The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Education

Chalk Talk 09/06/2017

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(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

Pearson-Adams reappointed to board
Gov. Rick Scott has reappointed Marilyn Pearson-Adams to the Pasco-Hernando State College District Board of Trustees. Pearson-Adams, of Brooksville, is the president of Century 21 Alliance Realty, vice president of the board for the Greater Hernando County Chamber of Commerce, and a former board member of the Pasco Hernando Workforce Board. Pearson-Adams was reassigned for a term from Aug. 21, 2017 to May 31, 2021. The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

 

 

 

Woman’s club donates school supplies
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club collected school supplies during the summer to donate to local schools in need.

Pat Wagner, the club’s education chair, delivered several SUV-filled loads to Shady Hills Elementary School.

The woman’s club supports local schools throughout the year, as well as volunteering.

For information, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org.

CANCELLED: Middle school fundraiser
The ninth annual Taste of Trinity will be Sept. 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Seven Springs Middle School, 2441 Little Road, to benefit the school.

There will be stage music, a bounce house, a business expo, and food and desserts.

Proceeds will help the school purchase cutting-edge technology for its students.

Admission is $5 per person, or a family four-pack for $15.

For information, contact Maria Johnson at (727) 934-0940 or .

Registration is available online at WPBA.biz, by clicking on the event link.

Still time to donate
Sponsored by the Rotary Club of San Antonio, the San Antonio Farmers Market will celebrate “School Days” Sept. 9 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the city park.

Students needs supplies throughout the year, not just at the beginning of the school year. Shoppers and vendors are asked to bring school supplies to be donated to San Antonio Elementary School. Anyone who donates will be entered into a drawing for a gift basket.

The farmers market, which takes place the second Saturday of the month, includes vendors, free arts and crafts for kids, lemonade and hot dogs.

For information, contact Winnie Burke at (352) 437-5161 or .

Preschool anniversary
Messiah Lutheran Preschool, 14920 Hutchinson Road in Tampa, will celebrate its 30th anniversary with an event Sept. 10.

There will be an ice cream social at 2 p.m.; Master Bubble Performer, Magician and Balloon Artist Blaise Ryndes at 2:30 p.m.; and more.

To ensure there will be enough seats and food, RSVP to Jody Schweichler at .

For information, visit MessiahTampa.com.

Discussion and movie
Hillel Academy will host a free film and discussion on “Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age,” Sept. 12.

Light refreshments will be offered at 6 p.m., at the academy, at 2020 W. Fletcher Ave., followed by the movie at 6:30 p.m., which will be shown next door at Congregation Beth Am, 2030 W. Fletcher Ave.

Topics will include social media, video games, academics and internet addiction.

The event is for parents, teachers and other concerned adults, as well as students in fifth grade and higher, with caregivers.

The group discussion will be moderated by Dr. Wendy Rice, a licensed psychologist and founder of Rice Psychology Group.

For information on the movie, visit ScreenagersMovie.com.

For general information, call Cosmo Kunzelmann at (813) 963-2242.

To RSVP, visit tinyurl.com/yatr5b4p.

Youth art contest
The Medical Center of Trinity announced its sixth annual “Expressions of Thanks” youth art contest.

Students in kindergarten through 12th grade are asked to celebrate the service of all U.S. military veterans, those who currently serve our great nation and their families, by submitting artwork, poetry or an essay, by Sept. 15.

Each participant will receive a recognition certificate.

First-place winners in each grade level will receive a $25 gift card.

The grand-prize winner will have a choice of a bicycle or iPod nano.

Participants and their families can attend a reception Nov. 5 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., when prizes will be awarded and all artwork will be on display.

For complete details and rules, visit MedicalCenterTrinity.com.

For information, call (727) 834-4868.

College prohibits smoking & tobacco
Pasco-Hernando State College joined more than 60 Florida College System institutions and other Florida private and public universities in providing students, faculty and staff with a tobacco and smoke-free environment. As of Aug. 14, PHSC campuses are 100 percent tobacco and smoke-free.

The PHSC District Board of Trustees voted unanimously, last November, to prohibit smoking and the use of tobacco products college-wide.

The new policy states smoking or use of tobacco products, objects or devices, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, electronic cigars or smokeless tobacco products are prohibited on all Pasco-Hernando State College campuses. This includes inside buildings, and anywhere on campus grounds, such as sidewalks, athletic fields and parking lots.

Part of the school’s goal is to ensure the overall well-being of students, faculty and staff by offering health tips, including resources to help current tobacco users and smokers quit.

For links to resources, visit PHSC.edu/tobacco-free.

Saint Leo gains more than 700 new students
More than 700 freshmen and transfer students moved into Saint Leo University for the 2017-2018 school season. Members of the Office of First Year Experience team, Resident Life advisors, University Ministry, upperclassmen, coaches and athletic teams, faculty, staff and administrators, were all available to help unload the students’ belongings.

Orientation volunteers chanted the new cheer, “Paws Up, Claws Out,” and welcomed the students.

Incoming students also attended a Student Leadership Fair and a welcome ceremony in the Marion Bowman Activities Center gym.

University President William J. Lennox Jr., took a selfie with the Class of 2021 before addressing the students and their families.

