The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Starkey Ranch K-8

New schools being planned in Pasco

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Pasco County is on the grow and the public school district is planning to increase its capacity.

The Pasco County School Board recently approved the district’s five-year school plant survey, which includes existing conditions and recommended plans.

Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, slated to open this fall, is one of the new schools on the list.

It’s a magnet school that will specialize in preparing students in career fields and technical trades such as automotive maintenance and repair, including diesel; biomedical sciences; building trades and construction technology; cybersecurity; digital media and multimedia design; engineering and robotics; welding; electricity; and, patient care technology.

Kirkland Academy of Innovation is a magnet school that will open in the fall in Wesley Chapel. It will feature a curriculum that allows students to earn a standard diploma, while having the opportunity to earn industry certifications in an array of technical fields. (Courtesy of Pasco County Schools)

Students attending the new high school are primarily coming from Wesley Chapel High, Pasco High, Zephyrhills, some from Wiregrass Ranch, and some from Cypress Creek, according to Chris Williams, director of planning for the school district.

Kirkland Ranch K-8, another school on the list, is expected to begin construction soon.

“As soon as they’re done with the Academy of Innovation, they’re moving to the back of this property. That’s going to be a magnet. Similarly, we expect that to have impact on primarily the east side. Weightman, John Long, Centennial (middle schools),” Williams said.

The elementary school students primarily will come from “Watergrass, Wesley Chapel, San Antonio, and even farther out, Double Branch, Seven Oaks, Wiregrass, that whole region,” he said.

The school plant survey also includes a number of other projects that are either planned soon, or are on a longer horizon.

A 6-12 STEM magnet school, in the emerging community of Angeline in Land O’ Lakes, is a four-story building under construction near Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco Campus.

The school is expected to open in the fall of 2023, and the school district is delighted by the partnerships it anticipates with Moffitt.

“We’re really excited about the opportunity we’ll have for our students there,” Williams said.

That school also will be the district’s tallest school, the planning director said, noting there is no other four-story school in the system.

A new traditional K-8 is planned on the south side of State Road 54, across the road from the Ballantrae subdivision. The school will be built behind a Ballantrae office complex.

This magnet school, for students in grades six through 12, is expected to open in the fall of 2023. It will feature partnerships with Moffitt Cancer Center, which plans to create its Pasco County campus nearby. It also will be the tallest school in the Pasco County system.

Other plans call for a school campus in the new Two Rivers development off State Road 56, near Morris Bridge Road.

A site has been identified for the campus, but the school district hasn’t purchased it yet, Williams said. The site likely will be co-located with a regional park.

“We have done some preliminary thinking of how that might look. Because we’re going to have a whole campus there, probably K-8 and a high school, along with the park,” he said.

It’s not clear yet whether there will be a joint-use library, although it’s a possibility, he said.

“What are we going to be sharing? Certainly, we’ll be sharing the (athletic)  fields and the parking,” Williams said.

The planning director noted that projects listed in the district’s five-year plan are subject to change because available funding will be influenced by the collection of impact fees, whether the extension of the Penny for Pasco infrastructure surtax is approved by voters, local capital millage funds, and the overall economy.

If there’s a recession, for instance, there will be less construction activity and fewer revenues collected through impact fees.

Also, voters will decide in November whether to extend the Penny for Pasco surtax for 15 additional years.

That being said, a number of  other projects within the Laker/Lutz News coverage area are on the five-year list:

• Starkey Ranch K-8: Expansion for 400 student stations
Work is starting on that immediately, Williams said. When the district opened the school, it knew that the Starkey Ranch development would grow, but it turned out that the magnet school also attracted students who had been attending private schools and charter schools, Williams said.

• West Zephyrhills Elementary: Expansion for 400 student stations
If Penny for Pasco passes, the remodeling of West Zephyrhills Elementary will likely be one of the first projects that’s completed, Williams said. That project would include additional capacity.

• Pasco Senior High: Expansion for 400 student stations
When the first Penny for Pasco passed, the district did a significant project at Pasco Senior High, Williams said. That work did not include substantial work in the cafeteria or kitchen.

The conceptual plan for this project calls for tearing down the one-story building and constructing a two-story structure. The first floor would contain a kitchen and larger cafeteria. The second floor would be classrooms, Williams said. The media center likely would be remodeled, too, he said.

