Education

Chalk Talk 12/14/2016

December 14, 2016 By Mary Rathman

(Courtesy of Pasco County Public Information Office)

Good for the ‘sole’
The final numbers are in for the ‘Two Good Soles’ shoe and sock drive spearheaded by the employees of Pasco County Government, Pasco County Constitutional Offices and Pasco County Schools. The drive collected 1,117 pairs of new shoes and 1,583 pairs of new socks for Pasco County schoolchildren, more than doubling the collection goal of 500 pairs of shoes.

Caps of Love
Students at Saint Leo University gathered on National Make a Difference Day to sort and prepare bottle caps for donation to Caps of Love.

Students, faculty and staff collected bottle caps for Caps of Love, a Florida-based nonprofit organization that recycles plastic tops. The proceeds from recycling the plastic is used to purchase new and refurbished wheelchairs for children, under the age of 21, with mobility disabilities.

Last year, Saint Leo donated 8,000 pounds of bottle caps, and 14 pallets containing the plastic were shipped by truck to the recycling facility.

The university’s collection will continue through March.

For information, call (800) 334-5532.

Art showcase & book fundraiser
Wiregrass Ranch High School will host a Holiday Art Showcase and Book Fair Fundraiser on Dec. 15 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Barnes & Noble, 28152 Paseo Drive, Suite 100, at The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel.

There also will be face painting, storytelling, a choir performance, artists in action, improv and more.

To shop online, visit BN.com/bookfairs and use the voucher code “12029922.”

The school’s band boosters also will host a fundraiser on Dec.15 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with gift wrapping at Barnes & Noble.

PHSC seeking mascot successor
Conquor, the sword-wielding mascot representing the Conquistadors at Pasco-Hernando State College since 1993, is retiring, effective this coming spring.

Conquor announced his retirement and kicked off a search for his replacement at a college-wide employee event last month. A retirement celebration will be scheduled at the college’s annual Athletic Awards Ceremony in April, and Conquor’s successor will be introduced to faculty, staff and students during the college’s fall Welcome Week, beginning Aug. 21, 2017.

Conquor, as well as PHSC students, faculty and staff, alumni friends and the community are invited to participate in the mascot selection process. Once the new mascot is selected and approved, a competition will be held to seek student input on naming the new mascot.

Suggestions can be provided at PHSC.edu/mascot, and will be accepted through Dec. 31.

GED classes
Following the November rededication and opening of its new facilities, the Fred K. Marchman Technical College, 7825 Campus Drive in New Port Richey, will provide GED classes on Jan. 9, and start a new semester of technical programs on Jan. 12.

For program options, call (727) 774-1700, or visit MTEC.Pasco.k12.fl.us.

Carrollwood Day School open houses
Carrollwood Day School, 1515 W. Bearss Ave., in Tampa, will host two open houses:
Jan. 12 at 9:30 a.m., for elementary school; and, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m., for high school.
To RSVP, visit budurl.com/CDSRSVP16.

PHSC Foundation fundraiser
The Pasco-Hernando State College Foundation will host its second annual Sporting Clays Tournament on Jan. 27 at Tampa Bay Sporting Clays, 10514 Ehren Cutoff in Land O’ Lakes.

Participants will receive 50 targets, a team cart, lunch, beverages, an awards banquet dinner, official tournament apparel, ammunition and more.

Sponsors and teams will be recognized in promotional materials, including the PHSC website, publications and event program.

For tournament information and sponsorship opportunities, call (727) 816-3410, or visit PHSC.edu/foundation/events.

Cox Elementary celebrates 90
Rodney B. Cox Elementary School, 37615 Martin Luther King Blvd., in Dade City, will host a second celebration for its 90th anniversary on Jan. 30 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., with a dinner fundraiser and a Memory Walk featuring photographs through the eras of the school’s history.

For information, call (727) 774-5100.

The Laker/Lutz News likes to spotlight local school news in our Chalk Talk section every week. Send us your photos, events, accomplishments, etc., so our communities can see what your school is up to! Submissions can be emailed to .

Developing life skills, one student at a time

December 7, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Amy Gordon’s mission is clear.

She wants to ensure every student reaches his or her full potential, and becomes a productive member of society.

That’s why she created Life Skills in ACTion in 1995, while still an elementary school teacher in the Tampa Bay area.

lifeskills It started with humble beginnings — with Gordon working out of her house. Through parent word-of-mouth, her supplemental learning service expanded — quite rapidly.

“My part-time (gig) turned into an explosion in three months,” Gordon said.

With offices now in Wesley Chapel and Lutz, Gordon and her staff of 11 experienced certified instructors help students ranging from elementary to college. The youngest client is 5 years old. The oldest is 28.

Fundamentally, the learning center assists students who are struggling — in or out of the classroom.

Gordon and her staff focus on individual-based tutoring and personal development, too.

“We break down that barrier that everybody has a stigma, ‘My child can’t do this or my child struggles,’” explained Gordon, the director of Life Skills in ACTion.

