Matt McDermott is the new principal at Wesley Chapel High (WCH), replacing Dee Dee Johnson.
Johnson was selected to take over as principal at Pasco Middle School, where former principal Jeff Wolff was removed in September amid concerns about low teacher morale at the middle school in Dade City.
“I’m super excited,” McDermott says. “I’ve lived in the community since about 2000, and I was briefly an assistant principal there from 2009-2010, before I opened Fivay High (in Hudson).”
Some of the young Wildcats approve.
“The kids who live in my neighborhood have been by to say congratulations and tell me they’re excited to have me as their principal,” McDermott says.
McDermott has worked for Pasco County Schools since 1996 and has been a teacher, coach, athletic director and school administrator. He started as an AP environmental science and biology honors teacher and football and wrestling coach, and became the athletic director at Sunlake High in 2007 before a brief stay as assistant principal at WCH in 2009. He helped open Fivay in 2010, and returned to Zephyrhills as an assistant principal in 2015.
This is McDermott’s first appointment as a principal.
“You always think you’re ready to be a principal,” McDermott says. “I have good mentors and people I can reach out to if I need something. I’ve been in the principal pool for a while and prefer the southeast part of the county because that’s where I live. This is one of my dream jobs and I’m excited to be given the opportunity.”
Judy Choinski is a parent of two students at WCH, and a member of its School Advisory Committee (SAC). She says she’s happy for Johnson, the school’s now-former principal. “It’s a huge compliment to her that she was chosen to bring [Pasco Middle] back up to where it needs to be,” Choinski says. “She’s going to turn that school around.”
Choinski acknowledges that there’s disappointment in losing Johnson, and in having yet another new principal. But, she says there is just as much excitement about McDermott.
“His reputation is really good,” she says. “Some parents and teachers I talked to said they were hoping he would be selected, that he would be the perfect fit for Chapel.”
At our press time, McDermott had been recommended as principal by Pasco School Superintendent Kurt Browning and was expected to be approved by the School Board on October 16, with a start date of October 17.
“It’s a win-win for everybody,” Choinski adds. “Hopefully, everything will stay solid for a while.”
Good As Gold
At a Pasco County School Board meeting on Oct. 2, Browning and members of the Board were presented with the Florida Healthy School District Gold Flag by Florida Action for Healthy Kids.
The county received the Gold Flag “for establishing a culture and climate in which students and staff can reach their personal potential and for continuing to serve as a leader in the state in reducing and eliminating the barriers to learning, resulting in increased academic achievement.”
Pasco County Schools earned the Silver award in 2016, but this year is its first-ever gold. The district will hold the Gold award designation through 2020.
To earn the Gold designation, the district demonstrated high scores in areas like creating a healthy school environment, contributing to employee wellness and excellence in counseling, psychological and social services and health education.
The Florida Partnership for Healthy Schools is a grassroots partnership that advocates for school health issues and recognizes excellence among Florida school districts.
PTAs Honored Nationally
Double Branch Elementary and John Long Middle School have both earned recognition as a National PTA (Parent Teacher Association) “School of Excellence,” with a designation that lasts from 2018-20.
The National PTA School of Excellence recognition program “supports and celebrates partnerships between PTAs and schools to enrich the educational experience and overall well-being for all students,” according to the National PTA website.
Schools apply to be recognized, then complete a series of steps designed to improve relationships between schools and families, which are individual to each school. If they meet their goal, they earn the designation.
In addition, the county-wide Pasco County Council of PTAs (PCCPTA) was recognized for having the highest increase of membership in Florida for the 2017-18 school year. PCCPTA representatives Mahalia Surin, Denise Nicholas and Andria Roscart presented the trophy they received to Pasco School Board chair Cynthia Armstrong and Superintendent of Schools Kurt Browning (photo above).
Teachers Wanted
Want to work as a teacher in Wesley Chapel? Pasco County Schools will host a fall instructional job fair on Wednesday, November 14, 4 p.m.-6 p.m., at Sunlake High in Land O’Lakes.
The district is looking for teachers in math, science, emotional and behavioral disorders/autism spectrum disorders (EBD/ASD), exceptional student education (ESE) and elementary education. They also have openings for guest teachers, behavioral analysts and school nurses.
