2023-24 Schools Grades Are In — So, How Did Wesley Chapel’s School Fare? 

The chart above shows all of the letter grades received by all 18 public and charter schools located in Wesley Chapel after both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years. 

The Florida Department of Education released school grades for the 2023-24 school year on July 24, assigning a B grade for Pasco County Schools. Pasco has maintained a B rating since 2017. 

Superintendent Kurt Browning said in a release, “We are incredibly proud of our students, teachers, and staff for their hard work and dedication. These grades show that we are on the right track, and our efforts are paying off.” 

All of Wesley Chapel’s schools earned an “A,” “B” or “C” letter grade, along with 85 percent of schools throughout the county. 

While the vast majority of Wesley Chapel schools maintained the same grade as last year (14 of the 18 schools stayed the same from 2023), only one improved by a letter grade — Pinecrest Academy K-8 school, which improved to an A from last year’s B, while three dropped a letter grade, with Quail Hollow and Veterans elementary schools moving from a B to a C, and Sand Pine moving from an A to a B. 

In a letter to Sand Pine families, principal Angie Shauger explained the disappointing change. “We missed the A grade by just one point, scoring 61 when the cut score for an A was 62,” she wrote. “While this news is disappointing, it is important to recognize the hard work and dedication that our staff and students have shown throughout the year.” 

She said she’s “very proud of all the progress we have made and the commitment everyone has shown” and is optimistic that Sand Pine will earn an A again next school year. 

Five schools maintained their A status, including Seven Oaks Elementary, Union Park Charter Academy, John Long Middle School, Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation, and Wiregrass Ranch High School. While Kirkland Ranch has earned an A both school years since opening in 2022, Wiregrass Ranch’s history of A ratings goes back to 2018. 

Principal Robyn White says it’s a team effort that creates such consistent excellent performance. “The teachers work really hard and the kids are very motivated to do well,” she says. “They take what the teachers are providing them and make use of that.” 

She says the grade is maintained by encouraging success across the board, not in just one area, but in English, math, social studies, science and more. One area of measurement is the school’s graduation rate, which was an impressive 97 percent for 2022-23, the year that was evaluated for this year’s school grade. 

White says that her goal has always been to get a 100-percent graduation rate. She plans to retire from Wiregrass Ranch at the end of the 2024-25 school year, so she has one last chance to hit that mark. 

“We look at each individual student and do what’s best for kids,” she says. “I firmly believe that’s why we’re an A school.” 

For more information about school grades, visit FLDOE.org/accountability/accountability-reporting/school-grades/.

Primary Care Of Wesley Chapel — Nurse Practitioner-Run Primary Care 

When you visit The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel, located off Wesley Chapel Blvd. in Lutz, you’ll meet the team of (l.-r.) Alexis, Megan, Scarlette and Maggie. (Photos provided by Primary Care of WC) 

Scarlette Owens, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, has spent her entire career caring for patients. First, as a nurse in obstetrics and gynecology, then as a nurse practitioner. 

With decades of practice in the New Tampa and Wesley Chapel area, the word has gotten out that Scarlette is a knowledgeable, experienced primary care practitioner who listens to her patients and treats them with compassion and care. 

When Scarlette found herself at a career crossroads, the timing seemed perfect for her to open a new primary care practice of her own. 

So, Scarlette joined fellow nurse practitioner Megan Dudley, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, to open The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel just after Memorial Day weekend of this year. The office is located in the new Cypress Bend Professional Park, off Wesley Chapel Blvd., next to Harley Davidson of Wesley Chapel. 

The letters behind their names mean Scarlette and Megan have advanced credentials and participate in ongoing training to treat both female and male patients, ages 18 and up. They have each received a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree, earned credentials as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) and have earned Board certification as family nurse practitioners (FNP-C) by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board. 

Both Megan and Scarlette say they were looking for more flexibility in their work/life balance and thought that opening a new practice, with each of them as part owner, would give them that opportunity. 

Megan, as the mom of 10-year-old twins, wanted a schedule that would allow her to chauffeur her kids to soccer games and figure skating practice. Scarlette, after 18 years in internal medicine as a partner at a local Florida Medical Clinic office, was looking to slow down with a schedule that allowed her to work just four and a half days each week. 

As a member of the clinical faculty at the University of South Florida, in Tampa, Scarlette says she has trained many nurse practitioners. 

