The Laker/Lutz News

Parkway Boulevard

Pasco to become home to ‘Let Us Do Good Village’

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The Pasco County Commission has cleared the way for the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation to create a neighborhood in Land O’ Lakes devoted to recipients of mortgage-free homes for catastrophically injured veterans, for surviving widows and children of fallen military and first responders.

“The Let Us Do Good Village, which is what we are calling our development, is a community created by our foundation, which is going to bring these families together,” said Matthew Mahoney, executive vice president of the foundation, at the county board’s June 8 meeting.

It will be the first development of its type in the country, created by a foundation that began 20 years ago, in the aftermath of Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The foundation is named after Stephen Siller, a firefighter who had finished his shift and was on his way home when the attacks occurred at the Twin Towers.

Instead of going home, the firefighter turned around and headed back toward Lower Manhattan.

When he wasn’t able to drive into the area because of the emergency, Mahoney said, “Stephen donned over 60 pounds of firefighting gear on his back and ran over 2 miles to the World Trade Center, ultimately losing his life that day at the South Tower.”

Siller was one of 343 firefighters who perished, of the 406 first responders lost that day, Mahoney said. He left behind five young children.

The foundation provides mortgage-free homes for recipients in its Smart Home, Fallen First Responders and Gold Star Family programs.

Typically, it either provides mortgage-free homes or pays off the mortgage, he said. By the end of this year, it will have paid off or provided 400 homes.

The Let Us Do Good Village will be created on about 75 acres, on the south side of Parkway Boulevard, about a half-mile east of Ehren Cutoff.

It will include specially adapted one-floor homes, on 100-foot-wide lots, for catastrophically injured veterans, the foundation’s Smart Home Program.

It also will provide two-story homes, on 60-foot lots, through its Fallen First Responders Program and through its Gold Star Family program.

The foundation believes that bringing these families together will help them to recover, Mahoney said.

“Their children are going to be able to grow up, where other children don’t have a dad, or other children don’t have a mom — because of their service,” the foundation executive said.

The county board’s unanimous approval came after the foundation agreed a number of concessions, which will be recorded through a deed restriction.

That deed restriction limits the development to 103 lots, said Cyndi Tarapani, a planning consultant representing the foundation.

The reduction in lots equates to an overall density of the development of about two homes per acre, she said.

The deed restriction also specifies that a 6-foot fence will be installed to separate the new neighborhood from the adjacent Panther Run and Dupree Lakes subdivisions, she said.

The development also will include a number of other amenities for its residents, including a clubhouse and neighborhood park, Tarapani added.

Mahoney said the foundation also plans to plant trees in backyards.

“We want to ensure privacy for our neighbors, and, of course, for our widows and children,” he said.

The foundation, technically, was not required to provide a deed restriction, according to the county’s legal staff.

However, neighbors in Panther Run had pushed back against the project, voicing objections based on concerns about compatibility and potential loss of privacy.

Pasco Planning Commission members also expressed misgivings about the compatibility, ultimately recommending denial of the application.

After the Planning Commission’s action, the foundation agreed to include additional concessions in its deed restriction — including reducing the number of lots on the Panther Run border, making most of those lots 100-feet wide and developing most of them with single-story homes.

“The foundation has made significant commitments along that common border with Panther Run to address their concerns. We believe we’ve gone above and beyond, in our efforts, to be good neighbors,” Tarapani said.

In general, some neighbors still voiced concerns about privacy issues and the intensity of the underlying zoning for the project.

But fewer residents expressed objections during the county board meeting than did at the planning commission meeting.

Panther Run resident Shelby Carrero, of 6448 Paw Place, thanked county commissioners for meeting with her to discuss the issue. She also thanked Tunnel to Towers Foundation for working with the neighbors.

“I think that we have finally come up with a compromise on both sides,” Carrero said.

Like many of the new development’s future neighbors, she supports the foundation’s work.

“I greatly, greatly appreciate that,” she said.

She’s also looking forward to the new community which the foundation will build.

“I think we couldn’t ask for better neighbors,” she said, adding, “we are excited to see what they are going to do.”

Pasco County Commissioners also expressed enthusiasm for the planned “Let Us Do Good Village.”

“I thank you for coming before the board with such a great project,” County Commissioner Jack Mariano said.

He also expressed appreciation to the foundation, for listening to the neighbors.

“I think you’re making yourself fit in real well,” Mariano said.

Commission Chairman Ron Oakley agreed: “You’ve all done a good job in answering the public  — the neighbors of that project.”

Commissioner Kathryn Starkey put it like this: “I’m  very proud that we’re going to have this in our county.”

Published June 16, 2021

‘Unique subdivision’ meets resistance

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The idea of creating a subdivision in Land O’ Lakes for catastrophically injured veterans, and surviving families of fallen first responders and for Gold Star families has broad appeal — but even with the popularity of the cause, a proposed rezoning for the project is meeting resistance.

