Local News

Legislative delegation to weigh in on charter

August 19, 2015 By Kathy Steele

Fish or cut bait?

Members of the Municipal Association of Pasco County, which represents the six cities in Pasco, want a final decision on whether the county should alter its form of government.

Calvin Branche, a commissioner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization, told the charter panel during public comment that a charter government isn’t needed. (Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley) — Calvin Branche, a commissioner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization, told the charter panel during public comment that a charter government isn’t needed.
(Photos courtesy of Richard K. Riley)

They likely will get their wish on Aug. 24 when the county’s appointed charter review panel has scheduled a vote on the matter. A previously scheduled vote on Aug. 10 was postponed until the charter panel could hear from Pasco’s legislative delegation.

State Representatives Richard Corcoran and Amanda Murphy, and State Senators John Legg and Wilton Simpson have confirmed they will attend the Aug. 24 meeting which will begin at 1 p.m., in the first floor board room, at the West Pasco Government Center in New Port Richey.

Pasco’s cities have expressed opposition to a charter.

“We are very concerned at the implications a charter would have on our cities,” said Lance Smith, a Zephyrhills’ city councilman. He and St. Leo Mayor Pro Tem James Hallett addressed panel members at their Aug. 10 meeting in Dade City.

Among issues of concern, according to Smith, would be whether cities would retain control over establishing special tax districts, known as community redevelopment areas.

“We need this decision one way or another,” he said. “Fish or cut bait.”

Zephyrhills is one of six cities in the municipal association. Others are Dade City, New Port Richey, Port Richey, St. Leo and San Antonio.

The municipal association members met recently and approved a resolution opposing charter government.

The resolution urges panel members “to reconsider this…effort, and to provide for a more balanced and transparent review of our county government in the future.”

There also is concern that a charter “would infringe on the rights and duties of municipal elected officials and the citizens they represent,” according to the resolution.

Pasco County currently is governed under home rule with five districts, each with a representative elected by countywide vote.

Twenty of the state’s 67 counties operate with charters, including Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

Commissioners appointed the 15-member panel in May after Corcoran lobbied them earlier in the year to establish a charter commission.

Dade City resident Judy Geiger spoke during public comment at the Aug. 10 charter panel meeting. She opposes charter government.

However, the Pasco commissioners’ nonbinding panel has the option of approving or rejecting a charter-style government.

In contrast, state law requires that a charter commission, once formed, must produce a charter that voters would accept or reject.

An activist group, the Pasco County Citizens Charter Coalition, announced in June that it would partner with Corcoran in a petition campaign to secure a required 45,000 signatures needed to establish such a commission.

Corcoran has said in the past that charters give more power to residents.

“That’s sort of the idea,” said panel member, Randy Maggard. “The people have more say.”

Maggard said the panel should explore specific elements of charters, such as single-member districts and term limits, before shutting the door on a charter.

“We’re going to make a decision without discussing these other things?” he said. “Everybody has made their minds up?”

If the panel votes on Aug. 24 not to pursue a charter, then the panel can disband. It would take 10 votes to support a charter, but if that is the decision then, members would have to buckle down for months of additional study and work.

They would have to produce a document detailing the operations of government including possible adoption of single-member districts, term limits, a recall process, an elected county administrator or elected county mayor. Pasco voters would approve or reject the panel’s recommendation in the November 2016 election.

Regardless of the panel’s decision, the grassroots charter coalition can move forward on its own to seek to establish the desired charter commission.

Residents who spoke during public comment at the Aug. 10 meeting were skeptical of a charter.

“Just because you could, doesn’t mean you should,” said Calvin Branche, a commissioner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization. “I think it’s a very wrong way to approach the citizens about this thing.”

Branche told panel members he had attended some meetings of the charter coalition group, and doubted that it would get the required petition signatures.

No one from the charter coalition spoke during public comment.

Dade City resident Judy Geiger worried that a charter with single-member districts would work against east Pasco, which has fewer residents than the more developed west Pasco.

“I believe the current government works very well,” she said “To spend more time on a charter I think would be a waste.”

Published August 19, 2015

Sales tax holiday means savings

August 12, 2015 By B.C. Manion

Families gearing up for a new school year can get a little help from the state of Florida, during the 2015 Back-to-School Tax Holiday.

During the tax holiday, which runs through Aug. 16, shoppers can purchase scores of items without paying state sales tax.

