Archive for News & Updates

Students apply ASAP to be a House Page or Messenger, deadline approaches

Posted on February 2nd, 2017 by

Students apply now to be a House Page or Messenger, deadline approaches

Deadline with Rep. Ralph Massullo‘s office is February 17, 2017, DO NOT DELAY!

Pages Week 1 - 2015 Regular SessionIt is that time of year again for House Representatives to select their Pages and Messengers for the 2017 Legislative Session.  Our local Representative Ralph Massullo‘s deadline is February 17, 2017. 12noon. For requirements click here to download information or see information below.

IMG_2201Each year State Representative’s such as Representative Ralph Massullo sponsors one Page and one Messenger from their districts to serve in the Florida House of Representatives. Being selected to serve in the House Representative Page and Messenger is a privilege and an honor. Pages and Messengers assist the Representatives during the Capitol’s busiest time of year, the legislative session.

3-04-2015_NE_TLH-4In addition to the application process Pages/Messengers may be asked to submit other information to help representatives  make their choice.

Mock SessionDuring this week the Pages and Messengers in addition to their duties, will tour the Florida Capitol, visited the Museum of Florida History, toured the Historic Capitol. met the Governor, attended House committee meetings, and participated in mock Legislative sessions in the House Chamber. Pages duties include being a ‘gopher’ for the House Representatives on the floor of the House Chambers. Pages deliver papers, messages and other items to the representatives. Messengers are not on the floor of the House but instead deliver messages throughout the Capital and surrounding city blocks for the representatives and their staff.

During the week Pages and Messengers learn basic parliamentary process and how a bill becomes a law and then develop a mock bill of their own. The Pages and Messengers have a mock session where they present their bill on Second Reading (answering questions) and then move to Third Reading (debating the bill) before closing on their bills. Finally, the Pages and Messengers vote on the bill. This is all done while the Pages and Messengers sit in the actual desks of the Florida Representatives and use the official voting system to vote.

Not only do the Pages and Messengers get to experience these wonderful opportunities but so did parents as they were allowed to accompany their child everywhere they went.

For more information on the Florida House of Representatives Page and Messenger program visiting https://tinyurl.com/FLHousePage

or

Click here for 2017 Page and Messenger letter

Click here for 2017 Page and Messenger Application
The application should be completed and returned by February 17, 2017 via email to HousePagesandMessengers@myfloridahouse.gov or fax at (850)488-9707.

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Common Sense High School Graduation Bill filed

Posted on January 24th, 2017 by

Common Sense High School Graduation Bill filed

MassulloToday, Representative Ralph Massullo, MD filed HB407 one of the most positive, high school graduation requirement bills I have seen in years.

This bill would correct the reliance of students only passing a state test or getting a concordance score of the ACT in order to graduate high school.  Now students would have multiple pathways to standard high school diploma. In addition to meeting the course requirements, students could meet the graduation requirements by either passing the state Florida Standards Assessment (FSA), but also by instead by attaining an industry-recognized credential or certification, or demonstrating mastery the academic standards or competencies in a portfolio, or through receiving a high enough concordance score on numerous national and state assessments.

These multiple pathways mean that students will not be forced into a one size fits all graduation track.  Students can receive a high school diploma and career industry certifications which could lead to employment after high school.  Other students who excel in studies, but struggle passing exams would be able to demonstrate their mastery of standards through providing evidence of learning skills on multiple exams rather than a single state test.  All of this resulting in doing what is best for students.

We are grateful that Rep. Massullo listen to educators and filed this common sense legislation.  I encourage parents, teachers and students support this legislation and communicate that with your legislators.

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LWVCC Student Poster Contest

Posted on January 23rd, 2017 by

LWVCC Student Poster Contest

“why vote”

poster contestThe League of Women Voters of Citrus County is sponsoring a poster contest on “why vote”, open to all Citrus County high school students.

The League of Women Voters of the United States was organized in 1920 by Carrie Chapman Catt shortly before the Women’s Suffrage Amendment was ratified. Its principal aim was to help newly enfranchised women become politically educated, responsible voting citizens. Today there are Leagues in every state, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands with about 130,000 members and supporters.

