The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Lutz families will have more middle school options

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Lutz, Maniscalco and Pizzo elementary schools will begin converting to pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade schools beginning this fall.

The change will start with each of the elementary schools adding sixth grade in the fall. The following year, seventh grade will be added, and the following year, eighth grade.

The idea is to make the transition gradually.

Students living in those attendance zones will have the option of attending their zoned middle school, or staying in their current schools, under the district’s School Choice option.

Lori Branham, Monique Helms, Remi Helms, Riley Silkworth, Bryce Henry, David Henry, Tammy Reale and Joshua Phillips stand in front of a photograph of Mary Maniscalco, for whom Maniscalco Elementary School is named. The Lutz school is transitioning to a pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade campus. It will begin by adding sixth grade there this fall. (B.C. Manion)

Priority will be given to students who currently reside within the school boundary, followed by students currently attending the school via the choice process, then students who live outside the boundary and are not currently enrolled at the school.

Applications are available at each school office or on the schools’ websites and will be accepted daily at the schools through March 23.

Each of the schools will be able to accommodate 110 sixth-graders.

Reaction to the new option has been positive, said Tammy Reale, principal at Maniscalco Elementary, and Lori Branham, principal at Lutz Elementary, during a joint interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

During the interview, parents and students from Maniscalco Elementary, 939 Debuel Road, expressed positive feedback about the plan.

Monique Helms, who lives in Carrollwood, said her daughter, Remi, already attends Maniscalco through School Choice.

A lot of kids from Kiddie Campus University (KCU) attend Maniscalco, Helms explained.

She’s delighted that Remi will be able to stay at Maniscalco for middle school.

“I love the culture here. The teachers here are amazing. And, so are Mr. (Joshua) Phillips (assistant principal) and Miss Reale (principal).  We’ve just been very fortunate,” she said. “I used to be a middle school teacher many, many years ago, and it’s a really tough transition. So, we were happy that they’re adding sixth grade.”

David Henry, whose 10-year-old son, Bryce, attends Maniscalco, is enthusiastic about the new option, too.

“This is a great environment for Bryce,” Henry said, noting his son also is from KCU. “He’s been here since kindergarten and has thoroughly enjoyed it. And, we look forward to him being here as a sixth-grader,” Henry said.

Henry, who attended a K-8 school when he was young, likes that approach to education.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for the kids. I think the transition, from eighth to ninth grade, is much easier than from fifth to sixth, and from seventh to eighth,” he said.

Ten-year-old Riley Silkworth, a current fifth-grader at Maniscalco, is happy that she’ll be able to stay there next year.

“I like that Maniscalco is going to do K-8 because it’s way closer for me. I live 3 minutes away,” she said.

“We are going to know most of the people who are already going to be here, because most of the people are going to stay. We’re still going to have the same teachers around us,” she added.

Remi and Bryce also had good things to say.

“We’re going to be able to stay with our friends,” Remi said. “The only thing I don’t like about it is that it’s going to be even sadder when we have to leave in eighth grade.”

Bryce said he likes knowing his way around campus. He said he can’t think of anything that would be a downside from the school’s transition to a K-8 campus.

Helms said the only concern that she’s heard expressed was whether students leaving a K-8 environment would make a smooth transition into high school.

She’s confident that Remi will.

District officials say that the curriculum offered will be consistent with other K-8 schools and there will be after-school activities, but there won’t be athletic teams until there are students in grades six through eight on the campuses.

Traditional middle schools in Hillsborough County are scheduled to begin the school day at 9:25 a.m. next year, but these K-8 schools are expected to start their days at 7:40 a.m., which is on the same schedule as the district’s middle schools.

All three also will continue to offer pre-K programs.

The schools are able to transition to a K-8 program because they are currently operating under capacity.

Although Lutz has experienced some residential growth in recent years, there are also other educational options available nearby, including Lutz Preparatory School, Learning Gate Community School, Sunlake Academy of Math and Science, and Imagine School of Land O’ Lakes.

How to apply
Pick up an application at the schools or download one from their websites
Lutz: 202 Fifth Ave., S.E., or Lutz.mysdhc.org
Maniscalco: 939 Debuel Road or Maniscalco.mysdhc.org
Pizzo: 11701 USF Bull Run or Pizzo.mysdhc.org

Published March 7, 2018

Chalk Talk 03/07/2018

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(Courtesy of The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce)

Citizens of the Month
The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce recognized students chosen by teachers, administration at their individual schools for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their school, family and community. Students honored for the month of February were: Elijah Kellerman, The Academy of Spectrum Diversity; Drew Sinclair, The Broach School; Cylee Laclair, Chester Taylor Elementary School; Sarai Guzman, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Dylan VanCuren, Heritage Academy; Michael Barnes, Hope Ranch Learning Academy; Sophie Graziano, Raymond B. Stewart Middle School; Sam Pertel, West Zephyrhills Elementary School; Noah Porter, Woodland Elementary School; and Cartrell Strong, Zephyrhills High School.