In addition to basic study skills and note-taking classes, there are social etiquette seminars, which focus on themes such as personal grooming, proper manners and how to relate with others.

“There’s really no place around here that does what we do,” Gordon said.

“It’s not like I have a curriculum that I buy. We meet with the family, and we build a program around what their needs are — whether it be studying, time management, or tutoring,” she said.

Approximately 80 percent of Gordon’s clients are what she calls “busy kids,” frequently referred to by others as hyperactive.

Those students, she said, often are misunderstood.

“Their brain processes in such a way that they have to have a physicality in their learning,” Gordon explained. “They come in with notebooks that look like a dog ate them, and it’s because they’re sitting there and peeling them, and they do that because they have to feel focused to learn.”

To aid those students, Gordon and her staff conduct a personal profile to identify how each learns best.

“You tell us what your child needs, and we will figure out what resources we have to help you,” Gordon said. “Schools are so busy with workloads, and they can’t help kids the way they want to, and (they) don’t have the resources anymore.”

Gordon knows that all too well. After teaching in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas school systems for 22 years, she encountered her fair share of “busy kids.” Yet she could only do so much.

“I couldn’t give them the time that they needed because I had 20 other students,” she said. “I was leaving school every day emotionally drained because it was frustrating to not be able to do what I knew they needed.”

At Life Skills, she’s been able to do that.

Inside the Wesley Chapel office, there’s a comfortable, welcoming feel. Students gather in vibrant rooms with kitchen roundtables, as opposed to wide-open, sterile classrooms.

“We try to keep everything small,” Gordon said, “so its more personal to their learning and their interests. They feel like they’re at home when they’re here.”

That contrasts with how students are typically taught in school classrooms, which tend to be more sequential and lecture-based. That doesn’t work for every student, Gordon said.

For example, some students are visual learners. Others might be kinesthetic learners, whereby they learn best by through hands-on experience.

Gordon said there are eight learning types in total.

“Most of the kids that come here have their little traits,” she said. “We take what they have to learn—biology, history—but personalize it so they can retain it and learn it. They kind of learn how to make their traits work for them, as opposed to against them.”

She continued: “The fact of the matter is that every kid has it within them; we just have to figure out how to help them do it.”

It can happen in as little as eight weeks, Gordon said.

“Kids get out of here, and they feel like they know their purpose, and what their strengths are,” she explained.

The response has been positive, from both students’ parents and schoolteachers.

“Teachers are seeing how we’re impacting the kids at school,” Gordon said.

“They don’t feel threatened that they’re not doing their job because we all know they are,” she added.

Since starting Life Skills in ACTion over 20 years ago, Gordon has been “overwhelmed” by the number of families seeking help.

“I didn’t think it was as many as it is,” she said. “It’s just simple principles: putting the child first.”

Gordon noted she may eventually open an office in Pinellas, and would one day like to expand operations nationwide.

“I’ve just always loved working with kids,” she said. “It’s very gratifying.”

For more information, visit LifeSkillsInAction.com.

Life Skills in Action
Wesley Chapel office: 2026 Ashley Oaks Circle, Suite 102
Lutz office: 18125 US 41 North, Suite 208
Contact: (813) 575-9100 or

These are the services offered by Life Skills in Action: Tutoring; Study Skills and Personal Development; Notebook 101; Social Etiquette; Cyber Life; Parent Advocate; Project Support; and, Parent Online Seminar.

Published December 7, 2016

Chalk Talk 12/07/2016

December 7, 2016 By Mary Rathman

Dade City chamber recognizes students
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce has recognized its October and November student Citizens of the Month.

October students honored: Grace Rodriguez, Academy at the Farm; Xiaxia Pelto, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Nolan DiMaria, Saint Anthony Catholic School; Cynthia Schnabl, Centennial Elementary School; Fernando Garcia, Lacoochee Elementary; Chloe Rutherford, Pasco Elementary; Jared Green, Rodney B. Cox Elementary; Madison Gocsik, San Antonio Elementary; Isabella Hicks, Centennial Middle; Beautiful Hernandez, Pasco Middle; Donovan Surut, James Irvin Education Center; and, Kayleigh Heather, Pasco High.

November Citizens of the Month (Courtesy of Melody Floyd) — November Citizens of the Month
(Courtesy of Melody Floyd)

Students honored for November: Parker Creech, Academy at the Farm; Daniella Miranda Ramos, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Rene Asbel, Saint Anthony Catholic School; Jayden Mendez, Centennial Elementary School; Jayla Singleton, Lacoochee Elementary; Kesia Judith Osorio, Pasco Elementary; Rosalinda Colunga, Rodney B. Cox Elementary; Angelina Agnello, San Antonio Elementary; Andrew Bowling, Centennial Middle; Lucia Sixtos, Pasco Middle; Mekhi Combs, James Irvin Education Center; and, Madison Kaylor, Pasco High School.

Academy recital
The New Tampa Piano and Pedagogy Academy, 10701 Cross Creek Blvd., in New Tampa, will present its first recital of the year on Dec. 11 at 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m., and 6 p.m.

