Education

Chalk Talk 08/17/2016

August 17, 2016 By Mary Rathman

Melanie Storms in charge ‘worldwide’
William J. Lennox Jr., president of Saint Leo University, appointed Melanie Storms as vice president of the newly created Saint Leo University Worldwide Division, which is committed to providing convenient classes to students whenever and whenever needed. Storms has served in a leadership capacity in higher education for 15 years, and most recently served as vice president of the College of Health Sciences for Walden University. She also has extensive experience in both programmatic and regional accreditations.

Sunrise hosts leadership institute
The Sunrise Domestic & Sexual Violence Center hosted its third annual Summer Youth Leadership Institute at Saint Leo University. The institute’s goal is to develop student leaders to work with peers to visualize and create a community where all people are valued, honored and respected.

Students also received a holistic introduction to the college experience and had the opportunity to tour Saint Leo University, work with members of the university’s community, and stay in student dorms.

Participants in the Summer Youth Leadership Institute front row from left: Natravia Hunter, Ali Smith, Brionna Dupree and Alexis Watson. Second row from left: Aubrey Hall, Shannon Keim, Isabella Olsen, Francesca Corradini, Gary Lopez-Perea and Amanda Markeiwicz. Back row from left: Elisabeth Bolt, Terri O’ Brien, Megan West, Endora Ankrah and Mihail Kaburis.

Charter school ‘Scoopie’ night
Countryside Montessori Charter School and Culver’s are partnering for “Scoopie Night” on Aug. 23 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Stop in at Culver’s, 2303 Sun Vista Drive in Lutz, and 10 percent of all proceeds will be donated to the school.

For information, call (813) 996-0991.

Pancake breakfast benefit
Beef O’ Brady’s, 7040 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., at Wilderness Lakes in Land O’ Lakes, will host a pancake breakfast to benefit the Land O’ Lakes High School Lady Gators softball team, on Aug. 27 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. The cost is $5.

For information, call Mitch Wilkins at (813) 431-8261.

Win school supplies
The Dixie Belle Paint Company is sponsoring a contest to win $500 for school supplies. Those interested can paint a favorite piece of furniture (no smaller than a stepstool) in your school’s colors with Dixie Belle paint.

Photos can be submitted to Facebook.com/DixieBellePaint along with these two hashtags: #DixieBellePaint and #PaintYourFutureBrightDBP. Submissions (limit three per person) must state the school colors used.

The deadline is Aug. 31. The winner will be announced on Sept. 15.

For information, call (813) 909-1962.

Donate school supplies
Great Clips at Arbor Square, 7818 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, will collect back-to-school items, such as pencils, notebooks and erasers, through August. All donors will receive $1 off any haircut at Great Clips. Supplies will be donated to Land O’ Lakes schools.

For information, call (813) 693-4247.

Rasmussen College gives back
Rasmussen College gave back to its local communities during the eighth annual Community Service Day. Approximately 1,200 employees and students from its 23 campuses and three central office participated in the event.

Forty employees and students from the college’s New Port Richey/West Pasco and Land O’ Lakes/East Pasco campuses volunteered at several Gulfside Hospice thrift shops. Ten volunteers helped paint the Zephyrhills location, which is being remodeled. The remaining volunteers helped in other thrift shops by putting away clothes, sorting merchandise and cleaning.

Another 15 employees and students from the New Port Richey/West Pasco campus helped build a West Pasco Habitat for Humanity home in Holiday, in support of one of the college’s longtime employees and student Crystal Arnold.

Pasco Education Foundation receives $8,000
The Concourse Council Inc., made an $8,000 donation to the Pasco Education Foundation. The Concourse is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the development of educational, recreational, cultural and entertainment services for the residents of Pasco County, the Nature Coast, Tampa Bay and visitors to Florida.

The Concourse also is host to Pasco Safety Town, a realistic six-acre, child-sized town, designed to provide hands-on safety education for school children ages 5 to 8.

The donation will be used for future scholarships for eight Pasco County High School graduates.

Future business leaders
Students of the Pasco-Hernando State College Phi Beta Lambda business organization competed in the Future Business Leaders of America PBL National Leadership Competition conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

Joy Jordan, West Campus, placed ninth in the nation in the personal finance category.

Other West Campus students: Tayler Carlson, Michael Finucane, Marcella Thurman and Norman Widamen Jr., of the parliamentary procedures category team; and, Leslie Barnwell of the job interview category competed in the semifinals in the national competition.

Also participating were Manuel Cuzco, Spring Hill Campus, in human resource management; and, Leslie Barnwell, West Campus, in administrative technology.

