St. Petersburg Times: Hernando School Pages

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2002-2003 school bus schedules

New school to host student open house
Nature Coast Technical High School will have an open house from noon to 2:30 p.m. Friday at the school, 4057 California St. The event will be for students only. The date was not available from the school in time for the Times back-to-school section, which ran Sunday. The $41.3-million school will house about 1,150 students and 85 staff.[8/5]

Homeschooling Help
Families interested in educating their children at home may get assistance from a support network of Hernando County's home school families known as Home Circle.[8/4]

Squeeze continues in classrooms
Nature Coast will start near capacity, and other schools are jammed. The School Board hopes a tax will pass to pay for building more.[8/3]

The changing faces of leadership
Four Hernando schools will have new principals this year.[8/3]

Their defining moment
The building is built, the cheerleaders even have new cheers. A new high school now makes its vision a reality.[8/3]

Editorial: School budget trimmers should save band travel
Superintendent Wendy Tellone and the Hernando County School Board have struck a sour note with members and boosters of the county's high school bands. During a tight budget year, one of the cutback casualties is the travel budget for marching bands to perform at out-of-town football games this fall. At least one school, Springstead High, also plans to scale back academic field trips and travel opportunities for other extracurricular activities.[8/3]

Teacher won't lead new charter school after all
Joseph Gatti will stay at Powell Middle rather than take charge of the charter school he helped found.[8/1]

Kids get loaded book bags, loads of fun
Two thousand backpacks filled with school supplies will be given away at the Community & Family Back to School Extravaganza on Saturday.[8/1]

Police capture slaying suspect
The arrest in Pennsylvania came hours before the victim was identified as Stuart Arlhuna, 51, of Brooksville.[8/1]

First charter school may open Aug. 27
If all goes as planned, the school will open more than two weeks later than the rest of the county's schools. But first a contract must be signed. [7/31]

Tight budgets may make Friday road games less lively
School bands have seen their travel budgets cut, forcing them to choose between road games and competitions.[7/30]

County's tax stand pleases School Board
County officials' decision to not raise the tax rate is seen as a boost for a tax increase proposal next year to build new schools.[7/28]

School's request for delay meets icy response
Top school district officials recommend against granting Gulf Coast's Academy's request to extend the time allowed to open for classes at the county's first charter school.[7/26]

Union wants to extend hope for yearly teachers
The School Board agrees to talk more about annual contract staffers, but it offers no assurances. [7/24]

Teachers want bigger pay raise
But a representative says the district has little free money for extra increases this year. [7/22]

School helps hone skills for stage
A performing arts school is making a name. "It's easier to be yourself here," says a student.[7/21]

Learning, minus the pressures of college
The most contented hours I spent in college were in my little study carrel tucked in the back of the library book stacks. I could read, study, think (and doze) to my heart's content, lost in the world of learning.[7/19]

Panther vanquishes conquistador
With three-quarters of students and teachers backing it, Powell Middle School gets a new mascot.[7/19]

Charter school opening likely to be delayed
As contract terms are argued over, the school wants to push back its start date by two weeks. It may have to wait a year. [7/17]

Plans for bigger school approved at better site
The building would hold more than twice the students than originally planned. [7/15]

Schools studying early graduation
Though few students are clamoring for it, Hernando officials are rushing to define the accelerated course of study that leads to a high school diploma in three years. [7/13]

Working hard, building bonds
An ROTC unit at Central High School sweats through the summer, spending the free time working to improve the school.[7/11]

School finds basis to appeal for 'A' rank in FCAT grading
Brooksville Elementary discovers three students whose 2002 scores were not factored into the awarding of accountability grades.[7/9]

Zoning panel to review 38-acre site for school
So far, preparations are on track for a new K-8 magnet school, the School Board chairman says. [7/8]

First charter school gets okay, but ...
Gulf Coast Academy needs to address several conditions before the start of the school year in order to open in August.[7/2]

Schools to retain 152 in third grade
The number, though lower than the 234 originally listed, is 11 times higher than that of the previous year because of tougher new state rules.

Board agrees to plan to remap political boundaries
BROOKSVILLE - School Board members on Tuesday dropped any opposition to a County Commission-generated proposal to remap their political lines.

Schools face static budget
BROOKSVILLE - School Board members are the first to admit: The district has little money to do anything new in the coming academic year, despite having its first operating budget of more than $100-million.[6/28]

School on quest to raise grade to 'A'
Brooksville Elementary officials prepare an appeal, thinking that the school deserves better than the "B" it received from the state. [6/26]

Schools seek end to raise guarantee
In talks, the district targets contract language ensuring teachers' annual pay increases. [6/24]

Call brings good news: 'I'm going to the fourth grade'
SPRING HILL - Alicia McGuire held her breath when she saw the words "Hernando County" on her office caller ID.

Board backs firing teacher in drug case
BROOKSVILLE - Clyde Daughtry stood before the School Board, head bowed, seeking a second chance. [6/19]

Grades arrive - so do mixed feelings
Schools are mostly pleased with the FCAT grades. But there's also distrust that so much rides on one single test.

Springstead struggles to fill coaching jobs
The athletic program has eight positions open but very few candidates.

Architects chosen for K-8 magnet school
BROOKSVILLE - The Tampa office of Harvard Jolly Clees Toppe Architects is the School Board's top choice to design Hernando County's first kindergarten through eighth-grade school.

Teacher found dead while on morning jog
SPRING HILL - Before Patrick McCoy went jogging each morning, he'd always tell his mother he'd be back.

Students leading mutiny against mascot
Students at Powell Middle say the conquistador motif is boring, despite its historical connection. They want to become panthers.

Schools funnel growth into 14 portables
The next question for the board: "Where are we going to put them?"[6/18]

Requests for school work tax district's capital funds
Every line will be scrutinized, including $150,000 for covered walks at Powell Middle, in the $3.59-million plan, officials say.[6/14]

Schools seek more portable classrooms
Enrollments in the county are outpacing building space, especially in middle schools.[6/13]

Board zeros in on 2 potential school sites
Under pressure to ease crowding, school officials want their negotiators to focus on pieces of property near High Point and Springstead High.[6/11]

Charter school pleads for second chance to open
The Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology, planned for Spring Hill, awaits to hear whether the County Commission will review its case.

Fighting for the fourth grade
Tiffany is an honor roll student who faces another year of third grade and her first big failure after flunking two reading tests required for fourth-grade promotion. She has one final shot. [6/8]

Third-graders cram to pass reading test
It's summertime, but life is not so easy for students going back to school for help over the FCAT hurdle.

Educators try new bargaining approach
As teachers and school officials begin contract talks, they emphasize respect and set contentious issues aside for future debate. [6/5]

School Board relents to parents' wishes
When four board members said they wanted to send students to Moton Elementary as a part of rezoning, many parents, and the superintendent, protested the plan.

