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Tag: APP Latest Education Stories

  • Hope Services in Pasco County expanding with new programs for students

    Hope Services in Pasco County expanding with new programs for students

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    LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. — A Pasco County nonprofit is helping those with disabilities live independently.

    What You Need To Know

    • Hope Services, a Land O’ Lakes nonprofit, is expanding their operation with new programs on the way

    • The nonprofit teaches students life skills and offers vocational programs with training in areas like culinary arts, as well as construction and hospitality

    • It’s also giving those who volunteer and work at the center a sense of purpose

    Hope Services was founded more than 20 years ago but recently added a new program to its curriculum.

    Last year, the nonprofit opened its very own training center to teach students life skills and offering vocational programs with training in areas like the culinary arts as well as construction and hospitality.

    Executive Director Cindy Bray said they are learning everyday life skills.

    “Everything in our center is centered around not only teaching them life skills but also vocational skills,” said Bray. “So they leave us learning how to live on their own and also to become employed.”

    Bray said they are in the process of finishing a retail training room, which will be a big addition to their program.

    The program is already helping shape students’ lives. For inside one culinary classroom, students are getting a taste of food prep.

    “It’s like, ‘Oh my gosh — I’m doing cooking class!’” Cheyenne Stoltz, a student at Hope Services, said. “I don’t get to cook at home, so it’s a lot of fun for me.”

    Stoltz has been taking classes like this for the last year, honing her culinary skills and making delicious meals, like chicken stir-fry.

    “It’s fun to get to know people and have that feeling that you’re doing something good,” she said.

    It’s all under the watchful eye of chef and teacher Brent Belcher, a local business owner taking time to teach these eager students.

    “It’s kind of flexing a muscle that I don’t get to use on a daily basis in the kitchen,” Belcher, assistant director of Culinary Operations at Hope Services, said. “As far as like teaching and breaking things down and showing someone who is totally green to the industry, the baby steps to getting involved. That’s been very rewarding and challenging at the same time.”

    And the impact Belcher’s lessons have on his students is clear.

    “The teachers are amazing. They’re really kind and respectful,” said Stoltz. “They’ll help you out if there’s a problem and me taking this class here was amazing. It was life changing for me.”

    The nonprofit provides them with the necessary life skills to live independent lives.

    “These classes are changing my life and it’s a lot of fun, like I said,” Stoltz said. “I would do it again if I could.”

    All while making lasting memories and lifelong friends.

    You can learn more about Hope Services and their available classes on their website.

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    Calvin Lewis

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  • Suncoast Remake Learning Days a 15-day festival of free education

    Suncoast Remake Learning Days a 15-day festival of free education

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    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Several Florida counties are coming together for a 15-day festival called Suncoast Remake Learning Days after the country saw a decline in 2023.

    Students and families will get resources and hands-on learning opportunities at various locations across Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties, starting April 20 through May 4.

    One organization in Manatee County is working with parents to get their kids the materials they need to boost their reading levels. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Organizations across Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties are coming together for a 15-day festival called Suncoast Remake Learning Days
    • Students and families will get resources and hands-on learning opportunities at various locations from April 20 through May 4

    • Soar in 4, a Manatee County nonprofit, provides free literacy tools and resources to parents who need financial aid
    • They help roughly 800 families a day with free materials

    Amanda Quirino is teaching her kids something new through a game of hopscotch.

    Playing hopscotch isn’t the typical way to improve literacy, but it works for her family. Quirino has her kids focus on enunciation.

    “This is a game we don’t see anymore to show them what we grew up with. It’s simple like hopscotch or writing their name,” she said.

    Quirino has a table filled with learning materials, like arts and crafts, she received from Soar in 4, a nonprofit that provides free literacy tools and resources to parents who need financial aid.

    “I became a mom at the age of 20. So I was a very young mom, and I just wanted to be able to find the right resources,” she said.

    For the past 10 years, Quirino has received about a dozen items each week. Her children are bilingual, and she says those supplies have helped them overcome the hurdles of learning two languages.

    “My third grader, the testing is non-stop sometimes. So she needs to be that fluent reader and she needs to be able to comprehend the questions. My kindergartener, they have sight words. So anytime I can expose them to that, it will help them,” she said.