For information, visit NewTampaPPA.com, or call (813) 994-2452.

Special Olympics student-athletes
Special Olympics Florida, Pasco County student-athletes, staff and community business partners will host an “Under the Stars” dinner fundraiser on Dec. 11 from 5 p.m.to 7 p.m., at Sweetfields Farm, 17250 Benes Roush Road in Masaryktown, to raise money to sponsor the Special Olympics student-athletes.

The dinner will include raffles and interaction with Special Olympics student-athletes.

Admission is free, but guests are encouraged to sponsor a student-athlete or make a donation to Special Olympics Florida-Pasco County.

For information or to RSVP, call Phyllis Crane at (727) 207-5146.

GED classes
Following the Nov. 16 rededication and opening of its new facilities, the Fred K. Marchman Technical College, 7825 Campus Drive in New Port Richey, will provide GED classes on Jan. 9, and start a new semester of technical programs on Jan. 12.

For program options, call (727) 774-1700, or visit MTEC.Pasco.k12.fl.us.

Carrollwood Day School open houses
Carrollwood Day School, 1515 W. Bearss Ave., in Tampa, will host two open houses:

Jan. 12 at 9:30 a.m., for elementary school; and, Jan. 12 at 7 p.m., for high school.

To RSVP, visit budurl.com/CDSRSVP16.

PHSC goes smoke and tobacco free
The Pasco-Hernando State College District Board of Trustees has voted unanimously to prohibit smoking and the use of tobacco products college-wide, effective Aug. 14, 2017.

In the coming months, an ad hoc committee, which includes representation from students, faculty, staff and administrators, will assist in transitioning PHSC to a smoke-free/tobacco-free environment.

During the transition, all campuses will host free smoking cessation programs. There also will be other resources to assist employees and students interested in giving up tobacco.

All-State Orff Ensemble
Some Corbett Preparatory School of IDS students, in grades four to eight, were chosen to appear in Orff or choral groups during the Florida Music Education Association’s professional development conference in January at the Tampa Convention Center.

The conference attracts more than 8,000 music educators, students, exhibitors and advocates, and hosts the All-State bands, orchestra and choruses.

Representing Corbett Prep:

Milannia Travaglino, of Land O’ Lakes, fourth grade, Elementary Orff Ensemble

Julia Cox, fifth grade, Elementary Chorus

Nitya Padmanabhan, fifth grade, Elementary Chorus

Alex Smith, seventh grade, Middle School Mixed Chorus

Rylie Nelson, of Wesley Chapel, eighth grade, Middle School Mixed Chorus

Asha Sneed, eighth grade, Middle School Mixed Chorus

Will Sobel, eighth grade, Middle School Mixed Chorus

This is the second year in a row Julia Cox and Rylie Nelson have been selected for All-State chorus. Milannia Travaglino is the first student from Corbett Prep to join the All-State Orff Ensemble, which was formed last year.

Chalk Talk 11/30/2016

November 30, 2016 By Mary Rathman

October Citizens of the Month
Eight students from Zephyrhills schools were honored at The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Month awards ceremony at The Church at Chancey Road. Each month, one student, from 10 area schools, is selected for exemplary effort, achievement and contribution to their school, family and community. The students receiving honors were Savannah Stephens, Zephyrhills High School; Brooke Baldus, Raymond B. Stewart Middle; Thomas Puhek, The Broach School; Brendan Smith, East Pasco Adventist Academy; Deric Smith, Hope Ranch Learning Academy; Ethan Guo, West Zephyrhills Elementary; Noah Lane, Chester W. Taylor Elementary; and, Kaelyn Ingram, Woodland Elementary.

Constitution essay contest winner
Jessica Carver, a fifth-grader at Lake Myrtle Elementary School, won the Clerk & Comptroller’s Constitution Essay Contest for her essay on the topic ‘Why is the United States Constitution Important?’ From left: Superintendent of Pasco County Schools Kurt Browning, Pasco Clerk & Comptroller Paul O’ Neil, Jessica Carver and School Board Chairwoman Joanne Hurley.

Wiregrass Elementary dedication
Wiregrass Elementary School, 29732 Wiregrass School Road in Wesley Chapel, will host a dedication ceremony on Dec. 1 at 6 p.m.

There will be a short program, student performances and refreshments.

Martinez Middle dinner, concert and art show
Martinez Middle School, 5601 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road in Lutz, will host a Holiday Dinner, Concert and Art Show on Dec. 5 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

There will be a sit-down dinner prepared by culinary students and served by band members, and holiday music performed by the Mustang Band.

There also will be holiday shopping available through the art show silent auction. The school’s art students produced the artwork. Purchased artwork will be available for pickup at 7:10 p.m.

All proceeds will benefit band, culinary and art classes.

The cost is $10 in advance with an RSVP by Nov. 30, or $15 at the door.

For information, email Jim Anderson at .

PHSC seeking mascot successor
Conquor, the sword-wielding mascot representing the Conquistadors at Pasco-Hernando State College since 1993, is retiring, effective this coming spring.

