The Laker/Lutz News

Pasco eSchool

School funding issue highlights Pasco legislative delegation

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More than 30 citizens and civic leaders made their voices heard on various hot-button issues during the annual Pasco County Legislative Delegation meeting at Zephyrhills City Hall.

Refining funding for area schools was among the key themes at the Sept. 1 gathering.

The annual event allows residents, elected officials, representatives of city and county governments, and civic organizations to speak directly to their legislators prior to the start of the next legislative session.

The Pasco County Legislative Delegation annual pre-session meeting took place on Sept. 1 inside Zephyrhills City Hall. More than 30 citizens and civic leaders made their voices heard on various hot-button issues, including education, criminal justice, health care, small businesses, nonprofits, environmental and municipal infrastructure. (Kevin Weiss)

Pasco’s delegation includes State Reps. Amber Mariano, Ardian Zika and Randy Maggard; and State Sens. Wilton Simpson (current Senate president), Ed Hooper and Danny Burgess, respectively. Maggard was absent at the delegation meeting.

Pasco County School Board member Colleen Beaudoin opened the conversation on education — addressing the delegation on virtual school financing inequities.

Beaudoin asked state leadership to consider an amendment that would strike language from a Florida statute that puts Pasco’s virtual program at a disadvantage to the Florida Virtual School (FLVS) program.

Current law limits Pasco eSchool to earning full-time equivalency (FTE) funding during the 180-day school calendar, while the state’s virtual school can record FTEs throughout the summer,  Beaudoin explained.

This situation hurts students who wish to take online classes during the summer — whether that’s to meet graduation requirements or accelerate their learning, she said.

She also noted that Pasco eSchool offers more than 50 courses that are not available from FLVS, including high-interest electives, dual-enrollment, Advanced Placement, and career and technical courses.

“We want every opportunity to provide choice for our students and families,” said Beaudoin, a University of Tampa math instructor and department of education chair.

Beaudoin put forth three instances of funding being denied students to take district virtual classes.

“Please allow for the same funding that you provide for FLVS.”

United School Employees of Pasco president Don Peace stepped in to raise concerns about the state’s “formulation and categorical restrictions in the teacher salary increase allocation.”

The union leader said he agrees with Gov. Ron DeSantis’ plan to raise the floor on salaries to recruit new teachers.

But, Peace said there needs to be some accommodations for more experienced teachers, particularly regarding salary compression.

The first 15 years of teacher salaries have been compressed in Pasco — meaning that a 15-year teacher makes the same salary as a teacher fresh out of college, Peace said.

Peace suggested altering the state’s teacher salary allocation guidelines. Currently, it calls for 80% of funds to be used for increasing the base salary, with 20% for those already above the base salary.

He suggested that it should be split 50/50, which would allow school boards the ability to raise the ceiling on salaries to recognize long-term employees.

Peace also urged legislators to improve salaries for bus drivers, custodians, food and nutrition services workers and other support staff.

Tammy Rabon-Noyce is the executive director of CLASS Pasco, a nonprofit organization that represents the interests and advocacy for over 260 school principals, assistant principals and staffers.

She emphasized the need for legislators to involve school administrators and organizations such as CLASS Pasco in the drafting of education policies and funding.

She also asked the state to give local districts more freedom in spending decisions.

“We need autonomy over those (state) funds that you all so generously provide to us, and we ask that you consult with us — let us talk you through the implications of policies that you are considering, and tap our expertise,” Rabon-Noyce said.

Other topics included criminal justice, health care, small businesses, nonprofits, environmental and municipal infrastructure.

There was even talk about how the Sunshine State can better position itself to attract more film and television productions.

Tampa-based actor Ray Watters spoke on behalf of Film Florida, a statewide not-for-profit entertainment association.

The longtime professional actor underscored the potential economic windfall if Florida was able to attract more film and production companies.

“It’s really, really disheartening for me to know that Florida is the only state in the southeast, and one of 16 states throughout the U.S., without a program to compete for film and television projects, which puts us at a major competitive disadvantage,” he said.

Watters claimed that Florida has lost out on close to 100 major film and television projects that would’ve equated to over $1.5 billion spent statewide, 125,000 cast and crew jobs, and 250,000 hotel room nights.

A handful of passionate speakers called upon the legislative delegation to institute a statewide anti-tethering law.

Lutz resident Betsy Coville, a veterinarian for over three decades, said anti-tethering legislation promotes public safety and gives law enforcement additional tools to impede dog fighting.

Dog fighting, Coville added, is linked to illegal drugs and money laundering.

She also described the inhumane treatment endured by dogs who are tethered to a stationary object outdoors for lengthy periods.

“A dog on a chain has a very small, lonely world. They eat, sleep and live in the filth where they urinate and defecate,” Coville said.

“They’re at the mercy of rain, cold, heat, and sitting targets for biting insects and predators, both human and animal. They are not a part of a loving family, and rarely have appropriate food, shelter or veterinary care.

“Dogs are social animals and, over time, a lack of companionship and attention leads to fearful, anxious and often aggressive animals.”

Although four hours had been allotted for the legislative delegation meeting, speakers concluded their remarks within two hours.

Each guest speaker had been given three minutes to make their points and requests.

“Believe it or not folks, Pasco County has showed how you do a delegation meeting,” said Burgess the delegation chair, referring to the meeting’s efficiency.

The Florida Legislature kicks off the 2022 regular session on Jan. 11. The fall interim committee meeting schedule began Sept. 20 and runs through early December.

Published September 29, 2021

Pasco schools seek ‘near-normal’

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As the Pasco County public school district wraps up an academic year that was anything but normal, Superintendent Kurt Browning hopes things will be different in the 2021-2022 term.

Browning discussed his hopes for the district, along with a full range of other topics, during a webinar hosted last week by the Greater Pasco Chamber of Commerce, as part of its Business Development Year series.

“This year has been incredibly challenging,” Browning told those listening.

“Whoever knew … when everything got shut down (in March 2020) that we would literally be shut down for the fourth quarter and that we’d still be dealing with COVID … more than a year later,” the superintendent said.

