Pasco County School Board member Megan Harding highlights Project RISE progress and staff outreach
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In an interview on the Pasco County Schools podcast "Communicating the Vision," Megan Harding, a member of the Pasco County School Board, said she ran for the board to advocate for students, teachers and staff and described recent efforts to improve Hudson-area schools through Project RISE and community outreach to support staff.
Harding said her interest in education began in first grade and led her to teach in Pasco County for seven years before running for the school board. "I wanted to become a teacher," she said. "...that's my why, is our students, our teachers, our staff and our community." Harding noted she has been elected to two terms on the board.
The Project RISE initiative at Hudson schools was a central example Harding cited of work she supports. Harding said Project RISE has helped transform the Hudson school complex by expanding Cambridge and other higher-rigor academic opportunities across the feeder pattern — Hudson Primary, Hudson Academy and Hudson High — and by adding services intended to meet students' basic needs. "Meeting our students' most basic needs first with the clinic that's over there, because we know that students won't learn unless their most basic needs are met first," Harding said.
Harding also said she was told there is a waiting list for the Cambridge program at Hudson High. She described Project RISE as targeting academic opportunity and family support in that part of Pasco County.
On staff outreach, Harding described a community-organized event to support bus drivers at the district's Northwest Bus Garage. "They said, 'Megan, we really wanna support your bus drivers,'" Harding said. She said community members brought snacks and drinks and a local business donated a new grill for the drivers' break room.
Harding emphasized relationship-building with schools as an ongoing priority. "I have worked extremely hard in the past 8 years to go into our schools and build those relationships," she said, describing efforts to explain decision-making to teachers and families and to connect concerned community members with district staff.
The interview included several personal anecdotes about visiting schools and attending graduations; Harding said one of her first-grade classes later graduated from Hudson High, and she recounted former students greeting her during a school visit. The conversation also touched briefly on other community and school highlights Harding supports, including cheerleading and local school culture.
The interview was hosted by Matthew Testoni, community engagement specialist, and Toni Zecce, chief communications and community engagement officer. The podcast thanked AdventHealth and the Pasco Education Foundation for sponsoring and supporting the program.
Harding said her interest in education began in first grade and led her to teach in Pasco County for seven years before running for the school board. "I wanted to become a teacher," she said. "...that's my why, is our students, our teachers, our staff and our community." Harding noted she has been elected to two terms on the board.
The Project RISE initiative at Hudson schools was a central example Harding cited of work she supports. Harding said Project RISE has helped transform the Hudson school complex by expanding Cambridge and other higher-rigor academic opportunities across the feeder pattern — Hudson Primary, Hudson Academy and Hudson High — and by adding services intended to meet students' basic needs. "Meeting our students' most basic needs first with the clinic that's over there, because we know that students won't learn unless their most basic needs are met first," Harding said.
Harding also said she was told there is a waiting list for the Cambridge program at Hudson High. She described Project RISE as targeting academic opportunity and family support in that part of Pasco County.
On staff outreach, Harding described a community-organized event to support bus drivers at the district's Northwest Bus Garage. "They said, 'Megan, we really wanna support your bus drivers,'" Harding said. She said community members brought snacks and drinks and a local business donated a new grill for the drivers' break room.
Harding emphasized relationship-building with schools as an ongoing priority. "I have worked extremely hard in the past 8 years to go into our schools and build those relationships," she said, describing efforts to explain decision-making to teachers and families and to connect concerned community members with district staff.
The interview included several personal anecdotes about visiting schools and attending graduations; Harding said one of her first-grade classes later graduated from Hudson High, and she recounted former students greeting her during a school visit. The conversation also touched briefly on other community and school highlights Harding supports, including cheerleading and local school culture.
The interview was hosted by Matthew Testoni, community engagement specialist, and Toni Zecce, chief communications and community engagement officer. The podcast thanked AdventHealth and the Pasco Education Foundation for sponsoring and supporting the program.
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