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! 

Celebrating My 30 Years Of Neighborhood News! 

On February 25, I will be celebrating my 30th anniversary of owning the Neighborhood News. I bought (with a former partner) an 11-month old monthly publication that had little more than stories about advertisers written by those advertisers themselves. 

I published the 12th monthly issue in April 1994 (photo), which we considered to be the first issue of the publication’s second year in business. That’s why this issue is Issue 1 of Volume 32 of the Neighborhood News, rather than Issue 1 of Volume 31. 

When we purchased the publication in February of 1994, the total direct-mail circulation of the Neighborhood News was 6,500 homes, apartments and businesses — all of which (unbeknownst to me) were located in New Tampa’s 33647 zip code and which included the existing subdivisions in Pebble Creek, Tampa Palms, Hunter’s Green and the first two communities (closest to Bruce B. Downs Blvd., or BBD) of Cross Creek. 

Although my predecessor claimed to also be mailing to Wesley Chapel, it turned out that all he was doing was dropping about 500 copies each month at the Meadow Pointe I clubhouse. So, as soon as I took over, I added about 2,500 total addresses in Meadow Pointe I, Williamsburg and, a few issues later, an additional 500-700 or so single-family homes and condominium units located in the community around Saddlebrook Resort, where I was living with my family at the time. We began mailing new issues every two weeks, to all of those households, before the end of 1994 and didn’t split into separate New Tampa and Wesley Chapel issues until 2005, when Wesley Chapel’s three zip codes had zoomed past 10,000 residential units, as New Tampa was closing in on 20,000 units of its own. 

Although I always knew how many units were approved for Wesley Chapel, I had no idea that it would catch up to, and pass, New Tampa in terms of the number of units and people living in them by sometime in 2021. 

From those first 10,000 total homes (and less than 30,000 total people) in May 1994, our all-direct-mail circulation is now 34,000+ homes, apartments and businesses (and more than 90,000 total people) in Wesley Chapel’s three zip codes (33543, 33544 & 33545) and 29,000 residences and businesses (and about 80,000 people), almost all of which is located in New Tampa’s 33647 zip code — although we do also directly mail to the 750 residential units in the Lake Forest subdivision off BBD (south of Tampa Palms), which has a Lutz zip code (33559). 

That means our total circulation has grown, with our communities, by at least 600% in 30 years — or by nearly 1,000% if you use the 6,500 units I inherited from my predecessor as our starting point. 

But for me, this is much more than just a numbers game. I have given everything I could to the communities of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, and although many outstanding people have come and gone from our ranks, I am proud to say that I have been the publication’s one constant these last 30 years. 

The growth of electronic media throughout the world — did you foresee most people getting their news and information from their mobile phones 30 years ago? — has meant that we have had to change the ways we cover the news of New Tampa and Wesley Chapel, but nothing has stopped or even deterred me from continuing to provide more news and information about the communities we serve than any other local medium, print, broadcast and/or electronic. 

Although I would be lying if I said that being the big media “fish” in a relatively tiny little pond was a lifelong dream of mine — my degree from the University of Florida was in Broadcast News and I always hoped to own and program a radio and/or TV station and write and produce TV programming — serving as the editor of the Neighborhood News the last 30 years has been one of the absolute joys of my life. And, while I don’t think anyone else would hire me at my age, despite my decades of experience, if I didn’t still love what I do I would definitely try to find some other way to make a living. Although I love singing and acting, anyone who has heard me sing karaoke or seen my stand-up comedy act at the Tampa Improv or Sidesplitters will tell you that I never had a future in those fields. 

Another thing people who know me will tell you about me is that I love to throw a party — my 25th anniversary event five years ago at Bayscape Bistro on Cross Creek Blvd. was a blast, as was the “Grease” cast party I threw last year at Joe Whiskey’s on S.R. 54 in Wesley Chapel — and I am planning a doozy for my 30th anniversary celebration. 

And yes, there will be an opportunity for at least some of you wonderful readers to attend and share in that celebration. After all, although I owe my livelihood to the thousands of advertisers who have supported my business these last 30 years, I owe a large portion of my happiness to all of you who have been reading and responding to my work since I first took the reins at this publication. Stay tuned for more info! 

Looking Back At The Top-5 New Tampa News Stories Of 2023! 

The cast of the New Tampa Players’ “Preview” performance at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center on March 25. 

Although there’s no doubt that there were (and still are) more major news stories coming out of Wesley Chapel in 2023 than there were in New Tampa, zip code 33647 certainly had any number of big news stories of its own the past 12 months. Below are the five that made the biggest splashes. 