Browning praised district teachers, administrators and staff for making rapid adaptations to conduct the rest of last school year virtually.

Then, he said, the district made more adjustments before the 2020-2021 year began to create a new option called mySchool Online. That option has allowed students to learn virtually, following a normal school schedule — being taught remotely by teachers.

When the 2021-2022 school year begins, Browning said mySchool Online will be discontinued. Students will either return to school campuses for in-person learning or learn remotely through Pasco eSchool.

MySchool Online, Browning acknowledged, “had its challenges.”

“We’ve had some students that have been very successful on it. I will tell you that we’ve had some students that have not been very successful,” he said.

Concerns about students lagging behind prompted the district to make an all-out push in an effort to persuade parents of those struggling students to return them to campus.

Some parents simply refused, Browning said.

That’s concerning, the district leader said, because “the performance this year is certainly going to set them up for future success. We just want to make sure our kids are prepared, going forward into the next grade level.”

As of last week, details were still being worked out regarding the summer instructional program and the upcoming school year.

Browning wants to reintroduce activities that were diminished or curtailed by COVID-19.

“Kids need some sense of normalcy. They need to have their clubs. They need to have athletics. They need to have their dances. They need to have the social interaction with other students,” Browning said.

“And so, we are going to try to have as normal of a school opening as we possibly can, starting in August,” Browning said.

At the same time, the district will take guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and will work closely with the Department of Health-Pasco County, he said.

Social isolation, mental health
Browning said he doesn’t consider himself a “touchy-feely” type of guy. But added: “I have been very concerned about the mental well-being of our kids this year.”

When students are learning remotely, they don’t have the safety nets that schools provide, he said.

“Teachers can’t physically lay their eyes on these kids. They can’t see that they’re dirty.

“They can’t see that they’ve got bruises on their arms.

“They can’t see that they’re thinner because maybe they’re not eating.

“At least when they were face-to-face, they could see some things. Teachers could let their administrators know. We could make phone calls. We could do a wellness check with the family. We could provide food. We could provide clothing.

“Not only that, we could provide hope.

“What we found through COVID is that some parents have just not had any hope.”

“My heart just breaks when I hear about these kids that are struggling,” Browning said.

He then told those listening to the webinar about a call he received from a fellow superintendent — who told him two students in that district had committed suicide.

A few weeks later, Browning said, he learned of a Pasco student who had committed suicide and then, a couple of weeks later, another student did.

“I don’t know all of the underlying circumstances to what brought that kid to make that decision,” Browning said. Then, he reiterated: “I have been concerned about the mental well-being of our kids.”

Browning touched on some other topics, too.

In response to a question, he said he expects COVID-19 to have a negative impact on the district’s graduation rate.

He also told listeners that the district will be opening its Starkey Ranch K-8 school in the fall. Located in the Starkey community, off State Road 54, it is the district’s first school specifically designed for kindergarten through eighth-grade students.

The school is expected to have about 1,000 elementary school students and 600 middle school students.

The campus will have a facility that has been dubbed TLC, which stands for theater, library and cultural center.

The TLC will accommodate public library for patrons and students. It also will have a 250-seat theater and three makerspaces.

Michael Francis, conductor for the Florida Orchestra, has been helping the district with its arts planning for the campus, Browning said.

On another topic, the superintendent told the crowd that unlike many districts across the state, Pasco is projected to experience growth in the coming year.

The district also has been included in a 10-county intensive reading pilot project, which will allow the district to provide some intensive literacy help.

Although Browning expects the district to fare well, overall, in terms of the state budget, he said the district needs to improve salaries overall, but teacher salaries, in particular.

“It really is tough work out there, and with some of the other districts out there having additional sources of revenue that we don’t have, it makes it difficult to compete with those other districts,” Browning said.

Published May 05, 2021

Local singer next American Idol?

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Dade City teenager Alanis Sophia has come a long way from belting out tunes in local libraries and graduation ceremonies.

In fact, she’s headed to Hollywood as a contestant on ABC’s hit television show, “American Idol.”

Alanis Sophia wowed the distinguished group of ‘American Idol’ celebrity judges — Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie — during her singing performance. The Dade City native is a graduate of Pasco eSchool, the county’s virtual instruction program. She is now studying media communications at Full Sail University. Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sophia moved with her family to Wesley Chapel and then to Dade City. (Courtesy of Gigi Stevens/Freemantle)

The 19-year-old college student and Pasco eSchool graduate’s first audition was aired on the Feb. 28 season premiere of the nationally televised music competition show.

Performing a rendition of “Anyone,” by Demi Lovato, Sophia wowed the distinguished group of celebrity judges — Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie — securing a golden ticket to advance to the next round of the popular competition series watched by millions.

Perry, one of the world’s best-selling pop singers, characterized Sophia’s performance this way:  “She’s the best we’ve seen today.”

Richie complimented “the purity” of Sophia’s voice and personality during the aired segment, adding the young singer has “huge potential.”

The teen vividly recalls how it felt to perform in front of the trio — who are among the most successful and recognizable personalities in the music entertainment industry today.

She described the once-in-a-lifetime experience during a recent phone interview with The Laker/Lutz News.

“When I walked into that room, I enter saying, ‘Oh, my gosh, I can’t believe I’m actually here,’ because I didn’t expect it. I knew it was coming, but it doesn’t really take you until you’re in front of them, and then they’re like, ‘Hey, what’s your name? Sing for us,’ so it kind of still feels a little bit surreal that I even passed.

“Not that I don’t believe in myself, but just because of the fact that they’re just these big celebrities with so much success and they have a lot of influence in the industry, and as an artist who’s trying to make it, it’s kind of hard to believe.

“It still feels a little surreal. I still pinch myself,” she said.

The next step for Sophia is the show’s Hollywood Week, airing March 21.

Contestants must pass through three rounds of performances at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, something Sophia acknowledged is “a little hectic, a little crazy.”

The young artist initially received an email from a casting director for the show last summer, who invited her to audition. That actually was pre-recorded back in November.

The opportunity has been a “dream that came to life,” Sophia said. “Ever since I was little, I always wanted to be in the show.”

