The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Local News

Keeping heritage alive in East Pasco

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Imani Asukile walks among the headstones at Indian Pond Cemetery in Dade City, looking at the writing on each one. He knows some names, knew some of the people personally and even has a relative buried there. But not every grave is clearly marked and some of the names are unknown.

What is known about the old graves is that those who were buried there long ago — some at the beginning of the 20th century — faced segregation and discrimination.

Imani Asukile and the African American Heritage Society of East Pasco County have events at places like Indian Pond cemetery in Dade City. The group wants the people and places that make up the area's history remembered and honored. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
Imani Asukile and the African American Heritage Society of East Pasco County have events at places like Indian Pond cemetery in Dade City. The group wants the people and places that make up the area’s history remembered and honored.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

“This was the premiere cemetery for blacks in this area. They only allowed blacks to be buried at the Dade City Cemetery in the early 1970s,” Asukile said. Now, as president of the African American Heritage Society of East Pasco County, he wants to make sure the area isn’t forgotten, along with other important places, events and people in local history.

His group hosts military appreciation services at Indian Pond Cemetery each year to honor African American veterans. At a recent event, around 60 people gathered to honor World War II veterans. Their families received special congressional coins and certificates from the Wounded Warrior Project.

For the heritage society, those events create recognition for the veterans, and those buried at the cemetery where the events are held.

“You get inspiration from their stories when you understand their struggles, their victories, the hills they had to climb,” Asukile said. “We have to keep them alive.”

His group keeps those and other stories alive by hosting different events throughout the year. They have youth forums to inform young people and provide a platform for them to express their thoughts. And they have events to celebrate Kwanzaa, a week-long celebration of African-American culture held at the end of each calendar year.

Asukile said it’s the principles of Kwanzaa, including its focus on community support, interaction and problem solving, that guide the African American Heritage Society of East Pasco County throughout the entire year.

“In everything that we do, Kwanzaa is the foundation of our existence, so to speak,” he said. “That’s where everything springs from.”

If community seems to be a big focus for the group, it’s by design. Asukile and the rest of the society take the “East Pasco” part of the organization’s name seriously. Local events attended by local residents are what keep the group motivated.

“In everything we do, we try to focus on local issues and individuals. Most black history programs are national or international, and we don’t have a problem with that,” he said. But we try to say ‘How can we take the same application and apply it here locally?'” The group recognizes local community members during Black History Month in February of each year. The 2015 focus will be on the founders of local community choirs, Asukile said.

But that doesn’t mean they restrict all their work to one small area. Asukile still considers Brooksville home, so he’ll often include that community. They also work with organizations or host events in other parts of the Tampa Bay area.

With a small core of dedicated members (the heritage society has around 10 active members) they provide a year’s worth of events to keep the community’s memories alive and honor those who came before them. He also sees areas for growth, and other communities that could form their own similar groups. Asukile mentioned Wesley Chapel as an area that has a lot of potential to form an organization in the future.

Wherever another group pops up in the future, Asukile and his group will be there to welcome them. As director of multicultural student affairs and equity services at Pasco-Hernando State College, he knows the importance of having a presence in the community and being a resource for those seeking information. And with the African American Heritage Society of East Pasco County, he can put that into practice off campus, reminding residents of historic places, people and events so their stories won’t be forgotten.

“Every community has to have something or somebody who is a griot, a storyteller, a keeper of the history of the community, of the people. Every community has to do to it. otherwise you start losing the stories,” Asukile said.

For more information about the African American Heritage Society of East Pasco County, e-mail Asukile at .

Watoto choir shares story of Africa’s vulnerable children

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The Watoto Children’s Choir is kicking off its four-month United States tour with appearances in Florida, including local stops.

The choir’s tour, entitled “Beautiful Africa: A New Generation,” seeks to raise awareness about the plight of orphaned and vulnerable children in Africa.

The Watoto Children’s Choir is touring around the Southeastern United States, including stops in Wesley Chapel, Lutz and Tampa. Allan Nyakaana takes center stage here. (Courtesy of Watoto Children's Choir)
The Watoto Children’s Choir is touring around the Southeastern United States, including stops in Wesley Chapel, Lutz and Tampa. Allan Nyakaana takes center stage here.
(Courtesy of Watoto Children’s Choir)

The performances — which are free and open to the public — include original African music, dance routines and life-transforming stories from rescued orphans and women who are part of the choir.