Local student achievements
These local students have been named to honor lists at their respective schools for the fall semester:

Dean’s List

  • Matthew Berube, of Lutz, Gettysburg College (Pennsylvania)
  • Kelsey Bognar, of Lutz, Hofstra University (New York)
  • Caleb Brian, of Lutz, Tallahassee Community College
  • Rachel Carlson, of Lutz, University of Maine
  • Amanda Clifford, of Lutz, University of Alabama
  • Mackenzie Morgan Cuffe, of Odessa, Clemson University (South Carolina)
  • Nicole Elizabeth Davis, of Lutz, Tallahassee Community College
  • Seriah Groen, of Odessa, Wheaton College (Illinois)
  • Gabrielle Harrison, of Lutz, University of Alabama
  • Stuart Hernandez, of Lutz, Florida Institute of Technology
  • Clare O’ Keefe, of Lutz, Endicott College (Maine)
  • Grace Kortz, Mercer University, Stetson School of Business and Economics (Georgia)
  • Katie McCleese Law, of Odessa, Tallahassee Community College
  • Garren Lewis, of Lutz, Seton Hall University (New Jersey)
  • Rachael Theresa Martin, of Odessa, Tallahassee Community College
  • Julianna Mitten, of Odessa, Cedarville University (Ohio)
  • Alwina Mohamadali, of Lutz, Lincoln Memorial University (Tennessee)
  • Sydney Briana Navarro, of Lutz, Tallahassee Community College
  • Julia Elizabeth Peacock, of Lutz, University of the South/Sewanee (Tennessee)
  • Vinayak Ruia, of Lutz, Georgia Tech
  • Andrew Schwitzgebel, of Lutz, University of Alabama
  • Nathan Shane, of Lutz, The Citadel (South Carolina)
  • Daniil Shcherbinin, of Lutz, Wittenberg University (Ohio)
  • Jolene Swift, of Lutz, University of Alabama

President’s List

  • Alexia Acebo, of Lutz, University of Alabama
  • Kelly R. Barry, of Odessa, Clemson University (South Carolina)
  • Natalie Dambrosio, of Lutz, Tallahassee Community College
  • Ashley Kubel, of Odessa, Georgia Southern University
  • Elizabeth Moore, of Lutz, Tallahassee Community College
  • Emma Williams, of Land O’ Lakes, Mercer University, Stetson School of Business and Economics (Georgia)

Students display talents
Sanders Memorial Elementary School, 5126 School Road in Land O’ Lakes, will present “Design on Display” March 9 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Students created an array of community-conscious research projects, in an effort to improve the environment.

Using a design process to identify a problem in the community and solve it, presentations will include a Special Olympics Village and surfboards that repel sharks.

For information, call Steven Garrett at (813) 794-1500.

Cinderella Project
Pasco County high school students who do not have a budget for prom can take part in the Cinderella Project, which provides free new and gently used prom dresses and accessories to young ladies with financial need.

Students can try on and pick out an ensemble March 12 and March 13 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Wesley Chapel High School, 30243 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel.

Signs will be posted at the entrance with directions to the boutique.

The project also accepts donations of contemporary prom-style dresses, and shoes, purses and costume jewelry, in excellent condition. Cash donations are used to purchase brand-new dresses and shoes, when sizes are not available in the inventory.

For information, visit The Cinderella Project Pasco County on Facebook.

STEAM Night
Wiregrass Elementary School, 29732 Wiregrass School Road in Wesley Chapel, will host a STEAM Night March 13 at 6:30 p.m.

There will be various STEAM programs, as well as student’s talents on display through performances and exhibits, including a kindergarten and first-grade concert, a musical theater preview of Willy Wonka, and a K-5 art exhibit.

For information, call (813) 346-0700.

 

New school emphasizes ‘student-centered’ learning

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When the North Tampa Christian Academy opens this fall in Wesley Chapel, it will be offering an approach to education that sets it apart from others, said Sandra Doran, Head of School.

“When you look at a traditional classroom, time is the constant and mastery of content is the variable,” Doran said. “In our school, we want to make mastery of content the constant and time more of the variable.

Sandra Doran, head of school at North Tampa Christian Academy, wears a hard hat at the 43-acre construction site in Wesley Chapel. The new school is slated to open on Aug. 20.

