Local News

Wesley Chapel hospital exceeding expectations in first year

August 28, 2013 By B.C. Manion

When Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel was preparing to open its doors last October, it expected to have 400 employees.

Less than a year later, it has 600.

“For the 600 jobs that we have, we had over 25,000 applicants,” hospital chief executive Brian Adams said last week. “Not all of those applicants, of course, were qualified for roles in health care. But even in nursing, for every one job, we had more than 10 applicants.”

A look at the interior of Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel. (File photo)

Adams was sharing the news with the economic development committee of the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce. Having so many applicants means the hospital can really be selective, and focus purely on talent. The Wesley Chapel hospital, for example, has an average of 10 years experience.

And the hospital has outpaced projections in other areas as well. Its 26,000 emergency room visits and 380 baby deliveries are roughly double original expectations, Adams said. Other first-year figures include 3,800 admissions and 1,800 surgeries.

Business owners may wonder if people will travel into Wesley Chapel to get health care, and the answer to that is that they do, Adams said.

“The economic development piece of having a business that not only employs 600 people in the community, but also attracts people into Wesley Chapel, is a real benefit,” he said. “Many of the individuals who now come to Wesley Chapel for care were traveling out of the county for care, so they were going down into Hillsborough County, which means they see physicians in Hillsborough County, which means they stop for lunch on their way to see those physicians in Hillsborough.”

Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel sits on 52 acres on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, west of SR 56. It has 83 beds, with the capability expanding to 299.

The hospital itself is three stories now, but can rise to six when the hospital needs more room to handle increasing health care needs, Adams said. And it might be sooner rather than later. Figures by the hospital show population growth in the area between 2.9 percent and 4 percent by 2017.

There are other factors to consider as well beyond just population growth, and that’s something the Wesley Chapel hospital stays cognizant of, Adams said. One is how much health care people are using.

“In this community, it’s going down, mainly because of the shift of cost from employer-based health plans to individual-based health plans,” Adams said.

The age of the population also figures in. In a community like Wesley Chapel, where the population is growing younger, the amount of healthcare used is lower than in a community like Zephyrhills, where the population is older.

The hospital is working to be a good neighbor, and may even reach out to Pasco-Hernando Community College after it opens its Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch in January. The college is taking shape on a site near the intersection of SR 56 and Mansfield Boulevard, not far from the hospital.

“Having PHCC in the community will only benefit all of us,” Adams said. “I’ve had a number of conversations with the leadership at PHCC, and we believe part of our role is to create opportunities for students to learn and grow in a real-life setting.”

That’s common in the medical field, especially in the nursing field, he said. Having PHCC offer a transition to bachelor’s-level nursing can only help surrounding hospitals like Wesley Chapel’s.

Finally, with the full implementation of the Affordable Care Act on the horizon, Adams was optimistic that many pieces of the federal plan will benefit the community.

“People having access to the health care, at the primary care level, is probably the best way to best reduce our overall healthcare spend,” he said. “The most expensive time to care for a patient is when they have reached a point in their health where the intervention takes heavy resources.”

It also means taking steps now to prevent more serious health problems in the future.

“If you can help someone who didn’t have insurance to go to a physician and get their diabetes under control before that diabetes wreaked havoc on their heart, it’s a totally different approach,” Adams said.

But there will also be changes in the way employers handle insurance, by some employers no longer covering spouses that can get insurance elsewhere, and the proliferation of high-deductible health plans as companies try to offer affordable insurance to low-wage employees.

Ultimately, Adams thinks that consumers will drive the need for quality care, especially if they are paying the first $10,000 of their health care costs out-of-pocket due to high deductibles in their insurance plans.

Habitat for Humanity helps woman who helps others

August 28, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Tiffany Porter is accustomed to helping other people. But she never expected the tables to be turned, courtesy of Habitat for Humanity.