At the State Leadership Conference, students compete in events testing business knowledge and skills. Top state winners are then eligible to compete at the National Leadership Conference.

Wiregrass Elementary revving up for first day

August 10, 2016 By B.C. Manion

Crews are kicking it into high gear at Wiregrass Elementary School to ensure the school is ready to open for students on Aug. 15.

Music teacher Christine Reed is clearly excited about the musical tools that children at Wiregrass Elementary School will get to use. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — Music teacher Christine Reed is clearly excited about the musical tools that children at Wiregrass Elementary School will get to use.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

The new school, at 29732 Wiregrass School Road in Wesley Chapel, will have its “first” first day of school, and Principal Steve Williams said he and his staff can’t wait.

“This is going to be a fantastic school. It’s going to be an outside-the-box kind of school. It’s going to be a school that doesn’t necessarily do things the way everybody else does, because we are pushing for incredible outcomes. Intentional outcomes,” Williams said.

The school was built to relieve crowding at other nearby schools. As of Aug. 4, its enrollment was 505 students, but that number has been increasing every day, the principal said.

“We certainly anticipate that this is going to be a growing school. There’s a lot of subdivisions being built,” he said.

Williams said the school has features he thinks will help to make it special.

There’s an area called Wiregrass Court, an inclusive play area for children and a park.

There are other differences, too.

Principal Steve Williams and teacher Maria Pita chat, while the teacher sets up her new classroom at Wiregrass Elementary School.

“We’re trying to push what the definition of learning spaces look like. So, we don’t have a media center. We have what we call The Wiregrass Innovation Factory. That’s where you have the large space with technology and books, and opportunities to collaborate and create,” the principal said.

Each grade level team also has its own “Local innovation Factory,” tailored to each age group.

“It looks different. It feels different. It’s got great technology in it. In addition, it’s got some furniture. It’s got a maker space. It’s got some instructional materials. Ultimately, you’ll have two 65-inch TVs, plus an interactive whiteboard, all with wireless technology,” Williams said.

The school’s staff was set to report to work on Aug. 8, but some teachers dropped in earlier to unpack boxes and arrange their classrooms.

“We’ve opened these past two days — yesterday and today — for staff that wanted to move in,” Williams said on Aug. 4. “For most of them, this is their very first time being on this campus. They’re here to drink it all in and to move stuff,” he said.

Heather Crouch, music teacher at Wiregrass Elementary School, knows a thing or two about shaking a tambourine. — Heather Croucher, music teacher at Wiregrass Elementary School, knows a thing or two about shaking a tambourine.

“They’ve been very, very excited and I understand it, because I’ve been excited, too,” the principal added.

Robin Kestenbaum, who teaches first grade, loves the idea of helping to launch the new school.

“I honestly felt like a little first-grader, getting ready for the first day of the school,” she said.

Kestenbaum, a teacher for 17 years, said she has taught in Massachusetts and Tennessee, and on the east coast of Florida. Most recently, she taught at Pine View Elementary.

The beginning of every school year is exciting, she said, but that’s especially true this year.

“I have to be honest with you, this is one of the most exciting for me, personally,” Kestenbaum said.

Third-grade teacher Maria Pita brought a crew along to help her move in. Her husband was there, and so was her daughter and her daughter’s friend. And, another daughter was expected to arrive to join in, too.

The teacher previously taught at Pasco Elementary.

“It’s going to be a whole new adventure,” Pita said, who taught at Pasco Elementary last year.

Wiregrass Elementary is outfitted in all of the latest technology, but will also be using traditional teaching tools, too.

Music teachers Heather Croucher and Christine Reed are also delighted to help open Wiregrass Elementary. Croucher, who taught at Denham Oaks Elementary, will be at Wiregrass Elementary five days a week. Reed will be Wiregrass Elementary for two days a week and Pine View Elementary for three days a week.

“We’re excited about all of the new stuff that we have,” Croucher said. The music department also has two rooms, she said. “This is our music suite.”

“That’s S-W-E-E-T,” Reed added.

“We’re looking forward to doing lots of musicals here,” Croucher said, including “maybe a xylophone group, and maybe even utilizing that outdoor area for some recitals.”

The school has four things it is focusing on, Williams said. Those are: Safety pursued. Learning focused. People valued. And, outcome driven.

“All of our conversations and all of our systems are all based around those four things,” he said.

First-grade teacher Robin Kestenbaum is sorting out some books for the bins in her classroom.

In learning focused, for instance, “this first year we’re doing a lot of conversations about students owning their own learning and what does that look like?” the principal said.

“How do we help our student to own their own learning? Of course, that looks different at kindergarten than it does at fifth grade,” the principal said.