Students stand up for teacher
Some incredulous Fox Chapel Middle School students, and their parents, don't believe the charges leveled against Christopher Wilson.[6/4]

Teacher with DUIs may be rehired
BROOKSVILLE - The state Education Practices Commission on Thursday approved a settlement agreement that could pave the way for suspended Eastside Elementary School music teacher Marcus A. "Tony" Martinez to return to the classroom.[5/31]

Principal goes out with a song
A parody brings a chuckle to Powell Middle principal Cy Wingrove, who retires after 34 years with Hernando schools.[5/31]

Principal graduating to a new life
Retiring Elaine Sullivan and assistant Jane Lee Padgett have had gifted lives, returning to lead their alma mater.[5/31]

School leaders are ready for the future
Students Dacia Frye and Cal Everett are firmly grounded in their community activities and good citizenship.[5/31]

Failed FCAT? Walk anyway
Some 50 seniors who flunked the test can attend graduation, retake the test and swap a certificate of completion for a diploma if they finally pass. [5/29]

Last day of school? It doesn't get any better
Students exchange memories and phone numbers, share plans for summer and plot a fresh start in August. When it's the end of a school year, it's all good.

Schools to buy used books
In hopes of saving thousands of dollars, Pasco and Hernando counties, and others in the pilot program, can purchase used textbooks - but only for one year.

Board scales back elementary rezonings
Although some neighborhoods are dropped from the plan in order to ease crowding at two elementary schools, parents are peeved with the School Board.[5/28]

A graduate of life, and high school
Determination always helped Grace Pahlas find her way in America, and tonight it will help her fulfill her dream. [5/27]

Board scours Spring Hill for school land
The board was hoping to get a parcel on Deer Street, but that didn't work out. Members will discuss their options on Tuesday.[5/26]

Experiments earn student high honor
Kay Furman's research into mosquito repellent wins her third place at the International Science and Engineering Fair.[5/24]

School rezoning plan scaled back
More than 130 students may be reassigned to Moton Elementary, which has about 150 unused seats at its school on Emerson Road, on the south side of Brooksville.[5/24]

For graduates, breaking up is hard to do
Ten students will graduate from Hernando Christian and that's the biggest graduating class among the county's four private high schools.[5/23]

Board takes up crowding issue
The School Board asks administrative staffers to come up with a way of easing overcrowding at two elementary schools.[5/22]

New student dress code: less skin, more tuck-ins
BROOKSVILLE - Hernando County students will face a stricter dress code when they return to school in the fall.

Top of the class
On-the-job learning
Novices a year ago, two middle school assistant principals evolve into good listeners and just disciplinarians.

Teenage star-gazer chosen for internship
The Hernando Christian Academy student will assist in a two-week Duke University astronomy research project.

Survey: Drug problem persists
Drug use by Hernando's children drops slightly, but the numbers remain above state averages. [5/20]

Suspended teacher hopes to return
He was removed after officials learned he lacked a teaching certificate. A deal could put him back in the classroom.

Schools aim for less skin exposed
The district's dress code policy review committee's revisions would cover up thighs, lower backs and chests. "Conservative" is the goal. [5/19]

Retiring elementary principal leaves a legacy of caring
A teacher at J.D. Floyd Elementary School recently noticed that a boy in her fourth-grade class had been wearing the same set of clothes for several days. But what really caught her eye was when he showed up wearing women's shoes.

Springstead High's principal is a familiar fit
Susan Duval, who now lives in Virginia, looks forward to returning to the post she held from 1994 to 1996. [5/18]

Ex-principal retires over drug use
Springstead High's Dot Dodge admits to using marijuana, a violation of district policy. She avoids disciplinary action by retiring.[5/16]

Lower grades rank high on FCAT
Elementary pupils beat the state average in all areas but fifth-grade reading, only one point below the state score.[5/16]

For experimental children, the why's have it
Kids learn critical thinking skills through projects that involve plants to diapers, ants to hamburgers. [5/15]

Taking horror to heart
Projects by a group of gifted students share their emotional responses to a study of the Holocaust.
Kids who really make headlines
Thirteen energetic fifth-graders put their talents to use in the Bear Cub Press.

Crowding emergency is unsettling to some
The School Board, which opened slots at a magnet school to lessen crowding at others, gets complaints. [5/13]

Ex-principal to reprise Springstead High role
Removed from the top job at the high school in 1996, Susan Duval makes a comeback.

Board votes to allow academy's fliers in schools
While making its reluctance clear, the School Board agrees to let a charter school put ads in schools to attract students.[5/10]

Central High Class of 1993 plans 10-year reunion
Central High School alumni from the Class of 1993 are forming a committee to organize a 10-year reunion, tentatively set for August.[5/10]

3rd-graders who failed FCAT have two options
To avoid having to repeat third grade, 218 children can bone up for another test or get their teachers to provide proof of their reading ability. [5/8]

Magnet school flooded with calls
Chocachatti Elementary will send letters to children at two crowded schools, inviting them to seek 54 open seats, but many parents didn't wait.

Suncoast Elementary to require students to wear uniforms this fall
SPRING HILL - Suncoast Elementary School, 11135 Quality Drive, near the Seven Hills development, is the latest Hernando County school to mandate that all students wear school-approved uniforms.

Plenty to smile about
A free sealant program offers dental protection to elementary and middle school students.

Magnet school may add students
The School Board considers a new lottery for Chocachatti Elementary to ease crowding at Pine Grove and J.D. Floyd elementary schools. [5/7]

Eight apply for Springstead High principal job
A committee will interview the candidates today. The superintendent will meet with the three finalists and possibly make her decision Thursday.

Third-graders beat overall FCAT stats
Hernando third-graders do better on the test than their peers statewide. And 53 high school seniors do not pass. [5/6]

Results are mixed in FCAT scores
Fourth-graders in the county, on average, beat the statewide averages in writing. But the news was not so good for the county's eighth- and 10th-graders.[5/3]

Teacher still fights to keep job
Though cleared of criminal intent in helping students during an exam, Carolyn Sunderland awaits the results of a hearing that could take away her license.[5/3]

'Phenomenal' school ready to take wing
At Nature Coast Technical High, a beaming principal gets her keys to the kingdom as workers make finishing touches on the county's newest school.[5/2]

County employees reject bid for union
The vote puts to rest, at least for now, a yearlong debate that had left the opposing sides bitterly divided.[5/2]

Capital clash delays textbook flexibility
Senate foot-dragging dooms schools' ability to buy used books, but the bill could find new life in the upcoming special session.[5/1]

Eagles freshmen at head of class
Sibilia, Markford throwing well past their goals in the discus.[5/1]

School day stretches on for top volunteer
Beatrice "B.J." Pais spends hours each day showing gratitude to her daughters' teachers by helping out at Moton Elementary.[5/1]

Workout in the wild
A physical education director take middle school students down the river for a rigorous kayaking workout every week. In the process, they get a long look at unspoiled nature.[5/1]

Nurse: Bacterial meningitis threat passes
A Suncoast Elementary School student contracted the disease during spring break, but the incubation period has passed. [4/30]

Schools chief says let's wait and see
Wendy Tellone says that it's too early to plan cuts and that Hernando is better off than other counties. Some board members urge action.