“I made a big leap to leave all of that behind,” she says, adding that she had signed a contract to work for a company that was putting primary care practices inside of Walgreens pharmacies. At the last minute, that company pulled the plug on the practice and told Scarlette they no longer had a job for her. She attempted to return to primary care, but the right fit wasn’t available, so she started working in urgent care for Florida Medical Clinic. 

“I loved the crew there,” Scarlette says. But, she also says that her former patients were tracking her down, asking her where they could see her for primary care again. 

“It was very humbling,” Scarlette says. “You’re busy doing your job, so you don’t realize how much your patients appreciate you and want to see you.” 

In addition to Scarlette and Megan, The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel has two employees who are both cross-trained as front desk staff and medical assistants, Alexis and Maggie. Scarlette says she expects them to become the leadership team as the practice grows. 

Megan and Scarlette look forward to being your primary care providers, too.

There also are two other providers in the office. Fellow Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Patricia Moore, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, is a part-time provider who focuses on women’s health. While she’s trained as a primary care provider, Patricia can take the time to have more lengthy conversations surrounding women’s issues and problems, such as hormones, bladder issues and contraceptives. 

And, occupational therapist Irfan Choudhry, OT/PTA, is expected to offer occupational therapy services at the practice starting in a couple of months. 

Scarlette and Megan say they are both focused on being available, accessible and good listeners, proactive in decision making and taking care of people. 

“So many people can’t get in to their primary care provider for six months,” explains Scarlette. Or, she adds, they may have an urgent issue — such as an infection or low blood sugar — and they’re told they can wait three weeks for an appointment or go to the emergency room, because those are the only options. 

“They don’t feel cared for,” Scarlette says. “I saw it from the urgent care perspective. All these people were there because they couldn’t get into primary care.” 

Telehealth Benefits 

So, at The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel, the team has Telehealth appointments available every day. If someone is on vacation and needs antibiotics or has high blood pressure or is having an allergic reaction, they can speak to a health care provider right away. 

“We are small, but that’s what makes us special,” says Megan. “We know our patients expect us to have knowledge and experience but we also want to have kindness and personal interactions. I hope people feel listened to, heard and valued. That’s what we’re here to do.” 

Megan says she often has patients she recognizes from her kids’ school or activities in the community, since she and her husband have lived in Wesley Chapel for more than 10 years now. 

“We live here, we’re raising our kids here, we go to church here and they go to public school here,” Megan says. “We’re entrenched in our community, and I love that I’m home from work in less than 15 minutes.” 

Scarlette says it means a lot to her that her patients continue to seek her out. 

“As a former OB nurse, I have patients who remember that I was the one who told them they were pregnant, and I’m still seeing them,” she says. “And now, those babies I delivered are all grown up and sometimes I see them, too.” 

One of Scarlette’s long-time patients is Donna, who asked that we not use her last name. She says she first met Scarlette nearly 20 years ago. 

“She is always so responsive and caring,” says Donna. “When I first became her patient, she spent so much time going through my chart, making sure she was very familiar with everything. She really listens and doesn’t just run in and out of the room.” 

Donna says she’s already seen Scarlette at The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel for both an in-person well check and sick visits via Telehealth. 

“The whole staff is so personable,” Donna says. “They seem so genuine and caring. And the office is beautiful.” 

The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel accepts many major health insurance plans, Medicare and some plans from the “Obamacare” marketplace. Patients also can self-pay if they don’t have insurance. 

The Primary Care of Wesley Chapel is located at 2935 Pearson James Pl., off Wesley Chapel Blvd. It is open Mon.- Fri., 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. For appointments or more information, call (813) 991-4243 or visit PrimaryCareWesleyChapel.com. 

2024 Senior Class President’s Speech Honors The Memory Of Paul R. Wharton 

(Above, l.-r) Jeffrey Schroeder, Stephen Michelini, Zack Chandler and Mary Wharton Schroeder at the Wharton High graduation, where Zack honored the memory of Mary’s father, Paul R. Wharton, the man for whom the school was named. (All photos provided by Hillsborough County Public Schools)

Wharton High senior Zack Chandler was at a baseball game with his teammates this spring when he noticed that every one of them had the same name on the backs of their jerseys. 

In fact, it was on all of the jerseys for all of the sports at his school — and on a lot of other shirts, too. They all said, “Wharton.” 

Of course they did, since that’s the name of the school they all were attending. 