In addition to district projects, Williams said there’s also an expectation of some charter school expansions, as well as some new charter schools that will come online in the next few years.

Long-term school plans
These Pasco County school district projects are possibilities within the next 10 years:
• Classroom wing at these schools: Wiregrass Ranch High; Centennial Middle; and, Chester Taylor and West Zephyrhills elementary schools
• New K-8 school: Villages of Pasadena Hills and in Two Rivers
• New high schools in Bexley Ranch and in Odessa area

Source: Pasco County Schools

Published July 13, 2022

Pasco Schools superintendent won’t seek another term

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Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning has announced he will not seek reelection, when his current term ends in 2024.

Browning was elected as superintendent by defeating incumbent Heather Fiorentino in the primary election of 2012 and by defeating write-in candidate Kathy Lambert in the general election.

Before running for superintendent of Pasco Schools, Browning served as Florida’s Secretary of State under governors Rick Scott and Charlie Crist.

Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning will not seek reelection, when his current term expires in 2024. (File)

Before that, he was Pasco County’s Supervisor of Elections for 26 years.

The schools superintendent announced his decision to not seek a fourth term in a June 2 YouTube video.

Browning said a variety of factors played a role in his decision, including many personal reasons.

“My wife, Kathy, is contemplating retirement and we have grandchildren who live out of state. “We want to be free to visit them more a lot more than we do.

“Some of the reasons are professional. I believe we are nearing the point where we will accomplish many of the goals I set out when I was first elected.

“Another reason? Well, it’s kind of a cliché, but you just know when it’s time.

“I am now in the  middle of my third term as superintendent. When I complete my term at the end of 2024, I will have served for 12 years.

“The tenure of superintendents these days is around five to six years. I can understand why so many of my colleagues move on, after five years or so.

“This job has been challenging and it has been gratifying. I have benefited from a supportive community and a great staff. And, without both, I never would have made it this far,” he said.

“I’m extremely proud of so many things we’ve accomplished. We’ve expanded school choice, with innovative programs.

“We have done an amazing job managing growth.

“We weathered the pandemic better than most.

“And, all along, we kept the finances in order.

“But this is not a time to look backwards.

“I am determined to spend the rest of my term looking forward.

“We have so much more to get done, and I hope my announcement today will instill an even greater sense of urgency.

“I definitely feel that sense of urgency.

“We have work to do and I intend to finish strong,” he said.

When Browning came into office, he said he wanted to create a school system with more choices for parents and students.

During his tenure, the district has expanded educational options for students, by adding more magnet schools and more magnet programs. It also has increased participation rates in rigorous courses.

Under Browning, in concert with the elected school board, the district also has expanded opportunities for students wishing to pursue technical career options.

Some highlights during Browning’s administration include the opening of Starkey Ranch K-8 in Odessa. This was the first district school specifically designed to serve kindergartner through eighth-graders.

Through a collaborative partnership involving the school board, Pasco County and the developer of the Starkey Ranch community, the school was deigned to include a library, open to the public, as well as to students; a theater, which can be used for school and community performances; and, a district park, which provides facilities for both public and student use.

The district also partnered with Pasco-Hernando State College on a project to locate the state college’s  Instructional Performing Arts Center (IPAC) on a campus shared by Cypress Creek High School and Cypress Creek Middle School, also in Wesley Chapel.

Students in the school system can take advantage of IPAC’s programs and facilities. There’s a direct tie-in to the programming offered by the school district, too. Cypress Creek Middle has a black box theater.

In the coming school year, the school district intends to open Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, also in the Wesley Chapel area. That school will feature a broad range of technical training programs, along with academic offerings.

The district also has begun construction on a 6-12 STEAM magnet (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) school.

The school is being built on a site in the heart of Moffitt Cancer Center’s planned Pasco County campus.

When fully developed the cancer research hub is expected to attract life science companies and researchers from around the world to pursue breakthroughs in the treatment of cancer.

While the district has made strides, it also has faced increasing criticism from speakers during its public school board meetings. Issues sparking controversy have included mask mandates on school campuses, money spent on professional training, textbook selection and the timing of a referendum intended to generate funding for raises for non-administrative district personnel.

On another front, soon after Browning announced his departure in 2024, former State Sen. John Legg pre-filed with the Pasco Supervisor of Elections, declaring his intention to seek the post.

Legg has served in the state’s Senate and in its House of Representatives, and is the co-founder and chief financial officer of Day Spring Academy.