Dade City’s Alanis Sophia was featured in a Feb. 28 episode of ABC’s ‘American Idol.’ The 19-year-old’s rendition of ‘Anyone’ by Demi Lovato earned her a golden ticket to the next round in Hollywood, airing March 21.

No stranger to fame
It’s almost as if Sophia was destined to be an artist.

The area teen’s mother, Katherine, actually named her after Canadian-American alt-rock singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette.

Naturally, Sophia lists Morissette as one of her many influences, stylistically: “You can hear that kind of in my voice because I grew up listening to her, and lyrically, kind of the same.”

Sophia’s sound has likewise been shaped listening to classic rock acts like Journey’s Steve Perry and Queen’s Freddie Mercury.

“My voice has a lot influence from the ’90s, and the ’80s and the ’70s, but then musically, it’s more of like the modern sound of now,” she said.

And, she’s no stranger to the big stage and bright lights.

Her first major break came in 2013.

Then, at age 12, Sophia was a contestant — and finished runner-up — on Telemundo network’s “La Voz Kids” (The Voice Kids), a Spanish-language singing competition in which kids are chosen because of their vocal talent.

Fast-forward to 2017, where Sophia inked a record deal with Big Machine Label Group — believed to be the first Latinx singer to sign with a major country music label.

Though no longer with the label, Sophia regularly commuted from Florida to Nashville, working alongside several music professionals, including multi-Grammy Award winning record producer and songwriter Julian Raymond, who has collaborated with Cheap Trick, Glen Campbell, Hank Williams Jr., and Sugarland, among others.

Sophia sung background vocals and on stage for those bands including Cheap Trick, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has sold more than 20 million albums.

She also recorded more than 100 songs, in some form or another.

The myriad opportunities with the label has proved beneficial for her career.

“All of those songwriters and producers helped me figure out what type of songs I want to write and kind of guide me into who I actually want to become,” Sophia said. “They gave me the experience that I needed,” she said, noting she had the chance to work with musicians in the studio and to do some co-writing.

“I’d never co-written songs until I worked with them, so they gave me all of the experience that I needed, working in the studio and all that,” she said.

Sophia also has been featured in numerous commercials over the years, for the likes of Walt Disney and Sea World. She even served as an ambassador for a Visit Florida tourism campaign for which she recorded jingles that have aired all over the world.

Sophia has built up quite an online following over this time. Her Facebook page boasts 373,000 followers, while her Instagram page sits at over 87,000.

She acknowledges that being in the public eye for so long has given her a bit of an edge in the American Idol competition.

“I’ve had experience since I was like 11, so I kind of have an understanding how all of this might play out,” she said.

Small town girl
Sophia was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but moved with her family to Wesley Chapel around age 5, and then to Dade City a few years after that.

Dade City native Alanis Sophia is featured throughout this season of ABC’s ‘American Idol.’ The 19-year-old is no stranger to the big stage. In 2013, she finished runner-up on the Spanish-language version of ‘The Voice Kids.’ She also signed a country music record deal in 2017, becoming the first Latinx artist to do so. She also has appeared in commercials for Sea World, Walt Disney and Visit Florida.

Growing up in Pasco, it was always very comfortable because of the fact that it’s a small town and I love small towns. In Puerto Rico, we lived in a small town, so it kind of felt like home away from home,” Sophia said.

She still lives in her childhood home in the quaint East Pasco town with her parents and three siblings, and three dogs.

She leans heavily on family for advice and comfort — especially now as her fame and music career is poised to skyrocket.

“They’re my support system, who I fall back to whenever I’m upset about anything or wherever I’m feeling stressed because I have a lot going on.

“They’ve always been supportive, because they don’t care what I do. If I want to do singing, if I want to do acting, if I want to work at a 9-to-5 job, like they don’t care, just as long as I’m happy doing what I love to do, and something passionate, yet stable,” she said.

Sophia detailed sacrifices her parents, Carlos and Katherine, have made to help in her pursuit of a career in show business.

Her mother quit her job to accompany Sophia on a demanding travel schedule that’s taken her to Nashville, Los Angeles and Miami, among other places.

Despite a tight budget, her father has paid for dance classes and music instruments, and makes the effort to travel overnight to catch Sophia’s numerous performances or television interviews.

“Anything to make my dreams come true — they would do that,” Sophia said.

She also credits Pasco County Schools, and Pasco eSchool — the county’s virtual instructional program — for allowing her to showcase her talents and original songs on various livestreams and other events during her youth.

“The support system was actually crazy,” she said. “They had me perform in graduation ceremonies and sing some original stuff on like their websites and livestreams. I really enjoyed that, and they even still ask me if I want to do livestreams.”

Singer stays busy
Between working part-time and studying media communications at Full Sail University, the self-described homebody mainly spends the days fine-tuning her craft.

She aims to write at least one song every day, to keep her writing skills up to date.

She practices singing and dancing choreography in her bedroom, and records covers and other content to post to her social media pages. She also is learning to play guitar and piano.

The onset of the coronavirus pandemic has allowed Sophia to focus on her music and online branding, since other activities have been so limited.

She’s taken advantage of the time to record videos on YouTube, to join TikTok, to do more songwriting and to record covers.

“It kind of helped me grow as an artist,” she said.

Being featured on American Idol also has kicked her work ethic into high gear.

At the same time, in between her concentrated music regimen and schedule, she makes it a priority to “take a breath”— which can mean hanging out with family and friends, or cuddling with her pets.

Beyond aspiring to make it as far as she can on American Idol, she plans to continue to release her own music, which she hopes will connect with people to “change their lives or make them escape from any type of situation that they’re in, just for a couple of minutes.”

To learn more about Alanis, visit AlanisSophia.com.

Published March 10, 2021

How Pasco Schools is navigating through COVID-19

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Heading up one of Florida’s largest school districts is certainly a tall task on its own merit — let alone when a world-altering pandemic shocks the system from March onward.

So, it’s understandable if Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning tries to bring some levity to the whole situation.