1. The New Tampa Performing Arts Center Opens!
“Grease” officially opened NTP’s 2023-24 season in July of 2023. (Below) The group known as “Save Pebble Creek” helped get a redevelopment plan for the community’s shuttered golf course rejected by Hillsborough County. 

It took more than 20 years for it to become a reality, but the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) did finally open in March of 2023, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a New Tampa Players (NTP) “Preview”show. The NTPAC was dedicated to the memory and in honor of NTP founder Doug Wall, who passed away nearly six years before his dream of a local place for his theatre troupe to perform came true. 

I was in the cast of the first show of NTP’s 2023-24 season — “Grease,” which was true to the original Tony Award-winning Broadway version, but also incorporated songs from the hit 1978 movie starring John Travolta and the late Olivia Newton-John. The Performing Arts Center’s first-ever Fall Festival was held in September and was followed by “Shrek The Musical” in October. NTP will next host performances of “Dreamgirls” (see ad on pg. 5) in February. 

2. Pebble Creek Redevelopment Plan Rejected!

As 2023 came to a close, we still had no idea what will happen to the former Pebble Creek Golf Club golf course, which has been shuttered since July of 2021. 

The plan submitted by GL Homes to redevelop the 149-acre golf course property into 251 single-family homes was rejected on July 17 by the Hillsborough County Commission by a vote of 5-2, as Commission Chair and District 2 (which includes all of Pebble Creek)

Commissioner Ken Hagan told his fellow commissioners that the feedback he had received from the residents of Pebble Creek was overwhelmingly against the GL Homes plan, leaving property owner Bill Place with few options moving forward for his property. 

With three County Commission seats — including Hagan’s District 2 — up for grabs in a presidential election year, it’s possible that Place is waiting to see how the election changes the Board’s makeup before trying again to redevelop his land. 

3. Lotte Plaza Market Opens!
Lotte Plaza Market’s Grand Opening in November was attended by hundreds of New Tampa residents and continues to attract large numbers of people for everything from its Korean beauty products (below) to its Sijang Eatery food court. 

While the opening of the new Aldi supermarket in the former Ruby Tuesday location in New Tampa did receive some fanfare a few years ago, it was nothing compared with the expectations and reaction to the opening — finally! — of the new Lotte Plaza Market Korean/Asian grocery store in the former Sweetbay/Kash N Karry location next to Home Depot. 

The long-vacant 49,000-sq.-ft. store became the 15th link in the Lotte Plaza chain (the only other Florida location is in Orlando) of Korean/Asian superstores on Nov. 3 and immediately attracted large crowds of people (photos on next page) of all backgrounds and nationalities to its huge selections of produce, fresh fish, meat and groceries, as well as its unique Korean beauty products and its Sijang Eatery food court, which features a half-dozen eateries never before seen in our area. 

Although the crowds have died down somewhat since that opening month, there’s no doubt that Lotte Plaza Market’s opening is still one of the biggest 2023 news stories for New Tampa. If you still haven’t visited it yet, what are you waiting for? It literally has something for everyone! 

4. Live Oak Property Sale To Help Build Pride Park
The developer of Anand Vihar in Pasco County purchased an adjacent parcel of land in Live Oak from Hillsborough County that will help the county pay for its planned rec center at Pride Park. 

Hillsborough County has had a plan in place to build an indoor rec center and expand the outdoor facilities at Pride Park (just south of Pride Elementary) for some time. The county also has owned an unused 61.89- acre parcel of land intended to be a county park, but didn’t have enough money to construct facilities at either location. 

That is, until Anand Vihar (in Meadow Pointe) developer Santosh Govindaraju decided to purchase (for $6 million) the unused park site in Live Oak, which means the county will be able to begin construction on the Pride Park rec center early this year. 

5. Early Storm Causes Damage In New Tampa

he unnamed first major storm of 2023 hit New Tampa hard on June 4. Fortunately, no other major storms blew through our area (or Florida) for the remainder of the 2023 hurricane season.

Thankfully, 2023 was a relatively quiet hurricane season throughout Florida, especially coming on the heels of 2022, which saw two major hurricanes decimate portions of the Sunshine State. 

And, although Florida and New Tampa were virtually unscathed by any of the 20 named storms (including seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes) that hit the Atlantic in 2023, our area received an early dose of hurricane-like Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera had to call for assistance to remove uprooted and downed trees in several New Tampa neighborhoods. 

Here’s How You Can Win FREE Dining In Our ‘Big Game’ Squares Contest! 