Porter, a compassion ministry director for Victorious Life Church in Wesley Chapel, is the area’s newest Habitat homeowner, receiving the keys earlier this month for the home at 15054 Gainesville Road.

“I had no idea that Habitat even did this for people like me,” Porter said. “I thought they only helped single moms, or people who were destitute and homeless.”

Volunteers through Habitat for Humanity’s National Women Build Week program put up a wall for Tiffany Porter’s house during its construction in north Land O’ Lakes. Porter, who dedicates her time to helping others through her church, moved in earlier this month. (Photo courtesy of Stephanie Black)

In fact, Porter was trying to help a family get a Habitat home, and realized through the process that she actually qualified.

“So I said, ‘what the heck, let’s try this thing,’” she said. “My best friends kept telling me that all they could do is say no. And they didn’t.”

Porter, 29, grew up in New Mexico, but realized at a young age she wanted to be a pastor. But it was while she was in seminary, she discovered an even more direct calling.

“I wanted to be more hands-on and see people’s lives improve,” she said. “VLC gave me the opportunity to do that.”

Porter started as an intern at the church in 2003, and since 2005 has served as the compassion ministry director. She runs the church-owned Lily of the Valley food pantry outreach center in Wesley Chapel, where she not only helps feed those who are hungry, but provides other help when they need it.

That includes even her home, where she has served as a foster mother for teenagers who need a home.

“With my budget, I was not able to find a place that was able to foster a young child,” Porter said. Just before moving into her new home, she was living in a mother-in-law suite that was not in the best living conditions.

But now she can apply to take in younger children, thanks to having a safe home in a safe neighborhood.

And while Habitat’s mission is to provide homeownership for those who may not have had it otherwise, it’s certainly not a handout, said Stephanie Black, director of development and public relations for Habitat for Humanity of East and Central Pasco County.

“I think the biggest misconception is that Habitat gives away homes, but they don’t,” Black said. “We provide a zero-interest, no-profit mortgage, but it’s still a mortgage.”

Candidates for home ownership have to meet certain income levels ranging from between $11,950 to $31,850 annually for one person, to between $21,150 and $56,400 for a family of seven.

Families have to demonstrate a need for affordable housing and currently live in a substandard home. However, they also have to prove they can make mortgage payments, and have a steady job with no recent bankruptcies or court judgments.

“Most of our home payments are less than what people are paying for rent,” Black said. “That includes their taxes and their insurance.”

And while Habitat is always looking for volunteers, their biggest need recently has been qualified candidates.

Porter’s home was the 117th Habitat home built in East and Central Pasco County. It was constructed over a seven-month period, and was a women-built project. The entire construction crew was female, part of an international campaign to encourage more women to join construction teams typically dominated by men.

All of that is just a bonus for Porter, who is enjoying her new home with plans to stay in it for quite a while.
“I didn’t grow up here, but I just love this area,” she said. “I never know what might happen next, but right now, I don’t plan on living anywhere else.”

For more information on how to apply for a Habitat home, call (352) 567-1444, or visit www.ephabitat.org.

A trio of computer businesses under one roof

August 28, 2013 By B.C. Manion

When Michael Sawyer recently set up shop in Lutz, he brought together three businesses offering a broad array of computer services.

The storefront at 18125 N. US 41, Suite 101, is the new home for Aware Media, TechGuyToGo and Tampa Technology Training.

Aware Media Marketing focuses on design work, ranging from business cards to website design. Sawyer had that business before he opened his new storefront.

Michael Sawyer works at his computer in his new storefront in Lutz, which has three computer businesses under one roof. (Photo by B.C. Manion)

He added TechGuyToGo to bring consumers into the shop for computer repairs, as well as repairs to the screens on their hand-held devices and computers. Sawyer also offers business services and technical training.

He launched Tampa Technology Training to provide courses for those wanting to improve their computer skills. Sawyer wants to share his knowledge with students, whether they are seeking a job, want to handle new responsibilities, or are interested in engaging in creative pursuits.