A significant number of incoming students will pursue bachelor degrees in biology, with an emphasis on biomedical and health sciences, with 91 incoming students declaring that major.

The most popular majors with the new class included business, criminal justice, sport business, computer sciences, elementary education, management and psychology.

Benjamin Busch featured artist at Saint Leo writing program  

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Benjamin Busch is a seeker of risk.

That might explain how a newly cap-and-gowned Vassar College graduate, with an arts degree, joined the Marines in 1992.

It was a decision, as Busch describes it, “like no art major at Vassar had made. But, I’ve always had this duality just as a person of the world, and was drawn absolutely to risk. At the same time uncertainty for me, that which I do not know, that which I haven’t experienced is a dangerous pursuit.”

Move forward nearly 25 years.

Benjamin Busch read excerpts from his poems, essays and his Iraq War memoir, ‘Dust to Dust,’ at a special reading at Saint Leo University. (Courtesy of Jo-Ann Johnston/Saint Leo University)

Busch is author of “Dust to Dust: A Memoir,” a highly praised reflection of his two combat tours in the Iraq War. The book, published by Ecco Press in 2012, isn’t a tell-all on the battles of war. Rather, it digs into the meditations on life and self, amid destruction and death.

Busch came to teach during the weeklong summer residency session of Saint Leo University’s Master of Arts in creative writing program, during July. Other visiting artists included singer-songwriter Craig Finn; novelist Ian Stansel; literary and marriage partners, Allison Joseph and Jon Tribble from the University of Southern Illinois; and, Florida State University faculty members, David Kirby and Barbara Hamby.

They gave readings or performances at special evening events. Saint Leo creative writing faculty members, Tom Bligh and Brooke King, and Steve Kistulentz, director of Saint Leo’s graduate program in creative writing, also gave readings.

Saint Leo is known for providing learning opportunities and degree programs for nontraditional students. The university’s creative writing program is unique in offering a special track toward a graduate degree for students interested in war literature written for, or by, veterans.

Busch spoke with several veterans in the creative writing program.

“They haven’t been in the writing life for very long,” he said.

So, Busch talked with them about the “trials and tribulations of wading into that…They have a story to tell.”

But, that is the advice he had for every student in the program who searches for a narrative or needs to send a message to the world. “No matter what your background, there is plenty to harvest from. We’re looking for evidence and trying to put it into order,” he said.

The memoir is Busch’s first published book but, as an artist, he has a broad canvas.

He is an essayist, poet, photographer, illustrator, filmmaker and an actor with credits in “Generation Kill” and “Homicide: Life on the Streets.”

His best-known role was in the HBO serial, “The Wire”, where he played narcotics officer Anthony Colicchio. He landed that role after his first deployment to Iraq. He expected to appear in one episode, but stayed through three seasons as an unbending, law and order cop.

“Colicchio was uncompromising,” Busch said. “That was something I liked about him and didn’t like about him.”

Among his credits is a 40-minute film, “Bright,” which was featured at the Traverse City Film Festival in 2011. He also created traveling exhibits of his photographs from the Iraq War, including “The Art in War.”

And, he has been back to Iraq as a private citizen and chronicled his experiences in Harper’s Magazine. His essays have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, and NPR’s All Things Considered.

Writing wasn’t the first career choice for a young artist growing up in upstate New York. His father was writer Frederick Busch, who wrote short stories and novels, including “The Night Inspector.”

“I didn’t think (writing) was my gift,” Busch said. “I was built for pictures, and so I drew.”

At college, he majored in visual arts.

After graduation, he spent four years in the Marines from 1992 to 1996, a relatively peaceful time in world affairs.

But, when a Marine helicopter crashed in North Carolina and killed 12 Marines, Busch made a choice. If he had stayed in the Marines, he would have been their leader.

“It would have been my helicopter,” he said. “I immediately joined the reserves after the funeral.”

He was called back to duty as a commanding officer in 2003 during the “shock and awe” invasion of Iraq and became provisional mayor of several occupied towns. He volunteered for a second tour in 2005, this time with a hope for rebuilding a country.

He wanted to see schools opened, water and sewer systems installed, but Iraq was a place that was “largely a shooting gallery,” he said. “I was left to invent democracy as I understood it. I was looking for native solutions to native problems while being a foreigner.”

It was a task, with no satisfactory outcome, but Busch said, “I thought it was a just mission.”

His memoir falls within a long tradition of writers and songwriters warning youth not to repeat the same mistakes. Sadly, Busch said, “It doesn’t work.”

As an artist and writer, he said, “I’m looking for the right words to build on the conversation.”

If the Iraq War brought loss and a heightened sense of mortality, life away from war was no different.

Busch’s parents died within months of one another in 2006. No child is ready for the death of a parent, Busch said.

That loss, as much as anything, propelled him to write “Dust to Dust.”

“It’s about them and the things you take for granted because they’re always there,” he said. “In the process, I came across myself, who I was, who I’ve always been. I haven’t changed since age 7.”

For information, visit Facebook.com/BenjaminBuschwriter.

Published August 30, 2017

Education is key issue at town hall

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Education was a recurring theme during a recent town hall meeting that featured U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, State Rep. Danny Burgess, and State Sens. Wilton Simpson and Tom Lee.