His humor showed through at a speaking engagement before the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce Oct. 20 breakfast meeting.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning was guest speaker at the Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting last month at Scotland Yards Golf Club. (File)

“I always look for positive things. I think, ‘You know, I could be the supervisor of elections…’,” quipped Browning, before a crowd of dozens at the Scotland Yards Golf Club in Dade City.

Booming laughter, of course, ensued.

Browning held the Pasco County Supervisor of Elections position for 26 years, from 1980 to 2006.

He later joked and shared an anecdote how he once heard current Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley discuss his various responsibilities and lengthy work schedule.

Browning retorted to Corley: “I don’t ever want to you hear you talk about how hard you work, until you run a school district. You don’t know what hard work is, until you run a school system.”

More seriously, though, Browning told the crowd that the past six months or so have unquestionably been a stressful period for administrators, teachers, parents and students alike. “We have had a rough go,” he said.

The superintendent shared his personal experience of contracting the coronavirus in June.
The moment he received word of his positive COVID-19 test, Browning said, “it was all downhill from there.
“Probably the sickest I’ve ever been, sickest I’ve ever been in my life,” said Browning, noting he still feels some lingering fatigue even today.

“It was bad. It was bad, bad, bad. …I was too sick to even worry about what was going on in the office,” the superintendent said.

He discussed the hurdles that the district overcame to get teachers and students either back in the classroom or learning virtually.

The district gave families three learning options for the 2020-2021 school year:

  • Traditional brick-and-mortar campuses
  • Pasco eSchool virtual education program
  • mySchool Online, a hybrid virtual learning model where students follow a standard school schedule and bell times

One of the most challenging aspects of the first quarter has been the continuous indecisiveness by parents on which learning model to use for their child, he said.

Parents initially choosing a virtual model would flip back to traditional, and vice versa, mainly based on the latest news reports of whether COVID-19 cases were spiking or slowing.

“As we got closer to school, I mean people were just ping-ponging back and forth,” Browning said.

He said he had to plead with parents: “Don’t do that. Just pick a model and stick with it, because it’s not good for your student to keep going back and forth, because they’re going to lose instruction.”

Parent indecisiveness has “settled down a little bit,” but some parents are still “ping-ponging.”

The superintendent also noted that parents who intend to send kids back to brick-and-mortar campuses next semester need to inform his office soon, as preparations are already underway. A hard date for those second semester decisions will be set relatively soon.

“Keep in mind, it’s not as simple as moving kids into a classroom,” said Browning, the changes affect teachers and scheduling, too.

Other school district challenges amid COVID-19
Browning also touched on other challenges brought about by the start the pandemic, such as creating drive-thru sites to provide free meals for needy families.

The district served over 1 million meals, from March through the beginning of the school year in August.

Pasco Schools distributed over 1 million meals to needy families from March through the beginning of the school year in August, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The number of families who needed help increased drastically, Browning said, particularly among the district’s 36 Title 1 schools — campuses with large concentrations of low-income students.

Many of those students rely on school-provided breakfast and lunch, as oftentimes it’s their only meals of the day, “so it’s important we get the food to them,” Browning said.

The superintendent added the 1 million-plus meal figure is “much higher than we’ve ever served meals before, and I think a lot of that was due to folks having lost jobs, not being able to provide food for their kids.”

And, as students moved to remote learning, technology became a big challenge.

The district issued about 20,000 laptops and iPads to students for virtual learning purposes.

The school district primarily uses Apple equipment, but district leadership decided to distribute Dell laptops — in order to distribute more laptops. The district could buy three Dell laptops for the cost of one Apple laptop, Browning explained.

“We learned very quickly, if we’re going to get where we need to be with devices for our kids, we’re kind of switching over to Dell devices,” Browning said. “They’re not as sturdy as an Apple, but if a kid drops a Dell and breaks it, throw it in the garbage and buy another one. With an Apple, you have to fix it, and the investment’s too great to do that with.”

Getting remote internet access to students was another necessity and challenge — particularly at the end of last school year.

“You know how many kids in 2020 do not have internet service? A lot,” Browning said.

To solve the problem, the district equipped school buses with hotspots and set them up in school parking lots in remote areas with no internet service, such as Crystal Springs, Lacoochee and Shady Hills.

The concept allowed families to park their cars into school lots for several hours and have children complete necessary schoolwork from there.

“We bought hotspots by the hundreds,” Browning said.

New technical high school underway
Browning went on to discuss the district’s forthcoming technical high school — Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, being built at 9100 Curley Road in Wesley Chapel.

The Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation is being built at 9100 Curley Road in Wesley Chapel. The 184,000-square-foot technical school is expected to serve 1,000 students and is scheduled to open for the 2022-2023 school year. The school will prepare students for high-salary, high-skill careers in high-demand areas, such as digital multimedia, engineering and robotics, biomedical sciences, building construction, and cyber security, according to district officials.

The 184,000-square-foot technical school is expected to serve 1,000 students and is scheduled to open for the 2022-2023 school year.

The school will prepare students for high-salary, high-skill careers in high-demand areas, such as digital multimedia, engineering and robotics, biomedical sciences, building construction, and cyber security, according to district officials.

A groundbreaking ceremony was celebrated in early September.

Browning believes it’ll be a win for the school district, underscoring the importance of technical and vocational training programs, as well as dual-enrollment opportunities.

“We want our kids to have options, we want our kids to be successful,” said Browning. “We want them to be exposed to diesel mechanics. You know what a good diesel mechanic is paid? You know what a great welder gets paid? Sometimes six figures.”

The school, Browning said, is being constructed “with a lot of non-fixed walls” to allow for ever-changing learning programs that may require more or less space in the future.

“It’s going to be a very functional facility for our kids, and I believe East Pasco deserves that and needs that for our kids,” Browning said.

Kirkland Ranch will primarily pull students from Pasco, Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel and Wiregrass Ranch high schools, but also will be available to “any other kid” from the county that wants to take advantage, Browning said.

Published November 11, 2020

Pasco school choice expos going virtual

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Published November 11, 2020

COVID-19 complicates school start

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Students in Pasco and Hillsborough counties are set to begin a new school year on Aug. 24, but not all of the students will be headed to campus.