It hit Zack that although he vaguely recalled that Wharton High was named after someone, he had no idea who that person was or why he was chosen to have a school named after him. 

So when Zack, who was the school’s 2023- 24 senior class president, was given the honor of speaking at his graduation ceremony on May 25, he knew what he wanted to do. 

Rather than talk about himself, Zack wanted to find out who exactly Paul R. Wharton was, and why Zack’s school was named after him. 

Photos of Paul Wharton

“I did some research and found out what a cool guy Mr. Wharton was, and how he affected the community,” Zack says. “I wanted to make a metaphor out of it. Don’t take things that you have every day for granted.” 

He learned that Wharton retired as the assistant superintendent for Hillsborough County Public Schools, after serving as principal of both Plant and Robinson high schools. He started in the county as an innovator who advocated for vocational and technical schools in the District, and also served as principal of the Brewster Vocational Technical Institute. 

Wharton did all of that after starting his career teaching in a one-room school house in Springfield, KY, and then serving in the U.S. Army before moving to Tampa. 

Zack found that Wharton had passed away in 2009, but Zack wanted to invite Wharton’s family members to his graduation to hear Wharton honored in front of the student body. 

Mary Wharton Shroeder is Paul’s daughter, and she attended the ceremony, along with her husband Stephen Michelini and her son Jeffrey Schroeder. She says this was the first time anyone had approached her about recognizing her dad at the school. 

Zack Chandler during his graduation speech

Mary and her family were seated in the graduation ceremony’s VIP area and were honored when Zack acknowledged them from the podium. “I was delighted,” she says. “I know what an amazing man Daddy was, and all the things he did for this community. It’s just a wonderful thing.” 

She says that if her dad had been able to address those students at Wharton, he might have told them it’s important to choose carefully who they emulate. They should choose their role models wisely, because who they look up to will make a huge difference in who they become. 

“It made me so proud of him to receive the recognition that he so deserved,” Mary says. “He never asked for the recognition, but he earned it because he helped to shape our community. He was always a leader and had a great sense of humor.” 

It’s been more than 25 years since Wharton High opened on August 21, 1997, so it’s understandable that today’s graduating seniors had never before heard of the man for whom their school was named. 

But now, thanks to Zack Chandler, they have. 

Just Turning 65 & Confused By Medicare? Insurance Opportunities Can Help! 

If you ‘re about to turn age 65, Shaun Fagan of Insurance Opportunities can help you navigate the tricky world of which Medicare plan will be best for your needs. (Photo by Charmaine George) 

Shaun Fagan has been a licensed insurance agent since 1986, growing his business in the Kansas City area, and specializing in helping people ages 65 and older navigate the ins and outs of Medicare. 

In 2022, after Shaun’s wife Mary retired from Verizon following a 37-year career, the couple moved to Wesley Chapel. 

Shaun says that at one point in his career, he had 500 agents working under him. But, these days, he’s looking for a simpler way of life. 

Now it’s just Shaun and Mary, but he still helps people navigate the complexities of government-provided health insurance through Medicare. 

“There is a lot of confusion about Medicare,” Shaun says. “I give people clarity to make their choices easier.” 

This is especially needed for people who are turning 65, which is typically when they become eligible for Medicare. Shawn can make all of the choices available to you simpler to understand. 

“The government doesn’t make it easy, that’s for sure,” he says. 

Many people in their early 60s wonder if they should retire or keep working to stay on their company’s heath insurance plan, or stay on their spouse’s health insurance plan. 

“When people get to that crossroads, sometimes they kind of hang in at work because they think it’s the cheaper way to go,” Shaun explains. “But they can often get better care at a better price, or equal coverage at a lower cost and have that opportunity to retire.” 

He says if you’re nearing age 65, the time to talk with him is about three to four months before your birthday so you have time to learn about your options, decide what you want to do and start the enrollment process. 

He adds that he also helps many people who are in a transition period, like if they have retired before age 65. 

That’s how Sheri Stephens met Shaun. 

“When I retired, I found it very overwhelming,” Sheri says. “I retired at 61, so I have a few years I have to bridge before Medicare.” 

Sheri says Shaun had already helped her sister and her husband find a better plan than what they already had, and they referred her to him. “He is so knowledgeable,” she says. “In just educating me and walking me through the different carriers and different benefits, he was able to break it down to a third-grade level, which is where I needed it to be, because there are so many conditions and rules.” 