Local stops on the tour include a 7 p.m. performance Jan. 14 at Victorious Life Church, 6224 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel, and three performances at Van Dyke Church in Lutz. The Van Dyke performances are at 6 p.m. on Jan. 17, and 9:30 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. on Jan. 18. Van Dyke is at 17030 Lakeshore Road.

Each of the children in the choir has suffered the loss of one or both parents. They live in Watoto Children’s Villages where they are nurtured to become productive citizens and leaders in their own country.

Edwinsmith Kigozi, now 29, was just 11 years old when he went to live in a Watoto Village. His parents had both died. His uncle did not have the means to support him and they welcomed Watoto’s help, said Kigozi, now a team leader with the organization.

The concerts feature a fusion of contemporary gospel and traditional African rhythm.

Watoto’s children’s choirs have been traveling internationally since 1994 as ambassadors for millions of children who have been orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS, war and poverty.

Besides appearing in the United States, the choirs have traveled to Australia, Brazil, China, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Germany, France and the U.S, among others.

Their audiences have included royalty, presidents, ministers, as well as people without rank or wealth.

The choirs serve as a cultural exchange and as a way to attract support for Watoto’s work, Kigozi said.

Choir members have the chance to be exposed to a broader world, he said. And, the hope is that audience members will do something about the plight that less fortunate people face, not only in Africa, but in America and other places, Kigozi said.

Watoto’s aim is to nurture children and to help them to develop into future leaders in their country, Kigozi said. Those leadership roles may come in different spheres of life, including medicine, law, politics and other areas.

Besides the Wesley Chapel and Lutz appearances, the choir also will be performing at Exciting Central Tampa Baptist Church, 2923 North Tampa St., in Tampa, at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 21.

Published January 14, 2015

Suncoast Arts Fest celebrates a decade of arts and entertainment

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The Suncoast Arts Fest soon will celebrate its 10th anniversary of bringing acclaimed artists to Pasco County.

The annual festival is a popular event, attracting around 100,000 people to peruse its diverse offerings and to enjoy its lineup of live entertainment.

Rolly Ray Reel won best of show during last year’s Suncoast Arts Fest. This year, the event features nearly 120 juried visual artists and craftsmen. (Courtesy of Suncoast Arts Fest)
Rolly Ray Reel won best of show during last year’s Suncoast Arts Fest. This year, the event features nearly 120 juried visual artists and craftsmen.
(Courtesy of Suncoast Arts Fest)

This year’s festival features more than 120 juried visual artists and craftsmen, from across Florida and throughout the country.

“About 35 percent of our artists this year are from out of state,” Pam Marron, co-director of the festival, said, noting Florida’s temperate winter weather is a plus.

The festival’s venue — at The Shops at Wiregrass in Wesley Chapel — also offers people a chance to do a bit of shopping at the regional mall and enjoy a meal at one of its restaurants.

The festival will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 17, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 18 at The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive. The mall is just off State Road 56 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, a couple of miles east of Interstate 75.

The event features both new and returning artists.

Among those making a return trip is Rolly Ray Reel, of Maitland, who won best of show during last year’s event.

Besides offering art lovers a chance to enjoy themselves, the festival also raises money to support Arts for Kids, which supplements art programs in public, private and charter schools. Over the past decade, festival proceeds have funded more than 85 mini-grants, which have benefited more than 15,000 students.

The goal is to support both the visual and performing arts, Marron said.

Other highlights on this year’s schedule include a telephone photography competition sponsored by Rasmussen College. The Phoneography Competition is open to anyone who can take a picture with their phone.

The festival also will feature Duncan McClellan, an award-winning glass artist who has an international following. McClellan, who lives in St. Petersburg, will be supplying his glass-etching unit on Sunday, allowing people to create an original design and etch it on glass. That opportunity will be available on Jan. 18, from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Another feature this year is the festival’s first mini Art Maker Space, where art, technology and education collide.

The lineup of live entertainment is another festival highpoint.

The Sunlake High School Jazz Band will get things started with a performance at 10 a.m. on Jan. 17.

Other entertainers who will be performing this year include The Black Honkeys, Unleash the Octopus, Hector Mayoral, Julie Black, Amanda Lynn, the Mike McKinley Trio, Gene Hardage (also known as Sarasota Slim), and a variety of other acts.