Helping kids “own” their own learning can mean that different kids will be doing different things in the room at the same time — aiming for the same learning goal, but coming at it from different paths, he explained.

The goal is to prepare students leaving the elementary school to be successful in middle school, said Williams, who previously was the director of teaching and learning for Pasco County Schools. Before that, he was the principal at Sunlake High School and worked in other roles.

When the opportunity to lead Wiregrass Elementary came along, Williams said he was pleased to accept the role.

“One of my professional goals was always to open a school as principal,” he said. “This has been the chance to cast a vision, to hire the staff, to buy the materials, to do everything from the ground up.”

Published August 10, 2016

Pasco prepping to ring in a new school year

August 10, 2016 By B.C. Manion

Teachers headed back to Pasco County Schools this week to prepare for the first day of school on Aug. 15.

Opening day is a big deal on every campus every year, but it will be especially meaningful at Wiregrass Elementary School, at 29732 Wiregrass School Road in Wesley Chapel because that school is having its “first” first day.

Technology teacher Dalton Smith and Assistant Principal Josh Borders are busy moving boxes — getting ready for the first day of classes at Centennial Middle School in Dade City. (Courtesy of Centennial Middle School) — Technology teacher Dalton Smith and Assistant Principal Josh Borders are busy moving boxes — getting ready for the first day of classes at Centennial Middle School in Dade City.
(Courtesy of Centennial Middle School)

The mood across campus during a teacher move-in day last week offered a glimpse into the significance. People were focused on getting things ready — but there was an obvious excitement, too.

Like many schools, Wiregrass been counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until school starts.

This label is above the ticking clock on its website: “Countdown until Wiregrass Elementary changes the world forever.”

The opening of Wiregrass Elementary, of course, caused a shifting of school boundaries. That means some Wesley Chapel children will be experiencing their first day of school this year at at Denham Oaks Elementary, at 1422 Oak Grove Blvd., in Lutz.

The 2016-2017 school year also marks the beginning of a new S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Magnet program at Centennial Middle School at 38505 Centennial Road in Dade City.

The school will be using the Learning Active Technology Infused Classroom model, said Principal Rick Saylor. That instructional approach centers around rigor, student engagement and student responsibility.

Centennial Middle also has been equipped with new technology, offering new opportunities for students. For instance, it now has flight simulators that it will be using in its technology education class.

And now, because it’s a magnet school, it will be drawing students from outside its traditional boundaries, as well.

Pasco Elementary School, at 37350 Florida Ave., in Dade City, will be adding 50 minutes of daily instructional time for students in grades four and five, to comply with a state requirement.

In a July 18 letter posted in English and Spanish on the school’s website, Principal Nena Green tells parents: “We see this as a great opportunity for us to provide students with the additional support that they need to be successful.”

As a result of the additional instructional time, the school day for Pasco Elementary students in grades four and five will be from 8:40 a.m. to 3:40 p.m., while student in prekindergarten through third grade will remain on the school’s 8:40 a.m. to 2:50 p.m., schedule.

Students stream out of the portable classrooms at Wiregrass Ranch High School during a class change last school year. The school will again have a 10-period day, to relieve crowding on campus by staggering the time that students arrive and leave the campus. (Fred Bellet/Photo) — Students stream out of the portable classrooms at Wiregrass Ranch High School during a class change last school year. The school will again have a 10-period day, to relieve crowding on campus by staggering the time that students arrive and leave the campus.
(Fred Bellet/Photo)

This will be a special year at Rodney B. Cox Elementary, at 37615 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., in Dade City, as the school celebrates its 90th anniversary — with festivities planned throughout the year.

While some schools are launching new initiatives, others are continuing on paths they began last year.

For instance, Wiregrass Ranch High, at 2909 Mansfield Blvd., in Wesley Chapel, will stick with a 10-period school day for the 2016-2017 school year. Next year, a new high school, now being built on Old Pasco Road, will open to relieve overcrowding.

By having a 10-period day, the school can provide a less crowded campus for most of the school day, according to Principal Robyn White

There will be some changes, though, White said. For instance, it will go back to having pep rallies during the day, instead of after school, because it found it had a higher participation rate.

It also has changed its schedule to close down one of its buildings later in the day because it found that most of the discipline issues it dealt with last year happened in that building later in the day, when there were fewer classes there.

“Typically, during passing, the teachers are standing outside the door,” White explained. When there are just a couple of classes in a building, there are fewer teachers to supervise the area, she explained.

The school will be keeping the fifth lunch period it added last year because it helped make the lunch periods more manageable, White added.

