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Tag: Fallon Silcox

  • Construction industry now using Artificial intelligence to boost productivity

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    TAMPA, Fla. — Artificial intelligence is now making its way into the construction industry, and construction companies say it could help bring the cost down for you, the consumer.

    During a tour of the Pendry Tampa with Coastal Construction, Bay News 9 spoke with Chief Investment Officer Patrick Murphy, who is also the founder and CEO of Togal.AI.

    What You Need To Know

    •  The CIO of Coastal Construction recently founded Togal.AI to be used in the construction industry

    •  Thousands of documents and blueprints can be uploaded into the program, and AI can answer any questions in an instant

    • The Associated General Contractors of America awarded Coastal Construction and Murphy with its AGC Innovation Award for creating the new AI tool, which they say “saves firms ten-thousand hours of work a year.”


    “Now with AI, you’re automating that entire process,” said Murphy. “So what would normally take a human 2-3 weeks to do manually, we are now doing with a click of a button with Togal.AI and it doesn’t stop there.”

    He explained how AI impacts these large construction projects.

    “When you’re on the job site instead of having to sort through plans manually and swift through hundreds of pages to look for, say, the paint that was specified,” he said. “Just ask a question like you would ChatGPT.”

    In an instant, the answer to just about any question in the blueprints or plans is at your fingertips. Nate Ripkey is the Senior Project Engineer. He said they’re able to upload thousands of pages of documents to Togal.AI to refer back to.

    Ripkey askedTogal.AI: “How many window types are included in the plans?”

    He then read the results, “So it tells me there are 24 different exterior store front windows, it gives me the labels for all of them, it gives me the link where it found those labels at and then it tells me there are 3 types of interior storefront windows.”

    Having this type of technology cuts pre-construction time by 20-25%, which Murphy says ultimately cuts costs for the public.

    “You can’t change the land cost, you can’t change the material cost, they’re outside our control, but you can use technology to reduce the amount of time in pre-construction saving money, helping reduce the time it takes to build, and that helps all of us,” he said.

    The Associated General Contractors of America awarded Coastal Construction and Murphy with its AGC Innovation Award for creating the new AI tool, which they say “saves firms ten-thousand hours of work a year.”

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  • Young A+ Teacher gives her all for a ‘fun, learning environment’

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    BRADENTON, Fla. — Our A+ Teacher this week is Hailey Cosby from Samoset Elementary School in Bradenton.

    Cosby is only in her third year teaching, but her colleagues say she goes above and beyond for her students, and stands above the rest. Cosby’s fifth grade class is a calming, fun place to learn.

    “I do what I can to make it fun for them,” Cosby said. “So my classroom is the way it is. I spend weeks preparing and setting it up, I give them prizes and snacks, and make sure they have the necessitates they need, but also these kids deserve to have fun, a fun learning environment just like everybody else.”

    What You Need To Know

    • Hailey Cosby teaches 5th grade at Samoset Elementary School in Bradenton

    • Cosby is only in her third year teaching but said it’s important to her to be a trusted adult in her students’ lives

    • Would you like to nominate an A+ Teacher? Click here.


    Students worked on their math skills this day, which can be challenging, but luckily, they have Ms. Cosby guiding them every step of the way. 

    She says it’s important to her to be a trusted adult in her students’ lives.

    “Seeing that lightbulb turn on for them, especially if they haven’t had anyone in the past who believed in them, or was able to help push them where they needed to be, being able to be that for some of them is really amazing,” she said.

    Hailey Cosby is this week’s A+ Teacher. (Spectrum News/Fallon Silcox)

    Samoset Elementary School is a title one school, which can present more challenges for teachers, challenges Cosby happily faces head on.  She also interned here before she started teaching here three years ago, and she says there’s no where else she’d rather be.

    “If you’re passionate about it, and I truly am, then it’s what you’re meant to do, and I really feel it’s what I’m meant to do and where I’m meant to be,” she said.

    Cosby said she puts her whole heart into teaching and in turn her students put their whole heart into learning.

    If you would like to nominate a teacher who is making a difference, you can find the A+ Teacher nomination form on our website.

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  • Pinellas County School Board considers closing schools due to low enrollment

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Pinellas County School District may be closing some schools. This comes after the school board received updated enrollment numbers this week.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Pinellas County School District is considering closing schools due to low enrollment 
    • No schools have been named yet

    • The district plans to collect data and information from now until January
    • More Education headlines

    The superintendent told board members that, due to a decline, they’ll have to talk about closing schools.

    No schools have been named yet. The district says it will collect data and information and get public input. Then, they’ll make initial recommendations to the board on which schools to close in January.

    “I felt the need to clarify (if) there will be school closures, and Superintendent Hendrick confirmed there will be a discussion about school closures,” said School Board Vice Chair Caprice Edmond. 

    She said at the board workshop on Tuesday that she learned of the district’s plans to close some schools after reporting over 3,000 less students this year than last year.

    “If there are fewer students, that’s less money, and you have to think about what that looks like, what efficiencies can occur, what things you can make better, while making those efficiencies,” said Edmond.

    Lynn Beksha hopes the board focuses on what can be made better rather than closing schools. She understands the decision some parents make to pull their children out of public school. Her son, Jantis, is autistic and thrives homeschooling through Florida Virtual School, while her daughter, London, excels at Seminole Middle School.

    “I would hope they would look for what we need to do differently, instead of what we need to eliminate, because if we’re closing these schools, that means these kids have to go somewhere and we already have overcrowding,” Beksha said.