For a full schedule of entertainment and activities, please visit SuncoastArtsFest.com.

Tenth annual Suncoast Arts Fest
More than 120 fine artists and craftsmen sell their works. There also will be live entertainment, chalk artists, a phone photography contest, glass etching and interactive activities.

Where: The Shops at Wiregrass, 28211 Paseo Drive (off State Road 56, east of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard).

How much: Admission and parking are free.

There’s ample parking and the event is accessible for people with disabilities.

When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 17, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 18

The event is held, rain or shine.

Published January 14, 2015

Table For One: Local Claims Silver at Senior Games

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Bruce Holck of Wesley Chapel won a silver medal at last month’s Florida International Senior Games & State Championships. But the road to that medal began seven decades earlier in a New Jersey home.

“My father had a table in the basement,” Holck said. “That’s what started it all.”

At 78 years old, Bruce Holck of Wesley Chapel is still taking home medals for table tennis. He placed second (and qualified for the national tournament) at the Florida International Senior Games & State Championships last month. (Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)
At 78 years old, Bruce Holck of Wesley Chapel is still taking home medals for table tennis. He placed second (and qualified for the national tournament) at the Florida International Senior Games & State Championships last month.
(Michael Murillo/Staff Photo)

The game was table tennis, also known as pingpong, and he learned how to play as a young boy. It stayed him over the years, from starting a table tennis club in Delaware to regular games in New York. He then decided to see how he stacked up by joining the Senior Games.

That was 20 years ago.

Holck, 78, competed in the New York Senior Games for a couple of decades, earning medals in both individual and doubles matches. By finishing in the top three in his age group he also earned several berths into the national games, which are held every other year. He won the doubles competition at the national games around 10 years ago.

So when he came to Wesley Chapel last year, Holck knew he wanted to participate in Florida’s version of the games. But with more players here, he had to qualify through a regional system. He attended several regional competitions throughout the state, even after he qualified, to get a feel for the state’s talent and scout out some of the competition.

Holck said the state has excellent players, and he enjoys competing against Florida’s best. He also appreciates playing people in his own age group, which isn’t always possible when he plays recreationally.

“I play in Land O’ Lakes (at the Land O’ Lakes Recreation Complex), and I’m quite sure I’m the oldest person playing there. I’m playing people who are younger and can move quite a bit better than I can now,” Holck said. “When you play in the Senior Games you’re playing somebody in your own age group.”

While Holck said the game is still fun for him — he even enjoys watching competitive table tennis — playing at a top level can be serious business. The game has changed a bit over the decades, he said, from reducing the number of points that make up a game to playing with a slightly larger ball.

But one of the biggest changes is in the paddle. Over time, it’s become a complicated piece of sports equipment. At one time there were simply the traditional rubber dimples on a paddle with nothing behind it. Now there’s a sponge-like material behind the rubber, and different groove designs that will cause different reactions with the ball. And when paddles have different designs on each side, they have different colors so the opponent might predict how the ball will be responding.

For Holck, another thing that’s changed is his age. Over the years he’s retained his hand-eye coordination, but isn’t as fast as he used to be. But he still plays at a high level, so when he defeats a young player, he’s philosophical about the victory.

“I’ll congratulate them and say ‘Well, that’s the last time I’ll be able to beat you because you’re getting better and I’m slowing up,'” Holck said.

But he isn’t slowing up too much, as evidenced by his second-place finish last month in Estero. He also qualified for the national tournament in singles and doubles, but isn’t sure if he’ll travel to Minnesota for the competition next year. His current schedule usually involves weekly play with the locals, and he also has a table at home, like his father did, so he can play when the mood strikes him. Holck even has a special robot that can simulate serves instead of just playing alone against a flat surface.

He also has a supportive wife of 55 years, Louise, who used to play herself. As she got older she let the game go, but she still cheers on her husband in his competitive contests.

“He takes it very seriously. It’s his passion,” she said.

And while he loves table tennis and plans to keep playing, he knows it’s not the most important thing in his life.

“She sometimes claims I think more of table tennis than her,” he said with a laugh. “But that’s not right, of course.”

Business Digest 01-14-15

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Lutz Rotary Club to hear from business college dean
Moez Limayem, dean of the college of business at the University of South Florida, will be the special guest speaker at the 7 a.m. meeting on Jan. 20 of the Rotary Club of Lutz. Limayem will talk about the intersection of technology with the consumer in business and academic worlds.