Suggestions can be provided at PHSC.edu/mascot, and will be accepted through Dec. 31.

Saint Anthony School receives plaque
Camp Invention, the nation’s premier summer enrichment day camp program, supported by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and created by the National Inventors Hall of Fame, has honored St. Anthony School for its commitment to inspiring innovation and entrepreneurship with an innovation recognition plaque.

Camp Invention provides an opportunity to students in kindergarten through sixth grade to exercise their creativity through hands-on STEM curriculum. The curriculum focuses on fostering creativity, innovation and real-world problem solving.

To date, St. Anthony School has participated in two Camp Invention programs.

Camp Invention created the recognition plaque to show appreciation for schools and organizations that host the summer enrichment day camp program.

The plaque will be on display at St. Anthony School, 32902 Saint Anthony Way in San Antonio, bearing each year the school has participated in the program.

Land O’ Lakes student visits White House, talks science

November 23, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

Not many high-schoolers are like Logan Beatty.

The freshman at Land O’ Lakes High School is a member of a select group.

He was one of 11 youths nationwide chosen to participate in President Barack Obama’s first-ever Kid Science Advisor program on Oct. 21.

Eleven students nationwide were chosen to participate in the Kid Science Advisor program, held on Oct. 21. (Official White House Photo) — Eleven students nationwide were chosen to participate in the Kid Science Advisor program, held on Oct. 21.
(Official White House Photo)

The 14-year-old submitted an essay to the White House last spring, outlining the importance of exploring the world’s oceans in developing better technology.

“I used some of the inspiration that I have from living in Florida, and going to do beach cleanups,” Beatty said.

More than 2,500 essays were submitted nationwide, for the Kid Science Advisor program. Beatty was selected to represent the Southeast region.

“You don’t get that many opportunities to get your voice heard — especially as a student,” Beatty said.

Beatty and others participated in a roundtable discussion about future STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) ideas with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, senior Administration officials, and various pioneers of scientific discovery.

Among the people he met were Dr. John Holdren, President Obama’s chief science advisor; Charles Bolden, current NASA administrator; France Cordova, director of the National Science Foundation; and Scott and Mark Kelly, retired astronauts who are twin brothers.

Logan Beatty, a freshman at Land O’ Lakes High School, was selected to participate in President Barack Obama’s Kid Science Advisor program. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo) — Logan Beatty, a freshman at Land O’ Lakes High School, was selected to participate in President Barack Obama’s Kid Science Advisor program.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

It was an experience that Beatty is unlikely to soon forget.

“It was really cool,” Beatty said, “because I’m not sure how often (kids) are able to do things like this.”

During his visit, Beatty was able to explore the West Wing of the White House, touring the Roosevelt Room and the Oval Office.

“It was really incredible,” he said about the White House. “When we first went in, they had two different layers of security, which was a very long process. But, once we did get inside, it was just random, little details that stood out — like the black floor tiles actually had fossils in them. And, we got to see the library of the Executive Office, which was really cool. I liked some of the architecture.”

White House officials initially told Beatty “there was no way” the group of kids would meet President Obama.

Yet, a short time later, President Obama walked through the back door of the Roosevelt Room, to the group’s surprise.

“I nearly stopped breathing,” Beatty said with a chuckle. “We saw him for about five (minutes) to seven minutes. It’s more than most people get to see President Obama, especially in his office.”

Beatty, who’s in the Land O’ Lakes High School’s pre-International Baccalaureate (IB) program, is a busy student.

In addition to a rigorous pre-IB curriculum workload, the teenager is a member of several school clubs including Model UN, photography and drama. He’s also involved in Boy Scout Troop 707 in Land O’ Lakes.

“I get it all done, somehow,” he said, “Mostly losing sleep.”

Land O’ Lakes assistant principal Jeff Morgenstein described Beatty as an “outstanding student.”

“When I look at the students that come into our (IB) program, Logan really exemplifies the idea that they want to make a difference in their community, in our nation and in the world,” said Morgenstein, “and they do that through ideas, through conversation and being part of things that are bigger than them.

“Doing things to make the future better — that’s who he is.”

Published November 23, 2016

Guiding Pasco County Schools is a big job

November 23, 2016 By B.C. Manion

As Kurt Browning begins his second term as superintendent of Pasco County Schools, he knows he’s got his work cut out for him.

He found that out during his first term.

The superintendent of Pasco County Schools poses in the livestock barn at the Pasco County Fair. (Photos courtesy of Pasco County Schools) — The superintendent of Pasco County Schools poses in the livestock barn at the Pasco County Fair.
(Photos courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“I tell people, I have not worked as hard in my adult life as I have this past four years,” said Browning, who directs the daily operations of Florida’s 11th-largest school district.

The 58-year-old quickly added: “Although I’ve never worked this hard, I’ve probably never done anything as fulfilling.”

Elected without opposition, Browning oversees an organization with 88 schools, 73,340 students and 9,954 employees.