The charter school, which serves pre-school through 12th grade, has five campuses.

Published June 15, 2022

Starkey Ranch event features ‘a little night music’

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The outdoor basketball courts on the edge of the physical education field at Starkey Ranch K-8 provided a place for the audience to watch the performance. (Fred Bellet)

The Starkey Ranch K-8 School teamed up with Michael Francis, music director for The Florida Orchestra, to present the Starkey Symphony Spectacular.

The outdoor concert featured performances by Starkey K-8 musicians, community members, and members of The Florida Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Francis.

The event was held outdoors on the physical education fields at Starkey Ranch K-8, in Odessa.

Attendees were encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chairs, and purchase food from the food trucks there.

The event was free, but the school received a portion of the food truck proceeds and donations, to support the school’s music programs.

Conductor Mariah Walukonis led the orchestra with Maestro Michael Francis during the Starkey Symphony Spectacular.
Violinist Jeffrey Mutter, of The Florida Orchestra, performs a piece for the audience.
Scott Carlson’s phone captures the performance by the Starkey Ranch K-8 Chorus. Carlson, of Odessa, is the school’s physical education teacher; his wife, Megan Carlson, teaches kindergarten. The video of the day was of their son, 11-year-old Lucas Carlson, who sang in the chorus.
From left: 5-year-old Guga Alvarenga, 6-year-old Duda Alvarenga, 9-year-old Brianna Semsedin, 6-year-old Liam Semsedin and 9-year-old Lilly Labruzzo watch the concert from the VIP section.

 

 

Michael Francis leads an orchestra comprised of sixth- and seventh-grade students from Starkey Ranch K-8; high school students from Mitchell, Gulf and River Ridge; community members; and musicians from The Florida Orchestra. That brought the total size of the group to 75.
Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent of Pasco County Schools, offers remarks about the musically talented students at Starkey Ranch K-8.

Chalk Talk 04/20/2022

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Dr. Davina Jones (Courtesy of Kevin O’ Farrell)

Acting provost steps in
Dr. Davina Jones is the new acting provost for Pasco-Hernando State College’s (PHSC) Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch.

Jones has more than 20 years of experience in higher education and is a ‘bridge-builder’ with a servant-leader mindset, according to a news release.

She currently serves as PHSC special assistant to the president of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Prior to PHSC, Jones has served at the College of Central Florida, the Florida State College of Jacksonville, Bethune Cookman University and Adler University.

She has worked as an administrator, researcher, and full professor, and is an accomplished presenter and author, the release says.

Jones holds a Bachelor of Arts from Bethune Cookman, and a Master of Arts and a Ph.D., from Bowling Green State University.

Scholarships awarded
Three high school seniors from Pasco County have been awarded the 2022 Sunshine Opportunity Scholarships, worth $25,000 over four years of full-time undergraduate study.

The scholarships target high-achieving high school seniors who have overcome significant obstacles in life, have financial need, and plan to stay in Florida for undergraduate university studies.

The recipients are: Camden Moors, Pasco e-School; Legasse Remon, Anclote High School; and Danielle Timony, Gulf High School.

For more information, visit SunshineOpportunityScholarships.com.

Essay deadline is soon
Pasco County Tax Collector Mike Fasano is reminding Pasco students that his office will accept entries in his annual essay contest until 5 p.m., April 22.

Students enrolled in Pasco’s public/charter, private, parochial, nonpublic, and home-school programs can participate.

In 500 words or less, students must answer the question, “Since the 1980s, Pasco County has seen a steady growth in population that now has us nearing 600,000 residents. To accommodate this growth, we have seen many additions made to our county’s general infrastructure (expanded roads, public transportation, additional shopping venues, etc.). What is one addition that has been made that was most beneficial to Pasco County, or what is one addition that you believe should be made to further accommodate our county’s growth?”

The winner of the contest will be notified by telephone no later than May 13, and will receive a $500 gift card.

For questions and information on how to submit an essay, call Jose Rodriguez Sierra at 727-847-8165, ext. 3826.

Enrollment Day events
Hillsborough Community College (HCC) will host High School Enrollment Day events at each of its five campuses from April 23 to May 10.

Students will have the opportunity to participate in advising and financial aid sessions, complete fall registration, and leave with a full course schedule.

The event is for high school graduates only.

