Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

A year of frenzy that existed inside, outside classrooms

With all the challenges that faced the school district, superintendent Heather Fiorentino says its teamwork was strong.

By MARY SPICUZZA
Published January 2, 2006

In 2005, Pasco County Schools lost a man widely respected as the county's finest public servant.

John Long, who had served as an assistant school superintendent, a powerful state legislator and finally as Pasco's superintendent, died in October at age 59.

Just 11 months after his retirement, Long was in Montana on a hunting and camping trip with his wife, Marsha, when he awoke gasping for breath. He died a few hours later at a hospital.

Hundreds gathered to mourn and honor Long.

"It's like a little piece of your world is gone," assistant superintendent Ray Gadd said. "That's how it feels."

Those who gathered to celebrate his legacy marked a stark contrast to the events of 2004, when Pasco schools were embroiled in political battles, from an intense fight to increase taxes for school construction to a contentious race to replace Long as superintendent.

Instead, in 2005, former rivals could be seen sitting next to each other at Long's memorial service.

Only days after his death, the Pasco County School Board voted to name one of its newest schools in his honor: John Long Middle School in Wesley Chapel.

It was a fitting tribute for a man who counted among his proudest moments his successful 2004 campaign to pass by referendum a 1-cent-on-the-dollar sales tax increase to pay for schools.

Penny for Pasco, which already has raised $11.3-million in sales tax revenues, has helped the district keep up with its rapid growth.

Pasco opened two new schools in August 2005: Longleaf Elementary in New Port Richey and Seven Oaks Elementary in Wesley Chapel. The district is now working to open six more next school year.

Gadd and others have been racing to keep up with Pasco's new arrivals: The district added 3,500 students in 2004 and 2,400 more in '05.

It raised its school impact fees in June by about 157 percent, to $4,356 for a new single-family house, using the money to pay for growth.

Superintendent Heather Fiorentino and others have worked to lay the groundwork for an ambitious five-year plan, which includes building 23 schools.

"We were behind the eight ball," Fiorentino said of the beginning of the year. "We moved that eight ball a little bit. We're getting there."

Throughout her first year as superintendent, Fiorentino also has impressed many initial skeptics, who feared that she might clean house to fill top vacancies. But Chuck Rushe, her opponent in the heated superintendent's race, remains the district's chief financial officer.

Still, the growing district has faced its share of obstacles over the past year.

The annual release of school grades in June was a sobering experience for many Pasco schools, as nearly half earned the same grade as they did last year, and an equal number slipped a grade or more.

Pasco again avoided any F grades, but two high schools dropped to D grades.

Several of the new schools have faced construction delays and won't be ready in time for the new school year in August.

Trinity Oaks might not open until January 2007 due to a series of delays. Wiregrass Ranch High School also faces a January 2007 opening in the middle of the school year. District officials expect t o present a first-semester plan for placing Wiregrass Ranch students by early 2006.

The opening of Double Branch Elementary School in Wesley Chapel has been postponed for a full year and now is scheduled to open in the fall of 2007. It, too, has had numerous delays throughout attempts to close the deal on the school's property. The district has not yet broken ground.

Still, opening six rather than seven schools the next academic year simply means the district plans to open five new schools the following school year.

"It's been go as fast as you can to locate and acquire properties and then construct the schools,' Rushe said.

Still, even with all of its construction projects, the district might need to acquire up to 100 new portable classrooms, which cost about $54,000 each, for the upcoming school year if the state follows through with its ban on the use of coteaching to meet the class size amendment next fall.

Pasco is one of the state's leaders in using coteaching, a practice of having two teachers in the classroom to work with students. The district has effectively used the practice to help exceptional education students be "mainstreamed" into general education classrooms.

"We're not doing it to escape anything," Frank Roder, behavioral specialist at Marchman Technical Center said. "We're doing it to help kids."

Despite the challenges of growth and meeting the requirements of the class size amendment, Fiorentino said she's pleased at how those in the district have been able to work together over the past year.

"We're getting there," she said. "It's because I have a wonderful staff. We're working hard and we're trying to do what's best for kids."

--Mary Spicuzza covers education in Pasco County. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6241 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6241. Her e-mail address is mspicuzza@sptimes.com

[Last modified January 2, 2006, 02:30:25]