The Laker/Lutz News

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STEAM

Veterinarian honors his father, by donating a barn

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Dade City’s Centennial Elementary School has a brand-new barn for its 4-H Club.

But, this structure is much more than a sturdy protective home to hogs and sheep, with goats on the way.

It’s a son’s tribute to his late father, a pioneering marine biologist and beloved resident of Dade City.

Funds for the Blake Barn at Centennial Elementary School were donated by Dade City veterinarian Jonathan Blake, in honor of his late father. (Courtesy of Gretchen Rudolph-Fladd)

The “Blake Barn’’ was funded by a $10,000 donation from Dade City veterinarian Jonathan Blake, in the memory of his father, Norman Jasper Blake.

The elder Blake, who was 74 when he died in 2018, initiated the University of South Florida marine science program at its St. Petersburg campus.

“We are so appreciative of Dr. Blake’s generosity because when we put out the word for fundraising, we thought it would take a couple of years to happen,’’ said Kristi Dorough, a third-grade teacher at Centennial and the 4-H club leader. “Now we already have it and it’s already making a huge impact for our students. It has been wonderful.’’

Blake said he had been searching for a way to honor his father. Centennial’s plans seemed like a perfect fit, especially considering the family’s connections to the school — his mother, Virginia, was a charter faculty member when the school opened in 1986 and his son, Levi, is currently a fourth-grader there.

“It was a good opportunity for my wife and I to get involved,’’ Blake said. “I’m interested in the teaching of agricultural science and maintaining the roots to the rural nature of our Dade City area, and teaching kids where their food comes from.

“Those are important values that we are slowly losing. So it’s a perfect marriage — a way to honor my dad and, at the same time, do something good for our community.’’

Centennial principal Gretchen Rudolph-Fladd said Dorough began the 4-H club about three years ago. Some chicken coops were moved to the campus, but overall, Centennial relied on another barn.

Centennial Elementary School’s robust 4-H Club got a major asset with the construction of the Blake Barn.

When some Zephyrhills High School seniors donated three prize-winning sheep to Centennial, there was a problem — nowhere for the sheep to live. So the plans began.

It played nicely into the plans of Rudolph-Fladd, who wanted Centennial to become a STEAM school. While the “A’’ typically stands for the Arts, at Centennial, it stands for Agriculture and Aviation (including the use of drones).

“We want our ‘A’ to be cubed and the science learning is so closely tied to our community,’’ Rudolph-Fladd said. “It has worked so well. We are delighted that the Blake name will resonate forever at our school.’’

The Blake Barn, which will include a plaque about Norman Jasper Blake and a wrought-iron sign, has eight stalls. It was constructed by Affordable Building, a Hernando County company.

So far, the 4-H Club has 15 members from kindergartners to eighth-graders. The older students attend Centennial Middle School.

The Blake Barn already has hogs and sheep that are cared for by the Centennial Elementary School 4-H Club students.

Besides the plans for hogs, sheep and goats, there also are designs on bringing in dairy cows.

“From a very practical standpoint, the barn allows us to house more animals and grow our ability to educate the students,’’ Dorough said. “If some members live in the city limits and don’t have the farmland, they can keep their project at the barn.

“It opens up so many opportunities. The young members can see what the older kids are doing. That will get them excited and interested.’’

Blake said it’s an appropriate way to honor his father, who spent his life dedicated to education and conservation. He had a particular interest in the study of scallops, oysters and clams. Blake said his father was instrumental in returning the scallop population to West Central Florida.

“He had friends everywhere,’’ Blake said. “He would love to see these kids using that barn. When I hear ‘Blake Barn,’ those words cause me to choke up because I know it would’ve meant a lot to him.’’

The University of South Florida-St. Petersburg meant a lot to him, too.

But, he moved his brood to the family land in Dade City.

For more than three decades, he made a long commute to work. But, the community-feel of Dade City was more than worth that trade-off.

“It is a great honor for my husband to be remembered,’’ Virginia Blake said. “It means a lot that my son gets to honor his dad. We miss him very much, and I know all of this would make him happy.’’

By Joey Johnston

Published November 25, 2020

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

Embracing the changing world of education

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When people arrive on the campus of Sunlake Academy of Math & Science, in Lutz, they are greeted by a place that sets a positive tone.

“Welcome back Ravens, we missed you,” proclaims a sign near the school’s driveway.

“We support our students. We support teachers. We support our administration. We love our school,” a sign on a fence declares.

“Go Ravens!” a third sign encourages.

Sounds of children — playing outdoors—  fill the air.

Principal Judy Moore came to Sunlake Academy of Math & Science last year, after a lengthy career leading schools in North Carolina. (B.C. Manion)

And, near the front door of the public charter school, there’s a reminder of today’s COVID-19 times. A sign reminds those entering that they must wear a face mask and maintain social distancing.

Inside, there are other clues regarding the ongoing pandemic.

There’s hand sanitizer on the counter, plexiglass separating office staff from visitors, and social distancing signs.

