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Thomas C. Tobin - Assistant Metro Editor/education, health and medicine
Thomas C. Tobin

Assistant Metro Editor/education, health and medicine

No one is luckier than I am. As an assistant metro editor, I practice journalism every day with a talented team of writers who cover news about education, health and transportation. A mix of veterans and newer faces, they bring a passion to their work that makes me proud and helps keep our community better informed. I was born and raised in St. Louis, Mo., but Tampa Bay and I go way back. When I got here in the late 1980s, our state was just coming into its own as the economic, political and cultural powerhouse it is today. Since then I've covered local and state government, legal issues and education. I have traveled across Florida as the Times state reporter and even delved into the world of Scientology. Each day I learn from people. Reach out and tell me something.

  1. All the National Merit Semifinalists in one place. Tampa Bay has 132 of them this year.
    Sep. 13• Gradebook
    The National Merit Scholarship program has announced the names of semifinalists for scholarships to be offered in the spring.
    These students are among the top 1 percent of high school seniors in the nation.
  2. Pinellas education news: Praise for the Eckerd College rescue team, homework help and more
    Sep. 11• Gradebook
    Capt. Matthew A. Thompson, Commanding Officer of the U.S. Coast Guard in St. Petersburg, presented the Meritorious Public Service Award to members of the Eckerd College Search and Rescue Team during a ceremony Monday on the Eckerd campus.
    News and notes about K-12 schools and colleges in Pinellas County.
  3. Pinellas education news: Pipe bands, sharks, Aretha Franklin and more
    Sep. 4• Gradebook
    Pinellas County students Caleb Ruddock, left, and Daniel Tibma were members of the Capital District Youth Pipe Band that won the 2019 World Pipe Band Championship and Best Drum Corps titles last month in Scotland.
    News and notes about K-12 schools and colleges in Pinellas County.
  4. Updated: Dorian kept most schools closed Tuesday, but what about Wednesday? A look around Tampa Bay and Florida.
    Sep. 3• Hurricane
    A student crosses the campus of the University of South Florida in Tampa. The school continued to monitor the path of Hurricane Dorian but planned to reopen on Wednesday.
    Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando schools plan to reopen Wednesday, as does USF. The University of Florida will resume classes Thursday.
  5. Pinellas education news: mental health training, food waste on campus, free college credits
    Aug. 29• Gradebook
    Emma Jacobs, left, a sophomore at USF St. Petersburg, and Andrea Rodriguezpos, a junior at the school, show off a new system in the university cafeteria that naturally breaks down non-edible food. It's part of an effort to reduce food waste on campus. Known as ORCA, the system uses oxygen, water and microorganisms that flourish in cold water to decompose foods. Rodriguez and Jacobs are leaders of the Student Green Energy Fund.
    News and notes about K-12 schools and colleges in Pinellas County.
  6. Starting today, 400,000 kids in Tampa Bay are headed back to school
    Aug. 12• Gradebook
    The desks were empty during Wednesday night's open house at Memorial Middle School in Tampa. Their new occupants arrive today for the start of the 2019-20 school year. [LUIS SANTANA | Times]
    Classes begin in Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties. Pinellas follows on Wednesday.
  7. All the local school taxes in one place. How do Tampa Bay districts compare?
    Aug. 3• Gradebook
    School taxes make up the single largest part of your property tax bill. [Times (2017)]
    Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties are proposing lower property tax rates this year. Their final votes are set for next month.
  8. Tampa Bay goes back to school: What you need to know for 2019-20.
    Jul. 26• Gradebook
    Students across the Tampa Bay area return to classes in mid-August. The Times' annual back-to-school coverage offers a helpful starting point as families make ready for 2019-20. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
    The mid-August start of classes is just around the corner.
  9. Here are the 10 Pinellas schools that improved by two grades this year.
    Jul. 12• Gradebook
    Campbell Park Elementary was one of 10 Pinellas County schools to improve its state rating by two letter grades this year. The school rose from an F last year to a C in 2019. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
    Another 22 rose by one grade, and 14 fell back.
  10. Florida education news: 2019 school grades, teaching the Holocaust in public schools and more
    Jul. 12• Gradebook
    It's been 20 years since Florida started using school grades as one of the cornerstones of its education accountability system. Grades for the 2018-19 school year were released Thursday. [DIRK SHADD | Times]
    A roundup of stories from around the state.