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation has proposed the first neighborhood in the nation specifically designed to serve its recipients be located on about 75 acres, on the south side of Parkway Boulevard, about one-half mile east of Ehren Cutoff. The site is between the Panther Run and Dupree Lakes subdivisions.

The foundation was established 20 years ago by Frank Siller, to honor the sacrifice of his brother, Stephen Siller, a firefighter who laid down his life to save others on Sept. 11, 2001.

Matt Mahoney, executive vice president of the foundation, explained the concept of the project — via a remote feed during an April 22 meeting of the Pasco County Planning Commission meeting.

“Our recipients are all gifted these homes. These are mortgage-free homes,” Mahoney said.

“We have the financial wherewithal to do this. The land was donated to us,” Mahoney said. “We’re in a strong financial situation to move forward with this project.”

The foundation has a solid track record, said Cyndi Tarapani, a professional planner representing the applicant.

But residents in the adjacent Panther Run neighborhood and members of the Pasco County Planning Commission raised objections to the proposal.

Those concerns initially were aired during the April 22 meeting, which was continued until May, to give the applicant time to respond to the concerns.

At the May 20 planning board meeting, the issues were much the same.

Would-be neighbor Tim Robinson, of 6444 Paw Place, put it like this “I can’t say enough how much I like what Tunnels to Towers is doing for our servicemen and women and our first responders, a very admirable endeavor.

“My main issue is compatibility,” Robinson said. “We would have a bunch of homes butting right up to half-acre lots and I really don’t feel that is compatible at all.”

Planning Commissioner Jaime Girardi also expressed concerns about compatibility.

David Goldstein, chief assistant county attorney, told planning board members that the request seeks an R-4 zoning district, a Euclidean zoning that allows up to four houses per acre. The county cannot attach conditions to Euclidean zoning requests, Goldstein said.

Instead, the county can ask the applicant to voluntarily add deed restrictions.

The planning board asked the foundation to place larger lots on land next to the adjacent Panther Run lots. It also asked for one-story homes to be built there, to address privacy concerns.

Planning commissioners also wanted to guarantee that the land would be used by the foundation’s program beneficiaries.

At the May 20 meeting, Tarapani said the foundation has agreed to deed restrictions that call for fewer lots and larger lots, with one-story homes along the edge of the neighborhood adjacent to Panther Run.

However, she said her client would not agree to ownership restrictions.

Without that restriction, there is no guarantee that the foundation won’t sell the land to another developer, Goldstein said.

Panther Run neighbors reiterated their objections.

Shelby Carrero, of 6448 Paw Place, told the planning board: “After reviewing the deed restriction, I am disheartened to say the least, that our valid concerns we have expressed several times have not been taken into consideration by the applicant.

“The fact the applicant has ignored its future Pasco County neighbors, as well as the Pasco County Planning Commission, should speak volumes as to what their plan was this entire time.

“They have refused to put in their deed restriction that they will not sell the land to a developer, or that they will not sell the homes to people that are not military veterans, first responders, or their families.

“Therefore, the applicant’s narrative doesn’t hold true.”

She added: “It was an insult to see their updated site plan. The previous plan had 22 homes lining Panther Run. The updated plan has 19.”

Finally, she said, “We cannot treat them any different than a big developer because we now know that this is a possibility.

Sabrina Fernandez, 22402 Panther Run Court, asked commissioners to deny the request.

“The truth is that this applicant has ignored the request from this board, and I do appreciate you taking our thoughts into consideration a couple of weeks ago. This is very emotional for us because it’s going to affect our lives greatly.”

Other opponents said they don’t want two-story homes on smaller lots lining up behind their large lot. They also cited concerns about a loss of privacy.

Tarapani challenged the assertion that the proposed rezoning is incompatible.

“Single family, next to single family, is by its very nature, compatible,” she said. Plus, she noted, as part of its deed restriction the foundation has agreed to erect a 6-foot buffer wall between the new subdivision and its Panther Run neighbors, even though the county’s code doesn’t require it.

County planners recommend approval of the request, but the planning board voted to recommend denial, with Planning Commissioner Chris Williams dissenting.

The issue now goes to the Pasco County Commission, which has final jurisdiction on land use and zoning issues.

Published June 02, 2021

County board takes action on land use issues

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The Pasco County Commission has awarded a $1.5 million contract for renovations at Hugh Embry Branch Library, in Dade City.

Commissioners selected Blackwater Construction Services LLC to do the work, out of nine responses received.

In other action, at the board’s May 18 meeting, commissioners:

  • Approved a rezoning to allow Cypress Ridge Professional Office Center on a 9.1-acre site on the west side of Wesley Chapel Boulevard, north of State Road 54/State Road 56
  • Approved a rezoning to allow a light industrial park district on a 5-acre site in East Central Pasco County, on the west side of Old Lakeland Highway, north of Townsend Road
  • Forwarded a land use request for state review involving a proposal to allow a mixed-use development on a 35-acre site at the southwest corner of Roaches Run and Land O’ Lakes Boulevard, also known as U.S. 41. Once the state review is done, it will come back for a final vote by the county board, which is scheduled for July 6. A companion rezoning also must be approved before the development could proceed.

