Pride Elementary Media Specialist Suzy Tkacik Falls Short Of Winning Diversity Educator Of The Year Award

Updated by Gary Nager

Pride Elementary principal Paulette English (left) with Pride media specialist and 2024 Hillsborough County Public Schools’ Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year award finalist Suzy Tkacik in the school’s Media Center. (Photo provided by Hillsborough County Public Schools)

Among more than 200 nominations for the 2024 Hillsborough County Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year award, just four finalists were selected.

And, although she didn’t end up winning the award, one of those four standout District-wide educators/finalists was Pride Elementary media specialist Suzy Tkacik.

“Mrs. Tkacik is deserving of this recognition because she positively influences every student, teacher, support person, district worker, and visitor who comes our way,” says Pride principal Paulette English. “She is enthusiastic, creative, motivating, and kind. Because of her leadership and love for students, our Media Center is a cheerful, well-organized, welcoming environment, and always buzzing with happy students, teachers and volunteers.”

The Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year is one of three awards given out each year by the Hillsborough Education Foundation, in partnership with Hillsborough County Public Schools. 

According to the Foundation’s website, the award is named after Ida S. Baker, who became the first African-American to serve as Deputy Superintendent for the Florida Department of Education (DoE), after she also was the founding principal of Cape Coral High and the first-ever Black high school principal in Lee County. Baker was known for her efforts to support diverse students and encourage academic success. After her passing in 1992, the DoE created this statewide award in her honor.

Each school in Hillsborough County may nominate one teacher who, “embodies the pioneering spirit of Ida S. Baker by going above and beyond to meet the needs of our diverse student population.”

Suzy says she loves being the media specialist at Pride, where most of the school’s families come from other countries.

“About 60 percent of our families are from India, and then we have students from China, South America, Africa, Europe, Eastern Europe and others,” she says. “I’ve gotten to meet students from all around the world.”

She says that once she meets a student, she tries very hard to remember his or her name. “We have students who have more than 20 characters in their first name alone,” she says. “I take a lot of time to learn their names and learn how to pronounce them. It matters a great deal to me.”

And then, she also makes sure that every student is represented in the Media Center’s library by the books and materials that are available to them.

She says she recently had a seven-year-old ask for a book about her home country of Jordan. Since there wasn’t one already in the library, Suzy found one to be added to the collection. When it arrived in the Media Center last week, Suzy says the girl’s eyes just lit up.

“That’s Amman!,” she says the girl exclaimed as she flipped through the pages. “That’s my city!”

Suzy says the wonderful diversity of her school has had a deep impact on her. 

She thinks back to last fall, when she challenged her students to share information about the Hindu festival of Diwali on the school’s morning show. Suzy says she learned about the ways Diwali is celebrated by many of the school’s families who are from India. While it’s a common holiday to celebrate, each family has different traditions and some even have different beliefs about the origin of Diwali.

“When I get to hear their stories of their rich backgrounds, I want to soak it all in,” Suzy says. “They teach me more than anything.”

Suzy has been the media specialist at Pride since she launched her second career 15 years ago. Before that, she earned a degree in public relations and journalism. She says once her children — who are now 28, 25, and 22 — started school, she “discovered school libraries and what cool places they are” and returned to college to earn a Master of Arts (M.S.) degree in Library Information science from University of South Florida (USF). 

For the last 15 years, she says she has been surrounded by fantastic educators who do an amazing job of maintaining Pride’s “A” rating year after year.

“I don’t have a degree in education,” Suzy says, “so everything I’ve learned about being an educator has been from watching my great colleagues. It’s a team effort.”

Unfortunately for the timing of our Feb. 6 New Tampa issue, Hillsborough County’s 2024 Excellence in Education Awards Gala was held on Feb. 1, after that issue went to press. The Ida S. Baker Award winner this year was Dr. Ilfaut Joseph of Jennings Middle School.  The other two annual awards announced at the Excellence in Education program on Feb. 1 were the 2024 Teacher of the Year Dr. Clayton Nylund of Blake High and Instructional Support Employee of the Year Maria Ortiz of Temple Terrace Elementary

All 11 schools in New Tampa submitted a nominee in each of the three categories. But this year, Suzy was the only New Tampa nominee to be chosen as a finalist in any category. “Our amazing Mrs. Tkacik wears lots of hats and is many things to many people,” English says. “She makes every child feel special and makes everyone she works with feel valued and appreciated.”

