Puppies help curb exam stress
Saint Leo University’s Counseling Services offers ‘Puppies and Pizza’ twice a semester to offer stress-reducing effects to students during midterms and finals. Pet therapy can help lower blood pressure, releasing endorphins, which have a calming effect and can diminish physical pain. The event also lets the students know about the free and confidential counseling services should they need further assistance. At a recent event, Saint Leo student Michael Aldridge grabbed a slice a pizza and petted Lou (a Shih Tzu-Chihuahua mix), owned by Mary Eversmann.
Elementary school choice
The Pasco Pathways application window for elementary schools opened Jan. 8, and parents can apply through Jan. 18.
This will be the only opportunity for 2019-2020 elementary school students to apply.
- Parents must have or set up a myStudent account, which will be used to complete school choice applications.
- Families may enter up to three choices per child, and must be willing to accept any one of the options chosen. The system will offer enrollment only once per child.
- To view the Pasco Pathways catalog of programs, visit Pasco.k13.fl.us/school_choice_catalog/catalog.
School-related personnel of the year
Katie Jeffcott, resource management associate at R.B. Stewart Middle School in Zephyrhills, was named Pasco County Schools SRP of the Year.
Jeffcott started her career with Pasco County Schools nine years ago as a food and nutrition assistant at John Long Middle School.
She has been at Stewart Middle for the last six years. Her primary responsibilities include all the inventory, distribution, maintenance and repair of the school’s technology.
Jeffcott also coaches cheerleading, boys and girls soccer, and track.
She volunteers at Stewart Middle, outside her coaching responsibilities, with the National Junior Honor Society, dances, and fundraising for school and community projects.
Jeffcott serves on several school committees, and has created and coordinated several programs, including alternative field day, intensive math rewards, carnivals, spirit week, pep rallies and book fairs.
The school district will nominate her for the Florida SRP of the Year.
Academy’s culture of kindness
The Hillel Academy staff and students created a Culture of Chesed (Kindness), through a strategic plan and curriculum created by a team of educators.
Throughout the school, value words like ‘Truthfulness’ adorn the doors and hallways as reminders to students about the virtue of the week. Teachers and students discuss virtues in class.
As part of the ‘kindness’ culture each month, students and staff collect goods for charities or groups in need, as part of its Tzedakah (Charity) Project. The year started off by collecting for Joshua House.
Last October, hundreds of pacifiers were collected for infants at St. Joseph Hospital, via Emmi Grace’s Angels; and in November, Panama City’s Holy Nativity Episcopal School, devastated by the impact of Hurricane Michael, received donations.
Students have been very receptive to the idea, said Allison Oakes, head of school, in a release.
Oakes explained that the students are there for one another and are understanding that doing good for others is what’s right.
“Learning this life lesson is an important part of our school culture as a whole,” Oakes said.
Hillel Academy is at 2020 W. Fletcher Ave., in Tampa, and can be reached at (813) 963-2242.
Step Up program benefits from donation
Globe Life made a $25,000 contribution to the Step Up For Students Scholarship Program for the 2018-2019 school year.
This is the first time Globe Life has supported the program.
The company’s donation funded three K-12 scholarships to help lower-income children attend schools that best meet their learning needs.
Step Up For Students is a nonprofit organization that helps manage the income-based Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program.
Grant funds summer institute
The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay approved $40,000 in grant funds for Pasco County Schools, for a project that seeks to improve teacher and leader professional learning with the goal of greater student outcomes.
The grant will be used to plan and develop training materials for the 2019 Pasco Standards Summer Institute.
The institute will take place while schools are closed, so teachers can attend and begin to embed their deeper learning into their planning for the 2019-2020 school year.