Charter working on walls, contract
An enrollment period for students begins May 5 for the Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology middle school. [4/28]

State seeks lowdown on schools at forum
Auditors plan their second hearing seeking residents' concerns and praise at a Spring Hill meeting.[4/27]

Principal question: Will she seek old job?
Demoted, she then departed. Now Susan Duval is returning -- and the Springstead principal position is open. [4/24]

Teens fatten, break and show club animal
At 1,000 pounds, Edgar represents a load of work by three students in the FFA chapter at Central High. [4/23]

Quest for knowledge may lead her to China
A Brooksville teacher earns a spot in a competitive summer exchange seminar. [4/20]

District to buy land for school
A new magnet school for 1,200 children in grades K-8 would go on Spring Hill property now owned by the Diocese of St. Petersburg. [4/17]

The buddies back home
Young Westside Elementary students are honoring troops overseas by displaying their names on homemadedog tags and a "wall of fame." And then there are the jelly beans.

Springstead principal removed from top job
Dot Dodge had been suspended two weeks ago. The school district remains quiet about the reason.

Board drops school rezonings for year
Faced with parents' opposition, members decide that a plan to relieve crowding at two elementary schools needs more work. [4/16]

School rezoning is shot down
Commissioners side with neighbors and planners in rejecting a plan for a K-8 school on Deer Street in Spring Hill. [4/10]

New magnet school may forgo sports
Two administrators suggest a math and science theme and focusing on academics rather than athletics.

Nourishing the body
Lunch program manager Joanne Clark, Hernando County's School Employee of the Year, provides students with a balanced selection that is agreeable with taste buds accustomed to eating fast

District desires a school with oomph
The next new school will likely be a magnet, but what kind? Principals propose math- and science-based programs and hope to dazzle the board with their ideas.[4/6]

Practices were a surprise to school officials
The private morning practices held by a coach charged with fondling two track team members came as news to other staff at Central.[4/5]

High school principal suspended indefinitely
Dot Dodge of Springstead High has been removed from her position, with pay. The superintendent isn't saying why. Nor if or when she might return.[4/5]

Central High School track coach arrested
Girls track coach Richard Ortiz is charged with fondling two track team members last week.[4/4]

Hats off to hurdler
Hernando's Brian Brooks wears his camouflage cap everywhere -- at least until he steps on track.[4/4]

Young jazz band will get toes tapping
Sonny LaRosa's band plays big-band tunes in the last performance in the Community Performing Arts Guild's season.[4/4]

For teens, some revolutionary roles
Bringing Les Miserables to stage is a challenge for even the experienced actors at Springstead High.[4/4]

School transfer permits revoked
No elementary school "out of zone" transfers are approved for the 2003-04 year, with the possible exception of fifth-graders. Parents are angry. [4/3]

Real world introductions
Graduating seniors at Hernando High School get a taste of what a job interview is like.

Students soak up lessons on water issues
A hands-on exhibit teaches children about conserving and protecting the state's water resources. [3/31]

Bus service promises to fill Brown Center with kids
This afternoon, the community center will fulfill a longtime ambition, to provide schoolchildren a means of getting there.

Parents oppose moving students
The district's plans to redraw elementary school attendance zones has Suncoast and Pine Grove elementary parents fighting to let their kids stay put. [3/27]

Making nature kids' second nature
Teachers in Hernando County use lesson plans and activities provided by the National Audubon Society to teach students about nature and the environment.

Not just any art festival
The annual Very Special Arts Festival draws 800 special needs kids from all over the county with activities aimed at fun and self expression.

Board to show off school as product of tax
Members say Nature Coast High will impress on voters what a 1/2-cent sales tax can buy. [3/26]

Charter school board meets
The Gulf Coast Academy charter school's first board meeting was marked by giddiness and playful jibes, as board members and staff said they were ready to sit down and start planning a school. [3/24]

Teacher sees bully pulpit
In the little spare time she had Thursday, Missy Keller pored over a draft of House Bill 901, nicknamed the "BEST Florida Teaching Act," that was pending in the state Legislature. [3/23]

Iraq: War is topic, but not only topic
Students and teachers know full well there's a war on, but they're not dwelling on it. "That's not why we're here," one eighth-grader said. [3/21]

Board moves to fill new school
Nature Coast Technical High School is short of students. The School Board has a couple of ideas to fill the space. [3/20]

Learning values
Hernando County Teacher of the Year Suzanne Hays inspires students to explore the world around them.

State overturns Hernando's rejection of charter school
Despite earlier rejection by the district, two Powell Middle School teachers plan to open a special hands-on academy for middle school students. [3/19]

Plan to even enrollment nearly done
The School Board will send parents information in April and ask for input on the plan to shift some elementary students. [3/17]

Ex-school leader fired from job
FORT MYERS -- John Sanders, the former Hernando County School District superintendent who left in 2001 to lead Lee County's school system, has been fired for incompetence, neglect of his duties and willful misconduct, according to the Fort Myers News-Press. [3/14]

Report backs textbook reform
A report says some flexibility in how Hernando and Pasco counties buy school books could save money. A decision is up to the Legislature.

New school hires first coach
Bob Strong, a 33-year-old social studies teacher from Oscoda, Mich., is the first coaching hire in the history of Nature Coast Technical High School, which is scheduled to open in August. He will coach boys varsity basketball. [3/13]

Oh, the phrases you'll know!
The Dr. Seuss Birthday Bash offers an incentive for young students to enter the world of reading through the door opened by the beloved author's works.

Teen artists take turn in public eye
A select group of Hernando High School art students will be rewarded with a place in a Nicholson Gallery exhibit.

New school site zoning denied
The planning board recommends against rezoning 41 acres in Spring Hill, but county commissioners have the final say. [3/11]

New principals bring talent, diversity to district
Three new principals are "the best" and add to the school system's diversity, the superintendent says. [3/10]

Panel supports charter school
An appeals commission opposes denying the Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology's application. [3/8]

Testing puts squeeze on school space
Classes and students are reshuffled to provide enough classrooms for students taking the exams. For some, it's a time for basketball. [3/6]

School celebrates its constitution
Chocachatti Elementary wants to be sure today's students don't take the three-year-old document for granted.

'Tame the cat' rally's focus: FCAT
As students buckle down to take the high-stakes exam this week, administrators are devising innovative ways to encourage success.