Greg Lenners, general manager at The Shops at Wiregrass, said that shop operators were expecting a good back-to-school shopping season. He said the state’s sales tax holiday is a plus. (File Photo) — Greg Lenners, general manager at The Shops at Wiregrass, said that shop operators were expecting a good back-to-school shopping season. He said the state’s sales tax holiday is a plus.
(File Photo)

For example, no Florida sales tax will be collected on sales of certain clothing, footwear, and certain accessories with a selling price of $100 or less per item. No sales tax will be charged on certain school supplies selling for $15 or less per item. And, no taxes will be charged on the first $750 of the sales price for computers and certain computer-related accessories, when they are being purchased for noncommercial home or personal use.

Greg Lenners, general manager at The Shops at Wiregrass, said he expected an increase in mall traffic as stores and shops offer back-to-school sales, and special promotions to attract customers.

The tax-free holiday is a plus, Lenners said.

While he didn’t have hard statistics, he said shop owners told him that sales were going well.

Craig Shearman, a spokesman for the National Retail Federation, said sales tax holidays, in general, tend to motivate shoppers.

“From what we’ve heard from our member companies, sales tax holidays have been tremendously successful at getting customers into the store and putting them in the frame of mind to shop,” Shearman said.

“Consumers are smart. Consumers know a sale is 25 percent off, or 50 percent off,” he said.

If retailers told consumers that they’d be offering a sale with everything being 7 percent off — the sales tax rate in Pasco and Hillsborough counties — shoppers would laugh at them, Shearman said.

Not so, when it comes to a tax holiday, Shearman said.

“There’s a psychological appeal that goes far beyond the amount of money involved,” the retail expert explained.

“Americans have hated taxes back to the Boston Tea Party, so a sales tax holiday feeds into that very same sort of thinking,” he said.

Sales tax holidays began in the mid-1990s, Shearman said.

There are now 18 states with sales tax holidays, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators.

Retailers will have back-to-school sales with or without a sales tax holiday, Shearman said.

So, he said: “The sales tax holiday, from a retailer point-of-view, is sort of icing on the cake.”

For consumers, though, the tax savings can make a real difference, Shearman added.

The tax holiday helps families, he noted.

“There are still a lot of families who are struggling to make ends meet and trying to stretch the dollar.

“There are families out there this time of year who are worried about where are they going to come up with the money that it takes to equip their children to go back to school in the fall and get their education.

“School clothing, backpacks, all of that — can be a stretch for some families.

“The savings from this (tax holiday) can be significant,” he said.

His organization’s Back-to-School Spending Survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, found that the average family — with children in kindergarten through grade 12 — plans to spend $630.36 on electronics, apparel and other school needs. That’s down from $669.28 last year.

With that in mind, savings from a tax holiday can be significant.

“For a lot of families, this is more than just psychological appeal or more retail sales, this can make the difference in giving their children what they need,” Shearman said.

In adopting the sale tax holiday, the Florida Legislature provided specific details about what is tax-free and what isn’t, during the tax-free period.

The Florida Department of Revenue provides detailed information on its website about what’s exempt and what isn’t. For more information on the sales tax holiday, visit DOR.MyFlorida.com.

Published August 12, 2015

Residential recycling tosses blue bags

August 12, 2015 By Kathy Steele

That blue bag stuffed with household recyclables and plopped at the curbside is on its way out.

Beginning Oct. 1, residents must set sturdy containers at the curb if they expect haulers to pick up the cans, plastic bottles, yogurt cups, glass bottles and jars that qualify for recycling.

And more change could be coming down the road.

Pasco County plans to stop allowing blue bags to be used to contain recyclables for residential pickups, effective Oct. 1. (File Photo) — Pasco County plans to stop allowing blue bags to be used to contain recyclables for residential pickups, effective Oct. 1.
(File Photo)

The Pasco County Commission is expected to consider eliminating glass from the list of accepted recyclables.

Commissioners voted Aug. 4 to shift away from using blue bags to instead use plastic or aluminum containers. They put off a decision on glass while a solid waste master plan is pending. But, county officials say they are facing a new reality in the marketplace.

With the current contract set to expire Sept. 30, the county found no takers among recycling processors when it comes to the blue bags. Plastic bags can grind machinery to a halt.

There were three no-bids, and one bid that was deemed “non-responsive,” according to Jennifer Seney, Pasco’s recycling coordinator.

The county is looking at “piggy-backing” on a contract with another jurisdiction, which has not yet been identified.

“Nobody wants the bags,” Seney told commissioners. “That would be anybody processing the bags.”

And the news on glass is just as bad.

The cost of hauling away glass is a negative $17.50 a ton, Seney said.

“Glass has no value and might actually add a cost to recyclables,” she added. “Glass is going to have to come up in future discussions.”

Seney said she knows that will be a touchy subject with residents who want to recycle their glass.

“It’s a very popular item to recycle,” she said. “It’s not always dollars and cents that speak to the public.”