At Pine View Middle, 5334 Parkway Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, the school will be entering its second year as an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Candidate School. The program aims to expand learning opportunities for all children, and to broaden connections by providing instruction that’s deeper and wider.

Some schools will stick with tried-and-true traditions.

Wesley Chapel Elementary School, at 30243 Wells Road in Wesley Chapel, for example, will have its annual Boohoo Breakfast.

“Whether you are saddened or excited, we would love to see you in the cafeteria on the first day of school, beginning at 9:30 a.m.” the school’s website proclaims, referring to the breakfast.

When children arrive on campus at Wesley Chapel Elementary, they’ll be greeted by Stan Mykita, the school’s new principal.

Parents who want to know more about their child’s school, how to get involved, how to help their child and details about such things as bus stops, school lunch prices and supplies, can find much of the information they need on their individual school’s website. Some information is also available on the district’s website, at Pasco.k12.fl.us.

Registration requirements
Students entering a Florida school for the first time at any grade level, will be asked to present the following items upon registration:

Current immunization records (vaccination requirements vary by grade level)
Proof of a physical examination dated and signed by a licensed health professional within the last 12 months
Proof of age, through a birth certificate or other acceptable documents
Social Security number, if one is available.
Proof of Florida residency, such as water, gas, electric or other utility bill; a properly executed lease agreement; or some other evidence
Copy of the student’s last report card, if applicable
Legal guardianship records, if applicable

Students entering kindergarten for the first time must be 5 years old before Sept. 1. Pre-kindergarten and Head Start/Early Start programs are available to students who are younger.

Help for parents
Useful information often can be found on the websites maintained by Pasco County Schools and Hillsborough County Schools. Local schools also often provide practical tips to help parents help their children succeed in school.

For instance, Connerton Elementary School, in Land O’ Lakes, offered these pointers for parents to help foster school success:

Ensure that your child is at school on time each day.
Attend parent/teacher conferences and school events.
Monitor your child’s homework daily.
Expect and support positive behavior at school.
Read with your child or encourage your child to read daily.

Getting ready for Day 1

Before doing your back-to-school shopping, check your school’s website to find out out what supplies are needed.
Also, check the website to find out what time school begins and ends, the code of conduct and dress code for the school, and applications for free or reduced-price lunch.
Information also is available through individual and district websites regarding child care, the school year calendar and transportation.

Published August 10, 2016

Hillsborough heads back to school this week

August 10, 2016 By B.C. Manion

Hillsborough County public school students are heading back to school this week, and their counterparts in Pasco County public schools begin next week.

Whether they’re streaming to Lutz Elementary School, Steinbrenner High, Liberty Middle, an area charter school or to a private school — the beginning of a new school is a time that’s always marked with fresh starts and new enthusiasm.

The Lutz Elementary School campus — quiet and calm in this photo — soon will be buzzing with activities, as a new school year begins. — The Lutz Elementary School campus soon will be buzzing with activities, as a new school year begins.

Motorists need to remember that area roads will be busy, as yellow buses hit the streets to pick up children, high school students drive themselves and parents drop off their kids.

Adding to the mix are teachers, administrators and other school staff members who will be back on the roads again, too.

To help keep things safe, AAA advises that motorists slow down, come to a complete stop at stop signs, eliminate distractions such as using a cellphone or eating while driving, be careful when backing up and to watch out for bicyclists.

The motor club also urges parents to talk with their teenage drivers about being safe behind the wheel.

“Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States, and nearly one in four fatal crashes involving teen drivers occur during the afterschool hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.,” according to the motor club’s website. It offers tips to help teenage drivers on its website.

Steinbrenner High School is one of several public high schools serving Hillsborough County students living within The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Students arriving this fall at Wharton High School, 20150 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., will find three new assistant principals, Principal Brad Woods announced in a letter to parents and students on the school’s website.

Changes also are in store for Denham Oaks Elementary, 1422 Oak Grove Blvd., in Lutz.

This school, in Pasco County, draws students living on the Pasco side of the county line.

This year, the school also will be picking up some students from Wesley Chapel neighborhoods, who have been reassigned there because of the opening of Wiregrass Elementary.

As a result of the boundary change, Pasco County Schools has added gifted education services at Denham Oaks. Parents of the Wesley Chapel students had complained their children would be losing those services, so the Pasco County School Board added them.

For parents wanting more information about Hillsborough or Pasco county public schools, they can visit the Hillsborough district website at SDHC.k12.fl.us or the Pasco district website at Pasco.k12.fl.us.