Deal nearly done for top-choice school site
A bit of compromise got the wheels turning again on buying 30 acres on Elgin Boulevard. [3/5]

FCATs evoke 3rd-grade jitters
Children plan to cope with nervousness and pass the test by being prepared, getting enough sleep -- and eating eggs. [3/3]

School review agency hears from the public
Wednesday's forum will have a "job fair" feel, where visitors can move from table to table sharing opinions on the district. [3/2]

Officials say numbers support school site
A study near the site of a possible school indicates traffic there would remain at acceptable levels. [2/28]

Springstead High team knows its nature
The school's C6H12O6 -- also known as sugar dextrose -- team earns the top spot among county teams in the Nature Coast Envirothon. [2/27]

Hernando High principal named
Betty Harper, assistant principal at Central High, will replace Elaine Sullivan when she retires this summer.

Assistant principal moved up
Marcia Austin, 45, of Parrott Middle School will get her own school to administer in July: J.D. Floyd Elementary. [2/25]

Veteran teacher gets top honors
Suzanne Hays, who has been teaching fourth-grade students at Brooksville Elementary since 1973, is the county's teacher of the year. [2/23]

Stewardship drives joint sales tax idea
The School Board feels confident about renewing its tax to build with, but can the county get support for its tax? [2/20]

Elementary school lines to be redrawn
The board wants to adjust student numbers to ease overcrowding, and it considers new classrooms at Chocachatti and a new school site. [2/19]

School, county boards to meet
School Board members and county commissioners hope the joint session -- the first in years -- will spur greater cooperation. [2/17]

New principal 'confident but humble' leader
Michael Ransaw is great fit for Powell Middle School, says the superintendent, who chose Ransaw over two veteran administrators. [2/17]

School district still shopping for land
Officials hope to build a new school at Deer Street and Linden Drive, but zoning could get in the way. [2/15]

A rewarding challenge
Preparation for the Hernando County Regional Science and Engineering Fair is a foot in the door for some students. [2/13]

Newcomer named principal at Powell Middle School
BROOKSVILLE -- A fresh young face will replace veteran Powell Middle School principal Cy Wingrove when he retires in June. [2/12]

Time to redraw school districts
The effort likely will draw fire from some parents and students, officials say, but it's the only way to evenly spread the county's growing student population.

School site decision delayed
Neighbors oppose one proposed rezoning; the planning board awaits a traffic analysis to decide. The board recommends rezoning at another site. [2/11]

Long-distance learning
A fourth-grade class has a reading, writing and researching adventure through interactive exploration with a team of scientists studying seals in Antarctica.

Deltona Elementary asks deputies to remove crew from Bay News 9
A school official says the station sought information about a "time out" room for quelling pupil outbursts.[2/6]

Book plan may save schools money
Area legislators say a proposal exempting Hernando and Pasco schools from state rules for buying textbooks could save the districts thousands of dollars.

A little cooperation is solution for school
The Hernando County Planning and Zoning Commission staff has thrown up some roadblocks to the School Board's plan to one day build a school near the intersection of Linden Drive and Deer Street in Spring Hill.

Kids' fish business swims upstream
A project to start a business selling fish and plants to other students in Powell Middle School's microsociety teaches students about overcoming challenges.

Nature of kids' 'big sister' is to nurture
Sydney Tucker devotes her homeroom time to helping students with special needs prepare for their school day, then often returns later for games and walks.

School site could be a Catch-22 for board
A new school is needed in a crowded and growing area of Spring Hill, but the county worries the school will add to the congestion. [2/5]

Fighting for the best and brightest
The school district faces special problems -- and uses special tactics -- in attracting and keeping quality teachers. [2/2]

Teachers set aside a day for reading
First-graders at Westside Elementary School get excited about books. [2/1]

Sponsors appealing charter school denial
A state panel will consider the merits of a pair of teachers' proposed Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology. [1/31]

Who ya gonna call?
It normally would take weeks to set up Deltona Elementary's 28 new computers. Instead fourth- and fifth graders take on the job. [1/30]

Teenager earns 2nd chance at diploma
With support and determination, a once-troubled boy gets the opportunity to go back to a regular high school.

Plan may bring simulators to driver ed
A $3 fine added to traffic tickets could pay for improving driver education in schools if the Slosberg Act is adopted. [1/29]

New school announces the winners
Nature Coast Technical High School lists the students selected by lottery to attend the school next year. More than 250 eighth-graders are on a waiting list. [1/25]

Board leery of site for school
The school district considers backing out of a deal to buy the Spring Hill property after neighbors object to the project. [1/23]

'Prescription' can lead to a better grade
A special program allows high school students with Ds or Fs to raise their grades by tackling extra work.

Get real: Teens see community up close
A leadership program escorts students through a behind-the-scenes tour of local government and business.

Enrollment lottery goes high-tech
Using a computer program, Nature Coast Technical High selects its first students fairly and easily -- and in record time. [1/18]

Charter school appeal planned
After School Board denial, one teacher minces no words about a state appeal: "Tallahassee is going to cram it down their throat." [1/16]

Neighbors fight against new schools
Residents say the Spring Hill area can't handle the traffic. But a School Board member points out: That's where the growth is.

Preparation targets FCAT fear factor
To ease stress, family workshop nights help parents get more involved earlier in the year. And teachers often weave many of the necessary test-taking skills into their normal class regimen.

Board clashes over charter school
School Board members say they support charter schools but are conflicted over Gulf Coast Academy. [1/15]

Surging enrollment forces district's hand
The next few weeks could see the School Board make important -- and potentially controversial -- decisions to reduce class sizes. [1/12]

Charter school still seen as shaky
Concerns about finances may doom the county's first effort, which was given an extra month to prove itself. [1/9]

Lending a hand means making a friend
A teacher asked Angelica Veglia to help show around a new student who uses a wheelchair. Now, she and Kaitlyn Roby are good friends.

At front desk, calm prevails
Mrs. Origon of Fox Chapel Middle School handles the big crises of young people with aplomb.

Ex-dean Travis Northcutt, 73
Known for his work in sociology and his activism, the ex-professor is claimed by his ailments at age 73. [1/7]

Thriving Christian school aims for accreditation
SPRING HILL -- Marti Covert, administrator at West Hernando Christian School, could not be more pleased with her school's progress in this, its seventh year of existence.

Deadline near to apply to new school
A computer lottery will help determine which students attend Nature Coast Technical when it opens later this year. [1/2]

District looks for land to grow
Two pieces of land in Spring Hill and one in Ridge Manor are on the School Board's agenda. They represent nearly $2.3-million of real estate. [12/30]

School goes AP in a big way
At Springstead High, student enthusiasm for the new Advanced Placement Academy is followed by improving performance on the AP tests. [12/22]

Dark brown, then reversal, doesn't sit well
Springstead High restrooms lighten up, but at least one School Board member can't, because of the cost. [12/19]

Charter school plan wins extension
Disappointment at the two charter partners' treatment by the district sways the School Board to rethink denial.

School board report
County school calendar set for next school year

Lessons in good will
Students lend holiday energy to spirit-lifting efforts that collect toys and money for the needy. "It makes you feel good," says one.

Straight-A student has lesson to teach
An 8-year-old learning to cope with Tourette's Syndrome hopes to foster understanding in others.

