Archive for News & Updates

CREST Playground Project Needs Your Help!

Posted on April 18th, 2012 by

CREST Playground Project Needs Your Help!

“All students can achieve regardless of their disability!”

The Citrus Resources for Exceptional Student Transition (commonly known as CREST) is a center school for students with severe disabilities and is part of the Citrus County School District.  Children come from all over the county to attend CREST.  The mission of CREST is to provide an enriching special day school environment in which all students achieve their potential. By addressing each students’ unique educational needs, they facilitate successful integration into the community. The belief is that all students can achieve regardless of their disability. Innovative programs, instruction, and curriculum are defining components of CREST.

The student population at CREST ranges from birth to age twenty-two years of age. Students attending CREST are classified as having an Intellectual Disability (InD) or an Emotional Behavioral Disability (EBD). Under those two classifications are students with physical disabilities, autism, conduct disorder, compulsive disabilities, speech and language disabilities and more.

What does “61 – 100 – 12” mean at CREST?

The students at CREST have significant disabilities so much so that they find it challenging to function in a regular school setting. Sixty- one percent (61%) of CREST students are on free or a reduced lunch plan.  A hundred percent (100%) of our students have some form of disability. Twelve percent (12%) of our population is in wheelchairs.

The current status of the CREST playground is not adequate to facilitate all the need of the broad spectrum of student population. Currently there is no wheelchair accessible equipment. An age appropriate safe area specifically designed to foster the physical development of our early childhood students is needed. There isn’t any fitness equipment to address the needs of our older and more physically active students. Many of the medically fragile students are hypersensitive to light and due to the lack of shaded areas, they are unable to enjoy an outdoor play area with their peers.

In Citrus County there are no playgrounds that serve the needs of children with disabilities, especially children in wheelchairs. It is CREST goal to offer a playground with equipment that will be accessible for all children with disabilities.

CREST would like to develop a playground that offer swings made to accommodate wheelchairs and ramps that will make play areas with sensory, music, and learning panels easily accessible as well.

Students in wheelchairs have shared that the playground is boring because they can only sit under a pavilion due to no ramps or sidewalks to get to anything else. Other students have said that they do not even want to go to the playground because they just sit there in their wheelchair with no place to go and nothing to play with. As for our ambulatory population, CREST aims to have up to date equipment to not only facilitate physical development but also to provide a safe environment to stimulate positive social interaction.

Many Local organizations that have contributed to the CREST Playground Project:

  • American Legion
  • Wal-Mart
  • SunTrust Bank
  • Crystal River Rotary Club
  • Gulf to Lakes Pilot Club
  • iH hhhjh Historical Kenwood Garden Club of St. Pete
  • Lecanto High School Video Productions
  • Lecanto High School Drama Club
  • Citrus County Cruisers

HOW can you help?

When you would like to participate in volunteering at an upcoming Playground fundraiser or by opening your wallet and making a monetary contribution of any amount CREST needs your help.

Contact Kelly Daugherty at CREST School (352) 527-0303 ext. 6114 or by email DaughertyK@citrus.k12.fl.us

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Kindergarten Round-Up 2012

Posted on April 17th, 2012 by

Kindergarten Round-Up 2012

Kindergarten Round-Up is an opportunity for you to learn about your child’s school. At Round-Up, you will likely tour the school, meet the kindergarten teachers and school staff, and register your child for school.

This is also a great time to meet other parents. Take this opportunity to ask questions about parent involvement and school events you and your child can attend before the start of school.

Schools schedule round-up every spring, See Times Below!  If you miss the Round-Up, you should still visit the school and register.

What School Am I Zoned For?
Click here or call (352) 746 – 3960

What Should Parents Bring?

  • Driver License or Identification Cards
  • Two proofs of Residency
  • any current bill with your name and address,
  • a house rental or lease agreement,
  • or similar item(s)
  • Child’s Original Birth Certificate (child must be 5 by September 1st, 2012 to register)
  • Child’s Social Security Card
  • Immunization Card (Florida Blue Card)
  • Current Physical

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    FCAT 2012 Begins!

    Posted on April 16th, 2012 by

    FCAT 2012!

    As FCAT testing begins I want to thank the educators of Citrus County for their hard work with our students.  As a direct result of their influence and strategies students are less anxious or worried about the FCAT tests, rather they feeling more confident and optimistic.  That is a credit to the labor and preparation these teachers have each done with them.

    For the last number of weeks and months my own children have brought home practice work done in class or for them to do at home.  With the urging of their teachers they have used our home computers to access online FCAT resources such as Study Island and FCAT Explore.  They have been taught test taking strategies and in many cases teachers and/or administrators  have met with them privately to make them aware of the expectations we have for them individually and to let them know that they are capable of success.  In 3rd grade families were given FCAT packages with helpful tips, suggestions and even letter paper and envelopes with instructions for give each family member to provide their student an inspirational encouraging note before taking the FCAT.  In addition to that my own children’s mother is a Citrus County educator who further requires enrichment learning at home. (my poor kids 😉 )

    All of these efforts are not unique rather they are the norm.  I am encouraged for our students’ results and our students are blessed to have these dedicated educators in their lives.

    I thank the educators of Citrus County for what you do each day for the students of Citrus County!

