School grades for the 2017-18 school year were released by the Florida Department of Education on June 27, and Wesley Chapel’s schools continue to perform well, including a pair of schools that improved over last year.
Of the area’s 14 schools, only Weightman Middle and Wiregrass Ranch High scored better than they did last year, when both earned Bs. This year, however, they are both A schools.
“We are very excited to have earned an A rating this year,” says Robyn White, principal of Wiregrass Ranch High. “It is due to the hard work of the teachers, students, parents, and community. We really focused on our areas of weakness and worked toward students achieving mastery of the standards. While an A rating is great, we still have work to do and will continue to move forward in the 2018-19 school year.”
Of the nine elementary schools in Wesley Chapel, four received A ratings, four received a B, and just one — New River Elementary — received a C.
Both of Wesley Chapel’s middle schools earned As, while its combined middle/high school, Cypress Creek, received a B. Wiregrass Ranch High received an A, while Wesley Chapel High received an B. (See chart)
Most of the schools stayed the same from the previous school year, with only two schools dropping a grade. New River Elementary dropped from a B to a C, and Wesley Chapel earned its first B since 2010, after seven years in a row as an A school.
School letter grades are based on the compilation of individual scores on statewide tests, called Florida Standards Assessments (FSA), at each grade level. The letter grades are a snapshot of a wide variety of factors, with nuances that aren’t always apparent from the single letter assigned to each school.
“The Wesley Chapel schools traditionally are high performing, and the 2017-18 school grades continue to reflect their students’ success on state exams,” says Linda Cobbe, the public information officer for Pasco County Schools. “While a school’s state-assigned grade does not tell the whole story about its overall quality, we know that the combination of dedicated teachers, engaged students, and supportive parents in these schools is reflected in those outstanding grades.”
Cypress Creek Middle High, which opened for its inaugural school year last fall, received a B in its first year..
“We are incredibly pleased with our grade, and I am so proud of our faculty, staff and students,” says principal Carin Hetzler-Nettles. “As a staff, we are truly thrilled to get a great look at our data as a school as compared to other schools.”
Because Cypress Creek did not have seniors, the school’s graduation rate and college and career acceleration points were not factored into its grade for 2017-18. They will be factored in the upcoming school year and next year’s grade.
“Overall, our students made us proud,” said Pasco County Schools superintendent Kurt Browning in a media release. “Can we do better? Yes we can, and I expect to see continuous improvement every year, in every school, and at every grade level.”
The complete DOE report is online at FLDOE.org/accountability/accountability-reporting/school-grades/.
At Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery, Brian Hamilton, D.D.S., sees patients who need specialized care in the area of oral (mouth) and maxillofacial (face and jaws) dentistry.
Dr. Hamilton describes oral and maxillofacial dentistry as a specialty that combines dentistry and medicine, explaining that this includes dentistry for complex cases and those who have health issues, along with wisdom teeth extractions, dental implants, and many other procedures.
The Wesley Chapel office of Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery is located just off S.R. 54 in the Brookside Professional Park, just east of Saddlebrook resort.
Dr. Hamilton, who is originally from Jamaica, earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from Binghamton University in Binghamton, NY, in 1999. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree from the Howard University College of Dentistry in Washington, DC, in May 2003. After a general practice residency at the Miami Veteran’s Hospital in Miami, FL, he went on to complete his residency in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery from Columbia University at Harlem Hospital Center in New York, NY, in 2010.
He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons and a Fellow of the American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons.
The Wesley Chapel office of Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery is one of five locations, including Carrollwood, Dunedin, Bradenton, Sun City, plus another location is getting set to open in South Tampa soon. The practice is owned by Michael Barbick, D.M.D. (Doctor of Dental Medicine), M.D., who works primarily at the Carrollwood office.
The Wesley Chapel office of Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery has been open for about three years, originally opening on June 1, 2015. Dr. Hamilton has been with the practice for about a year. Prior to his current position, Dr. Hamilton was with a group in Daytona Beach.
Excellent Patient Care
“Patients are our number one priority,” explains Amanda Fraley, the practice’s office manager. “We are very appreciative of them choosing to come to us, and we want them to know how much we appreciate them.”
Dr. Hamilton says Amanda and the staff are one reason a patient should choose his practice. “The staff here is quite wonderful,” he says. “They are friendly and warm, and you are always greeted by a smiling face at the front desk.”