“Why am I going to punish a student who says, ‘I need more time.’ Because what they are saying is, ‘I want to do this work.’

“What is your ultimate goal? Your ultimate goal is for the child to learn this material,” she said.

That means taking accountability, the head of school said.

“We shouldn’t be asking the question: ‘Am I mean, if I don’t accept late work?’

“We should be asking the question: ‘Why am I not creating a context that’s motivating students … who care about producing quality work in a timely manner?’ — and take some of that ownership upon ourselves.

“We’re creating a context. All behavior occurs in a context.

“If students are not engaged, that’s on us,” Doran said.

North Tampa Christian Academy will put the student at the center, she said.

“We will work to individualize programs for each individual student,” Doran said.

So, if a student needs more time to master rigorous reading skills, the student will receive it.

“On the flip side, if your child is advanced in reading or math, we will not be holding them back,” she said.

“Is this someone who is sitting around bored because they’re being put in a box, and they’re not able to reach their full potential?” she asked.

“Our entire goal is to say: ‘How can we best tailor a program for your child?’

“That’s really all parents want to know,” Doran said.

The school’s mission is to create an environment where students “think, choose, create and solve for God’s glory,” Doran said.

“The question is: ‘Are you creating beauty in the world or are you solving a problem?’” she said.

The school will have online curriculum, hands-on learning, peer tutoring, books, technology, small group instruction, large-group instruction and team teaching.

The school’s design also sets it apart from others.

Now rising at 5619 E. County Line Road, North Tampa Christian Academy was designed by Fielding Nair International, a globally acclaimed architectural firm, with the specific intention to support research-based teaching practices, Doran said.

Buildings have flexible spaces, which can be easily be reconfigured to meet instructional needs.

The school day also has been designed to provide an hour each day for common planning time for teachers, she added.

“That’s huge in the research. If teachers work together and bounce ideas off each other, research shows that they are far more effective,” she said.

The school’s planned opening date is Aug. 20. It will serve children as young as age 2, all the way through senior year of high school.

Tuition is $11,900 for kindergarten through grade four; $13,900 for grades five through eight; and $15,900 for grades nine through 12.

The school will have a music program, as well as afterschool athletics, which will likely include volleyball, basketball and soccer.

“We have 43 acres here, and we left woods on both sides of the campus. There will be trails in those woods. There will be science explorations going on in those woods,” she said.

The school’s educational philosophy emphasizes the importance of taking actions in a purposeful way.

The school will use project-based learning, she said.

“Every project has to have a real-world result. You either have to be adding beauty to the planet or solving a problem,” Doran said.

A project, for instance, could focus on chronicling the story of a group of marginalized people and the completed work could “help increase community and global awareness of community needs,” she added.

Along those lines, the school doesn’t expect to operate in isolation.

“In terms of the community, we want to give and take with the community,” Doran said. “We feel like we have something to offer the community, but the community has something to offer to us.

“We want to help, and be a resource and a source of light and joy for the community, whether their children come to our school or not. We want to avail ourselves of the rich resources that we’re finding in the community,” she said.

For more information about the school, call (813) 591-0309. To read answers to frequently asked questions or to take a virtual tour, visit NorthTampaChristian.org.

Published February 28, 2018

Chalk Talk 02/28/2018

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Bridge-breaking contest
Saint Leo University’s Department of Mathematics and Science will host its annual Bridge-Breaking Competition March 6 at 6 p.m., in Selby Auditorium, Lewis Hall.

Dr. Tom Ricard adds strain to a bridge to see how sturdy it is, in last year’s competition. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

The competition includes teams of college students that constructed model bridges from lightweight wooden sticks and glues, following strict rules on materials and dimensions.

Once the competition opens, the audience votes on which bridge is most attractive.

Then, faculty members test each bridge to see which one can hold the most weight before it breaks apart. The sturdiest bridge is declared the winner.

Those who want to attend may have preferred seating by contacting Dr. Tom Ricard in advance at (352) 588-8024 or .

Spring job fair
Pasco County Schools will host a Spring Instructional Job Fair March 1 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., at Dr. John Long Middle School, 2025 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Positions are available at elementary, middle and high school levels, for teachers and student services employees, including reading, math, science, school nurse, behavioral analyst, and emotional and behavioral disorders/autism spectrum disorder.

Applicants can get on-the-spot interviews and attend teacher certification information sessions.

For information and to preregister for a chance to win door prizes, visit bit.ly/2C3fTRR. Winners must attend to collect their prize.

For questions, contact Lori Perreault at (813) 794-2845 or .

Artist reception
Tampa Day School will host an artist reception March 1 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Road.