When he came on board, he said he assumed he’d be able to accomplish change faster.

“I’ve always been able to effectuate change pretty quickly,” said Browning, who previously served as Florida’s Secretary of State and Pasco’s Supervisor of Elections.

In Pasco County Schools, though, he found that change has been incremental, rather than sweeping.

He likens it to turning a big ship.

And, he acknowledges, it hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing.

Kurt Browning, superintendent of Pasco County Schools, bends his 6-foot-2 frame to get down to eye level with these children at Fox Hollow Elementary School.

For one thing, Browning said he also had to learn to work alongside the elected Pasco County School Board.

“That was a tough adjustment for me,” Browning said, adding that he hasn’t always been perfect on that score.

“I think there has been a board member or two who has pulled me aside and said, ‘You really need to communicate better. You need to keep us more informed,’” the superintendent said.

It’s a lesson he’s taken to heart: “I still make decisions, but I’ve got to remember that I’ve got a school board out there, and they’ve got a role,” he said.

When issues arise now, Browning aims to keep school board members in the loop.

For instance, the school board met in executive session on Nov. 15, so the staff could brief them on the impasse declared on Nov. 11 by the United School Employees of Pasco.

A learning curve of his own
The superintendent also had to develop a deeper knowledge of education issues.

“The first year and a half, it was a challenge,” Browning said.

Browning takes a Selfie during a graduation ceremony for Fivay High School. He never tires of ceremonies that honor students who have completed the necessary requirements to graduate.

Now, he can discuss educational issues facing the district and potential impacts on students, but said he’s no expert on education.

So, he said, he surrounds himself with “highly qualified, competent people — passionate people” he can turn to for the information he needs to make decisions.

The district faces big challenges.

“July 8th was not a good day for me. That was the day that the school grades came out. School grades dropped,” Browning said.

The district’s rank also dropped, from 33rd in the state to 39th.

“We’ve got to see some improvement,” Browning said. “We cannot continue to teach kids the same way we did 25 years ago, because it’s just not working.”

At the same time, it’s important to remember that good things are happening around the district, Browning said.

“You can go into kindergarten classrooms and see kids doing things independently that are just mind blowing,” he said.

He’s also impressed by the number of graduates receiving scholarships every year, and the schools the students plan to attend and their planned areas of study.

Browning understands that people judge schools by their school grade, but he said, it doesn’t tell the whole story.

Kurt Browning tours Quail Hollow Elementary, which was converted from an ‘open’ school to one with traditional windows, walls and doors.

“It doesn’t show all of the caring teachers, the caring administration. It doesn’t show all of the activities and the support that those folks give to the kids in those schools,” he said.

Still, it’s problematic when the district is drawing new school boundaries, Browning said.

At public meetings on proposed boundaries, it’s common for parent to resist sending their child to a school that has a lower grade.

That issue is likely to surface more often, as the district grapples to accommodate Pasco County’s burgeoning growth.

Work is now underway to recommend school boundaries for Bexley Elementary and Cypress Creek Middle/High School, which are set to open next fall.

As new subdivisions pop up across the landscape, the district will need more schools.

“We can’t build schools fast enough,” Browning said, pointing to the residential growth along the State Road 54 corridor, from Meadow Pointe Boulevard to Little Road.

But, the district doesn’t have the money to build more schools, Browning said.

A potential solution would be to raise school impact fees, which the superintendent favors.

That issue is expected to heat up in the coming year.

The Pasco County Commission sets the fees, which apply to new residential construction.

Social media is double-edged sword
Aside from its facility needs, another challenge facing the district is the pervasive misuse of social media.

Social media can be a great tool for sharing information, but its use can quickly spin out of control, Browning said. “It’s like a fire. You just can’t put it out.”

The consequences for misusing social media can be serious, and parents need to be vigilant about how their kids are using technology, Browning said.

“I have done everything but knocked on the doors of houses and said, ‘Know what your kids are doing.’ The last thing you want to have happen is for your kid to go and post something on Twitter about shooting up a school, blowing up a school.

“It’s going to be on the record for the rest of their life,” Browning said.

In reflecting on his first term, Browning said one area where the district has made considerable progress involves the expansion of educational options.

Four years ago, the district essentially had the International Baccalaureate program at Land O ‘Lakes and Gulf high schools, he said.

Now, it has an elementary magnet school at Sanders Memorial Elementary.

Pine View Middle School is an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Candidate School.

The district has the Cambridge Program at Pasco Middle School and Pasco High School, and it has converted Centennial Middle and Bayonet Middle to S.T.E.M. magnet schools.

It also has added an Aviation Academy at Sunlake, Hudson and Zephyrhills high schools.

The district also is eyeing the possibility of bringing Cambridge to Paul R. Smith Middle, and Anclote High School and San Antonio Elementary. And, it is considering an IB elementary program at Pine View Elementary.

Browning’s days are busy. At any given time, he may be visiting a district school, discussing a budget priority at a school board meeting, or joining the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office at a news conference. He’s also been known to pose for a photo in the livestock barn at the Pasco County Fair.