The proposed development would include retail, as well as a number of other uses that could include office/medical office; health care-related uses; light industrial; distribution; multifamily; single-family attached residential; senior retirement/assisted living; aggregate home and public/institutional uses.

Board members also continued:

  • A rezoning request by Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers on the south side of Parkway Boulevard, about ½-mile east of Ehren Cutoff, in Land O’ Lakes, for a residential subdivision on 75.15 acres.
  • Continued to a date uncertain a request by Kiddie Campus University Inc., for a rezoning to allow a general commercial use at the southwest corner of the intersection of State Road 54 and Meadowbrook Drive. County commissioners recently rejected a request to change the land use designation on the land from a residential designation to one that would allow commercial use. Area residents strenuously objected to the proposal because the potential buyer of the site wanted to build a gas station there. Neighbors said they don’t oppose the use of the site for a non-residential use, but they want one that is less intense, such as a professional office development.

Published May 26, 2021

One-of-a-kind subdivision in Pasco?

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The Pasco County Planning Commission has continued until May 20 its consideration of a proposal to create a subdivision for catastrophically injured veterans, and surviving families of fallen first responders and to Gold Star families.

The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation is seeking permission to build 115 homes on 74 acres, on the south side of Parkway Boulevard, about one-half mile east of Ehren Cutoff, in Land O’ Lakes.

The site is between the Panther Run and Dupree Lakes subdivisions.

Matt Mahoney, executive vice president of the foundation, explained the concept of the project — via a remote feed — during the planning board’s April 22 meeting.

“Our recipients are all gifted these homes. These are mortgage-free homes,” Mahoney said.

The homes will go to catastrophically injured veterans — who are missing multiple appendages or have been severely burned, he said. Homes also will be provided for surviving spouses and families of Fallen First Responders and Gold Star families.

“We have the financial wherewithal to do this. The land was donated to us,” Mahoney said. “We’re in a strong financial situation to move forward with this project.”

The foundation was established 20 years ago by Frank Siller, to honor the sacrifice of his brother, Stephen Siller, a firefighter who laid down his life to save others on Sept. 11, 2001.

“While the foundation’s previous efforts were focused on individual homes and paying off existing mortgages in various places, this is the first of the foundation’s projects to develop an entire neighborhood devoted exclusively for injured veterans and surviving spouses,” said Cyndi Tarapani, who represented the applicant.

Access to the neighborhood will be from two entrances on Parkway Boulevard. The foundation will build a northbound, left-turn lane into the project at the main entrance, Tarapani said.

The subdivision will have two lot sizes, 100-foot wide lots for single-story homes that are specifically tailored to meet the need of injured veterans, and 60-foot wide lots for two-story homes, intended for widows and their young children.

The neighborhood will have a community center and play area, and has large areas of wetlands that will be preserved, she said.

And, while the code doesn’t require it, the foundation will install a 6-foot solid fence along the common borders of our neighborhoods, Tarapani said.

The proposed project is consistent with the site’s long-range plan’s designation, which allows up to three dwellings per acre, she said.

The proposed development would have an average of 1.54 units per acre. That compares to its neighbors: Panther Run has an overall density of 1.47 units per acre and Dupree Lakes has an overall density of 1.46 units per acre, Tarapani said.

The site also is conveniently located close to Pine View Elementary and Pine View Middle schools, and is near U.S. 41 and State Road 54, she said.

Neighbors to the proposed development applaud the foundation’s mission, but raised concerns about the proposed plans.

Several expressed sentiments similar to Tim Robinson, of 6444 Paw Place, in Panther Run.

“This is a zoning issue with us. It’s not a complaint against the organization or the work that it does.

“Dupree Lakes is similar; Panther Run, is not,” he said.

“Dupree Lakes has lot sizes that would be comparable to what the applicant is proposing.

“However, Panther Run could not be more different.”

“The proposed project would back into a portion of a neighborhood that has half-acre and larger lots,” Robinson said. “It doesn’t seem to fit in with the area and it changes the entire dynamic.”

Neighbors also voiced worries about the impact to wildlife that frequents the area. They also raised concerns about increased traffic and potential flooding.

Area resident Lee Edwards said that because the proposed development site has substantial wetlands, “those houses are going to be shoved up on top of one another — and it’s going to look like it.”

Chief Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein reminded the planning board that since the rezoning request is for what’s called a Euclidean zoning district, the planning board would not be able to attach any conditions to the rezoning.

For instance, once the zoning is approved, there is nothing to prevent the foundation from selling the land to another developer.

The planning board, however, can request the applicant to agree to voluntary deed restrictions, Goldstein said.