The exhibit will showcase art by the school’s students in the center’s corridor gallery throughout the month of March.

Admission is free.

For information, call (813) 922-8167.

Hillel Academy fundraiser
Hillel Academy of Tampa, an accredited Jewish day school, will host its 45th annual Gift of Gold Gala fundraiser March 3 at 7:30 p.m., at the Bryan Glazer Family JCC, 522 N. Howard Ave., in Tampa.

The gala will begin with a Havdalah experience, and will include dinner, a silent auction with mobile bidding, and music and dancing by DJ Staar Entertainment.

Cocktail attire and Kosher dietary laws will be observed.

Tickets are $75 per person in advance, and $85 per person the week of the event.

Tickets and sponsorships also are available at HillelAcademyTampa.ejoinme.org.

For information, call (813) 963-2242.

Gold Level award
Take Stock in Children, a need-based scholarship program with the Pasco Education Foundation, was awarded the state TSIC Gold Level award, the highest achievement within the Take Stock in Children statewide organization.

To garner the award, TSIC Pasco exceeded all key performance indicators, such as database maintenance, timely mentor matching and sessions, student visits and services, and meeting recruitment guidelines.

This is the third consecutive Gold Level award for TSIC Pasco.

Call for nominations
John Long Middle School in Wesley Chapel is calling for nominations for the John Long Middle School Parents, Teacher, Students Association Executive Committee 2018-2019.

Positions available are president, treasurer and recording secretary.

Any persons willing and interested in serving should email .

Great American Cleanup
Students and staff at Gulf Middle School in New Port Richey will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Great American Cleanup.

The Gulf Middle School Student Council, the Students Working Against Tobacco club and school staff will join forces to pick up trash around the school and promote environmental awareness on March 3.

Leadership program graduates
Members of Leadership Saint Leo’s Class of 2017 have graduated from the program, which is designed to develop and train leaders.

The program is conducted by CODA Partners Inc., a professional services firm based in Gulfport and Dade City.

The class included Amanda Black, Darcy Goshorn, Janis Prince, Susan Martin, Katrina Wahlstrom, Marcela Van Olphen, Mark Nash, Mary McCoy, Michael Godfrey, Misty Rhoden, Nicholle Renaud, Phillip Neely, Rena Thomas and Stephanie Stinski.

‘Mr. Don’ provides safety and encouragement

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On weekday mornings and afternoons, Don Niles ushers students to safety at Double Branch Elementary School in Wesley Chapel.

Officially, Niles is the school’s crossing guard.

But, the 76-year-old is much, much more to students and faculty.

Known as ‘Mr. Don’ to the Double Branch community, Niles is known for going the extra mile to forge relationships and lend an ear to students.

Don Niles works his post intersection of Chancey Road and Meadow Point Boulevard in Wesley Chapel. Besides ushering students to safety each day, Niles also tries to serve as a mentor and encourager to the Double Branch community. (Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)

He’s been known to tell others that he has upwards of “900 grandkids” — a reference to the enrollment at Double Branch Elementary.

“I’m a BFF (Best Friend Forever). I’m a person that these kids can come and talk to about anything that’s bothering them,” Niles said.

“If there’s a bullying situation taking place, these kids can come talk to me,” he added.

Niles recently was named 2017 Florida School Crossing Guard of the Year by the Florida Department of Transportation.

He was chosen from 4,100 school crossing guards in Florida’s 67 counties.

Niles is humbled by the honor, especially for doing something he loves.

“I don’t do this for money or anything else,” Niles said. “I do it because I want to make a difference in these kids’ lives. I want to have an impact on them. I want to help build their self-esteem, their character. It’s all about the kids.”

Double Branch principal Vaughnette Chandler isn’t surprised that Niles was singled out.

She describes him as an “encourager,” who offers daily pep talks to students.

He views his role as going far beyond telling students to look both ways and helping them to negotiate a crossing, she explained.

“Don is a one-of-a kind,” Chandler said.

“He’s that guy that’s talking to the kids every day. He knows them by name, he knows what they like, what they’re doing — in a lot of cases what classroom they’re in — and he’s encouraging them to have a really great day and really just like reach for the stars,” she said.

Niles also makes it a point to reach out to students who may be experiencing personal troubles, the principal added.

“If a child looks like they need somebody to talk to, he’s going to take minute to check with them and see what’s going on,” Chandler said. “If it’s something we need to know about, he’s going to be right here in the school after the kids are on campus to let us know, ‘Hey, we need to check in with this student to see how things are going, or they might need an extra word of encouragement for the day.’”