In Pasco County, students have three options for learning — amidst the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Some students are expected to arrive at Pasco campuses on Aug. 24, while others opt for two versions of online learning. In the mySchool Online version, students are connected virtually to their assigned schools. With Pasco eSchool, they have more flexibility in the schedule and pace of learning.

In Hillsborough County, classes begin on Aug. 24, with all students beginning the school year through online learning only, until campuses open for students on Aug. 31. Like Pasco, Hillsborough is offering three learning options — face-to-face instruction and two virtual approaches.

Pasco and Hillsborough county students are set to return to school on Aug. 24, either in-person or virtually. (B.C. Manion)

Of course, there’s nearly a week before school begins, so it’s not inconceivable that these plans could change again.

As of press deadline for The Laker/Lutz News, there were two legal actions pending over whether school districts must comply with Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran’s Emergency Order that requires a face-to-face learning option on public school campuses.

The school year is already starting later than initially planned, with both Hillsborough and Pasco starting on Aug. 24, rather than Aug. 10.

The Hillsborough County School Board then voted to begin the district’s school year with four weeks of online-only instruction.

That decision came after a panel of medical experts advised against reopening schools until the COVID-19 positivity rate declined to about 5%.

Corcoran, however, rebuffed Hillsborough’s temporary online-only plan.

Corcoran said Hillsborough’s new plan was inconsistent with the reopening plan the district previously had submitted to the state that had been approved.

Hillsborough Superintendent Addison Davis then took a trip to Tallahassee, to seek middle ground.

That didn’t work.

After Davis returned, the district announced that “state leaders rejected two different phased-in models our district proposed that would have delayed our brick-and-mortar opening while ensuring our most vulnerable student populations were served in a face-to-face capacity.”

So, Hillsborough’s school year will begin with one week of online, with brick-and-mortar campuses opening on Aug. 31, for students choosing that option.

Meanwhile, in Pasco County, the school district plans to follow its Aug. 24 opening plan.

However, the United School Employees of Pasco has filed a lawsuit, seeking return to online learning only, until the COVID numbers come down, per the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning and the Pasco School Board have stood behind the district’s reopening plan. Not following that plan, they have said, would jeopardize state funding.

The Florida Education Association’s motion for injunctive relief from Corcoran’s Emergency Order has been scheduled for mediation Aug. 18, and if necessary, for court hearings on Aug. 19 and Aug. 20.

The decisions being made at the state and school board levels have caused parents and teachers to make a variety of personal decisions.

Ben Langston, of Long Lake Ranch in Lutz, said he and his wife, Rene, decided to enroll their children, Connor and Avery, in a private school.

The Langstons had been planning to send the children to Oakstead Elementary, but switched those plans because of the uncertainty with what will happen with public schools.

They want Connor and Avery to have an in-school experience, rather than online, because they believe it offers a superior form of learning.

Cindy Smith, an art teacher at Land O’ Lakes High School, on the other hand, has made a different decision: She’s retiring after 31 years in Pasco County Schools.

“It was very difficult. It took me months to decide it,” said Smith, who taught Art 1 through Advanced Placement.

“I didn’t feel like it was wise to go to school and expose myself to the possibilities of COVID, at my age,” Smith said.

She doesn’t think that virtual teaching is effective for secondary art classes, although she said it would be a safer option until COVID-19 cases decline.

The teacher said she’ll miss teaching and her students.

“I’m sad about it. I’m sad for my friends. I’m sad for my students. How horrifying to think any one of them could die because of one person, or a few persons’ decisions,” Smith said.

She added: “I’m concerned that parents may not be taking this seriously enough.

“I don’t think they understand the hazards and the dangers and the concerns that we, as teachers, have. We love our students, we love our jobs, but to put us in a danger, death-threatening kind of situation is unreasonable,” Smith said.

Despite the focus on COVID-19, there also are other developments associated with beginning the 2020-2021 school year, and that includes the opening of Cypress Creek Middle School.

The new school, on Old Pasco Road, will serve students in grades six through eight.

Students who have been housed in a portion of Cypress Creek High School now will be moving to Cypress Creek Middle.

Other students previously assigned to John Long Middle, will join them, providing long-needed relief from crowding at John Long Middle.

Students from Wiregrass Ranch High also have been reassigned to Cypress Creek High, but the full effect of that boundary change won’t be immediately felt because the school district grandfathered the junior and senior class at Wiregrass Ranch.

Two new public charter schools also are opening this year, in Wesley Chapel — Pinecrest Academy Wesley Chapel in Avalon Park Wesley Chapel and Innovation Preparatory Academy in the Connected City area of Wesley Chapel.

Published August 19, 2020

Union seeks ‘online-only’ school option

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Pasco County Schools is continuing its plans to offer face-to-face instruction as one of its options when school resumes on Aug. 24 — but, the union representing teachers and other school district employees is continuing its efforts to block that.

In a posting on the United School Employees of Pasco’s website, union officials inform their members that they are continuing efforts to seek an injunction that would prevent a return to brick-and-mortar classrooms when school begins.

The union is waiting until this week for formal actions to avoid interfering with efforts by the Florida Education Association, which is pursuing legal action on behalf of educators across the state, the posting says.

This latest USEP announcement follows a rally by teachers and parents at school district headquarters on Aug. 4, seeking to persuade the Pasco County School Board to adopt an online-only opening of schools, until the number of positive COVID-19 cases declines.

Don Peace, president of USEP, appeared at the school board’s meeting that day, again urging the board to only open schools online.

“We are not saying we don’t want a return to brick-and-mortar. We are saying we don’t want to return to brick-and-mortar now,” Peace said.

“Pediatricians and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) are saying that we should not be heading back to schools at this time.

“When the positivity rate shows a downward trend and is below 5%, which is the level that ironically triggered the stay-at-home order back in April, then and only then would it be prudent to have a conversation on returning in a face-to-face format,” Peace said.

Peace said the district should rely on the data, in determining if students, teachers and staff return to schools.

“We have the means to use technology, in order to save lives,” Peace said.

Speakers offering public comment also told board members that they don’t think it’s safe to return.