A part-time teacher at Hillsborough Community College, Sawyer said he’s excited about launching his training center because he wants to create an educational environment he believes will help students thrive.

“This is a small class. I have eight seats,” said Sawyer, who also previously taught at Aparicio-Levy Technical Center in Hillsborough County. “I might go to 10 eventually, but at the end of the day, it’s going to be a small-class environment. I just think the dynamics of the whole class changes, when you have that small classroom size.”

Personal interaction is helpful in computer courses because students arriving at class often come with wide-ranging levels of experience, he said.

“You have people who think they know, and they don’t. And, you have people who have no clue,” Sawyer said.

When people lack experience, they tend to be tentative, Sawyer said.

“You have to break down some of that intimidation. You have to make sure there are some steps for people to follow,” he said.

Small classes encourage greater collaboration in the learning process, Sawyer said.

“I think it makes people feel more comfortable because they’re not afraid about asking a question because they’re not holding up 29 people,” Sawyer said.

He plans to offer a wide array of courses, including those for people who want to get a better job, but may not be so strong with their computer skills. Sawyer will also offer classes for those looking to get into Web design.

He also plans to provide corporate training classes, as well as classes focused on desktop publishing. Training will be geared toward preparing students to obtain certification.

Because it is his own business, Sawyer said he is able to offer classes when he wants, usually around his HCC teaching schedule. However, he is planning to survey students to find out when they would like classes to be offered.

Sawyer moved to Lutz about a year and a half ago because he was attracted by the community’s natural beauty and quiet nature, he said. He chose to locate his storefront on US 41 because the busy highway that bisects the community brings thousands of cars past his business each day.

The location is also about midway between computer repair shops to the north and south, Sawyer said.

To learn more about Mike Sawyer’s businesses, visit:

www.awaremediamarketing.com

www.TampaTechnologyTraining.com

www.TechGuyToGo.com

Local schools add 1,000 students to rolls

August 28, 2013 By Michael Hinman

More students are walking through the front doors of area schools as communities in Pasco County continue to grow.

The 39 schools in east and central Pasco County added 1,000 students since this time last year, according to population numbers released by Pasco County Schools. On average, the student population growth in east and central Pasco would be equivalent to adding a classroom per school. The additional students bring the total public school population to 30,800 — a 3.4 percent increase.

Samantha Touriello, an incoming fifth-grader at Connerton Elementary School, gets some reassurance from principal Aimee Boltze while her mother Jessica Cottrell looks on during the first day of school last week. Samantha was able to wipe away her tears, and make her way to her new classroom. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

“We’re not exactly sure where they are coming from as we haven’t had a chance to analyze it just yet,” said Christopher Williams, director for planning services at Pasco County Schools. “There are certainly some new houses being built, but I’m not sure how much of that has impacted the schools.”

The biggest student population jumps came in Wesley Chapel, where Watergrass and Wesley Chapel elementary schools added 382 students, many of them coming from Quail Hollow Elementary School, which is closed this year for renovations. Both schools already taught more than a combined total of 1,000 students, but this year are operating with 1,438 — a 36 percent jump.

Also on the rise is Wesley Chapel High School, adding 206 students from this time last year, and increasing its student body by nearly 16 percent. Wiregrass Ranch High School was not far behind, adding 159 students to cross the 2,000 mark with an 8 percent jump.

“The Wesley Chapel and (SR) 54 corridor is where we’re seeing the most growth,” Williams said, adding there are still serious overcrowding issues at schools like Seven Oaks Elementary, Long Middle and Wiregrass Ranch.

And it will be that way, at least for the near future.

“We don’t have much of a budget for new schools, other than having enough money to build a new elementary school, in the next five years,” he said. “In the meantime, we’re doing what we can to help these schools.”

Local invention vying for spot on Walmart store shelves

August 28, 2013 By Michael Hinman

Time is running out for two local medical professionals to get their invention on the shelves of Walmart stores across the country. And they need your help.