Board: Charter school's not ready
During a workshop on the proposed Gulf Coast Academy, members said they liked the idea, but the plan needs ripening. [12/18]

Helping students cope with tragedy
When two teens died in the gulf last week, the school district's counselors were ready to respond. [12/15]

Officials keen on combined K-8 school
The plan would combine an elementary and middle school. It could ease crowding, but not until 2005. For now, some attendance zones may have to be altered. [12/11]

High school grieves for two teens
Hernando High students stunned by the deaths of their schoolmates learn a difficult lesson of the fragility of life. [12/10]

Tragedy stuns squad
Hernando will remember lost teammates before each game.
Can county's schools handle growth?
To answer that question, the county and the school district team up to get a better handle on development and its effect on schools. [12/8]

Dissecting the theater, this time in a classroom
I wasn't crazy about grammar school (hated to be indoors all day) or junior high (too much social pressure), and it was only being in the band that made high school tolerable. [12/7]

Board fine tunes reporting policy for infractions
After a student groped two girls at knifepoint, school officials insist such matters must be reported immediately. [12/5]

Car perk traded for higher pay
The School Board votes to give superintendent Wendy Tellone a raise but puts its foot down on paying $800 a month in car expenses.

Number of charter schools may be limited
Even though the state allows 12, the School Board might limit Hernando to three for now, "to take it step by step."

Lights, camera, education
State-of-the art equipment offers student broadcasters at Westside Elementary exposure to new technology and on-camera experience.

Piggy bank rattled for school land buy
The School Board will consider selling unused lots to help finance new ones needed for schools. [12/4]

Board studies charter policy
Hernando's charter school policy is much like the state's, except in two areas, which could lead to problems. [12/3]

Charter school put on hold
Not all school district questions are answered in time for a Dec. 3 hearing. [12/2]

How much does Thanksgiving cost?
A class of fourth-graders must figure the price of a Thanksgiving dinner for 26 students. Then the lesson gets eaten. [11/28]

Board studies option of a K-8 school
As the School Board agrees to buy three pieces of property for new schools, the discussion of a K-8 school gains immediacy. [11/25]

Union votes yes on raises for teachers
New teachers' salaries will rise by $1,000. Experienced teachers with master's degrees will earn $1,800 more. [11/23]

Unpaid taxes pose problem for board
Should companies bidding on School Board contracts be current on their taxes? The quick answer is yes, but some officials urge caution. [11/21]

School board sets pay rates for members
Despite new authority, members will get $767 raises, what it would have been if the state had continued to set the rate.

Last-chance champion for change
The students in Calvin Brown's class are at the end of the road. And while he knows he won't save them all, he stays positive and is happy with every sign of progress.

Hernando School Board, attorney spar over prayer
Invocation before board meetings is wrong, the school attorney says. Board members say leave well enough alone. [11/19]

Audit seeks efficiency in schools
Unlike most state audits, the one by OPPAGA will evaluate the district's financial practices and offer advice. [11/17]

Scant support
School officials don't know where all the money to hire teachers and build schools will come from. [11/16]

Boy accused of hitting custodian
BROOKSVILLE -- A 14-year-old accused of punching a custodian at Powell Middle School has been arrested, authorities said. Mario Tryfonos, 60, told deputies that he was cleaning a hallway about 5 p.m. Thursday when four students walked toward him and yelled profanities.

Budget talk focuses on reading
A board member wants to prepare for tight times and wants to review the half-million-dollar program. [11/15]

Building a niche
For some students, Springstead High's construction technology program offers a unique, hands-on chance to develop productive skills and a solid work ethic. [11/14]

Sticker shock
Elementary students surprise grownups who created a contest to see how many "I Voted" stickers the kids could collect.

Charter school vote delayed by questions
The School Board wants the teachers behind the proposed school to address several issues, but members say they are pleased with the overall proposal. [11/13]

Academy may win first charter
Gulf Coast Academy of Science and Technology looks poised to become the county's first charter school. [11/12]

$96,000 missing at Deerwood Academy charter school
A review uncovers checks made out to cash, ineffective accounting controls and what one official terms a "financial quagmire."

History, from its witnesses
A Powell Middle history project becomes a priceless show and tell for veterans. [11/10]

3 are charged with child abuse
A school bus driver and two Head Start aides are accused of leaving a 3-year-old girl alone on a bus for five hours. [11/9]

Same-sex school classes debated
Sandra Nicholson sees it for middle schools. Other School Board members, while not enthusiastic, don't rule it out.

'Big' sibling bonding
An after school mentorship program hooks up kids with big brothers and sisters for two hours of quality time each week. [11/7]

Students put ingenuity to work -- on chores
Suncoast Elementary fourth-graders present gadgets such as a dog exerciser and the "Brop," a mop-broom combination, at the Invention Convention.

5 students recovering after swallowing pills
The Powell Middle students took the anti-anxiety drug apparently to get high. They wound up getting sleepy and being taken to the hospital. [11/2]

Middle school students make a village
West Hernando students have only 60 square feet, but they are filling it with buildings, roads and a model railroad. [10/31]

Board, teachers forge new deal
The sides agree on a 5.3 percent average raise and a plan to form a committee of teachers and officials to find ways to bring pay closer to the state average. [10/30]

Harassment charge puts policy on trial
A district investigator says Fox Chapel Middle School administrators followed board policy, but he calls for changing it.

Board eyes 3 parcels for new schools
BROOKSVILLE -- The School Board has set its sights on three properties -- two in Spring Hill and one in Ridge Manor -- that it hopes to use for the county's next three schools.

A hairdo with a purpose
A second-grader looking forward to her birthday decides to give someone else a gift: 14 inches of her hair. [10/24]

Homecoming court seeing double
SPRING HILL -- Each year, Springstead High School's sophomore class gets to put two boys and two girls on the homecoming court. [10/20]

School Board hesitates on self-imposed pay raise
BROOKSVILLE -- Ordinarily, School Board members would get a $767 raise next month. [10/17]

Troubled charter school calls off its expansion
Pasco's School Board seizes financial control of Deerwood Academy, which calls off plans for Hernando County.

Fast and serious
The drive and pride of enthusiastic students have propelled Central High School's new JROTC program to award-winning heights in just 2 1/2 years.

Teacher brought history to life
SPRING HILL -- Growing up in New Jersey, Pete Kern had a history teacher who droned on in a monotone voice until all the fun was gone. When Kern became a history teacher himself, he was determined to do things differently. [10/12]

School Board to hear more from students
Student leaders gain support from board members to participate, but not vote, at meetings. [10/10]

Board agrees to sell old Moton school
The aging structure, which housed black students during segregation, is too valuable to give away, members say. [10/9]

First year filled with full days
Hernando County schools superintendent Wendy Tellone's work ethic has paid off. But she still faces some criticism and more challenges. [10/7]

Enrollment increase follows renovations
Pasco-Hernando Community College's north campus students flock to upgraded programs. [10/6]

Teachers apply for charter
The Powell Middle School employees want to open a charter school. Their goal is smaller, more specialized classes. [10/4]

Teacher pay fight spills into the street
As pickets backing higher wages stand outside, School Board members defend their stance: Higher pay means cuts elsewhere. [10/3]

Students connect in silent world
J.D. Floyd Elementary celebrated National Deaf Awareness week through its hearing-impaired students.