Registration requirements
Students entering a Florida school for the first time at any grade level, will be asked to present the following items upon registration:

Current immunization records (vaccination requirements vary by grade level)
Proof of a physical examination dated and signed by a licensed health professional within the last 12 months
Proof of age, through a birth certificate or other acceptable documents
Social Security number, if one is available.
Proof of Florida residency, such as water, gas, electric or other utility bill; a properly executed lease agreement; or some other evidence
Copy of the student’s last report card, if applicable
Legal guardianship records, if applicable

Students entering kindergarten for the first time must be 5 years old before Sept. 1. Prekindergarten and Head Start/Early Start programs are available to students who are younger.

For instance, Connerton Elementary School, in Land O’ Lakes, offered these pointers for parents to help foster school success:

Ensure that your child is at school on time each day.
Attend parent/teacher conferences and school events.
Monitor your child’s homework daily.
Expect and support positive behavior at school.
Read with your child or encourage your child to read daily.

Published August 10, 2016

Browning: Schools must improve

August 10, 2016 By B.C. Manion

When the state released its school grades last month, the news wasn’t good for numerous Pasco County schools, or for the district itself.

“The Friday that grades were released, it was not a good day for me. Nor the district,” Superintendent Kurt Browning said at a school board workshop on the issue on Aug. 2.

The state’s report showed a number of Pasco schools slipping a grade, and the district, itself, slipping from a B to a C.

Kurt Browning (File Photo) — Kurt Browning
(File Photo)

On one hand, Browning said, school grades don’t paint a complete picture of a school.

“There’s a lot more that goes into a school than just a single school grade,” he said.

On the other hand, he noted: “People judge the quality of a school based on the school grade, and I get that.”

There were changes in the way the grades were calculated this year, Browning said.

But he added: “You had 66 other districts that were operating under the same rules.”

The district is assessing where it is and why it saw changes, particularly in the increase of C and D schools, Browning said.

“We are really trying to assess why we are where we are,” Browning said.

“We were at 34 (34th in the state) when I took office. We went to 33. Now, we’re at 39,” he said. “Anyway you cut it, slice it or dice it, we’re 39th – and that is not something that appeals to me at all.

“I do think there are things that we can do, that will move the needle,” Browning said.

But he noted, there are no easy fixes.

“I learned a long time ago that the art of educating kids is not like building a widget. You don’t start out with a table full of parts, and at the end of the assembly line they all look the same and function the same,” he said.

At the same time, “we have got to think differently about the way we educate our kids. Apparently, something is not clicking. It’s not producing the results that we absolutely have to have, in order to be successful under the state’s accountability system.”

Whether the district likes the state’s system or not, the superintendent added, “it is, what it is.”

Vanessa Hilton, assistant superintendent for student achievement, provided a presentation explaining differences in the state’s calculations for this year’s grades, noting key areas needing attention and identifying strategies for tackling the issues.

School board member Allen Altman said he doesn’t want to overreact, but at the same time doesn’t want to underreact, either.

Board member Alison Crumbley said the district may want to take a look at what’s working in its A and B schools, too, to see if those practices can be used in other schools.

School board member Cynthia Armstrong said, “You’ve identified what you need to do. The what, but not really the how.”

Armstrong said she’d like another board workshop to get more detail on how the district plans to accomplish the strategies it has laid out.

Browning got the message: “We will schedule another workshop, to delve in, once we kind of put the meat on the bones,” he said.

Published August 10, 2016

Chalk Talk 08/10/2016

August 10, 2016 By Mary Rathman

Edwin 'Ed' Narain (Courtesy of AT&T) — Edwin ‘Ed’ Narain
(Courtesy of AT&T)

Board of Trustees member named
Edwin “Ed” Narain has been appointed to the Saint Leo University 2016-2017 Board of Trustees. Narain is a regional director for AT&T and serves as state representative for Florida House District 61. He is a member of the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County and has served on the Hillsborough County Head Start Policy Council and the Hillsborough County Community Action Board.

Narain earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and a Master’s Degree in business administration from Saint Leo University. In 2013, he completed a Leadership Certificate and earned a Jurist Doctorate degree from Stetson University College of Law.

The deadline is Aug. 31. The winner will be announced on Sept. 15.

For information, call (813) 909-1962.

Woodland Elementary orientation
Woodland Elementary School will host a Meet the Teacher/Orientation Day on Aug. 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The school is currently registering new students.

Due to construction on the Woodland campus, registration will take place at West Zephyrhills Elementary, 37900 14th Ave., in Zephyrhills, Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Students entering kindergarten for the first time must be 5 years of age on or before Sept. 1. Prekindergarten and Head Start/Early Start programs are available to students who will not make the deadline.

