The Laker/Lutz News

Centennial Elementary School

Pasco County Schools continue to add more school choices

By

The Pasco County School Board recently approved the conversion of two existing elementary schools into Science Technology Engineering Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) magnet schools.

The board voted on Dec. 14 to shift the boundaries for Centennial Elementary School, in Dade City and for Marlowe Elementary School in New Port Richey into the boundaries of nearby schools.

The conversion to the new approach to learning will take place beginning in the fall of the 2022-2023 school year.

A new 6-12 STEAM magnet school is expected to open in the fall of 2023, near Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco campus. The acronym STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Centennial Elementary will provide a convenient option for students and families in East Pasco, to explore the same educational opportunities as those offered at Sanders Elementary STEAM Magnet School, in Land O’ Lakes. Marlowe will do the same in West Pasco.

Sanders recently received national recognition for the quality of its programs.

Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, under construction on Curley Road in East Pasco, will open during the fall of the 2022-2023 school year.

The school is expected to have an enrollment of 1,000 students and its programs will include digital technology, engineering, biomedical science, transportation and building technology.

The 104-acre school site is about 3 miles due east of Interstate 75.

A number of career and technical education labs are planned, including those designed for digital media, engineering robotics, biomedical and patient care.

Automotive, diesel, welding, construction, electrical and cybersecurity programs are planned, as well. The diesel program will be one of just a few in Florida.

The school district also is expected to open a new 6-12 STEAM magnet program in Land O’ Lakes, near Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco County campus.

School district and Moffitt officials are already in discussion regarding the vast potential for unique learning opportunities for students who will be attending that school.

The school, which is expected to open in the fall of 2023, is planned on an 18.8-acre site within Angeline, south of State Road 52, north of the future Ridge Road extension and west of Sunlake Boulevard, according to Ajax’s website.

These schools are just a few of the educational options that Pasco parents can choose for their students.

Those wishing to know more can visit the school district’s website to peruse the Pasco Schools Pathways school choice catalog to find out more about program offerings.

The window for applications opens at 8 a.m. on Jan. 6 and closes on Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m.

Window for school choice opens Jan. 6
The application window for Pasco Pathways School Choice opens on Jan. 6 at 8 a.m. and closes on Jan. 20, at 4:30 p.m.

This will be the only application window for all grade levels, and it will be for all school choice options, including STEM and STEAM magnet schools, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, Wendell Krinn Technical High School, International Baccalaureate (IB), and the Cambridge Programme.

The Pasco Pathways Innovative Programs and School Choice application will be available for parents via the myStudent parent portal. Parents who don’t already have an account may establish a myStudent account by clicking on the myStudent link.

Go the Pasco County Schools website to find out more. The school district’s website is www.pasco.k12.fl.us/

Published December 29, 2021

Pasco County Schools preparing for two new STEAM schools

By

The Pasco County school district plans to close Centennial Elementary School in Dade City and Marlowe Elementary School in New Port Richey, and reopen them as STEAM magnet schools.

The acronym STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

The conversion of the schools will begin at the conclusion of the 2020-2021 school year, based on an action approved by the Pasco School Board on April 6.

The staff allocations at both schools will be updated for the 2021-2022 school year to reflect these conversions and the newly approved STEAM teacher job description will be used at both schools, as well as at Sanders Memorial Elementary School.

Identified instructional staff members will begin professional development this summer and that will continue into the 2021-2022 school year, with implementation of STEAM curriculum and specialized instructional strategies occurring throughout the 2021-2022 school year.

The student populations and boundaries for both schools will remain status quo for the 2021-2022 school year, with proposed boundary changes to remove the school boundaries for both schools planned for the school board’s consideration and approval this fall.

The boundaries for Centennial and Marlowe will be absorbed into other nearby schools.

Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year, the student populations at Centennial and Marlowe  will be determined through the district’s Pasco Pathways process — with priority preference for attendance given to existing students at both schools.

The district is converting the schools to provide more choices to parents, Superintendent Kurt Browning said, during a previous discussion of the issue.