Patrick Connolly, of Zephyrhills, said that there will be significant problems with staffing, if staff members apply their self-screeners with fidelity. And, he said, “if we don’t apply these screeners with fidelity, we will have the virus running rampant in our community.”

Jeremy Blythe, a Pasco teacher for five years, said he wishes he was excited to begin a new school year. Instead, he said, ““I’m afraid, I am angry and I’m sad.

“Being a teacher has prepared me to do many things, but what I cannot prepare for is the idea that I will have to bury a colleague or a student. I don’t want my family to have to bury me, either, if we head back to campus before it is safe,” Blythe said.

Superintendent Kurt Browning reiterated the district’s stance of reopening, with three options for parents: bricks-and-mortar, mySchool Online and Pasco eSchool.

“We are between that proverbial rock and a hard place, where we find ourselves with that emergency order,” Browning said.

“There’s been a lot of discussion, comments made out there about funding.

“The fact remains that when you read the emergency order, it is very clear that funding is tied to the fact that school districts need to open with bricks-and-mortar.

“You have to truly connect the dots, but if you want funding, and you want to be held harmless from funding reductions, then the expectation is that districts will open bricks-and-mortar.

“If we do not get funding from the state, our teachers do not get paid. Our bus drivers do  not get paid. Staff, in general, does not get paid.

“It’s going to be tough to keep lights on,” Browning said.

Browning said district staff is doing everything it can to ensure safety.

However, he added: “We’re not going to prevent it, but we are in the business of trying to minimize the impacts, or the spread of COVID,” the superintendent said.

He noted: “Even after all of the news reports, the data that’s out there — we still have 66% of our families that are wanting to return to bricks-and-mortar.

“By virtue of that, we need to be able to staff and provide that for them,” Browning said.

School Board Chairwoman Colleen Beaudoin said one of her chief concerns involves the inability to provide social distancing in secondary classrooms.

“We cannot ensure social distancing in every secondary classroom,” she said, noting district employees are aware of that, but she’s not sure that parents know that.

Beaudoin did call attention to Pine View Middle School’s efforts to maximize  the space between its students, by clearing the room of extra furniture, extra tables, extra filing cabinets — to increase the distance between desks.

Beaudoin also said that if at some point, the district was to go remote, she wants the public to know that the district staff has been exploring multiple options.

“None are guaranteed, but we have been looking into ways to support families with child care and tutoring, to be able to continue to feed our students and families, and keep our employees working,” the school board chairwoman said.

While Pasco plans to return to school campuses, the Hillsborough County School Board has voted to begin the school year with online-only instruction — a position being rejected by Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran.

To be on the safe side, parents are encouraged to check for the most recent updates on the school district websites and social media platforms, to be sure they have the latest information. The Pasco school district’s website is Pasco.k12.fl.us.

The Hillsborough school district’s website SDHC.k12.fl.us.

Published August 12, 2020

Pasco Schools uncertain about COVID-19 impacts on growth

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Pasco County Schools expects to experience some growth in the coming school year, but the district remains uncertain about just how much.

The district has been projecting a growth of slightly more than 1,900 students, district-wide, including charter schools.

But, Chris Williams, the district’s director of planning, said he’s not sure whether that projection will hold up.

“I’ve been looking at the situation and the housing situation with COVID-19, and the big question is are we going to hit our 1,900 growth? I don’t know if we are, it’s hard to tell,” Williams said, during a Pasco County School Board budget workshop session on July 7.

“I do anticipate that we will have growth,” Williams said.

“I don’t know that we’ll hit our 1,900. We may. But, with a slowdown in housing, we may not get that high,” Williams said.

In a 6 p.m. board meeting the same day, Superintendent Kurt Browning addressed a parent’s concern about trying to choose an option for next school year, at a time when COVID-19 is spiking.

The school district is offering parents three choices for the 2020-2021 school year: Traditional brick-and-mortar; mySchool Online, a more structured approach to online learning than during the last part of last school year; and Pasco eSchool, which offers greater flexibility for virtual learners.

A caller into the telephonic board meeting expressed concerns about having to choose an option so many weeks before school starts, when so much still could change.

Browning reassured the parent that parents who choose the brick-and-mortar or mySchool Online won’t be locked into their choice.

There’s less flexibility with Pasco eSchool, he said, because that’s a separate entity with its own curriculum and different funding method.

The district’s initial deadline for parents to make a choice was July 1, but it extended the deadline to July 8, to give parents more time.

Browning said the district’s options resulted from extensive feedback it received from stakeholders through a Thought Exchange and discussions with stakeholder groups.

“We need to have decisions made by parents so that we, as a district, can allocate positions,” Browning said.

The district understands this is a trying time, Browning said. “We have to be flexible. We do know that things are changing literally hourly.”

The superintendent also addressed the issue of requiring face masks.

Board members appeared to be leaning toward mandatory masks during a previous workshop session, but Browning said he wants the district to hold off on that decision for now.

“We’re monitoring that situation. We’re looking at research, best practices,” Browning said, adding that the district is working with the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.

“We’ll make a decision as we get closer to school start and that decision will be made public to our parents as soon as it is made,” Browning said.

“We will be making decisions right on up to the day that teachers return on Aug. 3, and we’ll be making decisions right on up, including to the start of school on Aug. 10.

“We know that parents are eager for information. They’re eager for accurate information.

“We’ve received hundreds, if not thousands, of questions,” Browning said.

School board member Megan Harding said that she has been flooded with emails and telephone calls relating to masks.

“I think that’s been a lot of worry for parents, on both sides,” Harding said.

Deputy Superintendent Ray Gadd said the district has been working on guidelines, so it will be ready to use them, if that’s the direction the district decides to take.

Browning said he prefers to monitor the situation and make a decision closer to the start of school.

“I think it’s a little premature at this point. I understand the parents want either a yes or a no, but things are changing. And, quite honestly, they are changing hourly.

“I think having guidelines in the que, ready to go for consideration, is a wise move. But, I think it’s early to make a decision about masks right now,” the superintendent said.

Published July 15, 2020

New school year offers three options

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Students will have three options when classes resume this fall in Pasco Schools.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning announced his ReOpening Pasco Schools plan in a news release issued June 18.

