The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
Proud to be independently owned.

Joanne Glenn

School district adapts to distance learning

By

While parents suddenly found themselves thrust into the role of being frontline teachers, educators in Pasco and Hillsborough counties also found themselves making a big shift when the state ordered school campuses to be closed.

The order is in effect until April 30, and as press time for The Laker/Lutz News it remained unclear whether that will be extended.

During a virtual Pasco County School Board meeting on April 7, district officials discussed how county schools made the switch to online learning.

Superintendent Kurt Browning told the audience viewing the meeting, “When this thing hit, I remember our first meeting in the superintendent’s conference room. We were all a little shell-shocked by the fact that school was going to be closed for an additional week after Spring Break.”

But, district staff stepped up, and by the time the shift was made, the district was well-poised to make the shift.

He credited Joanne Glenn and her eSchool team for the guidance and encouragement they provided to district teachers.

“Our brick-and-mortars classroom teachers, for a large part, most part, have never done virtual education before,” he said. But, once they received the training that the district’s Office of Leading and Learning and the eSchool staff put together, he said, “a lot of the angst disappeared.”

The district also distributed about 17,000 devices to families needing them, including roughly 9,000 for elementary school students and about 8,000 for secondary school students, said Assistant Superintendent Kevin Shibley. A small number of devices were still in the process of being provided for families.

Don Peace, president of the United School Employees of Pasco, complimented the district’s handling of the transition of shifting from direct to distance instruction.

“As we work in our second week of distance learning, I want to recognize our district superintendent and staff for having a Plan B in place,” Peace said.

“A special thanks goes out to Joanne Glenn and the wonderful group of eSchool employees who have willingly served as resources to those in need of help, during this transition period,” he said.

“I also want to thank you for how you are handling the thousands of ‘new teachers’ in our district, by that I mean, the parents, grandparents and guardians who have suddenly been thrust into the role of teacher. They are now the first people asked to help with questions or concerns when students struggle.

“I know in my grandson’s case, resources, tutorials and updates are going out constantly to provide information and reassurance in these situations.

“I would urge all of us to be caring and compassionate when dealing with student and parent concerns,” Peace said.

School board chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin expressed gratitude on behalf of the board for the district’s leadership and extra efforts made by teachers and staff.

“The last several weeks, everyone has been thrust into new ways of teaching and learning, and doing the work that supports that learning,” she said.

“On behalf of the board, we are very grateful to everyone who has worked so hard to make sure our students will continue to have learning opportunities and to have food in their homes.

“Thank you to the district staff who worked through the entire Spring Break getting things put into place.

“Thank you to Mrs. Glenn and the eSchool staff who have been supporting the teachers across the district, 24/7, answering questions and troubleshooting.

“Thank you to our communications team for pushing out all of the information, in multiple formats.

“Thank you to the teachers who have had to make this difficult transition to distance learning in such a short time. I have seen you collaborating and problem-solving at all hours to help our students and families.

“Thank you to the students for doing your work, even when it can be difficult to log on and while you are experiencing stressful life circumstances.

“Thank you to the parents for extending grace. We appreciate your patience as we work through some bumps in the road.

“I am confident that this district and our community will get through this and our students will continue to make academic progress,” Beaudoin said.

Assistant Superintendent Betsy Kuhn also expressed appreciation to district staff for pulling together to ensure that meals could be delivered to students who depend on school meals as their only reliable source of food.

The district delivered food to 27 sites and 16 bus stops.

“This was our second week of doing the once-a-week on Tuesdays, where we give out 10 meals to each child who comes through the line,” Kuhn said.

“The unofficial number for today is that served over 121,000. That does not include our bus stops. Those are still being calculated.

“What that means is that we served over 12,000 children in our community. That is up 8,000 served last week. And, the first week we served, March 23, we served about 5,500 students per day.

“This would not be possible without the support and very hard work of FNS (Food and Nutrition Services) and transportation, after school enrichment programs and maintenance,” Kuhn said. Kuhn also gave kudos to human resources for helping to coordinate and schedule 200 volunteers that stepped up to help.

Browning said he’s incredibly proud of district employees.

“We could not be where we are today without everyone in this district pulling together and doing what’s right for our kids,” the superintendent said.

Published April 15, 2020

Principal of the year is surprised by honor

By

Principal JoAnne Glenn and her staff were conducting a training seminar — when Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning and an entourage cruised into the room with flowers, balloons, a cookie cake and an announcement.

The superintendent offered Glenn hearty congratulations, as he announced she was the district’s principal of the year.

School Board Chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin gave Glenn a big hug. The principal’s husband, Scott, looked on with pride, and the room full of educators broke out in applause.

Pasco County School Board Chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin gives JoAnne Glenn a big hug, after Glenn learns she’s been named Pasco County’s Principal of the Year. Glenn and Beaudoin have been friends since their teaching days at King High School in Tampa. (B.C. Manion)

Glenn, principal of Pasco eSchool, was obviously pleased — and surprised — by the news.

