Local News

Following the yellow brick road to Oz

August 12, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Three Dorothys, a pair of witches, a pink munchkin and an acrobatic flying monkey adds up to a trip to the Land of Oz.

That is, if the trip is imagined by instructors from Nicole’s Dance Center and 15 young performers, ages 6 to 14, at summer camp. The Tin Man, The Scarecrow, The Cowardly Lion and the “great and powerful” Wizard of Oz also traveled down the yellow brick road.

Glinda, the Good Witch, far right, tells her fellow performers to ‘break a leg.’ It is a superstitious way of wishing ‘good luck’ right before actors take the stage. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos) — Glinda, the Good Witch, far right, tells her fellow performers to ‘break a leg.’ It is a superstitious way of wishing ‘good luck’ right before actors take the stage.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

And they were having fun — precisely what Nicole Bouchard wants her students to have.

“It’s not only learning about dance but also about family,” said Bouchard, who opened her dance studio, at 3934 Lake Padgett Drive in Land O’ Lakes, nearly two years ago. “It’s not all about pointing your toe or how high your leg goes. You learn something in the process about yourself.”

On July 31, Bouchard’s troupe of summer camp dancers performed for a standing room only crowd of proud parents, siblings and friends. They had worked for a week to learn their parts and build the scenery to create the imaginary world of Oz. Only three of the students had experience as stage performers.

But Bouchard said, “They took ownership. They were all part of it.”

In auditions, 14-year-old Tiffany Bassett tried out for the role of the Wizard.

“He’s green,” said Bassett, costumed in a sparkly green dress and green streaked hair tresses. “I like green.”

Alice Stryker, seated left, gets a makeup touch-up from Brandy Gold as Dorothy and The Scarecrow watch.

Behind the scenes, volunteers and moms, Leesa Fryer and Brandy Gold, applied finishing touches to makeup for Glinda, the Good Witch; The Scarecrow; a “flying monkey”; and a crew of pink, green, yellow and orange Munchkins. The women also were co-directors for the production.

Gold and Fryer each have dance and musical theater chops. Fryer has taught dance; Gold was a musical theater major in college, and was the arts and cultural director for the Tampa Jewish Community Center in Tampa.

“I have a blast as a mom,” said Fryer. “It’s a joy to be able to do this with my daughter.”

But she added, “They are all like my babies.”

Fryer’s daughter, DeLaney Fryer, was one of the three Dorothys. Gold’s daughter, Brilee Gold, was the loose-limbed Scarecrow.

Other performers were Ashley Vandiver, Noelle O’Parka, Erin Vandiver, Tabitha Vinson, Elise Labutis, Emma Sarhaddi, Kalyn Day, Alice Stryker, Isabella Robbins, Margo Armstrong, Mia Campione and Neena Setia.

Bouchard choreographed the 30-minute production.

The studio is her dream-come-true.

Dorothy’s dog, Toto, guards the diploma that proves The Scarecrow has a brain.

She went solo after more than 30 years of dance experience, and about two decades of teaching with other dance troupes including Florida Dance Masters, Dance Masters of America and New York Dance Alliance.

Enrollment at her studio has about doubled within two years. Bouchard currently is expanding a second room to accommodate about 100 students.

“I’ve been really blessed,” Bouchard said. “I’m supported by imaginative people.”

Published August 12, 2015

Volunteers help Sanders gear up for first day

August 12, 2015 By B.C. Manion

A group of volunteers showed up at Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School last week, eager to help the school gear up for its first day of classes as Pasco County’s first magnet school.

The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce sent out a call for volunteers, and people responded.

Lots of volunteers turned out to pitch in at a volunteer day organized by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. The crew included neighbors, parents, chamber members and a school board member, too. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — Lots of volunteers turned out to pitch in at a volunteer day organized by the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce. The crew included neighbors, parents, chamber members and a school board member, too.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photos)

There were chamber members, parents of children who will be attending the school, community residents and other community volunteers.

Pasco County School Board member Cynthia Armstrong was among those ready to get to work.

“We’re so excited about this school opening. It’s a long time coming, to have a magnet school in Pasco County,” Armstrong said.

“Seeing the outpouring of support for it — the number of students that applied to go to this school — just really lets us know that’s what the parents want, and we’re here to make sure that we offer the educational opportunities that they want for their students,” Armstrong added.