    According to Soar in 4, 50% of Manatee County students are reading below their grade level. Sheila Halpin, one of the organization coordinators, said the materials they provide help kids improve their reading and writing skills.

    “Soar in 4 has been in existence for 10 years. We have grown and grown and grown. We are seeing that the kids who attend preschool are getting better in 3rd-grade assessment,” Halpin said.

    They help roughly 800 families a day with free materials. Halpin says more than 90% of families who have attended a Soar in 4 event are using the at-home material and are reading more to their kids.

    “Families just don’t have the funds to purchase all of these items. We teach our families that when we are jumping rope, we talk about counting again. How many? 1, 2, 3, once again. Counting leads into literacy,” she said.

    Quirino’s chidlren read every day, and she says their skills have improved with the help of the hands-on tools Soar in 4 provides.

    “I’ve seen them pronouncing the sounds, putting it together, and connecting them. Maybe they would just know one sound, and now if they have the two sounds that go together or we count out syllables, and it’s helped them in their school life,” Quirino said.

    For Quirino, having these free resources is like connecting the pieces of a puzzle.

    “We barely just became homeowners last August. We rented for 10 years with our family, so we are finally able to do bigger and better things with our family. But it was hard, so it was through our programs that we were able to connect and get resources that we needed. It was a journey,” she said.

    Community resources that help families so their kids can have bigger and brighter futures.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Suncoast Remake Learning Days a 15-day festival to help improve student literacy

    Suncoast Remake Learning Days a 15-day festival to help improve student literacy

    [ad_1]

    MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Several Florida counties are coming together for a 15-day festival called Suncoast Remake Learning Days to help improve student literacy rates after the country saw a decline in 2023.

    Students and families will get resources and hands-on learning opportunities at various locations across Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties, starting April 20 through May 4.

    One organization in Manatee County is working with parents to get their kids the materials they need to boost their reading levels. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Organizations across Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and DeSoto counties are coming together for a 15-day festival called Suncoast Remake Learning Days
    • Students and families will get resources and hands-on learning opportunities at various locations from April 20 through May 4

    • Soar in 4, a Manatee County nonprofit, provides free literacy tools and resources to parents who need financial aid
    • They help roughly 800 families a day with free materials

    Amanda Quirino is teaching her kids something new through a game of hopscotch.

    Playing hopscotch isn’t the typical way to improve literacy, but it works for her family. Quirino has her kids focus on enunciation.

    “This is a game we don’t see anymore to show them what we grew up with. It’s simple like hopscotch or writing their name,” she said.

    Quirino has a table filled with learning materials, like arts and crafts, she received from Soar in 4, a nonprofit that provides free literacy tools and resources to parents who need financial aid.

    “I became a mom at the age of 20. So I was a very young mom, and I just wanted to be able to find the right resources,” she said.

    For the past 10 years, Quirino has received about a dozen items each week. Her children are bilingual, and she says those supplies have helped them overcome the hurdles of learning two languages.

    “My third grader, the testing is non-stop sometimes. So she needs to be that fluent reader and she needs to be able to comprehend the questions. My kindergartener, they have sight words. So anytime I can expose them to that, it will help them,” she said.

    According to Soar in 4, 50% of Manatee County students are reading below their grade level. Sheila Halpin, one of the organization coordinators, said the materials they provide help kids improve their reading and writing skills.

    “Soar in 4 has been in existence for 10 years. We have grown and grown and grown. We are seeing that the kids who attend preschool are getting better in 3rd-grade assessment,” Halpin said.

    They help roughly 800 families a day with free materials. Halpin says more than 90% of families who have attended a Soar in 4 event are using the at-home material and are reading more to their kids.

    “Families just don’t have the funds to purchase all of these items. We teach our families that when we are jumping rope, we talk about counting again. How many? 1, 2, 3, once again. Counting leads into literacy,” she said.

    Quirino’s chidlren read every day, and she says their skills have improved with the help of the hands-on tools Soar in 4 provides.

