Riverview/Apollo Beach
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April 2020 Volume 18, Issue 4 Ph: 657-2418
C E L E B R A T I N G
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Y E A R S
O F
P U B L I S H I N G
Osprey Observer Continues Publishing To Keep Public Informed During COVID-19 Alert
P O S I T I V E
C O M M U N I T Y
Area Schools Host Teacher Parades For Students To Show Appreciation
By Libby Hopkins
By Marie Gilmore, Managing Editor
As your community newspaper, the Osprey Observer will stay open for regular business hours and will continue publishing our newspapers during the next eight weeks. We are monitoring every press release and every advisory from Hillsborough County, the state of Florida and the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and it is our top priority to keep our readers, our advertisers and our families safe and healthy during the next two months. With that in mind, we are here to help local businesses craft their brand messaging, their social media and how to reflect their best practices to give the community confidence in their services. Please call us at 657-2418 if you need guidance on any services, openings or assistance needed and our team will do everything we can to help. We are also collecting a list of organizations that need our help in this time, including Seeds of Hope, ECHO of Brandon (Emergency Care Help Organization), Meals On Wheels of Tampa and so many more. Please let us know of any community resources that could be of assistance to our readers, and thank you for reading! While reading the upcoming editions, please know that some events may have announced a delay, a postponement or a rescheduled event after the paper has gone to press, so please contact the organization directly for the latest information. For Hillsborough County schools, new Superintendent Addison Davis
released the following, “The health and safety of our students and staff is our top priority. Because of this, we are taking steps to make sure everyone is following the requirements of the Florida Department of Health.” For the latest update, visit Hillsborough Schools.org/coronavirus. Starting on March 17, the county administrator Mike Merrill made a special order for all restaurants, bars, clubs and other businesses serving food and drink that they must close by 10 p.m. and limit load capacity to 50 percent. Shortly thereafter, the county released a second order limiting all public and private gatherings, including churches, to 50 people. Experts say social distancing is the most effective way to slow the spread of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) and to ensure public health facilities are not overwhelmed. The practice means refraining from large gatherings and keeping a 6-foot distance from other people when possible. Hillsborough County’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information for Business: https://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/en /residents/public-safety/emergency-management/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-business. Current numbers for the state of Florida of COVID-19 cases: http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseasesand-conditions/COVID-19/index.html. As of this printing, all local schools, libraries and many public facilities will be closed until further notice.
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The teachers and staff at Apollo Beach Elementary held a parade last month to show the students how much they missed them.
COVID-19 has recently made a huge impact on residents of all ages. Students especially are learning how to adapt to a new way of working and attending school. The teachers and staff at Apollo Beach Elementary realized how all these changes are affecting their students and decided to host a parade to let them know they missed them and that they are still part of the school. Alyssa Martin, a teacher at Apollo Beach Elementary, came up with the parade idea. “My father sent me a video of some teachers driving by houses to see their students,” Martin said. “Due to the circumstances, it is unknown when and if we will see and be able to hug our students again. So, I thought that having a staff parade would be a fantastic way for us to ‘see’ our sweet children and families. We all missed our students very much and our teachers and staff knew that this would be a great way to see them as well.” The parade took place on March 23, and more than 40 teachers and staff members, along with their spouses, children and fur children spent more than three hours driving through various communities in Apollo Beach. “The logistics of the Apollo Beach Elementary staff parade were created and finalized in less than 24 hours of pitching the idea to the staff,” Martin said. “Our principal, Kelly McMillan, and assistant principal, Dr. Bradley Fuller, were on board with this idea and promoted it
throughout our community. Valerie Dickson, our school counselor, and Tammy Holt, a parent in our community, also assisted with the logistics of the parade. I cannot thank them enough for all of their help and support.” Julia Sarmiento-Cohen’s son and daughter are students at the school and the parade not only lifted their spirits, it made them proud to be a part of the school. “My son’s teacher, Mrs. Seal, knew our home was not on the parade route and she personally reached out and called my son to check in and see how he was doing,” Sarmiento-Cohen said. “My daughter’s teacher, Mrs. Small, also face-timed my daughter to check in on her to tell her how much she missed and loved her. In the days since, many local schools have hosted parades for their students and teachers. The Florida Department of Education has directed all school districts in Florida to keep schools closed through May 1st.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. Some of our stories and advertisements were approved well before printing of this edition so please note times, locations, dates and details may have adjusted, changed or rescheduled since publication. We appreciate your support and readership of Your Community Newspaper.
Marie Gilmore
www.ospreyobserver.com
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It’s Oscar the Osprey!
He’s always flying around town and swooping up positive news! Our in-house bird watcher spotted Oscar on the move again!
WHERE IS HE NOW? Can you find him in this edition?
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We'll mail a dine-local gift certificate to the (and your mailing address) with us at: first 10 people who find him in this edition! oscarwatch@ospreyobserver.com