About 100 residents gathered inside the Pasco Middle School Auditorium on Aug. 22 to voice their thoughts and concerns with their local representatives, via a question-and-answer-style town meeting that lasted more than two hours.

The state’s public education system was among the key topics.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, a Republican representing Florida’s 12th Congressional district, addresses constituents during an Aug. 22 town hall meeting at the Pasco Middle School Auditorium. Other featured speakers were State Rep. Danny Burgess, R-San Antonio; State Sen. Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby; and, State Sen. Tom Lee, R-Thonotosassa. (Kevin Weiss)

One speaker, Lisa Mazza, a third-grade teacher at Wesley Chapel Elementary, expressed concern over the recently passed HB 7069 and its charter-friendly measure that allows charter schools statewide to get a proportionate share of school district construction money, through a local property tax.

The 274-page bill, signed into law last month by Gov. Rick Scott, has been controversial, drawing criticisms from many of Florida’s traditional public school leaders and teachers for its various pro-charter measures.

Besides charter construction funding, another measure in the bill that has been divisive is the “Schools of Hope” program.

“Schools of Hope” sets up new rules and new funding to encourage charter schools to move into areas where the nearest traditional public schools have persistent low ratings.

The bill allows such “schools of hope” to open up either in the attendance zone of, or within 5 miles of, a local traditional public school that has earned either an F or D grade from the state for three straight years.

The “hope” schools would be run by charter school operators, certified by the state as having a record of serving students from low-income families, and raising student performances above the county and state averages.

The bill sets aside $140 million that could be used to support and subsidize “schools of hope.”

Burgess acknowledged he wished there was more time to review the bill, but ultimately expressed his holistic support for charters and school choice, suggesting it’s “in the best interest of all the kids.”

He pointed out Florida has more than 100 failing traditional schools, labeling the issue “a state of emergency.”

“This was our ‘Hail Mary’ to the children,” said Burgess, himself a “proud product” of the public education. “It’s a shame that we had to do something, which is why we put in the ‘schools of hope’ provision.”

Wilton Simpson, who also supported the education bill, celebrated the “hope” schools initiative, as a solution to help kindergarten through 12th grade from low socio-economic backgrounds.

“The only way you’re going to break generational poverty…is through the education system,” Simpson said. “…Clearly, the current system that we have has not, and we’ve had to something that’s a little more aggressive…”

Tom Lee added that expansion of school choice is “a healthy thing” that will inject competition into the public education system.

“I think it’s transformative, not so much for the students that left the (public education) system, but for what it’s done in the system to cause it to react, to compete,” said Lee.

“Parents are taking their kids out because they fear — rightfully or not —that their children are going to underperform and underachieve, and not be prepared for a very competitive world they’re entering into.”

Lee also said initiatives like eliminating burdensome testing and developing gifted programs in elementary schools should be implemented to “reinvigorate” and “recharge” public education.

Said Lee: “While we need to make sure we’re creating opportunities and competition to the system, we’re not abandoning the public education system, because it serves a vital purpose in this country for a vast majority of kids who have no other option.”

Gus Bilirakis, meanwhile, offered less overall support for charter schools, saying they “need to be held accountable” and scrutinized just as much as public schools.

An alternative to charter schools, he said, is creating more fundamental schools. Fundamental schools mirror charter schools in their focus on strict discipline, but are free and operate through the school district.

“I think the fundamental schools are terrific; I think we need to expand the fundamental schools,” Bilirakis said.

Besides the divisive charter school provisions, Burgess made mention to some of the education bill’s more popular provisions, including:

  • Mandatory recess for 20 minutes at most public elementary schools
  • Elimination of the state’s algebra 2 end-of-course standardized exam
  • Expansion of the “Best and Brightest” teacher bonus program from $49 million to $233 million
  • Requirement of college students, starting in the 2018-19 school year, to demonstrate “competency” in civic literacy, either by passing a course in the subject or a test

“There are ways you can look at that bill and say, ‘That makes a lot of sense,’” Burgess said.

Another speaker, Beverly Ledbetter, an instructor at Saint Leo University and longtime public school teacher, expressed concern over teacher shortages afflicting Florida and Pasco County.

She stated the county has over 100 teaching positions currently filled by substitutes, and many educators are frustrated with low salaries, increasing work demands and job insecurity.

Bilirakis said the problem simply comes down to compensation.

“We need to incentivize teachers to go into the field and to go into the Title I schools, financially,” Bilirakis said.

“We need to put teachers on a pedestal. There are some countries, in southern Europe, northern Europe, where teaching is considered the top profession. I think that’s so very important.”

He also suggested encouraging more veterans to become educators.

“Who better to teach our children than the veterans?” Bilirakis said.

Lee, however, said wholly fixing teacher shortage is “a very complicated problem.”

He explained: “We struggle in the legislature to try to figure out how to advance teacher pay in the environment we have to operate in, which is the union construct, where we can’t do performance pay outside the collective bargaining, sometimes. From my perspective, we’ve done too much to inhibit the kind of performance we want from our best teachers, at times.”

Elsewhere, the topic of additional public school funding was raised, with a reference to Hillsborough County Public Schools’ current struggles to repair faulty air conditioning units, district-wide.

