Posted on September 20th, 2010 by
Thomas Kennedy
Monday I had the pleasure of visiting Citrus High School with Principal Dale Johns. Mr. Johns and I had a chance to catch up some before touring the campus. Mr. Johns was principal at Citrus Springs Middle School before Mr. Johns was brought to CHS. Mr. Johns and I visited the CHS Cafetorium as students started entering for the first of the four lunch periods provided at CHS. It was hard not to notice how mature the high school students behaved as they entered the café. One might think a group of high school students would be “clowning” around as they entered the café but I was very impressed with their maturity. I visited several AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) classes. In one of the AVID classes being taught by Mrs. Gina Armstrong I enjoyed listening to students present a Power Point presentation on a new college that they had learned about. They shared many detailed unique aspects and reasons why they had made the choice for the college that they did. I had an opportunity to visit several other classes and, as always, find it exciting to see our students and educators as they participate in the learning process. On my next visit to CHS I plan on observing more of our Science labs and classrooms.
Monday afternoon I was honored to be asked to speak briefly to the Forest Ridge Elementary School Advisory Enhancement Council 5th grade class election candidates running for the 2010-2011 school year SAEC Student Representative. FRE has 16 5th grade candidates that each gave a one minute speech to explain why they felt that they were the best candidate and what made them the most qualified to serve as SAEC Student Representative. I was very impressed with the speeches and the positive information that each of the candidates shared about themselves. During one of the speeches a young girl candidate caught my attention because as the person just prior to her finished giving her speech I observed her make positive eye contact with the other student and give her a thumbs up as she mouthed the words, “Good job”! I was very impressed with the positive attitudes and support for each other during the actual process of “competing”.
Related Links
Citrus High School
CHS Administration
Citrus Springs Middle School
Forest Ridge Elementary
FRE Advisory Enhancement Council
Comments Off on CHS & FRE 5th grade SAEC Reps 9/20/2010
Filed under: News & Updates
Posted on September 17th, 2010 by
Thomas Kennedy
Today is Constitution Day! Constitution Day commemorates the formation and signing of the U.S. Constitution by thirty-nine brave men on September 17, 1787. Congress passed in 2004 a bill that requires that every school and college that receives federal money must teach about the Constitution on Sept. 17, the day our great document was adopted. I spoke with several Citrus County teachers and our teachers were excited about sharing lessons with our students on our U.S. Constitution today in our schools.
Today I also again spent the better part of the day with Citrus Schools Planning & Growth Management Director Chuck Dixon, AICP. Mr. Dixon toured me today on many of our schools and facilities on the East side of Citrus County, informing me and providing me with background on our school district’s long range capital improvement work plans. These tours have afford me an opportunity to see first hand how the current plans will affect our schools and students and having Mr. Dixon with me to explain the background to each project was a great benefit.
While visiting Floral City Elementary School I stopped in and saw the new Floral City Library and visited the Floral City Heritage Council Museum. If you are down in the Floral City area I encourage you to stop in and visit both. The library is our county’s newest library addition and is a cozy place to find and read a book. The museum is a neat place to learn more about Floral City’s history and get information about the beautiful historical homes in Floral City. You can also buy some old fashion candy or souvenirs in the “country store” inside. The museum in only open on Fridays and Saturdays.
Related Links
Constitution Day
American Institute of Certified Planners
CCSB Planning & Growth Management Web Site
CCSB Capital Work Plan 2009-2010
Floral City Library
Floral City Heritage Council Museum
Comments Off on Constitution Day & East Side 9/17/2010
Filed under: News & Updates
Posted on September 16th, 2010 by
Thomas Kennedy
Today I had an opportunity to sit down and spend some time with Roy Piston, Director of Food Services at the Citrus County School Department. He is also a Registered Dietitian. Mr. Piston shared with me many inside aspects of the operation of our schools’ breakfast and lunch programs. Some I already knew and others were new to me. The CCSB food service department likely serves more meals a day in less time then any other restaurant or catering business in all of Citrus County.
I am often asked, “Thomas have you eaten in our schools’ cafés”? The answer is, “Yes, I sure have! ”. Among my favorites are chicken nuggets, chicken patties and the turkey wraps. I plan on trying the fruit smoothies next time I am at one of the middle schools. They are made from 100% fruit juice. Several times in the past my wife and I have used the MealpayPlus Online Pre-payment System which not only lets you pay online using a credit card, but also lets you check up on what your students have been buying or not buying. I would encourage you to check out the CCSB Food Service Departments Web Site which has lots of meal information, weekly menus, games for the students and nutritional information.
Mr. Piston also shared with me that Food Services now has an online application for the Free and Reduced Price Meal Online Application. This helps process the application faster and allows for more privacy of the process.
If you have questions or concerns about food services, Mr. Piston encourages people to contact him directly.
He can be reached at:
Roy R. Pistone II, RD, MEd, SNS
Director of Food Services, Citrus County School District
1007 W. Main Street, Bldg. 200, Inverness, FL 34450
pistoner@citrus.k12.fl.us
352-726-1931
Related Links
www.citrus.k12.fl.us/departments/food/default.htm
cafe.citrus.k12.fl.us
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dietitian
sfsonlinemealapp.citrus.k12.fl.us
MealpayPlus Online Pre-payment System
Comments Off on School Food Services 9/16/2010
Filed under: News & Updates
Posted on September 16th, 2010 by
Thomas Kennedy
I enjoyed my visit to Crystal River Middle School on Wednesday. I had a nice talk with Principal Gloria Bishop and then Assist Principal Inge Frederick showed me through several of the classrooms. I was excited to learn more this visit about the AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) program that CRMS and some of our other district middle and high schools are doing. AVID is a college-readiness system designed to increase the number of students who enroll in four-year colleges. This program targets are middle of the road/”advance” students. AVID students are enrolled in a school’s toughest classes, such as Advanced Placement®, and receive support in an academic elective class called AVID taught within the school day by a trained AVID teacher. AVID elective teachers support AVID students by providing academic training, managing their tutorials, working with faculty and parents, and by helping students develop long-range academic and personal plans.