To attend, students must RSVP online, complete the HCC admission application for the fall term, and provide any ACT, SAT, PERT, AP or IB test scores, if taken.

Only one guest per registrant is allowed, if attending in person.

Space is limited. Registration is online at HCCfl.edu/enrollment-day.

In-person enrollment days:

  • April 23, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Brandon Campus
  • April 30, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Dale Mabry, Plant City, SouthShore, Ybor City campuses

Virtual enrollment days:

  • May 3, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Brandon campus
  • May 10, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Dale Mabry, Plant City, SouthShore, Ybor City campuses

For more information, contact individual campuses by email: Brandon, ; Dale Mabry, ; Plant City, ; SouthShore, ; and YborCity, .

Student news
• Ahanna Costa and Carl Herndon, both of Lutz, have been initiated into Omicron Delta Kappa, the National Leadership Honor Society. Costa attends Florida International University, and Herndon attends Florida State University.

• Catherine Calistri, of Odessa, and Joseph Martinez, William Peterson and Sofia Schultz, all of Lutz, were initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi at Florida State University.

(Courtesy of Stephen Hegarty)

A ‘spectacular’ performance
Starkey Ranch K-8 teamed up with Maestro Michael Francis, music director of The Florida Orchestra, to host the first-ever Starkey Symphony Spectacular. The free outdoor concert was a collaboration between aspiring Starkey Ranch K-8 student musicians, community members and professional musicians of The Florida Orchestra. The school’s music programs received a portion of the proceeds from the on-site food trucks, and business and individual donations.

Designed with nature in mind, library receives recognition

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Pasco’s brand new Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center (Starkey TLC) is getting some noteworthy attention and national recognition for its unique design.

Pasco County Libraries has announced that the library is featured in the Library Journal’s “Year in Architecture 2021” issue, according to a Pasco County news release.

Staff at the Starkey Ranch Theatre Library Cultural Center spotlight the Library Journal issue that features its national achievement. (Courtesy of Pasco County)

The library, which opened in August, is recognized by the magazine for incorporating nature in its design.

The use of soft, natural light in the lobby and natural wood in the main entryways is designed to help connect people with the outdoor environment, the release says.

“To be recognized by such a distinguished publication as Library Journal is quite an honor for Pasco County Libraries,” said Bob Harrison, communications program manager, in the release.

“We’re proud of the innovative design of the Starkey TLC and how the community has responded to it,” said Harrison.

The library was built in conjunction with, and partially funded by, Pasco County Schools, and serves as Starkey Ranch K-8 school’s media center.

Patrons can visit the library at 12118 Lake Blanche Drive in Odessa.

The general contractor for the project was the Walbridge Group of Tampa, and the architect was FleischmanGarcia Architecture.

The Starkey Ranch TLC joins three other libraries also featured for reflecting nature in the building design: Brooklyn Pubic Library’s Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center in New York; The Newark Public Library in New Jersey; and, the Ledding Library in Milwaukie, Oregon.

Published December 08, 2021

Massive Two Rivers development gets OK

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A huge swath of land now occupied primarily by pastures and trees is expected to become home to Two Rivers, off State Road 56, between Morris Bridge Road and U.S. 301.

The Pasco County Commission voted 5-0 to approve a master-planned unit development (MPUD) zoning that will allow 6,400 residences, more than 2.6 million square feet of office and industrial, and 630,000 square feet of commercial uses.

The 3,405-acre property’s southern boundary is on the north side of County Line Road, and its northern boundary is on the north side of State Road 56.

The Two Rivers development also includes a site for an elementary school, middle school and high school, an 80-acre district park and a public safety site.

The development also will feature a connectivity plan, with trails and pedestrian paths — aimed at making it easier for people to get around the community — without relying on vehicles.

The Eisenhower Property Group will be building the majority of residential uses within the project, said Clarke Hobby, an attorney representing the applicants. “The Thomas family is retaining substantially of the all non-residential uses within the MPUD,” he said.

The Thomas family also owns the adjacent property, directly south of the Two Rivers site, in Hillsborough County, and part of the approval for the Two Rivers project requires a connection between the two developments to give the Two Rivers project access to U.S. 301, on a planned extension of County Line Road through the Hillsborough tract.

If that connection isn’t made on the Hillsborough side, then Two Rivers will be required to make the connection on the Pasco side, as one of the conditions for approval.