Board member Colleen Beaudoin said parents have been seeking the additional option.

Published April 14, 2021

Garden club plans Arbor Day celebration

By

The annual Arbor Day and Memorial Celebration is set for April 30 at 10 a.m., at the Dade City Garden Club, 13630 Fifth St., in Dade City.

The event marks the 26th year that the City of Dade City and the Dade City Garden Club have jointly sponsored the Arbor Day/Memorial Day program.

(File)

The event usually is held the third Friday in January, which is the day the State of Florida celebrates Arbor Day, but this year’s event has been rescheduled to coincide with National Arbor Day on April 30, according to a news release.

This year, the Dade City Garden Club sponsored an art contest for the students at Centennial Elementary School in Dade City.

Students learned about the history of Arbor Day and were asked to design a cover fitting for the Arbor Day Program to be printed for the event. The winners will be announced, and the grand prize winner will be recognized at the event.

Memorial trees that have been given throughout the year will be recognized. Trees are dedicated in memory of or in honor of a person or special occasion, and are living and lasting tributes that add beauty to the city and quality to the environment.

Speakers for the event will be Dade City’s own Cowboy Poet Steve Melton, and Foresters Mona Neville and Arthur Clothier from the Florida Forest Service.

The Garden Club is extending a special invitation to the public to join them for this event to celebrate Arbor Day and to honor the tree recipients.

For more information, email Ruth Anderson at .

Published April 14, 2021

Two new STEAM magnet schools coming to Pasco?

By

The Pasco County school district is looking to convert Centennial Elementary School in Dade City and Marlowe Elementary School in New Port Richey, from traditional elementary schools into STEAM magnet schools.

The acronym STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Students now assigned to Centennial and Marlowe would be reassigned to nearby schools, and a lottery system would be used to assign students to the new magnet schools.

If the district proceeds with this plan, the change would not occur until the 2022-2023 school year, and boundary hearings would not occur until this coming fall, according to Steve Hegarty, district spokesman.

The issue came up at the Pasco County School Board’s March 2 meeting, when Don Peace, president of United School Employees of Pasco (USEP), complained about the district’s handling of future staffing for the two schools.

Peace objected to the new job description for STEAM magnet teachers.

“Normally, for contract waivers, major changes in curriculum — such as Wendell Krinn (Technical High School), Pine View (Middle) and Gulf Middle  — or school closings, as in Hudson Elementary, Ridgewood, and the Lacoochee proposal, USEP is invited to go to the school, along with district staff, to explain the contractual protocol for what is about to transpire.

“That did not happen with these two schools.

“In fact, when I first heard the details of what was transpiring, I had a district employee make a phone call to put a stop to what was going on. But that did not happen.

“Interviews took place, in an unacceptable manner, for jobs that do not yet exist, at schools that have not yet been voted to be closed, and for a job description that is yet to be approved.

“It appears the cart is in front of the horse,” Peace said.

Peace then told board members that approving the proposed job description would, in essence, create an elite position.

“Why would you want to create divisiveness among teachers?” the union president asked district officials.

“I would contend that with training, professional development and proper guidance, there are numerous teachers across this district that would be able to work in a STEM/STEAM school and be highly successful, if given that opportunity,” he said.

Peace suggested the board delay voting on the new job description, and instead hold a workshop to discuss the issue in greater detail.

Superintendent Kurt Browning responded to the assertions.

“I agree with Mr. Peace when it comes to the fact that any of our teachers, given the opportunity and the professional learning, could probably make it work in a STEM or STEAM environment.

“What Mr. Peace didn’t mention is what I call the ‘want to’ (factor). Do you want to put the effort into working at a STEM or STEAM school?

“We learned lessons when we converted Bayonet Point Middle and Centennial Middle. We did not have a separate job description for that. Honestly, it was more difficult to set the expectations for our staff.