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    Regular Board Meeting & Public Hearing for April 10th, 2011

    Posted on April 14th, 2012 by

    Regular Board Meeting & Public Hearing for April 10th, 2011

    It was a full board meeting on Tuesday which included a Public Hearing to approve three district policies and the 2012-2013 Code of Student Conduct.

    The meeting began with a presentation of the Joe Buccheri Memorial by Jim Manos which passed the school board unanimously.  (Please click here to read this special blog post.)

    The Board approved the appointment of Belinda Woythaler as Director of Professional Development effective July 1, 2012.  Ms. Woythaler comes to us from our Human Resources Department where she has been serving as the department’s coordinator.  Following the appointment the board approved changes to the job description for the Director of Professional Development to bring inline the duties that will now be encompass by this position.

    Also approved at the board meeting on the consent agenda was the purchase of new Cafeteria Furnishings for Citrus Springs Middle School, Rock Crusher Elementary, Forest Ridge Elementary, Citrus Springs Elementary, and Crystal River High School.  The cost of these new cafeteria tables total over $364,000.  None of the funds generated to purchase these tables were from any tax payer moneys. The funds were provided by the Food and Nutrition Services Department who generated the funds by the sales from the A La Carte side of the cafeteria sales.  So keep in mind when your students buy those “Combo Meals” the profits go right back into our schools for the students.

    At the meeting the board adopted to maintain the existing attendance school boundary zones for all elementary, middle and high schools.  I know many are asking when the high schools will be rezoned.  The report submitted by Chuck Dixon, the Director of Planning & Growth stated, “High school rezoning may be appropriate for the 2013-14 school year based on the construction schedule for Crystal River High School. This year’s report includes 5 years of enrollment data for consideration. Next year’s (End of Year 2012) report will focus on high school enrollment trends and outline a timeline for rezoning, if appropriate.”

    Also at the meeting was the consideration of the November 11th, 2011 request, by the Citrus County Builders Association, to remove the Concurrency Requirement from the Interlocal Agreement for Public Schools Facility Planning.  A motion was made to consider removing the requirement but there was no “second” to the motion, therefore the motion died and no change to the concurrency requirement was made.

    During the Public Hearing portion of the meeting the Board approved the adoption of Policy 2.231, Policy Development or Amendment.  This is a new policy that describes the process for developing and adopting School Board Policies. The Board approved revisions to Policy 6.37, Suspension and Dismissal Language. These revisions regard employee petition for a suspension or dismissal hearing which has been revised to comply with Florida statute. The last policy approved was revisions to Policy 4.12, Exceptional Student Education.  This was a simple correction to the web address for the Citrus County Exceptional Student Program description that was added to the policy. Lastly, was the approval of the 2012-2013 Code of Student Conduct.

    The major item approved at this board meeting was for a Resolution regarding the Holding of a Referendum Election of the School District of Citrus County, Florida to approve levee of an additional 0.25 mills of Ad Valorem Taxes for necessary Operating Expenses; directing the Citrus County Commissioners to place this measure on the Ballot for the November 6, 2012 General Election.  I have begun sharing this issue with you already and I will be speaking more about it in the coming weeks and months.

    If you have any questions please feel free to always contact me.

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    Coach Buccheri Memorial Thanks to Former Colleague

    Posted on April 14th, 2012 by

    Coach Buccheri Memorial Thanks to Former Colleague

    A Coach on the field and in the classroom

    The Chronicle recently referred to Coach Joe Buccheri as “a rare man who brought more to a teenager’s life than teaching hitting and pitching.”

    At the Tuesday, April 10th, 2012 School Board meeting , after presentation by a retired Lecanto High School teacher Jim Manon, and friend to Coach, the school board unanimously gave approval of the Joe Buccheri Memorial plaque which will be displayed within the compounds of the Crystal River High School Baseball Field.

    Coach Buccheri passed away last August. Coach was a teacher at Crystal River High School and coached CRHS baseball from 1987 to 1996. Under his coaching the CRHS team won five district titles and he was a mentor to many young people. Long before Coach came to Crystal River, Buccheri played, and then coached, for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was a survivor of cancer and two strokes, before succumbing to the rare Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in 2011.

    After the approval of the board Mr. Manos shared these words, “on behalf of the family and friends of Joe Buccheri thank you for your approval, but more importantly, your blessings for this well-deserved tribute in memory of Coach Buccheri.”

    Processes are under way for the setting of a date for the 2013 Baseball Season for the unveiling and presentation of the plaque.

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    Changing Education Paradigms

    Posted on April 5th, 2012 by

    Changing Education Paradigms

    “Every Country on Earth, at the moment is reforming public education”

    Recently Fellow Board Member Pat Deutschman forwarded me a video to watch from Sir Ken Robinson.  I had seen this video before and I so much appreciated Ms. Deutschman reminding me of it.  It is critical for all of us as parents, educators and community members to understand and be mindful of its message.  The video does an excellent, entertaining and clear  job explaining about education its past and current design and what we need to be cognizant of in developing education for the future.   Please take a few minutes and watch the video below.

    Sir Ken Robinson is an author, speaker, and international advisor on education in the arts to governments, non-profits, education, and arts bodies. He was Director of The Arts in Schools Project, Professor of Arts Education at the University of Warwick, and was knighted in 2003 for services to education. Originally from a working-class Liverpool family, Robinson now lives in Los Angeles with his wife Marie-Therese and their two children.

    (video source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U)

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