Planning Commission Charles Grey expressed concerns about the potential for the land — once rezoned — to be sold to another developer.

Planning Commissioner Jaime Girardi wants the applicant to reduce the number of homes backing up to Panther Run.

“From my perspective, from what I’ve heard today, the biggest concern seems to be the compatibility between the user to the west, in Panther Run, and the lots in this proposed development adjacent to them.

“Frankly, that the only problem I have with this whole proposal.

“I commend what’s being proposed here, in general.

“To have a 60-foot lot next to half-acre lot, I tend to struggle with the compatibility factor,” Girardi said.

Planning Commissioner Chris Williams agreed: “I’d like to see some bigger lots just right there.”

Grey told Tarapani, “As much as the board seems to like this concept and like this idea and wants to make it happen, I think, if you’re unwilling to bend on a couple of these issues, I think we only have one alternative and that’s to deny it.”

The board wants a commitment that the land won’t be sold and wants some larger lots bordering the Panther Run neighborhood, Grey said.

“I think those are two deal-breakers. I’m just reading the board here,” Grey said.

Tarapani requested a delay until the board’s May 6 meeting, to see how the applicant can address those issues.

Published May 05, 2021

2045 roadway plan officially pushes forward

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The Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) board has approved the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan that includes numerous projects that are expected to be pursued within a 20-year time frame.

“The goal is to develop [a] cost-affordable plan that covers a minimum of 20 years through the planning process,” Wally Blain, of Tindale Oliver, told the MPO board during a Dec. 11 meeting at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse.

The evaluation of State Road 54 and U.S. 41 is underway and a part of the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan. This agenda was passed by the Pasco County Metropolitan Planning Organization board on Dec. 11. (File)

The 2045 plan is a revision of the 2040 plan. It prioritizes road in greatest need.

The long-range plan is updated every five years and is subject to revision.

Its feasibility is determined by what funds are allocated on the federal, state and local levels.

The planning process also included a public comment period, from Nov. 6 to Dec.6.

“More than 2,500 residents of Pasco participated in those and provided input on the transportation planning process,” Blain noted.

One comment noted that trucks are traveling faster on Ehren Cutoff, since the road’s shoulders were expanded. Another cited a lack of north-south improvements in Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills compared to east-west improvements. And, there was a suggestion for a train service to connect Pasco County with Orlando and Tallahassee.

While the feedback was noted, priority road improvements must be dealt with first, Blain said.

The 2045 plan includes changes in the way revenues are distributed for transportation-related improvements.

The 2045 plan contrasts to the 2040 plan as follows:

  • Funding for roadway capacity rose from 64% to 71%
  • Funding for transit decreased from 25% to 9%
  • Funding for sidewalks and bicycle facilities increased from 1% to 2%
  • Funding for technology/congestion management rose from 1% to 3%
  • Funding for roadway maintenance rose from 9% to 14%

Projects in the 2045 plan include:

  • Widening of State Road 52 to four lanes, from U.S. 41 to Old Pasco Road
  • A one-way pair conversion, along U.S. 301
  • Widening of U.S. 301 to six lanes, from Eiland Boulevard to Kossik Road
  • Widening of Old Pasco Road to four lanes, from Wesley Chapel Boulevard to State Road 52
  • Widening of Overpass Road to four lanes, from Interstate 75 to U.S. 301
  • Extending Tower Road to U.S. 41

The Vision 54/56 project has $600 million for improvements, but specific changes have yet to be determined.

“State Road 54 is a key corridor that the MPO has taken as a priority in this plan, as well as the 2040 plan,” Blain said.

The MPO has been working along with the Florida Department of Transportation to address the issue.

The state transportation department is conducting an evaluation to determine potential improvements at the intersection of U.S. 41 and State Road 54.

The approved long-range transportation plan will be submitted to the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration and the Florida Department of Transportation. These agencies utilize the adopted plan to implement numerous federal and state-funded transportation projects in Pasco County.

In addition to long-range planning, Blain also covered a number of projects that are ongoing and committed in the five-year plan, which runs through 2024.

Those include:

  • Widening of State Road 52 to four lanes from the Suncoast Parkway to U.S. 41
  • Widening U.S. 41 to four lanes, south of State Road 52
  • Ridge Road extension from Moon Lake Road to the Suncoast Parkway (The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued a permit to begin work on the project on Dec. 20)
  • Construction of a new State Road 52 alignment, east of Interstate 75 to Clinton Avenue
  • Construction of an Interstate 75/Overpass Road interchange.
  • Widening of Collier Parkway to four lanes, from Bell Lake Road to Parkway Boulevard

Published December 25, 2019

Collecting litter to help keep Pasco clean

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About 340 volunteers fanned out across Land O’ Lakes to pick up litter and trash along the area’s roads, public lands and waterways.

