The new principal at Benito Middle School on Cross Creek Blvd. is Jacqueline Enis, who plans to continue the New Tampa school’s tradition of “A”-rated excellence. (Photo provided by Jacqueline Enis)
Jacqueline Enis is the new principal of Benito Middle School.
Enis started in the role on Sept. 16, after former principal Brent Williams was tapped to lead Franklin Boys Preparatory Academy Middle Magnet School in Tampa.
It was announced at the school board meeting on Aug. 26 that Williams would begin in his new role on Sept. 2. Hillsborough County Pubic Schools officials then acted quickly to interview candidates and appointed Enis to lead Benito, making the announcement at the School Board meeting on Sept. 9.
Enis joins Benito after six years at neighboring Turner Bartels K-8 School, where she served as the assistant principal of curriculum.
Prior to that, Enis had served as assistant principal of curriculum at Farnell Middle School since 2013. She began her career with Hillsborough County Public Schools in 2001, when she taught ESE language arts and reading and served as a reading coach.
Enis says the transition to taking the reins at Benito has gone smoothly.
“It’s absolutely awesome,” she says. “I love the community and I love what we’re doing for students. I’m happy to continue the legacy of those who came before me.”
Benito has been a strong “A”-rated school for more than two decades. It has only two “Bs” in the school’s history, with the last one coming in 2001, so Enis says she isn’t looking to make a lot of changes on campus.
“The students respect adults and have been very welcoming,” she says. “They tell me that they miss Mr. Williams, but they have embraced me and have made me feel at home.”
Benito PTSA president Rob Taylor agrees with the students’ sentiments. “While we miss Mr. Williams, we are very excited to have Ms. Enis as our new principal,” Taylor says. “She seems on board with our goals of planning fun and exciting activities, events and rewards for students, and doing everything we can for our amazing teachers.”
Enis says she’s happy to partner with the PTSA and volunteers on campus, and she likes to be accessible to parents.
“I’m waving at them in the car line to make sure they recognize who to go to, whether they have positive things to share about their students, or concerns,” she says.
Enis says her first few weeks at the school have been filled with one-on-one meetings with every employee on campus and that the teachers and support staff have been welcoming to her, as well.
“I want to inspire students to succeed and help my school grow,” she says. “Benito is a place where learning is respected and there is collaboration. I want to continue to build those connections with students, staff and the community.”
Doctor of Pharmacy Shahida Choudhry (left) and Angie Pares, Palms Pharmacy’s director of operations, celebrated the local independent pharmacy’s ninth anniversary in The Shoppes at The Pointe plaza in Tampa Palms on Apr. 11. (Photos by Charmaine George)
On a recent Friday evening, Shahida Choudhry, Pharm.D., threw a party, complete with goodie bags and free ice cream (provided by the Ice Dreammm Shop in Wesley Chapel), to celebrate the nine years since she first opened (in 2016) Palms Pharmacy in The Shoppes at The Pointe plaza in Tampa Palms.
The annual event is a way for Dr. Choudhry and her staff to mark the impact they have on Tampa Palms, New Tampa and the surrounding areas (including Wesley Chapel) by offering an alternative to big box stores and corporate chains.
“When you walk through the door, we greet you,” Dr. Choudhry says. “When you call the pharmacy, someone picks up the phone.”
Grace Dimalanta followed her to Palms Pharmacy from a local Publix, where Dr. Choudhry had previously served as the pharmacist for ten years.
“Everyone is so personable and friendly at Palms Pharmacy,” Grace says. “It’s a different feel than anywhere else. They’re like family. When I leave, they’re calling out, ‘Bye, Grace, see you later! Have a good day!’”
From its much more humble beginnings, the staff — and the amount of space it occupies in the plaza — has grown to a total of 16 people, including four pharmacists, three interns, plus six others who work in roles such as pharmacy technicians and support staff. They are all committed to providing a personal experience and truly care about their patients, with that bar being set high by Dr. Choudhry herself.