Campaigning for spirit
Parrott Middle School's student government adviser pushes for more election participation. She gets it -- along with the use of county voting machines to add realism.

Tellone: Contract talks not working
The school superintendent recommends a new approach. [10/1]

Principal is more recruiter than tutor
Tizzy Schoelles has a cutting-edge high school opening next year. Now she needs students and a staff. [9/29]

Dual enrollment carries a surprise
BROOKSVILLE -- High school students can earn both high school and college credit at the same time through Pasco-Hernando Community College's "dual enrollment" program. [9/26]

Second aide reprimanded in bus incident
Head Start continues looking into why a 3-year-old was overlooked and left alone on a school bus for hours.

Hands-on meets high-tech
As computer stations move into agriscience classrooms along with topics like bioengineering and environmental research, working with animals and equipment has not fallen by the wayside.

Star senior stays at top in class, on the court
Sarah Bowe is figuring that this is going to be a busy final year for her at Hernando Christian Academy. Not only is she the highest academic achiever in her senior class, she is also its most popular leader.

Student charged with sexual battery
SPRING HILL -- A Central High School student was arrested Wednesday and charged with sexual battery of two children, the Hernando County Sheriff's Office reported.

Student, 13, charged with battery in school incident
A 13-year-old boy was arrested at West Hernando Middle School on Friday afternoon after he pushed two people, police said. [9/22]

District support staff okays contract
The Hernando United School Workers union votes 202-3 to approve a contract that raises pay. It will cost about $725,000.

Board prepares to reset school zones
The redrawing of boundaries will help ease crowding at westside elementary schools by shifting some pupils eastward. [9/20]

Teachers vow not to go the extra yard
If the board won't agree to raises, union leaders say, teachers won't come in early, work through lunch or take papers home. [9/19]

Moton in motion
At Moton Elementary, a new approach to education is raising students' scores and teachers' spirits.

Building a proud legacy for Class of '03
The president of Hernando High's spirited senior class is encouraging students to get involved in community service ventures.

Board looks at land, schools
The search for land for new schools should include property able to handle an accessible magnet school, the School Board says. [9/18]

Girl left behind in parked school bus
The driver quits and the bus aide is fired after a 3-year-old Head Start pupil is left for five hours. [9/17]

Neighborhood or magnet -- that is the board's question
The School Board wants to build a school. But they have to decide what type it will be first. Both options could have critics.

The balance of power
Nature Coast Tech will alter the landscape of Hernando County sports when it opens next August. The future talent pool will be stressed and players at three existing public schools could be enticed to a gleaming new school. The playing field is about to change. [9/15]

A first: Charter school applies
Deerwood Academy wants to open in Hernando in the 2003-04 school year. It would be the county's first charter. [9/14]

Manager of school bus fleet to retire
Mark Tallent, 62, will leave at the end of December after 16 years of overseeing the school district's buses. [9/13]

Teachers, board can't agree on pay terms
Happy with the figures but not the methods to achieve them, teachers now face two options. [9/12]

School workers renegotiate, win extra pay
BROOKSVILLE -- School support staffers will get an even higher raise than the one they negotiated in July. [9/11]

Schools now have goals to live by
Wendy Tellone's strategic plan passes intact, minus two turf supervisors and a Disney reference. It contains eight objectives. [9/5]

Tellone defends schools strategy
The superintendent says the system's goal of making every student a success will not be cheap. [9/2]

Rewarded for grades
Six county schools will receive extra money for their performances on the FCAT. [8/31]

School growth forces hiring
Enrollment in Hernando schools tops 18,000 for the first time. That means more teachers have to be hired. [8/30]

School union wants second bite at apple
BROOKSVILLE -- A month ago, leaders of the union that represents the Hernando County School District's bus drivers, maintenance workers and other support staff thought they had wrung all the money they could from the School Board. [8/29]

Athlete in assault case is released
BROOKSVILLE -- Springstead High two-sport star Justin Melnik was released Wednesday from the juvenile detention center where he has been held for the past 21/2 weeks, his attorney said.

School Board wades into budget discussion
Amid teacher contract talks and with the budget vote looming, board members must sort out lengthy proposals. [8/28]

Pay in other counties rankles teachers
They look at Pasco and most of Florida, where teachers make more, and say a newly found surplus should boost pay. [8/26]

Board member's private-school choice upsets some
In 1998, Robert Wiggins made it clear why he was running for a seat on the Hernando School Board. [8/25]

PHCC's enrollment soars
The amount of instructors, state money and space hasn't changed, but enrollment certainly has. [8/22]

School buses roll again through Brookridge
BROOKRIDGE -- School buses are rolling up to three new bus stops in Brookridge and a stewing controversy seems to have subsided after an agreement between families with schoolchildren and the president of the property owner's association.

Word by word
For Cynthia Haring's students, progress often comes with small phrases and big expectations. As a teacher of English for Students of Other Languages, she helps provide "tools for a successful life."

RSVP sends seniors back to school as volunteers
It is one of two programs seeking much-needed community helpers as the school year gears up.

School board activity
Political activities rules loosened a bit

Costs may snag plan for schools
The superintendent's strategic plan calls for four additional staff members and the use of focus groups and awards. [8/21]

Class sharpens teachers' skills
The Hernando Classroom Teachers Association steps up to train mentors to help new teachers. [8/19]

School district bulges in the middle
The county's middle schools are bursting with students. That has the superintendent rethinking construction priorities. [8/15]

Recycling uniforms, fostering good will
Schools are setting up exchange programs and clothing funds to help struggling families. So far, the response has been enthusiastic.

Scoping out fresh starts
A new class of freshmen get accustomed to quarters at Hernando High. They're excited, apprehensive and nervous about starting all over again.

Board, teachers remain far apart
Teachers say the offer before them does not fairly share a $3.3-million budget windfall discovered in the spring. [8/14]

Few pupils run afoul of dress code
Compliance with the new dress codes is almost universal, school officials say.

First day brings swarm of students
A record number of opening day students crowded back into Hernando County's schools Monday as a new year began with a renovated Springstead High School and more teaching vacancies than in recent years. [8/13]

School begins today
All buses will be running. Routes and pickup times are available at the Web site of the School Board or through a link to that site on the St. Petersburg Times Web site. [8/12]

Students of all ages brace for re-entry
Some plan to make straight A's. Others set their sights on after-school activities. All are ready to go back to school.

Brookridge parents say moving bus stop is unsafe
Some say this is simply another way the older majority has of telling them kids aren't welcome in the neighborhood. [8/8]

Schools find new uses for old funds
The $3.3-million left untouched in a school district fund for years will help pay an insurance debt and add to the reserve fund.