Recycling glass dates back decades. For some, returning empty soda bottles to a grocery store for nickels and dimes was a rite of childhood passage. Currently, 10 states have bottle laws that add refundable deposit fees to beverage containers. Florida lawmakers, on several occasions, have rejected bottle bills, which have not been popular with retailers.

But, the value of glass to processors is in decline. Industry experts place the blame on declining oil prices that can make it more expensive to recycle items, such as plastic, than to produce new product.

Glass presents its own unique problems.

Seney said the accepted practice is for single-stream collection of recyclables, rather than the old way of separating out glass from other items.

That method is considered more efficient and safer, she said.

Pasco County accepts clear, brown and green glass.

But, as part of a stream of waste, broken and crushed glass becomes a contaminant, embedding itself into everything it touches. It becomes what Seney describes as “broken three-mix glass” that is difficult and expensive to extract.

Glass also is much heavier to ship, increasing the costs of recycling.

Strategic Materials Inc., based in Texas, is the country’s largest glass recycling company.

Seney said the company only recycles about 50 percent of the glass it receives because of contamination. Some of what they recycle is used to produce Fiberglas, she said.

The blue bag program is more than two decades old. But, two years ago, the county began reducing use of the bags through its “choose and use” program.

Residents still could use blue or clear bags. But they were encouraged to buy a container or use an existing one, and identify it to haulers with a sticker.

That program began with an educational awareness campaign. And county officials plan to do the same for the blue bag’s demise.

County officials anticipate rolling out a social media blitz on Facebook and Twitter. Advertisements, media press releases, cable television and Pasco TV also will get the word out, Seney said.

“I think we’ll be able to transition to no bags pretty quickly,” Seney said.

Also, area grocers that are selling the blue bags have been notified so they can consider whether to keep selling them or not. “We have no control over them,” Seney said. “But, I think we’ll get their cooperation.”

Published August 12, 2015

Wesley Chapel teenager paddles dragon boat for USA

August 12, 2015 By Kathy Steele

A field trip with her Girl Scout troop brought an unexpected opportunity for 13-year-old Kaitlyn Robinson.

Kaitlyn Robinson, 13, kneels as she prepares to board the dragon boat for an hour-long practice on the Hillsborough River. Her coach, David Nelson, watches. (Kathy Steele/Staff Photos) — Kaitlyn Robinson, 13, kneels as she prepares to board the dragon boat for an hour-long practice on the Hillsborough River. Her coach, David Nelson, watches.
(Kathy Steele/Staff Photos)

The John Long Middle School eighth grader also found a passion – a love for dragon boat racing.

On Aug. 15, she and her mother, Dawn Robinson, will fly to Welland Ontario Canada where Kaitlyn will compete in the World National Dragon Boat Championships from Aug. 19 to Aug. 23.

She is a member of the youth dragon boat team.

Her coach, David Nelson, plans to use her, at least for some races, as a drummer. She will sit in the front of the boat, beating a drum in rhythm with the paddle strokes of her teammates and cheering them on to victory.

At a feather-light 72 pounds, Kaitlyn is a natural choice for chief cheerleader in a boat that must skim over the water swiftly.

But she’ll have to do something that doesn’t come easily to this shy — at least with first-time strangers — and soft-spoken teenager.

“You’ll have to get loud,” Nelson told her at an afternoon practice at Rick’s on the River in Tampa.

The trade-off is a promise that she also will get the chance to paddle in other races. Paddling is what she likes most.

“I kind of like the water,” Kaitlyn said. “I’m looking forward to doing my best and helping my team finish well.”

Kaitlyn had never been in a dragon boat when her Girl Scout troop set out on a field trip two years ago, from Wesley Chapel to Rick’s on the River. She took to the water sport with a purpose.

She paddled in her first race in 2014, and is an active member of the Blade Runners Youth Dragon Boat Team of Tampa.

Kaitlyn Robinson, 13, partially hidden, paddle in unison with the dragon boat crew as they get ready for a power stroke. She is near the rear of the boat.

The Girl Scouts who went to Rick’s on the River were all children adopted from Asian countries. Kaitlyn was adopted from China when she was eight months old.

Her mother said troop activities sometimes highlighted cultural connections, such as dragon boat racing or Chinese cooking.

“It was something we wanted to do, and we thought it would be fun,” Kaitlyn said.

Dragon boat racing dates back 2000 years, to southern China and folk rituals, as well as to religious ceremonies. Dragon boats had ornate dragon heads painted on the front of the boats with the tails in the stern. Paddles represented the dragon’s claws.

In the past 10 years, modern dragon boat racing has zoomed in popularity.

“Anyone can paddle. I don’t care how old you are,” said Nelson, Kaitlyn’s coach.

The races often are linked to fundraising for good causes, he said.