Perhaps his favorite thing, though, is sitting on the stage during district high school graduations.

It never gets old, Browning said.

He looks out on the sea of “hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of graduates” and thinks about their accomplishments.

“These are all kids who have met their requirements,” the superintendent said.

“I’m sitting there saying, ‘Wow, really, this is good stuff.’”

Published November 23, 2016

Career educator joins Pasco County School Board

November 23, 2016 By B.C. Manion

The newest member of the Pasco County School Board believes the perspective she brings to the board will aid in its deliberations.

Colleen Beaudoin, a career educator, said her background in the field, coupled with the experiences she’s had as a mother of children in the system, will help her to ask the right questions when issues come before the board.

Colleen Beaudoin, who joins the Pasco County School Board this week, thinks her background as an educator and as a mom of a student in the district, will equip her well to ask pertinent questions in her new role. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo) — Colleen Beaudoin, who joins the Pasco County School Board this week, thinks her background as an educator and as a mom of a student in the district, will equip her well to ask pertinent questions in her new role.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

“I didn’t set out with this goal of being on the school board,” said Beaudoin, who was unopposed in her bid to replace Joanne Hurley. Hurley, who has served eight years on the board, retired from her post this week.

Beaudoin said she felt encouraged to run because of some experiences she’s had in the past couple of years.

“In the spring of 2015, there were two different things going on,” she said.

“My youngest has Tourette’s Syndrome,” she explained. “I started getting involved with the national association. I’m on the educational advisory board. That was when the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was up for reauthorization,” she said.

She encouraged people to write their lawmakers.

“People responded. I started meeting with different people, advocating for kids,” Beaudoin said.

“At the same time, there were some changes at the (Pine View) middle school that I was concerned about,” she said.

That was when Pine View was getting ready to seek to become an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Candidate School.

“It’s a good program,” Beaudoin said. “I was concerned about the implementation of the program.

“I had some questions. I went to the school board meeting, just as a mom, and spoke and was well received. We had meetings. We worked together with the school. I felt like I was able to make a positive impact,” she said.

“Then, I found out that Joanne Hurley was not going to run again. I spoke to her and started asking more questions and talking to different people. A lot of parents that I’ve known in the community said, ‘You should do this.’

“So, I started looking into it more,” said Beaudoin, who has two sons who are graduates of Land O’ Lakes High School and one son who attends Pine View Middle.

“I think it’s helpful that I bring that perspective to the board — of a parent with a student that is currently in the system,” Beaudoin said.

After she decided to run, Beaudoin began regularly attending school board meetings and workshops.

“I know I still have a lot to learn, but I know it’s been a luxury to have this time to prepare myself,” she said.

As she assumes her seat on the board, Beaudoin has identified some key issues she wants the school system to address.

She’d like to see better communications between the district and families.

“I think we have a lot of great programs in Pasco County, and parents don’t know about them. We’ve got to make sure that people can make informed decisions about their children,” she said.

She’s not sure exactly what should be done, but one possibility might be to hold information nights in each of the county’s three areas to give parents a chance to come and learn about the wide variety of programs the district offers, she said.

“We have all of these Career Academies now. We have magnet programs. We have magnet schools. We have a lot to offer. I don’t know if everyone knows,” she said.

She said she is advocating for all students, to be sure the district keeps “the doors open as long as possible for kids to make choices and see what’s out there.”

As an educator who joined the teaching profession in 1988, Beaudoin said she knows what questions to ask. But she added: “Not everybody does.”

She thinks the district needs to provide additional support for classroom teachers.

“A lot of teachers are disheartened. They’re working really hard. We need to find a way to support them in the classroom,” she said.

“I want to see what we can do. We have got to do something so our teachers can focus on teaching our kids. We’ve got to see what we can take off their plates, so they can focus on teaching our kids,” she added.

She also like the district to work harder on identifying more gifted and talented students in its underrepresented populations. “I think a lot of kids slip through the cracks, and we need to make an effort,” she said.

“We need to inspire people. We need to inspire our kids,” Beaudoin said, noting, “I’m trying to focus on things that we really can do.

“I really want to get in there and speak up, and ask questions. I do know what questions to ask,” Beaudoin said.

Published November 23, 2016

Board member wants a school for the arts

November 23, 2016 By B.C. Manion

Alison Crumbley also wants more arts education, in general

As Alison Crumbley begins her third term on the Pasco County School Board, she has identified some key priorities that she wants the district to tackle.

“I would like to see for the entire school district — fine arts, performing arts … humanities, whatever you want to call it, enhanced.

Pasco County School Board member Alison Crumbley, beginning her third term, wants the school district to have a greater emphasis on the arts. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools) — Pasco County School Board member Alison Crumbley, beginning her third term, wants the school district to have a greater emphasis on the arts.
(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

“We had to cut out a lot of that my first year on the board because of that $55 million shortfall. I don’t feel we ever put them back to what they were, plus I don’t feel like they were strong enough in the first place, for me,” Crumbley said.