    Edmond shared slides from Tuesday’s workshop, showing a steady decline in student enrollment in recent years. She said it could be due to many things, including homeschooling like Jantis, but also the cost of living and a decline in birth rates. Ultimately, she said her primary concern is making sure families have a say in any decisions to close schools.

    “We really do take pride in our schools. We have seen where some school changes have occurred and the outcome has been positive. I do just think that transparency piece is important and getting community feedback on next steps is vital,” said Edmond.

    The district will be working with focus groups, conducting surveys and taking input from families from now until January, which is when they’ll announce any school closures.

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  • Diocese of St. Petersburg examines protocols in wake of Minnesota mass shooting

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — One week ago Wednesday, a gunman opened fire on a group of students attending mass at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese, Chris Pastura, said they are working closely with local law enforcement after last week’s shootings in Minneapolis

    • With 46 Catholic schools spanning five counties, and nearly 14,000 students, he said school security is a top priority

    • Pastura said the Diocese of St. Petersburg already took steps other Diocese have shied away from, like putting armed security guards in every school


    Now, the Diocese of St. Petersburg is taking a look at its own safety protocols in local Catholic schools to see if there is anything they can improve on.

    The Superintendent of Schools for the Diocese, Chris Pastura, said they are working closely with local law enforcement, and while he’s not able to go into too much detail, for obvious reasons, he said they are reviewing current policies, like the way mass is handled.

    “All of our hearts are broken for our colleagues at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, and we just want to assure them we are praying for them,” he said.

    The tragic shooting last week in Minneapolis hit close to home for many Catholic families in Tampa Bay, including Pastura, and with 46 Catholic schools spanning five counties, and nearly 14,000 students, he said school security is a top priority.

    “In working with all of our police departments and working with all of our principals, I think it’s safe to say we feel very good about where we’re at. Obviously, we can always be better and we continue to work on that,” he said.

    Pastura said the Diocese of St. Petersburg already took steps other Diocese have shied away from, like putting armed security guards in every school. Pastura said they’re also taking a look at the way mass is handled in schools.

    “A lot of that depends on the physical building, so sometimes the church is actually attached to the school which makes things easier,” he said. “So the geography is important, but what we’ve done is every single school, they’re talking to their local police department, doing evaluations, but we’re evaluating that entire reality.”

    Pastura said it is important to their faith to maintain a strong sense of community, bringing families together, and that’s something they don’t want to lose. But ultimately, it comes down to student safety.

    “We have faith in our people, we have faith in our God and I think with we need to transform our society to make it more loving and kind,” he said.

    Pastura said he will be meeting with law enforcement officials in Tampa next week, which he regularly does. The Diocese also sent a letter to all families last week outlining all current safety and security protocols.

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  • A+ Teacher Jennifer Swanson

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    PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — Each Tuesday morning, Spectrum Bay News 9 features an A+ Teacher who is inspiring and leading students across the Tampa Bay.

    Jennifer Swanson is a kindergarten teacher at Pinellas Central Elementary, and her principal nominated her, saying she finds something in every student to love and makes them feel like they belong.

    What You Need To Know

    • Jennifer Swanson is a kindergarten teacher at Pinellas Central Elementary School

    • She was nominated by her principal for her work with her kids

    • She works to make sure each student is appreciated and feels like they belong


    It’s hard to say who’s more excited by Jennifer Swanson being named our A+ Teacher, her, or her students. Her principal made the official announcement to her class, “The news is here, and she’s our Bay News 9 A+ Teacher of the week, can we congratulate her?,” and all the kids screamed, cheering for Ms. Swanson.

    While she was taken by surprise, Jennifer says the hugs and congratulations that came after were well worth the shock. Jennifer normally teaches kindergarten, but she taught first graders for summer bridge. She says there’s nowhere she’d rather be this summer break.

    “I love the kids. I love spending time with them every day. They’re just my whole reason to come here. I just love it. I love my job. I think they’re so fun, and I love getting hugs and feeling like a superstar every day,” said Jennifer.

    Her students are known as the “Swanson Sweeties” on campus, and it’s just one of the ways she makes each child feel like they’re appreciated and belong, which is very important during the first year of school.

    “I like being their first experience with school and showing them learning can be fun and just being happy to come to school every day, I love that,” said Jennifer.

    “They learn so much. They go from not knowing their letters and sounds to reading books to me and I feel like, ‘oh my gosh, I get to teach someone something they’re going to do every day for the rest of their life’, it just makes me so happy,” she said.

    Jennifer says knowing she’s having that kind of impact on these little lives keeps her going.

    If you would like to nominate a teacher who is making a difference, you can find the A+ Teacher nomination form on our website.

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  • Polk County school district takes steps to move forward with tax referendum

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    BARTOW, Fla. — Polk County Public Schools is joining the list of districts in the Tampa Bay area requesting a tax referendum.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Polk County School Board unanimously approved tentative ballot language to levy an additional $1 million in ad valorem property taxes for four years, which would be $1 in tax for every $1,000 of property value

    • Eighty percent of that money will be allocated to increase teachers’ salaries; 20% will go to school programming

    • Public input will be taken at the Sept. 9 School Board meeting, then the board will vote to take this to the county commission


    The district’s board unanimously approved tentative ballot language at their meeting last Tuesday that would levy an additional $1 million in ad valorem property taxes for four years, allocating 80% of that money to increase teachers’ salaries.