For information about Woodland Elementary, call (813) 794-6400.

For information on students entering a Florida school for the first time, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us.

Back-to-school drive
Lisette Fernandez, local Allstate agency owner; Sunrise of Pasco County; and, the Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence have teamed up for a Back-to-School Drive through Aug. 12, to provide school supplies, uniforms and backpacks to children currently living in domestic violence centers. Donations can be dropped off at Fernandez’s office at 4935 Van Dyke Road in Lutz.

For a full list of participating certified domestic violence centers, Allstate agents, drop-off locations and needed supplies, visit FCADV.org/fcadv-allstate, or email .

For information, call (813) 693-4247.

Analysis of school systems
WalletHub conducted an in-depth analysis of “2016’s States with the Best & Worst School Systems.” Analysts compared the quality of education in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, based on 17 key metrics. The data set ranges from pupil-teacher ratio to dropout rate to average SAT and ACT scores.

The quality of schools in Florida (1=Best, 25=Average) was rated as follows:

Bullying-Incidents Rate: second
Math Test Score: 28th
Reading Test Score: 24th
Pupil-Teacher Ratio: 29th
School Safety: 22nd

For a full report, visit tinyurl.com/jprtu98.

Kiddie Academy garners award
Educational childcare provider Kiddie Academy recognized “the best of the best” in its franchise system at an award ceremony in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Kiddie Academy of Carrollwood, 15320 Casey Road in Tampa, was recognized for “Best Practices in Developmentally Appropriate Curriculum” and “Best Practices in Health & Fitness.”

For information on the Carrollwood school and its curriculum, call Linda McDonough at (813) 264-2378.

Scientist of Year at MOSI
The Museum of Science & Industry, 4801 E. Fowler Ave., in Tampa, will host the 2016 National Hispanic Scientist of the Year, Adrianna Ocampo, on Oct. 21 during “Meet the Scientist Day.” More than 1,000 middle school students who live in low-income areas will take part in a mentoring experience with Ocampo.

Ocampo is a planetary geologist and Space Program Manager at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C.

There also will be an induction and award gala on Oct. 22 to showcase Ocampo’s achievements, while celebrating the Hispanic community and the role diversity plays in new ideas.

Proceeds from the gala will go to MOSI’s YES! Team (Youth Enriched by STEAM), a teen service-learning program to connect community service experience with STEAM learning.

For information, visit MOSInhsoy.org.

Inauguration raises $100,000
Pasco-Hernando State College’s presidential inauguration of Timothy L. Beard, the college’s fourth president, raised more than $100,000 for endowed scholarships and the President’s Fund for Excellence. The theme of the inauguration ceremony and reception was “Defeating the Odds…Achieving the Dream.”

In addition, the event book drive resulted in the collection of more than 1,500 new and gently used books to benefit local schools in Pasco and Hernando counties.

Cox Elementary 90th
R.B. Cox Elementary School, in Dade City, is preparing for its 90th year celebration for alumni, current students, current and former staff, families, and the Dade City community, and is asking for photos and memories. The school also will create a montage video, and are looking for alumni interested in being interviewed.

The first event of several celebrations will be the “90th Year Celebration Kickoff” on Sept. 30 at the elementary school.

If you would like to share photos, memories or be interviewed, email .

For information about the celebration, call Margaret “Megan” Fortunato at (727) 644-8561.

Chamberlain High 50th
The Chamberlain High School Class of 1966 is planning a 50-year class reunion on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15. The committee needs help locating the Class of 1966 graduates.

If you graduated in 1966 and would like to have your name included for future updates and information, send your name (including maiden name), email, current address, home and/or cellphone number, and spouse’s name to

If you know anyone else in the class who has not yet been contacted, email their name and contact information to the same email address.

Chalk Talk 08/03/2016

August 3, 2016 By Mary Rathman

(Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

Pasco eSchool awarded $250
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point presented Pasco eSchool with a check for $250, for having the largest number of participants in this year’s Heart Walk. Shown, from left: Shayne George, CEO of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point; and, teachers Deann Newton and Jeannie McDougal.

Lacoochee students surprised with clothing
Lacoochee Elementary School, in Dade City, and COPE/Shoes for Schools partnered to ensure the school’s students were prepared to return for the new school year in style.

The school and its staff surprised the students on the last day of summer school with donations — students could choose a free pair of shoes and clothing. Any leftover items were added to the Lacoochee’s Boys and Girls Closet, a year-round resource for students who need clothing items.

COPE/Shoes for Schools, a local nonprofit, provided the shoes, and Lacoochee Elementary and Seven Oaks Elementary School PTA members provided the clothing donations.