Sandy Graves, a member of the Central Pasco Chamber and a Land O’ Lakes resident, has a special place in her heart for Sanders.

That’s where she went to school for all but one year of elementary school, Graves said.

She said she’s excited about the opportunities awaiting children who will be attending the school, which will focus on science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.

Some parent volunteers were at the workday, too.

Nicole Bradshaw said her 5-year-old daughter, Emily, is just starting kindergarten.

She said her daughter has attended a voluntary kindergarten program that had a STEAM approach to education, and she’s thrilled that she’ll able to continue that approach to education.

Krystin Leonard was helping to sort and pack student planners. She said her daughter, Brielle, is in voluntary prekindergarten, and she hopes she’ll be able to attend Sanders next year.

“I like the immersive learning,” she said, noting that children are learning about the same themes, through different subject areas.

“When I saw they (Pasco County Schools) were opening a STEAM school, I jumped on it,” said Bradshaw, who lives near State Road 52 and the Suncoast Parkway.

She also likes the hands-on approach to learning.

“They need to get their hands dirty. They need to touch stuff and not just be learning from a book, or being recited to. They need to be in there and doing it,” she said.

Debra Wheeler and her 10-year-old daughter, Madison, were also there to volunteer.

Madison will be a fifth-grader and is excited about going to a new school.

It was a difficult choice, Debra Wheeler said, noting her daughter has attended Connerton Elementary until now.

“It was a big decision for us, because so many years we’ve been going to the same elementary school,” she said. “So, that was the debate: Do you stay with something consistent, or do you try something new?

“When we saw what Sanders was offering — you can’t pass that up,” she said, noting all three of her children will be attending new schools this year. One will be Sanders, another at Pine View Middle School and another at Land O’ Lakes High School.

During the work session, volunteers were scattered about the school, helping to sort and deliver student planners; stapling maps of the school together to help parents find their way around; putting on laptop covers, to protect the laptops; and helping to assemble shelves and sort books.

There was a sense of camaraderie, as the volunteers pitched in.

Sanders Principal Jason Petry welcomed the help.

“When Sandy (Graves) called me, she was very adamant about getting out here,” Petry said. “I love it.

“We came up with a list of things that could be done that could take a lot of stress off of us,” he said.

“It’s good for the community to be involved in the school,” he added, noting that Sanders has been in Land O’ Lakes since 1948.

Dan Paasch, a district aide for U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, was pitching in during a volunteer work session at Sanders Memorial STEAM Elementary School. He was helping to sort and deliver student planners.

The school has been closed for five years. The school district had planned to renovate and reopen it sooner, but the economy tanked and those plans were put on hold.

As the school reopens this year, it looks like a brand new school and is equipped with the latest in technology, has bright furniture, and is designed with teachers and students in mind.

Assistant Principal Kelly Edwards is excited about being at Sanders.

The school has many special features, including collaboration areas which are designed to foster collaboration in learning.

“It looks like you stepped into MOSI (the Museum of Science and Industry),” Edwards said. “It looks like you stepped into 2030,” she said.

School board member Armstrong is delighted by the community’s enthusiasm for Sanders.

“STEAM, all the way!” Armstrong said.

Sanders Open House
What: Open House
Where: Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet, 5126 School Road, Land O’ Lakes
When: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., on Aug. 20
Why: To give people a chance to tour Pasco County Schools’ first magnet school, and to see the school’s new buildings and renovated existing buildings.

Published August 12, 2015

The wonder of Connor

August 12, 2015 By Diane Kortus

I’m sure you’ll agree that our most important memories center on family.

While I relish the times when I received recognition for my work, and will never forget how good it felt to drive home a brand new car I always dreamed of owning, my most treasured memories are of the people I love most.

Andy and Erin Mathes and their firstborn, Connor Daniel Mathes. (Courtesy of Andy Mathes) — Andy and Erin Mathes and their firstborn, Connor Daniel Mathes.
(Courtesy of Andy Mathes)

As I write this column, I am on my way home from Wisconsin after spending a few days with my first grandchild — Connor Daniel Mathes — born July 29 to my son, Andy, and daughter-in-law, Erin.

I left their home with memories that will forever be at the top of my most cherished list.

Holding Connor in my arms and gently rocking him against my chest was déjà vu – transporting me back 27 years to when his father was born. Andy was my firstborn, and those memories of his first few days came flooding back as I embraced his son.