    The president of the Polk Education Association says this is a long time coming, and she thinks the tipping point for the school board was seeing Hillsborough County voters approve that school referendum last year.

    “As we continue to be defunded from Tallahassee from our own state government, districts have recognized that they’ve had to ask their communities to support strong, public schools,” said Stephanie Yocum, President of the PEA.

    As a former teacher and parent, she says she wants the best educators in Polk County schools but says that currently, they can’t compete.

    “Polk is so large,” Yocum said. “If you live anywhere on the perimeter of the county, we touch 10 other counties and most of the Bay area now — from Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, all the way down to Sarasota — have a millage referendum, and yet we don’t.”

    The Polk County School Board is taking steps to change that. At Tuesday’s meeting, the board voted unanimously, approving ballot language for the tax referendum, devoting 80% to salaries and 20% to school programs.

    “I think that we’ve been working on this for a minute now, and so it’s finally nice to see it coming to fruition,” said Kay Fields, a Polk County School Board member.

    Yocum thinks the community will also recognize the need and show its support.

    “If we can pool our money together and decide what’s important to our community, and that we want strong public schools everybody kicking in a little bit to make that happen so that teachers and support staff can stay and live in their community, and teach in their communities, I think that is a good use of our taxpayer dollars,” she said.

    The next step is a public meeting to finalize the ballot language — that’s on Sept. 9. Then, the board will vote to move this on to the county commission.

    The goal is to get this on the ballot this November.

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  • Students enjoy living room style classrooms at Port Richey Catholic school

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    PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Did any of your classrooms growing up resemble your living room at home? Probably not, but it’s a concept Bishop Larkin Catholic School in Port Richey is taking on, and the principal says it’s actually helping students academically.

    What You Need To Know

    • Bishop Larkin Catholic School in Port Richey added living rooms to each classroom, and the principal says it’s helping students academically

    • The school provides the furniture, and teachers can decorate to make the space their own

    • The school still has traditional classrooms with desks, with a comfortable space in the back of the room


    It’s sort of like math class around the kitchen table, and all of the classrooms at Bishop Larkin Catholic School include couches, comfortable spaces and creative décor.

    “We want children parents, teachers, everyone to feel welcome here, and when we think about where we all likely feel the most valued, or the most welcomed, it’s in our homes and at home, so we wanted to recreate that for our teachers and our students here in our classrooms,” said Bishop Larkin Catholic School Principal Stacy Cervone.

    Cervone says while this is still a traditional Catholic school, these comfortable spaces have proven to be a great addition. “It’s amazing that you give the kid a couch to sit on with their book to read as opposed to sitting at their desk the whole time, it’s amazing, they are drawn to it.”

    Bishop Larkin Catholic School in Port Richey living room style classroom. (Spectrum News)

    The school provides all of the furniture for the teachers, so they can make the space their own. By having an area that feels homey, Cervone says students also feel more comfortable.

    “The teacher is always the authority, but that, you know, you’re here and I’m here, and I need to have the right answer, and I need to raise my hand, it kind of breaks that barrier down. There’s something about sitting right next to somebody on the same level as them and having the opportunity for your peers to be there also,” she said.

    Considering many students spend more time at school than anywhere else, having this space gives them a home away from home. 

    Cervone says many parents are pleasantly surprised when they see the classrooms at the school. At Bishop Larkin Catholic School, they also group the middle school classes into “houses” with their own flags, symbols and cheers. The school has children from age 3 all the way through eighth grade.

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  • After years of preparation, this A+ Teacher has arrived

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Julie Hoffman is ready to go for the school year. She spent days this week setting up her classroom, making sure everything is just right.

    Hoffman teaches at Wesley Chapel Elementary.     

    And if her classroom is an extension of her home, her students are an extension of her family.

    “I think watching them learn, see something new, it’s all about them,” said Hoffman. “So that’s what drives me. I absolutely love my job.”

     Her mom was also a teacher, and she always knew she would be one, too.

    “I used to take notes on my teachers,” she said. “Like things I liked that they did and things I didn’t like, so that I knew when I went to school what I would do, So there was never any doubt that I was going to be a teacher.” 

     

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  • Taggart Family Foundation announces partnership with Manatee County Schools

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    PALMETTO, Fla. — Manatee County Schools announced a new partnership Tuesday with the Taggart Family Foundation, started by Willie Taggart, who is now one of the coaches for the Baltimore Ravens.

    What You Need To Know

    • Manatee County School District partnered with the Taggart Family Foundation, founded by Willie Taggart, a graduate of Manatee Schools and current NFL coach

    • The foundation is launching a free before- and after-school program for students at Lincoln Memorial Middle School

    • Lincoln Memorial Middle School is a Title I School and federal funds for some programs are frozen, so the district says this partnership is filling a gap

    • Taggart also plans on building a community center near Lincoln Memorial Middle in Palmetto 


    Taggart grew up in Manatee County, and on Tuesday, he visited Lincoln Memorial Middle School where he attended, to announce not only the partnership, but how he plans on helping people in Palmetto.

    Taggart says he knew he wanted to give back in a big way, starting with a before and after school academy focusing on teaching students leadership.

    “This is something I can do for our community, and you can feel the excitement in here today, and that’s the goal, to bring some life back into Palmetto and give them something they can be proud of,” said Taggart.