“I will tell you that this job description, in no way, shape or form, is — as Mr. Peace has indicated — divisive. It is not intended to do that. It is merely to set expectations, for teachers that want to move to a STEM or STEAM environment.

“It is different, a lot more technology-driven, project-based learning.

“It is a choice school,” Browning said.

When the schools held faculty meetings to discuss the change, a number of teachers approached the principals and said, “I get it. I just don’t want to do it,” Browning said.

The new magnet schools will choose teachers based on the new job description.

While current teachers may be assigned to different schools, they will not lose their jobs, Browning said.

Before approving the new description, school board members asked for more information.

Board member Cynthia Armstrong asked for more details about how the job description was developed. Board member Alison Crumbley echoed that request.

Samantha Del Valle, assistant director of leading and learning, said “we knew we needed a job description to really be transparent with the staff that we’re going to hire and to share with them what would be expected, as they take those positions.”

So, the job description is based on the practices that happen in a STEAM classroom.

Hiring will mirror the process used in hiring teachers for Sanders Elementary STEAM Magnet School in Land O’ Lakes, Del Valle said.

The questions district officials asked, when drafting the new job description, included: “What is a STEAM teacher? What practices are happening in the classroom? What does STEAM look like and how do we make sure that that occurs in our two new schools?” Del Valle said.

School board member Colleen Beaudoin emphasized that she wanted it to be clear to district teachers that the new job description does not create an elite class of teachers.

“We’re not saying that these teachers are any better than any other teachers. These are just a specific skill set needed for these types of schools. I don’t want to give the impression that we’re saying that teachers at one school are any better than teachers at another school,” Beaudoin said.

Besides looking for teachers who have the attributes described in the job description, they also must be willing to undergo additional training, Del Valle said.

Plus, there is a preferred qualification related to computer science.

Browning reiterated Beaudoin’s point, noting the teachers are not better teachers.

“They’re different teachers.

“This job description was not designed to divide teachers,” the superintendent insisted.

He also said the shift to the STEAM magnet schools is intended to give parents additional options.

“Parents are wanting something different,” Browning said.

Published March 17, 2021

Veterinarian honors his father, by donating a barn

By

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

Making a difference through book donations

By

Book by book, a local teen is trying to do his part to make a difference in the community.

As an avid reader himself, 13-year-old Vance Tomasi understands the value of having a broad range of books to choose from.

After seeing his younger brother improve his reading during Hillsborough County Public School’s annual Summer Reading Camp, Tomasi saw the value of that even more so.

Vance Tomasi, left, and his friend, Chase Hartman, started read.repeat., a nonprofit that donates gently used books it receives from companies and individuals, and distributes them to those in need. Tomasi, a seventh grader at Keystone’s Farnell Middle School, was named one of the nation’s top 10 youth volunteers by Prudential Spirit of Community Awards. (Courtesy of Amanda Tomasi)

At the same time, Tomasi worried about underprivileged kids who didn’t own books, when he was told the county’s reading program had a shortage of books a couple summers ago.

So, he got to thinking he could do something about it.

It all started more about two years ago with a book drive for homeless families.

The possibilities blossomed from there for Tomasi, now a seventh grader at Keystone’s Farnell Middle School.

Tomasi and his friend, Chase Hartman, set up a website and social media accounts, and partnered with the Hillsborough County school district to donate books. Then they began organizing book drives with Boy Scout troops, sports teams, school clubs and other groups. They placed donation boxes around town, and recruited volunteers to sort and box the books they received.

In addition to book drives, Tomasi purchased 25,000 books with a grant he obtained from the Tampa Bay Lightning, and found a book company willing to donate thousands of additional books.

He did it all through a nonprofit organization he founded, called “read.repeat.” Its mission is to donate gently used books it receives from companies and individuals, and distribute them to those in need.

“I really got the idea from another book fundraiser I did in elementary school and decided to basically grow it from there,” Tomasi said. “I love to volunteer.”

The project has expanded more than ever imagined.