The Rotary Club of Lutz meets on Tuesday at 7 a.m., at the Heritage Harbor Golf & Country Club, 19502 Heritage Harbor Parkway. The meeting charge is $10, which includes a continental breakfast.

For information on Rotary, visit Rotary6890.org, or call Doug Andrews at (813) 857-7089.

Central Pasco Orientation
The Central Pasco Chamber of Commerce will have its new member orientation on Jan. 20 at Copperstone Executive Suites, 3632 Land O’ Lakes Blvd. in Land O’ Lakes. The session is for anyone who would like to join and any new member who has not yet attended an orientation session.

Networking begins at 5:30 p.m., and the orientation is from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The meeting is free, but guests must RSVP by Jan. 16 by calling (813) 909-2722.

East Pasco Networking Group
The East Pasco Networking Group has scheduled several speakers for the coming months. The group now meets at Rose’s Café at 38426 5th Ave., in Zephyrhills.

Networking begins at 8 a.m., with the meeting starting at 8:30 a.m.

Bob Hatfield from U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis’ office is scheduled to speak on Jan. 27.

For information, call Nils Lenz at (813) 782-9491, or email him at .

NetFest sponsors needed
The Pasco Economic Development Council is hosting its 13th annual NetFest, which is short for Networking Festival, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., on March 5 at Starkey Ranch on State Road 54 in Odessa.

The council is seeking sponsorships ranging from $500 to $2,000.

The event is a casual night of food, drink and music — and a great chance to network.

For more information, visit PascoEDC.com.

Business Link available monthly
Business Link, a monthly small business gathering hosted by the San Antonio Citizens Federal Credit Union, meets the second Wednesday of each month beginning at 7:30 a.m.

The meeting is designed to provide a networking and information-sharing platform for the business community.

For locations, details and to reserve a seat, email , or call (352) 588-2732, ext. 1237.

Wesley Chapel networking group
Networking for Your Success meets every Thursday at 8 a.m., at Lexington Oaks Country Club, 2615 Lexington Oaks Blvd., in Wesley Chapel.

Cost is $5, and annual membership to the group is $79.

Kumquat Festival selling sponsorship packages
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce is now accepting reservation packages for the 2015 Kumquat Festival, set to take place Jan. 31.

Packages start at $500, and include logos and links on the KumquatFestival.org website, as well as booth space at the festival. Premier packages, which run from $1,000 to $5,000, include additional features.

The event is expected to draw 45,000 people from Florida, who live here seasonally, and who are visiting.

For information, call John Moors at (352) 567-3769, or email .

Business development week luncheon
If you’re interested in finding out more about the economy’s outlook and how the markets are likely to perform in 2015, you may want to attend the Business Development Week Luncheon Jan. 30, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at the Tampa Bay Golf & Country Club, 11500 Old Tampa Bay Drive in San Antonio.

Dade City chamber needs volunteers
The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce is looking for some volunteers to help with the chamber event season.

With winter residents returning to the area, there are a number of activities the chamber needs help to staff. The chamber is looking for people who are friendly and outgoing, who have knowledge of the local area and activities, and are team-oriented.

For information, email .

Christian business group to meet
Christian Business Connections-Central Pasco will have its next meeting Jan. 8 at 7:45 a.m., at the Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club, 6225 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel.

Laurie Hill, a member of the Christian Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay and author of the book “I Am in Business,” will be the speaker.

Admission is $9, which includes a buffet.

For information, contact Rene Van Hout at , or at (813) 300-7511.

Catholic Business Networking seeks members
The Catholic Business Networking group is looking for Catholic business owners, employees and supporters interested in joining it for regular meetings every Tuesday from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 2348 Collier Parkway, Land O’ Lakes.

The group has annual dues of $60, and there is a minimum attendance requirement of two meetings per month.

For information, call (813) 833-4737, or visit CBNTampa.com.

Volunteer tax preparers needed
United Way of Pasco County is looking for help this coming tax season with volunteer tax preparers.

Last year, more than 8,000 county residents used United Way’s tax preparation service, and received more than $8 million in total refunds.

Interest in being a tax preparer does not require experience, and comes with comprehensive training.

For more information, visit UnitedWayPasco.org.

Small Business Help
If you’re launching a new business or trying to expand, the Pasco Enterprise Network may have information that can guide and assist you.