New Tampa’s Elementary Schools Again Excel In State’s Grading System 

All eleven New Tampa public schools repeated their Florida Department of Education letter grades from the end of the 2021-22 school year to the end of the 2022-23 school year. Several New Tampa elementary schools have had “A” grades for many years in a row. 

With the 2023-24 school year roughly half over, the Florida Department of Education recently released its letter grades for every school in Florida, including the six elementary, two middle, two high and one “combination” school (Turner-Bartels K-8) in New Tampa for the 2022-23 school year. 

All eleven public schools in our area repeated their letter grades from the previous school year, with all six elementary schools in our area — Chiles, Clark, Heritage, Hunter’s Green, Pride and Tampa Palms — all receiving “A” grades. Benito Middle School also received an A again, while Liberty Middle School and Turner-Bartels (which receives its grades for both its elementary and middle schools) earning Bs. Freedom and Wharton High again received C grades. 

A Tradition Of Excellence 

New Tampa’s schools, which again outperformed the Hillsborough School District as a whole, continued their long-standing tradition of excellent grades, as both Clark and Pride elementaries have received A grades from the state for 21 consecutive years, while Chiles earned its 20th A in a row 

Meanwhile, Benito has received an A grade for 20 of the last 21 years, but that includes one year when middle schools did not receive letter grades. Tampa Palms has earned an A for six consecutive years, while Liberty has received three straight Bs after earning As the 18 years before that. 

Turner-Bartels has earned a B for six consecutive years, after nine straight As in the years before that. 

And, while both Wharton and Freedom have each received seven straight Cs, both earned either As or Bs the previous six years. 

Both Heritage and Hunter’s Green elementaries have had more of a mixed bag prior to their two consecutive As, with both schools receiving either Bs or Cs for either eight (Heritage) or nine (HGE) years since their last As. 

New Tampa’s elementary schools definitely outperformed the Hillsborough School District as a whole, which had only 35 A schools among its 144 elementaries. And, Benito’s A was one of only 12 As earned by the District’s 45 middle schools. 

Overall, the District’s 267 total elementary, middle, high and combined public schools earned a total of 96 A grades, or about 36% earning that highest possible grade. But, New Tampa’s seven As among its 11 total District schools meant that 63.6% earned that most-coveted letter grade. Congrats! 

Tkachik Named A Finalist! 

Because of when the finalists were announced (during the Christmas break), we were unable to interview Suzy Tkacik, a media specialist at Pride Elementary, who was named one of the four finalists for the Hillsborough School District’s Ida S. Baker Diversity Award. The winner will be announced on February 1 at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Tampa, along with the District’s Teacher of the Year and Instructional Support Employee of the Year. 

No other finalists were from New Tampa’s schools. Good luck, Suzy! 

Excel Music Adds Two Exciting New Programs To Better Serve You! 

Excel Music piano & guitar teacher Regnarene Brown (left) will teach the Royal Conservatory of Music program at Excel, which is located in the Cory Lake Professional Center on Cross Creek Blvd. (Photos by Charmaine George) 

Located in the Cory Lake Professional Center on Cross Creek Blvd., Excel Music has been teaching children and adults private lessons in voice, piano, guitar, drums, strings, clarinet, recorder, flute, saxophone, and other musical instruments for 17 years. 

Serving the communities of Wesley Chapel, New Tampa, Excel Music co-founders John and Sheri Thrasher cannot contain their delight when they talk about two exciting new programs — one that is available immediately and the other beginning next month (January 2024). 

Royal Conservatory-trained and certified teacher Regnarene Brown has joined the faculty of 14 music teachers to instruct Royal Conservatory Piano. 