I imagine every mother who holds her grandchild for the first time wonders how it is possible that the newborn they held in their arms as a young women is now the mother or father of the grandchild she is holding today.

For me it was not so much a question of where did the time go, but the realization that my lineage will continue on, and that this new grandchild may someday be holding a grandchild of his own.

Of course, I am sad that Andy, Erin and Connor live so far from my home in Land O’ Lakes. But, I am happy they are close to Erin’s family in Wisconsin, and are less than five hours from my family in Minnesota.

Even though the distance to Florida is far, I know Connor will grow up with a connection to his Grandma Diane that will be just as strong as those he has with his grandparents in Wisconsin.

And I know this because I raised my children in Florida, 1,600 miles from their grandparents in Minnesota. Andy and his sister, Rachel, have always been as close to their grandparents as their cousins who grew up seeing them every few weeks.

I learned when my children were very young that kids have an intuitive, powerful connection to their relatives, no matter where they live. It didn’t matter that Andy and Rachel only saw their Minnesota grandparents two or three times a year. Because when they did, their connection was immediate, and their love was undeniable.

While I’m celebrating the arrival of Connor, I have four siblings who are also welcoming grandchildren this year. Remarkably, between January and September, there are six great-grandchildren being born — five rambunctious little boys (Steele, Billy, Connor, Langston and Louis) and one sweet girl (Lucy).

Can you imagine the mayhem at my father’s this Christmas when all six of these babies come together for the holidays?

It will be an occasion that will be forever implanted in the memories of four generations of Kortuses.

And when those babies grow up and look at photos of themselves and their five cousins, they, too, will marvel at the power of family and be proud that that they are one of the six great-grandchildren born into our family during the first nine months of 2015.

Published August 12, 2015

New PHSC president drafts game plan for success

August 5, 2015 By B.C. Manion

As a very young boy, Tim Beard would walk a mile each way to buy a newspaper at the store so he could devour stories about his beloved St. Louis Cardinals.

He admired such players as Lou Brock, Joe Torre and Bob Gibson — and delighted in reading about their pursuits.

Tim Beard is dressed casually during a summer day at his office at Pasco-Hernando State College. But the new president of PHSC is anything but casual in his ambitions for the college. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — Tim Beard is dressed casually during a summer day at his office at Pasco-Hernando State College. But the new president of PHSC is anything but casual in his ambitions for the college.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

He recalled that he was only 5 or 6 years old when he was making those treks to the store.

Literacy and athletics were twin loves in his life, until Beard decided he would spend less energy on athletics and give his full attention to education.

He grew up in poverty in the Panhandle town of St. Joe — and now he leads Pasco-Hernando State College.

Before becoming president of the college on July 1, he served as a vice president at the college for eight years.

He claimed the role vacated by Katherine Johnson, who retired after a decade at the helm.

Beard is clearly excited about the possibilities.

As an internal candidate for the post, Beard said he had the advantage of understanding the college and knowing its pulse.

“I know the institution. I know the flow. I know the community,” Beard said.

As PHSC’s new leader, he’s already starting to carry out his game plan.

He’s identified key focus areas. Those include increasing student retention and degree completion rates, expanding partnerships, and securing more funding to support programs.

To help retain students, Beard is launching an initiative called Retention Behavioral Inventory, or RBI, for short.

He plans to have weekly conference calls with PHSC administrators to keep the goal of improving student retention and degree completion rates at the forefront for the college’s leadership team.

Together, they’ll review the data to see how the college is doing. And, they’ll discuss the numbers, talk about why students withdraw and examine if there is anything they could have done to prevent the withdrawals.

“The big piece is going to be a referral piece,” the college president said. “If we find out that a student withdrew because of finances, can we find a financial source within scholarships or other sources that would have helped this student stay in school?”

Over the years, he said he has observed that most of the time when a student withdraws, there is some type of problem in a personal relationship or a difficulty in paying tuition. Sometimes, students are struggling academically.

“We want to have a referral source, or sources, to make sure these students are receiving the kind of support they need to stay in school,” Beard said.

The college has a fund established by a donor that is specifically intended to help students, who for whatever reason, are not performing well, Beard said.

He wants to find more sources of additional funding for the college.

That could be in the form of private contributions, or through other opportunities available at the state, regional, national or international level, he said.

For instance, he said he recently served as a panelist at a conference for the National Association for Equal Opportunities.