In addition to top-quality Korean skin care products at outstanding prices (below), Palms Pharmacy also specializes in vitamins and supplements (above).
“I’ve been her customer for a long time,” Grace says. “She knows me so well. She’s even called my doctor to say a medicine that I was prescribed wasn’t good for me.”
The large staff stays busy shipping orders throughout the whole state of Florida, offering next day delivery on prescriptions, compounded medications, specialty products and supplements.
The pharmacy’s shelves are stocked with over-the-counter medications and high-quality supplements, including private label supplements made specifically for Palms Pharmacy.
Dr. Choudhry says that a popular supplement, especially among those with ADHD, is a magnesium blend called Palms NeuroFocus. Other Palms Pharmacy supplements include a daily multi-vitamin and iron.
And, she says, a new private label is coming soon, called Thrive Plus by Palms Pharmacy.
“I’ve converted many of my favorite supplements to gummies,” Dr. Choudhry says. “We want to provide top-quality products to be cost effective so people can afford them.”
She adds that she has found that she can produce some supplements locally to reduce the cost for her customers.
This includes magnesium glycinate to help with sleep and nighttime carb cravings, a probiotic gummy, a creatine gummy, a greens gummy and NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) capsules, which are known as the “fountain of youth” and help with energy and visible signs of aging.
“These [Thrive Plus] supplements had to go through FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration) clearance and are being produced in a facility in Tampa,” Dr. Choudhry explains. “They will be on our shelves by the end of June.”
The best part about purchasing supplements from Palms Pharmacy is having access to experts who can explain them and help you get the best products for you. Whether you come in the store and talk with the pharmacist, or call and speak with someone on the phone, they are always happy to answer all of your questions.
In addition to vitamins and supplements, Palms Pharmacy carries a variety of unique gift items, skin care products, and sweets and snacks.
The Latest & Greatest Skin Care
“Korean skin care currently is our biggest thing,” Dr. Choudhry says, adding that, unlike some other stores, “Everything we have is under $15, including rice oil, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, vitamin D and retinoids.”
Regular customers like Grace always enjoy coming into the store to see what’s new.
“There’s so much unique stuff,” Grace says, “like little soaps. I also buy supplements like vitamin D and calcium pills.”
Grace says she doesn’t know anything about the quality of supplements, but her daughter-in-law, who does, pointed out that the brand she bought from Palms Pharmacy is a good one that doesn’t use fillers like a lot of companies do.
“That makes me feel great because I know the store is stocked with stuff that’s good for you,” Grace says.
She also appreciates that she can get vaccines at Palms Pharmacy, such as the flu shot.
“I just make an appointment and it’s a nice experience,” Grace says. “I’m always happy to go there.”
And, Dr. Choudhry says, when you shop at Palms Pharmacy, you’re supporting a small business where the money you spend actually stays in the local community. “We appreciate it when you support your local people and your money goes into the local economy,” Dr. Choudhry says. “While other pharmacies are sold to private equity firms or are closing locations, we’re here to help and give back.”
In addition to caring for the store’s customers, the staff schedules team-building events every quarter, and often pair their days together with opportunities to serve the community, such as a recent beach cleanup.
Dr. Choudhry, who earned both her Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degrees from Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY, was recently named the 2024 Independent Pharmacist of the Year by Pharmacist Moms, a national professional organization of more than 35,000 women pharmacists.
Palms Pharmacy also has been nominated for the 2025 Health Mart Pharmacy of the Year. There are more than 5,000 independent and locally owned neighborhood pharmacies allied together under the Health Mart banner. To win the award, which will be announced in June, the pharmacy has to have best-in-class clinical practices, be a community leader and exhibit excellent financial performance.
“We enjoy what we do and really appreciate our customers,” Dr. Choudhry says. “We know you can go anywhere, so if you’re willing to park your car and come through our doors, we’re going to try to do a little bit extra to make you feel welcome.”