All education interns, teachers, student services employees, and those who have a Bachelor’s degree and are interested in becoming certified educators are invited to attend. Applicants can meet with administrators and hiring managers for on-the-spot interviews and job offers.
Anyone interested in attending should register at https://pascofalljobfair2018.eventbrite.com, visit http://www.pasco.k12.fl.us/hreq/ or contact work@pasco.k12.fl.us.
Former Wiregrass Ranch High girls basketball standout Stephanie Brower, a 2017 walk-on at the University of Florida, reacts with her teammates to being told by the Gators women’s basketball coach Cam Newbauer that she had earned a scholarship for this season. (Photo: Screengrab, UF video)
Former Wiregrass Ranch High (WRH) girls basketball player Stephanie Brower was never one of the most recruited players in Pasco County. But, she was always one of the hardest working and, after one season as a walk-on at the University of Florida, it is probably no surprise that, well, she no longer is a walk-on.
On Oct. 8, Brower received the surprise of a lifetime when, surrounded by her teammates, she was told by Gators head coach Cam Newbauer that she had officially earned a scholarship.
Brower could only cover her mouth in shock as her face slowly turned red with tears. Her teammates mobbed her in celebration.
The Gators team had gathered at the Delta Zeta house, which is Brower’s sorority, under the guise of promoting the team and drumming up attendance by inviting the sorority sisters to come to games this season.
After Newbauer made his pitch to support his team, Brower took the floor to loud cheers. Newbauer then interrupted.
“Come on now, how loud do you cheer for a Delta Zeta?,” he asked a gathering of about 50 sisters, which then erupted into even louder cheering.
After they stopped, Newbauer continued: “How loud would you cheer for a Delta Zeta…that earned a scholarship?”
Brower covered her heart with her hands — “Oh my God, are you serious?” — and then covered her face as her teammates jumped into the celebration.
It was the second time this summer that Newbauer surprised one of the Gators with a scholarship. Brower joined Corey Staples, who was surprised with a scholarship after a carefully orchestrated scavenger hunt.
“It’s been really cool for me to see Steph’s growth and development,” Newbauer says. “When I was coaching at Belmont (University) she actually came out to our elite camp and was really interested, but at the time we didn’t have any scholarships available or room on our roster. Then when I got here to Florida, she reached out about a walk-on opportunity. I was really excited to hear from her because I remembered how hard she played. She will do anything to add value to the team.”
Brower, a 2017 WRH grad, averaged 15.1 points and 10.5 rebounds as a 5-foot-11 guard. She led the Bulls to the school’s first district title in 2016, surpassing the 1,000-point career mark with a 15-point, 16-rebound performance in a 59-47 district championship win over Freedom.
Brower finished her Wiregrass Ranch career with 1,493 points. 1,059 rebounds and 514 assists.
She walked on at Florida on Dec. 12, 2017, appearing in six of 30 games during the 2017-18 season, including four Southeastern Conference games. She played 24 of her 45 minutes against No. 15 Tennessee in February, scoring 2 points with three assists, two rebounds and a steal.
New Tampa Plastic Surgery, a premier cosmetic surgery “boutique,” has been helping New Tampa and Wesley Chapel residents look and feel their best since 2011.
Specializing in the aesthetic plastic surgery of the face, breasts and body, Board-certified plastic surgeon Peter Fakhre, M.D., rejuvenates and enhances the natural beauty of his patients with the latest cutting-edge surgical and non-surgical procedures.
Dr. Fakhre also has been named one of the top doctors in the country by Vitals.com (a medical review forum for consumers). According to the website, Dr. Fakhre was named a “Vitals Top 10 Doctor.” Of more than 870,000 doctors nationwide, Dr. Fakhre has been recognized as being in the top one percent, of all physicians, as determined by patient ratings.
Located in the Windfair Professional Park off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., across from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC), New Tampa Plastic Surgery sees patients from all across Pasco and Hillsborough counties.
And soon, you’ll be able to check out Dr. Fakhre’s new office at 2525 Cypress Ridge Blvd, behind the Mercedes dealership off S.R. 56. It is set to open in early 2019.
Dr. Fakhre and his staff help everyone who walks through their doors feel welcome; their primary goal is to make the patient feel comfortable while exploring his or her best options for plastic or reconstructive surgery (as well as non-surgical alternatives, in some cases) in a professional and confidential environment.