While there, he met some federal officials and learned about some money that might be available for colleges with rural campuses. He plans to pursue that possibility.

He’s also talked with John Hagen, president and CEO of the Pasco Economic Development Council.

Beard said Hagen told him that “the federal government is coming into an agreement with some major companies across the world that want to relocate in the United States. They are talking about community two- and four-year colleges really being around the table to develop curricula and design programs to help meet their work force needs.”

PHSC facts Pasco-Hernando State College has: • A fall enrollment of about 12,000 credit and 4,000 noncredit students • Approximately 550 faculty and staff, plus about 200 adjunct staff members • An operating budget of about $48 million • Campuses in New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Dade City, Spring Hill and Brooksville — **PHSC facts**
Pasco-Hernando State College has:
• A fall enrollment of about 12,000 credit and 4,000 noncredit students
• Approximately 550 faculty and staff, plus about 200 adjunct staff members
• An operating budget of about $48 million
• Campuses in New Port Richey, Wesley Chapel, Dade City, Spring Hill and Brooksville

That fits in nicely with the kind of work the college is accustomed to doing, Beard said.

During the Great Recession, there was national recognition that college’s like PHSC can play a vital role in helping people learn new skills that equip them for today’s job market, Beard said.

“Our certification programs, our social science degree programs, are designed just for that. To take workers, retrain them, and get them back in the work force within a year,” Beard said.

Besides helping to train people who are in the work force or returning to the work force, the college also wants to help prepare young people for future careers, Beard said.

PHSC wants to partner with the Pasco and Hernando county school systems to begin working with students at a younger age.

“We want to start establishing career pathways with students as early as middle school,” Beard said. And that means making connections with the families of those middle school students, he added.

The idea is to start early, so students graduating from those counties can achieve a degree or certification by the time they’re 21, he added.

Partnerships are essential — to supplement and maximize the college’s resources, Beard said.

“We used to be state-supported, now we’re more state-supplemented. We’ve got to have greater partnerships — with private corporations, with manufacturers,” Beard said.

He also wants to get faith-based groups involved, to provide additional support for students.

Since assuming his post, Beard has been meeting with bankers, manufacturers, faith-based groups and civic organizations.

And it won’t stop there.

“We’re not limiting our connections to just local people, but also regional, state and national,” he said.

He is hopeful that making these connections will bear fruit, and he’s optimistic, too.

“We have some major prospects. So, you stay tuned,” Beard said.

Tim Beard bio
Tim Beard:

Holds a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and a PhD from Florida State University
Has been married to his wife, Wendy, for 29 years; they have two daughters, Briana, 20 and Sierra, 17
Joined what was then Pasco-Hernando Community College in 2007
Became Pasco-Hernando State College’s new president on July 1

Fun facts about Tim Beard
Some fun facts about the new president of Pasco-Hernando State College, Tim Beard:

Enjoys peach cobbler and banana pudding
Calls intense cardio workouts his “getaway,” and says washing his car and mowing the lawn are “therapeutic”
Says a “church mother” gave him the best piece of advice he’s received. She told him: “Regardless of what you do in life, don’t be a hypocrite. Be real.”

(Courtesy of Lucy Miller, executive director of marketing and communications for Pasco-Hernando State College)

Published August 5, 2015

Pine View aims to become IB middle school

August 5, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Pine View Middle School has begun a quest to become the first school in Pasco County to offer a Middle Years Programme, under the auspices of the International Baccalaureate Organization.

While the school is launching its candidacy for the MYP designation, it also has ended its stand-alone program for academically gifted students.

Those decisions have sparked some pushback from parents who shared their concerns with the Pasco County School Board.

Administrators for Pine View Middle School are excited about leading the first school in Pasco County seeking to be designated as a Middle Years Programme by the International Baccalaureate Organization. Shown from left to right are Pio Rizzo, assistant principal; Jennifer Mathews-Crosby, principal; and Kyle Ritsema, assistant principal. (Courtesy of Pine View Middle School) — Administrators for Pine View Middle School are excited about leading the first school in Pasco County seeking to be designated as a Middle Years Programme by the International Baccalaureate Organization. Shown from left to right are Pio Rizzo, assistant principal; Jennifer Mathews-Crosby, principal; and Kyle Ritsema, assistant principal.
(Courtesy of Pine View Middle School)

Some said they didn’t want to lose the stand-alone gifted program.