“This is a method intended for more serious students,” Regnarene says. “There’s an adjudication process. They prepare and perform pieces for judges before they can move on to the next level. It’s for a student who might be interested in a career or pursuing music at a more serious level.” 

John adds, “Typically, we start kids in piano at 5, but an adult can start Royal Conservatory if they want to.” 

As excited as he is about the Royal Conservatory, John is equally thrilled about Excel’s other new program. 

“We are officially starting a Keyboard Band Piano Jam class in January,” he says. “This class is for 7-10 year olds, typically beginners, but intermediate students would also enjoy it. From Day One, they’re learning pop songs, and each child gets their own part to play. There are four levels. It’s like gamified learning, like a karate class where once they master a level, they move up to the next level.” 

The Keyboard Band students will learn the same skills taught in private lessons, but instead, will work with 4-5 other students in a small group setting. They will work on music reading, as well as chords, melodies and improvisation. 

“Playing with other people, you feel inspired to try a little harder,” John says. “Even if your part is simple, it’s important. It matters. Quite often, kids worry that playing the piano will be too hard, and that at-home practice will feel more like homework, not something they’ll enjoy. This program is designed to eliminate that concern by establishing some quick wins for the students, so much so that after just a few lessons, each student will have the basic skills needed to play their favorite song. Every three to four months, they will perform at a concert — not a recital, but a concert— and/or they’ll do a professional YouTube music video. I have never been as excited for a class.” 

John hopes to schedule the first Keyboard Band concert and video in Apr. 2024. 

Post-Pandemic Changes 

During the pandemic, Excel Music brought lessons online only, but since reopening to in-person lessons, has continued to offer students the convenience of virtual classes. 

“We still have a fairly large number of students participating virtually,” he says. “It’s been a great fit. We’ve had students who have moved out of the state or even the country continue their private lessons with us. Many families return to their native countries during the summertime, and the students can continue their music lessons while away. That’s been a real benefit to kids during the three-month ‘summer slump,’ when many kids tend to slip backward (at school). Learning music is no different, so this has really helped.” 

He adds, “Our focus is on education first. Many places that give lessons, particularly on multiple instruments and voice, are often retail facilities that also offer lessons. We’ve turned that model around. We do have some retail, but only in support of the individual lessons. These are accessories that students need to succeed and do well in their music lessons.” 

Dreva Pauley (left) will work with kids in Excel Music’s new Keyboard Band Piano Jam program, which begins next month. 

With each class or curriculum designed for that particular student, regardless of the student’s skill level or style of music they like, everything can be accommodated in a private lesson, whether in person or online. 

At Excel Music, all teachers are either university-trained (many with Master of Music degrees) or have a decade of study and performing experience. The Thrashers take pride in hiring not only the most qualified teachers but also some of the nicest. 

“I want people who are there because they love to teach and have a real passion,” ays John. “People who get a thrill when they see the student’s eyes light up with understanding when they cross that threshold, and the look on their face says, ‘Oh, I got it. It’s an incredibly exciting moment — the thrill of sharing a student’s ‘a-ha’ moment.” 

Student Sam Z says, “I like that my teacher encourages me to learn more and more music, and he gets me music that I want to learn.” 

Upcoming to Excel Music is the ability to text the music school, do online enrollment, and have 24/7 access to information about lessons and answers to questions parents raise. 

“Over the years, we’ve improved at providing not only a quality music education but also a fantastic experience for our students,” John says. “We’ve developed many systems that have streamlined and made the way we teach music more effective, as well as how we’ve used technology to improve our service and continue to use newer technologies.” 

When not running their music school, John and Sheri, who live in Wesley Chapel, are lovers of the performing arts, traveling and pampering their two pet cats. 

Excel Music is located at 10353 Cross Creek Blvd., Suite I. It is open Mon.- Thur., 2 p.m.-9 p.m., 2 p.m.-7 p.m. on Fri., and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sat. It is closed on Sunday. For more info, call (813) 991-1177, or visit newtampamusicschool.com. 