Since its inception, read.repeat. has donated more than 90,000 books to families, schools, group homes, hospitals and libraries in all 50 states, and as far away as Africa.

That includes about 60,000 books donated to children in Florida elementary schools, many of which have gone to Title I schools, or those with large concentrations of low-income students.

Centennial Elementary in Dade City and the Joshua House Children’s Home in Lutz are also a couple of the local beneficiaries, among many other Tampa-area schools and groups.

Being able to help underprivileged kids in some way brings joy to the teen.

“It makes me feel amazing, Tomasi said. “Just to see the looks on their faces, like they get their first book, it’s an incredible feeling.”

“I was never really expecting it to grow this big,” he said.

The teen’s humanitarian efforts have gone on to draw national recognition. He was recently named one of America’s top 10 youth volunteers for 2019 by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, a national program sponsored by Prudential Financial in partnership with the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Tomasi and other national honorees were selected first from a field of more than 29,000 middle level and high school youth volunteers nationwide, and then from 102 state honorees, based on their initiative, effort, impact, and the personal growth demonstrated in the course of their volunteer service.

Tomasi and the honorees each received a $5,000 personal award, an engraved gold medallion, a crystal trophy for their school, and a $5,000 grant from The Prudential Foundation for charities of their choice.

They each also received an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C., where they were recognized at Union Station East Hall and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

During the trip, Tomasi got a tour of various landmarks in the nation’s capital. He also met Florida Senator Rick Scott.

And, his group visited a D.C. area elementary school, donating books and reading to children.

In starting read.repeat., Tomasi was simply hoping to help others, not necessarily receive national recognition. He’s humbled by it all.

“I was really, really surprised. I was not expecting that at all,” Tomasi said of being named one the country’s top youth volunteers. “I was never really expecting me to become a national honoree out of all the people that were there.”

The nonprofit isn’t slowing in momentum by any means.

Tomasi said one of his goals this summer is to share more books that celebrate diversity with other children.

Their next big delivery is to Cleveland Elementary School in Tampa, which is set to receive about  3,000 donated books.

For information or interest in donating books, visit readrepeat.org.

Published May 22, 2019

Love One Another serves up food, and kindness

By

It’s not uncommon for generous acts to surface during the holiday, especially charitable gestures for those who are less fortunate.

But, when you have a group that guarantees a hot plate every Sunday throughout the year, that’s not such a common thing.

That’s precisely what an organization called Love One Another has been doing for 10 years.

The Rev. Dayan Machado, left, of St. Rita Catholic Church, and Ed Laezza, a coordinator for Love One Another, are all smiles as they welcome people to Pasco County Nutrition Center on Dec. 16 for a meal served by the Love One Another ministry. (Richard Riley)

The ministry serves meals every Sunday at the Pasco County Nutrition Center, 13853 15th St., in Dade City.

It feeds whomever walks through the door.

Lucy Avila helped to found Love One Another.

She said it all began with a simple idea brought up during a staff meeting at the First Baptist Church, where she attends.

Initially, it was a program aimed at feeding only the homeless.

Flyers were placed around the city to get the word out.

In the beginning, organizers planned for 100 people, but only 10 showed up.

The First Baptist Church supplied and prepared the meals for the first five months, but then decided to reach out to other churches in Dade City, asking them to help.

The churches responded.

Now, in addition to First Baptist Church, other churches pitching in are St. Rita Catholic Church, Calvary Assembly of God, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, First Presbyterian Church, First United Methodist Church and Dade City Christian Church.

“It’s really a joint venture, but it’s all to promote Jesus Christ,” explained Jesse O’ Berry, a volunteer who attends Dade City Christian Church.

Each Sunday, a different church prepares and serves the meals.

Besides expanding the ministry, the organization also began opening its doors to anyone who wanted to come to enjoy a hot dish.

Kevin Yawn, left, and his brother, Joey, enjoy a nice hot meal with their longtime friend, Ben Lehman.

There’s also a food pantry — so those attending can take home items to last them through the week, and they can select items from a collection of clothing and personal hygiene items.