Others complained about a lack of buy-in by stakeholders before going down the MYP path.

Principal Jennifer Mathews-Crosby acknowledged the pushback from parents, but said she’s excited about the opportunities the Middle Years Programme will offer.

Some people may have the wrong idea about what MYP is all about, she said.

“There is a misconception that when you have an International Baccalaureate program that it must be for those high-rigor type students,” Mathews-Crosby said. “We really needed to break through those perceptions. The whole premise behind the Middle Years Programme is about the whole child.”

The beauty of the MYP is that it celebrates the uniqueness of students, said Pio Rizzo, an assistant principal, whose children attended a Primary Years Programme in Manatee County.

“IB celebrates the fact that all students are different. They learn in different ways and different styles, and IB focuses on that,” added Rizzo, who also taught mathematics in an IB school. “We love the fact that it is for everybody, that everybody can benefit from this IB philosophy,” he added.

Parents of academically gifted students may be worried that their children will lose educational opportunities, but Mathews-Crosby believes those students will benefit from the MYP approach.

She also noted that obtaining the MYP designation doesn’t happen overnight.

“It is a multi-year journey. That journey for most schools is three years,” Mathews-Crosby said.

“There’s going to be some reflection and some learning for us, as we go through this,” she said.

“We’re going to be open-minded to people who maybe don’t necessarily agree with the direction that we may be going, and hear their thoughts,” Mathews-Crosby added.

Not every MYP operates in the same way, she noted. “We have visited other schools in the state, and they are very different in a lot of ways.”

To get things started, the entire staff at Pine View Middle will be trained in the MYP philosophy on Aug. 14.

Teachers will be building their unit plans with the global perspectives of the MYP.

Mathews-Crosby believes the program will expand learning opportunities for all students.

“It really takes it deeper and wider,” she said.

It takes what teachers are already teaching, but makes broader connections, she explained.

Kyle Ritsema, a new assistant principal at Pine View Middle, said he’s glad to be a part of the new program.

“It’s a challenge, and it’s an exciting opportunity that is not available anywhere else in the county right now,” Ritsema said.

To help parents gain a better understanding of the MYP, Pine View will be sending out an electronic newsletter monthly to showcase what the school is working on that month.

“Right now, the focus is on the task at hand,” Mathews-Crosby said.

But she’s optimistic.

“We are fired up. We’re excited. I think the sky’s the limit, honestly,” she said.

Published August 5, 2015

Upper Tampa Bay Trail ties into Suncoast Trail

August 5, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Editor’s Note: Due to heavy rain and flooding, Hillsborough County officials had to postpone the opening of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail. The ribbon cutting, which had been scheduled for Aug. 7, will be re-scheduled for a later date. Notice of the cancellation was received after the publication deadline for The Laker/Lutz News.

Nature will be an up-close experience for strollers, joggers, skaters and cyclists as they navigate along the newest and most northern segment of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail.

Workers are finishing the landscape at the new trailhead facility for Upper Tampa Bay Trail. There will be restrooms, ample parking and a covered picnic pavilion. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos) — Workers are finishing the landscape at the new trailhead facility for Upper Tampa Bay Trail. There will be restrooms, ample parking and a covered picnic pavilion.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

Nearly 3 miles of the more than 4-mile trail segment cuts through Brooker Creek Preserve in Hillsborough County, between Lutz Lake Fern Road and Van Dyke Road.

The ribbon cutting for the $5.6 million project will be Aug. 7 at 10 a.m., at the new trailhead facility at 7020 Lutz Lake Fern Road. Funding came from Hillsborough, South West Florida Water Management District (known as Swiftmud), and a federal grant provided by the Florida Department of Transportation.

“It’s going to be a beautiful trail,” said Tina Russo, Hillsborough’s regional planning coordinator. “It’s really awesome. This is such a unique experience being in the preserve.”

It also is a unique design for Hillsborough.

The 12-foot asphalt path, with three concrete boardwalks through wetlands, is the county’s first paved multi-use trail through a preserve.

Construction of the newest, northern segment of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail in Hillsborough County began in March. When the trail opens on Aug. 7, it will link with Suncoast Trail in Pasco County

The trail also is another link in a master plan to create a regional trail system, and a statewide system.

The trailhead at Lutz Lake can be a starting point south toward Van Dyke or northeast to the Suncoast Trail in Pasco County. The new facility has a covered picnic pavilion, restrooms and ample parking.