    Willie Taggart meets with students and faculty at Lincoln Memorial Middle School. (Spectrum News)

    He plans to build a community center, too, which will likely sit on the southwest side of Lincoln Middle. Taggart’s vision is a place for all people in Palmetto—from young to old.

    “I want our kids to be able to learn things they don’t necessarily learn in school, you know, I want it to be a fun learning experience for them, too, but also have a workforce development for our young adults,” he said.

    Chad Choate is the Chair of the School Board. He said Lincoln Middle is a Title I school, and it relied on the 21st Century Grant, which provides free before- and after-school programs for students who attend high-poverty, low-performing schools. The federal grant is currently frozen.

    “This is kind of our answer to it,” said Choate. “This is definitely a way if the 21st Century funding stays frozen, hopefully it doesn’t and this is just supplemental on top of it, which would be fantastic for the kids here at Lincoln Middle School,” said Choate.

    The Taggart Family Foundation before- and after-school program will start this school year. They’re still working out the details on the community center.

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  • Lacoochee Elementary’s Odyssey of the Mind team makes school history

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    LACOOCHEE, Fla. — Lacoochee Elementary made history last week when the school’s Odyssey of the Mind team competed in the World Finals for the first time ever, and placed in the top third of teams.

    What You Need To Know

    • Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition, but there’s not one right answer to the problem; students must work together to create the solution

    • Students from Lacoochee Elementary School compete in the World Finals in Michigan 

    • Lacoochee Elementary’s team placed in the top third of teams, taking 20th place in the world


    Odyssey of the Mind is a creative problem-solving competition, but there’s no one right answer to the problem as students must work together to create the solution.

    The World Finals were hosted in Lansing, Michigan, this year, and students raised enough money to pay for the whole team to go thanks to generosity from the community.

    “Welcome to NASA gym located on the Planet of Fitness where you can get jacked and muscular, just like me,” said one of the students as they rehearsed their performance for the World Finals.

    The students of Lacoochee Elementary School’s Odyssey of the Mind team are taking you on an intergalactic trip to the Planet of Fitness, and these students had to plan, and create, every aspect of how to get here, solving various problems along the way.

    “Odyssey of the Mind is a teamwork and problem solving creativity program that’s national where students can learn skills that they’re going to need later in life that may help them in their careers,” said Kyara Prezmorales, who just finished fifth grade.

    While some larger schools have nearly a dozen teams, Lacoochee Elementary School has just this one, and this is the first team that’s ever made it worlds.

    “Lacoochee is a little school that is majority poverty but we like to say here, our staff and our principal especially who grew up here in Lacoochee, is that doesn’t define who we are as a school,” said Sadi Avants, who is one of the coach’s for the Odyssey of the Mind team.

    Coaches Avants and Ryah Taggerty say Prezmorales and the team worked hard on their performance since October, competing, and winning, at both regionals and the state competition, never letting their demographics define them, like their principal teaches them.

    “Having everything come together, I could not be more proud of them. We definitely were emotional,” said Taggerty.

    Prezmorales says she’s proud to be a part of the team that made it all the way, hopefully setting a new precedent for the Odyssey of the Mind teams here at Lacoochee Elementary, that you don’t have to be large to be mighty.   

    More than 750 teams from all over the world, ranging from elementary to college age, competed at the Odyssey of the Mind World Finals this year.

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  • Pasco County Schools to offer flexible education classes for homeschool families

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — Pasco County Schools will launch a new flexible education program next school year aimed at students who are homeschooled or attend private schools.

    The Flexible Education program will allow students to take up to three classes at a Pasco County Public School in addition to their homeschooling using the Step Up for Students Scholarship.

    What You Need To Know

    • Pasco County Schools is launching a flexible education program, allowing homeschool students to take up to three classes at a public school using the Step Up for Students Scholarship

    • Superintendent Dr. John Legg said, “It’s not a money maker, but it allows us to break even and bring in some of that revenue in order to offer more courses to more families”

    • Pasco County Schools surveyed over 6,000 homeschool families to gauge interest in the program


    Angela Sarabia’s family has always done homeschool. She says they love the freedom and flexibility homeschooling provides, allowing her to tailor each of her kids education.

    “We ended up doing a lot of stuff like organizing our legos, and learning math concepts through hands on stuff, and that really worked for him. I think had he been in the school environment, he really would’ve had a tough time,” Sarabia said.

    Around 6,000 Pasco County homeschool families received a survey from Pasco County Schools gauging interest in taking classes at a public school for the new Flexible Education program.

    “We’ve seen historically here in Pasco and also throughout the state of Florida over the past three years the number of homeschool students is growing exponentially and we want to provide those services, the coursework, that would interest them in a traditional school environment,” said Superintendent Dr. John Legg.

    Dr. Legg says Pasco Schools will be part of a small handful of districts offering flex-ed next school year, utilizing the Step Up for Students Scholarships, which most homeschool families receive.

    “It’s not a moneymaker, but it allows us to break even and bring in some of that revenue in order to offer more courses to more families,” he said.

    Denise Mestanza-Taylor also homeschools her 15-year-old son, Liam. They are recipients of the Step Up for Students Scholarships, and she says she has concerns about flex-ed.   

    “That money is going to be taken from recipients and put back into our public school in some way, that’s why I’m concerned. I want to know what are the stakes here, for me, for my son. I don’t want to lose that money and it not serve my son in the capacity that he needs,” she said.

    Mestanza-Taylor and Sarabia say they provided their feedback and are interested to see what the district offers, although, they say it’s important to stay true to their homeschool roots. 