The schools and district park are expected to be co-located, so they can share land and other amenities, according to Joel Tew, who is co-counsel with Hobby, for the applicants.

The exact access to the school isn’t shown on the map because the school district and county must work out their plans to ensure access and safety for different uses, Tew said.

The shared uses could be similar to the arrangement the county and school district have at the Starkey Ranch K-8 and district park site in Odessa.

The Two Rivers project has been in planning stages for decades, Hobby said, noting that “Bob Sierra had this site under contract back as far as 2008.”

The Thomas family played an instrumental role in helping to secure the funding for the first two lanes of the State Road 56 extension to U.S. 301, and then for lanes three and four of the extension, Hobby said.

“Two Rivers was the largest part of the additional surcharges that are imposed on developments in this area to pay for lanes three and four of that extension. Of the $26 million that the county has to pay back to the state infrastructure bank, $15 million of that comes solely from surcharges on development on Two Rivers,” he said.

“What we’re bringing to you today reflects a lot of thought and effort by a lot of parts of your staff, the school board, particularly your natural resources (department) and the county attorney’s office.

“We believe this project has been done the right way,” he said.

“One of the biggest things you have to remember about Two Rivers is that it truly is a mixed-use project,” Hobby said, with 2.6 million square feet of employment-generating uses.

“So, this project has been set up correctly, from the get-go. We’re not shortchanging it. And, we’re going to create a lot of jobs along the way, in addition to creating an overall great community,” Hobby said.

Some residents objected to aspects of the request, including potential traffic congestion, concerns about potential flooding, and a lack of specificity regarding access points and other details, but the county board was not swayed by the testimony.

Published September 22, 2021

School board member cites concerns about funding trends

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Pasco County School Board member Cynthia Armstrong is calling attention to a trend she finds worrisome relating to state funding for schools.

She made her remarks during the July 27 school board meeting, after she and her colleagues approved the tentative budget for next fiscal year.

Superintendent Kurt Browning provided an overview, highlighting some of the key points of the approximately $1.47 billion budget, which is a decrease of $53.5 million.

Pasco County School Board member Cynthia Armstrong is concerned about a reduction in state funding for schools. (File)

For instance, the budget includes $10.5 million in additional state funding, to accommodate the district’s projected growth of 2,277 students, and recurring expenses.

The operating budget, of $731.5 million, includes the allocation and operating costs for the opening of Starkey Ranch K-8 and the mid-year opening of the Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation.

The budget also includes an allocation of nearly $1.6 million to continue to increase the minimum base salary for full-time classroom teachers, Browning said.

The $351 million capital budget includes the construction of the Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, the construction of the 6-12 academy in the Land O’ Lakes area, and major renovations for Hudson and Gulf high schools, he added.

Olga Swinson, the district’s chief finance officer, said the district set aside $5.5 million for COVID-19 retention supplements, for employees who would not qualify under the governor’s bonus plan.

Swinson explained some of the steps necessary to balance the proposed budget.

For instance, she said, “we are moving 30 custodial units to be paid with the Department of Health grant.”

The district also plans to move 35% of the salary of its school psychologists to be covered by funding allocated for mental health needs.

The district additionally used Elementary and Secondary Emergency Relief funding for the purchase of textbooks, which is allowed, but for this year only, Swinson said.

It also is transferring about $4.5 million from capital funds to the general fund to cover property insurance costs. Again, that’s for this year only, Swinson said.

Most of the new money received by the district resulted from an increase in property values, Swinson said. “The budget was built on about 6% property increase and we actually saw a 12.4% increase,” she said.

School board member Cynthia Armstrong raised concerns about the level of state funding received by the district and steps the district was forced to take, to maintain a balanced budget.

“You can see that we did use a few non-recurring funds to balance this budget, which is something that none of us like to do,” Armstrong said. “That just means we’re really going to have to dig in hard next year, unless the financial situation improves,” she said.

The board member continued: “I can only say, ‘Thank goodness property values went up, or we really would have been hurting.

“Because if you look at comparing this budget with last year’s, the money from the state that they give us was less than what we received last year,” she said.

The year before, the district received more money than it had the previous year — so it was on an upward trend, Armstrong said.

This year, she said, “despite what the Legislature (says) — how they spin it — when you look at the actual numbers, we actually got less from the state Legislature.

“Those are issues we need to be concerned with because, as we all know, the property values will not continue to go up at the rate that they’re going up,” she said.