Suncoast is a 42-mile trail that runs from Hillsborough through Pasco and to Hernando County.

“I think we’re all looking forward to these types of amenities,” said James Edwards, Pasco’s transportation planning manager.

Construction of the path followed an eco-friendly design with much of the trail at grade level to allow for natural water run-off.

Along the trail there are narrower, unpaved walkways into conservation areas. Russo said bicycle racks would be provided.

She envisions the trail as a two-for-one deal, because it will appeal to local residents who want to enjoy the preserve. But, it will also have regional appeal for hikers and cyclists who enjoy combining Upper Tampa Bay and Suncoast trails for longer distances.

Trails aren’t only for recreation.

Commuters like them as well especially as the systems expand, Russo said.

Plans are under way to extend Suncoast. Hillsborough is hoping to fill in a gap between Van Dyke and a trailhead at Peterson Park that links the Upper Tampa Bay Trail with Town ‘N Country. The nearby Courtney Campbell Trail links Tampa and Clearwater. Eventually the trails through Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco could hit the 100-mile mark, Russo said.

Transportation planning and traffic studies are looking at ways to increase commuting options with park-ride facilities and public transit tied into trails.

“It’s a lot about transit and trails,” she said.

Published August 5, 2015

Garden Montessori Charter School won’t open in 2015

August 5, 2015 By Kathy Steele

A unexpected snag in securing a lease means the Garden Montessori Charter School will delay its opening date by at least a year.

The school for students in kindergarten through sixth grade was scheduled to open on Aug. 24 at the Sports and Field Complex, off State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel.

Ella Selover works on a botanical puzzle at Garden Montessori, a private, preschool. The school’s board had hoped to open a public charter school, with free tuition, for kindergarten through sixth grade in 2015. Those plans are now on hold after leasing negotiations fell through. (File Photo) — Ella Selover works on a botanical puzzle at Garden Montessori, a private, preschool. The school’s board had hoped to open a public charter school, with free tuition, for kindergarten through sixth grade in 2015. Those plans are now on hold after leasing negotiations fell through.
(File Photo)

“The difficult decision, made by its Board of Directors, was based on a breakdown in the final negotiations of the lease contract,” according to a statement released by Garden Montessori’s board. “The deciding factors to delay the opening of the school year were based on the need to ensure the future success of the school, faculty and most importantly the children.”

Garden Montessori is one of two Pasco County schools awarded charters for 2015-2016. The other is Plato Academy, which started in Pinellas County, and is in an expansion mode. Its eighth location would have been in Pasco, but district school officials said that also is being delayed.

Darlene Pla-Schantz, Garden Montessori’s associate education director, said the school had enrolled 196 students for 2015-2016.

She said school and district officials are working to answer parents’ questions and help with a smooth start for those students affected by the delay.

The school district had not received Garden Montessori’s enrollment list for the upcoming school term, said Linda Cobbe, Pasco school district’s spokeswoman. So she said the district routinely had assigned all but one of those students to schools in zones where they would have gone last year.

Any placement changes will have to wait until the 20-day enrollment count after the district’s Aug. 24 opening day. “We don’t know where we’ll have seats,” Cobbe said.

The district office has fielded a few calls from parents.

“This is pretty last minute, especially for parents of kindergartners,” Cobbe said. “This is all new to them.”

Garden Montessori’s board has sent a letter to the Pasco school district requesting approval for a “planning year” in 2015-2016. The school board will vote on the request at an upcoming board meeting on a date to be determined.

The school’s charter is in effect for five years, including the requested planning year.

Garden Montessori began in 2009 as a private preschool and kindergarten academy, teaching with the Montessori method. The charter delay doesn’t affect that school’s operations.

One of the Montessori features is a multi-age classroom where students have the same teacher for three years.

Parents had urged the board to pursue a charter so their children could extend their Montessori experience.

The approved charter is for a tuition-free, public kindergarten through sixth grade school. The opening year allowed for up to 270 students. The board planned to begin with kindergarten through second grade, adding a grade each year until the fifth year when enrollment would increase to 540 students.

“This time will be used to define, develop and execute a strategic plan for the immediate and future needs of the community,” according to the statement from Garden Montessori’s board.