Ken Mizerek, who is the crossing guard supervisor in District 2, has witnessed Niles’ caring and observant nature, when he has visited Niles’ post at the intersection of Chancey Road and Meadow Pointe Boulevard.

“All our crossing guards do a great job, but Don is the kind of person that goes beyond his schedule of hours,” Mizerek said.

“He shows a lot of interest in the children so they think, ‘Wow, somebody’s listening to me,’ and I think when somebody listens to them then they can them tell their problems; they open up to him,” Mizerek said.

The supervisor also noted Niles frequently introduces students to him, heaping praise on their respective accomplishments.

“He’ll go on and on about the child to me, and that child has got a gleam in his eye because now they feel important also. It’s really exciting to come out to this post and see what goes on here,” Mizerek said.

Niles has been a crossing guard for about eight years. Initially, he worked at Sand Pine Elementary and then moved to Double Branch Elementary seven years ago.

Before becoming a crossing guard, Niles was a probation officer with the Florida Department of Corrections. He handled pre-sentencing investigations for adult felony defenders throughout East Pasco and Central Pasco.

Niles grew up in a poor, single-parent home after his father abandoned him and his mother. He said his upbringing helps him understand the plight of some youths coming from challenging family situations.

He grew up in dangerous neighborhoods and often struggled to find a hearty meal.

“I know what it’s like to come from a defective home and life was not good. The circumstances were really trying at times,” Niles said.

But, despite those hardships, he understood the value of getting an education.

He graduated from Plant High School and went on to earn an honors diploma from the University of South Florida, in criminal justice.

He tries to mentor children in the same way that pastors, teachers and law enforcement officers did for him when he was young.

“These guys made a difference in my life,” Niles said of adult role models. “They were my surrogate parents in a sense. It really gave you a sense of security and safety, and I got a lot of attention from them.”

Besides his crossing guard duties, Niles sponsors four kindergarten classes each year, providing Double Branch teachers with an account to help them buy school supplies. He also donates gifts for Christmas, Easter, Halloween and Valentine’s Day.

“When I go through these classes,” Niles said, “it gives me a chance to talk to these kids: ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ Listen guys, I want you to work with your teachers. ‘The teachers are building a foundation for your life, and they need your cooperation,’” Niles said.

Published February 21, 2018

Chalk Talk 02/21/2018

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Citizens of the Month
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce recognized these January Student Citizens of the Month: Allyson Johnston, Academy at the Farm; Ethan Mitchell, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Chaz Newton, Saint Anthony Catholic School; Malachi Barnes, Centennial Elementary School; Deori Pope, Lacoochee Elementary; Santiago Valdez, Pasco Elementary; Melissa Hernandez, Rodney B. Cox Elementary; Adam Stott, San Antonio Elementary; Victoria Perez, Centennial Middle; Emma Paskus, Pasco Middle; Twain Rushing, James Irvin Education Center; and, Caelen Whidden, Pasco High. (Courtesy of Melody Floyd)

 

Crisis center offers help
The Crisis Center of Tampa Bay is monitoring the recent school shooting in Broward County. Many people, especially young people, may be experiencing distress and anxiety.

The staff from the Crisis Center is willing to speak to the emotional trauma of this situation, how people can cope, and how to connect to resources.

If interested in setting up an interview, call Ken Gibson at (813) 410-4129.

Job fair
Pasco County Schools will host a Substitute Teacher Job Fair on Feb. 22 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the district office complex, 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., Building 2, in Land O’ Lakes.

Substitute teachers are needed at elementary, middle and high school levels.

Applicants can get on-the-spot interviews.

Candidates must have a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED).

Certified substitute teachers can earn up to $160 each day for some long-term assignments.

For information and to register, visit PascoSchools.org/hreq.

Crossing Guard of the Year
The Florida Department of Transportation has named Donald Niles as a Florida 2017 School Crossing Guard of the Year.

Niles is a guard at Double Branch Elementary School in Wesley Chapel.

The award is given in honor of the hard work and dedication of individuals who keep Florida’s schoolchildren safe as they go to and from school.

Every year, the department recognizes individuals and organizations exemplifying professionalism and responsibility for the safety of children.

Florida is a national leader in developing crossing guard uniform training guidelines and curriculum.

Student graduations
Tommy Brown, of Land O’ Lakes, graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, Wisconsin. The school is Wisconsin’s Polytechnic University. Brown received a Master of Science in Manufacturing Engineering.

Nathan Kozyra, of Lutz, has graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. Kozyra received a Master of Science in Computer Science.

Artist reception
Tampa Day School will host an artist reception March 1 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Road.

The exhibit will showcase art by the school’s students in the center’s corridor gallery throughout the month of March.

Admission is free.