Parents, kids get ready for school
The Jerome Brown center fills with folks who line up for free school supplies and timely information. [8/5]

Back to school
August 4, 2002

2002-2003 Hernando school bus schedules

Principals ready their staffs for changes
Jean Ferris at Suncoast Elementary and Joe Clifford at West Hernando Middle take on new positions and prepare for challenges.

Ready or not, veteran principals will depart
Most of the educators say they would prefer to continue working for a little while longer.

Student services
The Student Services Department of the Hernando school district offers several programs. For information on any of the programs, call 797-7008.

School uniforms
Once the realm of private schools, uniforms or strict dress codes have become commonplace at the county's public schools. This year, eight of Hernando's 17 schools will require uniforms or a very strict code of dress.

School bus routes
School bus routes and pickup times are available online at the Web site of the Hernando County School Board or through a link to that site on the St. Petersburg Times Web site.

Tips for registration and immunizations
Parents of students entering the Hernando County public school system for the first time may register their children at the schools they will attend. To find out what school your child should attend, call 797-7003. To register, students need the following items:

School meals

Public school directory

Orientation and open houses

Child care available before, after school

Private schools

Important numbers

School calendar for 2002-03

Hotlines

Insurance supplement available for students

Home school group provides support

School Board validates vote on budget
To erase any doubts stemming from one vote cast by phone, members have a rehearing. It's quick and vague. [8/1]

Teacher union, board can't agree on pay
The district offers an average raise of 2.8 percent, but teachers will go to work Aug. 5 without an agreement. [7/30]
Negotiators haggle over wages for class aides
The union wants a 30-minute paid lunch for paraprofessionals. School Board negotiators want to reduce the extra pay allotted when they teach alone for extended periods. [7/27]

School Board to meet again, just in case
Questions on the legality of a meeting of three members -- one of those participating by phone -- leads to a redo. [7/27]

Schools may get bigger budget
The School Board takes a first step toward paying off a debt and lowering the tax rate. [7/26]

Senate candidates focus on education during forum
Four running for the new District 11 seat disagree on what to do for public schools and on how to pay for it. [7/25]

New centers tutor kids for a price
Both franchised learning centers offer individual instruction to struggling students. Their methods and fees vary. The cost for one child can be thousands of dollars. [7/22]

School tax rate to drop for fourth year
Despite the change, the district will see additional revenue due to growth in the county's taxable property value. [7/18]

Schools loosen rules on politics
The board votes to allow bumper stickers, political ads and some types of campaigning in schools. All had been banned in the past.

Teachers' pay, health costs top talks
The School Board focuses on starting salaries. The union is worried about health insurance. Both seek a better way to reward veteran educators. [7/17]

Teachers take to wild for lesson from nature
County educators don hiking gear to learn firsthand what they will teach students about the environment. [7/14]

Board revisits politics at school
Members in favor of a change say current rules restricting political activity are too stringent and may conflict with the First Amendment. [7/7]

$3.3-million surplus raises eyebrows
Some welcome the school district's budget windfall. Others say the timing is suspicious. [6/30]

Teacher of Year to fill assistant principal post
BROOKSVILLE -- Ray Pinder, who in February was named Hernando County's Teacher of the Year, has been appointed as West Hernando Middle School's newest assistant principal. [6/27]

Gatti wins another decision
A judge says the state Department of Education can't take the teaching license of the Powell Middle School teacher. [6/26]

School district's inventory shrinks
Items that have been missing for two years, which were valued at more than $111,0000, are struck from the books. [6/24]

School review turns up $3-million
The finance director says the surplus money had accumulated for years in an overlooked account. [6/20]

Insurance bill less painful than those past
School officials greet this year's increase of 5 percent with a giant sigh of relief. [6/18]

Grade-A schools are all elementary
Based on FCAT results, four Hernando elementaries got A's from the state. Four got B's. All the other schools got C's. [6/13]

School stops dancing around the issue: Hip-hop is hot
BROOKSVILLE -- When Chocachatti Elementary School debuted in 1999 with an emphasis on the arts, one of its most intriguing features was the fact students would learn ballet. [6/12]

School job lures Springs boss
The Weeki Wachee Springs general manager will be closer to his wife and daughter in Marion County if he is approved as the school system's custodial supervisor. [6/11]

What to do with an aging school?
A tenant can have another year at the Moton School, and a chunk of the maintenance bill. On that much the School Board agrees. [6/6]

Seven in running for school principal post
BROOKSVILLE -- Five Hernando County assistant principals, a former administrator of a local private school and a Citrus County educator are among the applicants for the vacant principal post at West Hernando Middle School. [6/5]

Slow walk sweet for new graduate
A misdiagnosed sore ankle came close to killing Gypsie MacSweeney, but her health and outlook are on the mend. [5/31]

Top rating opens road for Tellone
The School Board scores her higher than previous superintendents and will vote June 18 on extending her contract. [5/29]

Crowds, memories on minds this grad season
Springstead High School never seems to stop growing. And so must its graduation. [5/26]

Classes at charter school revolve around the stage
Try to imagine middle and high school kids who can't stand to be out of school, kids who want more school days, kids who get bored if summer recess lasts longer than seven weeks. [5/25]

Once struggling, students now earn praise
Eighteen students are honored at a banquet for turning their academic performance around.

Departing principals let last day soak in
Two veteran leaders stride through their halls one last time before moving on to new assignments.

New graduate killed in U.S. 19 wreck
A day after thanking friends and family in an emotional speech at Fellowship Baptist Academy, Stephanie Morrison dies in a three-car accident. [5/23]

Seniors reflect on past year, look ahead
Three graduating students assess their high school days, teachers, dreams, the impact of Sept. 11 and where they are headed in life.

Countdown to the future
Three Hernando County high school seniors try to enjoy their final year as they pave their way for a bright future.

Principal tapped for district post
West Hernando Middle's principal, known for his innovative ideas, will be the superintendent's top academic assistant. [5/21]

County's FCAT tab in a word: gloomy
Yet, county students surpass the national average in 15 of 16 categories, leading one educator to ask: Is the FCAT too tough? [5/19]

9 seniors fulfill a dream for school with a mission
Spring Hill Christian, which went from 75 students in 1996 to 280 today, reaches a milestone: It graduates its first class.

Prized bird stolen from school
The one-eyed cockatoo, bequeathed to students by a teacher who died of cancer, was treasured at West Hernando Middle School. [5/17]

Veteran educator demoted, but takes it in stride
A pay cut beats a pink slip, says Barney Stratton. He'll stay on track for retirement in 2003. [5/15]

Schools relax purchasing rules
The superintendent will be able to sign off on construction work costing up to $25,000 without having to get bids. [5/11]

Test helper won't face any charges
Prosecutors downplay the gravity of the offense and say the Moton Elementary teacher has been punished enough. [5/9]

Class notes
EASTSIDE ELEMENTARY: The school's K-Kids, a student service club, will hold a dedication ceremony today at 9:30 a.m. to unveil the school's Memory Garden, which is dedicated to the victims of the Sept. 11 tragedy. Members of the community are invited to attend.