You can see the results of Dr. Fakhre’s work when you visit NewTampaPlasticSurgery.com. Although his work definitely speaks for itself, he also is highly recommended by his patients.
In a physician review on Vitals.com, Dr. Fakhre’s patient Jane Gibbons said, “Plastic surgery? More accurately — Surgical Artistry! Dr. Fakhre is a master of his craft. He not only is an accomplished surgeon, (he also) is a man of integrity who listens, counsels and guides his patients toward the goals they are seeking. (He) then satisfies those goals with skill and precision!”
She continues, “Dr. Fakhre works with his patients to determine the best surgical and non-surgical options that will achieve the desired outcome. As a bonus, his office staff is compassionate, efficient and shares his philosophy that everyone deserves to look their best. Unquestionably, Dr. Fakhre is the best that Tampa Bay has to offer!”
Dr. Fakhre, who is one of the few plastic surgeons in the Tampa Bay area to be double-Board-certified by both the American Board of Plastic Surgery and by the American Board of Surgery, explains, “There are many things that are important in achieving successful outcomes in plastic surgery: an understanding of the patient’s desires, their physical examination, realistic goals, sound surgical technique, attention to detail and outstanding postoperative care, all of which contribute to success in cosmetic plastic surgery.”
He earned his Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Biology from the University of South Florida in Tampa, graduating summa cum laude. He then elected to attend the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville. It was while he was at U-F that Dr. Fakhre’s surgical talent, aesthetic eye and love for plastic surgery were realized.
Dr. Fakhre then completed a general surgery residency at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, where he scored in the 98th percentile in the American Board of Surgery in Training Exam, the highest among all of the residents in his program.
He was involved with numerous publications and research projects, which have been presented at a number of scientific meetings, including the distinguished American Society of Plastic Surgeons. During his surgical training, Dr. Fakhre was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by the Mayo Clinic Medical School and served as Chief Resident in Surgery in his final year of surgical training.
Dr. Fakhre was then privileged to match at his first choice of Plastic Surgery fellowship programs at the prestigious Methodist Hospital, where he again excelled, scoring the highest in-service exam score among all plastic surgery residents in his program and serving as Chief Resident during his final year of plastic surgery training.
“I had the wonderful opportunity to train with members of the original group of plastic surgeons that invented the breast implant, as well as facial and body plastic surgeons whose surgeries have been featured on The Discovery Channel,” Dr. Fakhre says. “Working in such an environment provided great exposure to a large volume of both primary and revision cosmetic surgery cases. This experience was priceless and I’m happy to bring this type of training to the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area.”
This training and his own expertise helped Dr. Fakhre earn the highest score possible, in the 99th percentile among Plastic Surgeons in plastic surgery of the breast, on the American Board of Plastic Surgery written examination.
In addition to refining his surgical skill and technique during his plastic surgery training, Dr. Fakhre also volunteered his time with Operation San José and traveled to Guatemala on a cleft lip and palate surgical mission. There, he helped deliver surgical care to many cleft lip and palate patients who otherwise may never have received the treatment they needed.
Dr. Fakhre says that he was happy to return to the Tampa Bay area after his training and currently lives in Seven Oaks with his wife of 15 years and three sons, who keep them busy and entertained.
So Many Surgical Options So many of us have things we would like to change about our bodies. Time, age and weight changes all take a toll on the body and these factors can affect your appearance and self-image. Dr. Fakhre says that cosmetic plastic surgery is a way to help you look and feel better. “When we are happy with our appearance, we feel more confident,” he says.
New Tampa Plastic Surgery offers a plethora of cosmetic surgery procedures for women and men, including breast enhancement (augmentations, lifts and reductions), tummy tucks, face and neck lifts, eyelid surgery, liposuction and more. Known for his technical skill, eye for beauty and superior aesthetic practice, Dr. Fakhre will work with you to develop a personalized treatment plan to achieve your desired outcome and to make the “new you” a reality.
“Cosmetic plastic surgery allows the surgeon to combine artistry with sound surgical techniques to produce superior results,” says Dr. Fakhre.