For information, call (813) 922-8167.

Chalk Talk 02/14/2018

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(Courtesy of Thomas Murray)

An up-close look at nation’s capital
A group of six students, a teacher and two parents from Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School in Spring Hill spent six days in Washington D.C. The group met with Rep. Gus Bilirakis, Sen. Bill Nelson and Sen. Marco Rubio (center) to talk about key issues facing the United States, and in particular, Florida. The group also completed the Close Up Washington Student Program, in which students from schools nationwide spend more than 80 hours using the nation’s capital as a living classroom.

Saint Leo honors hometown heroes
Saint Leo University will host a Hometown Heroes Night Feb. 24, welcoming veterans and first responders from the community and Saint Leo student-veterans, military students, and faculty and staff members who served in the military to the evening’s basketball games.

Saint Leo will honor the heroes during the games.

The women’s basketball game against Rollins College starts at 5:30 p.m.

The men’s game will be at 7:30 p.m., taking on the Tars.

Both will be played at the Marion Bowman Activities Center, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo.

Admission is free for veterans, active duty military, and first responders, including law enforcement, emergency medical, and fire personnel.

For information or special accommodations, email Franck Bayebanen at .

Artist reception
Tampa Day School will host an artist reception March 1 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Carrollwood Cultural Center, 4537 Lowell Road.

The exhibit will showcase art by the school’s students in the center’s corridor gallery throughout the month of March.

Admission is free.

For information, call (813) 922-8167.

Scholarships available
Saint Leo University is looking for college-bound high school seniors who want to study computer science or mathematics for a special four-year scholarship and academic program the school has underway.

Saint Leo plans to admit eight high-achieving students as Emerging Math and Computer Science Scholars in the fall at University Campus in east Pasco County.

Recurring scholarships of up to $10,000 will be available to each admitted scholar, as long as academic standards are met.

The EMACS program scholarships were made possible through a grant from the National Science Foundation.

Applications for fall acceptance are due March 1.

For information, email Vyas Krishnan at .

Spring express mini-term
Pasco-Hernando State College will offer a variety of classes in an express mini-semester, allowing students to complete coursework in half the time needed in a traditional semester.

Currently, multiple sections of more than 20 classes, including courses in English, math, public speaking, history and the sciences are still available in the spring express mini-term, which starts March 12 and ends April 30.

For information, visit PHSC.edu.

Hillsborough County scholarships
Hillsborough County Social services has partnered with the Community Action Board to offer scholarships for up to $5,000 to eligible students who want to continue the education by attending an institution of higher learning.

Applications for the 2018-2019 school year will be accepted through March 30. Recipients will be notified in writing prior to the start of the fall semester.

Applicant must be:

  • between the ages of 16 and 24, have a high school diploma or GED equivalent (16 year olds may apply if they are graduating seniors)
  • reside in Hillsborough County
  • have a minimum GPA of 2.5
  • have a household income within 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines of the Community Services Block Grant

The following criteria also will be used to evaluate applicants:

  • community service and school involvement
  • application and letters of recommendation
  • academic record (transcript)
  • essay response
  • panel interview participation

Application materials and detailed instructions can be downloaded at tinyurl.com/y7gj26jz.

Students may submit completed applications online, by mail, or in person to any County Community Resource Center.

Mailed applications should be sent to P.O. Box 1110, Department of Social Services, 24th Floor, Attention: Maria Theodore, Tampa, FL 33601.

Memorial scholarship receives donation
The Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation received a gift of $5,500 from Bayfront Health Dade City Volunteer Foundation to help build the Vonnie Roberts Memorial Scholarship, which is designed for PHSC students enrolled in nursing and health programs in Dade City.

The memorial scholarship, established in 2013, honors Vonnie Roberts (1960-2009), a nurse at Bayfront Health Dade City.

‘Get Loud!’ takes aim at sexual assault, domestic violence

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Cheers normally reverberate through Wiregrass Ranch High School’s gymnasium when a boys basketball player on the home team scores.

That didn’t happen though during the initial minutes of the varsity team’s Jan. 30 game against Sunlake High School.

Instead, spectators remained silent, in response to signs being shown to them that said “Shhh” and “Be Quiet.”

Lots of people wore purple to a special event staged during the Jan. 30 basketball game between Wiregrass Ranch and Sunlake high schools. The goal was to raise awareness about the problems of power-based violence, including domestic violence and sexual assault. (B.C. Manion)

The crowd kept quiet until the ninth point was scored and then —responding to signs that said “Break the Silence” — spectators roared.

Obviously, there was a lot more going on than just a routine basketball game.

In fact, a full-fledged public awareness campaign was being staged, too.