BariBowl is an innovative portion control food container developed by Land O’ Lakes-based physician assistant Dezi Zevin and bariatric surgeon Dr. Tiffany Jessee. It’s designed to help anyone managing their nutritional intake for a healthy life, and it’s quickly advancing through Walmart’s “Get it on the Shelf” contest.

Dezi Zevin, a physician assistant based in Land O’ Lakes, shows off the BariBowl, a product she co-created with bariatric surgeon Dr. Tiffany Jessee. The two are in the final stages of getting their invention on the shelves of Walmart through the “Get it on the Shelf” competition. (Photo by Michael Hinman)

BariBowl uses two 4-ounce dishes that can be subdivided right down to 1-ounce portions. It seems simple enough, and Zevin said she was surprised no one else had thought of it before.

“Dr. Jessee does weight-loss surgery, and I was her PA, and we talked about whether there was anything out there that would help patients keep track of their eating after surgery,” Zevin said. “I went home and researched it, and I found nothing. So she said we should come up with something.”

That was 2010, and later that year, both had created a company — BariWare LLC —and had a working prototype going. By 2011, they were manufacturing the BariBowl from a facility in Clearwater. The bowls come in pink, blue and green, and are both microwave and dishwasher safe.

So far, marketing and sales efforts for the BariBowl — which retails at about $20 — have been focused on doctor’s offices, especially those specializing in bariatric surgery. However, the product has a wide range of uses that go beyond that, whether it’s someone managing diabetes, trying to lose weight, and even body builders and athletes.

“I use this for my kids instead of going through the drive-thru at McDonald’s,” Zevin said. “I prepare their meals in the morning, and can use it throughout the day.”

Zevin says she can pack lunch for her kids, and then have a second one ready at the end of the day when she picks them up and takes them to soccer.

Since the product launched, sales have doubled year-over-year. Yet, getting into Walmart could push those numbers right through the roof. For that to happen, it’s going to take votes, however.

Walmart’s “Get on the Shelf” contest features a number of products evaluated by the store’s management staff, and then put up for a public vote to see what consumers might be interested in. The BariBowl was part of the contest last year, but did not advance. And with voting running through Sept. 2, Zevin and Jessee are hoping for a much different result this time.

And even if they do succeed and turn the BariBowl into a booming business, neither plans to give up their day job.

“It would be like a dream come true, and it would be a game changer for both our lives,” said Jessee, who was Florida’s first female bariatric surgeon. “We don’t have the financial ability to do much advertising, so to walk into a store and see your product on a shelf for a national chain, that is just unbelievable.”

Extra profits would be reinvested back into the company, Zevin said, to help them expand the BariBowl line to other complementary products. That could include a larger bowl for those who have to eat more but still want to portion food.

To vote for the BariBowl in the Walmart “Get on the Shelf” competition, visit tinyurl.com/nxsygt7.

Can’t afford training? There may be a grant for that

August 28, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Businesses have to overcome many obstacles to find success, but the Pasco-Hernando Workforce Board wants to remind them they are not alone.

The board, which administers local workforce development and welfare reform programs, is connecting businesses in Pasco and Hernando counties with grants that can be used to help employees learn new skills or can provide on-the-job training for new hires. The grants are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis until the money runs out.

“We put the word out to everybody,” said Ana Segovia, a business services consultant for the workforce board. “It’s set up to help the local employers for what their needs are.”

For example, someone has worked at a company for five years gets promoted and now has to work with different software, Segovia said. The employee may need training to handle their new responsibilities.

Or maybe the company has a new bottling line, and its staff needs to learn how to work it. Training dollars may be available to help meet that need, she said.

Under the Employed Worker Training grant program, companies can seek reimbursement of 50 percent to help employees upgrade their skills. But they must meet specific requirements. These grants seek to help companies perform well, with the increased skills of their workforce leading to greater success, which is good for the overall economy, Segovia said.