Offering these items, Avila said, benefits people who are limited financially and who are sometimes are forced to make the difficult choice between buying groceries or prescription medicines.

Ithzi Diaz, a mother of four, has been enjoying the hot meals for three years now.

With scarce resources, she said it’s a struggle to provide for her children.

The ministry has been a source of real help, she said.

“It’s just a relief to have places like this,” Diaz said. “It’s hard for a single mom.”

And, besides being able to take home groceries to help her family, she also can pick up treats for the pet cat.

This time of year, the Nutrition Center has a holiday feel. There’s a decorated Christmas tree behind a table of pantry items, and the tables are neatly set with holiday-themed tablecloths.

The desserts even include some colorful cookies, shaped like ornaments.

Avila is grateful for the year-round generosity of those who sustain the ministry.

“I’m so thankful that people have contributed to make these things happen,” Avila said.

Donors include the nonprofit organization Restored Hope, and Panera Bread. A fitness center also helps, by providing canned goods and pet food.

Schools pitch in, too. Pasco Middle School, Centennial Middle School and Centennial Elementary School all contribute canned goods on Fridays.

Students from Saint Leo University volunteer occasionally, too.

In addition to the Sunday meals, Love One Another also helps other organizations, when it has a surplus of food.

“If there’s a need out there, and we can help somebody else because we’ve been blessed, then we pass that on,” Avila said.

Ithzi Diaz, left, has some great company for her Sunday meal, as she is joined by her children Daniel, Melina, Diana, Angie and Owen.

Forty-one-year-old Joey Yawn has witnessed Love One Another’s good works, and tries to emulate them. He’s been attending the Sunday meals for the past 10 years.

The Dade City man said he’s willing to open his home to others in need because the organization has helped him.

In addition to providing a welcome meal, the program has created a community, where friendships are formed and people care about each other, Yawn said.

He recalled one instance someone gave him some eggs and he passed them along to a single mom, so she could take them home.

Over time, Yawn has managed to get his brother, Kevin, and a friend, Ben Lehman, to come to the Sunday dinners.

“It’s been a blessing that God has put this in our lives because, without this, a lot of us would probably go hungry during the week,” the 20-year-old Lehman said.

Like his friend, he too has learned the meaning of sharing love and compassion to others.

“If I see a homeless guy on the way and I have a bag, I try to give him something,” he explained, quoting the Golden Rule.

When people ask him why he has such a joyful spirit, he tells them he can only attribute it to having a close relationship with God.

Many of those attending a recent Sunday gathering felt the same way as Vonette Mobley, who said, “Everybody that we meet, they’re very nice and make us feel like we’re family.”

Vonette Mobley smiles, while holding her granddaughter, Destiny, who is enjoying a candy cane.

Mobley, who initially came because she was invited by Avila, said she always felt respected and welcome.

There’s never been a sense of being looked down on, Mobley said. She has always felt like an equal.

She brings along her two daughters, Jasmine and Moesha, plus her granddaughter, Destiny.

“I was wondering earlier — ‘What am I going to cook for a Sunday meal?’ — and then my kids said, ‘Mom, just go to Love One Another’,” she said, chuckling.

Besides the meal and company, those attending often get something else, too: News of free events that will be coming up soon in the community, such as the Dade City Symphony or the Christmas Parade.

Plus, at the beginning of each month, there’s also a cake to celebrate those having a birthday that month.

At Love One Another gatherings, there’s food for the body, and soul.

For more information on Love One Another, contact Lucy Avila at (352) 424-4972 or at .

Love One Another
Where: Pasco County Nutrition Center, 13853 15th St., Dade City
When: Every Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Cost: Free
Details: Hot meals and desserts are provided at the center, as well as clothing, hygienic products and additional groceries to take home.
Info: If you’d like to know more about Love One Another, or you’d like to help, please contact Lucy Avila at (352) 424-4972 or at .