Although many patients are referred to Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery by other dentists, patients also can contact the office directly.
One reason you might want to see Dr. Hamilton is if you suspect a tooth needs to be removed. He will complete an evaluation and recommend a treatment plan. If it turns out a patient needs a general dentist instead, like if a tooth needs a root canal, Dr. Hamilton and his staff can help that patient find a dentist.
Many patients also come to Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery because they are missing teeth and have heard about dental implants, maybe through ads such as the one on page 37 of this issue, which offers a free consultation for patients considering dental implants to replace missing and broken teeth. The free consultation includes panoramic X-rays.
Dr. Hamilton also does oral pathology — removing cancerous and benign lesions — and treatment for disorders of the temporomandibular joint, which is the joint connecting the jaw to the skull, commonly known as TMJ.
Dr. Hamilton performs surgical corrections to the TMJ, but he says that surgery is always the last resort.
“The first option is always to treat conservatively,” he explains, with options such as an occlusal splint (or mouth guard), anti-inflammatory medication or muscle relaxers. “Then, we advance the treatment, if (it is still) needed.”
Amanda says the office is “completely electronic with state-of-the-art equipment. We only use digital X-rays and have a cone beam CT scanner.”
She says that the three-dimensional images from the CT scan give more detail than X-rays. “It is beneficial in more complex surgical cases or to rule out unnecessary surgical interventions,” she explains. “It also can aid as a surgical guide for dental implant cases, to ensure that the implants are properly angled.”
Amanda and the staff work with your Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) dental insurance to help you understand your coverage and what your treatment will cost.
“We always schedule a consultation and go over everything to make sure all your questions are answered,” she says, “and everything is clear.”
Always Available When You Need Them
Amanda and Dr. Hamilton agree that another advantage of coming to Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery for your wisdom teeth extractions and other needs is because of the office’s availability. They often schedule patients for next-day appointments.
“And, if there’s a patient in pain,” Dr. Hamilton says, “we’ll do what we can to see them the same day.”
Garland Davis recommends Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery for procedures like the one wisdom tooth he had extracted.
“It was a good experience,” he says. “I called them and they got me in the very next day. They handled everything for my insurance and I was in and out in probably an hour and a half, tops. The whole staff was really great.”
Dr. Hamilton says a high priority for him is ensuring that every patient is comfortable, so intravenous (IV) sedation is offered.
Alternatively, for those who don’t want complete sedation, other options are available, including nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, for his patients.
“So, whether they’re asleep or awake, they end up having a comfortable experience,” he explains.
“Some people have a fear of their dental experience, but IV sedation is a big part of what we do,” says Dr. Hamilton, who adds that he is ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support)-certified to be able to offer the IV sedation.
While most procedures are done in the office if the patient is healthy, for more complex procedures or for patients who are in some way medically compromised, procedures also can be performed in a surgery center or hospital. Dr. Hamilton has admitting privileges at both Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel and St. Joseph’s Hospital in Tampa, where he also is an on-call surgeon for cases of facial trauma.
The Wesley Chapel office of Tampa Bay Jaw & Facial Surgery is located at 29164 Chapel Park Dr. It is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For more information about the practice, call (813) 991-6886, or visit TBJAFS.com.
School grades for the 2017-18 school year were released by the Florida Department of Education on June 27, and New Tampa’s schools continue to perform well.
Considering just the letter grades, all of the schools in New Tampa received the exact same grade as the previous year.
“The grades remained as they were,” says Anna Brown, Ph.D., the area superintendent for Hillsborough County Public Schools. Dr. Brown, who oversees all of New Tampa’s public schools, says, “We had no declines, but, within those grades, many schools actually increased their grade point, turning out an even stronger A.”
One such school was Chiles Elementary in Tampa Palms, which has had an A rating every year since opening in 2001. Principal Terri Evans says this year’s scores may be the highest ever achieved at the school.
“We have 32 points more than we had last year,” says Evans. “We had a big jump in learning gains and in the bottom quartile, and we’re especially excited about that.”
School letter grades are based on the compilation of individual scores on statewide tests, called Florida Standards Assessments (FSAs), at each grade level.
Learning gains describe how much each individual student gained from one year’s test to the next, and the bottom quartile describes the students who scored the lowest on their FSAs at the school.