To receive reimbursement, the training must meet industry-recognized standards, Segovia said. But the process is simple, especially if companies consider all of their training needs for a year and then put together a single application.

There are some restrictions, however. For instance, a company can be eligible for a grant two years in a row, but it cannot receive reimbursement for training involving the same employee year after year, Segovia said.

People are sometimes intimidated by the paperwork, but they shouldn’t be.

“The paperwork we’re talking about initially for your employer to fill out is six pages,” said Nathan Stevens, who also is a business services consultant for the workforce board. “It’s free money. You would think people would be standing in line. Why wouldn’t you come and try to get it?”
Companies can apply for any amount they’d like, and the application will be considered.

“If there’s money available, and there’s justification for this amount, they may be able to get it,” Stevens said.

On another front, there’s also funding available through an on-the-job grant program. The company can receive up to 50 percent of a new employee’s wages for up to 12 weeks through the program.

The arrangement must be pre-approved, the employer must document the training plan and the employee must be a new hire and cannot be a relative, Segovia said.

Some companies use on-the-job training because they want to mold their employees to complete the work the way they want it to be done, Segovia said.

For more information about either of these programs, go to www.CareerCentral.jobs. Click on the Job Seekers tab to find out more about on-the-job training, and click on the employers tab to find out more about the Employed Worker Training program.

Pasco motorists could pay a nickel more at the pump

August 28, 2013 By B.C. Manion

People living, working or traveling through Pasco County will pay 5 cents more per gallon of gasoline beginning Jan. 1, if a proposed tax hike is approved by the Pasco County Commission.

The increase will help the county do a better job of filling potholes, tending landscapes, grading dirt roads and maintaining the county’s roads, officials said.

Commissioners are expected to vote on the issue on Sept. 10. But two commissioners already have spoke in favor of a higher gas tax.

Filling up in Pasco County could be getting more expensive soon to help pay for road maintenance projects. (File photo)

Ted Schrader and Pat Mulieri supported a potential gas tax increase during a commission workshop last week. Schrader said county staff members made a solid case for it.

“This is not a ‘wants’ plan, it’s a ‘needs’ plan,” Schrader said.

“This is an extremely important issue,” Mulieri said. Additional funds are needed because Pasco is a different place than it used to be. “It’s not your grandfather’s Pasco.”

The county’s current gas tax is 7 cents a gallon and the proposed tax would take it to 12 cents a gallon, which is the maximum level.

Commissioner Henry Wilson asked if the county could set the tax so that it would automatically expire in 10 years. Such a tax might be more acceptable to some people if they knew it was only temporary, he said.

County Administrator Michele Baker said that was possible. But if commissioners do move forward with an increase, the county’s proposed budget — already under consideration by the commissioners — would need changes.

Either way, the county must find a way to address its needs, Baker said.

“Our infrastructure is aging and falling apart,” Baker said. “This is a national problem.”

As the federal and state governments grapple with finding ways to repair their roads and bridges, it is unlikely that the county will receive additional funding to address local needs, Baker said.

“If we want to improve the infrastructure in Pasco County, it’s on us,” she said.

Baker also noted there’s a direct link between the quality of the community’s infrastructure and its property values. It affects not only current property owners, but also affects the county’s ability to attract new businesses.

Schrader agreed. “People, when they come here to look — that’s what they’re looking for, is the appearance.”

“Curb appeal, literally,” added Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

The county has been waging a losing battle in its quest to maintain its roads and landscaping because of deep budget and staffing cuts, Baker said. The road and bridge department has lost a third of its budget since 2008, going from $8.9 million to $6.3 million. Its staff has been reduced from 90 employees down to 40, and at the same time, the county has added 240 lane-miles of new road.

“You have 50 less people to grade roads, mow right-of-way, do landscaping, fill potholes, put up signs, trim trees,” Schrader said.