Wiregrass Ranch High School’s basketball game was the venue for “Get Loud!”

The event was presented by the high school, in Wesley Chapel, in conjunction with the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and Sunrise of Pasco County Inc. Domestic and Sexual Violence Center. It also was supported through a Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation Community Heroes grant.

Staying silent for nine points was intended to call attention to the fact that every 9 seconds in the United States a woman is assaulted or beaten.

Besides making people more aware of the problem, the event aims to spread the message that it’s time to break the silence about these forms of violence, which are sometimes deadly.

Wiregrass Ranch senior Gabby Azzolina led the efforts to bring the event to her school. She said people don’t realize the extent of the problem, and survivors don’t know where to turn for help.

“So many people don’t know there are facilities to help and numbers to call,” Azzolina said. “I want them to know that it’s OK to get loud about it, and break the silence. The Crisis Center’s number is 2-1-1.”

Mathematics teacher Amy Munroe helped Azzolina to organize the event at Wiregrass Ranch.

Munroe said she was happy to help when she was asked. She hopes that more people will begin talking about the problem, as a result of the event.

“Just to be able to talk about it, is a big deal,” Munroe said.

Buttons at the ‘Get Loud!’ event helped spread the message of the problems of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Dottie Urbanek Nash, director of education and prevention for Sunrise, said these kinds of events are important.

“Awareness campaigns like this are wonderful. They do a lot to get the word out about what’s happening, locally. Unfortunately, we tend to think that domestic violence doesn’t happen here,” she said.

It’s also important for people to know there are ways to help prevent these types of violence, she said.

The Wiregrass Ranch event evolved out of a conversation between Gabby’s mom, Madeline Azzolina, and Denise Cassedy, whose daughter, Katie, initiated the first “Get Loud!” event at Robinson High School two years ago.

After Katie graduated, her sister, Carolina, got involved, and now — Robinson, Plant and Hillsborough high schools in Tampa have “Get Loud!” events.

Wiregrass Ranch intends to make this an annual event, Munroe said.

Some sobering statistics

  • One of every three women have been victims of some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within her lifetime. The same is true for one in every four men.
  • One in five women has been sexually assaulted.
  • One in seven women has been stalked. The same is true for one in 18 men.
  • Nearly two-thirds of all sexual assaults are not reported to the police.

Source: The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Do you need help? Call 2-1-1

Published February 7, 2018

Chalk Talk 02/07/2018

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(Courtesy of Jonathan Shoemaker, Saint Leo University)

Students focus on community service
Saint Leo University students package meals for Feeding Children Everywhere, to help eradicate hunger and poverty, in memory of Martin Luther King Jr. King’s legacy of accepting others’ differences, raising people up, and helping the less fortunate, which was recognized during the school’s A Day On, Not Off. The school’s goal was to package 70,000 meals for the Tampa area.

 

Saint Leo honors hometown heroes
Saint Leo University will host a Hometown Heroes Night Feb. 24, welcoming veterans and first responders from the community and Saint Leo student-veterans, military students, and faculty and staff members who served in the military to the evening’s basketball games.

Saint Leo will honor the heroes during the games.

The women’s basketball game against Rollins College starts at 5:30 p.m.

The men’s game will be at 7:30 p.m., taking on the Tars.

Both will be played at the Marion Bowman Activities Center, 33701 State Road 52 in St. Leo.

Admission is free for veterans, active duty military, and first responders, including law enforcement, emergency medical, and fire personnel.

For information or special accommodations, email Franck Bayebanen at .

Mentor Appreciation Month
Each January, Take Stock in Children celebrates Mentor Appreciation Month, a month devoted to the dedicated men and women in the Pasco County community who volunteer time while playing a vital role in their mentee’s success.

Take Stock in Children, which provides scholarships, mentors and hope, has more than 10,000 mentors contributing more than 2 million volunteer hours across the state since 1995.

There are currently 130 individuals within Pasco County who volunteer and provide motivation, encouragement and friendship to scholars.

The statewide program gives Pasco County students, whose families meet income eligibility guidelines, an opportunity to receive up to a four-year college scholarship in partnership with the Florida Prepaid College Foundation.

For information, visit TakeStockPasco.org.

Scholarships available
Saint Leo University is looking for college-bound high school seniors who want to study computer science or mathematics for a special four-year scholarship and academic program the school has underway.

Saint Leo plans to admit eight high-achieving students as Emerging Math and Computer Science Scholars in the fall at University Campus in east Pasco County.

Recurring scholarships of up to $10,000 will be available to each admitted scholar, as long as academic standards are met.

The EMACS program scholarships were made possible through a grant from the National Science Foundation.