    Dr. Legg says they’ll be reviewing the data from the surveys over the summer and plan to offer a dozen or so classes to homeschool families, based on interest. They expect to see a lot of interest in higher-level classes and electives like ROTC. He says they’ll expand the program as interest grows. 

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  • High School Scholar: Nasier Berrien of Fort Meade Senior High

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    FORT MEADE, Fla. — Spectrum Bay News 9 is recognizing four amazing students from across the Tampa Bay area. Each of them is receiving a $1,000 scholarship. Nasier Berrien graduated from Fort Meade Middle Senior High School and his teachers say he’s an exemplary student who is committed to his faith, and his future.

    When it comes to life, Berrien is cracking the code, and he’s not even out of high school yet. “I’m a genuine person, and I’m nice to everybody, so that goes a long way,” he said.

    Berrien’s family moved to Fort Meade from Jacksonville a few years ago. He says the small-town feel is growing on him, and it doesn’t hurt that he has a special connection to the city.

    “Nasier comes from an extraordinary family. He has an extraordinary support system, and he is the culmination of what that looks like,” said Samuel Berrien, who is technically Berrien’s cousin, but he says he’s more like an uncle.   

    Samuel Berrien is also the Mayor of Fort Meade and presented Nasier with the Spectrum Scholarship. He says he’s extremely proud of him.

    Nasier Berrien is planning on attending Bethune Cookman University in the fall. (Photo provided by family)

    “Hard work, dedication, strong support, family values, family of faith, so when you see him prosper and participate, achieve, it’s only right, it’s what’s to be expected,” said Berrien.

    With a 3.84 GPA, Berrien doesn’t only excel in academics, he also plays football, basketball and runs track, and while he says he loves sports, it’s his faith and volunteer work that keeps him motivated.

    “Every Sunday at my church, peaceful believers, I do the sound system, I do cameras, I do live streams, every Sunday,” he said. Which will certainly help in his future career goal to be a broadcast journalist.

    Berrien says his ultimate goal, though, is to make his family proud. Berrien is planning on attending Bethune Cookman University in the fall.

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  • New literacy tutoring program proving to be a success at Dayspring Academy

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    PORT RICHEY, Fla. — The first school in the state to test out a new literacy tutoring program is right here in Pasco County.

    What You Need To Know

    • Dayspring Academy is the first school in the state to test out a new literacy tutoring program that is part of legislation signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year

    • The law establishes a statewide tutoring program administered by the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning

    • The Ignite Reading Tutoring program provides 1:1 tutoring to students virtually 


    Dayspring Academy on Tuesday released results from the first few months of using the Ignite Reading program, which is part of an initiative Gov. Ron Desantis signed into law last year. It establishes a statewide tutoring program administered by the University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning.

    Students in kindergarten at the Dayspring Academy have one teacher physically in the classroom with them, and they essentially have four more on their laptop screens.

    “It’s one on one. Learners get 15 minutes each day with a virtual tutor, and they work specifically. It’s differentiated for each learner, which is great, and that way they’re able to work on reading skills specific to what’s needed for them,” said Wendy Finlay, the principal of Dayspring Academy’s Harmony campus. 

    She says they started using Ignite Reading in February, and even in this short amount of time, students have shown tremendous gains in reading.

    “According to the state standards, we’ve had learners who have moved from well below grade level to on grade level and even above grade level,” Finlay said.

    The Ignite Reading Tutoring Program provides 1:1 tutoring to students virtually. (Spectrum Bay News 9/Fallon Silcox)

    Each day, during their literacy block at school, students meet with their tutor virtually.

    “They get the same tutor each day, so they’ve built relationships with these tutors just like they’ve built relationships with their classroom teachers,” she said.

    Thanks to all of the tutors in the classroom each day, students are receiving even more one-on-one attention, with the goal being to take students from learning to read, to reading to learn.

    Finlay says since implementing the Ignite Reading tutoring program, students who had previously scored the lowest in reading in state testing are now reading at, or above grade level. She says they offer a similar tutoring program for math.

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  • St. Pete city council votes to approve funding for new Tropicana Field roof

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – St. Petersburg City Council has approved funding to fix the hurricane-damaged roof at Tropicana Field.

    The council voted 7-1 to approve $22.5 million in funding to repair the stadium’s torn-off roof. Councilman Richie Floyd was the lone no vote.

    The city was contractually obligated to make repairs to the facility.

    The council will still have to vote on additional repairs to walls, panels, tiles and electronics inside the stadium.

    What You Need To Know

    • City council approves funding for Tropicana Field roof fix 
    • Tropicana Field roof replacement will cost $22.5 million

    • Crews continue to clean water following rainstorms inside of Tropicana Field

    • Thursday’s vote expected to be first of several regarding repair funding 

    • INSIDE LOOK: Spectrum Bay News 9 inside the damaged ballpark


    Officials said repair work on the roof is expected to begin in June.

    Floyd had questions as to what the legal ramifications would be if the city didn’t replace the roof, but ultimately, they are under contract with the Rays to get the Trop back up and running.

    “The administration stated that it just wasn’t financially responsible for us to come to a settlement with the Rays but they never showed us the numbers that that they had talked about that led them to that decision,” Floyd said. “I didn’t feel it was my responsibility to just say ‘oh I just trust you.’

    “I need to see the numbers for myself to be able to come to that conclusion as well and they may very well be right and if that is the case I’d be happy to go along with them.”