Children seem to be taking it all in stride as they walk down a corridor in single file, dressed in school uniforms and wearing their masks of various designs.

They wave to Principal Judy Moore, as they make their way to Spanish class.

Finding the balance between safety and normalcy has presented new challenges, but Moore said that adapting to change is part of an educator’s way of life.

As it relates to COVID-19, she said, “I think, like everybody else, you just take it as it comes, do the best job that you can.

“The challenge with COVID, all of the way back to March when it started — the information changes every 10 minutes. Whatever the standard is right now, is probably not going to be the standard tomorrow, or the day after,” she said.

That’s been a frustration for everyone, but the school has proceeded — giving parents an option for their children to learn at home or at school.

The children are assigned to a specific class, wherever they’re learning.

“If they happen to be at home, they’re basically on the screen and the teacher is interacting with the kids that are at home and the kids in the class, at the same time,” the principal said.

Teachers sometimes will group kids, so one teacher is working with the kids at school, while others instruct the online kids. And, then they will swap.

Some teachers feel they are better able to serve both groups that way, Moore said. But, other teachers are teaching both groups, simultaneously.

Moore knows that’s difficult to do, and she’s impressed.

Adapting to COVID-19 has required changes, but the school also is getting ready to embark on another big change — this one, of its own making.

Parents have raised $30,000 to pay for a new STEAM lab.

Sunlake Academy of Math & Science, in Lutz, is a public charter public school for kindergarten through eighth grade. It is operated by Charter Schools Associates Inc.

Initially, the hope was to open it at the beginning of this school year, but that was thrown off by COVID-19. Now, plans call for opening it within the next couple of months.

A space initially that was designed for a media center is being converted into the STEAM lab. (The acronym stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.)

A group, which Moore calls the STEAM Team, led the planning efforts. Moore joined that team, the executive area director from Charter School Associates and one of CSA’s math coaches during visits to STEAM labs at Corbett Prep, Jesuit High School and Academy of the Holy Names to glean ideas.

The lab will be equipped with Virtual Reality headsets, which individual classrooms can check out. It will have 3D printers, a 3D laser printer, tablets, and other devices and programs aimed at unleashing new ways of learning.

Children in kindergarten through fifth grade will visit once a week, and the technology will be incorporated into middle school classes.

The idea is to harness the power of technology to broaden learning experiences.

“You kind of have to change up the way you think, and the way you teach,” said Moore, who did her doctoral work in technology integration.

“It’s about higher order thinking skills. It’s about problem-solving. It’s about teamwork, creative thinking and creative problem-solving,” said Moore, who worked in the Gaston County school district in Charlotte, North Carolina, for 21 years before arriving last year at Sunlake Academy.

Educators must connect how they teach with how students learn, the principal added.

“For me, it became not so much about technology, not so much about how we teach, but it’s about how kids learn — and how they’re wired these days,” the principal added.

Today’s students are part of the digital native generation. They live in a world of Google, digital on-demand, virtual reality and other technical advances, Moore said.

Education must go deeper
“How do you make the students think through the problems versus the teacher just giving the question and the answer?” Moore said.

Students are challenged to consider: “How do you use your creativity to come to more than one solution, to the same problem?

“The truth of the matter is the jobs that we’re trying to prepare them for, don’t exist. And, they’re not going to exist anytime soon,” Moore said.

The principal and her husband moved to the area because he was offered a new job opportunity, and she set out seeking the right match for her interests and skills.

Moore said she was attracted to Sunlake Academy because she’s been interested for years in  differentiated instruction and higher-order thinking skills.

“We’re (Sunlake Academy) very data-driven. Our teachers are constantly checking in on where kids are in terms of their proficiency and growth, on different curriculum strands and skill sets.

“We have differentiated groups,” she said, adding there are multi-tiered systems of support for students who need extra help.

“I had a lot of opportunity to go where I wanted,” Moore said. “I chose to come here because they’re speaking my vision.”

The promise of stability was attractive, too.

In her previous district, the management style involved transferring principals around a lot.

“I really want to be in a place where I can make some change and be long-term,” Moore said.

Students attending the school, at 18681 N. Dale Mabry Highway, come from Hillsborough and Pasco counties. It draws primarily from the communities of Lutz, Land O’ Lakes, Tampa, Carrollwood, Cheval, Wesley Chapel and Odessa. It has some openings, so parents interested in learning more should contact the school.

Other details that may be of interest to parents of potential students:

  • Before and after school care is available, with doors opening at 6:30 a.m., and closing at 6:30 p.m. Full-time or part-time child care is available to suit parents’ needs.
  • The school’s car line begins at 7:20 a.m., with classes beginning at 8 a.m.
  • Dismissal times are staggered, with the school day ending for kindergarten through second grade at 2:30 p.m.; and, for grades three through eight at 3 p.m.

For additional information about Sunlake Academy, visit SunlakeAcademy.org.

Published October 14, 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