Sheri liked that all of her conversations with Shaun were over the phone or via Zoom if he needed to show her something. 

“He was very professional, very knowledgeable and very easy to deal with.” 

Help For Businesses, Too 

Shaun also has decades of experience helping small businesses looking for health insurance for their entire company. 

“My niche is helping businesses with 20 to 50 employees, where they usually don’t have a human resources person,” he says. “They typically have an office manager but that person isn’t an insurance specialist. That’s where I can really help a business.” 

He explains that Insurance Opportunities also can provide medical, dental and vision insurance, but his specialty is Medicare. 

Shaun also says that when his business was based in Kansas City, he served clients in many states. Now, he continues to serve some of those clients, while also bringing his expertise to locals in Florida. 

“We had a large operation before,” he says, “but we whittled it down to make it more simple when we moved here. Now, it’s just my wife — who helps me with customer service and organizing my monthly Medicare educational events — and me, which is the way we want it. As we get older, simpler is better.” 

He says that since Covid, the workplace has changed so that he can work from anywhere, so he and Mary decided they didn’t want to spend another cold winter in Kansas City, which helped them decide to move to Wesley Chapel two years ago. 

“The pandemic was the prompter,” he explains. “You can work from anywhere now, so you might as well work from someplace warm.” 

They moved into the 55-and-older community of Esplanade in Wesley Chapel. 

Shaun is an avid cycler and loves that he never has to check the weather before he heads out to ride his bicycle. Although he says lately, he’s sure to head out around 6:30 a.m. before it gets too hot outside. 

He says that because he is a similar age to his clients now, he definitely can relate to the decisions they are facing. 

“I’m of that age now,” he says, “so I understand the dilemma and what people are trying to achieve. ‘Will I have enough money to do what I want to do?’ Not only do I have experience from clients. I’m also in it, too.” 

And, while he is reaching that age where some people think about retiring, he says he plans to continue working for 12 more years, so clients don’t need to worry that he won’t be available to them if they have questions in the future. 

“Medicare is confusing,” he says, “But it doesn’t have to be. In 30 minutes or an hour I’ve helped a lot of people to give them clarity, so they can make a decision about whether or not to enroll in Medicare, as well as which plan to choose.” 

Understanding The Differences 

There are four types of Medicare insurance, known as “Parts,” that include Part A through Part D. Part A provides hospital insurance; Part B provides medical insurance; Part C comprises Medicare Advantage Plans; and Part D provides prescription drug coverage. 

“Original Medicare” is managed by the federal government, while “Medicare Advantage” plans are managed through private insurance carriers and may offer additional benefits, such as coverage for prescription drugs, dental, vision and wellness. 

Shaun can help you determine whether you should enroll in Original Medicare or a Medicare Advantage plan, and he works with many large insurance carriers — such as Simply Blue, Aetna, Humana, United Health Care and others — all of which offer a variety of options when it comes to out-of-pocket costs, including deductibles, copayments and coinsurance. 

Shaun is certified through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. He says that some Medicare plans vary based on the state you live in, but the plans all basically offer the same benefits and he can walk you through the specifics of all of the plans available to you. 

“We start with a no-cost, no-obligation meeting, which can be in person or a phone call,” Shaun says. 

He’s quick to point out that even if you sign up with him, there’s still no cost to you for his services. Insurance Opportunities doesn’t charge service, consultation or advisor fees — the carrier you sign up with is who pays Shaun. 

“There’s no cost to you except the 30 minutes to an hour you spend with me — so just the time,” he says. 

Shaun says for clients who want to meet face to face, he’ll come to you. He takes phone calls at all hours and typically meets with clients Monday through Friday, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. 

To schedule a free consultation with Shaun Fagan of Insurance Opportunities, call him at (816) 305-3337 or visit Calendly.com/shaun-185 to set a time. You also can get more information on the website at InsOppty.com.

Financial Vision Can Help You Plan For Your Future; Also Looking For Team Members 

New Tampa residents Nidhi Dwivedi and Arvind Gupta of Financial Vision can help you with estate planning, life insurance and more. (Photo by Charmaine George) 

It’s easy to imagine how emotionally difficult it would be to navigate losing your spouse, but for anyone who was not prepared financially for that scenario, it makes an already terrible situation even worse. 