The network is a collaborative effort of nonprofit agencies committed to ensuring the success of small businesses in Pasco County. Network partners provide consulting, counseling, education, and technical assistance in a variety of areas and subjects.

To find out more, visit PascoEDC.com/pen.

Contract proposal includes pay raises, more planning time

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Banning smoking from all school district sites will contribute to a healthier work force, Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning says. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)
Banning smoking from all school district sites will contribute to a healthier work force, Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning says.
(Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

A vote is scheduled on Jan. 14 to determine whether or not a proposed contract between Pasco County Schools and the United School Employees of Pasco will garner enough support for adoption.

Negotiators for Pasco County Schools and the United School Employees of Pasco have hammered out a deal that includes pay raises and increased instructional planning time. But it also calls for the end of smoking on all district properties and for the end of a district early retirement program.

Teachers and school-related employees, on average, would receive a 3 percent increase under the proposal.

Union president Kenny Blankenship has characterized the proposed pay raise as “one of the best in the state.”

The proposed contract also calls for increasing teachers’ instructional planning time from the current 100 minutes a day, to 150.

Increasing planning time for teachers is perhaps the most significant item in the agreement, Blankenship has said.

The proposed contract also calls for the end of smoking on district properties, effective July 1, 2016.

That’s a provision that Superintendent Kurt Browning has said is important to helping the district have a healthier work force.

Because the change won’t take effect until mid-2016, employees will have time to take part in smoking cessation programs.

Another portion of the proposed contract calls for eliminating new entrants to the district’s early retirement program, effective June 30, 2018.

Again, there’s time between now and then for any eligible employee to take advantage of the program before it lapses.

Provided that the settlement is ratified, the Pasco County School Board is scheduled to vote on the proposed contract on Jan. 20.

Any applicable retroactive pay should be reflected in paychecks by the end of February.

Published January 7, 2015

 

Proud to name B.C. Manion as our new editor

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There were a lot of changes at The Laker/Lutz News in the past year. We redesigned our website and Facebook page, increased the size of our news page to match the size of most daily newspapers, added a new B section primarily for photo features and prepared to take our East Pasco edition of The Laker from an every-other-week publication to weekly.

As I reflect on 2014, I see it as a year that we invested in the foundation of our business – upgrading both our printed newspaper and our digital platforms.

With a foundation that is solid and ready to support our future, it’s time to focus on the next phase — improving and expanding the talents of our news staff to produce a publication that gives our readers a broader array of interesting stories and timely news. Leading the effort to tackle our ambitious editorial goals is B.C. Manion, who has been promoted to editor of The Laker/Lutz News.

You most likely will recognize B.C. Manion’s byline. She has been our community editor since August 2010. She frequently writes about people and groups who make a positive impact on our communities, and is our lead reporter covering education and upcoming events, including her popular “Worth The Trip” feature, which identifies attractions, just a short drive away, that are fun and affordable places to visit.

B.C. is a graduate of the journalism program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Her roots in community journalism go back to her first reporting job in Omaha, Nebraska, where she planned coverage, took photographs, and filed news and feature stories for zoned editions of a weekly newspaper.

She added to her reporting skills by working at a small daily newspaper in Hastings, Nebraska. Her next reporting job was in the highly competitive South Florida newspaper market, where she competed against reporters from The Miami Herald and The (Fort Lauderdale) Sun-Sentinel.

She joined The Tampa Tribune in 1985, where she worked for 23 years and covered everything from government to gardening. Her work there appeared on the pages of every section of the newspaper except for Sports.

Her current assignment includes staying abreast of issues in Lutz, a community she first learned about when she covered zoning and development issues – her initial reporting beat at the Tribune.

We were fortunate to lure B.C. to The Laker/Lutz News the summer of 2010. Many journalists with so much experience at a metro daily newspaper would consider working for a small weekly newspaper like ours a “step down.”

But not B.C. She saw it as an opportunity to do stories that can have a real impact in the daily lives of our readers.

She understands the value of keeping readers informed of changes that affect their lives, whether that be the opening of a new hospital, the construction of a new state college or the battle over a proposed site for a new charter school.

She especially enjoys writing about the unsung heroes in our communities who quietly go about making a tremendous difference in the lives they touch.

B.C. understands the importance of teamwork, welcomes story ideas from residents and believes that community newspapers offer a forum for local stories that cannot be found anywhere else.

