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JANUARY 7, 2015
Charter school faces opposition By B.C. Manion
is already permitted by existing zoning, Horner said in an email. A public hearing — initially set for Dec. Opposition is heating up against a pro- 15, then delayed until Jan. 20 — has been posed charter school for up to 1,050 delayed again, this time until Feb. 16 at 6 elementary students in Lutz. p.m. Charter Schools Inc., of Boca Raton is Horner said the delay for the hearing was seeking permission from Hillsborough needed because the county requested addiCounty to allow a school for students in tional traffic information, which has been kindergarten through eighth grade at the completed but not yet reviewed by county southwest corner of Lutz Lake Fern Road staff. and Sunlake Boulevard. Horner noted that the applicant has The operator of the school would be submitted a revised site plan that includes Charter Schools Association of Coral Gables, a number of changes, including a larger according to the application filed with buffer area and setback from residential Hillsborough County. lots to the west of the proposed school, The proposed Sunlake Academy would double tree plantings, fencing and extenFILE PHOTO operate on 7.46 acres, according to Michael sive left-turn lane improvements at both Residents living near a proposed private Horner, the applicant’s representative. A 1- entrances, in response to the county’s charter school in Lutz say the project would acre outparcel at the site represents a create even more traffic problems on See CHARTER, page9A already congested roads near the school. potential child care center in the future that
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF LEARNING GATE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
EcoFest, an annual event organized by Learning Gate Community School, features demonstrations, workshops, informational boothsand more than 100 vendors. The goal of the event is to help promote a more sustainable world.
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Learning Gate wins national award for being green By B.C. Manion bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com
Learning Gate Community School in Lutz is one of the 2014 Best of Green Schools award recipients, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. The school received word of the recognition last month, and it is just one of the honors that the charter school located in Lutz has received for its focus on environmental education. The award is based on the school’s annual EcoFest, which brings together businesses, organizations and individuals from Tampa Bay who are dedicated to the principles of sustainability, according to a news release from Learning Gate. The event, held at Lowry Park, offered The U.S. Green Building Council has named Learning Gate Community School a recipient of more than 100 vendors, live music, workSee AWARD, page9A
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one of its 2014 Best of Green Schools awards. The school was recognized for the EcoFest it organizes every year to promote environmental sustainability.
Sometimes the best gifts come in camouflage By Bryant L. Griffin Correspondent
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INSIDE, PAGE 1B
For three unsuspecting siblings attending Saint Anthony School in San Antonio, a student assembly marking an early start for Christmas break on Dec. 19 was more than it seemed. It actually was cover for a carefully orchestrated holiday surprise: The return of their father, U.S.Army Col. Peter Quinn. Quinn, who just returned from Bagram, Afghanistan for a two-week leave, was determined to give his children a present they wouldn’t forget, especially since the deployment — his second to the region — resulted in nearly a year of separation from his Wesley Chapel family. Working with the Army Intelligence and Security Command in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Quinn currently serves as a senior contracting officer’s representative providing U.S. Army Col. Peter Quinn surprises his children on stage in front of 200 classmates at See CAMOUFLAGE, page9A
Saint Anthony School in San Antonio, joining his wife Kelly, left, and children Gabriel, Faith and Grace.