The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
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School Choice

Pasco school choice expos going virtual

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Pasco County Schools is showcasing the district’s choice programs in two virtual events this year.

The goal is the same as it has been in years past — to inform families about the upcoming school choice application window and to highlight the innovative program options.

The Nov. 16 Virtual Pasco Pathways Expo, presented at 5 p.m., will be the east side program.

The Nov. 19 Virtual Pathways Expo, presented at 5 p.m., will be the west side program.

The events will feature informational sessions that cover the general application process.

In addition, many of Pasco County’s schools will showcase unique educational options like STEM and STEAM magnets, the Cambridge International Education Programme, International Baccalaureate, Career Pathways, and more.

Those in attendance will have the chance to learn about Wendell Krinn Technical High School, Pasco eSchool, and the soon-to-be open Starkey Ranch K-8.

The school choice application window will run from Jan. 7 to Jan. 21, for all schools and grade levels.

For information and to register to attend a virtual expo, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/expo.

Published November 11, 2020

Pasco County School Board approves $1.5 billion budget

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The Pasco County School Board has adopted a budget of more than $1.5 billion for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.

That’s an increase of more than $122 million over last year’s budget, Superintendent Kurt Browning said, during the board’s Sept. 15 meeting.

Browning outlined some key points about the budget.

It includes:

  • $704.3 million in the general operating budget
  • $401.4 million in the capital budget

The total tax millage is 5.922 mills, a decrease of .179 mills. Under the proposed rate, a homeowner of a $175,000 house, after the deduction of the $25,000 homestead, would pay $26.85 less per year than last year.

The general operating budget increased from $666.6 million to $704.3 million. The district received additional funds totaling $24.1 million in state funding.

Out of the $24.1 million:

  • $10.1 million is set aside for School Choice, that is charter schools and scholarships
  • $4.9 million for retirement increases
  • $1.3 million for insurance increases
  • $3.4 million for 68.91 personnel allocations for schools and 5.17 personnel allocations for the district
  • $1.2 million for the continuation of costs related to Project Rise, general paper and dual enrollment
  • $500,000 for property insurance, utilities and school resource officer contract increases

The operating budget includes costs for allocations and operating costs for Cypress Creek Middle School and the midyear opening of Starkey Ranch K-8.

The budget also includes $4.7 million to implement the teacher salary increase allocation. The district will use that allocation, along with funds from fiscal year 2019-2020, of $7.3 million for the Best and Brightest program, to increase the minimum base salary for full-time classroom teachers to approximately $45,000 per year.

The budget also includes raises of approximately 1.5% for all remaining staff.

The proposed capital budget of $401.4 million includes:

  • Construction of Starkey Ranch K-8 and Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation
  • Major renovations to Northwest Elementary and James M. Marlowe Elementary
  • Construction of a new bus loop at San Antonio Elementary School
  • Cafeteria renovations, replacement of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems and infrastructure upgrades at various schools
  • Lease-purchase computers and school buses
  • Completion of the remodeling of Zephyrhills High School

The budget does not reflect the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security, CARES funds, totaling more than $14.4 million, which is being used to pay for expenses related to COVID-19.

There was no public comment or board discussion about the budget, which was approved unanimously by the board.

Published September 23, 2020

Pasco has new process for school choice program

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Pasco County Schools adopted a new approach this year for its school choice program.

Now, the district has separate time frames for submission of secondary and elementary school choice applications.

People gathered at various booths at the Pasco Pathways Expo at Wesley Chapel High School, to learn more about Pasco County Schools’ educational options. (B.C. Manion)

Also, all school choice options including International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge, STEM, Collegiate High School and Wendell Krinn Technical High School have been combined into one time frame for secondary schools.

And, the school choice options for elementary schools, including International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge and STEAM also have been combined into one time frame.

The application window already has opened for choice applications for middle and high school students in Pasco County Schools, with a deadline of Dec. 14 for those applications. The parent acceptance period for those students is Feb. 5 through Feb. 15.

The choice application period for elementary school students will be Jan. 8 through Jan. 18. The parent acceptance period for those students will be Feb. 20 through March 1.

To help families understand the new process and their options, the district had two choice expos.

Parents streamed into an expo on Nov. 29 at Wesley Chapel High School, accompanied by children of all ages to check out their school choice options.

At various locations on campus, parents and their children could attend presentations on school choice programs, and in the school’s gym, they could stop by tables to talk to school representatives about programs being offered at their school.

A similar expo was held on Nov. 26 at  J.W. Mitchell High School in New Port Richey.