She’s also pushing for a magnet school for the arts, and she knows the ideal spot.

“We have a River Ridge facility already there. We don’t have to move a wall,” she said.

“It’s time. It’s just time,” Crumbley said.

“I know the parents want it. The kids want it,” she said.

Crumbley said she’s even been approached by potential partners from the community, that have resources, who want to be involved.

“I have that interest. I feel like Pasco County, in general, has lacked in the arts,” Crumbley said.

Students benefits from a strong arts curriculum, Crumbley added.

“It’s about tapping into kids’ creativity,” she said. “It helps them to calm down, think about things in a different way. Life should not just be about the test.”

“Everybody needs the arts,” Crumbley added.

“Whether it’s singing, dancing, performing on a stage in theater — any of it. You’re finding out more about yourself, and you’re finding out more about what you can do,” she said.

The arts can also help students build self-confidence, she said.

The school board member also wants to work on tapping into Pasco County’s wealth of “human capital.”

She wants the district to do a better job of matching up people who are willing to volunteer their expertise, with teachers and other staff members who can benefit.

“Ever since I’ve been on the board, I’ve had people say to me, ‘I want to help with this. I want to help with that.’” Crumbley said.

“Our teachers are overloaded,” the school board member said. “They’re getting more and more work dumped on them. They just do it. Most of them just do it.”

Helping to reduce the burden may be as simple as getting a volunteer to read to students, while a teacher grades papers or completes other work, the school board member said.

“You’ve got retirees from every walk of life that want to help. They know that there’s a lot of need,” Crumbley said.

It also helps children to see that grownups are willing to help, Crumbley added.

Crumbley said she’s been pleased to see the dedication and resourcefulness “of the vast majority of the district’s staff.”

On another front, Crumbley would like to see improvement in the way the district communicates with parents — both in the way it delivers information and also in the way it solicits feedback from parents, she said.

That’s true both at the district level and the school level, too, she said.

“We do have so many good programs in the district now. I just want to be sure that all of the kids and parents are knowledgeable,” she said.

“I just want to be sure that we’re reaching them with all that we have available,” she said.

Making that happen, Crumbley said, may require additional manpower.

Crumbley said she was drawn to serve on the school board because she’s always been interested in children’s issues.

Crumbley was initially elected in 2010, when Kathryn Starkey vacated her school board seat to run for the Florida Legislature.

Crumbley was unopposed when she ran in 2012, and was unopposed when she ran for another term.

“Having raised three kids that came through Pasco County Schools, I just felt like there was some work that could be done. Your community is only as good as your schools,” Crumbley said.

Published November 23, 2016

Chalk Talk 11/23/2016

November 23, 2016 By Mary Rathman

(Courtesy of East Pasco Democratic Club)

Caitlyn Fontan receives scholarship
The East Pasco Democratic Club presented a $500 scholarship to Pasco-Hernando State College student Caitlyn Fontan. Fontan was selected for her drive and fortitude, and plans to use the money toward a degree in phlebotomy. From left, Caitlyn Fontan; Beverly Ledbetter, East Pasco Democratic Club president; and, Kristine Hires, EPDC treasurer.

Wiregrass Elementary dedication
Wiregrass Elementary School, 29732 Wiregrass School Road in Wesley Chapel, will host a dedication ceremony on Dec. 1 at 6 p.m.

There will be a short program, student performances and refreshments.

Martinez Middle dinner, concert and art show
Martinez Middle School, 5601 W. Lutz Lake Fern Road in Lutz, will host a Holiday Dinner, Concert and Art Show on Dec. 5 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

There will be a sit-down dinner prepared by culinary students and served by band members, and holiday music performed by the Mustang Band.

There also will be holiday shopping available through the art show silent auction. The school’s art students produced the artwork. Purchased artwork will be available for pickup at 7:10 p.m.

All proceeds will benefit band, culinary and art classes.

The cost is $10 in advance with an RSVP by Nov. 30, or $15 at the door.

For information, email Jim Anderson at .

Knights of Columbus support Pasco ESE students
Knights of Columbus Council 8104 of Land O’ Lakes hosted its annual tootsie roll drive fundraiser and raised $7,000 for ESE student programs at four Pasco County schools.

Each school will receive about $1,743 each. The schools that will benefit are Denham Oaks Elementary School, Connerton Elementary, Land O’ Lakes High and Pine View Middle.

PHSC appoints administrators
Pasco-Hernando State College has named Kevin O’ Farrell, provost, Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch; Patricia Campbell, dean of arts and sciences; Billie Gabbard, dean of nursing and health programs; and, Sonia Thorn, associate dean of academic affairs and institutional accreditation.

For information about PHSC, visit PHSC.edu.

Pasco County Schools earns silver
The District School Board of Pasco County was awarded the Florida Healthy School District Silver Award by the Florida Action for Healthy Kids and the Florida Coordinated School Health Partnership. The district was presented with a silver-level flag.