“Parents sent us a message loud and clear: they wanted options,” Browning said, in the news release. “Many are eager to have their student return to school and see their teachers and classmates. But, many aren’t ready for that yet. There’s an option here for everyone.”

Here are the choices outlined in the district’s 2020-2021 reopening plan:

  • Traditional– A return to campus and classroom with the standard school schedule and bell times.

This option includes a heavy emphasis on health and safety precautions. Students will practice safe social distancing to the greatest extent possible. Schools will use signage and consistent communication to discourage the gathering of large groups of students. Students will be expected to wear masks or cloth face coverings on the school bus, but masks will not be required in classrooms.

  • mySchool Online– Virtual learning with a connection to the student’s enrolled school.

This option requires that students follow the standard school schedule and bell times. It features lessons and virtual interaction with teachers during each class period – all conducted online.

  • Virtual School– Online learning through Pasco’s nationally recognized Pasco eSchool.

This model offers flexible scheduling and is taught by Pasco County teachers. Students work at their own pace and can do schoolwork during non-traditional hours.

Before announcing its reopening plan, the district sought input from families and staff in recent weeks to gauge their comfort level and priorities for the start of the new school year.

This was the first yellow bus to arrive last year at Pineview Elementary School. This coming year, the expectation for bus riders will be for them to wear a mask. (File)

The district also conducted focus groups and gathered ideas, thoughts, and concerns via a tool called ThoughtExchange.

Thousands of people weighed in, with clear themes emerging.

Among the primary concerns were a need for options and the cleanliness at school, according to the news release.

In addition to announcing the news to the media, the district used telephone calls and emails to announce the plan to staff and families.

Families will be asked to choose an option for their student or students by July 1, to enable the district to make staffing decisions.

The school year begins Aug. 10.

Browning also appears in an introductory video on the district’s website, which includes a more detailed description of the three options, as well as a set of frequently asked questions.

To view that, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/reopening.

Pasco County Schools ReOpening Plan
Pasco County Schools has issued a reopening plan. Here are some of the details:

Public health actions on campuses

  • Practice safe social distancing to the greatest extent possible
  • Post signage and provide lessons to strongly encourage frequent hand-washing and hygiene practices
  • Ensure hand sanitizer is available throughout the campus
  • Increase cleaning protocols throughout each campus, including replacing air filters more frequently
  • Limit group gatherings
  • Encourage face coverings on campus
  • Conduct symptom screenings

School bus safety

  • Expect students to wear face coverings on the bus
  • Clean high-touch areas between runs
  • Ensure hand sanitizer is available on each bus
  • Disinfect each bus thoroughly at the end of each day

Extra steps at elementary level

  • District will use a cohort isolation model, where students will spend time on campus with the group of students in their class, including in the classroom, the cafeteria, media center and the playground. The goal is to limit Interaction with students from other classes to the greatest extent possible. By doing that, if a student displays symptoms of illness, it likely will impact their cohort classmates, and not the entire school — in terms of quarantine or other interventions.

Extra steps at the secondary level
Each secondary school will have a customized plan to discourage large gatherings of students in hallways and common areas. Clear communications and signage will be used to reinforce that message. The number of students allowed in the cafeteria, media center and gymnasiums will be significantly reduced. Extracurricular activities will resume, and will adhere to recommendations from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and the state.

Source: Pasco County Schools

SOME COMMON Q&As

Distance learning

  1. If I choose the Virtual or mySchool operation, do I have to have a computer?
  2. A device and an Internet connection will be necessary for distance learning. When choosing your option, indicate whether you have a device and access to the Internet. The district will provide devices and arrange Internet hotspots and hubs, when necessary.

Recess

  1. Under the traditional model, will elementary children have recess?
  2. Yes, recess will be organized to emphasize social distancing; playground equipment will be cleaned between uses.

Head Start options
The traditional model is the only option available for Head Start participants.

Will mySchool Online be identical to the end-of-the year distance learning?
No, there will be more frequent real-time interaction between students and teachers. Also, the mySchool Online model will incorporate standard school schedules and bell times, leading to a learning experience more connected to teachers.

Will mySchool Online or Virtual students be able to participate in athletics?
Yes, students will have the same opportunities to participate in athletics.

Will students wear masks in school?
Masks will not be required, but will be allowed.

How will you keep surfaces clean?
Maintenance workers and school custodians will clean frequently touched surfaces throughout the day and conduct overall cleanings at the conclusion of every day. Other non-custodial staff members will be expected to do their part keeping surfaces clean, and will be provided spray bottles and microfiber cloths for additional cleaning. Teachers will have access to cleaning supplies for their classroom.

What other steps are being taken to ensure a healthy environment?
Pasco Schools will partner with parents in educating students on the importance of hand-washing, hygiene and social distancing. Hand sanitizer will be made available in classrooms and workplaces. The schedule for changing air conditioning filters has been accelerated.

 What will my student’s school do if a classmate or staff member is infected with COVID-19?
We will send a clear message to parents and staff that if they are exhibiting any symptoms, they should not come to school or report to work. Any student exhibiting symptoms at school will be taken to a location at the school clinic set aside for possible COVID-19 cases, and their parent will be notified to take them home or to visit a medical professional.

What if a student or staff member tests positive for COVID-19?
The Pasco County Health Department will notify the district if a student or staff member tests positive. We will notify parents, while not specifically identifying the student or staff member. We will cooperate with the Health Department as they conduct the appropriate notifications of individuals who have been in contact with the person infected. Our ReOpening Plan is designed to limit the chances of infection and to limit the disruption to a school or workplace in the event of an infection.

For more information, visit Pasco.k12.fl.us/reopening/faq.

Source: Pasco County Schools

Published June 24, 2020

Pasco School District adjusting amid COVID-19 pandemic

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Whether its drive-thru feeding sites or widespread distance learning, the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created myriad logistical challenges for school districts nationwide.

Pasco County Schools is no different — operating as the state’s ninth-largest school district, and 49th largest in the nation.