    City officials did express concerns about a timetable and additional costs on repair work. The new roof materials are fabricated in Germany and assembled in China, bringing up tariff concerns.

    However, the council said contractors said they can complete the work in time for the Rays to play their 2026 season back at the Trop.  

    VENDERS EXPRESS OPTIMISM FOR RAYS FIX

    St. Pete Mayor Ken Welch confirmed shortly after the roof was ripped off the ballpark during Hurricane Milton that the city was contractually obligated to fix it. Thursday’s vote is set to be the first in a handful of funding votes where the city is asking council members to formally approve the fixes needed for the Rays to return to the Trop.

    While the Rays backed out of the new ballpark plans, co-owner Stu Sternberg stated last month that the Rays intend to return to Tropicana Field for Opening Day of 2026.

    Tanner Loebel, co-owner of Pacific Counter in downtown St. Pete, is also hoping to return to the Trop next spring.

    He and two partners opened the fresh sushi and poke bowl restaurant’s first location in 2018 and soon after had the opportunity to open up a shop inside the ballpark concourse.

    “We had a steady staff that worked there, some of them who had worked there all six years,” he said.

    Loebel said their tenure at Tropicana Field started in 2019 with their initial food stand in the First Base Food Hall. Soon after, they were offered the prime spot on the Center Field Porch.

     


    That location proved unlucky during Hurricane Milton, as Loebel said during a tour he received of the damage he learned his shop was one of the hardest hit spots in the entire ballpark.

     

    “Unfortunately we have to replace all of our equipment and all of our signage because it’s all gone,” he said.

    Loebel said he tried to get Pacific Counter into Steinbrenner Field for this season, but there are fewer spots for vendors and the logistics on a one-year deal didn’t pan out. He says he just signed a five-year contract last year that would take them through the Trop’s last season, and that contract was extended for an additional year to coincide with the Rays’ lease.

    One of the best parts of their Tropicana Field shop, he says, is the exposure they get that drives customers to their Central Avenue location during the off season.

    Loebel’s hope is the roof can get repaired and they can take their spot in center field once again while the Rays return home to the Trop for Opening Day 2026.

    “Obviously we hold out hope for a brand new St. Pete stadium one day… but we’ll take it one thing at a time right now,” he said.

    Thursday’s vote is expected to be the first in a series of votes related to repair funding for Tropicana Field.

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    Angie Angers, Fallon Silcox

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  • Pinellas Schools teacher apprenticeship program helping to fill vacant positions

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Pinellas County Schools became the first district in the state to offer a teacher apprenticeship program.

    Now, those apprentices are halfway through the two-year program. 

    What You Need To Know

    • Pinellas County Schools became the first district in the state to offer a teacher apprenticeship program

    • The program is helping people like Tiffany Reilly reach their dreams and helps the school district fill critical teaching positions

    • It’s a two-year apprenticeship that allows employees to earn their bachelor’s degree in education while working in schools with veteran teachers as mentors full time

    • All tuition, books, and fees are fully covered, and apprentices receive a salary increase in while in the program


    Spectrum News Bay News 9 first introduced Tiffany Reilly last spring. She’s a teacher apprentice at the Nina Harris ESE Center, and she says this unique program is helping her reach her dreams and helps the school district fill critical teaching positions.

    Reilly has worked as a paraprofessional for six years. Last spring, she became one of the first teacher apprentices in Pinellas County.

    “I’m doing my paraprofessional work, I’m also being an online student, and I’m also a teacher apprentice. It’s a lot, it’s a lot,” she said.

    It’s a two-year apprenticeship that allows employees to earn their bachelor’s degree in education while working in schools with veteran teachers as mentors full time. There are 25 in this cohort, and Dr. Nicole Gallucci-Landis, who oversees the program, says it’s proving to be a success.

    “We have some apprentices when we look at their data, when they work directly with students, they’re excelling, and students’ achievement levels are going up, and so it is, we’re really seeing a great return,” she said.

    Reilly says this apprenticeship is allowing her to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a teacher, and she says working with her mentor, “Ms. Fitzpatrick”, helps her learn more about teaching than she ever could, sitting in a traditional college classroom.

    “As we work together, it’s incredible because we are so alike — it’s funny. We feed off each other, but I just enjoy watching her because I’m like, I would do that too, and then she sometimes gets things from me, and I just couldn’t ask for a better mentor,” said Reilly.

    While Reilly admits it can be challenging juggling work and school, she says her faith and her love for her students keep her going, and in the end, she knows it will all be worth it. 

    The teacher apprenticeship program is a partnership between Pinellas County Schools and St. Petersburg College. All tuition, books, and fees are fully covered, and apprentices receive a salary increase in while in the program. 

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    Fallon Silcox

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  • Saint Leo University program doing its part to fill nursing void

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — There’s a critical need for nurses around the state.

    The Florida Hospital Association projects a shortage of about 59,000 nurses by 2035.

    Saint Leo University is trying to fill that void by expanding its nursing program. The university estimates the program will add nearly 200 nurses to the workforce by the end of 2026.  

    Nursing Program Instructor Dr. Angelique  Tolentino-Martin said part of the curriculum is also making sure students know how to take care of themselves to avoid burn out and preparing them for the real world of nursing.

    “My experience was completely different than these students,” Tolentino-Martin said. “It was more observational, I felt like I was just following a nurse and not able to do anything, where these students they are submerged into it, they are the nurse for the day.”