    “I’ve seen them pronouncing the sounds, putting it together, and connecting them. Maybe they would just know one sound, and now if they have the two sounds that go together or we count out syllables, and it’s helped them in their school life,” Quirino said.

    For Quirino, having these free resources is like connecting the pieces of a puzzle.

    “We barely just became homeowners last August. We rented for 10 years with our family, so we are finally able to do bigger and better things with our family. But it was hard, so it was through our programs that we were able to connect and get resources that we needed. It was a journey,” she said.

    Community resources that help families so their kids can have bigger and brighter futures.

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    Julia Hazel

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  • Parents concerned over Pasco County Schools’ PIP policy for students with autism

    Parents concerned over Pasco County Schools’ PIP policy for students with autism

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Some Pasco County parents are worried about what may happen with their children’s PIP services, or “Private Instructional Personnel.” Primarily, families with children who have autism. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Parents want to meet with district leaders to discuss current PIP policy 

    • PIP services include things like ABA Therapy

    • The current policy allows for limits on when, where and how long services can be offered in schools

    Part of their treatment plan from their doctor often includes an ABA therapist, who goes to school with the child for a prescribed amount of time, giving them the one-on-one therapy they may need to be successful in the classroom. Now, parents are worried the therapists may not be allowed in the classrooms.

    Every day after school, Jessica Sibler and her son, Elliot, spend time together working on school subjects.

    “Elliot has autism, but he is the most intelligent kid I know. He’s wildly smart, and he loves to hug, he loves to cuddle, he loves everything else every five-year-old loves,” Sibler said.

    Before moving to Florida, Sibler worked for agencies serving children and adults with disabilities, so she knew the signs of autism, and says she had concerns early on with Elliot, but his official diagnosis came when he was four-years-old. His doctor prescribed ABA therapy, or Applied Behavior Analyst.

    “Every kid is different, they can get between 10 to 40 hours a week of therapy and so if you’re talking about a kid who is in school full time, plus they’re supposed to have 40 hours of prescribed therapy, that’s two full-time jobs, so being able to combine the two is beneficial,” she said.

    Right now, Elliot is in pre-K, and as the family prepares for him to enter kindergarten, Sibler started looking into Pasco County Schools’ PIP policy, explained in a packet.

    “This new policy says that the services are to be provided to students during non-core settings such as cafeteria, lunch, recess, bus and non-core academic subjects outside the classroom. That’s pretty significant because if you think of kids who need this ABA therapy, to say that they don’t need it in the classroom is pretty significant,” she said, as she read from the PIP packet.

    It also states the “best practice for observation is a maximum of two hours at one time in the classroom,” which concerns Sibler.

    She said right now they plan on doing Elliot’s ABA therapy after school, but if he struggles to transition to kindergarten, having his ABA therapist in school is the best option. But she worries that may not even be an option.

    “We want the option that if that doesn’t work, that we can move it into the school so he does get that therapy, or if he goes into kindergarten and struggles that he can get that therapy. Kindergarten is going to look a lot different,” she said.

    Sibler hopes to meet with district officials to review the PIP policy, so students like Elliot have access to the help they need to succeed. 

    Pasco County Schools said they follow state statute when writing the PIP policy. They say it’s a convenience to allow various therapies to be offered during school hours, and the policy doesn’t exclude a student from receiving those services, but it does give principals the right to decide when it’s appropriate to allow outside therapists into the school.

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    Fallon Silcox

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  • USF receives $1 million scholarship gift for St. Pete campus students

    USF receives $1 million scholarship gift for St. Pete campus students

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The University of South Florida announced Monday that it had received a $1 million donation from Tampa Bay resident Johnnie Giffin to provide scholarships to students at its St. Petersburg campus.

    Giffin established the new USF Women in Leadership & Philanthropy scholarships in 2023 with a $26,000 gift to the USF Foundation. Now, more students will benefit from the scholarships.

    The WLP Fay S. Baynard Class of 1988 Memorial Scholarship is geared toward full- or part-time undergraduate students in all majors and colleges on the St. Petersburg campus, and is renewable for up to eight semesters. Preference will be given to single parents or guardians of a minor who are employed at least part-time.