Even so, Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning is maintaining an upbeat outlook in what has otherwise been a trying situation over the last two months or so.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning was the guest speaker during an East Pasco Networking Group virtual meeting on May 12. (File)

Speaking to the East Pasco Networking Group at a May 12 virtual meeting, Browning acknowledged the pandemic “really stretched the school district,” but credited district leaders and administration for “very quickly” pulling together a large-scale distance learning education program once it became apparent the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year would be remote.

Pasco Schools was more prepared than other surrounding counties, Browning said.

That’s because the district already had “a very robust virtual education program” known as Pasco eSchool, which typically serves more than 3,000 students in a normal year.

“It wasn’t easy, but we were better positioned than a lot of districts even surrounding us,” the superintendent said.

Unlike other districts, too, Browning added Pasco School instantly pushed out lesson plans for most courses to the virtual learning platform, rather than requiring teachers to develop a curriculum to post online, on the fly. “I think the teachers were appreciative of that because that was less on their plate that they had to work with,” he said.

As for how and when brick-and-mortar schools will open back up, Browning said district staff is having ongoing meetings to brainstorm various scenarios and possibilities, keeping in mind recommended social distancing health and safety protocols. Virtual learning will continue through summer school, he said.

At least one thing’s for sure — traditional schooling will “look different” compared to how things were before the pandemic, Browning said.

The superintendent observed, “Normally, you would have had 45 kids on a school bus, you can’t put 45 kids on a school bus anymore, if you’re going to social distance. How are you going to feed a school of 700 kids in a cafeteria, if you’re going to social distance? …We’re going to have to move and move pretty quickly, so we can let moms and dads know.”

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forced Pasco Schools to adjust on the fly by providing virtual learning accommodations, feeding sites and so on. (Courtesy of Pasco County School District)

If there’s one positive result from the coronavirus pandemic, parents and families now have “a greater appreciation” for educators overall, Browning said.

Said Browning, “I think the teaching profession, over time, has been diminished and just had a rough go, but I do believe that parents will have a better idea what teachers have to put up with and deal with on a daily basis to ensure that their children are learning.”

With that, Browning noted Pasco School teachers have done a solid job engaging and interacting with students on Zoom calls throughout the pandemic. “I am so, so proud and pleased where our teachers and where our administrators have taken us,” he said.

However, the superintendent later acknowledged the virtual learning setup has proved tough for servicing the district’s special needs population.

“It is an area we’re really going to have to spend some time in to make sure those kids do not get shortchanged,” he said. “We’ve been getting through it but, I do think going forward, we’ve got to have a more sustainable process to deal with kids with special needs.”

Providing devices, Wi-Fi, meals and more
Maybe the largest hurdle to implementing distance learning to all schools was ensuring all students had access to computers and tablets.

Browning said the county loaned roughly 20,000 electronic devices to students districtwide, which were distributed curbside at various schools.

The superintendent admitted he initially felt uneasy on the thought of loaning expensive electronic devices to grade school students.

Said Browning, “I cringe every time I think of this, because we’re giving an $800 device to a student, and we’re hoping and praying it comes back to us in one piece. But, we knew we had to do it. Personally, I had to get beyond that because I knew that if we wanted to get kids to continue to learn, we had to provide them the device.”

Ensuring all students had a viable Internet connection at home created another obstacle, Browning said.

Pasco High School employee Diane Salas, of Dade City, passes out lunch bags to three of Ithzi Diaz’s children on March 26. Pasco High is one of the district’s sites distributing free breakfast and lunch foods to school-aged children, while area schools remained closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (File)

Even in this technological day and age, the superintendent came away “surprised at the number of our kids that don’t have Wi-Fi” at their home.

To resolve that, the district has issued home hotspots to families and organized a handful of community hotspot hubs in remote areas, such as Crystal Springs. Here’s how it works: The school district positions a mobile hotspot vehicle at a local church or community center, allowing parents to drive up and have their children do complete online schoolwork and lessons from inside their parked car, during predetermined dates and times.

“We know it’s not easy, but nothing about COVID-19 has been easy for us,” Browning said. “The fact is we want our kids to continue to learn, so at least by providing those hotspots in those community hubs, at least we’re giving them the opportunity to have them get their lessons done, get their studying done and be caught up as best they can during this really weird time we find ourselves.”

Besides technology offerings, ready-to-go, prepackaged meals is another service the school district has been offering amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The district hit the 1-million meal mark last week.

The district’s food nutrition services department initially offered meals for pickup five days a week, but since transitioned to distributing all 10 meals (breakfast and lunch covering five days) per student, picked up once per week. As an example, a family with four school-age children could swing by a particular curbside feeding site and pick up 40 free meals for the week.

Browning mentioned even under normal circumstances school-provided meals might be the only opportunity for many students to eat, particularly those coming from the county’s Title I schools (whereby a large percentage of a particular school’s student population is eligible for free or reduced lunch).

“It’s been a lot of work on the school district, but that’s what we do. We care for people, in addition to educating people,” said Browning.

Elsewhere, the superintendent also touched on a number of other district-related matters:

  • Pasco Schools graduation rate sits at 88.7 percent, “the highest they’ve ever been,” said Browning. “It’s not where I want them, but we’re moving in the right direction.”
  • Pasco Schools is one of two school districts in Florida named to the College Board’s AP (Advanced Placement) District Honor Roll, for increasing access to AP for underrepresented students while simultaneously maintaining or increasing the percentage of students earning AP Exam scores of 3 or higher. DeSoto County was the other recognized school district in the state.
  • Browning said the district will make “a huge College Board announcement regarding the opportunities we’re providing our kids,” sometime after Memorial Day weekend.
  • The Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation technical high school in East Pasco will break ground this fall and will open in August 2022. Browning added the district also is building a K-8 school nearby that’ll feed into the technical high school, which is being built at the corner of Curley and Kiefer roads, in Wesley Chapel. “It’s going to be easy to get to from Zephyrhills, Dade City, Wesley Chapel,” Browning said of the forthcoming technical school. “Not only is it a pretty cool building, but there’s going to be some great programs in there that are going to be able to prepare our kids for jobs.”

Published May 27, 2020