Freedom High To Be Home To Hillsborough’s First Business Academy 

(l.-r.) Freedom High Business Academy director Brian Nanns, business teacher Natalie Lozada, marketing teacher Derrick McCoy, accounting teacher Stacey Polhill and Freedom assistant principal of curriculum Matthew Smith . (Photos by Charmaine George) 

From charter schools and private schools to public school magnet programs, there are plenty of options for high school students in New Tampa to find a customized high school curriculum that will prepare them for the next step in their lives that isn’t always the closest school to where they live. 

But now, Freedom High in Tampa Palms is hoping to attract more New Tampa students to choose their local public school with a brand new attractor program that will be the first Business Academy in the Hillsborough County School District. 

Students who finish all of the classes in the Business Academy will graduate with a certification that recognizes them as a program completer. Along the way, each class they take will earn them either an industry certification or college credit. 

Courses in the Academy include a series of classes in accounting, marketing, business principles and entrepreneurship, many that are either Advanced Placement (AP) or Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), which can result in students earning college credit if they pass an exam. 

Freedom’s assistant principal of curriculum Matthew Smith says one reason this program is poised for success is because it actually pays for itself, rather than requiring money to operate. 

That’s because the Florida Department of Education (FDoE) provides a stipend to schools that prepare students to do jobs that are needed in the workforce. So, when students earn industry certifications or college credits, that state-provided stipend goes back to the school, where it is used to enhance those programs. 

“We applied for a state grant to expand into this area because there’s a big shortage in accounting in Florida,” Smith says. “We are planning to transform our regular classrooms into high-tech accounting labs.” 

He says this will include seating where students work together collaboratively and have technology to project to the walls, for example, and that the room will likely feature a live stock market ticker. 

“This could be a game-changer for Freedom,” Smith says. “We’re hoping to retain neighborhood kids so they don’t have to get on a magnet bus and go somewhere else in Hillsborough County for a different program.” 

Smith explains that the Business Academy will be overarching and encompass the school’s Digital Academy, which has been in place for several years and prepares students for careers in game design, web development or related fields. 

“Our Digital Academy labs are already well equipped,” he explains, “with more than $200,000 per year in funding from industry certifications that our students receive.” 

This allows the labs to be continually updated with the latest technology. 

“We are adding AI next year, too,” he says, referring to teaching students about artificial intelligence. 

The Hillsborough County School District’s Chief of Innovation and Strategic Planning Marcos Murillo says these and other career and technical education classes have set the foundation for the Business Academy to be built on, and that it will be unique in the District. While other schools offer entry-level classes in subjects such as accounting and marketing, the Business Academy will be more comprehensive. 

The Business Academy also will encompass the school’s existing Digital Academy

“Freedom will offer more classes in that area than any other school in the District,” Murillo says. “The higher level classes won’t available anywhere else and will allow students to have a more robust transcript to apply for college.” 

Murillo’s job is to innovate at every school throughout the county but, he says, “Freedom is dear to my heart. My daughter graduated from there and my son is there now.” 

Instructors for Freedom’s Business Academy are already in place and are training for new courses that will be offered for the 2024-25 school year. 

For example, Stacey Polhill has worked as an accountant in the private industry and at the school district and has decades of real-world accounting experience. 

“She currently teaches math and accounting honors,” explains Smith, “but next year, she will teach additional accounting classes, such as managerial accounting honors or AICE accounting.” 

Not all classes will be available next year, but classes will be added as the program grows and students in the program need them. 

Other teachers include Brian Nanns, who is the chair of the school’s Career Technical Education Department. He currently serves as director of the Digital Academy, teaching classes such as AP Computer Science Principles, and will be director of the Business Academy, too. 

Social studies teacher Eric Galante has a business degree and is now working to get certified to teach AP and AICE business principles and global business classes. 

Derrick McCoy currently teaches marketing and television production and will expand the marketing classes that will be made available to students. 

Natalie Lozado will teach business ownership and entrepreneurship, which Smith says will teach students how to fully develop a new business, execute their plans, and compete in the marketplace. 