    “Many of our students are pursuing their education while balancing other life responsibilities, and we work to ensure they have access to the resources and support they need to be successful during their time at the University of South Florida,” USF President Rhea Law said in a release. “Scholarships such as this one are powerful tools that help our students change the trajectories of their lives, and we are deeply grateful to Johnnie for her generosity.”

    The scholarship honors Giffin’s late mother, Fay Baynard, who died in 2017. Rising from poverty in rural Mississippi, Baynard went on to create a very successful career as a St. Petersburg Realtor, earn a degree in 1988 from USF well into her work life, become a champion sailor and immerse herself in numerous local charities, according to USF.

    “I think as a person you should always try to give back, and I’m doing this for USF and for my mom, and hopefully to help give students in need an opportunity to make their way in the world,” Giffin said, according to USF’s release.

    The donation comes one week before USF’s Giving Week, an annual event that brings alumni and friends together to raise funds for a wide variety of programs, including student scholarships. 

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Polk County reading coach drives students’ success

    Polk County reading coach drives students’ success

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    AUBURNDALE, Fla. — Renard Thomas wears many hats within Polk County Public Schools.

    He’s the reading coach at Auburndale Central Elementary and recently he started driving kids to and from school to help with the bus driver shortage.

    “I did that because I wanted to reduce the number of school bus referrals that we had at my school,” Thomas said. “So I did it to help with discipline as well as pursue my dream as well.”

    What You Need To Know

    • Renard Thomas, a reading coach at Auburndale Central Elementary, has jumped in as a bus driver this year

    • Thomas said it has helped him build stronger relationships with his students

    • Do you know an amazing teacher? Nominate them to be our next A+ Teacher

    He said he always wanted to become a bus driver, so when the district needed more, he stepped up. Thomas said it has helped him build stronger relationships with his students.

    “It has positively impacted my students. They come to school, they’re happy. When I pick them up, they’re happy and smiling when I get off the bus,” said Thomas.

    He said being happy helps them learn. When he gets to Auburndale Central Elementary to start the school day, he begins by reading a book over the loudspeaker. Then he works with students in small groups on their reading skills and meets with teachers individually to go over reading benchmarks for each grade.

    “Reading is fundamental. If you don’t know how to read, then you can’t really go far in life,” said Thomas.

    Thomas wants every student to go far and accomplish their goals. He is setting an example for them each day. Thomas says he became involved with the school district when he was 19-years-old in 2011. He’s held many roles since then. He’s been a para educator, a custodian and a teacher. He says those roles have helped shape him into who he is today.

    “It has been through my experiences working for Polk County Schools that I first began to understand that my life would be rooted in service and giving back to others,” said Thomas.

    Thomas says his goal is to become a principal one day.

    “The sky is the limit to me, but I know that education is where I want to remain because I can make a powerful impact,” he said.

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    Jorja Roman

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  • Community college program aims to ease HVAC labor shortage

    Community college program aims to ease HVAC labor shortage

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    GREENSBORO, N.C. — As skilled labor shortages persist across the state, some community colleges are working to ease the problem. 

    What You Need To Know

    • HVAC professionals say a skill gap has contributed to a labor shortage in the industry

    • More than 700 HVAC positions are listed on indeed.com in North Carolina 

    • Guilford Technical Community College held a job fair last week connecting its HVAC program students with businesses 

    • About 90 students are enrolled in the school’s HVAC program

    Guilford Technical Community College held an HVAC job fair on Tuesday. 

    Students training in the school’s HAVC program got the opportunity to be hired by local employers. 

    GTCC student Candice Foreman said it’s one of the many ways the college helps with career development.

    “You have every opportunity out there to be successful, and this job fair is pretty much bringing that to light,” Foreman explained. 

    School officials say fewer people willing to learn a skilled trade is what led to the shortage, but that is something that is starting to shift.  

    “Companies are having to pay more to retain those employees. It is a highly skilled industry, and it is getting more technical,” said Jeff Underwood, director of GTCC’s HVAC program. 

    About 90 students are enrolled in the program.

    The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows North Carolina is among one of the states that employ the most HVAC workers. 