In their first year volunteering for the Coastal Cleanup event, the Dana family, from Wesley Chapel, work together to pick up trash that was discarded along Collier Parkway, north of Hale Road. From left: 7-year-old Peyton, Cliff, 10-year-old Ethan, and Lydia. (Christine Holtzman)

They were among the thousands who took part in Pasco County, as part of the annual International Coastal Cleanup event on Sept. 21.

Volunteers in Dade City, Lacoochee, New Port Richey, Port Richey, Hudson and Holiday also joined in the efforts that were organized by Pasco County and the not-for-profit environmental organization, Keep Pasco Beautiful.

Those pitching in on the Land O’ Lakes effort met around 8 a.m., at the community center at Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., to pick up gloves, trash bags, safety vests and bottles of water.

Event sponsors paid for the supplies, and volunteers who had registered received a keepsake bag and an event T-shirt.

Some of the volunteers have been helping out for decades, including 84-year-old Gloria Dale, of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club, who worked at the registration table. She’s been pitching in for 26 years.

Eleven-year old Olivia O’Malley, of Land O’ Lakes, holds a trash bag open, as her father, Michael, throws away a decaying trash bag that was found on the side of Parkway Boulevard. O’Malley, a member of Boy Scouts Troop 34, and her dad also found a piece of a car bumper earlier in the morning.

Lottie Kelley, another longtime volunteer, has helped for 24 years.

She works for Covanta, one of the event sponsors, and was the Land O’ Lakes site captain.

Helping to keep Pasco clean and green is what makes the event important, Kelley said.

“Litter is very unsightly, and it’s not good for the county,” Kelley said.

Besides being unattractive, roadway trash can be dangerous for wildlife, she said.

“We need to keep the litter off the roadways, so the animals don’t eat it. They can end up being in a terrible situation,” Kelley said.

She said this year’s effort focused on roadways in Land O’ Lakes, including Ehren Cutoff, Collier Parkway, Parkway Boulevard, Hale Road, Bell Lake Road and Carson Drive.

Boy Scout troops 33 and 34, and Cub Scout Pack 33 from Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Land O’ Lakes,  collected trash along large stretches of Collier Parkway and Parkway Boulevard.

Twelve-year-old Wesley Swank, of Land O’ Lakes, emerges from the bushes with a large Styrofoam cup, that was discarded along Parkway Blvd, near Paw Place. Swank is a member of Boy Scout Troop 33, which is based out of Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Land O’ Lakes.

The troops have been participating in this event for approximately 15 years and, over the years, have picked up all sorts of items, including a glass table, a microwave, beer bottles and even a device that looked like a pipe bomb.

The idea is to remove every piece of trash discarded on the roadways to prevent it from ending up in waterways, and eventually into oceans.

As each piece trash is picked up, it is recorded on sheets, or on a downloadable app provided by the nonprofit organization Ocean Conservancy.

The ocean-advocacy group is on a mission to tackle the greatest global challenges facing the ocean.

By recording the types of trash and the amounts, the group can establish a snapshot and a state-by-state index of the problem of marine debris.

Last year, 1,823 volunteers picked up 11.94 tons of trash throughout Pasco County, according to the Keep Pasco Beautiful website.

Published September 25, 2019

Five-year-old Aliya Goodwin, of Lutz, left, and 9-year-old Caleb MacKenzie, also of Lutz, take a break from picking up trash, and sit on the bumper of an SUV. The kids were volunteering their time by collecting trash along Parkway Boulevard in Land O’ Lakes with Cub Scout Pack 33.
Seven-year-old Brendan Pratt, of Land O’ Lakes, left, and his father, Michael, stand on the corner of Parkway Boulevard and Collier Parkway. To stay hydrated, Brendan is drinking water from a hose, that is connected to the backpack full of water that he is wearing.
Cub Scout Pack 33, based out of Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Land O’ Lakes, picks up trash along Parkway Boulevard, near the corner of Collier Parkway.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pine View Elementary becomes Primary Years program

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Pine View Elementary School has received its official authorization to offer the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme.

The school, at 5333 Parkway Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes, has been working for three years toward attaining the authorization. It is the first public school in Pasco County to achieve the distinction.

Pine View Elementary Principal Kay Moore is delighted that her Land O’ Lakes school has achieved its official authorization to offer an International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme. Pine View Elementary is only one of 504 schools in the United States authorized to offer the IB PYP, which uses an interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning. (B.C. Manion)

As of May 1, there were 1,716 schools offering the IB PYP, in 109 different countries worldwide, according to the IB Organization’s website. In the United States, there are 504 public schools offering the IB PYP.

Pine View Middle School already is operating as an IB Middle Years Programme, and Land O’ Lakes High School offers the IB Diploma Programme, as well as a pre-IB programme for ninth-graders.

Pine View Elementary Principal Kay Moore said being a PYP candidate school has been a journey.

“One of the requirements to be authorized is that 100 percent of your staff has to go through International Baccalaureate training. So, we spent a lot of time and resources to train teachers,” Moore said.