Those are some of the values that I was looking for in editor. So when the time was right to hire an editor for our papers, B.C. was the obvious choice.

Please join me in welcoming B.C. to her new position as editor of The Laker/Lutz News. She is an outstanding journalist. She is passionate about her work and about serving our communities. I am confident she will play an instrumental role as we work to become an even better newspaper in 2015.

Published January 7, 2015

Learning Gate wins national award

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Learning Gate Community School in Lutz is one of the 2014 Best of Green Schools award recipients, according to the U.S. Green Building Council.

The school received word of the recognition last month, and it is just one of the honors that the charter school located in Lutz has received for its focus on environmental education.

The U.S. Green Building Council has named Learning Gate Community School a recipient of one of its 2014 Best of Green Schools awards. The school was recognized for the EcoFest it organizes every year to promote environmental sustainability. (Courtesy of Learning Gate Community School)
The U.S. Green Building Council has named Learning Gate Community School a recipient of one of its 2014 Best of Green Schools awards. The school was recognized for the EcoFest it organizes every year to promote environmental sustainability.
(Courtesy of Learning Gate Community School)

The award is based on the school’s annual EcoFest, which brings together businesses, organizations and individuals from Tampa Bay who are dedicated to the principles of sustainability, according to a news release from Learning Gate.

The event, held at Lowry Park, offered more than 100 vendors, live music, workshops, demonstrations, informational booths, green living products and services from local artists, environmental organizations, alternative health practitioners, renewable energy specialists and organic farms with local produce.

More than 4,000 people attended the fair last year.

“The students, staff, and families of Learning Gate Community School are thrilled to have been chosen as a winner in the USGBC’s Best in Green Schools for 2014,” said Michele Northrup, event organizer, in a news release.

“We will be celebrating our 6th Annual EcoFest on Saturday, April 18, 2015 at Lowry Park with our partners: USF Patel College of Sustainability and the City of Tampa,” Northrup added.

“Selecting the Best of Green Schools honorees is an exciting and challenging process, as there are so many fantastic examples of efforts being made in communities large and small,” Rachel Gutter, director, Center for Green Schools, said in a news release.

“Some of the honorees go about their work quietly, others are in public positions and have the attention of a national audience. Every one of the honorees is a leader, taking risks, setting an example for others, innovating and diligently pursuing a world in which every student attends a green school within the next generation,” Gutter added.

The recipients of the Best of Green Schools 2014 will receive recognition throughout the year from the U.S. Green Building Council, as well as access to the Green Classroom Professional Certificate Program, a tool to help school staff and educators identify what supports or impedes healthy, resource efficient and environmentally sustainable learning spaces.

Published January 7, 2015

Charter school faces opposition

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Opposition is heating up against a proposed charter school for up to 1,050 elementary students in Lutz.

Charter Schools Inc., of Boca Raton is seeking permission from Hillsborough County to allow a school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade at the southwest corner of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard.

Residents living near a proposed private charter school in Lutz say the project would create even more traffic problems on already congested roads near the school. (File Photo)
Residents living near a proposed private charter school in Lutz say the project would create even more traffic problems on already congested roads near the school.
(File Photo)

The operator of the school would be Charter Schools Association of Coral Gables, according to the application filed with Hillsborough County.

The proposed Sunlake Academy would operate on 7.46 acres, according to Michael Horner, the applicant’s representative. A 1-acre outparcel at the site represents a potential child care center in the future that is already permitted by existing zoning, Horner said in an email.

A public hearing — initially set for Dec. 15, then delayed until Jan. 20 — has been delayed again, this time until Feb. 16 at 6 p.m.

Horner said the delay for the hearing was needed because the county requested additional traffic information, which has been completed but not yet reviewed by county staff.

Horner noted that the applicant has submitted a revised site plan that includes a number of changes, including a larger buffer area and setback from residential lots to the west of the proposed school, double tree plantings, fencing and extensive left-turn lane improvements at both entrances, in response to the county’s mandate for no direct left turns into either entrance.

The proposal now includes only U-turns at the intersection, as well as dedicated right turn lanes on both Sunlake Boulevard and Lutz Lake Fern Road.

It’s not clear whether the proposed changes will make a difference to opponents to the school, who have made it known that they are concerned about traffic congestion, potential flooding issues and negative impacts to their quality of life, as well as property values.