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    Sasha Strong

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  • Pipeline for new nurses: AdventHealth and Saint Leo University form partnership

    Pipeline for new nurses: AdventHealth and Saint Leo University form partnership

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    ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — There are many reasons to choose the path of nursing as a career. 

    What You Need To Know

    • New Saint Leo University nursing students have been working 12-hour shifts, side-by-side with their AdventHealth mentors

    • The program is part of a state-wide effort to help curb the nursing shortage expected in Florida by 2035

    • The Saint Leo nursing program received $740,000 from the state of Florida’s 2023-2024 budget

    • Saint Leo’s Bachelor of Science in nursing program is expected to add as many as 200 nurses to the workforce

    A desire to help, a need to give back, or for Grace Lundfelt, it was a pull from a higher power. 

    “I felt like it was a path that God was directing me towards,” said Lundfelt of the nursing program at St. Leo University.

    Then, there is Emily Gray. As a kid, she had cancer and spent many days in and out of hospitals, so she knows well the importance of good nursing care. 

    “It can make a big difference on a person’s life,” said Gray.

    The pair are not nurses yet, but they soon will be. They are part of Saint Leo University’s first nursing class. 

    When we visited, they were doing clinical work and training with RNs at AdventHealth Zephyrhills. 

    “This is our first dedicated education unit model that we have followed at AdventHealth Zephyrhills, and we are hoping to make a pipeline for our new nurses,” said Kim Friedmeyer, Nursing Education Manager at AdventHealth Zephyrhills.

    Hospitals across the state are not getting enough people applying to become nurses. Because of this, there is a push to change the strategy on recruiting. 

    This program between AdventHealth and Saint Leo’s is government funded. The Saint Leo’s program received $740,000 from the 2023-24 state budget.

    The hope is that the investment into the Saint Leo program will add 200 nurses into the state. 

    AdventHealth Zephyrhills hopes to fill its halls with several of those new nurses. 

    “We really were trying to target, getting students within a 30-minute radius, so with those intentions that we would actually bring them on as new team members when they were finished,” said Friedmeyer. 

    Both Gray and Lundfelt have thought about applying to AdventHealth Zephyrhills after graduation.

    “Possibly yeah,” said Lundfelt. “I have had a really good experience here.”

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    Erin Murray

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  • Cope Notes expanding mental health services into Tampa Bay area schools

    Cope Notes expanding mental health services into Tampa Bay area schools

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Cope Notes, a digital mental health support system, is working to expand into Tampa Bay area schools.

    What You Need To Know

    • Cope Notes is a digital mental health support system

    • The medium aims to reach young kids and change negative thought patterns

    • The Pasco County School District is currently in the approval process to partner with Cope Notes

    Founded in 2018, President Johnny Crowder says he started struggling with mental health as a child and hopes to give other kids access to support.

    “I think about my own life and how much different my life would be if I would have received help at a younger age rather than later,” said Crowder, who hopes sharing his past can help others heal.

    “I almost didn’t survive my youth, and I almost didn’t survive young adulthood,” Crowder said. “And I’ve made multiple attempts on my own life and I’ve survived all of them, and I feel lucky.”

    The Pasco County Schools District is currently in the approval process to partner with Cope Notes. Crowder says it’s essential to reach students in middle and high school. Faculty and staff would also get a daily note.

    “Psychology facts, journaling prompts, exercises and we’re interrupting negative thought patterns and training the brain to think healthier thoughts,” Crowder explained.

    He hopes it helps get teens talking about their mental health and reminds them resources are available.

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    Melissa Eichman

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  • Florida Polytechnic University ranks most affordable for cybersecurity program

    Florida Polytechnic University ranks most affordable for cybersecurity program

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — Florida Polytechnic University in Lakeland is quickly becoming known for being one of the most affordable universities. It’s currently ranked No. 1 in the state for graduates with the lowest student debt, and its cybersecurity bachelor’s degree program is No. 1 for affordability in the country according to Cybersecurity Guide, an online resource that specializes in cybersecurity and cybersecurity education.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida Polytechnic University ranked No. 1 in the state for graduates with the lowest student debt

    • Florida Polytechnic University’s cybersecurity program ranked No. 1 in affordability in the country

    • Cybersecurity program costs $12,600 for 120 credit hours

    Will Marshall is a senior at Florida Polytechnic University, and he’s making the most of his college years by preparing for his future financially, which is a reason he’s pursuing his degree in cybersecurity.