    The university has also partnered with advent-health, creating an education unit with nurse mentors and nursing students.

    Click on the link above to watch the full story.

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    Fallon Silcox

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  • Florida Polytechnic designs tech that activates bodycams for Lakeland PD

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    LAKELAND, Fla. — Every Lakeland Police Officer is now wearing brand new technology that activates their body cameras, and that new technology was designed by a student and fabrication specialist at Florida Polytechnic University.

    What You Need To Know

    •  Lakeland PD contacted Florida Polytechnic to design brackets for their new holsters to hold a sensor that activates their body cameras

    •  A student, and a fabrication specialist at Florida Polytechnic University invented the carbon fiber bracket that fits into Lakeland PD’s holsters

    •  A patent is pending on the new technology


    When the Lakeland Police Department purchased new firearms for officers, they ran into a problem. The vendor hadn’t created a bracket for the holsters for it yet that would work with the body cameras, so they turned to Florida Poly for help.

    Mike Kalman, a fabrication specialist at the university, says within hours he and a student came up with a unique invention.

    It’s a carbon-fiber mount that holds a sensor that detects when a firearm’s metal is no longer present in the holster, meaning the officer has drawn the weapon.

    This movement would trigger the bodycam to begin recording if it hasn’t done so already.

    “When I draw, that right there activates the body-worn camera,” said Lieutenant Frank Fitzgerald with the Lakeland Police Department, demonstrating how the bracket works.

    A carbon-fiber mount holds a sensor that detects when a firearm’s metal is no longer present in the holster. (Spectrum News)

    Students used 3D printers to make enough for everyone on the force, and Kalman says creating something actually being used by law enforcement was a great experience for students.

    “A lot of what I do is in university, it’s for classroom use, or maybe it’s for learning use of some kind, but a lot of what I do is not actually out in the real world,” he said. “So this being out in the real world, and on top of that, it’s saving lives, and helping police, helping citizens, that’s really cool.”

    Back at Lakeland PD, Fitzgerald says thanks to Florida Poly, officers can focus on the task at hand in stressful situations, knowing all evidence is preserved.

    “When a Lakeland Police Officer, or any officer, responds with a body-worn camera on their person, it’s a tool for investigative means, it preserves best evidence, and it’s for transparency and accountability so the public can see what we do, and what we don’t do,” he said.

    The department is also using the brackets in their taser holsters. 

    Right now, the patent is pending for the brackets. 

    Florida Polytechnic officials say prior to producing the brackets for Lakeland PD, they tested them for about six months for safety and durability.

    It took almost three months to print all of them.

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  • Polk Schools temporarily suspends volunteer applications to address legislation

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    LAKELAND Fla. — Polk County Schools is no longer accepting new volunteer, or renewal volunteer applications.

    The district says it needs time to revise its current background screening process in order to comply with new legislation that requires all school volunteers to pass a level two background check, which costs $97.

    What You Need To Know

    • Senate Bill 676 passed in 2023 and requires all school volunteers to pass Level 2 background checks starting March 1, 2025

    • Level 2 background checks cost $97, and some school volunteers are worried that cost will be passed on to volunteers

    • Polk County Schools temporarily suspended all volunteer applications to allow the district time to figure out where funds will come from to pay for the background checks


    Some school Parent-Teacher Organizations are worried this could result in losing a lot of volunteers, depending on how the district ends up handling the additional fee.

    Monica Sims is the type of mom who does it all — she works a full-time job from home, and volunteers at her kids’ schools.

    “I would say we do a lot of the grunt work so that it frees up resources for the administration and the teachers,” she said.

    Sims also heads the Parent Teacher Organization, too, but going into the spring semester, she is worried schools may lose a lot of their volunteer support because of background checks.

    “The way I understand it, is going just from a local check to state, and national checks on volunteers within the schools,” she said.

    Sims says the Level 2 background checks are an excellent safety measure, however, the cost associated with it is her concern. She paid $25 for her level 1 background check to volunteer in schools, and the new level 2 check costs $97.

    “My hope is they don’t pass that cost along to the volunteers. I think that could end up causing some folks to rethink whether they do the volunteer work, so that cost associated may be too much for some folks to be able to do it,” she said.

    The district posted to their website saying they temporarily suspended all volunteer applications to give them time to figure out how to pay for the background checks. The legislation requiring it passed in 2023, and Sims says she wishes the district would have figured this out sooner.

    “If they appropriated money when they passed the bill, why wouldn’t that be appropriated towards the actual costs to offset that so the volunteers don’t have to do that, but they’re currently working on that, so we’re in a wait and see mode right now,” she said.

    While she’s waiting to see, Sims says she’ll continue volunteering, and she hopes other parents do the same. 

    The new legislation goes into effect on March 1. It does include $4.4 million in appropriations.

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    Fallon Silcox

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  • Metropolitan Ministries reports 20% increase in demand during holidays

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    HUDSON, Fla. — After back-to-back hurricanes heading into the holiday season, officials with Metropolitan Ministries say there are about 20% more families needing help this year with finances, food and toys for their children.

    And considering how many families were effected, they say donations are currently down about 23%. Both figures are compared to one year ago.

    What You Need To Know

    • While Metropolitan Ministries is stepping up donation drives for others, it also has some of its own families struggling too.