Senior heeded her inner voice
Hernando High's valedictorian pursued a tough academic regimen in a quest for learning. Now the scholar's scholar is aiming even higher: nuclear engineering.

The search for the college dollar
A committee at Central High helps students and parents determine what scholarships are worth applying for.

Parents: Keep bus service as it is
A proposal that could phase out school bus service to areas within 2 miles of schools worries some parents and day care centers.

Priest receives fond farewell
Students at Notre Dame Interparochial School thank him as he leaves to study in Rome. [5/7]

PTA's super mom quits after 20 years
County president Denise Gill often rattled the education scene on many issues. Her voice helped alter policy and even construction. [5/5]

New school, new costs
With land prices skyrocketing, the School Board needs to deal with sticker shock as it plans to build its 11th elementary school, near U.S. 19. [5/4]

Home-school academy closes shop this month
A founder of Glenhaven Academy, which offers help to home-schoolers, says she must quit for her health.

Bus driver files lawsuit against School Board
She says her complaints of sexual harassment sparked retaliation against her. [5/3]

Attorney backs off 7 of 15 charges against teacher
The Education Department suggests dropping seven but stands by eight others. A judge will decide. [5/1]

Short school bus rides may end
Officials weigh safety risks against savings from discontinuing rides of less than 2 miles. [4/30]

A school meant to shatter the mold
The principal of Nature Coast Technical High, scheduled to open in 2003, envisions a school of high-tech labs, laptops, research and invention. [4/29]

2 teenagers held in bomb threats
The West Hernando and Parrott middle school boys were to be taken to a juvenile detention center in Ocala. [4/27]

New high school will start full, board says
If enough students can't be recruited, the board says, some will be forced to change schools. [4/24]

Lessons at home, fun stuff at school
Some Hernando home-schoolers take advantage of public schools' extracurricular programs. [4/22]

Teacher in FCAT case is back on job
The Moton Elementary teacher was suspended for 10 days without pay and placed on probation for her role in helping pupils on the test. [4/18]

Class notes
PINE GROVE ELEMENTARY: The school will be accepting applications for its preschool early intervention program Friday from 9 a.m.-noon. Parents need to bring their child's official birth certificate, proof of residency, income verification, Social Security number, plus proof of WAGES eligibility, guardianship/foster care and Medicaid eligibility if applicable. Call 797-7090 for further information.

Classroom reaches out to struggling students
Two West Hernando Middle teachers give individual attention to those who need help to stay in mainstream classes.

Hands-on and high tech
Two Hernando High students interested in the field of broadcasting work at a local television station twice a week.

Elementary school learns sex offender is living next door
Alerted by a student's grandmother, the Spring Hill school warns neighbors. The man, however, says he's no threat. [4/17]

School start times will not change
A proposal to push back middle and high school start times is shelved for a year.

Reactions to new school start times vary
The idea of older students starting later and younger ones earlier draws mixed reviews from those it would affect. [4/14]

Teacher gets a 'last chance,' suspension for test violation
BROOKSVILLE -- School district officials have concluded that a Moton Elementary School teacher told three students to look more closely at their answers during an FCAT math test last month and, in one of those cases, told a boy to redo a problem. [4/13]

Scholarship program helps six
Despite uncertain times, six students will be able to attend college because of the program. [4/12]

From hard work and green thumbs, pride grows
A group of Westside Elementary students wage a beautification campaign, cultivating drought-tolerant species and native plants on school grounds. [4/11]

School projects questioned
After $560,000 goes unspent, the School Board challenges the way money for small projects is allotted. [4/10]

School bell may ring at new time
A plan calls for a later start at middle and high schools, but an earlier one for some elementary schools. [4/4]

Children, teachers inspire teen volunteer
A student who volunteers in a kindergarten class and calls teachers "true heroes" wants to become one herself.

Learning well by doing good
Students in Central High's Allied Health Science program get handson experience while helping their community.

Assistant principal to take over at Suncoast
SPRING HILL -- Jean Ferris, who has worked in Hernando County elementary schools for more than 23 years, now finally has the chance to lead one as principal.

Tall tales tempt students to read
Brooksville Elementary educators tap the storytelling talents of Windell Campbell to encourage young people to pick up books. [2/27]

Issues in teacher's hearing narrowed
BROOKSVILLE -- The judge deciding the validity of the Department of Education's complaint against teacher Joseph Gatti said Thursday the key issues are whether Gatti put students in harm's way and whether he has become ineffective as a teacher. [2/8]

3 people, 5 years of questions
When sheriff's deputies first came poking around his school, Joseph Gatti thought they were investigating vandalism that had left windows broken, aquariums smashed and tropical fish flopping on the floor.

A retirement delayed
BROOKSVILLE -- Retirement for Powell Middle School principal Cy Wingrove must wait an extra year. [1/15]

Teacher cleared of sex abuse complaint
SPRING HILL -- The Sheriff's Office found no truth to allegations that a Fox Chapel Middle School teacher had a sexual relationship with a female student.

Fifth-grader achieves her American dream
Kathy Rodriguez spoke no English when she and her family moved here from Puerto Rico. Now she tutors other Spanish-speaking students and excels in school.

School concern? Tell it to Tellone
She hasn't signed a contract yet, but that's a very small bump in Wendy Tellone's road to becoming superintendent of the Hernando County School District.

Drawing up his future
Chad Jones has known since he was a child that he wanted to be an architect. He hopes his senior year will catapult him toward that dream.

Class notes
PINE GROVE ELEMENTARY: The school will hold its Title I annual meeting Sept. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the media center. Parents are invited to attend.

Track bus routes online
School bus routes and pickup times are available on the Hernando County School Board's computer Web site at http://www.hcsb.k12.fl.us. Click on "Bus Routes 2001-2002" on the left side of the screen.

Home-school parents can meet monthly
The Home Circle, a support network for Hernando County's home-school families, meets on the second Tuesday of each month from August through May at First Baptist Church, 420 Howell Ave., Brooksville.

Dressed for success
The following Hernando County schools have uniform policies. Some are mandatory, while others are optional.

Hotline numbers
Parents and students can get homework assignments and information about sporting events and other activities by calling the following schools. An automated answering service is available after school hours.

Important numbers
Phone numbers for groups and services related to Hernando County schools:

School insurance policy for children is available
Families may buy supplemental accident insurance that provides coverage for their children during the school year through a company that has been designated by the School Board.

Student services
The Student Services Department of the Hernando school district offers several programs. For information on any of the programs, call 797-7008.

Two groups provide after-school child care
Two local organizations -- the YMCA and the Boys & Girls Club of Hernando County -- try to help parents with their after-school child care needs.