Simpson presented one idea: spend less on building schools, and allocate more for capital outlay improvements.

He noted there’s a bill under consideration for next year that would modify or ease some of the strict building requirements, such as State Requirements for Educational Facilities (SREF) that cost school districts “millions upon millions of dollars.”

“Does it really take $25 million to build an elementary school and does it take $75 million to build a high school, or does it take some fraction of that? In the public school education system, we are putting our dollars and priorities in the wrong place,” he said.

Published August 30, 2017

Annual photos are like tiny time capsules

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Taking a “first day of school” photo is a tradition many families observe.

After all, it marks an important moment.

Baylor Frisco, a junior at Sunlake High School in Land O’ Lakes, gets ready to drive his little brother Cannon Frisco, an eighth-grader, to Rushe Middle School. Baylor can give Cannon a ride because now they start school around the same time. (Courtesy of Tammy Frisco)

For some kids, like Ryland Green, this year’s photo signifies not only the beginning of a new school year at a new school, but also in a new county.

For others, like Liam Perkins, the first day of school comes with another tradition. When he returns home, there’s a giant cookie awaiting.

Some kids, like Andrew and Aubrey Deneau of Land O’ Lakes, enjoy posing with the family dog.

And, for Betsy Murdock, that old adage rings true: If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

She didn’t get a photo of her daughter Kate before the fourth-grader had her first day at Learning Gate Community School in Lutz. So, she took a photo of her daughter after school.

Then, to remedy the situation, she took a photo of Kate on Day 2, in front of the school’s sign.

Whether the kids strike the same pose every year, or do something entirely different — these annual photographs serve as miniature time capsules, tracking the child’s changes, as they switch up fashions and hairstyles, and grow up.

They offer a visual window into the evolution of a child’s life.

Published August 30, 2017

Andrew and Aubrey Deneau had their first day of school on Aug. 14 at Pine View Elementary in Land O’ Lakes. Andrew is a fifth-grader and Aubrey is in kindergarten. Maycie is their Airedale Terrier, who said goodbye to Andrew and Aubrey as they headed off to school.
(Courtesy of Catherine Deneau)
Liam Perkins, a fifth-grader at New River Elementary in Wesley Chapel, celebrates Day 1 by returning home to enjoy his traditional giant cookie. (Courtesy of Amanda Perkins)

Chalk Talk 08/30/2017

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(Courtesy of Pasco Education Foundation)

Mentors get Congressional Recognition
Mentors from Take Stock in Children, a program with the Pasco Education Foundation, were awarded Congressional Recognition at the ‘Heroes Among Us’ event hosted by Congressman Gus Bilirakis (FL-12) at the Pasco-Hernando State College West Campus. The individuals were recognized for their time, dedication and loyalty to the students they mentor on a regular basis throughout the course of several years. From left: Melba Hamilton, Bob Memoli, Joyce Martin, Betsy Wunderlich and Fern Aefsky. Mentor Dee Murray is not pictured.

Schools join environmental campaign
Pasco County Schools will kickoff “A Bag’s Life” Aug. 31 at 10:30 a.m., at Gulf Trace Elementary School, 3303 Gulf Trace Blvd., in Holiday.

The district and its partners have joined this national educational campaign that unites nonprofits, businesses, communities and government organizations to promote the importance of the three Rs — reduce, reuse, recycle — for plastic bags and wraps.

Students from 23 district schools can learn about environmental stewardship and compete for prizes based on recycling efforts.

The guest speakers will be Superintendent Kurt Browning, Gulf Trace Principal Hope Schooler, and representatives from Pasco Schools Conservation and Recycling Operations, Walmart and Keep Pasco Beautiful.

For information, call Salinda Strandberg at (813) 794-2380.

Fashion design program
The Dali Museum will introduce a hands-on fashion design program for high school students in the Tampa Bay area, in conjunction with the museum’s special exhibit, “Dali & Shiaparelli,” which opens Oct. 18.

Teens in grades 9 to 12 can take part in “Fashion Design at The Dali,” a free 13-week course to learn the fundamentals of fashion design, construction and runway presentation, from artists and designers.

Sessions will be on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Sept. 17 through Dec. 10, at The Dali and the Pinellas County Center for the Arts at Gibbs High School.

Applications for the program will be accepted at the museum through Sept. 4. Space is limited.

For information or to apply, visit TheDali.org/fashion, or call Denisse De Leon at (727) 623-4754.

Middle school fundraiser
The ninth annual Taste of Trinity will be Sept. 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Seven Springs Middle School, 2441 Little Road, to benefit the school.

There will be stage music, a bounce house, a business expo, and food and desserts.

Proceeds will help the school purchase cutting-edge technology for its students.

Admission is $5 per person, or a family four-pack for $15.

For information, contact Maria Johnson at (727) 934-0940 or .

Registration is available online at WPBA.biz, by clicking on the event link.

Youth art contest
The Medical Center of Trinity announced its sixth annual “Expressions of Thanks” youth art contest, which started Aug. 14.

Students in kindergarten through 12th grade are asked to celebrate the service of all U.S. military veterans, those who currently serve our great nation and their families, by submitting artwork, poetry or an essay, by Sept. 15.

Each participant will receive a recognition certificate.