Public Works director Mike Garrett told commissioners that the county’s response times for maintenance needs have lengthened because of staff and budget cuts. That

Situation, he said, will only grow worse without additional funds.

If the proposed increase is adopted, the 5-cent increase would generate $6 million the first year and $8.1 million per year thereafter. The first year is less because the tax would only be in effect for nine months of the fiscal year.

Hot cars and spicy chili coming soon to Lutz

August 28, 2013 By B.C. Manion

Organizers of the Lutz Centennial Cars & Chili event hope that classic and exotic car lovers will want to show off their vehicles at the Nov. 2 event. (Photo courtesy of Bob Moore)

Chili aficionados and classic car buffs can compete for bragging rights on Nov. 2 at the Lutz Centennial Cars & Chili event.

The event is one in a series of celebrations this year to mark the 100th anniversary of Lutz, which has a rich history of bringing people together for community gatherings.

“The main thing I’m hoping for is a good day,” said Bob Moore, chairman of the centennial committee. “What I’m trying to do is involve people from Lutz. I know there are a lot of people in Lutz that have classic cars.”

Car buffs and motorcycle enthusiasts are encouraged to take part in the show, which will feature classic cars, exotic cars and motorcycles.

“Come show off your Harleys,” Moore said.

The chili cook-off will have two categories: Families and individuals will compete in one, and clubs and organizations will square off in the other.

Steve Otto, a widely known columnist for The Tampa Tribune, has vast experience in judging chili contests and will lead the team judging this cook-off.

Suzin Carr, the honorary Guv’na of Lutz, will also get to choose her favorite chili.

Centennial Committee member Janet Hardy said the committee wants to put the word out early, to encourage people to take part. The deadline for registration to compete in the cook-off is 5 p.m. on Oct. 25, and there is a $25 team entry fee.

She hopes chili cooks will pull out their deep pots, long-handled ladles and special recipes to test their skills against other chili lovers. She also hopes that they’ll show off their team spirit, because organizers are trying to promote good old-fashioned fun.

The idea, she said, “is just to celebrate the fact that Lutz is a great place.”

Chili cook-off teams can consist of one chef and two assistants. The chili must be cooked on-site. Since there’s no electricity, teams must provide their own LP-gas cooking appliance. They must also supply their own ingredients and cooking utensils.

Patrons will be able to purchase official centennial chili cups for $5 each, which they can carry around from team to team to sample different kinds of chili. The tastings will begin at noon and will end when the chili runs out, or at 2 p.m.

The celebration will be on the grounds between the old train depot and the Lutz Community Center, between US 41 and the Lutz Branch Library.

To find out more about the chili cook-off, email . To learn more about the car show, email .

Local woman sees world through new lens

August 21, 2013 By Michael Hinman

For two years, longtime Lutz resident Linda Reynolds found her home in a country whose population is about the size of Hillsborough and Pinellas counties put together.

The Republic of Macedonia, formed in the early 1990s following the breakup of Yugoslavia, was never a place Reynolds thought she’d ever found herself in. But that trip changed her life.

Linda Reynolds makes her way across a rickety bridge not far from her host family’s house in the Kratovo area of Macedonia. Reynolds, a 34-year resident of Lutz, served two years in the Peace Corps. (Photo courtesy of Linda Reynolds)

“I was a business manager, and one of the original employees of Transitions Optical back in 1992,” Reynolds said. “I helped to grow the business from a very small company to a worldwide leader in optical lenses.”

But after 18 years on the job, Reynolds knew it was time for something different. It was exactly when she found the Peace Corps.

“It’s something that I wanted to do ever since I was a child,” said Reynolds, who turned 57 last weekend. “I truly believe that the way the world gets to be a better place is by people connecting, and I think the Peace Corps is a fabulous way to serve the country.”

It takes a village
After a lengthy application process and extensive training, Reynolds found herself on a plane to Eastern Europe in 2011. While traditional Peace Corps jobs are thought of as doctors and language teachers, Reynolds was taking a different path: community and business development.