The district earned the honor for demonstrating high scores in all areas, with the highest scores related to policies and processes in these areas:

District infrastructure (88 percent)
Physical education (87 percent)
Health services (90 percent)
Counseling, psychological and social services (86 percent)
Healthy school environment (87 percent)
Employee wellness (85 percent)
Family and community involvement (91 percent)

Trevor McCabe in honor society
Trevor McCabe, of Odessa, was initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. McCabe was initiated at the University of Florida.

Approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni are initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter.

School board amends school name
The District School Board of Pasco County voted to temporarily name the new school under construction on Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel, Cypress Creek Middle/High School.

The board named it Cypress Creek High School at a Nov. 1 meeting, but because the school will serve sixth through 12th-grade students until a middle school is built, the name was changed to be inclusive of the middle school students.

When a middle school is built, the high school name will revert to Cypress Creek High School.

All-State bands, orchestra
Pasco County students auditioned for All-State Middle School Band, Honor Band, Concert Band and Symphony Orchestra in September. Students who make one of the band groups are guaranteed a spot in the Pasco County Schools All-County Band, but still need to audition for chair placement.

The following students were recognized:

Matthew Benjamin, French horn, Seven Springs Middle School, All-State Middle School Band
Kaitlyn McCarty, percussion, Hudson Middle, All-State Middle School Band
Nathan Laird, euphonium, River Ridge Middle, Middle School Honor Band
Abigail McNulty, percussion, J.W. Mitchell High, All-State 9-10 Grade Concert Band
Anna Dorey, French horn, J.W. Mitchell High, All-State 11-12 Grade Symphony Orchestra

Chalk Talk 11/16/2016

November 16, 2016 By Mary Rathman

Corporal Elissa Elders briefs Pine View Middle students on a crime. (Photos courtesy of Pamela Hudak) — Corporal Elissa Elders briefs Pine View Middle students on a crime.
(Photos courtesy of Pamela Hudak)

Students take part in ‘read-off’ to solve crime
Eighth-grade students at Pine View Middle School participated in a “read-off” to help solve a crime in the book “The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe.

Joshua Liston and Bailey Parker work together to find clues.

Corporal Elissa Elders briefed the students on a crime that happens in the book, and the students worked together to figure out the clues to solve the crime. Once all the clues were located, students found a key to a locked toolbox, which contained the necessary items to complete a project.

Lillian Reinisch receives education scholarship
More than 100 students in East Carolina University’s College of Education received a record

amount of scholarship support for this academic year.

The awards range from $250 to $20,000 with some open to all education students, while others are earmarked for specific education majors or programs.

Lillian Reinisch, of Land O’ Lakes, was a recipient of the Hattie M. Strong Foundation Scholarship, given to students enrolled in teacher-training programs.

‘Top dogs’ recognized

The Pilot Club of Zephyrhills hosted a luncheon to honor the First Quarter Top Dogs, recognized for the students’ academics and leadership roles in their schools.

The students who received a certificate and gold Top Dog tag were Quinton Graham, Diannette Fernandez, Dylan R. Johnson, Jacob Smith, Jainesse Lazu, Isabel Lugo, Collin Lindsey, Adela Reynel and Autumn Bayless.

Wiregrass Elementary dedication
Wiregrass Elementary School, 29732 Wiregrass School Road in Wesley Chapel, will host a dedication ceremony on Dec. 1 at 6 p.m.

There will be a short program, student performances and refreshments.

Fifth-grader selected for All-State ensemble
Luci Rhode, a fifth-grader at Land O’ Lakes Christian School, has been accepted to participate in one of two All-State elementary music ensembles.

Rhode will perform with the FEMA All-State Elementary Orff Ensemble on Jan. 13 at the Tampa Convention Center. She was chosen through a competitive audition process among more than 875 elementary school students from across Florida.

The performance will take place as part of the Florida Music Educators Professional Development Conference (Jan. 11 to Jan. 13), where there will be more than 8,000 music educators, music students, music exhibitors and music advocates, including more than 250 clinic sessions, concerts and exhibits.

Student gets NASA scholarship
Pasco-Hernando State College student Desirae Binney, of Hudson, received a scholarship to participate in a five-week online course offered by the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars, and to attend a hands-on workshop at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Kennedy Space Center in Port Canaveral.

During the online course, Binney planned a robotic rover mission to Mars. At the workshop, she received hands-on experience to develop problem-solving skills as a team member.

Binney plans on completing her associate in arts degree, with an emphasis on STEM courses, followed by studying aerospace engineering or astrophysics at the university level.

Gulf High hosts World F.A.I.R.
Gulf High School, in New Port Richey, hosted the 2016 World F.A.I.R. (food and art for international relief) on Nov. 11 in the school’s activity center.

The student-led event educates students about other cultures and customs to broaden their horizons and expose them to how people in other countries live.

The students operated individual country booths that displayed factual information. Participants dressed in their country’s traditional clothing, performed dances and dramatic readings, and made or purchased food and souvenirs from all over the world.

Elementary and middle school students in the Gulf High feeder pattern attended by grade level during the day.

Proceeds from the event benefited local charities.