Initially, the elementary school was looking for a way to provide a choice option for parents.

“We had declining enrollment over the past few years,” Moore explained, noting that Pine View was losing students to Sanders Memorial Elementary, a STEAM Magnet School, and charter schools, such as Imagine School and Classical Prep.

“We wanted to offer choice, and IB seemed to be a natural fit because of the middle school and the high school,” Moore said. “It completed a feeder pattern.”

While Pine View’s motivation was to be competitive, the experience has been illuminating for everyone involved, Moore said.

“We learned that this is a teaching style that’s good for kids,” Moore said.

It also “was a great growth opportunity for our staff,” she added, noting that as teachers became more familiar with the PYP, they embraced it.

Their attitude was: “This is the kind of teaching and learning we want for children.’

These attributes, painted on wooden boards beneath a covered walkway at Pine View Elementary, are qualities that prepare IB students to make exceptional contributions on campus.

“It was, ‘Wow, this is just good teaching’,” the principal said.

“So our staff buy-in was 100 percent because of that,” the principal said.

Moore credits Erin Greco, the school’s IB coordinator, as playing a pivotal role in the school’s transition to becoming a PYP.

She described Greco as being a catalyst.

“She’s been going through extensive training and studying, and is very self-motivated,” Moore said.

Teachers are pleased to be able to offer this educational approach, she added.

“One of the teachers got up at a parent meeting and said, ‘Just think, we’re going to offer your child IB, without the expense of IB,” Moore said.

Parents are enthused by the program, too.

“The IB team came in and interviewed the parent groups. They said that is our strength. Our parent support is truly our strength.

“I think a lot of them recognize that this is something special, that their children and they get to be involved with,” Moore said.

Besides achieving the PYP designation, Pine View is also a magnet school now.

Students within the school’s normal boundaries are automatically in, but others living outside the boundaries can apply to fill vacant spots. The vacancies are filled through a lottery.

When parents inquire about the program, they often have questions about the curriculum, Moore said.

“The curriculum is not different. We still do the state standards. The difference is we teach in an interdisciplinary fashion, where we integrate reading, writing, science, social studies — with a focus on connecting kids globally,” she said.

“Delivery is different because we try to do it on an inquiry basis, so that kids have choice and voice. When they do have choice and voice, they own it. We encourage them to go beyond the lessons that teachers may give and do their own inquiry,” she said.

There’s also more hands-on learning, Moore added.

The students aren’t the only ones learning in a new way, the principal added.

The teachers also are true IB learners, Moore said. “They’re inquiring, ‘How can I make it better? What can I read, what can I study — to make this experience better for kids?’”

And, they aren’t the only ones who are welcoming opportunities for new growth.

Moore, an educator for 38 years, said she feels invigorated.

“We are definitely not at the end of this journey. Every year, we are going to refine and make things better.

“The world is a lot smaller now, because of all the connections.

“This allows us to have that global perspective and really help children see and accept differences, and tolerate — and yet be discriminators of their own learning. That’s what excites me,” Moore said.

For more information, contact Pine View Elementary at (352) 524-0600.

What is the Primary Years Programme?
The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is a curriculum framework for young learners aged 3–12 designed by the International Baccalaureate (IB).

Founded on a philosophy that recognizes a child’s natural curiosity, creativity and ability to reflect, the PYP generates a stimulating, challenging learning environment to nurture those assets and foster a lifelong love of learning in every child.

The PYP, like all IB programmes, is transdisciplinary, meaning students learn across subject areas, while investigating big ideas.

Does the PYP have a specific set of standards?
In the PYP, students learn about significant concepts through units of inquiry.

The six transdisciplinary themes that guide units of inquiry and compose a year of study are:

  • Who we are
  • Where we are in place and time
  • How we express ourselves
  • How the world works
  • How we organize ourselves
  • Sharing the planet

Units of inquiry interweave subject areas, such as mathematics, language arts, science and social studies.

This approach encourages students to make their own connections between what they learn in core subject areas and how it relates to the world around them.

Source: International Baccalaureate website

Published July 03, 2019

PHSC seminar aims to help reduce impaired driving

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Drunk driving forever changed Brian Rushing’s life.

He was just 18 years old when he wrecked his SUV and killed his 21-year-old brother, Nathan.

That fateful night on Nov. 18, 2007, Rushing’s blood alcohol content was 0.09, over the legal limit.

After a night of partying, the last thing he remembers is seeing his brother at the family’s Land O’ Lakes home.

Brian Rushing shared his personal tragedy of being involved in a drunk driving crash, during a DUI awareness seminar at Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus in Wesley Chapel. Pictured in the background is Rushing’s older brother, Nathan, who died in the 2007 Land O’ Lakes crash. (Kevin Weiss)

He doesn’t remember getting in his car or pulling out of his family’s driveway; nor does he remember swerving off the road on Parkway Boulevard in Land O’ Lakes.