Palms Pharmacy is located at 17008 Palm Pointe Dr. and is open Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-6 p.m. You can call the store at (813) 252-9063 or text the secure text-only line at (727) 513-3210. For more info, visit ThePalmsPharmacy.com.
Due to a new state law implemented for the start of the 2025-26 school year, students in grades K-8 can no longer be on their phones during school and high school students can only use their phones at lunch time. (Photo is a stock image not taken at a Pasco County School District school)
A new state law in use for the first time for the 2025-26 school year says students can’t use cell phones or any wireless devices during the school day. And so far, it looks like school administrators, teachers, parents and maybe even students in the Wesley Chapel area are glad for the change.
“I don’t want to jinx myself,” says Cypress Creek Middle School principal Tim Light, “but I haven’t gotten any pushback.”
He says students have been respectful, and it’s nice to see that they don’t have earbuds in as they’re walking around school. Teachers don’t mind that they have to use school technology, such as laptop computers, rather than students using their own phones for technology-based learning.
Next door at Cypress Creek High, principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles agrees that not having the students wearing headphones is positive for campus culture. “They’re talking to each other and talking to us adults,” Hetzler-Nettles says. “It makes them more communicative.”
Where students may have been in their own headspaces listening to music before, she explains that now they are smiling and saying “Good morning” in a friendly way.
At the high school level, students are allowed to use their phones during lunch, which Hetzler-Nettles says comes toward the end of the day, and she feels is a fair use of personal devices.
Other than at lunch time, high school students have to have their phones off or in airplane mode from the time they arrive on campus until dismissal, including passing periods.
“Parents want their kids to come here and learn,” she says, “and not have all the distractions. We’re all on the same page.”
Kelly Grills is a parent who agrees. A former Pasco County elementary teacher, she says she loved it when the Pasco School District started adding restrictions on the phones a few years ago.
“It’s a huge win for teachers,” she says. “There were so many distractions and issues with [students on their] phones.”
Grills’ three children now attend middle and high school.
“My own children carry them in their backpacks,” she says, explaining that she uses a tracking app, especially for her youngest, who rides his bike to and from school.
Light agrees the distractions have been limited by the policies the District has enacted over the years.
“Years ago, the majority of our discipline was [dealing with] students on phones,” he says.
But now, he explains, there are no students texting each other in a way that causes problems or pulling out phones to shoot video when fights break out.
Even with the stricter rules on kindergarten through eighth grade campuses, where phones aren’t allowed at all — even during lunch — Light thinks the new policy is working well.
“They are able to focus on school and personal, face-to-face relationships,” he says. “Overall student discipline and how students are carrying themselves conduct-wise has changed dramatically for the positive.”
New Tampa Schools Are Adjusting To The New Electronics Law
A new Florida law this school year says students can’t use cell phones or any wireless device during the school day, and so far, school administrators say the change has been welcome.
In many cases, especially at the high school level, it doesn’t look much different than last year, when district policy said phones couldn’t be used during school except if allowed by teachers for instructional purposes.
“We really didn’t need to change much,” says Freedom High principal Kevin Stephenson. “The law just gave us teeth to enforce the rules.”
Communication has been key, with both the district and individual schools providing information about the new policies that align with the law, which went into effect July 1. All devices must be powered off or in airplane mode throughout the school day. For elementary and middle school, that starts when students arrive on campus and lasts until they leave campus at the end of the day. High school administrators have discretion to allow phones at lunch and during passing periods, and teachers may authorize the use of personal devices for instructional purposes.
Students, parents, and administrators admit that enforcement may vary from classroom to classroom, depending on how teachers are enforcing the rules.
“I know it is still a struggle for some students in very few classrooms,” says Eva Chen, assistant principal at Freedom, “but when I called home, the parents were very supportive and aware of the policies in place.”
Sigrun Ragnarsdottir is a New Tampa mom who also teaches middle school robotics at Pierce Middle School, near W. Hillsborough Ave. in Tampa.
She says it takes some instructional time away, as students have to get laptops out of the laptop cart, power them up, then shut down and put them away before the bell at the end of class. That sometimes leaves a few minutes at the end of class if she’s overestimated how long that process will take.