Published December 26, 2018

Changes afoot, as school bells ring in a new year

By

School bells are summoning students back to classes in Hillsborough and Pasco counties — and some students will be attending classes on entirely new campuses.

Sunlake Academy of Math and Science, a new public charter school in Hillsborough County, begins its inaugural school year on Aug. 10. It is located at 18681 N. Dale Mabry Highway in Lutz.

Sunlake Academy of Math and Science, at 18681 N. Dale Mabry Highway, is opening this year as a new public charter school in Hillsborough County. The school, located in Lutz, will serve elementary and middle school students. (B.C. Manion)

Meanwhile, Pasco County is opening Bexley Elementary, at 4380 Ballantrae Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, and Cypress Creek Middle High School, in Wesley Chapel.

Students arriving at Land O’ Lakes High School will find reconfigured spaces, to accommodate a $29 million makeover.

At Sunlake High School and Rushe Middle School, there will be a new traffic pattern for student drop-off and pickups, and at Wiregrass Ranch High, the school will be back to operating on a seven-period day.

Those are just a few of the changes in store for the new school year, which begins in Hillsborough County on Aug. 10 and in Pasco County on Aug. 14.

Some changes, which are state mandates, affect public school students in both counties.

Other changes affect students at a particular school or within a specific county.

For instance, the Pasco school district is revising its crisis plans to give students and staff a better chance to survive an active threat on campus.

Meanwhile, Principal Vicki Wolin will lead the new Bexley Elementary School, in the Bexley subdivision off State Road 54, in Land O’ Lakes. That school was built to ease crowding at Oakstead and Odessa elementary schools.

Bexley is also part of the school district’s feeder pattern for the Aviation Academy at Sunlake High School.

As such, Bexley will have drones, flight simulators and robotics. Its STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) lab is situated in its media center, which it calls its REC Center, which stands for Research, Engage and Collaborate.

Cypress Creek Middle High School, at 8701 Old Pasco Road in Wesley Chapel, will serve students previously assigned to Wiregrass Ranch, Wesley Chapel and Sunlake high schools and John Long, Weightman and Rushe middle schools.

Principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles, previously principal at Wesley Chapel High, will recognize many of the students streaming onto the campus for their first day.

But, there will be many unfamiliar faces, too.

The school has been hosting events ahead of opening day to help students get acquainted with the school and to find out what it has to offer.

Cypress Creek Middle High will serve sixth- through 11th-graders its initial year and will add a senior class its second year.

The new high school’s curriculum runs the gamut from ballet to digital design to American Sign Language. It offers several certification programs, including Microsoft Office, QuickBooks and Autodesk Inventor.

Cypress Creek’s middle school curriculum includes Criminal Justice and Engineering academies, plus core classes.

The new schools aren’t the only places where Pasco County students will have a chance for new experiences.

The district also is expanding its Cambridge Programme to San Antonio Elementary School.

And, Zephyrhills High School is adding a new academy of Building Construction Technology and Public Safety Telecommunications 911 certification for the Academy of Criminal Justice.

A new public charter school also has opened in Pasco County, too, bringing the district’s total number of charter schools to 11. The new charter is called Pasco MYcroSchool and is located in New Port Richey.

Besides new schools and programs, Pasco County also has shifted some principals since last school year and promoted an assistant principal to the top post.

Those changes are:

  • Principal Scott Atkins has moved from Sand Pine Elementary School to West Zephyrhills Elementary School.
  • Christine Twardosz has transferred from Centennial Elementary School to Sand Pine.
  • Gretchen Rudolph Fladd has moved from Veterans to Centennial.
  • Melissa Bidgood, who was an assistant principal at Watergrass Elementary, has been promoted to the principal’s post at Veterans.

Parents wanting to know more about the upcoming school year should check out their school’s website.

School websites can provide a wealth of information. They generally list important upcoming dates for school activities, such as cheerleader tryouts, booster club meetings, school spirit nights and parent-teacher events.

The websites also often let parents know how they can get involved at school and how they can help their children at home.