“I was in a blackout,” Rushing recalled. “I shouldn’t have been drinking.”

Rushing was later charged with DUI manslaughter in the death of his brother.

He was sentenced to nine months in county jail and 10 years felony probation. His license was revoked for life. Said Rushing: “DUIs destroy lives.”

More costly to Rushing, however, is each day he must cope with the loss of his brother — a brother he adored and looked up to.

“I have to live with that decision for the rest of my life,” he said. “And the consequences.”

Rushing was a guest speaker at a DUI awareness seminar at the Pasco-Hernando State College Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, in Wesley Chapel.

The Nov. 13 event was part of the state college’s ongoing Community Awareness Series, open to the public, students, faculty and staff.

Rushing, now 29, has turned his life around.

He’s been sober for more than 10 years, graduating from college and now working as a registered nurse.

He often shares his personal story to warn others about the dangers of driving under the influence, in hopes of preventing other families from experiencing a tragedy like his did.

“I never thought it could happen to me,” he said, “until it did, and it rocked my world. I thought it was something you’d read about in the newspapers in other towns.”

Stories like Rushing’s are all too common, the seminar revealed.

More than 11,000 people died and more than 290,000 were injured last year in drunk driving crashes, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

More than 1,100 of those fatalities occurred between Thanksgiving Eve and New Year’s Eve.

The problem hits locally, too.

The Tampa Alcohol Coalition (TAC) reports that Hillsborough County ranked No. 1 in Florida for DUI arrests (4,077) last year.

The county was also tops in Florida in 2015, which is the latest available data from the state, in alcohol-related crashes (1,469), alcohol-related injuries (993) and alcohol-related fatalities (66), the coalition reports.

“To be No.1, even though we’re the fourth-most populated county, is very alarming,” said Ellen Snelling, who chairs the Tampa Alcohol Coalition, which is part of the larger Hillsborough County Anti-Drug Alliance.

Snelling, who has worked with the organizations since 2000, provided a closer look at the sobering statistics throughout the seminar.

Some suggest the area’s limited public transportation system is largely to blame for the county’s impaired driving figures.

Snelling, however, believes there’s more at play.

“We can try to work more on public transportation,” she said, “but I think the real reason is the mindset of people thinking, kind of like Brian said, ‘It’s not going to happen to me.”

Too many people want to party, and then think they can drive home and be fine, she said. “And, that’s a huge problem.”

Snelling also pointed to the high number of concentrated bars and clubs throughout the Tampa area.

She refers to them as “drinking malls,” where groups of people will hit several spots in one night, taking advantage of drink specials at each establishment.

“And, what if you haven’t made a plan? You’re going to get in the car and drive,” she warned.

Snelling went on to explain that closing gaps in some of Florida’s alcohol laws is critical to preventing impaired driving incidents, in particular, first-time offenses.

Florida is one of two states that has no law against bars serving obviously intoxicated persons; the other being Nevada.

Florida also has a weak dram shop law, which refers to civil liability for bars and clubs that serve an intoxicated person who later causes serious injury or fatality. (Under the law, individuals or businesses who sell alcohol will generally not be held liable for damages or injuries caused by a drunk person who they sold alcohol to.)

Snelling put it this way: “Now we don’t want bartenders and servers to lose their jobs, but we do want to send a strong message, because if you prevent a person from getting super intoxicated, there’s less of a chance they’re going to get in a car and drive and cause a terrible crash.”

She also observed: “We need to look at the circumstances, and if a bar is making tons of money by overserving and having like all these drink specials, then they should be held accountable, too.”

Drinking and driving isn’t the only problem, Snelling said.

“It’s not just about alcohol — it’s about drugs. It’s about marijuana. It’s about pills. It’s about opioids. …We’ve got to work on ways to reduce the use of alcohol and drugs before driving,” she said.

The Tampa Bay region leads the state with the most confirmed crashes caused by drugged drivers, with 465 since 2014, Snelling said. Also, deadly crashes caused by drivers high on drugs have increased 47 percent in the past three years.

Other speakers at the seminar included Jeannine Laurence, Mothers Against Drunk Driving program specialist; and, Dr. Eddie Williams, PHSC assistant professor of human services.

Published November 28, 2018

LOL Swampfest returns with carnival fun

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The fall Swampfest will celebrate its 10th annual event at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., from Nov. 1 through Nov. 4.

The Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Booster Club is hosting the event, and invites the public to come and enjoy the festivities.

Swampfest, from Nov. 1 to Nov. 4, will have 24 carnival rides for all ages to choose from at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. (File)

Twenty-four carnival rides will be set up on the premises by Arnold Amusements Inc.

A one-night armband for unlimited rides — for all ages — can be purchased online for $15, or at the fair for $25.

Pre-sale tickets can also be purchased at these Land O’ Lakes locations: Sanders Elementary School, 5126 School Road; Pine View Middle School, 5334 Parkway Blvd.; and, Sugar and Spice Day Care, 3508 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.