She set up shop in Kriva Palanka, a small town in the northeastern part of Macedonia, not far from the Bulgaria border where more than 14,000 people live. Reynolds connected with community leaders there to find out what the small town needed, and how she could make a difference.

One of her first targets was a fire station that probably hadn’t been touched since the 1950s, Reynolds said. It was in desperate need of renovation, so with the help of a $4,000 grant she obtained, Reynolds worked with the firefighters to spruce up the place.

“I got board, and they made cabinets,” she said, “I got PVC pipe, and they built a bathroom. I bought laminate floor, and they laid it. At the end of all of it, these firefighters had a professional place to work and to live, and every single firefighter contributed their time to make it happen.”

Even more, Reynolds was able to gel a team of loosely affiliated firefighters separated by political and other social differences.

“We are just talking about 13 firefighters, but this project turned them into a real team,” Reynolds said.

The right stuff
Peace Corps volunteers like Reynolds are really diehard individuals, said Alethea Parker, public affairs specialist for Peace Corps in Atlanta.

“It’s a large commitment to be away from your family and friends for two years,” she said. “But from our perspective, it’s very rewarding and impactful … and it is important work.”

The only requirements to become a Peace Corps volunteer are being at least 18 years old, and a U.S. citizen. But getting selected, that is a much more daunting process.

“Our application process is quite competitive,” Parker said. “Most of our programs do require at least a bachelor’s degree, and we are typically looking at several years of full-time professional work experience.”

But the number of applications doesn’t mean the Peace Corps isn’t in need of good candidates. With a little more than 8,000 slots available around the world and an annual budget about the size of an oil company’s daily profits, the Peace Corps must be very selective. That means background checks, physicals, and various tests to determine what kind of skillsets an applicant has.

Yet, being a Peace Corps volunteer has its advantages beyond just helping out overseas. Medical expenses are covered at 100 percent, and a decent stipend is offered to cover day-to-day living expenses.

“I served in Cameroon, and my stipend there was $230 a month,” Parker said. “That was a pretty good salary for where I was, and as long as you live a modest lifestyle, that kind of money can cover a lot.”

Life back home
Reynolds had a small apartment in Kriva Palanka where she adopted two cats — not a very common pet in that part of the world.

“People thought it was very, very odd that I had cats in my apartment,” Reynolds said. “There, cats are outside animals. So it was very hard to go to the supermarket in my little town and find the supplies I was looking for to take care of my cats.”

Reynolds has only been back in the United States for about four months, and after 34 years living in Lutz, has now settled in Atlanta closer to her children. Reynolds hasn’t quite decided what she wants to do with her life now that she’s back, but she’s definitely a much different person than when she left two years ago.

“I find myself less frantic,” she said. “I don’t have a job, but I’m not frantic about it. It’s too early for me to retire, and I’m too old to start a new career. But I would like to find something that will allow me to contribute to something in a meaningful way.

“I’m just trying to get my sea legs back and not rush into anything. And I’m fortunate that I don’t have to.”

The Peace Corps currently has 36 volunteers from the Tampa Bay area serving overseas, and more than 850 volunteers from the region have participated since President John F. Kennedy founded the program in 1961.

Right now, however, the Peace Corps needs 1,000 volunteers, and it is recruiting now. Details can be found online at www.PeaceCorps.gov.

“If a young person from any community could go and spend time in a village some place in the world and come back to use everything they learned, we would be a better country as leaders,” Reynolds said. “We would definitely have a more worldly viewpoint that would make us more sensitive in our roles as leaders of the world.”

Pasco adds new virtual school, while state sees its operations suffer

August 21, 2013 By Michael Hinman

They didn’t like it, but the Pasco County School Board earlier this month approved the application of a virtual charter school that was once under state investigation.