She told her colleagues that she was raising the issue, as “kind of a cautionary thing.”

The district must remain fiscally strong to retain its high credit rating, so that it can borrow when necessary at the lowest cost possible, Armstrong said.

The district’s final public hearing on its budget is set for Sept. 14 at 6 p.m., in the board room at district headquarters, 7227 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Pasco County Schools tentative 2021-2022 budget
General operating budget: $731.5 million
Capital budget: $351.1 million
Tax millage rate: $5.810
Taxes on a $175,000 home, assuming a $25,000 homestead exemption, would go down $16.80, under the proposed budget.

Published August 11, 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

Boundaries set for Starkey Ranch K-8

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The Pasco County School Board has set boundaries for the new Starkey Ranch K-8 school under construction in the Starkey Ranch development.

The school — part of a complex that includes a theater, library and cultural center — is scheduled to open in the 2021-2022 school year.

The board adopted the boundaries during it Dec. 1 board meeting.

Starkey Ranch K-8 will have a capacity for 1,500 students, and initially will open for kindergarten through seventh grade, allowing students entering eighth grade to remain at their current school.

The new school will draw students from Longleaf and Odessa elementary schools, as well as River Ridge Middle.

The school also will be a magnet school, attracting students from beyond its assigned boundaries.

In addition to adopting boundaries for Starkey Ranch K-8, the board made some minor adjustments involving the boundaries of Watergrass and Wesley Chapel elementary schools.

That change is being made as a result of the Epperson Ranch subdivision, Williams said.

No one from the public spoke for or against the boundary changes during the board’s meeting.

Published December 23, 2020

Boundaries to be set soon for Starkey Ranch K-8

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The Pasco County School Board is scheduled to set boundaries for the new Starkey Ranch K-8 school at the board’s Dec. 1 meeting.

The school — part of a complex that includes a theater, library and cultural center — is scheduled to open in the 2021-2022 school year.

The board held a public hearing on the proposed boundaries during its Nov. 17 meeting, with no one stepping forward to offer public comment.

“Starkey Ranch K-8 is built to house about 1,500 students. Initially, the school will open with kindergarten through seventh-grade students. The plan is to grandfather rising eighth-graders to their existing school,” Chris Williams, the district’s planning director told the school board during the public hearing.

“Staff put together a plan to rezone about 450 students from Longleaf and Odessa elementary schools to Starkey Ranch.

“In addition, approximately 100 students from River Ridge Middle School are proposed to be rezoned to Starkey Ranch,” he said, noting the students assigned to Starkey Ranch K-8 live in the development.

“With the Starkey Ranch development continuing to build houses for the next couple of years, we expect growth of about 200 K-8 students per year, so with growth, we anticipate approximately 750 K-7 (kindergarten through seventh grade) zoned students upon opening.

“That leaves quite a few seats open for magnet school. However, we will be working to make sure we keep seats available and open for growth, in that area,” Williams added.

District staff had an open house to explain the boundary proposals, and also accepted comments via the district’s Let’s Talk portal, Williams said.

Six comments were received via Let’s Talk.

“One person requested Asturia to be zoned for Starkey Ranch; one requested the Woodlands neighborhood of Longleaf to be zoned for Starkey Ranch. Others had questions about Starkey Ranch registration and grade configurations,” Williams said.

The district also is recommending a slight boundary shift affecting the Watergrass and Wesley Chapel elementary schools.

The change is being made as a result of the Epperson Ranch subdivision, Williams said.

“That area of Epperson Ranch being developed goes all of the way up to Tindale Road.

“You’ll also notice a small sliver above Tindale Road that has a few houses. Originally, when we were developing this plan, there were no elementary children who lived there who were attending the zone of Wesley Chapel elementary, but come August, one student did move into that area. We’ve been talking among ourselves. They will be rezoned to Watergrass Elementary, but if they choose to remain at Wesley Chapel Elementary, we plan on accommodating them,” Williams said.

Additionally, Superintendent Kurt Browning does not intend to reset school choice for any of these schools that are affected by the boundary changes and grandfather children in with transportation.

The final public hearing on the proposed boundary changes for Starkey K-8, as well as Watergrass and Wesley Chapel elementary, is set for 9:30 a.m., on Dec. 1, in the board chambers at district headquarters, 7205 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., in Land O’ Lakes.

Published November 25, 2020