Breasts, for instance, are often at the core of a woman’s femininity and self-confidence. Dr. Fakhre explains that breast surgery is one of the most personal decisions a woman can make. “Breast augmentation surgery can increase your self-confidence and satisfaction with your body,” says Dr. Fakhre. “By increasing or restoring breast volume, we can help our patients achieve a better-proportioned body.”
Dr. Fakhre’s breast augmentation patients are first educated about implant size and types, so they can make informed decisions about which would best satisfy their personal goals. He says that the two main implant types available are still silicone and saline and that the implant selected depends upon a variety of factors.
Currently, the most common implants that Dr. Fakhre uses are silicone implants, which he says look and feel more natural than their saline counterparts.
Breast lift surgery removes excess tissue and repositions the breast and/or nipple to a more youthful position. This procedure is often chosen by women desiring to restore form to their breasts or reclaim their “before-baby” appearance. And, although breasts are intertwined with the feminine profile, women are not the only ones who have breast surgery. In fact, Dr. Fakhre says that he has helped many men feel better about their appearance with reduction surgery for men with female-looking breasts (also known as gynecomastia).
Liposuction, ‘Mommy Makeovers’ & More Another popular cosmetic surgical procedure at New Tampa Plastic Surgery is liposuction, which can improve the body’s contour by removing fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise. Liposuction restores proportionality and minimizes problem areas. Dr. Fakhre says that if you find yourself shopping for clothes to hold your tummy in or help slim your thighs, liposuction may be your answer. He adds that liposuction offers significant results with minimal downtime.
“In fact, many (liposuction) patients recover over a weekend and return to work on Monday,” he says. A full “Mommy Makeover” also is a popular procedure sought by women who want to get back to the body they had before they had children. Dr. Fakhre says that the most common “Mommy Makeover” combines a breast lift (with or without breast augmentation for reshaping), a tummy tuck to tighten the midsection that was stretched during pregnancy and liposuction to remove unwanted fat deposits.
Dr. Fakhre, who also has surgical privileges at Florida Hospital Tampa and Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, says that he performs most of his surgeries at Tampa Bay Surgery Center, located at the corner of Dale Mabry and Fletcher Avenue, although he adds that he does perform minor procedures in his office as well. Wherever he performs his artistry, however, his satisfied patients are a testament to his experience and training.
“From the moment I walked through the door in his office I was always greeted on a first-name basis, which made me feel like I wasn’t just another patient to get in and out,” Christina Vargas wrote in her patient testimonial about her experience with New Tampa Plastic Surgery. “The whole process — from scheduling my appointments to the day of the procedure, even my recovery — went so smoothly. I highly recommend Dr. Fakhre. I give him 10 stars!”
Non-Surgical Options, Too New Tampa Plastic Surgery also is a true cosmetic boutique, offering skin care and other non-surgical cosmetic procedures, in addition to plastic surgery. Many of these non-surgical procedures — such as Botox and dermal fillers, Latisse eyelash lengthening and thickening and chemical peels that rejuvenate and energize the skin to beautify your natural state and more — often provide the results a patient is looking for, and are less “invasive” than surgical options.
Board-certified nurse practitioner Christina Ahrens (in photo on previous page, with Dr. Fakhre) has more than 12 years of experience in dermatology and plastic surgery and performs all of the non-surgical procedures at New Tampa Plastic Surgery.
“We are fortunate to have Christina as part of our team,” says Dr. Fakhre. “She does an outstanding job in the treatment of our patients.”
For your free cosmetic surgery consultation with Dr. Peter Fakhre, call New Tampa Plastic Surgery at (813) PLASTIC (752-7842). The office is located at 2541 Windguard Cir. For a full menu of services, visit NewTampaPlasticSurgery.com. And, be sure to check out the ad on page 13 of this issue and ‘Like’ New Tampa Plastic Surgery’s Facebook.com page so that you can be notified of the office’s monthly promotions on various services.
State House District 63 candidate Fentrice Driskell is hoping to return incumbent Shawn Harrison’s seat to Democratic hands in the General Election on Tuesday, November 6.
There was never any doubt, at least in her mind, that Fentrice Driskell was going to one day run for office.
It was just a matter of when.
Well, when…is now.
In February, Driskell filed to run for the Florida House District 63 seat currently held by Republican and long-time New Tampa resident Shawn Harrison.
