Sunday, February 10, 2013
Abigail Kennedy has taught English, writing and literature in the county for ten years. Now, she's sharing her love of books with a new home-based business.
At first, she wasn’t interested at all. Then a wind-up pirate ship came along. That’s when Pasco County teacher Abigail Kennedy fell in love—and soon after, “took the plunge.” Kennedy, Pasco eSchool’s teacher of the year, has taught in the county for ten years. The English and AP Literature teacher knows her stuff when it comes to books. But when she was first introduced to Usborne Books several years ago, she mostly ignored them, because she mostly taught seniors and didn’t have children of her own yet, she said. After having children of her own and taking on middle school students, things changed for the Land O’ Lakes mother of two. “The past year I’ve been intrigued with the company,” Kennedy said. When her son, then two, received a …
Friday, February 8, 2013
Time is running out for students who want to obtain their GED using Florida’s old version of the test.
Land O’ Lakes residents who plan to get their GEDs might want to act soon before the state changes the test and its associated fees. The state’s current 2002 Series GED test runs its course at the end of 2013. Starting in January 2014, students will have to take the new, more costly 2014 GED test if they want to gain their high school credentials through this alternative means. Students who have taken the current version of the test but failed to pass all five parts need to sign up for retakes before 2013 ends, too. Those who don’t will find themselves having to take the entire 2014 test and pay the higher fees, according the Florida Department of Education’s website. It currently costs $70 for nonstudents in Pasco to take the GED. The new…
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Teachers and staff may get two days of pay back in their checks this year.
Land O' Lakes teachers tired of hearing bleak financial news out of the Pasco County School district office might be in for a surprise. The district thinks it may have found a way to afford canceling the two unpaid furlough days staff and faculty have endured since budget cuts have become a way of life for Pasco schools. Kevin Shibley, the district’s employee relations director revealed a way to save $3 million, effectively ending the need for furlough days this year, during a meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 6. The cost savings come from multiple sources – two of which would require approval from the United School Employees of Pasco union. The plan’s likelihood of meeting union approval looks good, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Union …
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
The Pasco County School District enacted a hiring freeze Monday while another nearby district lighted up its help wanted signs.
With fears of a potential $23 million budget cut looming, Pasco County School Superintendent Kurt Browning announced a freeze on hiring Monday. "It doesn't mean we're not hiring," Browning told the Tampa Bay Times. "Now we're doing everything individually." Requests to fill open positions will be handled on a case-by-case basis with hires critical to daily operations getting the most attention. The move was prompted by the district’s estimation it might face another $23 million shortfall in the 2013-14 school year. The district has faced multiple years of budget cuts. In 2011, it dealt with an estimated $54.4 million funding shortfall and had to cut nearly 500 positions from its payroll. By freezing new hires, the Times’ report says, the …
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Gov. Rick Scott has a proposal to make sure the state’s teachers get raises.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has a proposal that's likely to be music to teachers' ears. He’s expected to announce his intention soon to have state lawmakers set money aside to fund raises for Florida’s teachers in the 2013 budget. Though the Hillsborough County School Board did approve raises for its 15,000 teachers and 9,000 other employees last year, many nearby districts have asked their teachers to go years without seeing an increase due to budget cuts. Pasco teachers, for example, have endured six years of budget cycles without seeing a raise, according to The Tampa Tribune. Those teachers have also had unpaid furlough days added to their plates. How much of a raise Scott’s proposal will include remains to be seen. Details of his proposal…
The board also recognized 39 elementary schools, which received the Florida Department of Education's highest recognition for community and parent involvement.
The Pasco County School Board reconvened for its first regular board meeting after the holiday break Tuesday. Among the items on the agenda, awards for 39 elementary schools. The Five Star School Award, the Florida Department of Education's highest recognition for community and parent involvement, was accepted by school representatives during Tuesday's meeting. Elementary schools earning recognition included Denhams Oaks, Connerton, Oakstead, Seven Oaks, Pine View, Quail Hollow, and Lake Myrtle. The award is given to schools demonstrating outstanding achievement in the five criteria areas of business partnerships, family involvement, volunteers, student community service, and school advisory council. ***** In the wake of the tragedy at …
Saturday, January 19, 2013
State and local leaders will be on hand to discuss the tragedy of cyber bullying and teen suicide Saturday night.
Bullying is a topic that's been on the minds of Land O' Lakes students, parents, school administrators and others for a while. A recent Pasco student suicide has further spurred discussion about suicide and bullying. Now, the Pasco County Sheriff, state lawmakers and mental health professionals want to talk about the issues. The public is invited to the Stop the Pain cyber bullying and suicide forum Saturday night, Jan. 19, at Redeemer Community Church at 9230 Ridge Road, New Port Richey.The forum starts at 7 p.m. Panelists will include Florida State Sen. John Legg, State Reps. Mike Fasano and Richard Corcoran, Sheriff Chris Nocco and mental health specialist Rick Kay. Hernando High senior Sarah Bell, who leads an initiative to stop cyber …
All public schools will observe the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
Land O' Lakes students who weren’t quite ready to hit the books after the long winter vacation are getting the reprieve they wanted. All Pasco County public schools are closed Monday, Jan. 21, in observance of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. The schools join a host of other government agencies shuttering their doors in recognition of the slain civil rights leader. The next day off for Pasco students doesn’t come until Feb. 18 when classes are canceled in observance of Presidents Day. That break is the last before FCAT 2.0 season kicks off with the writing portion Feb. 26-28. For a complete look at the school year calendar, visit the district’s website.
Monday, January 14, 2013
The bus headed to Rushe Middle School Monday morning rear-ended another vehicle.
A school bus driver faces charges after her bus en route to Rushe Middle School rear-ended another vehicle, causing minor injuries to at least five students. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the bus driven by Deborah D. O' Connor of Lutz was traveling westbound on State Road 54 at about 8:15 a.m. Monday morning when a 1999 Mazda B3000 traveling in front of it stopped for traffic ahead. O' Connor told troopers she looked in her rearview mirror momentarily and did not see the traffic stop, resulting in the front of the bus colliding with the right rear side of the Mazda driven by William M. Eggers, 47, of Safety Harbor. According to the FHP report, 44 students ranging from 10 to 15 years old were on board the bus. Five students …
Friday, January 11, 2013
Increasing security around the district's campuses is not off the table.
As nearby Hillsborough County considers a $4.1 million proposal to add 130 security guards to its staff to cover elementary campuses, Pasco is taking a softer approach. That, however, doesn’t mean the issue of enhanced security in local schools is off the table. “I will be meeting with our law enforcement agencies soon to explore the options that might be explored for Pasco County,” Superintendent Kurt Browning wrote in an email. Like Hillsborough, Pasco provided a law enforcement presence at elementary schools in the days following the Dec. 14 Sandy Hook Elementary massacre in Newtown, Conn. Twenty children, ages 6 and 7, died when an armed gunman stormed the campus. Six adults and the shooter, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, also perished. …
Abigail Kennedy
9:36 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
Sounds great! Is it every Wednesday? more ›