at schools, the guards must receive at least 132 hours of training with the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

The main objective: respond and neutralize on-campus threats, particularly in the event of an active shooter.

“We pray to God this never happens, but we’re training for worst case,” said Pasco Sheriff’s Capt. Jared Hill, an ex-green beret who leads the agency’s emergency management division and oversees the guard training program.

Besides active shooter scenarios, guards have been instructed on defensive and less lethal tactics, weapon retention, first aid and CPR. They’ve also undergone diversity training, which was handled by the school district.

“Basically, we’re looking for someone’s that cognizant,” said Pasco Sheriff Sgt. Richard Jones, who helps supervise the guard training program. “We’re looking for proficiency on the range, we’re looking for proficiency in defensive tactics, and, the ability to save lives during the medical portion of the training.”

A Pasco County Sheriff’s deputy plays the role of an assailant armed with an AR-15 in an active shooter training scenario at Rushe Middle School. During the drills he fired simulated ammunition rounds, similar to a paintball or BB gun.

Jones said the guards’ biggest strides have come in its 10 days on the firing range.

“We’re shooting nonstop. We’re shooting upwards to 1,600 rounds, and they’ve improved quite a bit,” Jones said.

In addition to guards being stationed at all Pasco elementary schools, private and charter schools in the county have hired their own guards and have taken advantage of the sheriff’s office training.

Jones said 77 guards are undergoing training this summer with the law enforcement agency. Each has passed background checks, physical and psychological exams, and drug screenings.

Many, like Chuck Balderstone, have an extensive background in either military or law enforcement.

A 28-year veteran of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, Balderstone retired from the agency in 2013, as a lieutenant and commander of the agency’s vice and narcotics unit.

Becoming a school guard was “a no-brainer” for him.

“When you do something like law enforcement for 28 years, you kind of miss it,” Balderstone said. “I certainly didn’t want to be full (time), right back into being a cop again, but this gives me a chance to go back and work with the most important part of our community — our kids.”

Hiring armed guards in all schools, while unfortunate, is necessary in today’s society, Balderstone said.

Pasco Sheriff’s Sgt. Christopher Squitieri, left, debriefs school safety guard Chuck Balderstone following an active shooter drill scenario at Rushe Middle School in Land O’ Lakes.
Balderstone, a 28-year law enforcement veteran, is one of 53 armed guards Pasco County Schools has hired to be stationed at the district’s elementary schools beginning in the 2018-2019 school year.

“I think it’s crazy that its come to that point and we need this, but you know what, times are changing and the bottom line is, we do need it,” he said.

“I think the biggest thing is you never want to see your schools turn into some kind of stockade-type situation,” he said.

There needs to be a balance, he said: “Hey, we’ve got to keep this place safe, but we don’t want to scare these kids.”

The former sheriff’s lieutenant is confident the county’s schools will be in good hands when it comes to campus safety.

Balderstone said he knows many of the people he’s in class with and knows they have many years of experience.

“I know that a lot of us have had as much, if not more training, than a lot of these young deputies working out there now,” Balderstone said.

School safety
The Pasco County School Board in May approved Superintendent Kurt Browning’s proposal to hire a director of safety and security, and 53 school safety guards, for the district’s elementary schools, in addition to the School Resource Officers who work in the district’s middle and high schools. The school board’s action was in response to a 2018 bill that the Legislature passed and Gov. Rick Scott signed into law. That law requires all school districts to provide security at all schools beginning in the 2018-2019 school year.

Published July 4, 2018