District 63 includes New Tampa, as well as Carrollwood, Lutz and the Lake Magdalene and University of South Florida areas to our south and east.
Driskell’s entry into the race was greeted with great enthusiasm by many Democrats, who consider it one of the most flippable State House seats.
Shawn Harrison
Harrison won the seat in 2010, lost it to Mark Danish in 2012, then reclaimed it in 2014. In 2016, Harrison held off Democratic challenger and fellow former Tampa City Council member Lisa Montelione by 1,363 votes, or 51-49 percent.
“I’ve known for quite some time I would like to run one day,” Driskell says. “I thought it would be later in life, though. But, the 2016 election motivated me.”
Driskell was almost immediately endorsed by prominent local Democrats like Betty Castor, Alex Sink, Pat Kemp and State House Democratic Leader, State Rep. Janet Cruz, after throwing her hat in the ring.
Driskell felt that women’s voices were missing from the political debate, and felt like public schools, where her mother taught for 35 years, were under attack. She saw a political landscape dominated by acrimony and inertia, instead of focusing on providing affordable housing, a safe and clean environment and economic policies that would benefit everyone.
“After the 2016 election, I really decided that if I don’t like the way things are going, I can either keep talking about it or do something about it,” Driskell says. “I started attending candidate trainings and really thinking about some of the issues I care about the most.”
Driskell said her passion for government was ignited while she attended Lake Gibson High in Lakeland.
During her junior year, she attended Florida Girls State, a week-long workshop that focuses on government, politics and Americanism.
“It completely changed my trajectory,” Driskell says.
She graduated from Lake Gibson No. 1 in her class and attended Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, where she was the school’s first African-American female student body government president.
She graduated from Harvard and then Georgetown Law School in Washington, D.C., and has been president of the George Edgecomb Bar Association for black lawyers in Tampa. She is currently a partner and business litigator at the Carlton Fields law firm near Tampa International Airport.
When she decided to run and looked at the open races, she saw District 63 as a perfect place to bring what she says will be an inclusive style of representation.
“I looked at the level of representation that District 63 is getting and felt I had something better to offer,” Driskell says.
According to the Lakeland native, District 63 is roughly 38 percent registered Democrats, 32 percent Republicans and 30 percent unaffiliated.
“When you have a district that balanced, you have to be able to lead from a place that is reflective of that and inclusive of everyone,” Driskell says. “My opponent has moved too far to the right for this district.”
Driskell (see ad on pg. 6) has attended a few New Tampa town halls, and organized some meet-and-greets in local communities, most recently in Arbor Greene, and hopes to strike a chord with local voters, who trended Democratic in 2016.
“We’ve been able to build a lot of great momentum and enthusiasm around our campaign,” Driskell says. “What we’ve found is that people want to talk about the kind of bread-and-butter issues that affect us every day, like schools, gun safety, keeping kids safe. Because we have been able to engage them directly, people are excited to have the opportunity to have a representative who will listen to them.”
Cannon Farragut, an 8-year-old Hunter’s Green resident, recently captured a Florida State Chess Championship. Is there a national championship on the horizon for this chess wunderkind?
Chess began with a key on a laptop keyboard being plucked loose and set aside.
Then another. And another.
By the time William Farragut discovered what was happening and could stop Cannon, his then-4-year-old son, every key on his laptop had been removed.
“I was furious,” William says. So, as a solution for his uber-curious son, William bought Cannon his own, cheaper laptop. He loaded it with math and science programs, and randomly ran across a chess app and installed that, too.
“I was being totally stereotypical, but chess is for smart kids, right?” William asks.
Within a month, it was the only thing Cannon was playing. By watching videos of matches, he learned not only how the pieces move, but how to “weaponize” those moves by stringing them together and outsmarting the opposition.
His father was stunned.
Four years later, Cannon, now 8, is the Arnold Denker Florida State Champion in the 1800-under division. High-level chess players don’t generally compete in age groups, they compete against others in the same ratings group. Cannon toppled adults 3-4 times his age on his way to the championship at the 1800-&-Under level (more on this below).
In November, he will represent the U.S. at the World Youth Championships in Spain.