While at CRMS I had the wonderful added enjoyment of running into several of my swimmers from the Sun Coast Swim Team. That is always the best part of my visits when I have students that know me from our community stop and say “hi” and ask what I am doing at their school. We have outstanding students in Citrus County and I feel blessed to be able to represent them and their families.
Related Links
www.citrus.k12.fl.us/crm
www.avid.org
www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html
www.suncoastswimteam.com
Comments Off on Crystal River Middle School Visit 9/15/2010
Filed under: News & Updates
Posted on September 15th, 2010 by
Thomas Kennedy
It was a good meeting that was held at our school board yesterday, September 14th, 2010. Among the business conducted, there were several presentations given. Two students from Lecanto High School’s Art Academy won The Post-it® Brand 30th Anniversary Student Design Contest sponsored by 3m Corporation. These students won a trip to New York to see their art re-created and displayed in large scale at Grand Central. In addition, Century Link received an award for monetary support of district events and the Imagination Library. Steve and Jewel Lamb of Crystal Motor Car and Edward Jones Investments received the Commissioner of Education’s Business Recognition Award. CREST received the Florida Parent Teacher Association Region II Parent Involvement Award, which was presented by Florida PTA Vice President Kathy Thrumston. Crystal River Primary School and Central Ridge Elementary School received the State Golden School Award for establishing exemplary volunteer programs where schools must have volunteers donate twice as many hours as there are total number of students at each school each school year .
At the meeting Assistant Superintendent Mary Curry shared the most current information on Florida’s Race To The Top grant and Citrus County Schools’ plan of action. This is a very involved process and as a district we are beginning to put together the necessary steps required to be eligible to receive these monies.
The next school board meeting is October 12th, 2010 at 3:00pm.
Related Links
www.3m.com/us/office/postit/promos/201004_bb
www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=241324&id=33019468131#!/photo.php?pid=6391655&id=33019468131&ref=fbx_album
www.citrus.k12.fl.us/news/imag_library.htm
www.centurylink.com
www.crystalautos.com
www.edwardjones.com
www.citrus.k12.fl.us/crest
www.floridapta.org
www.citrus.k12.fl.us/crp
www.centralridgeelementary.org
www.fldoe.org/arra/racetothetop.asp
Comments Off on School Board Meeting Recap 9/14/2010
Filed under: News & Updates, School Board Meetings
Posted on September 14th, 2010 by
Thomas Kennedy
Governor Crist and FDLE hosted the Annual Florida Missing Children’s Day Ceremony in Tallahassee on September 13th, 2010. At the event Citrus County School District’s own Kathleen Picard was named “School Bus Operator of the Year”. During the presentation they said that, “Picard’s alertness while at work led to the arrest of a man who had been inappropriate with two children.” Thank you Ms. Picard for working to keep our children safe.
Governor Crist and FDLE released the following information:
During 2009, approximately 41,154 incidents of missing children were reported missing to law enforcement agencies throughout Florida. Amber Alerts have aided in the rescue of 52 children, including one this year to date. In 2008, Governor Crist signed the Jennifer Kesse and Tiffany Sessions Missing Persons Act which expanded the authority of FDLE’s Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC) to provide assistance on investigations involving missing adults younger than 26 and missing adults age 26 and older who are suspected by law enforcement to be in danger. Since then, MEPIC has provided assistance in more than 249 missing adult investigations.
This past weekend, advertisers with the Florida Outdoor Advertising Association, and its member advertising companies, donated billboard space as part of an ongoing effort to feature missing children and adults. Lamar, Clear Channel Outdoor and CBS outdoor featured 25 missing children and adults on their digital billboards throughout the state.
FDLE continues to invite the public to sign up to receive e-mail alerts containing information on missing and abducted children. Citizens and businesses can sign up to receive Missing Child Alerts and Amber Alerts via e-mail or text message by visiting www.missingchildrenalert.com.
For more information, or to view photos of missing children, please visit www.fdle.state.fl.us or contact the FDLE Missing Endangered Persons Clearinghouse at 1-888-FL MISSING (1-888-356-4774).
Comments Off on Citrus Driver Named School Bus Operator of the Year
Filed under: News & Updates
Monday I had the pleasure of visiting Citrus High School with Principal Dale Johns. Mr. Johns and I had a chance to catch up some before touring the campus. Mr. Johns was principal at Citrus Springs Middle School before Mr. Johns was brought to CHS. Mr. Johns and I visited the CHS Cafetorium as students started entering for the first of the four lunch periods provided at CHS. It was hard not to notice how mature the high school students behaved as they entered the café. One might think a group of high school students would be “clowning” around as they entered the café but I was very impressed with their maturity. I visited several AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) classes. In one of the AVID classes being taught by Mrs. Gina Armstrong I enjoyed listening to students present a Power Point presentation on a new college that they had learned about. They shared many detailed unique aspects and reasons why they had made the choice for the college that they did. I had an opportunity to visit several other classes and, as always, find it exciting to see our students and educators as they participate in the learning process. On my next visit to CHS I plan on observing more of our Science labs and classrooms.