To participate in the Business Academy, all students — even if they currently attend Freedom — must apply through Hillsborough County’s “school choice and magnet application” available online at HillsboroughSchools.org/choice. 

In addition to the Business Academy, Smith says many students use the choice application to join the Digital Academy, which does not carry the “attractor” designation, or to participate in the school’s popular veterinary science program, where students can graduate high school as a Certified Veterinary Assistant. 

Freedom will appear on the application as an option during the next choice/magnet application period, which is typically in Feb. 

Smith says that if it happens that there is space available in the program, it may be possible for current Freedom students to take some of the classes in the Business Academy. However, seats are reserved for those who are chosen for the attractor program and commit to completing the entire track. 

“I can’t wait to build out the program,” Smith says.

Congratulations To Wesley Chapel’s Teacher Of The Year Nominees! 

For the 2023-24 school year, local schools have chosen nominees for the Pasco School District’s countywide awards. 

Three Teacher of the Year nominees — one each from the District’s elementary, middle and high schools — and one School Related Personnel (SRP) nominee will be surprised by Pasco school superintendent Kurt Browning with the announcement that they have been chosen as a countywide winner later this year. 

Each public and charter school throughout the District, including all of the schools in Wesley Chapel, nominated candidates for consideration. The people named on these pages were recognized by their peers on their respective campuses for their outstanding contributions to their schools. Congrats to all! 

Editor’s Note — We had not received the Teacher/SRP of the Year info for Union Park Academy or Innovation Prep at our press time. 

Double Branch Elementary 

Teacher of the Year: Debra Hodros, Kindergarten (photo) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Jill Galvis 

New River Elementary 

Teacher of the Year: Brianna Warren (photo) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Maria Zamora 

Quail Hollow Elementary 

Teacher of the Year: Robin Stead, Kindergarten (photo) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Wendy Bibbey, Instructional Assistant 

Sand Pine Elementary 

Teacher of the Year: Heather Forsman, 2nd Grade (right) 

SRP of the Year: Bailey Glover, ESE Instructional Assistant (left) 

Seven Oaks Elementary 

Teacher of the Year: Danielle Bullara, 3rd Grade (right) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Andrea Long, Kindergarten Instructional Assistant (left) 

Veterans Elementary 

Teacher of the Year: Bridget Aubuchont, 4th Grade, PLC Facilitator, New Teacher Leader 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Cristin Becker, Bookkeeper 

Watergrass Elementary 

Teachers of the Year: Pam Armstrong, 1st Grade (left) & Jenna Huetten, 3rd Grade (right ) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Tracy France, Instructional Assistant 

Wesley Chapel Elementary

Teacher of the Year: Aveon Moon (photo) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Beth Kurland 

Wiregrass Elementary 

Teacher of the Year: Heather Olds, 5th Grade STEM Teacher (left) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Jamie Zuzek, Guidance Secretary (right) 

Cypress Creek Middle School

Teacher of the Year: Justin Santiago, Language Arts, PLC Facilitator, New Teacher Liaison, Prof’l Development Coordinator (left in photo) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Tami Milner, Data Entry Operator 

John Long Middle School

Teacher of the Year: Porsche Alderman (photo) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Loretta Stephenson 

Thomas E. Weightman Middle School

Teacher of the Year: Adam Zondor, Art (photo) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Nadine Di Vittorio, Instructional Assistant 

Cypress Creek High 

Teacher of the Year: Warren Underwood, Theatre (left in photo) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Lorraine McKinney, Bookkeeper 

Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation (Charter School) 

Teacher of the Year: Stephanie Bertig, Digital Media/Multimedia (photo) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Juan Garcia, Custodian 

Wesley Chapel High 

Teacher of the Year: Jennifer Salter, 9th Grade English (pictured with her family) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Denise Garcia, School Registrar 

Wiregrass Ranch High 

Teacher of the Year: Tammy Williams, Assessment Coordinator (photo) 

School-Related Personnel of the Year: Jessica Jackson, Front Office Secretary/Sub Coordinator