Most schools also have Facebook pages and Twitter accounts, and some post videos to YouTube, too.

Websites maintained by the Hillsborough and Pasco school districts can also provide useful information, too.

Free breakfasts
Pasco County Schools will serve free breakfasts to all students at these sites in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area during the 2017-2018 school year:

Elementary schools

  • Centennial Elementary
  • Chester Taylor Elementary
  • Lacoochee Elementary
  • Pasco Elementary
  • Quail Hollow Elementary
  • Rodney B. Cox Elementary
  • West Zephyrhills Elementary
  • Woodland Elementary

Middle schools:

  • Centennial Middle
  • Pasco Middle
  • Stewart Middle

High schools:

  • Pasco High
  • Zephyrhills High

 

Meal prices for Pasco County Schools
Reduced-price meals

Reduced-price breakfast: .30
Reduced-price lunch: .40
Full-price meals
Full-price breakfast
Elementary: $1.35
Secondary: $1.50
Charter, K-8: $1.50
Charter, high school: $1.60
Full-price lunch
Elementary: $2.50
Middle: $3
High: $3.25

Published August 9, 2017

Free breakfast for all at nearly 50 schools

By

Free breakfast is now available to all students in nearly 50 schools in Pasco County for the 2014-15 school year.

Reduced and free meals are typically available to lower income families. However, these schools have 60 percent or more of their students eligible for free or reduced price meals and also are part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Provision 2, according to Julie Hedine, director of food and nutrition services.

The schools now offering free breakfast for all students include:

• Anclote Elementary School
• Anclote High School
• Athenian Academy
• Baycare Behavioral Health
• Bayonet Point Middle School
• Calusa Elementary School
• Centennial Elementary School
• Centennial Middle School
• Chasco Middle School
• Cotee River Elementary School
• Crews Lake Middle School
• Fivay High School
• Fox Hollow Elementary School
• Giella Elementary School
• Gulf Highlands Elementary School
• Gulf High School
• Gulf Middle School
• Gulf Trace Elementary School
• Gulfside Elementary School
• Hudson Elementary School
• Hudson Middle School
• Hudson High School
• Irvin Education Center
• Lacoochee Elementary School
• Locke Elementary School
• Marchman Technical Education Center
• Marlowe Elementary School
• Moon Lake Elementary School
• Moore Mickens Education Center
• Northwest Elementary School
• Pasco Middle School
• Pasco High School
• Richey Elementary School
• Ridgewood High School
• San Antonio Elementary School
• Schrader Elementary School
• Schwettman Education Center
• Seven Springs Elementary School
• Smith Middle School
• Stewart Middle School
• Sunray Elementary School
• Taylor Elementary School
• West Zephyrhills Elementary School
• Woodland Elementary School
• Zephyrhills High School

For more information on the program, call Julie Hedine at (813) 794-2439, or email her at .

New schools, new programs on tap for 2014-15 school year

By

The days of relatively easy rush-hour commutes are approaching an end as students, teachers and other employees gear up for a new school year.

Students in Pasco County Schools begin the 2014-15 school year on Aug. 18, and Hillsborough County public schools begin classes a day later.

These children arrive at school at Quail Hollow Elementary School on the last day the school had classes before closing down for renovation. Quail Hollow is slated to open in the 2015-16 school year. (File Photo)
These children arrive at school at Quail Hollow Elementary School on the last day the school had classes before closing down for renovation. Quail Hollow is slated to open in the 2015-16 school year.
(File Photo)

Wiregrass Ranch High School already is urging students and parents to give themselves ample time to arrive.

“Traffic in the morning is always busy,” Robyn White, the school’s principal, noted on the Wiregrass Ranch website. “With 40 buses arriving, 500 student drivers, 200 employees and hundreds of parents driving to school, you must arrive early to prevent being late to school.”

If that’s the scene at just one school, imagine how it will play out across two massive school districts.

