Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Tampa Bay Rain, the area's new ABA basketball team, will visit the school as part of its community outreach this week.
The Tampa Bay Rain may not be a familiar name yet, but come October owner Stephen Davis hopes Tampa's new professional basketball franchise will be the talk of the town. The team is already making its rounds in the community. On Friday, the Tampa Bay Rain will visit Mary Bryant Elementary School. Some weeks ago, the team executives began working with school PTA officials and Bryant Principal Karen Bass. "We're always looking for business partners," Bass said. The group came up with the idea to have the team sponsor their "Free Stuff Friday" event. Once a month students are treated to free stuff during their lunch period. Davis, Coach Tree Rollins, several team executives, and cheerleaders will be at lunch to hand out free ice pops to all…
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The passing grade for Florida's standardized writing test has been lowered by an emergency rule, keeping the failure rate basically unchanged, TBO.com reports.
Was this the right call? What are your thoughts on the FCAT? Post your comment below. The passing grade for Florida's standardized writing test has been lowered thanks to an emergency rule instituted Tuesday, keeping the failure rate basically unchanged from a year ago, TBO.com reports. "The State Board of Education unanimously passed the rule today after preliminary results showed only about a third of students would pass this year," according to TBO's story. That would have been down from 80 percent or better on last year's writing portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT), TBO reports, a decrease that came after the test was made more difficult. The FCAT writing test is taken by 4th-, 8th- and 10th-graders. Read more …
Educators have proposed reducing the FCAT writing passing score to increase passing rates. A discussion is scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Less than 30 percent of fourth graders in Florida passed the FCAT writing test this year, according to preliminary results released on Monday, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times today. That's a steep dip compared to last year when 81 percent scored a passing 4.0 or better. The plummeting scores have prompted extreme concern among educators and state officials. On Monday, Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson proposed reducing the FCAT writing passing score from 4.0 to 3.5. Under that standard, 48 percent of fourth-graders would have passed the test with a 3.5 or better, along with 52 percent of eighth-graders and 60 percent of 10th-graders, according to the Times story. Florida education officials will hold an emergency conference call …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Every day leading up to Mother's Day we'll feature a mom from the Westchase area. Today it's Kim Lee, teacher and newly single mom.
Kimberly Lee Age: 41 Fifth Grade Teacher at Deer Park Elementary School Mommyism: "I can share with my daughter the mistakes I've made and teach her." At 41 years old Kimberly Lee never thought she would be here. Newly divorced, the North Carolina native is learning the ins and outs of being single, a full-time teacher and most of all mother to 9-year-old Kira. Through it all she's found strength she didn't know existed. "I've done somethings in this last year that I never thought I'd be able to do," she said recently. As a small child she recalls being the one in the family who cried about everything. "My momma couldn't understand it," she recalled. "But I know now it was a symptom of being afraid." That same fear has tried to creep back …
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Westchase Patch would like to honor the special teachers that make our community so great and we need your help!
They’re there it inspire, guide and mentor. They make sure we know our ABCs and 1, 2, 3s. They’re teachers and we at Westchase Patch think they are pretty darn special. In honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week, May 7-11, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the teachers that helped shape our lives and yours. We’d also like to recognize the special teachers in our community that have made an impact on you and your children. To show our teachers that we all care, we invite you to share your stories about teachers who have gone above and beyond to help guide you or your children. Just share your stories in the comments section below. You can also upload photos right to this story of your favorite teachers or favorite school …
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Information for Alonso and Sickles high schools.
The Hillsborough County School District has released information for upcoming graduations at area high schools. Alonso High School Graduation: 9:30 a.m. June 6, 2012, at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall. Valedictorian: Ayushe Misra Salutatorian: Deanna Bousalis Anticipated number of graduates: 560 Sickles High School Graduation Date: 1 p.m. May 31, 2012, at the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall. Valedictorian: Sung Pyo Salutatorian: Sierra Eades Anticipated number of graduates: 390
Studyworks, a SAT/ACT prep company, offers its services to a growing number of Chinese students looking to the U.S. for college.
Last year, the number of Chinese students studying in the U.S. increased by a whopping 23 percent, according to the annual Institute of International Education as reported in this Washington Post story. That growth is expected to continue. And it's a trend that Studyworks, a Westchase-based SAT and ACT prep training company, has been up close and personal with since November of last year. The company specializes in helping college-bound students score well on standardized tests. With more and more Chinese students looking to the U.S. for college, Studyworks began offering its services in the country last year. "The top Chinese high school students want to get into the top U.S. schools," said Rob Hinchliffe, vice president of Studyworks…
Sunday, April 29, 2012
The one vehicle crash happened late Saturday night.
A 20 year old Odessa man died after crashing his car into a tree Saturday night, authorities said. Joshua Samuel Zukelman of 11430 Trottingdown Dr. in Odessa was traveling north on Boy Scout Road near the entrance of Echo Lake Subdivision. Zukelman lost control of his 2006 Mercedez Benz while negotiating a curve just south of Echo Lake Drive, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriffs office. He attempted to correct, but left the roadway and struck a tree with the driver's side of the vehicle. Zukelman was flown to St. Joseph's Hospital where he later died.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Students at one Tampa school will start earlier due to the Republican National Convention.
Hillsborough County parents hoping to get a jump on planning for next school year are in luck. The Hillsborough County School Board has given a green light to the district’s proposed calendar. The 2012-13 calendar has students reporting for the first day of classes on Aug. 21. Pupils at the Rampello Downtown Partnership K-8 School, however, will start a bit earlier due to the Republican National Convention. Their first day of classes is Aug. 14, but they’ll be off Aug. 27-31. Rampello serves students from all over the county whose parents work in the downtown area. “Rampello is located about 1,000 feet from the (Tampa Bay Times) Forum,” the district said in a media release. “To avoid traffic problems and because many of their parents who …
Westchase Patch is your place to connect with neighbors.
Westchase Patch is about more than local headlines. We’re also your connection to the community around you. On this site, you can talk to your neighbors, share your opinions, show off your photography skills and a whole lot more. While you might be familiar with the headlines, here are five things you may not have known you could do on Westchase Patch: Create an event – Want to let others know about a concert that’s coming up or a bake sale that needs customers, just post your event on Patch. Share your photos – Did you know you can add your photos to our stories and even help populate an ever-evolving neighborhood gallery? You can and it only takes a few moments to share your shots with everyone in Westchase. Voice Your Opinion – You’re…
Anne Onomous
4:37 pm on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
So you mean the Mayans WERE right????? more ›