In a 3-1 vote, with Alison Crumbley dissenting, the board allowed the Southwest Florida Virtual Charter Board to open a virtual charter school in Pasco County — as long as the school meets stringent quality guidelines.

Science teacher Stephanie Carter prepares to give a virtual class through her laptop and tablet computer setup as part of the first day of school for Pasco eSchool last year. Joining Carter are, from left, Chinese language teacher Kim Giorgio, English and language arts teacher Heather Kline, and music and physical education teacher Kristi Duffy. (Photo courtesy of Pasco eSchool)

It turned a rather significant page in the evolution of virtual education with the expansion of such services in the county. But then the landscape shifted significantly when the state-run Florida Virtual School announced massive layoffs after an enrollment drop and changes to how the state funds it.

The future of educating students no matter where they are is at a precipice, and virtual education must find a way to not only survive, but thrive, says Pasco eSchool principal Joanne Glenn.

“It’s a great choice option for a variety of families in a variety of circumstances,” Glenn said.

Virtual schools are typically done through a computer and Internet connection, and were designed for students who were geographically challenged to get specific coursework from a bricks and mortar operation. Today, however, these types of schools are being used more and more by students looking to supplement what they’re already doing in an actual school classroom.

“Students in kind of a traditional setting began to supplement their instruction through virtual schools,” Glenn said. “They can take courses to recover credits, or even take courses that can accelerate their workload, to help them complete graduation requirements in their off time, so they can free up space to do a dual enrollment court or advanced placement.”

Pasco started its eSchool in 2009, and last year serviced 5,500 semester courses for 2,300 students. And that’s just for middle school and high school. The elementary eSchool has about 100 students — a smaller number because it requires not only the regular involvement of the student and teacher, but a parent as well.

Although interest in virtual schools continues to grow each year, the charter operation offered by the Southwest Florida Virtual Charter Board was met with so much skepticism from the board when it was first introduced last spring that they denied the request.

Southwest Florida Virtual appealed that decision to Florida’s Department of Education, prompting school board members to reconsider without risking a lengthy legal battle.

An investigation concluded Southwest Florida Virtual hired only certified teachers in Seminole County, but concerns remain.

“Student achievement, or the lack thereof, is something we are very worried about,” said Nancy Scowcroft, supervisor of charter schools for Pasco County. “Their school grades are not being posted on the Department of Education’s website, which means they are appealing. I don’t know what these scores look like, but apparently they are not where they want to be.”

The county maintains oversight of charter schools to make sure they are meeting specific criteria. With bricks and mortar schools, it means just traveling to different parts of the county when needed. However, to see what’s happening with Florida Virtual Academy of Pasco County, as this new school will be called, it will require regular trips to Daytona Beach.

“That means spending more money just to keep an eye on everything,” Scowcroft said.

Jeff Kwitowski, a spokesman for Virginia-based K12 Inc., which calls itself the “vendor” for the charter school operations in Florida, points to the fact that the previous claims against the school were unsubstantiated. And even if there was an issue of teachers lacking certification for their particular subject matter, it’s not against the law.

The state department of education reports more than 8,700 teachers in Florida’s schools are teaching courses outside their subject certification, Kwitowski said in a statement. He added that Seminole County, which made the complaint, admitted to having 100 teachers without proper certification in the 2011-12 school year alone.

“K12 had only three teachers whose certifications were ‘out-of-field,’ and they were quickly corrected,” Kwitowski said.

Some of the demand for virtual schools will now be shared by both Florida Virtual Academy and Pasco eSchool. And that alone could very well create a strong future for this newer type of learning, eSchool principal Glenn said, especially since taking at least one virtual course is a graduation requirement for the Class of 2015.

“This is the way a lot of employers are delivering on-the-job training now and professional development, and it’s also something that is happening more and more in post-secondary schools, colleges and universities,” Glenn said. “This gives all of our students a chance to have that first experience in a supported environment. So once they get out there in the real world, they’ll be ready.”