    “Not only being able to find a job, but having so many areas for growth in that job because cybersecurity is such a broad field where you have subdivisions of cybersecurity,” he said.

    Right now, he’s in a class that all seniors in the computer science program have to take to graduate. They’re working on their final project, with some related to game development, others building software or apps, like Marshall’s group. They’re building a computer code library right now.

    “Our project is building a 3D model app that scans a person and then builds a 3D model off of it so that way they can get body measurements and health data,” Marshall explained.

    Marshall said after being selected to attend a cybersecurity conference in high school, he knew computer science is what he wanted to major in. A Tampa native, he considered all his options, but ultimately, Florida Polytechnic University was the school for him.

    “It’s very affordable. It helps because it kind of lowers the barrier to entry, so that way, more people can get into the field. They can learn, they can grow,” he said.

    Cybersecurity Guide named the school’s cybersecurity program No. 1 for affordability with a cost of $105 per credit hour, and a total tuition of $12,600 for the 120 credit program, while other schools can cost over $60,000. 

    “It allows me to focus fully on a school without having to have a side job that takes up my time, to be able to support myself. That way, I can focus fully on learning,” said Marshall.

    And while he’s studying for his degree, he doesn’t have to worry about graduating with a bunch of debt. 

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    Fallon Silcox

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  • St. Petersburg Science Festival aims to boost STEM field

    St. Petersburg Science Festival aims to boost STEM field

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Careers in science, technology, engineering and math – known as STEM – are growing faster than other occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts the number of jobs will grow more than 10% by 2031.

    What You Need To Know

    • The St. Petersburg Science Festival is happening from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday

    • Scientists from NASA, the National Weather Service, Florida Aquarium and more will be showcasing their work

    • The goal is to get more people interested in STEM subjects and careers

    • USF St. Pete, in conjunction with the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute’s MarineQuest, put on the event

    On Saturday, various science and environmental organizations will come together to help spread knowledge about science and the arts.

    More than 15,000 people are expected to attend the St. Petersburg Science Festival, put on by USF St. Pete and the FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute’s MarineQuest. The event was born out of the growing interest in STEM careers.

    Scientists from NASA, the National Weather Service and Florida Aquarium, to name a few, will be showcasing their work.

    The festival will also welcome the Junior Scientist Program. Students from around 30 middle and high schools get to learn first-hand from experts about a range of topics, from marine life to engineering and robotics.

    “The junior scientists and the kids that are being exposed here, they’re the future,” said Natalia Lopez Figueroa, chair of the Junior Scientist Program. “We’re not forever and we need to pass down our knowledge. Everyone needs a teacher. We learn something from everyone.”

    The Junior Scientist Program was created by students from USF’s College of Marine Science. The goal is to inspire young students by showing them all of the possibilities in science, while preparing them for a successful future.

    “A lot of those careers are on the up so it’s a good decision for them to have a background in that,” said Jennifer Giuffre, coordinator of the magnet program at Bay Point Middle School. “Even if they don’t directly go into STEM, a lot of the skills that they learn can be applied to a lot of different careers.”

    The St. Petersburg Science Festival is free and open to the public. It’s happening from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday at the waterfront on the USF St. Pete campus, as well as outside the nearby FWC Fish and Wildlife Research Institute.

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    Brian Rea

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  • Citrus County schools closed after strong storms left areas damaged

    Citrus County schools closed after strong storms left areas damaged

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    CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — Citrus County schools are closed Thursday, Oct. 12, after parts of the county experienced significant damage from storms overnight.

    The school district made the announced on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at 6:13 a.m.

    Powerful storms came on shore around 2 a.m. and left a trail across Citrus County and other areas of Tampa Bay.

    Officials have closed several roadways in Crystal River due to extensive damage following an unconfirmed tornado touching down in the area.