They can also be picked up at Beef O’ Brady’s at Wilderness Lakes, 7040 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., and the Lutz Beef O’ Brady’s at 18835 State Road 54.

Food vendors will be selling refreshments, and JT Curtis, The Big Bong Theory, and the Suncoast Dance Academy will be among the groups offering entertainment.

“I like the idea of having a place where everybody in the community can go have a little festival,” said Doug Hutchison, founder of Swampfest. “We try to make it a family-type affair.”

Proceeds benefit the Land O’ Lakes High School Athletic Program.

Admission is free, however, there is a $5 parking fee. Only service pets are allowed on the premises.

For additional information, contact Doug Hutchinson at (813) 293-3684 or .

Swampfest
Where: Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd.
When: Nov. 1, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Nov. 2, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Nov. 3, noon to 11 p.m.; Nov. 4, noon to 6 p.m.
Cost: Free
Details: Four nights of carnival rides, games and live performances on the field of Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park.
Info: Contact Doug Hutchinson at (813) 293-3684 or . To purchase armband tickets online, visit LOLSwampfest.com.

Published October 31, 2018

Students ring in the 2018-2019 school year

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As a new academic year begins, students heading to Florida public schools will be welcomed to campuses that are now protected by armed security.

The Florida Legislature mandated the armed guards at public school campuses across the state in response to the Valentine’s Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland that left 17 students and staff members dead, and 17 others injured.

But, the additional security is just one of many changes awaiting students at schools across The Laker/Lutz News coverage area.

Some students will be heading to entirely new campuses.

The North Tampa Christian Academy, is opening at 5619 E. County Line Road in Wesley Chapel. It will serve students from age 2 through 12th grade.

Union Park Charter Academy, a charter public school, is another new school. It is opening, at 32775 Oldwoods Ave., in Wesley Chapel. It is a kindergarten through eighth grade school, but this year will be serving only students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Meanwhile, in Land O’ Lakes, students and faculty arriving at Land O’ Lakes High School will continue to see a campus in the midst of a major makeover. There’s still a considerable amount of work left to do, but the project involves a substantial upgrade of the facility.

Students and staff at Woodland Elementary School in Zephyrhills will find a campus that has already undergone a massive makeover.

And, while it’s not noticeable yet, Zephyrhills High School is gearing up to begin a renovation that also will breathe new life into the facility.

There are changes on the academic front, too.

Cypress Creek Middle High School, in Wesley Chapel, for instance, will have its first senior class.

And, Pine View Middle School, at 5334 Parkway Blvd., is starting the new school year as Pasco County’s first authorized IB Middle Years Programme World School.

The middle school has worked long and hard to achieve the distinction, dating back to May of 2015 when it became an IB candidate school.

In addition to that new distinction, Pine View also has been named a magnet school, which means that students who live outside of the school’s attendance zone can apply to attend the school.

On another front, Pasco County Schools offers a variety of enrichment programs before and after school for elementary-age children.

The district’s afterschool enrichment department also manages five other programs.

Two of those programs are funded through 21st Century Community Learning Centers federal grants. Those programs are the STAR Academy, for elementary students; and DELTA Academy, for middle school students, according to the district’s website. Both are free and are aimed at academic enrichment.
The STAR Academy programs are located at Gulf Highlands, Quail Hollow, and Rodney B. Cox elementary schools. The DELTA Academy programs are located at Gulf, Hudson, and Raymond B. Stewart middle schools.

Two afterschool fee-based programs also are being offered at some district schools.

Beyond the Bell is an afterschool program for middle school students that incorporates homework assistance, sports, music, dance, leadership development and community service activities, the district’s website says. It will be offered at Charles S. Rushe Middle School, in Land O’ Lakes and River Ridge Middle School in New Port Richey.

Explorations will be offered at Wiregrass Elementary School, in Wesley Chapel. The program operates Monday through Thursday, from 4:10 p.m. to 5:10 p.m. The program includes a variety of enrichment activities for children, such as coding and robotics, dance, Spanish, and sports drills and skills.

School’s back in session: Drive safely
As school bells ring in another academic year, motorists and pedestrians are reminded to be cautious to help keep everyone safe.

Here are some tips for drivers from AAA, North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization:

  • Observe the speed limit. School zone speed limits are purposefully set low. Children are unpredictable, and may have difficulty gauging the distance and speed of an approaching car.
  • Look for AAA School Safety Patrollers. They’re a sign you are approaching a school zone.
  • Stop completely at intersections with stop signs.
  • Always stop for school buses that are loading or unloading. Going around a stopped school bus is not only dangerous, it’s against the law.
  • Eliminate driver distraction. Keep your eyes on the road. Put your phone down, and keep an eye out for other drivers and pedestrians.
  • Plan Ahead. Build in extra time for congestion.

Published August 8, 2018