Firefighters from Tampa Fire Rescue Station No. 20 captivated Primrose School at Tampa Palms students with their fire safety presentation during National Fire Prevention Week. (All photos provided by Primrose School at Tampa Palms)
In the U.S., National Fire Prevention Week was first proclaimed by President Calvin Coolidge in 1925, and nearly 100 years later, it’s still recognized and celebrated.
Fire Prevention Week was the backdrop for preschoolers at the Primrose School of Tampa Palms to receive some of their first lessons in fire safety.
The firefighters from Tampa Fire Rescue Station No. 20, located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. just south of I-75, visited the school to teach kids important lessons.
The preschoolers learned what the Fire Rescue department does, what equipment firefighters use and the importance of their uniforms. The firefighters also demonstrated how to “stop, drop, and roll” in case of a fire.
And, perhaps most fun of all for the kids was that they were able to hold the fire hose and even go inside the fire truck.
The Tampa Fire Rescue Department provides education as an important part of its community services.
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
For the 2023-24 school year, the eleven public schools located in New Tampa have chosen their nominees for the Hillsborough County Schools/Hillsborough Education Foundation “Excellence in Education” awards. In the Spring of 2024, the winners of the following three awards will be announced at the School District’s annual awards gala.
Each school nominated one candidate to be considered for the each of the three county-wide awards: Teacher of the Year, Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year, and Instructional Support Employee of the Year.
Every person on this page was recognized by their peers for outstanding contributions to their respective schools.
Congratulations to all of the worthy nominees for these awards at every New Tampa public school. (Note-Only the Teacher of the year nominees at each school are shown, except at Wharton High).
Chiles Elementary
Michael Zang
Teacher of the Year: Michael Zang, 3rd grade Math & Science; Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year: Amie Adum Simmons; Instructional Support Employee of the Year: Lauren Richardson
Clark Elementary
Christy Gupta
Teacher of the Year: Christy Gupta, Academically Gifted Program; Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year: Donna Clark; Instructional Support Employee of the Year: Shannon Ferreira
Heritage Elementary
Dona Marlatt
Teacher of the Year: Dona Marlatt, 5th grade English Language Arts; Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year: Altemese Simard, Music; Instructional Support Employee: Vanessa Hernandez-Morales, cafeteria manager
Hunter’s Green Elem.
Danielle McGonagle
Teacher of the Year: Danielle McGonagle, 2nd grade; Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year: Amanda Palmer; Instructional Support Employee of the Year: Melissa Curtis
Pride Elementary
Crystal Camerino
Teacher of the Year: Crystal Camerino, 4th grade Math & Science; Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year: Suzy Tkacik, Media Specialist; Instructional Support Employee: Diane Riley, Student Nutrition Services Manager
Tampa Palms Elem.
Kelly Sollenberger
Teacher of the Year: Kelly Sollenberger, 4th grade; Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year: Cindy Sciandra; Instructional Support Employee of the Year: Awilda Valentin
Turner/Bartels K-8
Chelsea Gonzalez- Panek
Teacher of the Year: Chelsea Gonzalez- Panek, Math; Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year: Marelisa Moreno; Instructional Support Employee of the Year: Jessica Ghoumari
Benito Middle School
Michelle Nolan
Teacher of the Year: Michelle Nolan, Math; Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year: Patricia Brown- Denis; Instructional Support Employee of the Year: Geraldo Mendoza
Liberty Middle School
Brianne Melvin
Teacher of the Year: Brianne Melvin, PE Coach; Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year: Edwin Cadet; Instructional Support Employee of the Year: Lori McNabb
Freedom High
Lonna Hernandez (center)
Teacher of the Year: Lonna Hernandez, Biology; Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year: Cheryl Bernales, Varying Exceptionalities; Instructional Support Employee of the Year: Malissa Nanns
Wharton High
Kristen Montgomery (center)
Teacher of the Year: Kristen Montgomery, Math (center) Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of the Year: Markee Duncan (right); Instructional Support Employee of the Year: Jill Brown
Congratulations go out to all of this year’s “Excellence in Business” award winners and finalists from Wesley Chapel. The annual honors were presented by the North Tampa Bay Chamber (NTBC) at its awards gala held at TrebleMakers Dueling Piano Bar & Restaurant in The Grove on Nov. 17.
Among this year’s award winners were Jennie Yingling of both Spinner Law and the Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel, who was honored with the “Community Hero” award; Avalon Park Wesley Chapel, which took home the “Excellence in Innovation” award; and to Parks Ford and AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, which (no pun intended) shared the “Innovation in Collaboration” honors (the first-ever tie for an NTBC award, according to Chamber president & CEO Hope Kennedy). Other winners included Pepin Academy (“Inclusivity”) and SOF Missions (“Integrity”).
Jennie Yingling (“Community Hero”)Avalon Park Wesley Chapel (“Excellence in Innovation”)Parks Ford (“Innovation in Collaboration”)AdventHealth Wesley Chapel (“Innovation in Collaboration”)Pepin Academy (“Inclusivity”)SOF Missions (“Integrity”)
If I ever open a store, I hope I can do as good a job as Academy Sports + Outdoors, a nearly 300-store chain which opened its newest location next to PopStroke on the north side of S.R. 56, in front of Total Wine & More.
From Fri.-Sun, Nov. 17-19, the first 150 people to visit received a free Academy Sports + Outdoors gift card valued anywhere from $20 to a whopping $500. According to Academy’s regional marketing specialist for Florida Michael Reynolds, a total of more than $14,000 in gift cards were given away and just the prospect of winning one of the two big $500 cards given away each day certainly had everyone in attendance excited about the Wesley Chapel area’s newest sporting goods store.
In fact, Jannah, photographer Charmaine George and I were on hand to witness the two $500 winners on Friday, including Kalyn Saliba (top left photo), who said that although she’s not particularly “sporty” herself, her husband and sons had shopped at the Academy store in Louisiana, where they lived for several years before moving back to Florida.
“But, I’m a big fan of Academy now,” Kalyn said after she posed with her giant gift card and called her husband, who didn’t believe she had really won. “No, really,” she said. “Let’s definitely go shopping here soon!”
We also heard several $75 and $100 gift cards being given to some of the other early attendees, none of whom won less than $20, and most were quick to make purchases — including yours truly, who scooped a new pair of New Balance running shoes that were already 25% off before taking my $20 gift card into consideration. The athletic shoe department has lots of other options, including Asics, Brooks, Nike and more.
I don’t know how long the opening 25% off prices will remain in effect, but there’s no doubt that Academy Sports + Outdoors has pretty much everything you need to be outfitted for everything from baseball to volleyball and brand names from Adidas to Yeti — all at outstanding prices.
The outdoor department is huge and does include camping, fishing, hunting and hiking gear and even grills and turkey fryers.
Academy Sports + Outdoors (25415 Sierra Center Blvd., Lutz) is open every day except Thur. For more information, call (813) 953-4410 or visit Academy.com.