    Highway 44 is closed in all directions from the intersection of U.S. Highway 19 to Turkey Oak drive. Highway 19 is closed in all directions from West Fort Island Trail to Northeast Fifth Street in Crystal River.

    Tornado watches remain in effect across Tampa Bay until 9 a.m.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Teacher contract negotiations continue across the Tampa Bay area

    Teacher contract negotiations continue across the Tampa Bay area

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Only two counties have ratified contracts with teachers in the Tampa Bay area, while the others are at different stages of negotiations. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Hernando and Manatee County have ratified contracts with teachers

    • Pasco, Polk, Pinellas and Hillsborough County are still at the bargaining table 

    • The Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association (HCTA) says it has reached a tentative agreement

    • Hillsborough hourly employees not seeing movement in two key areas

    Hernando County and Manatee County have come to an agreement with teachers, and Citrus County will ratify its contract later this month.

    Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties remain at the bargaining table.

    In a statement, the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association (HCTA) says it has reached a tentative agreement with the school district, and will meet again with the school board to finalize specific language in the agreement.

    If the tentative agreement holds, all HCTA employees would see a pay raise.

    For employees on a salary schedule, they will see a pay bump of 6%, which includes a total of $8.3 million in annual pay increases.

    For those employees not receiving a raise this year, they will advance one step on their respective salary schedule.

    The HCTA says it plans to continue its work on issues affecting hourly employees.

    The union says the district will not change its policy on equalized pay, where the district averages an employee’s take home pay and splits it up equally so employees are still getting a check after long holidays like winter break.

    The HCTA also says it will keep fighting for hourly employees coaching athletics.

    The district currently bans hourly employees from being coaches, which takes away their ability to supplement their pay with an additional stipend.

    Once the final language of the new contract is drafted, it will go to union members and the school board for a vote.

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    Jason Lanning

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  • Idalia: When classes across Tampa Bay will resume

    Idalia: When classes across Tampa Bay will resume

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    We’ll be using this page to update our viewing area on school impacts due to Idalia. 

    School Closings by County: 

    Citrus County

    NEW: The school system will reopen Friday.

    In a statement Thursday, the district said: “After receiving the latest update from Emergency Management officials and having assessed the damages in our facilities sustained from Hurricane Idalia, I am pleased to share that schools will be reopen tomorrow Friday, September 1st.  Should you have any issues or concerns, please contact the administration at your school.  As always, we appreciate your time, understanding, and patience during these uncertain times.”

    Due to the coastal impact in our county from Hurricane Idalia, schools are continuing to be used as shelters.

    School will be cancelled, Thursday, Aug. 31.

    After the next high tide, more info regarding a projected date of school reopening will be announced.

    Hernando County

    All Hernando County schools and district offices will reopen Thursday, Aug. 31.

    Students impacted by coastal flooding will be provided an excused absence.

    Hillsborough County

    Hillsborough County Schools are reopening on Thursday, Aug. 31.

    Manatee County

    All Manatee District Schools will reopen Thursday, August 31.

    Pasco County

    All Pasco County schools will be open on Thursday, August 31.

    This includes athletics, PLACE, Delta, Star, and all other extracurricular activities.

    Pinellas County

    Schools will be open for normal operations on Thursday, August 31.

    Polk County

    All Polk County schools and offices will reopen Friday, Sept. 1.

    Major Universities:

    University of Central Florida: UCF will resume standard operations on Thursday, Aug. 31. 

    University of Florida: UF to resume normal operations on Thursday, Aug. 31. 

    University of South Florida: USF says classes will resume Thursday, Aug. 31, except for classes at Mote Marine.

    University of Tampa: Regular operations are scheduled to resume Thursday, Aug. 31 at noon.

    St. Petersburg College: Campuses/sites open and all classes resuming — on Thursday, Aug. 31. 

    Florida State University: Classes and normal university operations will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

    FAMU: Classes and Universtiy operations remain suspended through Friday, Sept. 1. Normal operations will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 5. 

    Polk State College: PSC classes and operations will resume Thursday, Aug. 31. 

    Keiser University: Classes will resume at the following Keiser University campuses on Thursday, August 31, 2023. All campuses will be open for regular operations unless otherwise noted.

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    Spectrum News Staff

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