“I think a letter grade is a bit of an overgeneralization,” Evans continues, “but I also think that to maintain that A every year, we have to be a really great school in a lot of ways. I’m hopeful that it reflects all that we do — that we have that kind of a school where kids want to go to school and learn and families want to be involved.”
The area’s other A schools are Clark, Pride and Tampa Palms elementary schools, and Benito and Liberty middle schools.
Turner/Bartels K-8 School earned a B, while four schools earned a C: Heritage and Hunter’s Green (HGE) elementary schools, as well as both of our area’s high schools, Freedom and Wharton.
While the consistency in grades is encouraging for the schools that continue to earn As, those that earned Cs are once again disappointed.
“For as hard as we work and what a wonderful school we have,” says HGE principal Gaye Holt proudly, “the letter grade doesn’t show what everyone expects of us.”
Dr. Brown agrees. “School grades are created by the state, with their definition of one way to categorize schools,” she says. “When you walk on the campuses, the grade of C is not reflective of the quality of teaching in each classroom or the quality of the relationships we have with our students and families.”
Despite some high-profile challenges at Wharton High, Dr. Brown says she is encouraged that its letter grade did remain the same, and didn’t drop.
She says that all of the schools in New Tampa have many very high-achieving students and excellent teaching and that all of our area schools are positioned well to provide excellent service to the students of New Tampa.
“The bottom line is, this is how we’re measured,” says Dr. Brown, “so we need to dig in and make sure we’re meeting every student’s needs at their individual level.”
Parents of Hillsborough County public school students who want to view their child’s FSA scores, including FSA End of Course exams, can view them at https://testscores.sdhc.k12.fl.us.
The complete DOE report is online at FLDOE.org/accountability/accountability-reporting/school-grades/.
Roxanne Simmonds of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty and her husband, Dennis, enjoy living the Florida lifestyle. She wants you to enjoy it, too, by helping you find your dream home.
With more than 20 years of experience in banking, most recently as an executive managing teams of people, local Realtor Roxanne Simmonds of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty has the expertise to help her clients navigate the sometimes-tricky process of buying or selling a home.
The Cory Lake Isles resident says she fell in love with the New Tampa area when she relocated to Tampa from Boston 11 years ago. At the time, she was a market executive with Bank of America and was later promoted to area executive for West Florida.
After that, Roxanne worked as a program executive, where she says she traveled all over the country, managing the sale of financial centers to community banks. She explains that when Bank of America executives wanted to sell off financial centers that no longer fit their business model, she would manage that transition, which would include selling the physical building, transitioning clients to the new community bank and transitioning Bank of America associates to their new employer.
While Bank of America brought her to Tampa, Roxanne says it was the appeal of Cory Lake Isles that drew her to New Tampa. She says she always loved her drive back home after working in downtown Tampa. In fact, although she still spends most of her time in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area, the Premier Sotheby’s International Realty local office is in South Tampa on S. Moody Ave.
“There’s so much beauty (in New Tampa),” she says. “With the quietness and trees, I feel like I’m going to my country home right in Tampa.”
She says homes in the New Tampa area currently are an excellent value, especially when you consider the amenities offered in many local communities — such as community pools and clubhouses — and the proximity to shopping at two major local malls and the continuing influx of new restaurants.
“We are a community that truly has something for everyone,” says Roxanne.“I love this area,” she adds. “If my husband and I decide to downsize, it will still be in New Tampa. I see the growth of the community, but it seems it’s growing closer together. You have all different backgrounds, and the diversity is fabulous.”
She also enjoys the proximity to downtown Tampa, where she and her husband, Dennis, enjoy visiting Jackson’s of Harbour Island, Armature Works and other restaurants.
Roxanne and Dennis have been married 33 years. They live with their newly-adopted Maltipoo puppy, Webster. Their daughter, Nicole, used to live in Cory Lake Isles, too, but recently moved back to Boston and will be married this October. Their son, D.J., was a Boston police officer who died in 2014 as a result of injuries sustained when he was one of the first officers to engage the Boston Marathon bombers nearly a year before.
“He’s our hero,” says Roxanne.
About Premier Sotheby’s International Realty
Roxanne says she was drawn to Premier Sotheby’s International Realty because it is a luxury brand with a great reputation. Although she is one of the first associates in New Tampa with the company, she is familiar with its reputation from her time in downtown Tampa and Boston. Premier Sotheby’s is affiliated with the world-renowned Sotheby’s auction house (Sothebys.com).