Applications for fall acceptance are due March 1.

For information, email Vyas Krishnan at .

Lottery celebrates education contributions
The Florida Lottery celebrates its 30th year in operation, marking three decades of achievement and contributions to education.

Since 1988, the Lottery has contributed more than $32 billion to education, including more than $1 billion annually for each of the past 15 consecutive fiscal years.

The Lottery is also the primary funding source for the Bright Futures Scholarship Program.

Students experience opera
Hillel Academy students experienced opera on stage at the Opera Tampa dress rehearsal of Gioachino Rossini’s comic opera, “The Barber of Seville,” at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts.

Students also had the chance to participate in a workshop by Opera Tampa members, where they learned the operatic art form, opera etiquette, and various operatic voices.

Select academy students will be interviewed for a video to be presented at the Opera Tampa Gala in April at the Straz Center.

Hillel Academy is Tampa’s only accredited Jewish day school.

For information, call (813) 963-2242.

Cotee River celebrates literacy
Cotee River Elementary School’s students and staff celebrated Literacy Week in January with “Drop Everything and Read!”

Teachers and students moved from their classrooms to the outdoors for reading activities. Staff members were encouraged to bring their favorite books to read, while their students read their own favorite books.

 

Rezoning of some west Pasco schools invalid, judge says

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A circuit court judge has invalidated school rezoning actions by the Pasco County School Board for some of the district’s west schools, citing violations of a public notice requirement and of the state’s Sunshine Law.

In a ruling dated Jan. 10, Circuit Court Judge Kimberly Sharpe Byrd determined that members of the district’s boundary committee “held discussions on Boundary Committee business outside of a noticed public hearing, and when it held breakout sessions of the middle school and high school groups.”

The school board also violated a section of the state’s public notice requirements, according to the judge.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning addresses reporters during a news conference about a judge’s decision to invalidate rezoning of some west Pasco schools based on the judge’s findings of Sunshine Law and public notice requirements. (B.C. Manion)

The judge’s ruling did not affect any zonings involving schools in other parts of the county.

In response to Byrd’s findings, Pasco School Superintendent Kurt Browning held a news conference to discuss the ruling and talk about the district’s next steps.

“Our attorneys are currently determining how to respond to the order,” he said, and It will be up to the Pasco County School Board to decide how to proceed.

Meanwhile, Browning gave parents of all students affected by the invalidated rezoning the opportunity to choose to return to the school they were rezoned from, or stay where they are at, for the rest of the school year.

Parents had the opportunity, before Jan. 20, to indicate their wishes via a form on the district’s website.

“Parents who don’t complete the form will be presumed to want (their student) to stay in their current school,” Browning said.

“We believe it would be entirely disruptive of us to just literally give parents no choice, give students no choice and pick them up out of classrooms, let’s say Friday, and Monday they start back at Seven Springs Middle and J.W. Mitchell (High School),” Browning said.

The vast majority of parents opted to keep their children at the school they had been reassigned to attend.

During the news conference, Browning said the district expects to rezone schools again before the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, so it is possible that someone could choose to leave River Ridge to go back to J.W. Mitchell, and then be rezoned back into River Ridge again.

“The same thing could be said of Seven Springs Middle and River Ridge Middle, as well,” he said.

It is possible that the upcoming rezoning on the west side of the district will include additional schools, Browning said.

That rezoning will be done using the district’s new rezoning procedure, Browning said.

“I eliminated the boundary committee. The committee was problematic,” Browning said. “I think this order exposed that there were opportunities for possible Sunshine violations, and according to the judge (there were) four Sunshine violations.”

Besides citing communications outside of committee meetings, the judge also had a problem with breakout sessions used.

Individuals could not hear what was going during them, and there were sidebar conversations, Browning said.

“It’s problematic. I think If you are going to be making public decisions, they need to be made in the public, where people can hear them and they can participate at the appropriate time.

“I think this has taught us a lesson. I think it will send a message to school districts and county commissions and local governments across the state,” Browning said.

Under the new rezoning procedure, the superintendent determines a rezoning is needed, has proposed boundaries prepared, takes them to a public workshop and then takes the final recommendation to the school board for action.

“It follows the process that the department of transportation uses when they go to site a road,” Browning said.

Browning said he understands that parents don’t want their children to be rezoned.

“As a parent of two boys that went through this system, I would not want to be told that I’m going to have to take my children out of Pasco High School, where I went to school, where my mother went to school and send them to another school in Pasco County.

“Fundamentally, it’s aggravating,” he said.

However, the district has to accommodate growth and must redraw boundaries to address school crowding, Browning said.

Published January 31, 2018