Pasco Hernando Community College Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, opening Jan. 13 as Pasco Hernando State College.
By Gary Nager
Even though, at our press time, the new Pasco Hernando Community College (PHCC)âPorter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch (located on Mansfield Blvd. at S.R. 56), still looked like more of a construction site than a college campus, PHCCâPorter Campus Provost Stanley M. Giannet, Ph.D., said that school officials were expecting to receive the Certificate of Occupancy for the newest of Floridaâs 29 two-year college campuses on Dec. 10, with the building actually opening on Jan. 2 and classes for the Spring 2014 semester set to begin on Mon., Jan. 13.Continue reading
Dr. Stanley Giannet, Ph.D. The new Provost of the Pasco Hernando Community College Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch
Even though, at our press time, the new Pasco Hernando Community College (PHCC)âPorter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch (located on Mansfield Blvd. at S.R. 56), still looked like more of a construction site than a college campus, PHCCâPorter Campus Provost Stanley M. Giannet, Ph.D., said that school officials were expecting to receive the Certificate of Occupancy for the newest of Floridaâs 29 two-year college campuses on Dec. 10, with the building actually opening on Jan. 2 and classes for the Spring 2014 semester set to begin on Mon., Jan. 13.
Dr. Giannet gave a complete update on PHCCââ which actually will be renamed Pasco Hernando State College (PHSC) when the five-campus community college receives its expected final accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools Commission on Colleges later this month (which will transform the current four-campus PHCC into a fully-accredited, four-year state college the day it opens) â at the Dec. 4 meeting of the Wesley Chapel Rotary Club, which meets Wednesdays at noon at Ciao! Italian Bistro in the Shops at Wiregrass mall.
The high-energy Provost of the (for now) PHCCâPorter Campus explained that the new campus is playing an integral role in PHCCâs transition to a four-year state college because it will be the home of the new PHSCâs first two Bachelorâs degree programs â a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Management &âSupervision. And, although the many of the two-year Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree programs to be offered at PHSCâs Porter Campus will be in allied health fields, including pharmacy tech and surgical technologist programs.
âTwo full floors of the Porter Campus will be devoted to nursing and allied health courses and degrees,ââsaid Dr. Giannet. âAnd, we already have an affiliation in place with Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) and are still finalizing opportunities for our students at the new North Tampa Behavioral Health (NTBH) facility, both just a couple of miles from the school. This campus is really going to be fully tied in with this community.â
In fact, the Provost also was hopeful that the other two-year degree programs at PHSCâs Porter Campus, which will include paralegal, financial services, heavy workforce business programs and information technology, will help PHSCâgrads get jobs at the planned Raymond James Financial office nearby on S.R. 56 and the other large companies that may soon be coming to the area.
Pasco Hernando Community College Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch scheduled to open for classes on January 13.
And, Dr. Giannet told the Rotarians, at seven stories tall, the beautiful main building at the 60-acre Porter Campus will be the tallest building in Pasco County when it opens, but âthe real story is everything that will be going on inside the buildings…and the people who will be staffing them.â
The Provost called those who already have filled the first 47 of 50 available positions at the Porter Campus, âa superstar team of faculty, professionals and staff,ââand thanked FHWCâCEO Brian Adams for the hospitalâs hosting of a three-evening information session about the school, attended by, âabout 180 people.â
And, speaking of people, although Dr. Giannet said the total 2014 enrollment at PHSC is expected to be about 2,500, âwe may have to up that estimate because weâve only been accepting registrations for three weeks (at press time) and already have 1,050 students registered for the spring semester. Weâre all very excited about opening.â
For more info about PHCCâs Porter Campus (2727 Mansfield Blvd.), call 527-6615 or visit PHCC.edu.
The School Lunch app shows students a picture of whatâs for lunch and provides the nutritional info.
The days of wondering what the lunch lady will be serving in the cafeteria on any given day are over for New Tampa students, as the Hillsborough County School District (HCSD) has launched a smartphone application that literally puts the menu into the hands (and pockets) of students.
According to HCSD, the app is called School Lunch by Nutrislice, which provides the menus of hundreds of schools nationwide (including schools in Wesley Chapel, too) by day and week. The app includes pictures of menu items, as well as nutrition information.Continue reading
YMCA Donations, collected throughout the month of August, were distributed to children in need at Tampa Palms Elementary.
Heading back to school after summer vacation can be tough for students. Who wants to start doing homework again after so many days off? For many students, however, homework isnât among their biggest concerns. For families in need, heading back to school can be much more difficult, as a simple thing like school supplies can be tough to fit into the family budget.
To help ease the transition into a new school year, the New Tampa Family YMCA, located on Compton Dr. in Tampa Palms, decided to hold its second annual school supply drive to benefit the students of families that may have had a hard time purchasing necessary supplies for classes.Continue reading
Click here to view the entire Hillsborough County School Rankings Chart
School report cards are out for 2012-13 school year in the Hillsborough County School District (HCSD) and, overall, New Tampaâs elementary and middle schools once again scored highly.
Of the 61 âAâ-rated elementary and middle schools in the HCSD (which received a âCâ overall from the Florida Department of Education {DOE} this year, a letter grade drop from its âBâ in 2011-12), seven are New Tampa schools, including Chiles, Clark, Pride, Tampa Palms and Turner elementary schools, as well as Benito and Liberty middle schools.
High school grades have not yet been determined and will be released later in the year, usually in December. Continue reading