The east-side and west-side events, both billed as the Pasco Pathways Expo, were intended to be a convenient way to learn about the district’s programs and the application process.

Information about various programs available, how to make application and answers to frequently asked questions also are available on the district’s website, Pasco.k12.fl.us. (Look for the rotating banner at the top of the landing page labeled Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice, and click on the Learn More link below it).

Published December 12, 2018

Lutz families will have more middle school options

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Lutz, Maniscalco and Pizzo elementary schools will begin converting to pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade schools beginning this fall.

The change will start with each of the elementary schools adding sixth grade in the fall. The following year, seventh grade will be added, and the following year, eighth grade.

The idea is to make the transition gradually.

Students living in those attendance zones will have the option of attending their zoned middle school, or staying in their current schools, under the district’s School Choice option.

Lori Branham, Monique Helms, Remi Helms, Riley Silkworth, Bryce Henry, David Henry, Tammy Reale and Joshua Phillips stand in front of a photograph of Mary Maniscalco, for whom Maniscalco Elementary School is named. The Lutz school is transitioning to a pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade campus. It will begin by adding sixth grade there this fall. (B.C. Manion)

Priority will be given to students who currently reside within the school boundary, followed by students currently attending the school via the choice process, then students who live outside the boundary and are not currently enrolled at the school.

Applications are available at each school office or on the schools’ websites and will be accepted daily at the schools through March 23.

Each of the schools will be able to accommodate 110 sixth-graders.

Reaction to the new option has been positive, said Tammy Reale, principal at Maniscalco Elementary, and Lori Branham, principal at Lutz Elementary, during a joint interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

During the interview, parents and students from Maniscalco Elementary, 939 Debuel Road, expressed positive feedback about the plan.

Monique Helms, who lives in Carrollwood, said her daughter, Remi, already attends Maniscalco through School Choice.

A lot of kids from Kiddie Campus University (KCU) attend Maniscalco, Helms explained.

She’s delighted that Remi will be able to stay at Maniscalco for middle school.

“I love the culture here. The teachers here are amazing. And, so are Mr. (Joshua) Phillips (assistant principal) and Miss Reale (principal).  We’ve just been very fortunate,” she said. “I used to be a middle school teacher many, many years ago, and it’s a really tough transition. So, we were happy that they’re adding sixth grade.”

David Henry, whose 10-year-old son, Bryce, attends Maniscalco, is enthusiastic about the new option, too.

“This is a great environment for Bryce,” Henry said, noting his son also is from KCU. “He’s been here since kindergarten and has thoroughly enjoyed it. And, we look forward to him being here as a sixth-grader,” Henry said.

Henry, who attended a K-8 school when he was young, likes that approach to education.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for the kids. I think the transition, from eighth to ninth grade, is much easier than from fifth to sixth, and from seventh to eighth,” he said.

Ten-year-old Riley Silkworth, a current fifth-grader at Maniscalco, is happy that she’ll be able to stay there next year.

“I like that Maniscalco is going to do K-8 because it’s way closer for me. I live 3 minutes away,” she said.

“We are going to know most of the people who are already going to be here, because most of the people are going to stay. We’re still going to have the same teachers around us,” she added.

Remi and Bryce also had good things to say.

“We’re going to be able to stay with our friends,” Remi said. “The only thing I don’t like about it is that it’s going to be even sadder when we have to leave in eighth grade.”

Bryce said he likes knowing his way around campus. He said he can’t think of anything that would be a downside from the school’s transition to a K-8 campus.

Helms said the only concern that she’s heard expressed was whether students leaving a K-8 environment would make a smooth transition into high school.

She’s confident that Remi will.

District officials say that the curriculum offered will be consistent with other K-8 schools and there will be after-school activities, but there won’t be athletic teams until there are students in grades six through eight on the campuses.

Traditional middle schools in Hillsborough County are scheduled to begin the school day at 9:25 a.m. next year, but these K-8 schools are expected to start their days at 7:40 a.m., which is on the same schedule as the district’s middle schools.

All three also will continue to offer pre-K programs.

The schools are able to transition to a K-8 program because they are currently operating under capacity.

Although Lutz has experienced some residential growth in recent years, there are also other educational options available nearby, including Lutz Preparatory School, Learning Gate Community School, Sunlake Academy of Math and Science, and Imagine School of Land O’ Lakes.

How to apply
Pick up an application at the schools or download one from their websites
Lutz: 202 Fifth Ave., S.E., or Lutz.mysdhc.org
Maniscalco: 939 Debuel Road or Maniscalco.mysdhc.org
Pizzo: 11701 USF Bull Run or Pizzo.mysdhc.org

Published March 7, 2018