For more information, click on form or contact The League of Women Voters of Citrus County by visiting their website at www.lwvcitrus.org

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Stop playing political game with our public education

Posted on December 19th, 2016 by

Stop playing political game with our public education

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CRHS, CHS and LHS FUG graduation rates all rise

Posted on December 17th, 2016 by

CRHS, CHS and LHS FUG graduation rates all rise

Citrus County High Schools rose to 88% and 8.2% points higher from 2014-15

CaptureCitrus County High Schools got an early Holiday present with the release of the Federal Uniform Graduation (FUG) rates. The three high schools averaged an 88 percent FUG rate and 8.2 percentage points higher than 2014-15.

Crystal River High School’s FUG graduation rate climbed to 86.2 percent, an impressive 12.1 percentage points higher from 2014-15. Citrus High School’s FUG rate grow to 88.7 percent, a gain of 9.8 percentage points from 2014-15.  Last of the three high schools, Lecanto High School’s FUG rate was the highest at 89.2 percent, and 2.7 percentage points higher from 2014-15.

Including all of Citrus County’s high school programs, WTC, CREST, Cypress Creek Detention Center, Renaissance Center and the Citrus MYcroSchool Charter School, Citrus rose to 79.0 percent, 1.6 percentage points greater from 2014-15.

As impressive as these scores are (and they are), these Federal Uniform Graduation high school rates do not include all the successes from all the District’s completion programs.  If you combine all the District’s “Completion Rate”; those rates for this past year, are well over 90%. The Completion Rate includes these programs; district’s 4th-year graduates, G.E.D., 5th year graduates, Special Diploma, and Certificate of Completion (which replaced Special Diploma in 2015).

We are so proud of these successes and look forward to continuing to serve our college career bound students in these challenging times.

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High school graduation rates good but only give part of the data

Posted on December 16th, 2016 by

High school graduation rates good but only give part of the data

Florida and Citrus rates up; District’s programs completion rate is over 90%

CaptureToday the Florida’s 2015-16 Federal Uniform Graduation (FUG) rate data are released at http://bit.ly/22IVwOJ. The results showed that Florida’s statewide graduation rate has risen once again and that we are now at a 13-year high. This is reason to celebrate and I believe shows the positive work happing in Citrus County and Florida.

It is important to understand that the Federal Uniform Graduation rate is not the full graduation rate. It only gives the rate for students that graduated in 4-years with a standard Florida high school diploma. It does not include students that graduated in the summer (some a few days after graduation), G.E.D., vocational transfer students, or special diploma graduates.

CaptureFlorida’s statewide graduation rate climbed to 80.7 percent, an increase of 21.5 percentage points since 2003-04 and 2.8 percentage points over last year.  Citrus rose to 79.0 and 1.6 percentage points from 2014-15.  Citrus average rate includes our three public high schools, WTC, CREST, Cypress Creek Detention Center, Renaissance Center and the Citrus MYcroSchool Charter School.

Crystal River High School’s FUG graduation rate climbed to 86.2 percent, an impressive 12.1 percentage points higher from 2014-15. Citrus High School’s FUG rate grow to 88.7 percent, a gain of 9.8 percentage points from 2014-15.  Last of the three high schools, Lecanto High School’s FUG rate was the highest at 89.2 percent, and 2.7 percentage points higher from 2014-15.

Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart said, “Today’s news is cause for celebration! I am proud of Florida’s students for their outstanding achievement, even as the bar has been steadily raised.”

Capture2What I am even more proud of is our District’s programs “Completion Rate”.  As a District, and School Board, we do not simply focus on the Federal Uniform Graduation data– we look at the successful completion rate of all our students.  If you combine all of those rates for this past year, it was over 90% and which includes; district graduates for the year, G.E.D., 5th year graduates, Special Diploma, and Certificate of Completion (which replaced Special Diploma in 2015).

These programs represent all of our students’ completion work and is the true testament of the successes in our community and with our students.

 

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