Then, in December, he’ll travel to the National Scholastic Chess Championships in Orlando, where the very best players in the country will be on hand to prove their rankings. Cannon is currently ranked in the Top 20 in the U.S. in his age group, but is in the top 10 of everyone in the 1800-&-Under rating group in the entire U.S.
Can he win a national championship?
“I think I can win,” Cannon says.
On a typical Tuesday night. Cannon breezes through the meeting room at Compton Park, which is filled with dozens of young New Tampa chess players, members of the invite-only Champions Chess Club coached by Tampa Palms residents Mark Ritter and his wife Tania Kranich-Ritter, a former New York State champion.
Cannon is happy, polite, affable. Even during his matches, he looks around the room, smiling, rising from his seat to walk around and watch some of his clubmates. On occasion, he’ll also practice his jump shot form, as Cannon also is a skilled basketball player.
But Mark, an internationally rated chess master and one of only five Level 5-rated coaches in the country, and Tania, who coached teams at Tampa Palms Elementary and Liberty Middle School to national championships in 2005 and 2006, respectively, were skeptical when Cannon, then 5, showed up at the club hoping to join.
“When I first came in, they almost pushed me away,’’ William says, laughing.
Cannon hid behind his father’s legs. The club was mostly older kids, Tania told William, with players from 3rd grade to high school, with ratings ranging from 500 to 2100.
William tried to explain that he thought Cannon had something, and Mark told him every parent says that. But, since they had already made the trip, Mark agreed to sit down at the chess board with the youngster.
After five minutes, Mark looked at William, and said, “You know, there might be something here.”
Cannon then played one of the lower-rated players in the club, and lost. The tears flowed. When he and William left that day, Mark wasn’t sure he’d ever see them again.
Cannon did come back, however, and lost again, and cried again, a scenario that repeated itself several times the first few weeks. He was, however, getting better every visit. When he was six, he officially joined the club.
Mark says Cannon’s appetite for chess was voracious, and he devoured more and more instructional videos as his rating started climbing and the wins began piling up.
Even more pleasing was that Cannon slowly transformed from a shy kid into a social butterfly, making friends easily and becoming one of the club’s most popular members.
“Cannon’s growing social skills emphasize a much-overlooked benefit of chess,” says Mark. “While most of the focus remains on improving one’s game and rating — too much in my opinion — important social behaviors, such as sportsmanship, communication and interaction, are part of the package, too.”
Cannon has rapidly evolved from a kid plucking the keys off his father’s computer keyboard to Florida’s best player among those with 1800-&-Under ratings, according to the U.S. Chess Federation ratings. As such, he rarely plays anyone who is not much older than he is, a fact that Cannon admits has created some awkward situations.
“I think they are more nervous than I am,” Cannon says. “I don’t think they want to lose to a kid.”
But, his recent Florida State title is certainly the biggest win of his career, at least so far.
“It is a big deal,” Cannon says. “This is like my first major tournament I won and that inspires me to keep going, so I can become a Grandmaster and beat Magnus Carlsen.”
Both are lofty goals — Cannon is currently rated at 1771; when you reach 2200, you become a Master, and at 2500 you are a Grandmaster. But,Carlsen, the current World Champion, is a true chess prodigy with a rating greater than 2800.
Chess is a hard game that very few master. So, how has an 8-year-old managed to do it?
Tough to say, says Mark.
“Nobody’s answered that question,” he says. “His ability to see tactics and combinations that most players can’t is phenomenal. He has a natural ability for spatial relationships, pattern recognition, things like that. How do you define that? It’s just wiring.”
Well, there’s wiring and then there’s hard work. Cannon is a dedicated student of the game. He describes the chessboard as a picture, or a puzzle. He says he sees what to do in his mind, “which is telling me what to do, like connecting the dots. Where the line starts is my first move.”
Cannon’s tendency to move too quickly at times is one of his few weaknesses. When he sees a dot to connect, he does so, with supreme confidence, even if it only took him a few minutes to notice. Sometimes, he admits that there was a better move out there.
That didn’t stop him in Jacksonville, however, when he won his State title. That victory netted Cannon $800 and a trophy (photo) almost as tall as he is. He loves his trophy. The money, he says, “I’m giving to my mom and dad so they can have some of it.”
That should at least cover the cost of that laptop, new keys and all.