First-place winners in each grade level will receive a $25 gift card.

The grand-prize winner will have a choice of a bicycle or iPod nano.

Participants and their families can attend a reception Nov. 5 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., when prizes will be awarded and all artwork will be on display.

For complete details and rules, visit MedicalCenterTrinity.com.

For information, call (727) 834-4868.

Pasco District a healthy employer
Pasco County Schools has again been recognized as one of the 100 Healthiest Employers in the country.

The school district ranked 35th on the 100 Healthiest Employers list in 2014. The exact ranking for 2017 will be announced Sept. 18.

In the last five years, Pasco County Schools has won numerous awards for health and wellness for taking proactive steps to employee wellness, such as eliminating smoking on all district property and opening two additional wellness centers.

Healthiest Employers is an awards program that recognizes organizations that proactively shape the health of its employees.

To learn more, visit HealthiestEmployers.com and SpringBuk.com.

Hearing screenings
The Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida screened more than 16,000 students at 74 schools last year, and is looking for volunteers to do the same this year.

No previous training is required. Volunteers are free to choose which schools they would prefer. The average screening time is about two hours to three hours.

All volunteers must pass the School Board background check to help.

Prospective volunteers can access 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.

For information, call (727) 312-3881.

English class
An English as a Second Language (ESL) class will meet on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church, 19911 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. The first class is Sept. 6.

Classes are taught using several ESL and Bible study resources.

There are classes for beginners through intermediate level speakers.

The cost is $40 per semester, which covers the workbook and class materials.

Child care also will be available.

For information or to register, call (813) 360-2077.

Aviation department takes off at PHSC

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With the addition of its new aviation department, Pasco-Hernando State College is preparing to launch students into an industry flourishing with job opportunities.

The college began offering two associates of science degrees in professional pilot technology and aviation administration for the fall semester, which began Aug. 21 at its East Campus in Dade City.

Shown here is a Federal Aviation Administration-approved Advanced Flight Simulator Laboratory, located on the East Campus of Pasco-Hernando State College. The simulators can be reconfigured to emulate all types of aircraft in any environment or weather condition providing a realistic experience. Pilot flight training also will be based out the Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport. (Courtesy of Richard Riley)

The two–year programs are designed for students interested in becoming private and commercial pilots or airport managers. Other possible career opportunities include flight dispatchers, transportation security officers, various Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) occupations, aviation safety and aircraft manufacturing.

The professional pilot technology already has received accreditation approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); the aviation administration is still awaiting approval.

Those aren’t the only new aviation programs in development, however.

Next fall, PHSC expects to offer associate degree programs in both unmanned vehicle systems and aviation maintenance administration, and a bachelor of applied science, with a concentration in aviation.

Plans are in development for an Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certificate program, as well, to tie into the aviation maintenance administration degree program.

The state college officially introduced the aviation department during a July 27 open house, which drew a crowd of more than 100 students, faculty and community members.

The department, which consists of six faculty members, is overseen by Mark Aragon and Michael Brunnschweiler. More staff will be added once additional programs are approved.

Aragon is a certified fixed wing pilot and FAA certified unmanned pilot, who spent more than 30 years in the United States Air Force, with multiple tours in Afghanistan and Bosnia. He is an instructor, and is the coordinator for the professional pilot technology and unmanned vehicle systems programs.

Brunnschweiler is a licensed commercial pilot, who spent nine years in the United States Marine Corps and six years as adjunct instructor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He serves as an instructor, and is the coordinator for the aviation administration and aviation maintenance administration programs.

Aviation students who complete the professional pilot technology program will receive a private pilot license, instrument pilot rating, multi-engine pilot rating and commercial pilot license.

Flight training, in partnership with American Aviation Inc., will be based out of the Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport.

Pasco-Hernando State College officially introduced the aviation department during a July 27 open house, which drew a crowd of more than 100 students, faculty and community members. The college began offering two associates of science degrees in professional pilot technology and aviation administration for the fall semester, which began Aug. 21 at its East Campus in Dade City.

Students, who receive more than 200 flying hours during the entire degree program, also will train on the FAA-approved Advanced Flight Simulator Laboratory, located at PHSC’s East Campus. The simulators can be reconfigured to emulate all types of aircraft in any environment or weather condition, providing a realistic experience.

Besides flight training, other classroom topics cover meteorology, flight safety and security, flight theory, and aviation regulations, among others.

“Our program is a little bit different than other programs, because it’s designed to emulate the duties as an airline pilot,” Aragon said. “They include wearing the pilot’s uniform, dispatching the aircraft, crew resource management, and even post-flight duties.”

For aviation administration, capstone projects also will incorporate simulation software, with students learning how to run an airline, purchase and maintain aircraft, schedule flight routes, and handle delays and safety concerns.

Each of those scenarios, Brunnschweiler said, provides “an awesome, awesome learning experience for the students.”

The state college’s new offerings come at an ideal time for an airline industry that’s projected to see a massive worker shortage in the next two decades.

A report released last month by Boeing estimates airlines in North America are going to need 117,000 new pilots and more than 200,000 aviation mechanics in the next 20 years, as passenger and cargo airlines worldwide are expected to buy 41,000 new airliners between 2017 and 2036.