Published August 5, 2015

Nostalgia, newer songs in ‘Mary Poppins’ production

August 5, 2015 By Michael Murillo

Julie Nelson has a challenge as lead choreographer for the latest New Tampa Players show.

On one hand, it’s something most people know.

On the other hand, it’s something people don’t really know at all.

Choreographer Julie Nelson, left, works with the stars of ‘Mary Poppins.’ Courteney McClutchy (Mary) and Jarrett Koski (Bert) prepare for opening night on Aug. 7. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photos) — Choreographer Julie Nelson, left, works with the stars of ‘Mary Poppins.’ Courteney McClutchy (Mary) and Jarrett Koski (Bert) prepare for opening night on Aug. 7.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photos)

“I think people know the songs more than anything. I think they remember the songs more than they remember the storyline,” Nelson said.

She’s talking about “Mary Poppins,” the story made famous by the 1964 Walt Disney film, and the latest New Tampa Players production based on the Broadway musical, which runs Aug. 7-9 and Aug. 14-16 at the University Area Cultural Development Center.

While the audience will probably recall the story of the iconic nanny as it goes along, songs like “A Spoonful of Sugar” and “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” are expected to be familiar from the beginning. So Nelson and her co-choreographer, Jarrett Koski, have been tasked with bringing those popular elements to life. But, they also want to let the audience follow the story, which might not be as well known to them.

For a musical, “Mary Poppins”, features a good amount of dialogue.

And, as a theater enthusiast for more than 30 years, that suits Nelson well. She prefers a play that has a healthy amount of story to supplement the singing and dancing.

Even the most well-known songs need a lot of practice to get them just right. The New Tampa Players' cast of ‘Mary Poppins’ rehearsed ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ as a group ahead of opening weekend. — Even the most well-known songs need a lot of practice to get them just right. The New Tampa Players’ cast of ‘Mary Poppins’ rehearsed ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ as a group ahead of opening weekend.

“I’ve seen some shows where it’s just sing-and-dance, sing-and-dance, sing-and-dance, and there’s not enough in-between,” Nelson said. “So I do like when there’s a good ratio.”

There’s also the challenge of bridging the differences between the movie and the play, given the former is probably where most people gained a fondness for the story.

The source for both comes from British author P.L. Travers who wrote eight children’s books with Mary Poppins as the magical nanny blown by the East wind to Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane in London. She lands at the doorstep of the Banks family, where she becomes nanny to the children.

The film included scenes where live actors interacted with animation, which isn’t something a stage production would accommodate. Still, knowing that people remember the famous scene where Dick Van Dyke, who plays a chimney sweep, dances with animated penguins, Nelson wanted to give the audience a hint of what they recall from the film.

“We added a penguin-ist flair to ‘Jolly Holiday,’ a movement that resembles the penguins, just to touch on that little memory,” she said.

She also got to work on songs that might be unfamiliar to many people. “Playing the Game” is a slower-tempo number that didn’t appear in the movie, and wasn’t a part of the original Broadway show. It was a fun song to choreograph since it features children playing the roles of toys and is a little different from traditional “Mary Poppins” classics, she said.

Theater isn’t just a personal passion for Nelson, who will teach theater at Corbett Preparatory School in Carrollwood this fall. It’s more of a family affair. Her twins, McKinnley and Rylie, have roles in the current production, and “Mary Poppins” was the first Broadway play they saw in New York. Nelson’s husband, Bill, also helps out backstage.

Being in a theater family, Nelson appreciates the family friendly message and production of “Mary Poppins,” and its story of ultimately bringing a family together. She also appreciates the opportunity to share her interest in theater with the community by taking part in a performance with such well-known songs.

“I’m an educator first. I’m very passionate about theater and the arts,” Nelson said. “Even in my classroom, just sharing my love of the arts with others is always awesome for me.”

Show times for both weekends are Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15-$20. The University Area Community Center is located at 14013 N. 22nd St., in Tampa. For information and to buy tickets, call (813) 386-6687, or visit NewTampaPlayers.org.

Published August 5, 2015

Awards confirm our successes

August 5, 2015 By Diane Kortus

Last summer, at this time, we had just introduced our new larger format that made The Laker/Lutz News the same size as most daily newspapers.

Going bigger was a leap of faith because most newspapers in Florida, and just about everywhere else, were shrinking in size and reducing staff.

We decided to buck this trend.

Instead, we invested in our newspapers by giving readers more stories and photos about their community.

