Fine arts grants awarded
First National Bank of Pasco (FNBP) awarded six Pasco County schools with fine arts classroom grants for the third quarter of the 2021 school year.
ArtsFirst is a public-private collaboration between the school district and the bank, where grant applications are submitted by Pasco fine arts teachers and awarded by FNBP based upon the grant’s likelihood of improving student achievement and opportunity.
Most grant requests were made in an effort to purchase supplies to assist with COVID-19 precautions, once classrooms reopened.
Grants were requested for various items, including folding chairs (so students could go outside in the open air), bags of clay, individual art kits, new music scores, communication tools, and mini electric pianos and headphones.
The schools receiving ArtsFirst grants were Anclote Elementary School, Land O’ Lakes High, Pasco High, Quail Hollow Elementary, San Antonio Elementary and Wiregrass Ranch High.
The challenges of learning fine arts online are numerous, and these grants help students return to school in a safe, productive and creative way.
Donation for Victory High
Victory High School received a $5,000 presented by Pilot Bank. The school is the first Recovery High School in Tampa Bay for students ages 14 to 19 seeing recovery from addictions. From left: Eileen Bedinghaus, Florida Recovery Schools of Tampa Bay Board of Directors chair; Tina Levine, Florida Recovery Schools founder and executive director; and Rita Lowman, Pilot Bank.
Writers retreat
Saint Leo University will host its eighth Sandhill Writers Retreat, virtually, on May 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., via Zoom.
The retreat is for writers of all experience levels, and sessions and workshops will cover a variety of topics, conducted by prominent writers.
Topics will include: Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, nature writing, writing for veterans, spoken word and performance, publishing, and creating literary community.
The complete program showing all classes, teacher biographies, and digital access to a local bookstore carrying titles from the workshop authors is available at SaintLeo.edu/sandhill-writers-retreat.
Fees are between $25 and $45, with additional charges for optional consultations or master classes.
Those attending the retreat and other members of the public also are invited to register to attend a free reading featuring veteran-author Brian Turner, of Orlando, on May 14 at 7 p.m., also via Zoom.
Fee adjustment review
Pasco-Hernando State College’s District Board of Trustees (DBOT) will meet on May 18 at 6 p.m., at the Spring Hill Campus, to consider the approval of proposed adjusted course-related fees.
Fee adjustment proposals are reviewed and approved for DBOT consideration by PHSC’s Council of Academic Affairs, a committee that includes representation by administrators, deans, academic department chairs, program directors, faculty and staff.
For details regarding the adjustments, justification for the fees and fee implementation details, visit Policies.phsc.edu/policies-and-procedures/public-disclosure.
Many fee adjustments relate to vendor increases for workforce courses, laboratories, and program testing.
Some fees may be covered by financial aid, scholarship and grants.
Questions or concerns about the proposed fees should be directed to the appropriate dean listed on the web page.
In-person graduations
Pasco County Schools will host in-person graduations in school stadiums, unless otherwise noted.
This year, each graduate will be allowed to have four guests — two guests to accompany the graduate on the field, and two seated in the bleachers.
“We know how important it is to the graduates to walk across the stage and receive their diploma in person. And we know how important it is to have family there to celebrate this once-in-a-lifetime experiences,” said Kurt Browning, Pasco superintendent of schools.
Here is a complete list of graduation dates and times for the schools in The Laker/Lutz news coverage area:
- May 26 at 6 p.m.: Marchman Technical College, at River Ridge High Performing Arts Center
- May 27 at 6 p.m.: Pasco eSchool, Idlewild Baptist Church
- June 1 at 6 p.m.: Wendell Krinn Technical High School, in the school’s gymnasium
- June 2 at 7 p.m.: Cypress Creek High School
- June 3 at 9 a.m.: Zephyrhills High School
- June 3 at 7 p.m.: Wiregrass Ranch High School
- June 4 at 7 p.m.: Land O’ Lakes High School
- June 4 at 7 p.m.: Wesley Chapel High School
- June 4 at 7:30 p.m.: Pasco High School
- June 5 at 9 a.m.: Sunlake High School