Meanwhile, retirements at U.S. airlines will start to rise precipitously starting in 2021 as the current crop of pilots turn 65, the mandated age of retirement. More than 42 percent of active U.S. airline pilots at the biggest carriers will retire over the next 20 years, according to a recent report by Cowen & Company.

Currently, aviation-related jobs create annual earnings of $446 billion to the United States — almost 6 percent of our Gross National Product, the FAA reports.

During the open house, PHSC president Timothy Beard called the aviation department “a game-changer” for the college, its students, and local employers and partners.

“We have a commitment and an investment in providing new career workforce opportunities, and we believe these programs, along with other programs, will continue to take us to the top of the mountain here at PHSC,” Beard said.

“I am quite confident that our aviation programs provide an ideal learning environment, combined with expert instruction, state-of-the-art equipment, and excellent aviation and industry partners,” he said.

The state college’s aviation initiative began in January of 2016.

That year, the Florida Legislature granted PHSC $2.3 million towards STEM programs.

Stan Giannet, vice president of academic affairs at PHSC, said “a good chunk” of that funding went to the aviation department’s technological and personnel costs.

He noted the next step for the aviation department is to cultivate additional community partnerships and develop an internship program.

Published August 23, 2017

Chalk Talk 08/23/2017

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Leaders program
Five Tampa Bay area students took part in the Bank of America Student Leaders program. The local students were building workforce and leadership skills through a paid summer internship at Boys and Girls Clubs of Tampa Bay, and participation in a national leadership summit in Washington D.C. Participants included Alice Hamilton, of Odessa (shown); Jenna Callison, Robert Schofner and Caroline Sharpless, all of Tampa; and, Allison Bloomer, of Dunedin.

Hearing screenings
The Sertoma Speech & Hearing Foundation of Florida screened more than 16,000 students at 74 schools last year, and is looking for volunteers to do the same this year.

No previous training is required, and the first screening will be Aug. 24.

Volunteers are free to choose which schools they would prefer. The average screening time is about two hours to three hours.

All volunteers must pass the School Board background check to help.

Prospective volunteers can access 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.

For information, call (727) 312-3881.

English class
An English as a Second Language (ESL) class will meet on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Tampa Bay Presbyterian Church, 19911 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. The first class is Sept. 6.

Classes are taught using several ESL and Bible study resources.

There are classes for beginners through intermediate level speakers.

The cost is $40 per semester, which covers the workbook and class materials.

Child care also will be available.

For information or to register, call (813) 360-2077.

Middle school fundraiser
The ninth annual Taste of Trinity will be Sept. 9 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Seven Springs Middle School, 2441 Little Road, to benefit the school.

There will be stage music, a bounce house, a business expo, and food and desserts.

Proceeds will help the school purchase cutting-edge technology for its students.

Admission is $5 per person, or a family four-pack for $15.

For information, contact Maria Johnson at (727) 934-0940 or .

Registration is available online at WPBA.biz, by clicking on the event link.

More than $9,700 raised for school supplies
During the month of July, the Pasco County Tax Collector’s Office accepted donations from the public to purchase backpacks and school supplies for students in need.

Tax Collector Mike Fasano’s offices raised $9,739.50. The majority of the funds was used to purchase back-to-school supplies, and a smaller portion of the donations was used to assist in the purchasing of classroom supplies for teachers.

Each of the tax collector branches chose one school close to the office with a large percentage of children in need.

Staff members from each office delivered the backpacks and supplies to these schools on Aug. 3 and Aug. 4: Centennial Elementary School, Quail Hollow Elementary, Lake Myrtle Elementary, Fox Hollow Elementary and Marlowe Elementary.

Youth art contest
The Medical Center of Trinity announced its sixth annual “Expressions of Thanks” youth art contest, which started Aug. 14.

Students in kindergarten through 12th grade are asked to celebrate the service of all U.S. military veterans, those who currently serve our great nation and their families, by submitting artwork, poetry or an essay, by Sept. 15.

Each participant will receive a recognition certificate.

First-place winners in each grade level will receive a $25 gift card.

The grand-prize winner will have a choice of a bicycle or iPod nano.

Participants and their families can attend a reception Nov. 5 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., when prizes will be awarded and all artwork will be on display.

For complete details and rules, visit MedicalCenterTrinity.com.

For information, call (727) 834-4868.

Free VPK program
Primrose School at Collier Parkway, 23021 Weeks Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, will offer Fall VPK (voluntary prekindergarten) programs for eligible families and their children.

The program is free for children who have not yet used a VPK voucher and turned 4 or 5 years old before Sept. 1, 2017.

There are three time options available: VPK Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; VPK Monday through Friday from noon to 3 p.m.; and, VPK (K4) and VPK (K5) Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

For information or to enroll your child, call Angella Hart at (813) 242-7800.

First Day photos
We know that you took them, so why don’t you share them?
It’s an annual tradition for many families to take ‘First Day of School’ photos. We’d love to share some of your photos with our readers.

The number of photos we will be able to publish depends how many we receive, the quality of the photo and whether we have sufficient information.

If you would like your photo to be considered, please email us a digital copy. Include the name or names of the student, the grade of the student or students, and what school they attend. Also include contact information, in case we need to get back to you.