Fifth-graders prepare to lead
Oakstead Elementary School, 19925 Lake Patience Road in Land O’ Lakes, will host a Fifth Grade Leadership Retreat on Aug. 4 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Students will learn about leadership characteristics such as open-mindedness, integrity, authenticity and generosity. Fifth-grade Otters will participate in interactive team-building activities, analyze personality traits and learn what it means to pay it forward.

Students also will receive a T-shirt to wear on Fridays reminding them to be responsible leaders. The school is hoping to get a grant approved to purchase copies of “Pay It Forward” by Catherine Ryan Hyde to give to each fifth-grader.

For information, call Sandra Stine at (813) 346-1510.

School immunizations
These Florida Department of Health in Pasco County’s clinics will be open for back-to-school immunizations on Aug. 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — 10841 Little Road in New Port Richey and 4717 Airport Road in Zephyrhills.

No appointment is needed. For information, call (813) 364-5812, or visit Pasco.FloridaHealth.gov.

HopeFest in Wesley Chapel
The Freedom Center in Wesley Chapel will host “HopeFest” on Aug. 6 from noon to 4 p.m., at 27221 Foamflower Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

There will be free backpacks and school supplies, haircuts, face painting, a kids’ zone, raffles and food.

For information, call (813) 414-1664, or visit FreedomIsHere.org.

Backpack Bash
The Turning Point Church, Harvest Christian Fellowship, and the Dade City Youth Council will host a “Back to School Backpack Bash” on Aug. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Turning Point Church, 14312 17th St., in Dade City.

There will be backpacks, school supplies, games, bounce houses, music, food and drinks, health resources and haircuts.

For information, call The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce at (352) 567-3769.

Health & Safety Fest
Premier Community Healthcare will host its third annual “Health & Safety Fest” on Aug. 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Lewis Abraham Boys & Girls Club, 38724 Mudcat Grant Blvd., in Dade City.

There will be free book bags with supplies to the first 250 students. The event also will include refreshments, giveaways, face painting, entertainment, health screenings and resources, and school physicals (limited slots available).

For information or to schedule a physical, call (352) 518-2000, ext. 9228.

New teacher breakfast
Cindy Stuart, school board member District 3, will host a “Welcome Back Breakfast” for new Carrollwood teachers at Gaither High School, 16200 N. Dale Mabry Highway, on Aug. 8 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

The breakfast is sponsored by the Carrollwood Area Business Association. Sponsorships for the breakfast are available. Volunteers are appreciated. Donations also will be accepted for raffle prizes.

For information, contact Cindy Stuart at (813) 505-9590 or .

Woodland Elementary orientation
Woodland Elementary School will host a Meet the Teacher/Orientation Day on Aug. 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The school is currently registering new students.

Due to construction on the Woodland campus, registration will take place at West Zephyrhills Elementary, 37900 14th Ave., in Zephyrhills, Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

For information about Woodland Elementary, call (813) 794-6400.

For information on students entering a Florida school for the first time, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us.

PHSC ranted in top ten
Pasco-Hernando State College was ranked as one of the top 10 two-year colleges in Florida, according to a newly released 2016 rankings from BestColleges.com.

PHSC was rated seventh on the list of Top Two-Year Colleges in Florida, which included both public and private institutions.

Affordability, enrollment and graduation rates, student outcomes, and other statistical data from the National Center for Education Statistics were taken into account.

For information, visit PHSC.edu.

Saint Leo names new director
Retired U.S. Army Col. Pamela Martis is the new director of Veteran Student Services for Saint Leo University.

Martis brings more than 25 years of leadership experience to the university, along with a desire to serve fellow veterans and their families.

Martis retired from active duty in 2013, having served 28 years. She was commissioned from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, Class of 1985, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in operations research management.

Martis earned a Master of Arts degree in Russian, Central European, East European and Eurasian studies from the University of Kansas. She also received a master’s degree from the National Defense University, Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Following her graduation from the U.S. Military Academy, Martis served 4 ½ years in the artillery before transferring to the Military Police Corps.

The first event of several celebrations will be the “90th Year Celebration Kickoff” on Sept. 30 at the elementary school.

If you would like to share photos, memories or be interviewed, email .

For information about the celebration, call Margaret “Megan” Fortunato at (727) 644-8561.

Chamberlain High 50th
The Chamberlain High School Class of 1966 is planning a 50-year class reunion on Oct. 14 and Oct. 15. The committee needs help locating the Class of 1966 graduates.

If you know anyone else in the class who has not yet been contacted, email their name and contact information to the same email address.