“It does require more work for me to teach bell to bell,” she says.
But, she adds, “There’s an upside to it. Students aren’t distracted on their phone or trying to find ways to hide the phone anymore.”
LaMarr Buggs, principal of Turner/Bartels K-8 School says, “It’s working for us. Parents are supporting us and it’s being looked at as positive.”
He agrees that the biggest difference is that his students can no longer use electronic devices for instructional purposes. Instead, middle school students at Turner/Bartels start their day by getting a laptop from their homeroom teacher, use it throughout the day for all of their classroom needs, then return it at the end of the day.
He recognizes that parents want their students to have phones, and the law – and school administrators – allow phones to be carried by students, as long as they are put away out of sight in a backpack or purse.
In case of an emergency, those phones are close at hand.
On the day we spoke with him, Turner/ Bartels had been on lockdown for several minutes after a teacher inadvertently pressed a button to trigger the emergency procedures.
“I’m guessing kids were contacting their parents via text during lockdown,” says Buggs, “and that’s okay.”
In fact, he tells students that if they see something dangerous on campus, such as a classmate who brings a weapon, they can use their phones to anonymously report it using the Fortify Florida app provided through the school district.
Of course, they can also report directly to a teacher or administrator, but if they need to use their phone for an emergency, their safety is a priority. And, he says, teachers and administrators are happy for the change.
“They see the difference,” he says. Instead of a school full of kids who have their heads down looking at their devices, “Now, the kid who’s on his phone looks like the odd man out.”
Jaime Bryant (in white shirt) & his friendly staff at the GEICO local office on BBD Blvd. in Wesley Chapel can help you with many types of insurance without having to call a 1-800 number. (Photos by Charmaine George)
If you’re like most people, you probably know GEICO Insurance from the company’s countless television commercials offering low rates with a 1-800 phone number.
What you might not know is that you can get the same GEICO products — and much more personalized service — by calling the local GEICO office, where real people who live and work in our community answer the phone. You can work with an agent who knows your name, understands local insurance issues and wants to help you navigate the complicated world of insurance to find what’s best for you.
The Wesley Chapel local office of GEICO is owned by Jaime Bryant and is located in the Northwoods shopping center, which is anchored by Super Target just north of County Line Rd., on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.
While GEICO is mostly known for its auto insurance — insuring close to 30 million vehicles — the company also offers insurance for homes, condos, rental apartments, boats/watercrafts, jewelry, floods, mobile homes/RVs, motorcycles and umbrella policies, which provide extended liability coverage for people with a lot of assets.
With hurricane season fast approaching, Jaime says it’s important to be prepared.
“Last year was a busy year, and this season is expected to be slightly above average,” he says.
Jaime also says that one thing many people are unaware of is that if their home is damaged by a hurricane or tropical storm, the policy has different terms than if the damage is caused by wind unrelated to a named storm.
“People don’t realize it’s a higher deductible,” he explains. “Ideally before storm season, but definitely before you contact anyone to repair the damage at your home, be sure you know what your out-of-pocket cost will be.”
After a storm, you may have companies offering to replace your roof. To know whether or not you should move forward with the replacement, you need to know how much of that cost will be your responsibility.
“For example,” Jaime says, “a roofer will file a claim, the insured will get paid, but insurance only covers half because of the deductible. It’s really important to know what your deductible is and make sure you can pay that deductible before moving forward with those repairs.”
And, he says, now is the time to shop for new homeowner’s insurance. If you’re thinking of changing policies, or if your policy renews during hurricane season, sometimes a storm comes through and companies pause writing new policies for 30 to 45 days. In that case, you can’t get immediate coverage. “You need to be proactive with homeowner’s insurance during hurricane season,” Jaime says. “Time is not your friend.”
He adds that right now is a good time to shop for new auto insurance, too.
“Rates have stabilized and a lot of people are finding lower prices now,” Jaime says.