    •  It reports that need is up since the hurricanes, and that donations are down

    • Susan Neff oversees the “Neighbor Hope Project,” working with people who are on the verge of homelessness; she says these last couple of months have been especially challenging

    • Would you like to help? Click here


    While Metropolitan Ministries is stepping up donation drives for others, it also has some of its own families struggling too.

    Susan Neff oversees the “Neighbor Hope Project,” working with people who are on the verge of homelessness. She says these last couple of months have been especially challenging.

    “What we see in Hudson and Shady Hills is a lot of people who temporarily lost employment because of the storms, or had minimal damage, but it was enough to really make it challenging for them going into the holidays,” Neff said. “So it’s kind of a difficult holiday.”

    It’s an especially difficult Christmas season for Neff, as well.

    “I too lost everything that we owned due to hurricane Helene, and then was impacted by Milton only emotionally, and mentally, which was very challenging,” she said. “We didn’t lose anything more — well there wasn’t anything more to lose.”

    Neff said when she returned home after evacuating for Hurricane Helene, she had more than 4 feet of water in her home.  She still doesn’t have walls, or electricity or water, and she’s living in a trailer in front of her house.

    “Seeing what homelessness really feels like and what it really means, and I’m only on the edge of that, it’s very eye opening,” she said. “And the thing of it is, for most people in that situation, they haven’t necessarily done anything to put themselves there. It’s just circumstances.”

    Neff said many of the people Metropolitan Ministries served before the hurricanes hit are now further displaced, but she has faith in the community, and if everyone comes together, there can still be Christmas miracles. 

    Metropolitan Ministries is collecting donations in person, and online. Neff said the number of volunteers also declined after the hurricanes, because many needed to tend to their own homes.

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    Fallon Silcox

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  • Federal lawsuit against Pasco County Sheriff’s Office settled

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    PASCO COUNTY, Fla. — After three years, a federal lawsuit against the Pasco Sheriff’s Office was settled Wednesday morning, on the eve of the trial.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Institute for Justice represented four plaintiffs who challenged a controversial policing program that targeted juveniles and their families

    • Robert McNamara, a Senior Attorney for the Institute for Justice, said in court Wednesday that the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office attorneys surrendered

    • BELOW: Pasco County Sheriff’s Office releases statement

    The Institute for Justice represented four plaintiffs who challenged a controversial policing program that targeted juveniles and their families. On Wednesday, attorneys for the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office surrendered, agreeing to a six-figure settlement, and pledged to never resume the program.

    The families involved in the lawsuit say the program implemented by the sheriff’s office violated their constitutional rights, saying it used an algorithm to find juveniles who were likely to commit a crime, then relentlessly harassed them and their families. They say this settlement wasn’t about money, but protecting other families.

    Darlene Deegan is one of four plaintiffs represented by the Institute for Justice in the federal lawsuit against the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

    “My younger son, who is now deceased, they would be coming to my house, the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, looking for my son. He didn’t live with me, but because I’m his mother, they would always be coming over there looking,” said Deegan said.

    She admits that her son did get into some trouble as a teenager, but nothing severe. She says when he dropped out of school his freshman year, the harassment began.

    “They decided they were going to jump my fence, and look for my son, which of course, he wasn’t there,” she said of one incident. “But then they decided, ‘Well, let’s give her over $3,000 worth of code enforcement fines.’ One of them being a $500 fine for not having house numbers on your house.”

    Her son wasn’t a suspect in any crime at that time, and it wasn’t until later when the Institute for Justice heard what was happening and contacted her that she found out about the sheriff’s office “Intelligence Led Policing” program.

    “We went through this whole thing and I knew nothing about this targeting the children. Yes, my son, back as a freshman, he quit school, so oh, right away, he’s going to be one of our future offenders so they would just always be on him, everything,” she said.

    Robert McNamara, a Senior Attorney for the Institute for Justice, said in court Wednesday that the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office attorneys finally surrendered.  He says the program violated families first, fourth, and 14th constitutional rights.

    “What happened here today should send a message to law enforcement across the country that in the United States, we punish people after they have been convicted of a crime. We don’t punish people because we’ve decided they might commit a crime in the future,” said McNamara.

    Deegan says Wednesday was a huge victory and that she’s proud to have been part of the fight to protect families rights. “I stepped forward because I’ve got grandchildren and I feel, and we gotta protect the children and the future generations and if I had to be a scapegoat for it, I was going to be it, things have to change.”

    This is the statement, in its entirety, from the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office regarding the settlement:

    “The Pasco Sheriff’s Office will never apologize for keeping our community safe and holding those who victimize our community accountable for their actions. 

    It is important to note that this is the final case tied to the false reporting alleged by former members of the Sheriff’s Office who were held accountable and disciplined for their actions. In all previous cases, courts ruled in favor of the Sheriff’s Office and, in this case, a court also found that the Sheriff’s Office written policies were constitutional.

    To be clear, this activist group from outside our community represented four individuals and this is related to these four individuals only.

    As a steward of taxpayer dollars, the Sheriff must adhere to that responsibility and, when presented with a financially minimal settlement agreement of $105,000, which is significantly lower than anticipated attorney costs for trial which could have reached millions of dollars, accepting the settlement was the best decision for the taxpayers of Pasco County. This was strictly a financial decision that was best for the taxpayers who fund our operations and will be paid for by the Florida Sheriff’s Association Risk Management Fund.

    We continue to protect and serve our community and will continue to be tough on crime and make sure those who victimize our community will be held accountable. We will, again, never apologize for keeping our community safe.”

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    Fallon Silcox

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