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Our Schools

Teacher's plan builds in room for compassion

By JEFFREY S. SOLOCHEK
Published November 3, 2006

Breanna Ford loves art.

"To me, it's a way of expressing your feelings," the fifth-grader at Citrus Park Elementary says. "You can't go wrong with it."

The other day, teacher Vicki Daniele's class project evoked emotion that Breanna didn't expect. She wept.

Each fall, Daniele picks a group of her best fifth-graders to learn to make clay bowls. They donate their artwork to America's Second Harvest of Tampa Bay, which gives them to participants in its annual Empty Bowls lunch, a fundraiser that helps feed children who otherwise might not eat dinner each night.

"I've seen people who aren't as fortunate as us," Breanna said, taking a break from smoothing clay. "It made me happy that we could do something like this. It touched my heart."

Daniele didn't anticipate such a raw reaction as Breanna's crying. It drove home the point, though, that school can offer so much more than a hard and unforgiving path toward graduation or failure.

"This is to teach them some compassion," Daniele said.

Her lesson also includes reading The Greatest Table, emphasizing how you should always have room at your table for those who need a seat. Others in the class got the point.

"I feel good because I'm helping someone else and making a difference in their life," said fifth-grader Marissa Jones.

Marc Sutherland, spokesman for the food bank, appreciates all the effort. This year, children in more than 40 county schools are making thousands of bowls.

The Empty Bowls luncheon, at 11:30 a.m. Nov. 16 in Lykes Gaslight Park in downtown Tampa, attracted more than 1,100 people last year, raising about $75,000. They pay $10 and get a lunch of water, an apple and soup. It signifies that "food is just sustenance for so many people," Sutherland said.

The children's artwork reminds those who attend the event of their neighbors who have empty bowls at home.

"I always try to do whatever I can to help people," says Michael Kennedy, another Citrus Park fifth-grader. "Whoever gets the pottery, I hope they're happy with the art they receive."

- - -

Have you tried lately to drive down Lutz-Lake Fern Road when McKitrick Elementary School lets out? Or cruise through the intersection of Race Track Road and Countryway Boulevard as Bryant Elementary dismisses?

The backups are all but gone.

Credit parents, who finally have figured out that lining up outside the school nearly an hour ahead of time doesn't get them to gymnastics or soccer any faster. Also praise principals who have staggered their dismissal schedules so the mad rush of little children from the schoolhouse door has slowed to a manageable trickle.

Instead of releasing everyone en masse, the schools now let out children grade by grade, with about three minutes between each. Parents now know that fourth- and fifth-graders, for instance, won't arrive to the pickup area until maybe 2:20 p.m., so they don't bother coming earlier.

Wouldn't you just figure that traffic flows smoothly under this arrangement? Makes you wonder what took so long.

If there's a downside, it's that younger children leave class as much as 10 minutes earlier than the actual end of the school day. Over the entire year, that's 1,840 minutes, or nearly 31 hours, of lost education time if kids actually pay attention while waiting for the bell.

They don't have to take the FCAT until third grade, you might say, so why worry? On the other hand, experts say the best time to narrow the achievement gap is when kids are youngest, so why cut their time short?

It's a trade-off, Bryant principal Karen Bass said. "There will be some time lost, but you also have to think about the orderliness and safety of children."

- - -

Warning: Middle schools in northwest Hillsborough could see wholesale attendance zone changes.

"I know that causes a little bit of heartburn for parents in Region 2, but we're going to have to take a look at that," Cathy Valdes, the district's facilities chief, told the school capacity advisory council Tuesday.

Officials expect to take a look at attendance boundaries across middle schools in the region as they prepare to open a middle school in Citrus Park and add wings to other middle schools.

Several of those are projected to have far fewer students than they could hold in the near future. They include Walker Middle (projected at 59 percent capacity after a new wing opens in 2008) and Davidsen Middle (70 percent). There also will be space at Bartels Middle (56 percent), in the Live Oak subdivision of New Tampa.

Valdes said that the district is having trouble finding land for schools. Plus, the combined wing and new school will help to relieve Farnell Middle, where there's no room to add classrooms.

Questions? School Board member Candy Olson wants to hear from parents today, not later: "The time for input is now."

Staff writer Letitia Stein contributed to this report.

Have opinions about this column, or ideas for future ones? Contact Jeffrey S. Solochek at solochek@sptimes.com or (813) 269-5304.

[Last modified November 2, 2006, 11:50:01]