Finally, feel free to send us your photos whether you took them at home before leaving for school, or whether you took them at the school itself.

Please submit the photos by Aug. 25 by emailing them to .

 

Pasco schools revamp active threat procedures

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The Pasco County School District has made a major change to its crisis response plan — should an active shooting threat arise on campus.

The Active Threat Response Plan has replaced the lockdown plan, beginning in the 2017-2018 school year, which started on Aug. 14.

During an Aug. 7 media conference, Pasco County Superintendent Kurt Browning said the Active Threat Plan ‘is a huge shift in the way we think about school and safety.’ (Kevin Weiss)

The traditional, passive lockdown approach — where students huddle in a dark room — has been the district’s protocol for active threat incidents since safety plans were first implemented decades ago.

“We’re realizing in some cases (lockdown) still may be the best option and the best response, but in others, students and staff need to have different options that they can use in that situation,” Pasco County Superintendent Kurt Browning said, during an Aug. 7 press conference.

The new procedure, designed with the help of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, is a multi-tiered, proactive approach that incorporates effective communication, self-evacuation and self-defense techniques — also referred to as the ABCs of surviving an active threat.

  • ‘A’ stands for alert and avoid, where school faculty alerts 911 of an active threat, and then evacuates students — particularly those in common areas like gymnasiums, cafeterias and media rooms.
  • ‘B’ stands for barricade. This method enhances the lockdown option, where students and teachers can pile desks and other heavy items against classroom doors or another secure place.
  • ‘C’ stands for counter. This method empowers students to try to distract and disarm an active threat by throwing items in his or her direction. This is designed as a last resort option, if students are cornered by such threat.

The three-pronged plan, Browning said, follows new guidance from safety and education experts who have spent the past two decades analyzing school shootings.

It also aligns with best practices for kindergarten through 12th grade education as recommended by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Education, Federal Bureau of Investigation and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Before the school year began, administrators, teachers and staff were required to complete an eight-part webinar course that identifies response options to help save lives from the time 911 is called to when law enforcement arrives on site.

Early in the school year, middle and high school students will be taught about how to act during a crisis situation — through videos and corresponding practice drills, under the guidance of law enforcement officers. Students and staff will be warned before drills are hosted, to avoid causing fear or panic.

The response plan, Browning said, represents “a huge shift in the way we think about school and student safety.”

Browning noted: “Although it is very unlikely that we’re faced with a violent attack in one of our schools — such as an active shooter —we must be prepared in a way that we will save lives and prevent serious injury to our students.”

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said the plan puts the district “on the cutting edge” for preparation and school safety.

“It’s sad that in the world we live in we have to do this, but we do,” Nocco said. “God forbid if that worst-case scenario happens…the first response from people will be, ‘What did you do to prepare?”

Meantime, a separate, ‘Stranger Danger’ video package has been designed for elementary students, in the case of an active threat.

The softer video approach contains a friendly animated lion and Cpl. Jennifer Rongo, a school resource officer at Fivay High School, explaining what to do in case of ‘Stranger Danger’ situations.

“We all understand this is a little uncomfortable for some parents out there,” Nocco said. “But…we have to be realistic; we have to have that plan in place.”

Browning stressed self-defense techniques will not be taught to elementary students or special needs students, who may not possess the physical abilities to defend themselves.  For older students, Browning said the decision to defend oneself — or counter — will not be required as part of the active threat response training.

“(We) won’t require anybody to do anything if they’re not capable of doing anything, or if they choose not to do it,” Browning said.

Nationwide there have been 233 cases of gun violence on school campuses since 2013, according to gun control advocates Everytown for Gun Safety.

About 40 of those incidents, however, meet the common perception of a school shooting, where someone comes to a school campus to shoot faculty, staff or students.

Besides active threat situations, the school district’s 12-point crisis response plan outlines various protocols for medical emergencies, fires, hazardous materials, bomb threats, fights and violence, and missing and endangered students, among others.

The Active Threat Response Plan comes on the heels of a new state law stiffening penalties for students who threaten to shoot up a school.

The Anti-Terroristic Threat and Public Servant Protection Law, which went into effect last October, makes false reports about using firearms in a violent manner a second-degree felony.

The Pasco County School District experienced three incidents of students making gun threats in the first six weeks of the 2016-2017 school year, before the law went into effect.

Published August 16, 2017

Ringing in a new school year in Pasco County Schools

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Parents and students stream toward Bexley Elementary School, a school that had its first ‘first day of school’ on Aug. 14. (B.C. Manion)

Pasco County public school students began a new school year on Aug. 14, and some of those students headed to schools that were opening for the first time.

At Bexley Elementary, in Land O’ Lakes, parents and children appeared eager to begin a new year, in a new school.

The message on the school’s marquee was summed up in three words: “Believe. Engage. Succeed.”

Cypress Creek Middle High School students make their way to their second class on the first day of school on the new campus in Wesley Chapel.

 

Things were running smoothly at Cypress Creek Middle High in Wesley Chapel.

Students streamed across campus for their second-period class. Most appeared to know where they were heading, but for those who were lost, there was plenty of help.

“I can help. If you need help, I can help,” Tico Hernandez, the school’s Graduation Enhancement teacher called out, as students changed classes.