Although we have created this contest a week before the end of 2023 pro football season, last year’s ‘Big Game Squares’ contest was so popular we decided to run it back again for our readers. So, here’s how you can win FREE dining in our 2024 ‘Big Game’ Squares Contest. Simply click HERE and fill out the form by Friday, February 9. On Saturday, February 10, I will first assign random squares on the grid below for each entrant. Then, I will randomly assign numbers 0-9 along the top row under the AFC Champion’s name and in the far left column next to the NFC Champ’s name. Then, when the ‘big game’ is played, whoever’s name is in the box that matches up with the last digit of the score for each team wins a FREE gift card to the restaurant of their choice. For example, if the score is NFC 10, AFC 7 at the end of the first quarter and your name is in the box that corresponds to both NFC 0 & AFC 7, you would win a $25 gift card as the first quarter winner. If the score is 13-13 at the end of the first half and your name is in the box that corresponds to both NFC 3, AFC 3, you would win a $50 gift card. We also will offer a $25 gift card to whoever has the correct box at the end of the third quarter and a $100 gift card for the correct score at the end of the game, whether at the end of the 4th quarter or overtime. See all of our official contest rules and fill out the form for your chance to win by clicking HERE. — GN 

Update: Roush Family Lays John To Rest 

The Neighborhood News was on hand when (l.-r.) Robert, Laura, Donald and John Roush celebrated the twins’ seventh birthday outside their home in July of 2022. (Photo by Charmaine George) 

On Wednesday, January 3, a Celebration of Life was held for eight-year-old John Roush at the Shiloh Baptist Church in Plant City. The informal ceremony was hosted by his parents, Robert and Laura Roush, and John’s twin brother Donald and was attended mainly by the Roush family and their friends, as well as the entire USF men’s basketball team (of which John was an honorary member). 

Shiloh Pastor Joe Bowles, John’s teachers from Quail Hollow Elementary, one of his uncles and USF head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim (and one of his players) all spoke about John’s sweetness, his intelligence, his tenacity, his courage as he fought what appeared to be a successful two-year battle against leukemia before he passed away suddenly and especially, his amazing hugs. Haught Funeral Home director David Wolf released a single white dove following the service. 

I only ever met Laura and Robert Roush and their 8-year-old twin sons Donald and John twice, but I would be lying if I said the family didn’t have a profound impact on me. 

The first time I met the Roush family, photographer Charmaine George and I attended the twins’ drive-by seventh birthday party outside their Wesley Chapel home in 2022. 

John, who had suffered a recent bout with leukemia, couldn’t have a lot of people around him, because of his chemotherapy-weakened immune system. A fairly large number of people dropped off a number of presents and, knowing that children are much more likely to survive any number of cancers, I was hopeful that John would soon be given a clean bill of health and be able to go back to enjoying his much-deserved childhood. 

It wasn’t too long after that when Jannah and I attended a fund raiser for the family at Chuck Lager America’s Tavern in the Shops at Wiregrass. As anyone who has had a family member suffer from cancer knows, the costs can and usually are astronomical, so Jannah and I were happy to help, especially if it meant that John would be one of the fortunate ones to be able ro survive this unforgiving scourge. 

John Roush (2015-2023) 
Photos courtesy of the Roush Family 

Tragically, it wasn’t meant to be. Now just a little more than eight years old, Donald will now be missing his twin and Laura and Robert will forever be missing half their hearts, as John passed away a few days before we went to press with this issue. And, even though we didn’t know the family well, Jannah and I planned to attend John’s funeral, which had not yet been announced at our press time. 

No, we didn’t know the Roushes well, but John and Donald’s ever-present smiles the two times I met them reminded me of my own two sons — who aren’t twins but are as close as brothers can be. It’s hard for me, who has gotten to see both of my boys grow into amazing young men — both now with families of their own (three boys between them, as of today), careers and their own wonderful lives — to not feel tremendous sadness that Laura and Robert have been denied the feeling I have every time I’m with Jared, Jake and their families. 

I honestly can’t even imagine how Laura, Robert and especially Donald are feeling, I just know that I am willing to do whatever I can to help them. I’m starting with a small donation of my own and, even though I’ve never really been successful raising money for worthwhile causes, I’m also sharing the GoFundMe link so anyone who feels equally affected by the loss of this sweet child can do the same. That link is: https://gofund.me/7f286217. 

No matter what your religious beliefs may be, there’s no doubt that the loss of a precious child is one of the most difficult things in life for anyone to deal with, especially at this time of year. And, the bottom line is that even the most faithful of parents has to understand and feel the magnitude of this loss. 

So, soar high, John. Just know that not only does your family love and miss you, those of us who were only briefly acquainted with you know the genuine beauty of your smile and your deserving soul. Rest in peace. 

We’ll have more of the story in the January 23 issue of Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News.