The Laker/Lutz News

inPrep

InPrep delivers innovation, through teachers and technology

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Innovation Preparatory Academy, a public charter school opening in Wesley Chapel next week, is suited for a world that has become increasingly customized and on-demand.

InPrep, at 7800 Avery Scope Way, will deliver face-to-face instruction, live instruction for remote learners, and a hybrid option — which allows students to attend school on campus two days a week and learn remotely on the other three.

The school is part of the Connected City campus being developed by Tampa-based developer Metro Development Group.

Sara Capwell is the principal of Innovation Preparatory School, a pubic charter school that is opening this year in the Connected City area of Wesley Chapel.(Courtesy of Innovation Preparatory Academy)

The Connected City encompasses two Metro Places communities, Epperson and Mirada, each featuring Metro’s exclusive ULTRAFi high-speed internet technology — the fastest internet speeds available with up to 1 Gigabit of speed.

“We wanted to make sure that as part of the Connected City there was a school that supported the big vision of Connected City,” said Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations with Metro Development Group.

Goyani, who grew up in India, said the educational system there was rigid. This school, by contrast, will provide an on-demand, customized form of education.

Principal Sara Capwell said the school’s technology, blended with its instructional method, will deliver a personalized approach to education.

“All of our students are assessed at the beginning, when they first join us. We will develop plans for them that target their areas of need, and extensions, enrichments, as well,” Capwell said.

Whether students are learning face-to-face or remotely, they’ll be able to join in with their teachers and classmates.

“Students will be able to engage in small group instruction with their instructors and peers, utilizing the iPads and specialized cameras that the teachers will have that will be able to follow the teacher, and the teacher’s interactions with the kids,” Capwell said.

It’s as close as students can get, she said, “to actually being there together.”

“If I’m a first-grader, for instance, and it’s time for reading class and I’m at home, I’ll join in. The platform we’re using is Schoology.

A rendering of the front of the school, in an aerial view.

“All of my courses will be in one area, one folder on my iPad, where I can click on my reading link. When I go there, I’ll have my Zoom access for that class, right there, too. My assignments are right there. And, if the teacher wants to assign me an assignment that the other kids don’t have, it’s there, too.

“Then, I click on the Zoom. I interact with the teacher. I can raise my hand and ask questions. I can collaborate with a peer, using the cameras,” Capwell said.

Goyani added: “We wanted to make sure that everyone has access to the same software, the same learning platform, and then they have the hardware device at home, so they’re not left behind.”

To ensure that all students will be able to fully participate, the school is providing a device for each student, regardless how many children a family has, Capwell said.

Kartik Goyani, a vice president with Metro Development Group, said the opening of Innovation Preparatory Academy represents the fruition of a dream that began more than four years ago. He grew up in India, where the education system was rigid. He’s excited about the possibilities that InPrep will offer its students.

Classes also will be recorded, so if a child has to miss a live session, it can be viewed later.

Another thing that sets the school apart is its collaborative approach to teaching, the principal said.

“Grade-level instructors instruct together, as a team, with a grade level of students,” Capwell said. “Each teacher has an area of expertise, that he or she has been hired for, and that is the primary expert teacher for that content area, and the other teachers actually provide support throughout that content time, as co-teachers and co-facilitators. They pull small groups. They provide direct instruction to individual students or small groups, while the content expert is providing the direct, overall instruction.”

The school has adopted a WISH model of education, which stands for wellness, innovation, science and health.

To promote wellness, the school has a partnership with AdventHealth West Florida. It also has two indoor wellness tracks. In addition to wellness walks, there will be other wellness activities, such as yoga and meditation, Capwell said.

The idea is to make wellness a part of daily life, Goyani said.

The school also will emphasize science, technology, engineering and mathematics, Capwell said.

InPrep is part of Charter Schools USA, Inc.

It will serve students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade, but initially is opening as a K-6 school, and will add grades seven and eight in in subsequent years.

InPrep will have a maximum enrollment of 615 this year, with students coming from Wesley Chapel, Dade City, Zephyrhills, Land O’ Lakes and other communities, Capwell said.

Both she and Goyani are excited about opening the new school.

“We think this is going to be a school unlike anything else that the state has ever seen —  so that’s the part that I’m most excited about,” Goyani said.  “I can’t wait to welcome parents and kids on Aug. 24.”

Innovation Preparatory Academy, K-6
7800 Avery Scope Way, Wesley Chapel
Principal: Sara Capwell, (954) 202-3500

Other area charter schools*

Hillsborough County
Learning Gate, K-8
16215 Hanna Road, Lutz
Principal: Michelle Mason, (813) 948-4190

Lutz Preparatory, K-8
17951 N. U.S. 41, Lutz
Principal: Bonnie Guertin, (813) 428-7011

Sunlake Academy of Math and Science, K-8
18681 N. Dale Mabry Highway, Lutz
Principal: Dr. Judith Moore, (813) 616-5099

Pasco County
Academy at the Farm, K-8
9500 Alex Lange Way, Dade City
Principal: Ray Polk, (352) 588-0508

Countrywide Montessori Charter School, 1-8
5852 Ehren Cutoff, Land O’ Lakes
Principal: Michael Picone, (813) 996-0991

Imagine Charter School of Land O’ Lakes, K-9
2940 Sunlake Blvd., Land O’ Lakes
Principal: Aimee Williams, (813) 428-7444

Published August 19, 2020

School projects address district needs

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A global pandemic has cast uncertainty regarding what will happen in the coming school year, but the work goes on to build, expand and renovate schools in the Pasco County school district.