Roxanne, with Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn.
Roxanne left her role with Bank of America in 2016 and took some time off. She earned her real estate license in 2017, and that’s when she says her phone started ringing off the hook from companies who were recruiting her to join their agency.
But, no one from Premier Sotheby’s ever called her. She says that’s because the company is difficult to get into because of its high standards. So, Roxanne decided to call them.
The local Premier Sotheby’s management found her banking background and customer service focus a great match for their upscale company. Plus, Roxanne did residential lending in the early part of her career, so she already understood that important part of the home-buying process.
“I know how to treat people well,” says Roxanne. “I’ve been trained through the companies I’ve worked for, but I also just know that it’s important to treat people with respect and to be kind.”
She doesn’t overlook the simple things: “If you say you’re going to do something,” she says, “do it. Be timely. Return phone calls.”
While the name Sotheby’s conjures up images of luxury, Roxanne says she will help anyone looking to buy or sell a home.
She says her currently active listings go up to $850,000 right now, but she’s also working with a client looking to purchase in the $180,000-$250,000 price range.
“We have multi-million-dollar properties,” Roxanne says, “but we have a wide variety, too. No matter what the price point is, I make sure the client has a luxury experience.”
Roxanne adds that if you’re considering selling your home, there’s no reason to try to make that decision alone. “If you are even thinking about whether or not to sell your house, contact me,” she says. “I can give you information to help with the decision, either way.”
She can help you understand the value of your home and have a conversation about where you want to go in the next season of life and how to get there.
She helps buyers who are relocating, those who are buying a first home, a bigger home or downsizing. Whether they need to know how to get electricity, what a CDD is, or how flood zones work, Roxanne says she can help guide buyers and sellers through all of their questions. She adds that she enjoys helping people find the special place that will become their home.
“It is just a material thing, but it’s where memories are made, where we celebrate holidays and birthdays, and at the end of a hard day, it’s where we retreat from life,” Roxanne explains. “So, we want it to be comfortable, whether it’s 1,000 square feet or 7,000.”
Premier Sotheby’s International Realty’s Tampa office is located at 202 S. Moody Ave. For a consultation with Roxanne Simmonds, call her at (813) 613-3687 or send an email to Roxanne.Simmonds@PremierSIR.com. For more information, or visit RoxanneSimmonds.PremierSothebysRealty.com.
Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Stan Castor (center) and his professional staff at Artisan Aesthetics offer a variety of surgical and other cosmetic procedures in their office in Tampa Palms.
Every patient who visits Artisan Aesthetics Plastic Surgery & Laser Center in Tampa Palms is seen personally by Board-certified plastic surgeon Stan Castor, M.D.
That’s the philosophy Dr. Castor has continued to embrace since he first opened Artisan Aesthetics in the Tampa Palms Professional Center off Commerce Park Blvd. in 2007. Dr. Castor offers facial cosmetic surgery, breast augmentation, body contouring surgery, liposuction, laser treatments, dermal fillers, facial treatments and peels, “mommy makeovers” and more.
“I don’t use a physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner in my office,” Dr. Castor says. “I do all of the consultations and procedures myself, including minor procedures, such as Botox or a dermal filler. If you come to my office, you see me.”
Dr. Castor, who is Board-certified in Plastic Surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, earned his Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia in 1992, after earning a B.S. degree in Biology in 1987 from Florida Southern College in Lakeland.
In 1997, he completed a five-year internship and residency in General Surgery at Emory University Hospitals in Atlanta, GA, before taking on two years of intensive training in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery at the renewed Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Cleveland, OH. He also completed a cosmetic surgery fellowship, offered to only two plastic surgeons each year, with world-renowned plastic surgeons Drs. Thomas J. Baker and James M. Stuzin in Miami, FL.
Cellfina Cellulite Treatment
Of the many procedures available in his office, Dr. Castor offers “Cellfina” to get rid of cellulite. Cellfina is a minimally invasive treatment that Dr. Castor says has been clinically proven to treat the primary structural cause of cellulite for at least two years, which is currently the longest FDA clearance for any cellulite treatment (see photos on next page).
Dr. Castor explains that cellulite is caused by the connective fibrous bands woven throughout fat in the thighs and buttocks. These tight bands pull down the skin, which creates that infamous puckering on the surface of the skin.