Opponents are planning to have an informational meeting about the proposed charter school on Jan. 8 at 7 p.m., at the J.F. Swartsel Masonic Lodge, 3109 Lutz Lake Fern Road.

The application for the project shows for two phases.

The first phase includes a two-story building with 33 classrooms, and the second phase calls for a two-story building with 20 classrooms.

The plans also show a storm water pond, a playground, and areas for parking for both vehicles and bicycles. Plans also call for basketball courts.

Records submitted to Hillsborough County show that residents, area homeowner associations, The Lutz Citizens Coalition and the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club oppose the request.

Todd Caroline, who lives in Lake Fern Villa, notes that the project would back up to his property line.

“It is already a struggle to get out of our community morning, afternoon and evening due to a poorly built intersection at Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake (Boulevard). Ever since Steinbrenner (High School), Martinez (Middle School) and McKitrick (Elementary School) have opened, it has only gotten worse,” Caroline wrote in a Dec. 23 email to Hillsborough County staff.

James Lather, another opponent, said the Lutz Citizens Coalition vehemently opposes the application because of the inappropriate size, scope and density of the project for the proposed location.

Area resident Joanne Plazza noted that she’s lived in the area since 1987 and has never objected to any previous project. But, she said, this school would add traffic to an already congested area.

Opponent Sharon Bard, of 22232 Yachtclub Terrace, put it like this: “I am very much against this. I travel Lutz Lake Fern often and the added traffic would be horrific.”

Mike White, president and founder of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, said the school is being proposed in an inappropriate location.

Both Sunlake and Lutz Lake Fern are two lane roads and are not equipped to handle the additional traffic this project would generate, White said.

Published January 7, 2015

Sanders magnet deadline is approaching

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The Jan. 15 deadline is approaching for applications to Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School – Pasco County’s first magnet school.

So far, the district has received around 1,400 applications for the school, at 5126 School Road in Land O’ Lakes. It is scheduled to open in August.

Considerable progress is being made on the construction of Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School – Pasco County’s first magnet school. Applications for the school, which are being accepted from across the district, must be filed by Jan. 15. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Considerable progress is being made on the construction of Sanders Memorial STEAM Magnet School – Pasco County’s first magnet school. Applications for the school, which are being accepted from across the district, must be filed by Jan. 15.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The school — which will emphasize science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics — is being built to accommodate 762 kindergarten through fifth-grade students.

As a magnet school, there are no attendance boundaries. Any elementary school student throughout the school district is eligible to apply.

A weighted lottery system will be used to select students. Pupils from nearby Connerton and Oakstead elementary schools, as well as children of Sander’s staff members, will have a higher priority for admission because Connerton and Oakstead are overcrowded.

Siblings of students accepted to Sanders also will be given extra weight in the lottery.

Once accepted, a student will be able to attend Sanders through fifth grade.

The district expects to notify parents of their child’s acceptance by email before Feb. 6.

Although the standards for the students will be the same, the learning approaches will be different.

The design of the school also will foster a greater degree of collaboration between students, and between students and teachers. A wetlands area with a boardwalk also will give students a chance to get up close with nature, creating opportunities for outdoor learning.

Sanders will use materials that are similar to those in traditional schools, except there will be a greater emphasis on technology, collaborative learning and independent thinking.

Sanders students will have some type of device allowing them to use technology to help solve problems and enhance learning. They also will have the arts infused into a curriculum that aims to create independent thinkers and learners.

Sanders’ design aims to encourage collaborative learning. When construction is completed, the school will have individual classrooms flanking both sides of a large space where students can work together on projects, where groups of children can work with teachers, and where larger presentations can be given.

Classrooms will have wireless technology. They also are set up to accommodate experiments. Space also will be provided within the school to allow students to store projects they are working on.

The school district also plans to send buses through neighborhoods within a five-mile radius to pick up students for Sanders. Those living farther away will use transportation hubs at Veterans, Moonlake and Trinity elementary schools, where they can catch a bus in the morning to Sanders and return there after school.

In a news conference that was held when the application period opened, Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning said the district is committed to the success of its first magnet school.

He also made it clear that the district recognizes its need to compete for students and will be adding more educational choices in the future.

For more information, and a virtual tour, visit PascoSchools.org, and click on the Sanders banner at the top.

Published January 7, 2015