Published August 16, 2017

 

First Day photos

Kate and Sean Cancelliere are in line with their son, Maxx, waiting for the first day of school at Bexley Elementary. Maxx was excited to be heading to kindergarten, in a class taught by Sarah Johansen.

We know that you took them, so why don’t you share them?

It’s an annual tradition for many families to take ‘First Day of School’ photos.

We’d love to share some of your photos with our readers.

The number of photos we will be able to publish depends how many we receive, the quality of the photo and whether we have sufficient information.

If you would like your photo to be considered, please email us a digital copy. Include the name or names of the student, the grade of the student or students, and what school they attend. Also include contact information, in case we need to get back to you.

Finally, feel free to send us your photos whether you took them at home before leaving for school, or whether you took them at the school itself.

Please submit the photos by Aug. 25 by emailing them to .

Chalk Talk 08/16/2017

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Correction:
The District School Board of Pasco County approved the 2017-2018 school calendar. High school graduations will take place May 18 through May 27. Incorrect dates were published in the Aug. 9 edition of The Laker.

Youth art contest
The Medical Center of Trinity announced its sixth annual “Expressions of Thanks” youth art contest, which started Aug. 14.

Students in kindergarten through 12th grade are asked to celebrate the service of all U.S. military veterans, those who currently serve our great nation and their families, by submitting artwork, poetry or an essay, by Sept. 15.

Each participant will receive a recognition certificate.

First-place winners in each grade level will receive a $25 gift card.

The grand-prize winner will have a choice of a bicycle or iPod nano.

Participants and their families can attend a reception Nov. 5 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., when prizes will be awarded and all artwork will be on display.

For complete details and rules, visit MedicalCenterTrinity.com.

For information, call (727) 834-4868.

Free VPK program
Primrose School at Collier Parkway, 23021 Weeks Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, will offer Fall VPK (voluntary prekindergarten) programs for eligible families and their children.

The program is free for children who have not yet used a VPK voucher and turned 4 or 5 years old before Sept. 1, 2017.

There are three time options available: VPK Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; VPK Monday through Friday from noon to 3 p.m.; and, VPK (K4) and VPK (K5) Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

For information or to enroll your child, call Angella Hart at (813) 242-7800.

School supply lists online
Parents from local schools can access their school’s supply lists online at TeacherLists.com, and find the exact supply list and click over to pre-filled shopping carts on Target, Walmart, Jet.com or Amazon to purchase their list, and have it shipped right to their home.

Target and Walmart also offer in-store pickup.

More than 50,000 schools now have lists posted on TeacherLists. Lists for more than 1 million classrooms are live on the site, and include required and requested items, as well as specific notes and clarifications from teachers and school staff.

For complete details and all the lists, visit TeacherLists.com/parents.

Local students make Dean’s List
Abigale Pfingsten, of Lutz, was named to the Dean’s List in her freshman year at Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Pfingsten carried a full load of seven classes. Emily Schwitzgebel, of Lutz, made the spring Dean’s List at The College of Wooster, in Ohio. Schwitzgebel is a junior music therapy major.

Summer abroad trips
Belmont University, in Nashville, Tennessee, sent its largest group of students across the world for study abroad experiences.

With more than 650 students participating in 34 programs, including “Maymester” trips, students have spent time in Greece, Brazil, England, France, Switzerland and Haiti, among other locations.

Katie Wynn, of Lutz, traveled to Ireland and Northern Ireland, and Kyle McCann, also of Lutz, traveled to Israel.

Studying abroad encourages students to expand worldviews and deepen their understanding of themselves and the world, according to Dr. Thandi Dinani, Belmont’s director of study abroad.

Be a Best Buddies sponsor
Students at Dr. John Long Middle School in Wesley Chapel have been volunteering as part of Best Buddies, a club that provides students with and without disabilities the opportunity to be part of a global volunteer movement, which positively impacts the school and the Wesley Chapel community.

Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization dedicated to create opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

During the 2016-2017 school year, John Long Middle student volunteers and leaders inaugurated the Best Buddies Chapter at the school. The chapter members formed friendships, hosted a Special Olympics Holiday Party, attended the Friendship Ball, attended legislative week to advocate for inclusion, and participated and raised funds for the Friendship Walk.

To support the school’s mission for the 2017-2018 school year, John Long Middle is looking for sponsors for its Best Buddies chapter.

To find out how to make a tax-deductible donation before Sept. 1, call Andi Walker at (813) 346-6200.

(Courtesy of Pasco-Hernando State College)

Students place at business leaders competition
Students of the Pasco-Hernando State College Phi Beta Lambda business organization competed in the Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Competition in Anaheim, California. PHSC student John Vann placed third in the Future Business Executive category. Other students included: Leslie Barnwell and Sidney Onstad, fourth place in Hospital Management Team category; Casey Cox, sixth in Organizational Behavior & Leadership; Emily Brocks and Simona Rivero, ninth in Small Business Management Plan Team; and, Michael Bradley II, 10th in Public Speaking. From left: Emily Brock, John Vann, Sidney Onstad, Michael Bradley II, Giselle Perez, Leslie Barnwell, Shannon Phillips, Victor Miller and Casey Cox. Not pictured: Simona Rivero.