Jaime’s office has 10 agents, all of whom are experienced and trained to help you get the right insurance for you and your needs. Each person’s situation is unique, so a local agent can be sure to ask you the right questions to get the right policies in place.
Jaime has lived in the Tampa Bay area for more than 20 years and is a University of South Florida graduate with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. He worked for GEICO in Lakeland for 16 years, prior to opening the Wesley Chapel office.
He says calling his office, instead of the 1-800 number, ensures that you’re talking with someone who understands Florida and the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area specifically.
“We want to make sure you don’t have too much or too little insurance for your situation,” he says. “Nothing’s ever one-size-fits-all.”
Andrea Shank is a long-time GEICO customer who was comfortable using GEICO’s online tools and never considered working with a local agent. When her brother recently passed away, her mom was dealing with a probate process and needed to insure vehicles that weren’t registered in her name yet. Andrea’s mom had previously worked with someone in the Wesley Chapel office, so they reached out and connected with George, one of Jaime’s local agents.
Andrea says George spent most of that entire day serving them — answering questions, getting verification on complicated questions, researching answers, calling back, sending forms for them to fill out, etc. – but she says that what stood out was the compassionate way George treated her mom during the difficult loss of her son, which was completely unexpected.
“He was so patient with her,” Andrea says. “He was funny, and made my mom laugh, which was pretty wonderful in that circumstance.”
Andrea adds that he also took the time to share a personal recommendation for a company that could help her mom modify the vehicles to adjust the pedals, even emailing her contact information after business hours.
“He went so far above and beyond, it was amazing to me,” Andrea says. “The level of customer service he provided is a startling contrast from what we’ve come to expect.”
In fact, she says, she’s already referred her nephew, sister and best friend to the office.
“No doubt,” she says, “I will not go back to an online situation. We all get used to what we buy and don’t think about making changes, even when our circumstances change. That’s something we should look at. I will definitely continue to call George, because it was such a nice experience.”
The GEICO-Wesley Chapel local office is located at 1227 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. It is open Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m., and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sat. For more information, visit GEICO.com/Wesley-Chapel-Bryant or call (813) 953-4200.
With the 2025-26 school year having started on Aug. 11 for all Hillsborough County students, Pride Elementary has a new principal who has taken the helm after the retirement of former principal Paulette English.
Kirsten Meyer says it feels like “coming full circle” for her, after starting her career as a second grade teacher at Hunter’s Green Elementary (HGE) in 1998.
In fact, two teachers who are now part of the staff at Pride — Julia McKernan and Lucy Kovach — were once her students at HGE.
“It’s nice to see the growth in the community and see the love and passion that teachers have for their kids,” Meyer says. “There’s an energetic feeling and a love for learning at all of the schools in this area.”
Most recently, Meyer was assistant principal at Mitchell Elementary in South Tampa, where she served for two years. Prior to that, she was the assistant principal at Foster Elementary off of 22nd St. in North Tampa.
At Pride, she leads one of the largest schools in Hillsborough County — about 1,000 students.
“To be a first-time principal and have the responsibility to take on a school that is such a high-performing school is an honor,” Meyer says. “I know the expectation walking in. I know that I have to keep this going.”
In fact, Pride has never received any letter grade other than “A” from the State Dept. of Education in the 23 years it has received one since first opening for the 2001-02 school year.
Meyer says the staff and parents have been welcoming and supportive, and that she is excited to work with the “amazing” staff, including her experienced assistant principal, Heather Moncrief.
She says she recently learned that the school’s namesake, Dr. Richard Ford Pride, is the grandfather of Shaylia McRae, whom Meyer worked under when McRae was a regional superintendent for the county.
“It’s another personal connection,” Meyer says. “I have to live up to her namesake. This school has a tradition of high standards, so I want to make this community proud and make these teachers proud.”
Speaking a few days before school started, she said she couldn’t want for the students to come back and get the year under way.
“Pinch me,” she says. “It’s a dream come true. I couldn’t have wished for anything better.”