Rapid growth in recent years has caused school crowding. And, anticipated residential construction has created a need for schools in previously undeveloped areas.

Cypress Creek Middle School in Wesley Chapel will have its inaugural first day of school when the 2020-2021 school year begins. (B.C. Manion)

Across the district, enrollment is expected to increase by slightly more than 1,900 students for this coming school year, and that includes charter schools, according to Chris Williams, director of planning for the school district.

It remains unclear if that projection will come to fruition, in light of impacts from COVID-19 on residential construction.

The district’s enrollment will grow — but, it’s not clear how much, Williams said during a school board workshop on the district’s capital improvement plan.

Numerous projects are planned in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, according to Williams’ presentation.

The planning director also provided an overview of schools expected to face another crowded year in 2020-2021.

Construction is underway at the Starkey Ranch K-8 School, near the intersection of Long Spur and Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa. The project, which includes private and public partners, will feature a school, a library and a cultural center, next to a district park. The public will be able to take advantage of the library, cultural center and park. (B.C. Manion)

Williams said he expects Odessa Elementary to be “just slammed full,” for the upcoming school year. “I don’t know (if) we could put any more students there,” he said.

“Fortunately, the relief for Odessa Elementary is the Starkey K-8, which will open, of course, next year. So, Odessa, we’re just working with them to get them through this coming year.

“Oakstead Elementary continues to be a little bit over capacity.

“I don’t know how much opening Starkey K-8, as mostly a magnet, will impact Oakstead (Elementary), but certainly it could have some impact on Oakstead Elementary, as well.

“Connerton (Elementary) continues to be over capacity,” he said.

But, he said, Connerton is experiencing “slow growth,” so the district will monitor the situation.

Wesley Chapel Elementary is expected to be slightly over capacity, but two new charter schools opening this year in Wesley Chapel — Pinecrest and Innovation Preparatory (inPrep) — are expected to have an impact, Williams said.

An additional classroom wing has been added to Bexley Elementary in Land O’ Lakes, to increase its capacity to meet growing enrollment needs. (File)

At the middle school level, the construction of Starkey Ranch K-8 will provide relief to River Ridge and Seven Springs middle schools, and also will likely have some impact on Rushe Middle School, too, Williams said.

A magnet 6-12 school will be opening in 2023, in the upcoming Angeline development in Land O’ Lakes, Williams said. He expects that to have an impact on Pine View and Rushe middle schools, and perhaps on River Ridge Middle, too.

“By then, Ridge Road will be complete,” the planning expert said, creating access to the new 6-12 school from all of those areas.

“Finally, after many years, we finally provide some relief to John Long Middle, with the opening of Cypress Creek Middle,” Williams added.

“Weightman Middle certainly is in a growth area,” he said, but charter schools in the area are expected to have an impact.

Williams added: “Also, we are planning in 2024 to open a magnet school, K-8, over in Wesley Chapel that also will provide relief to some of those schools.”

Sunlake High School in Land O’ Lakes also has a new classroom wing this year, to accommodate enrollment growth. (File)

At the high school level, Williams said additional capacity was added to Land O’ Lakes High School during its renovation. A new classroom wing added to Sunlake High School will be ready for occupancy this year.

A new wing added to Bexley Elementary also is ready for the 2020-2021 school year.

The future 6-12 school in Angeline also will increase enrollment capacity in the Land O’ Lakes area, Williams said.

The opening of Cypress Creek Middle School this fall, will have a ripple effect on enrollments.

First, it allows Cypress Creek High School to house additional students in grades nine through 12, while Cypress Creek Middle School serves students in grades six through eight.

The additional capacity at the high school allows the school district to relieve crowding at Wiregrass Ranch High. The new middle school allows the district to relieve crowding at John Long Middle.

Wiregrass Ranch won’t feel the full impact for a couple years, Williams said, because the district grandfathered this year’s juniors and seniors at Wiregrass Ranch.

Construction continues on a remodeling project at Zephyrhills High School. (B.C. Manion)

And, of course, the planning director said, the Wiregrass area is still experiencing growth.

He also noted that Pasco High is over capacity. The area, however, isn’t experiencing much growth.

The district is evaluating projects that could add capacity at Pasco High in the future, he said.

Zephyrhills High’s capacity is being increased through a project now in progress at the school, he added.

When The Innovation Academy at Kirkland Ranch opens, expected in 2023, it likely will have a significant impact on enrollments in schools on the district’s east side, he said.

Besides work that has been wrapped up recently, is underway, or on the drawing board — the district also has been securing sites for future schools.

Previously, the district has found itself in the position of being unable to find affordable land for schools, Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd told school board members.

It has resolved that issue, he said.

“As a district, we are in tremendous shape when it comes to land to build schools,” Gadd said.

Published August 05, 2020