A small blade — about the size of a needle — is used to cut through the fibers. Similar to a rubber band under tension, once released, the treated skin bounces back to smooth itself out.
“What struck me as impressive is that the patient satisfaction rate for this procedure is 96 percent after two years,” Dr. Castor explains. “That’s unheard of.”
Because it is more invasive than procedures that only temporarily reduce the appearance of cellulite using treatments on the outside of the skin (including the Accent machine that has been in use at Artisan Aesthetics for some time for reducing cellulite and tightening skin), Dr. Castor says Cellfina will work better and last much longer.
It does, however, also have a higher cost than those other treatments. Cellfina treatments start at $3,000.
“There are probably 25 to 30 devices on the market to reduce the appearance of cellulite, but they only last about six months,” says Dr. Castor. “Once you stop doing the treatment, the cellulite returns. This is the only device out there that has approval for permanent cellulite removal. It’s much more effective than any temporary device.”
Breast Augmentation
Another popular procedure at Dr. Castor’s office is breast augmentation. Dr. Castor estimates he performs between 150-200 of these surgeries each year. He does so many that the vendor of the implants he uses says he does the third most procedures of any doctor in the Tampa Bay area.
One reason many women choose to have Dr. Castor perform their surgery is that — in addition to being a Board-certified plastic surgeon with 20 years of experience —all of his procedures are done in Artisan’s in-office surgery suite.
“It’s much more private and homey than being in a hospital,” says Dr. Castor. “At hospitals, there are sick people and infections, and your surgery could get bumped by an emergency. At my office, patients have a better environment, especially for this type of elective surgery.”
He explains that he has a surgical team — including a nurse anesthetist, two surgical technicians and a recovery nurse — on his staff, so you’ll see the same people in the office and at your surgery.
Dr. Castor emphasizes that there are still two primary types of implants — silicone and saline — and that they are available in different profiles to help each woman get the exact shape, size and feel she’s looking for.
“We have newer implants called ‘gummy bear’ implants,” he says, explaining that the name indicates they are thicker and firmer, but still soft, like the texture of a gummy bear. “Every couple of years, they come up with something that looks better and feels even more natural.”
He says some prospective patients worry about safety, but the silicone implant leaks of the 1990s are a thing of the distant past.
“Silicone implants were reapproved in 2006 and they’ve pretty much taken over the market,” he says, adding that the revised silicone implants have, “been out for 12 years, so if there was a problem we would know about it by now.”
A patient of Dr. Castor’s, who lives in Lutz and asked us not to use her name, says she is particularly impressed by the doctor’s bedside manner and how much he cares about his patients.
“During the consultation, he was pretty thorough,” she says. “We went over different options, as far as incisions, and he takes into account what your concerns are. Even the day of the surgery, he came in and talked with me about what to expect, when to remove my bandages, and made sure to answer all of the questions I had.”
She adds, “I absolutely love the outcome. Two days after my surgery, Dr. Castor was on vacation, (but still) called me to follow up and check up on me to see how I was doing and if I had any questions or concerns that came up. It was unexpected and really nice, and is a testament to how important his patients are to him.”
Dr. Castor explains that he does all consultations himself, spending 30-45 minutes going over everything, discussing what the client is looking for — such as a natural look in a bathing suit or a look that really “shows” — and then making a recommendation for certain implants or profiles, and answering any and all questions. “A lot of patients tell me they’ve been to several doctors,” he says, “and I’ve spent more time with them than all of the other doctors combined.”
For more information about breast augmentation, visit ArtisanPlasticSurgeryCenter.net/breast-augmentation.
From there, you also can visit other parts of the doctor’s website, including a section with several videos, where you can learn more about Dr. Castor and his office.
Over the years, Dr. Castor has built a reputation for himself through the work he’s done with his patients, so much so that the Consumer Research Council (a Washington, DC-based research organization that provides guides to consumers about professionals in different industries) named him in its 2010 Guide to America’s Top Surgeons, and he has appeared in the Guide every year since then.
Artisan Aesthetics Plastic Surgery & Laser Center is located at 5383 Primrose Lake Cir. in Tampa Palms and is open Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. For more information, visit DrCastor.com or call (813) 971-2000.
School grades for the 2017-18 school year were released by the Florida Department of Education on June 27, and Wesley Chapel’s schools continue to perform well, including a pair of schools that improved over last year.