That’s why married couple Nidhi Dwivedi and Arvind Gupta say they started their business — which they call Financial Vision — to help clients with estate planning, wills, trusts, as well as life and health insurance. 

Nidhi explains that anyone who doesn’t have an estate plan in place could find themselves having to go to probate court, where a judge would decide what accounts they could access, which can take months to resolve. 

“There is not only a financial cost,” explains Nidhi, “but also the struggle while someone is already going through the emotional difficulties of losing their spouse.” 

Arvind adds, “Many people do not know about the importance of having a plan and appropriate documents in place for their family.” 

That’s where Financial Vision can help. And, in addition to estate planning, Nidhi and Arvind also help clients with financial and retirement planning and saving to pay for college for their kids. 

The couple lives in K-Bar Ranch in New Tampa with their children, ages 15 and 9. Both Nidhi and Arvind are information technology (IT) professionals who have long dreamed of owning their own business. They have lived in Tampa since 2007, when they moved here from India. 

Nidhi says her husband always hoped to move to the United States, and now they are living their shared dream of being entrepreneurs, with the freedom to both provide for their family’s needs and to have the flexibility to travel back to India to care for her aging parents whenever needed. 

When they realized the great need for education on financial matters, Nidhi worked to become licensed as a life and health insurance agent through the State of Florida. She often meets with clients, while Arvind works as her support “staff.” They launched their business in May of 2023, so they have been helping clients get their financial matters in order for more than a year now. 

Being a licensed life and health insurance agent means Financial Vision has access to many large companies — such as Nationwide, Fidelity and others — that offer products such as life insurance and annuities to help clients plan for their retirement and other long-term savings. 

Financial Vision offers a complimentary consultation, which can be conveniently held in your home or even online if you prefer. 

“During this consultation session,” Nidhi explains, “we delve into crucial topics such as understanding the mechanics of money, the significance of financial planning and the essentials of estate planning, including wills, trusts and strategies for avoiding probate. We also provide insights into how taxes and market volatility can impact financial stability, especially during retirement.” 

She says she and Arvind believe that financial decisions should be a shared responsibility within the household, so they make it a point to engage both spouses in educational sessions to ensure that both partners are equipped to actively participate in managing their financial affairs. 

On the estate planning side, they help people document who will be the guardian of their minor children in case something unfortunate happens, and explain documents such as wills and trusts, living wills and powers of attorney. 

Nidhi and Arvind say that the process may prove to be easier than you think, and the idea that you have to have a lawyer prepare these types of documents is a common misconception. 

They work with an online provider called Net Law, which complements their educational services. 

“Don’t procrastinate,” says Arvind. “This is important. I feel passionate about it because we have understood first-hand why you need to have it, and the cost of not having it.” 

They say that, especially if you have children, estate planning is essential, and Net Law offers a package for families at what Arvind calls an “optimized” cost. 

“It’s almost DIY,” he says. “You can do the paperwork at home, take it to a notary, and it’s done. It doesn’t take hours. It takes maybe an hour and it will really help you.” 

While Nidhi is licensed in Florida and based in New Tampa, she also is licensed in all 50 states and has helped clients across the country, as well. 

Joining The Team! 

Now that their business is established, Nidhi and Arvind are looking for partners (photo) to help them expand Financial Vision. 

If you or someone you know is interested in getting licensed and being trained by Nidhi to learn about financial services and all that they do, they welcome you to contact them. 

“You don’t need a financial services background,” Arvind says. “We’ll guide you and explain everything you need to know. This is a part-time opportunity for anyone with a passion for helping people and a willingness to learn…someone who is looking to bring in additional income.” 

One business partner they are already working with is a friend who was first a client, Kanchan Mishra. 

“We wanted to secure our family with estate planning and have the will and trust done,” says Kanchan, who adds that she has learned so much — especially the value of understanding her family’s finances and not leaving it only in her husband’s hands. 

Kanchan says that she used to think that since she’s not a citizen of the United States, she didn’t need to worry about estate planning, but she has come to learn that anyone who has any property or financial accounts in the U.S. should still have an estate plan. 

To contact Financial Vision to set up a free consultation for estate planning, creating a will and trust, planning for rolling over a 401(k) retirement savings account, planning for retirement or your children’s college education, or if you’re looking into options for life insurance — or want to join the Financial Vision team, call (813) 390-1086 or (813) 385-1601. You also can email Nidhi@ financialvision.us or visit the website at FinancialVision.us.Â