Last year St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation was beneficiary of the Tampa Bay Dragon Boat Classic. This year’s races, on Oct. 10, will benefit the Lowry Park Zoo.

In Ontario, about 4,000 competitors from around the world will battle for top speeds in the World Championships. Race divisions include youth, senior, coed, men and women.

Kaitlyn will be in the division for ages 12 through 17. Nelson will be the youth team coach and also will compete in the senior U50 division, from ages 40 to 49.

There will be three heats in the 200- and 500-meter races, and “one-and-done” races in the 1000- and 2000-meter races.

Kaitlyn briefly took up golf, but the camaraderie of team sports, and water, is more to her liking.

“It’s a great experience for her especially being in a dragon boat because it’s a true team effort,” her mother said.

Published August 12, 2015

Spare your wallet and bowl for free

August 12, 2015 By Michael Murillo

The great thing about On The Cheap is I get to tell you about a variety of fun things you can do without spending a lot of money. Maybe it’s catching a movie. Maybe it’s a trip to a zoo or aquarium. Maybe it’s watching a professional sports team.

Pin Chasers in Zephyrhills has nightly specials and is hosting ‘Bowl Fest’ later this month. That means plenty of cheap (and free) opportunities to bowl. (Photos courtesy of Pin Chasers in Zephyrhills) — Pin Chasers in Zephyrhills has nightly specials and is hosting ‘Bowl Fest’ later this month. That means plenty of cheap (and free) opportunities to bowl.
(Photos courtesy of Pin Chasers in Zephyrhills)

Or, maybe it’s bowling.

Wait.

Bowling?

Like “putting on different shoes and throwing a ball down a lane” bowling?

Yes, bowling.

Everyone’s gone bowling before, but maybe it’s been a while since you gave it a try.

So, whether you’re in a league or haven’t played it in years, you have a few chances to play some games at a big discount. And on some days, it’s absolutely free.

The venue is Pin Chasers, 6816 Gall Blvd., in Zephyrhills.

I don’t have to spend a lot of time describing a bowling alley, do I? It’s really big (32 lanes), it’s clean, and it has automated scoring. But I’d like to point out that it’s also indoors, which means you won’t be subjected to blazing hot temperatures or a sudden downpour while you play. There’s no chance of bowling getting rained out or ruining your clothes, and I consider that a pretty big advantage these days.

A typical game of bowling costs around $6 to $7 (shoe rental is free), and that’s not a bad deal.

You can bowl with friends, family or anyone who likes to throw a heavy ball and knock things down. And, on certain days, you can do it for free.

But this is On The Cheap, so we’re looking for bigger bargains. And we’ve found them this month during what they call “Bowl Fest.”

On Aug. 22, students in kindergarten through 12th grade can bowl absolutely free from 10 a.m. until noon. That’s two hours of games at no cost whatsoever. If a child hasn’t played before, the staff can help teach them. And they’ll even have face painting for the youngest players.

You don’t have to paint your face to bowl, of course. But it probably doesn’t hurt, either. Maybe the pins will get intimidated and fall down on their own.

Free bowling is a great way to have a fun morning with a child or grandchild, or for friends to get together over the summer.

But what about older players?

Well, on Aug. 19, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m., women can bowl for free. And it’s the guys’ turn on Aug. 27 during those same hours.

So if you want a night out with friends, while remaining friendly with your budget, keep those dates in mind. No face painting, but they’ll have snacks and beverages, too.

Those are great deals, and if you want to bowl at other times (or just want to play more), Pin Chasers has specials just about every night as well.

On Mondays, you can buy a $5 wristband and play for just $1 per game, with $1 drafts, soda and hot dogs. On Thursdays, they have unlimited bowling from 9 p.m. until closing for just $10, with drink specials as well. On Sunday nights, it’s the same deal, but it’s $9.33. On Tuesdays, unlimited bowling starts at 9:30 p.m., for $9.99 and includes free pizza. Then they have cyber bowling on the weekends and buy-one-get-one-free games starting Aug. 22 and running through Sept. 6. That’s a lot of bowling.

Oh, there’s one more: On Labor Day (Sept. 7), you can bowl from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m., for $10. That’s 12 hours of unlimited bowling. I admit that staying there the whole time might be a little much. Maybe you’d like to see your family and eat lunch that day. But it’s nice to know that you can play as many games as you want for one low price.

Whether you play every few weeks or haven’t been inside a bowling alley in years, the next few weeks are perfect for grabbing a ball (don’t worry, they have plenty) and having some fun.

They’re open every day, rain or shine. And in Florida, it’s probably rain and shine. So maybe it’s best to stay inside, and work on your strikes and spares instead.

For more information, call (813) 782-5511 or visit PinChasers.net.

Published August 12, 2015

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