In addition to traffic generated by Hillsborough and Pasco public schools, there also are thousands of students in both counties attending private schools and charter schools, including Academy at the Lakes, Land O’ Lakes Christian School, Countryside Montessori, The Reading Corner, Learning Gate Community School, Imagine School and Academy at the Farm, just to name a few.

The traffic jams will begin in earnest when students return to classes, but the volume will pick up a bit earlier as teachers and other school employees begin reporting back to work to get ready for another year.

Many parents are already hitting the malls, discount stores and local shops to buy their kids new school clothes and supplies for the coming year. Parents who want to be in the know should check their school’s website to make sure they are getting the supplies that their kids will need. Most websites offer a list of supplies that differentiates between grade levels.

Parents also can benefit from attending “meet the teacher” day at elementary schools and orientation sessions for older students to get a better feel for their child’s campus and the school’s rules. Again, all that information is available on schools’ websites.

The coming school year is ushering in new educational options for students in both school districts. Pepin Academies has a new public charter school in New Port Richey that will serve students with special learning needs throughout Pasco County.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the county, Darby Christian Academy in Dade City will offer a community school model, based on a biblical worldview. That school, a ministry of Darby Community Church at 14745 Bellamy Brothers Road, offers instruction for kindergarten through 10th-graders.

Stewart Middle School and Zephyrhills High School are adding The Infinity Academy, a program that blends online instruction with classroom learning to give students the chance to quickly move through material they master, but spend more time on lessons that cause them to struggle.

Both schools also are offering a program called AVID, which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination. At Zephyrhills High, AVID will be available for 60 incoming ninth-graders who will take it as an elective. The class will focus on organizational skills, text coding, reading and writing coaching, and math and science tutorials.

At Stewart, the AVID elective will be offered for students in grades six through eight.

In Hillsborough County, the public charter Lutz Preparatory School has added a middle school. This year, the school will serve sixth- and seventh-graders. Next year, it intends to add eighth grade.

Three elementary schools in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area have new principals.

Claudia Steinacker will lead Cox Elementary School, and Christina Twardosz is at the helm of Centennial Elementary School, both in Dade City. Gretchen Rudolph-Fladd is the new principal at Veterans Elementary School in Wesley Chapel.

This school year also signals the first full year of operation for Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, a new satellite of Pasco-Hernando State College.

The college campus is next door to Wiregrass Ranch High and not far from Wesley Chapel High School, which is expected to lead to enhanced educational opportunities for the high school students and to give the college a chance to recruit more future students.

Pasco County Schools Calendar 2014-15
Aug. 18 — Students’ first day
Sep. 1 — Labor Day
Oct. 20 — Teacher planning day
Oct. 27— Report card distribution
Nov. 24-28 — Thanksgiving break
Dec. 22-Jan. 2 — Winter break
Jan. 5 — Teacher planning day
Jan. 12 — Report card distribution
Jan. 19 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb. 16 — President’s Day
March 16-20 — Spring break
March 23 — Teacher planning day
March 30 — Report card distribution
April 3 — Non-student day
May 20 — Seniors’ last day
May 25 — Memorial Day
June 3 — Students’ last day
June 11 — Final report card distribution

Hillsborough County Schools Calendar 2014-15
Aug. 19 — Students’ first day
Sept. 1 — Labor Day
Oct. 20 — Teacher planning day
Nov. 3 — Elementary report card distribution
Nov. 7 — Secondary report card distribution
Nov. 11 — Veterans Day
Nov. 24-28 — Fall break
Dec. 22-Jan. 2 — Winter break
Jan. 19 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Jan. 20 — Non-student day
Feb. 2 — Elementary report card distribution
Feb. 10 — Secondary report card distribution
March 9–13 — Spring break
March 16 — Student’s return to school
April 3 — Non-student day
April 13 — Elementary report card distribution
April 17 — Secondary report card distribution
May 25 — Memorial Day
June 5 — Elementary report card distribution
June 5 — Last day of school
June 12 — Secondary report card distribution

– Compiled by Ashley Schrader

Published August 6, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here