We did this by making the size of our pages 30 percent larger. We also expanded our news coverage with more in-depth stories and colorful photos of local people and community events.

It’s been a year since we launched our new format, and my staff and I are often asked how we’re doing.

I’m proud to say we’re doing great!

One way to measure our success is by the recognition we receive from peers in the newspaper industry.

The most important and prestigious recognition comes from The Florida Press Association and its annual Florida Better Weekly Newspaper Awards competition.

We learned in late July that The Laker and the Lutz News received 11 awards from Florida Press for stories and photos published in 2014.

This includes top honors in two categories for our editor, B.C. Manion, and first place honors in three categories for photographer Fred Bellet.

Our entries were among 1,600 total entries. A third of our entries received awards. That’s an accomplishment that makes me very proud, and it serves as testimony to the outstanding work produced by our editorial team every week.

To put these awards in perspective, the entries for The Laker competed against the largest weekly newspapers in Florida, which often have more resources than we have.

By contrast, our company is a small business independently owned by me.

Twelve of us work together to produce your paper every week — doing everything from writing stories and taking photos, to selling advertisements and creating artwork, to designing and putting our pages together. On top of all that, there’s the business side of the newspaper, which involves invoicing, statements, collections and cash flow.

My staff does everything connected with the newspaper except for printing it and throwing it in your driveway — both services that are contracted to outside companies.

When I tell people the size of our company, many marvel that such a small staff can produce one of the best community newspapers in Florida.

Besides our writing and photography awards, another way to measure our success is by the recognition we receive from local business groups.

We received word earlier this summer that our company was nominated in the service/distribution category of the Pasco Economic Development Council’s Industry of the Year Awards.

Earlier this summer we also were nominated as the small business of the year in the Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards competition. And, just last week we learned that we are up for an award in the same category in the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards.

We will find out in September whether we received an award from the Pasco EDC or the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. And we send our congratulations to A.L. Saland Insurance Solutions for being named the small business of the year for the Central Pasco Chamber.

Truly, it doesn’t matter if The Laker/Lutz News “wins” in award competitions.

What matters is that the business community, our newspaper industry and our readers recognize and value the work we do, and understand the contributions that we make to local businesses and to the community we serve.

Like the hundreds of businesses who advertise in our pages, we experience the same joys and challenges of working for, or owning, a small business. And like all successful businesses, we take incredible pride in the work that we do and are exuberant when our work receives recognition.

Published August 5, 2015

Summer Sing 2015 showcases worship through art

August 5, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Hundreds of children and adults spent a recent week at Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church in a summer camp that combines a love for the arts, with the expression of Christian values.

Kaitlyn DeTuccio belts out a number during a rehearsal at Summer Sing, a weeklong summer camp at Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church, which was jammed with fun stuff for kids. Also in rehearsal are Alexis Davis, in yellow, and Meghan Reilly. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photos) — Kaitlyn DeTuccio belts out a number during a rehearsal at Summer Sing, a weeklong summer camp at Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church, which was jammed with fun stuff for kids. Also in rehearsal are Alexis Davis, in yellow, and Meghan Reilly.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The camp began as a singing camp several years ago and has morphed into a full-scale arts camp.

There were sessions on everything from etiquette, to playing percussion tubes, to scrapbooking and violin.

Singing, acting, harp lessons and choreography were a few other choices for the camp, designed for kids who have completed second grade through fifth grade.

Kids were busy making high heels and minions in the cake-decorating class during one recent morning. Others tried their hand at origami, or had the chance to sing a Broadway tune. Some picked up pointers on fishing. Others helped build a theatrical set. Some strummed on guitars.

The campers come from all over to the camp in Lutz, including some from as far away as Orlando, said Susan Raabe, a camp volunteer.

Summer Sing is run by teenagers, who are helped by adult volunteers. Sheila Goskie is the camp director.

Campbell Middlebrooks teaches Calvin Montgomery, left, and Oliver Crawford, right, a few of the finer points of fishing. (Courtesy of Idlewild Baptist Church) — Campbell Middlebrooks teaches Calvin Montgomery, left, and Oliver Crawford, right, a few of the finer points of fishing.
(Courtesy of Exciting Idlewild Baptist Church)

In the words of 8-year-old Joshua Barnes: “It’s really fun.”

To find out more about next year’s camp, go to Idlewild’s website at Idlewild.org.

Published August 5, 2015