The Laker-Land O' Lakes-August 10, 2016

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Browning: Schools must improve By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

When the state released its school grades last month, the news wasn’t good for numerous Pasco County schools, or for the district itself. “The Friday that grades were released, it was not a good day for me. Nor the district,” Superintendent Kurt Browning said at a school board workshop on the issue on Aug. 2. The state’s report showed a number of Pasco schools slipping a grade, and the district, itself, slipping from a B to a C. On one hand, Browning said, school grades don’t paint a complete picture of a school. “There’s a lot more that goes into a

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school than just a single school grade,” he said. On the other hand, he noted: “People judge the quality of a school based on the school grade, and I get that.” Kurt Browning There were changes in the way the grades were calculated this year, Browning said. But he added:“You had 66 other districts that were operating under the same rules.” The district is assessing where it is and why it saw changes, particularly in the increase of C and D schools, Browning said. “We are really trying to assess why we

are where we are,” Browning said. “We were at 34 (34th in the state) when I took office. We went to 33. Now, we’re at 39,” he said. “Anyway you cut it, slice it or dice it, we’re 39th – and that is not something that appeals to me at all. “I do think there are things that we can do, that will move the needle,” Browning said. But he noted, there are no easy fixes. “I learned a long time ago that the art of educating kids is not like building a widget. You don’t start out with a table full of parts, and at the end of the assembly line they all look the same and function the same,” he said. At the same time,“we have got to think See BROWNING, page 11A

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Students stream out of the portable classrooms at Wiregrass Ranch High School during a class change last school year. The school will again have a 10-period day, to relieve crowding on campus by staggering the time that students arrive and leave the campus.

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Pasco prepping to ring in a new school year By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

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Teachers headed back to Pasco County Schools this week to prepare for the first day of school on Aug. 15. Opening day is a big deal on every campus every year, but it will be especially meaningful at Wiregrass Elementary School, at 29732 Wiregrass School Road in Wesley Chapel because that school is having its “first” first day. The mood across campus during a teacher move-in day last week offered a glimpse into the significance. People were focused on getting things ready — but there was an obvious excitement, too. Like many schools,Wiregrass been counting down the days, hours, minutes and seconds until school starts. This label is above the ticking clock on LK/LZ

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its website: “Countdown until Wiregrass Elementary changes the world forever.” The opening of Wiregrass Elementary, of course, caused a shifting of school boundaries. That means some Wesley Chapel children will be experiencing their first day of school this year at at Denham Oaks Elementary, at 1422 Oak Grove Blvd., in Lutz. The 2016-2017 school year also marks the beginning of a new S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Magnet program at Centennial Middle School at 38505 Centennial Road in Dade City. The school will be using the Learning Active Technology Infused Classroom model, said Principal Rick Saylor. That instructional approach centers around rigor, student engagement and student responsibility.

Centennial Middle also has been equipped with new technology, offering new opportunities for students. For instance, it now has flight simulators that it will be using in its technology education class. And now, because it’s a magnet school, it will be drawing students from outside its traditional boundaries, as well. Pasco Elementary School, at 37350 Florida Ave., in Dade City, will be adding 50 minutes of daily instructional time for students in grades four and five, to comply with a state requirement. In a July 18 letter posted in English and Spanish on the school’s website, Principal Nena Green tells parents:“We see this as a great opportunity for us to provide students with the additional support that they need to be successful.” As a result of the additional instructional time, the school day for Pasco Elementary students in grades four and five will be from 8:40 a.m. to 3:40 p.m., while student in prekindergarten through third grade will remain on the school’s 8:40 a.m. to 2:50 p.m., schedule. See SCHOOL, page 11A

Kids offer practical advice to battle substance abuse By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

The youths sat at the front of the room, sharing how substance abuse had affected their lives. One lost her 27-year-old brother to an overdose. Another was removed from her drug-addicted mother. Others have relatives or friends who are living with substance abuse problems. Six of the panelists are members of a group called STAND Above the Influence. The acronym stands for Safe Teens AgaiNst Drugs. The group is a team of youth leaders who aim to end youth substance abuse in Pasco County through education. The seventh member of the panel, from PACE School for Girls, shared her personal struggles with drug addiction. She’s in recovery now. Panel members assembled at the Land O’ Lakes Community Center to address a room filled with professionals who work in law enforcement, politics, substance abuse treatment and other fields involved in preventing substance abuse or responding to people with addictions. The panel was made up of Jazmyn

STAND Above the Influence is a team of youth leaders who aim to help end substance misuse in Pasco County. To find out more about STAND, which stands for Safe Teens AgaiNst Drugs, email STAND@PascoASAP.com, or call (727) 315-8651.

Perkins, Ariana Santillana, Mariah Morales, Jesseca Powell, Ormond Derr, Devin Lindsey-Brock and Destiny Dale. They had plenty to say. Parents should avoid sending mixed messages to their kids, panelists said. When parents tell their kids not to smoke, use drugs or drink — the message lacks credibility if the parents are engaged in those activities themselves. Parents need to take the time to talk and

listen to their kids — to really get to know them, one panelist said. “Be open,” the panelist said.“Talk to me like I’m an adult.” Kids and parents need to be able to talk — to not have screaming matches when they disagree, another panelist said. Having crisis counselors and social workers available on campus would help, so that kids could turn to trained professionals, another panelist suggested. It’s important for parents to understand their child’s point of view, another panelist said. More work is needed to reduce the availability of drugs, not only at schools — but also in the home and the community. Prescription pills and alcohol are often readily accessible in the home, panelists said. Drugs are also available on school campuses, and kids develop code words to let other kids know that they have drugs for sale, panelists said. Having occasional sweeps through the school with drug-sniffing canines can help uncover drugs that are hidden on campus, one panelist said. Panelists also talked about why kids use See ABUSE, page 11A


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