It’s not, however, the first unexpected development in her career.

Indeed, she didn’t set out to become an educator.

When she went off to college at the University of Florida, Glenn had her sights set on the field of engineering.

But, some internships and other experiences made her realize that wasn’t the right path for her.

So, she shifted gears.

She’d already earned enough credits to pursue a degree in mathematics, so she decided to do that.

She recalled volunteering as a math tutor in high school.

“I remembered the advisor at one point saying to me, ‘Have you considered being a teacher?’”

“I kind of laughed it off at the time,” Glenn said.

In switching majors, she got some pushback.

“I announced that idea to my family and they were not super excited about it,” Glenn said.

She thinks her dad — who retired from the Air Force after 22 years and became a high school ROTC instructor — had noticed a changing of attitudes toward educators and teaching, in general.

He had reservations about supporting his daughter’s plan.

“So, we went through a rough period, honestly, when every time I came home, we argued about that decision — my dad encouraging me to think about it a little bit more,” Glenn said.

“My mom had to kind of take him aside and say, ‘If you and she argue every time she comes home, she’s just going to stop coming home. She’s stubborn and she’s going to do it. You need to let her do it and see where it takes her.’”

An entire room of educators erupted in applause when JoAnne Glenn, principal of Pasco eSchool, was named Pasco County’s Principal of the Year.

As it turns out, education was precisely the right path for Glenn.

“I’ll tell you, I haven’t regretted it for even a moment. It absolutely was a great fit for me as a career,” she said.

After college, she applied to five school districts and landed a job at King High School, as a math teacher in its traditional program.

That’s where she met Beaudoin, another math teacher there.

The two became friends, and have kept in touch.

Glenn left King High School to become the mathematics department chairwoman at new Wharton High School. Beaudoin came along with her.

Opening a new school and helping to establish its culture is an experience Glenn wishes every educator could have.

Next, she taught in what was then Hillsborough’s County virtual program, before leaving the district in 2006 to join Pasco County Schools as an assistant principal at Mitchell High.

She worked briefly at Land O’ Lakes High, too, before being selected in 2009 to become the inaugural principal of the district’s new Pasco eSchool.

A decade later, Glenn remains in that role. Along the way, the school and members of its staff have been recognized across the state and nationally for outstanding performance.

Located in Trinity, Pasco eSchool is not like a traditional school.

For one thing, its students come from across Pasco County, and throughout Florida.

It has 450 full-time students and 9,800 students taking at least one online class. Over the course of last school year, it served 17,800 students.

This principal enjoys a good challenge
As the school differs from traditional schools, so does the role of the principal, Glenn said.

The job requires collaborating with district staff, and school administrators.

Glenn said much of her success stems from the backing she receives from others.

She said former Superintendent Heather Fiorentino and current Superintendent Browning, and their leadership teams, have been very supportive.

“Even if they haven’t known necessarily how to solve the problem, or what next step I should take, they have 100% been in favor of me making what I felt was the best decision for our school and for our district,” Glenn said.

“That’s not just the superintendent or his assistants. It’s the directors of our departments. It’s the principals at other schools, who again, are willing to really sit down and really talk through problems and challenges, and keep an open mind with a focus on what’s best for kids.

“That has honestly allowed me to grow professionally, encouraged our school to take off and to try new things — and not be afraid and paralyzed that something is not going to work perfectly the first time out,” Glenn said.

Being willing to explore new avenues seems to be part of Glenn’s DNA.

“I’ve not really ever had an aversion to trying something new or something challenging.

“When I see a need, my instinct is to move toward whatever that situation or challenge is.

“I’ve had that personality quirk that when somebody puts something out there that I haven’t considered, I don’t say, ‘No, that’s too crazy.’ I’ll say, ‘You know, maybe — that’s something I haven’t tried before, I’m willing to give it a go’,” she said.

Glenn said she has worked to build a climate “that isn’t so focused on perfection, but is focused on getting better every time. I think that has really helped all of us to get better, to refine our process.”

That provides an atmosphere in which people who are struggling aren’t afraid to say: “Hey, this is not working and I am not sure what to do next,” she said.

As a leader of a school that relies on technology, it’s essential to stay abreast of new tools, Glenn said.

She calls her learning design coaches the “Lewis & Clark” of the school.

“They spend a lot of time reading, looking at different technologies, testing and vetting different things,” she said.

And, because they are on the forefront of change, what they learn can sometimes be helpful to colleagues across the district.

They can help others avoid potential pitfalls, and help them to manage through the “pain points” when making a shift to a new system, she said.

While delighted to be chosen as the principal of the year, Glenn was caught off guard by the honor.

“It’s a little bit hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that I received this recognition,” the principal said, during a follow-up interview. “There are so many great leaders here in Pasco.”

As a nominee for Florida Principal of the Year competition, Glenn plans to do her best “to represent the excellent leaders we have in our schools.”

Published December 04, 2019

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

By

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)
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.”