Crews busy building schools in Pasco

July 27, 2016 By B.C. Manion

Wiregrass Elementary School is set to open this fall in Wesley Chapel.

Construction is well under way on a new high school on Old Pasco Road, which will open initially as a high school and a middle school.

That campus is expected to open in 2017-2018.

Construction also has started on a new elementary school that’s also expected to open in 2017-2018 in Bexley Ranch, off State Road 54 in Land O’ Lakes.

Construction activity is well under way on a new high school on Old Pasco Road, which will open initially as a high school and a middle school. (Images courtesy of Pasco County Schools) — Construction activity is well under way on a new high school on Old Pasco Road, which will open initially as a high school and a middle school.
(Images courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Meanwhile, a major renovation project is planned for 2017-2018 at Land O’ Lakes High, on Land O’ Lakes Boulevard in Land O’ Lakes, said Chris Williams, director of planning for Pasco County Schools.

In addition to renovating the school, the project calls for adding a wing to increase the school’s capacity.

The district is still considering various options for where Land O’ Lakes High School’s students will be housed during its major renovation.

“Anytime you’re doing construction with students on campus, it gets more expensive. The project takes longer,” Williams said. “It’s harder to do.”

The school district continues to search for a high school site and an elementary site between Sunlake and Mitchell high schools, off of State Road 54.

As the district prepares to open new schools next year, it will begin holding boundary committee meetings in the fall, followed by parent meetings, and then eventually the Pasco County School Board, to determine the boundaries for the new schools.

This is what the new high school being built on Old Pasco Road is expected to look like, at completion. The school initially will be used for a high school and a middle school, because Pasco County Schools needs to accommodate more middle and high school students, but cannot afford to build schools for both.

The new high school is expected to affect the boundaries for Wiregrass Ranch, Wesley Chapel and potentially Sunlake high schools, Williams said.

The new middle school is expected to affect the boundaries for Weightman, John Long and potentially Rushe middle schools.

The new elementary in Bexley Ranch is expected to affect the boundaries for Oakstead and Odessa elementary schools. Meanwhile, the district may also consider shifting the boundaries between Oakstead and Lake Myrtle elementary schools, to provide additional relief to Oakstead and to help increase Myrtle’s enrollment, since it can accommodate more students, Williams said.

While the district needs new schools to provide a place for students to learn, the practice of drawing boundaries for them always sparks controversy. Passions run high, as parents outline the various problems they envision if their child is reassigned to a new school, or — in some cases — is not. Sometimes the complaints are about academic opportunities, but often they involve daycare or the ability to be involved in school activities.

Published July 27, 2016

Chalk Talk 07/27/2016

July 27, 2016 By Mary Rathman

School immunizations
The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County’s clinics will be open for back to school immunizations on the following Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.:

July 30: 13941 15th St., in Dade City
Aug. 6: 10841 Little Road in New Port Richey
Aug. 6: 4717 Airport Road in Zephyrhills

No appointment is needed. For information, call (813) 364-5812, or visit Pasco.FloridaHealth.gov.

School health care fair
St. Rita Catholic Church, 14404 14th St., in Dade City, will host a “Back to School Health Care Fair” on July 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There will be free fun, food and games, backpacks and school supplies, school and sports physicals, and dental screenings.

Providers will include Catholic Charities St. Andre Free Medical Clinic, Foundations of Life Pregnancy Center, Pasco County Public Defender’s Office Mobile Medical Unit, Moffitt Cancer Center “Yo me cuido” program, Premier Dental, Staywell, and more.

For information, call (352) 521-1218.

Students learn computer coding
Lacoochee Elementary School, in Dade City, partnered with the Dade City Public Library to bring the Finch Robot program to the school’s third-grade students, to help engage the children and teach computer coding.

Finch is a small robot designed to inspire and delight students to learn computer science by providing them with a tangible, physical hands-on learning experience in basic computer programming.

The robot is about a foot long and is equipped with wheels, a variety of sensors, accelerometers, and a pen mount on its tail. It is a USB device programmable with the Java and Python computer languages.

For information, call Wanda DeLaRosa at (813) 447-7981.

Hopefest in Wesley Chapel
Hopefest, hosted by The Freedom Center, will take place Aug. 6 from noon to 4 p.m., at 27221 Foamflower Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

There will be free backpacks and school supplies, haircuts, face painting, a kids’ zone, raffles and food.

For information, call (813) 414-1664, or visit FreedomIsHere.org.

Backpack Bash

The Turning Point Church, Harvest Christian Fellowship, and the Dade City Youth Council will host a “Back to School Backpack Bash” on Aug. 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Turning Point Church, 14312 17th St., in Dade City.